General News

Now, when MLB The Show 26 Parallel Mods is mentioned, everyone seems to have a lot to say but nowhere to complain. In addition, the new cards in the game always seem to lack something, and the update schedule is erratic. Perhaps only Hall of Fame Sunday, which will be released on July 26, can slightly silence the complaints.

So, we'll delve into Parallel Mods system, which was initially highly anticipated, and examine its design flaws over time.

Design Intent

The Parallel Mods system in MLB 26 this year had a good idea in itself, as it allowed players to decide where to allocate attribute points. For example, if a pitcher has poor control, improve their control; if a batter is slow, increase their speed. This allows each card to be adjusted according to the needs of your lineup.

Especially when you're using the same card for a long time, you can customize its attributes based on its position. For example, if you want to move a first baseman to the outfield, you can boost their speed and defense, making the entire lineup much more flexible.

This approach actually extends from the original Parallel system, which was well-regarded. Adding Mods makes character development more targeted, which is the right direction.

Significant Shortcomings

The initial design intent is sound, but in MLB The Show 26, using Parallel Mods reveals several problems.

The most frustrating issue is that some newly released high OVR cards (like Jordan Walker) have deliberately low base stats, forcing you to rely on Parallel Mods to salvage them.

This is similar to the development team's previous approach with Captain cards - making the cards weak initially, then forcing you to improve them through other means. However, players want cards that are usable from the start; Parallel Mods are merely icing on the cake.

And Parallel Mods upgrade process is uncomfortable. At low levels, the stat differences are barely noticeable, so many players simply don't use Mods, waiting until they reach level five before activating them all at once. This makes the long development phase feel unfulfilling.

Furthermore, the number of innings required for starting pitchers and relievers to advance is the same: 90 innings. However, relievers can only pitch a few innings per game, making it incredibly difficult to reach the required number unless you use them excessively.

Therefore, a reasonable approach for MLB 26 would be to reduce the requirement for relievers to around 30 innings. This would be fairer and less daunting for players.

The Difficulty of the Protest

Given the current situation in the game, many players are asking how the community can get the development team to truly listen to their opinions.

Theoretically, the simplest and most direct solution would be to stop playing MLB 26 and not use MLB 26 stubs, but in reality, it's not that easy. Since there's only one baseball game with MLB license, what will happen to their revenue if they stop developing it?

Even more critically, Diamond Dynasty players initially constituted only a small fraction of the overall game player base. Most players only played Franchise Mode and Road to the Show, and they were completely unconcerned about the problems with Diamond Dynasty, let alone a potential boycott.

Therefore, even if Diamond Dynasty players stopped playing, the overall impact on MLB 26 sales would be limited.

Communication Issues

Of course, there is some communication between players and MLB The Show 26 development team; some creators even hold meetings to discuss feedback. However, feedback is not as timely as it used to be.

Compared to frantically posting in the community, this is the most reliable way to communicate. But if even meetings and videos fail, then a larger-scale action might need to be considered.

Furthermore, the development team's indifference towards players isn't necessarily intentional; it could be due to manpower shortages, heavy technical workloads, or a lack of attention from higher-ups.

So, simply complaining is useless. It's better to clearly list the problems in the game, start a petition, or use data to show the development team the severity of the issues. This would likely be more effective.

Reasons for Slower Updates

Recently, you may have noticed that the regular release schedule of new content every Tuesday and Friday isn't as consistent, causing some concern that this might continue.

This is largely related to the habits of sports game players. With the release of games like College Football 27 and Madden NFL 27 at the end of July, many players have switched to other games. Furthermore, with GTA 6 coming at the end of the year, even non-sports game players will be drawn away, naturally reducing the number of online players for MLB 26.

The development team's decision to slow down the update speed at this time aligns with market trends and also allows them some breathing room, as they've been working intensively for the past three or four months.

Judging from the release history of previous years, the period with the most concentrated game content is usually from March to July. After that, the development team seems to gradually focus their energy on the development of the next game.

For hardcore gamers who are still consistently playing, the lack of content will definitely be disappointing.

But sports games are inherently seasonal products; most people play for a while and then switch to something else. Only a small number of die-hard fans will stick with it.

Of course, players would prefer to play year-round, but this involves how the company allocates manpower, which is not something the development team can decide. Understanding this background allows us to have more realistic expectations for the content pacing of MLB 26.

Ultimately, Parallel Mods system is still young, and its later implementation coincides with the development team reserving their energy for developing new titles. Some neglect of this system is understandable. At least its initial intention was good; hopefully, its details will be polished again in the future!

The highly anticipated Madden NFL 27 will officially launch globally on August 13th, with Early Access starting as early as August 6th (7 days early). We've already learned a lot about the new content from the official announcements.

However, some of the new designs, such as the new Upgrade System, Timing-Based Catching, and the persistent issues of unconvincing Season Special Offers and server instability, raise serious questions: do they truly enhance the player experience or just for show?

The New Upgrade System: A Coin Trap

Madden 27 Ultimate Team introduces a brand-new upgrade system, the core concept of which is allowing players to customize and upgrade their players using Skill Points. Skill Points can be obtained by completing in-game objectives, player-specific missions, or using coins.

Unlike the previous step-by-step upgrades, the new system allows players to level up multiple times at once, and the upgrade path is influenced by the player's archetype - meaning two players who start exactly the same can evolve into drastically different styles after being upgraded by different players.

This sounds great - more customization, more control. But the community discovered its true nature within just a few weeks - a huge coin trap.

Specifically, if you're not satisfied with a player's upgrade result, for example, you want speed but the system gives you other attributes, you can choose to reset the player and reallocate skill points. However, resetting costs a lot of coins, and there's no guarantee you'll get the desired result.

Worse still, whenever the official overall rating is increased, the player upgrade cap also increases. This means that players you previously invested heavily in upgrading now have a higher cap. So you face another choice: either accept the imperfect situation or reset again, invest more, and continue gambling.

In addition to the upgrade system, MUT 27's Ultimate Team also introduced Evos. Evos allow players to improve a player's Max OVR, unlock new upgrade paths, add or improve abilities, expand chemistry options, and even change a player's archetype. Some Evos can also be chained together to further extend a player's lifespan in the lineup.

While Evos seem to offer more customization possibilities, they essentially add a coin-consuming mechanism on top of the upgrade system.

Since both the new upgrade system and Evos heavily rely on coins, managing resources effectively will be a challenge for MUT 27 players. For players looking to reduce repetitive grinding time, to pre-order Madden 27 coins from IGGM.com will make your lineup building process smoother.

Timing-Based Catching is Too Strong

If you've played College Football 27, you've probably noticed that passes to tall wide receivers are almost impossible to stop; this phenomenon is called Timing-Based Catching. Specifically, when you throw a high ball to a tall wide receiver and time the pass perfectly, the defense is virtually powerless. Even if the defender is in a good defensive position and jumps at the perfect moment, they still can't stop the tall wide receiver from catching the ball.

Madden NFL 27's WR vs. DB battles emphasize more realistic physical contact, hand entanglement, and leverage. The problem is, if the timing-based catching system in Madden 27 maintains the intensity of College Football 27, then those tall, long-armed wide receivers will become almost unstoppable.

Madden has never lacked tall wide receivers - Calvin Johnson (6'5"), Randy Moss (6'4"), Julio Jones (6'3"), and many current tall wide receivers. If the timing catch mechanic remains this strong at launch, the game will degenerate into a situation where whoever catches the big wide receiver first wins.

Season Special Offers Continue to Underperform

Season Special Offers are special packs unlocked as players level up in each season's Field Pass. In the developer's other ball games, these packs have been lackluster. The contents of these packs remain almost unchanged throughout the season; the biggest change is simply renaming the pack from Pack A to Pack B.

These packs were originally designed to reward players for completing the long season pass grind, offering them a worthwhile gift. However, in reality, the value of these packs has decreased, becoming less and less attractive, significantly reducing the motivation to continue playing.

Madden 27 Season 1 Season Special Offers might offer some incentive - but historical experience tells us that as the season progresses, these packages rarely get updated, eventually becoming unattractive.

The Most Realistic Concern: Server Stability

This is the most frustrating, but also the most real, problem. Server performance in other NFL games from the same developer has been disastrous, and this isn't an isolated incident, but a widespread issue:

• Frequent disconnections: Players frequently lose connection during head-to-head matches.
• Match results not counted: Matches completed and won are not recorded.
• Unpaid coins: Winners don't receive their due coin rewards after an opponent quits in the first half.

Even more worrying is that the server performance of Madden's predecessor was unsatisfactory. If Madden 27's servers continue the trend of similar games, these problems are likely to resurface on a large scale at launch.

While the official statement claims that server issues are known, whether they can be completely resolved before the game's release remains uncertain.

However, the issues Madden NFL 27 is currently exhibiting don't necessarily mean the game will fail. Undeniably, the inclusion of these design elements is appealing in itself; the real challenge lies in whether the development team can strike a balance between depth and the pressure of monetization. Of course, the game hasn't been officially released yet, and the studio still has time to make adjustments and optimizations. We'll have to wait and see how it turns out.

Many players believe that in Dynasty Mode of College Football 27, lower-star schools must have a massive NIL budget to recruit elite players.

However, that is not actually the case. If you constantly rely on heavy NIL spending, your roster may end up filled with one-star or two-star players who struggle to make a real impact. For lower-tier schools, you need to use all of your resources more strategically.

Preseason Scouting

During the first season, all of your Dynasty Points should be invested into Recruiting and Retention. Preseason period is the best window for Scouting. At this stage, you cannot offer scholarships yet, and smaller schools have very limited hours available, so every action must be carefully targeted.

You should prioritize Offensive Line and all Defensive positions while completely skipping Quarterbacks, Running Backs, and Wide Receivers. These positions are much easier to fill later in the season and through Transfer Portal.

Through Full Scout, you may discover players with the gem tag, which means they are very likely to have Star or Elite Development Traits.

The chance of finding a Gem player is only around 10% to 15%, and a one-star school will usually discover only one or two during the entire Preseason.

Once Week 0 begins and scholarships become available, immediately offer scholarships to the three-star Gem players you have found. If their expected NIL is low, do not simply match their expectations. Instead, provide double the amount, as this can greatly accelerate their Commit process.

At the same time, invest the full 50 hours into Send the House for these Gem players. If you discover multiple Gems, spread the hours between them, with around 10 to 25 hours per player, allowing the doubled NIL offer to provide the main advantage.

Regular Season

Targeting Four-Star Players

During the first 10 to 12 weeks of the regular season, there are usually around 20 to 30 four-star players who are not being heavily pursued by CPU. Even if some CPU teams have offered scholarships, their Influence Bars often barely increase, giving lower-star schools a chance to compete.

The influence boost from scholarships alone is extremely small. Meanwhile, offering an NIL amount below a player's expectation will not only stop the Influence Bar from progressing but can also cause it to decline. Therefore, avoid offering scholarships throughout the entire season.

For these four-star targets, only use regular recruiting hours. Put all 50 hours into Send the House and never schedule a Visit. Once you notice a four-star player receiving heavy attention from CPU teams, immediately withdraw your hours and move on to the next four-star target without active competition.

After entering Top 5, check your school's Grades for that player. If your grades meet the requirements, switch to Hard Sell and add an extra 10 hours. If your grades do not meet the requirements, which is common for smaller schools, continue using Send the House with 50 hours.

These four-star players without scholarship offers can still sign with you as long as you continue investing enough hours. They can commit directly to your school without receiving a scholarship offer, and their expected NIL during their freshman season will be zero, making them completely free. This is one of the most efficient recruiting methods in NCAA 27.

Three-Star Gems

If you find multiple three-star Gem players, you can divide your hours between them. If you run out of four-star targets, move down to three-star recruits. For three-star players with very low NIL expectations, you can offer scholarships and provide double the expected amount. This allows you to secure them faster and focus your attention on the next target.

Influence Bar

The biggest trap of a “Instant Commit” is that if you never offer a scholarship, the player's Influence Bar must be completely filled before Transfer Portal period ends, allowing them to Hard Commit to your school. Otherwise, even if they appear on your signing list, they will not appear on your roster in the following season.

The filling speed can be significantly improved through Pipeline Advantages and recruiting-related Coaching Upgrades. Therefore, even after entering Transfer Portal period, you still need to continue investing hours into unfinished high school recruits to ensure they complete Hard Commit process.

Transfer Portal

For lower-star schools, Transfer Portal is the main source for rebuilding your roster. Winning games is the fastest way to improve Team Grades, Team Prestige, and Dynasty Points, and experienced players can help you achieve victories much faster.

The key to increasing Influence is not the difference between your offer and a player's expectation, but the ratio between the two. A doubled NIL offer can provide an influence boost equivalent to investing a full 50 hours of Send the House.

Therefore, you should focus on finding three-star transfer players with zero or very low NIL expectations. You can provide double the expected amount, such as offering 10 when the expectation is 0 or offering 20 when the expectation is 10, allowing scholarships and NIL ratios to create most of the advantage.

You should spread your hours across many targets instead of concentrating them on only a few players, because Transfer Portal window is short. Once you find a target being heavily pursued by other schools, immediately abandon that player and move on to the next overlooked three-star recruit.

If you encounter a highly talented player, you can provide a larger NIL offer as long as your budget allows. These players usually deliver strong performances and are worth the investment.

This strategy works extremely well under the default offline settings. However, if you participate in an Online Dynasty and every player uses a similar approach, competition will become much tougher and the effectiveness of this method will decrease.

Rebuilding a lower-star school is certainly challenging, but the official systems are not designed to create impossible tasks. Although a massive NIL budget can make recruiting easier, carefully managing your hours and making full use of Transfer Portal can still help you build a strong recruiting class in the shortest possible time.

Developing players in Dynasty mode requires time, patience, and luck, but it's much simpler in Ultimate Team mode. Simply buy College Football 27 coins from IGGM, and you can directly acquire your desired players in the transfer market, customize tactical manuals or jerseys, etc., making it easier to build a super star.

After multiple release date delays, most players have likely run low on patience for GTA 6. Fortunately, pre-orders finally opened in late June, though the price might be higher than you expected.

One would expect an intensive promotional campaign to kick off immediately after pre-orders opened, particularly featuring the highly anticipated Trailer 3; after all, Trailer 2 dropped a year ago, and we need a new trailer to confirm further details about GTA VI.

Yet, a month has passed, and there is still no sign of Trailer 3. Given other potential developments, it is hard not to suspect that there might not be a new trailer for GTA 6 at all. Here is the reasoning behind this speculation.

Potential changes to the trailer schedule

The developer behind GTA 6 manages several hit franchises; alongside Grand Theft Auto, there is Red Dead Redemption, which shares a largely overlapping player base.

For years, both series have consistently followed a core promotional rhythm: three trailers, followed by a gameplay reveal, and finally the actual release. It is only natural to assume GTA 6 would follow suit, a pattern that held true at least up through GTA 5.

Experience shows that gameplay reveals usually drop about two months before the actual launch. The developer seems to favor stretching out the waiting period to ensure players remain excited and focused on the new title.

While mishandling this strategy could damage a game's reputation, the quality of GTA series is undeniable, making it perfectly reasonable for GTA 6 to continue this promotional approach.

However, if we assume a gameplay reveal is scheduled for September (with a November launch), and considering it is already late July, the earliest Trailer 3 could realistically debut is August.

That would leave an incredibly short gap between the two videos, contradicting the developer's strategy of extending the promotional timeline to maintain ongoing discussion about the game.

No new content worthy of a trailer

Trailer 1, released two years ago, primarily showcased key locations in Grand Theft Auto 6 and offered a brief glimpse of potential new gameplay mechanics as well as the two protagonists, Jason and Lucia.

The subsequent two trailers focused on the protagonists; by offering an in-depth look at their lives, they indirectly revealed the main storyline and gameplay mechanics players could expect.

Consequently, if Trailer 3 were to exclude actual gameplay footage, it would seem there is little new material left to showcase. Alternatively, revealing more content could risk spoilers, something a trailer should strictly avoid.

Therefore, if a third trailer were released without spoilers or gameplay footage, its content would likely take the form of a mini-movie, highlighting the visual fidelity of in-game environments and character models.

While that sounds appealing, it might struggle to generate significant new interest, especially for those who have already meticulously analyzed the details of the first two trailers.

It could even backfire and dampen player enthusiasm. After all, pre-orders are already open; repeatedly showing footage that lacks substantial new information might lead people to wonder if the developers have run out of fresh ideas for GTA 6.

Promotional goals already met

Despite the delay of Trailer 3 and controversies surrounding the price point, GTA VI has seen impressive pre-order figures. This indirectly demonstrates that, based on the promotional material released so far, players are confident GTA 6 won't disappoint them.

Ultimately, the value of a trailer lies in its role as a promotional tool, showcasing the game's quality and depth to entice players.

If two trailers have already achieved the desired promotional impact for GTA 6 and there is nothing new that needs to be shown in a third, why not simply cancel it? Doing so would preserve a sense of mystery and save on costs.

An interesting side note: some players frequently complain about or mock the game's protracted promotional cycle, claiming they have no faith in the title.

Yet, the very act of discussing Grand Theft Auto VI online serves as a form of free publicity. In this sense, silence can sometimes be a promotional strategy in itself.

GTA series has become a milestone

The overwhelming volume of discussion across communities and forums makes it clear: GTA is more than just a game series, it is a milestone in the gaming industry and a phenomenon that resonates with players worldwide.

To use a film analogy, think of GTA as the Avengers of the gaming world.

Just as the Avengers franchise is far more familiar to global audiences than individual superhero movies, meaning a new installment like Avengers 5 would generate massive anticipation with just one or two trailers and no further hype, GTA 6 commands the same level of excitement.

In other words, if the developer were to skip Trailer 3, it might signal that the series no longer needs the traditional, step-by-step promotional buildup of the past; player loyalty is already so deeply entrenched that it isn't going anywhere.

Furthermore, if there is no third trailer, other new games will inevitably launch during the gap before actual gameplay footage is revealed. For these newcomers, matching the quality and hype of GTA series is virtually impossible.

Consequently, by comparison, even if the developer does nothing else for GTA 6, the mediocrity of other titles will only heighten your anticipation for it.

Nothing is set in stone yet

Of course, the speculation about skipping Trailer 3, and the arguments above, are merely based on current developments regarding GTA 6. A third trailer could drop in a few days, or the developer might employ an unexpected new form of promotion.

Regardless, one thing is certain: the release of Grand Theft Auto 6 this winter will spark a massive wave of excitement as players return to explore Vice City. You can choose to wait and see, or you can pre-order right now!

Whenever you decide to pre-order GTA 6, if you also want to fast-track your progress and unlock content quickly once the game launches, you can pre-order GTA 6 money from IGGM right away!

We offer safe, reliable service and ensure prompt delivery, eliminating any risks that could compromise your gaming experience. If your budget allows, give it a try!

Although we still need to wait another day for EA FC 26 FUTTIES to launch, FUTTIES Countdown Evolution - this limited-time evolution project - has already been launched in the game. To better prepare for this final major promo of FC 26 Ultimate Team, we can now plan our FUTTIES Countdown Evolution progress to obtain the enhanced cards as soon as possible.

Evolution Content and Cost

This evolution offers more than just incremental improvements; it's a comprehensive boost to all card attributes. It covers every single value on the card, ultimately increasing the card's OVR.

For most active players, player prices are currently relatively low, and they have accumulated a sufficient number of coins through rewards, making this upgrade cost - 100,000 FC 26 coins - very cost-effective.

It's worth noting that FUTTIES Countdown Evolution does not have a PlayStyle Plus cap, meaning that even players who already own five PlayStyle Plus cards are eligible to participate and enjoy this attribute boost.

Customization Space

Currently, there is no official detailed explanation regarding the customization features of FUTTIES cards in Evo Lab. However, based on available information, it is speculated that players should be able to add basic PlayStyles or PlayStyle Plus to their cards after upgrading their basic attributes.

Currently, most customizable cards have a PlayStyle Plus limit of three, but the community generally hopes that the development team will relax this limit to at least four, or even five, as soon as possible, allowing for a higher degree of personalization in Evo Lab.

This customization capability is widely recognized as a core factor determining the value of FUT 26 FUTTIES Countdown Evolution.

Candidate Player Analysis

Many data points indicate that a wide range of FIFA 26 players are suitable for this evolution, with central midfielders, defensive midfielders, and defenders benefiting the most.

Paul Pogba

Under certain evolutions, Paul Pogba can reach 98 OVR, with many stats approaching 96. His shooting attribute is slightly weaker, but his overall stats are very impressive, making him a top choice in Deep-Lying Playmaker evolution path.

Paul Pogba's tall stature and excellent dribbling skills give him a natural physical advantage in midfield. Therefore, if he gains a shooting-related PlayStyle Plus after evolution, he will definitely become a perfect all-around midfielder.

Calafiori

This card has an OVR below 94 and five PlayStyle Plus attributes, perfectly meeting the requirements for FUTTIES Countdown Evolution. After upgrading, all attributes increase by +2, making Calafiori a highly promising defensive option.

Furthermore, because he inherently possesses multiple defensive PlayStyle Plus attributes, after evolution, not only will his attributes be comprehensively improved, but he will also retain his existing high-level traits in subsequent customizations. Whether playing as a center-back or full-back, he can effectively counter fast forwards.

Meunier

After evolving, Meunier's OVR reaches 96, with his four core stats - speed, shooting, passing, and dribbling - all reaching 95 or 96. His highly symmetrical stats showcase Meunier's excellent all-around attacking prowess.

Although Meunier's model is relatively small, his exceptional agility and balance make him particularly effective at evading defenders in tight spaces. He's suitable as an attacking midfielder or wide playmaker. Adding a shooting or passing PlayStyle Plus stat can transform him into a finishing attacking threat.

Lukebakio

Lukebakio's speed advantage is significant, but the overall improvement from EA Sports FC 26 FUTTIES Countdown Evolution is relatively small. Players need to weigh whether it's worth investing FC 26 coins.

However, Lukebakio's natural long-distance running ability and the enhanced physicality after evolution still make him suitable for Inside Forward.

Quaresma

Evolution offers Quaresma virtually no defensive contribution and lacks PlayStyle Plus, making this card heavily reliant on additional customization.

If you can acquire at least one dribbling or speed-related PlayStyle Plus through Evo Lab, Quaresma's fancy moves and wing breakthroughs will become incredibly difficult to defend.

Cristiano Ronaldo

As a legendary card with high OVR, Cristiano Ronaldo's finishing ability is further enhanced after evolution. However, limited by his initial 95 OVR, there's almost no room for further evolution chains, making him suitable as a final enhancement.

His powerful aerial advantage and shooting power remain dominant in the penalty area, but players should be aware that his speed attribute may lose some explosiveness because of the change in threshold.

Rafael Leão

Rafael Leão already possesses several basic PlayStyles, allowing players to further customize his PlayStyle Plus combinations in Evo Lab.

Furthermore, his height and speed combined create a natural attacking threat on the flanks. If he were to evolve and gain an outside-of-the-foot or technical PlayStyle Plus, Rafael Leão's inside-cutting shot threat would be greatly enhanced.

Besides the players mentioned above, players should also carefully examine cards in FC 26 with high OVR but uneven attribute distribution to avoid missing out on players with significant potential improvements because of perceived inconsistencies.

Final Advice

Considering the long duration of FUTTIES and the high probability of more powerful evolution items being released in the coming weeks, players should review their club's high-potential evolution cards before investing 100,000 FC 26 coins, especially those with relatively low OVR but already possessing multiple PlayStyle Plus cards.

Also, with the potential appearance of new evolution projects in FFUTTIES Token Store, this week's store refresh is worth paying close attention to.

FUTTIES have a long cycle, so plan your current resources in FC 26 wisely to avoid missing out on more powerful evolution projects later!

Monopoly Go The Simpsons Album will come to an end on July 29, 2026, and Happy Harvest with Looney Tunes Album will take its place. Players will leave the lively streets of Springfield behind and move into a peaceful farm setting.

Happy Harvest with Looney Tunes (renamed from Farm Fortunes album) is also a crossover Album. Various characters from Looney Tunes will appear in Monopoly Go from July 29 to September 23. Like several previous Albums, this one introduces its own unique mechanic.

Porky's Cafe

To unlock this mechanic, you first need to complete the 11th set in Happy Harvest with Looney Tunes, Cafe Ingredients, and collect all 9 stickers from the set. After unlocking it, duplicate stickers obtained from Cafe Ingredients packs will become the core currency.

Porky's Cafe will constantly welcome Looney Tunes characters who place orders, including Tweety, Wile E. Coyote, Daffy Duck, and Elmer Fudd. Bugs Bunny will also occasionally bring special orders created by his own judging system.

You need to use duplicate Cafe Ingredients stickers as ingredients to cook dishes and complete their orders. Available dishes range from pancakes and scrambled eggs to carrot casserole, cheesecake, baklava, and more. Each completed order will grant you rewards.

Although the official team has not revealed the exact rewards, they will likely vary depending on the quality of the "ingredients" used. Possible rewards may include Monopoly Go stickers, cash, or dice.

Cafe Ingredients Set Stickers

Cafe Ingredients stickers used for completing orders will be consumed by the system. However, this works similarly to a trade system because the star value of these consumed stickers will still count toward your Stars Chest progress, so there is no need to worry about wasting them.

Since every sticker season creates a large number of low-star stickers, these stickers often become excess items for the album. In addition, they provide very little progress toward Stars Chest rewards, which means obtaining too many duplicates usually feels inefficient.

This feature provides a useful way to consume duplicate low-star stickers. However, it currently only applies to Cafe Ingredients set. This may be an experimental feature, and if players respond positively to it, the official team may introduce a similar system in future Albums.

How to Get Cafe Ingredients Set Stickers?

The official team did not make this set difficult by adding Gold Stickers. In fact, it does not even contain any 5-star stickers. Among the 9 stickers, the highest rarity is only 4 stars:

• Flour - 2 Star
• Eggs - 2 Star
• Dairy - 2 Star
• Cheese - 3 Star
• Veggies - 3 Star
• Fruits - 3 Star
• Nuts - 4 Star
• Honey - 4 Star
• Special Spice - 4 Star

The star level of a sticker determines which sticker packs it mainly appears in.

• 2-3 Star Stickers: These are the most common category and frequently appear in regular sticker packs such as Green, Yellow, and Pink packs.
• 4 Star Stickers: These are much rarer and usually require higher-tier packs such as Blue or Purple packs for a chance to obtain them.

Participating in events and tournaments while reaching specific milestones is the main way to obtain sticker packs containing random stickers.

Completing the daily Quick Wins tasks can also provide sticker pack rewards. However, you will usually only receive 2-star stickers like Flour. If you complete these tasks consistently for a week, you can also obtain a better sticker pack.

In the sticker menu, you can use extra stickers to accumulate Stars. When you reach 250, 450, or 700 Stars, you can exchange them for different levels of chests to obtain new stickers. However, it is not recommended to exchange Stars specifically for Cafe Ingredients stickers. It is better to save enough Stars and use them for Swap Packs instead.

Besides obtaining stickers yourself, you can also trade stickers with friends or other players. Since this set does not include Gold Stickers, every sticker can be traded freely.

However, because all players need these stickers, fewer players may actually be willing to trade them. You can buy Monopoly Go stickers from IGGM to easily acquire the "ingredients" for Porky's Cafe.

Is Happy Harvest with Looney Tunes Crossover Good?

Aside from Porky's Cafe, the official team has not announced any additional crossover mechanics. This is clearly a lighter crossover experience where Looney Tunes mainly serves as a thematic element. The sticker set focuses on a farm theme, with most stickers featuring original farm-related content, while Looney Tunes elements do not appear on every sticker.

In comparison, Monopoly Go × The Simpsons Album is currently the most carefully designed IP collaboration from the official team. Everything from the board design and gameplay elements to the stickers follows The Simpsons style, and it even introduced exclusive reward sticker sets. The official team also stated that it was their largest brand collaboration.

Therefore, Looney Tunes and Monopoly Go collaboration is much lighter in scale. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing. After all, Happy Harvest with Looney Tunes contains far fewer Gold Stickers, allowing players to complete the Album more easily.

In short, if you enjoyed the fully immersive crossover experience of The Simpsons, you may feel that Looney Tunes collaboration falls behind in terms of scale and depth. However, this Album provides a more relaxed and comfortable experience, especially for players who used up most of their dice during The Simpsons Album.

You have likely wrapped up most of the content from TBC Classic Anniversary Phase 2 by now. Just as you were aimlessly preparing for Phase 3, the development team suddenly announced the official launch date for this phase!

Even if you have played the original TBC or Classic servers, we are bringing you the ultimate overview of WoW TBC Classic Anniversary Phase 3 to ensure you stay on top of potential changes and don't miss any nuanced adjustments.

Phase 3 release date confirmed

This phase was originally scheduled for release on August 13, but after that the date was shifted to August 27 at 3:00 PM PDT. It has to be said that this kind of back-and-forth scheduling makes it very easy to miss the actual launch - it is honestly quite annoying.

Counting back from August 27th, both Phase 1 and Phase 2 lasted approximately three months (excluding the pre-patch), and BCC Anniversary consists of five phases in total.

If each subsequent phase maintains this three-month duration, TBC Classic Anniversary should conclude around February of next year. Although this is slightly longer than the expected 8–10 months, the overall pace is still faster than that of the original Classic release.

Mount Hyjal Raid overview

Like Phase 2, the new content for TBC Classic Anniversary Phase 3 includes two raids: Black Temple and Mount Hyjal. Additionally, a new faction associated with each raid has been introduced.

Unlocking Black Temple requires not only completing its own attunement questline but also ensuring you have completed the attunement quests for Tempest Keep, Serpentshrine Cavern, and Mount Hyjal. Therefore, we will first introduce the unlock process and an overview of Mount Hyjal raid.

The attunement quest for this raid, Vials of Eternity, essentially requires you to defeat the final bosses of Tempest Keep and Serpentshrine Cavern raids: Kael'thas Sunstrider and Lady Vashj.

This is because the quest requires you to turn in two key items, Vashj's Vial Remnant and Kael's Vial Remnant, to a specific NPC; the method for obtaining these drops is self-explanatory.

If you haven't done this yet, it is best to complete it before Phase 3 launches to avoid falling behind. Additionally, you need to raise your Keepers of Time reputation to Revered to gain access to Hyjal Summit, the location of Mount Hyjal raid.

As for Mount Hyjal raid itself, it features five bosses: Rage Winterchill, Anetheron, Kaz'rogal, Azgalor, and Archimonde, all of which must be defeated; there are no optional encounters.

Azgalor and Archimonde drop tokens for gloves and helms, respectively, with the final bossArchimonde dropping loot of a higher item level.

It is also worth noting that while fighting within Hyjal Summit zone, waves of trash mobs will continuously spawn and advance on your group until the main boss appears.

Therefore, when assembling your Mount Hyjal raid team, you must consider not only general mob mechanics but also the specific abilities of various enemy types.

It is also advisable to buy WoW TBC Classic Anniversary gold on IGGM to redeem stat-boosting consumables, ensuring your group isn't worn down by trash mobs before even reaching the bosses.

Black Temple Raid overview

We have already briefly mentioned the attunement requirements for this raid. Following that, depending on whether you have joined The Aldor or The Scryers faction, you must complete a lengthy questline to obtain Medallion of Karabor, the item required to unlock the raid.

In fact, parts of this questline were made available during Phase 1 and 2, so you may have already completed some of the steps.

Notably, the seventh step of the questline involves defeating the boss Rage Winterchill, which is why we strongly recommend completing Mount Hyjal raid first.

Black Temple raid features nine bosses, all of which must be defeated to clear the raid:

• High Warlord Naj'entus
• Supremus
• Shade of Akama
• Teron Gorefiend
• Gurtogg Bloodboil
• Reliquary of the Lost
• Mother Shahraz
• The Illidari Council
• Illidan Stormrage

It is worth mentioning that the raid entrance is a crack in the wall along the path to Karabor Sewers; it is easily overlooked, so it is best to navigate to the coordinates /way 71, 46.

As for loot, Black Temple raid bosses drop Tier 6 tokens, and the final boss Illidan Stormrage also drops the rare gear Warglaive of Azzinoth.

Two new factions

The two new factions introduced in Phase 3, Ashtongue Deathsworn and Scale of the Sands, correspond to the two new raids and are unlocked as you progress through their respective attunement questlines.

You can earn reputation points and raise your standing with these factions by completing the raids themselves. Once you reach Exalted status with Ashtongue Deathsworn, you can trade for nine new items using gold.

Regarding Scale of the Sands, you receive a ring as a reward upon reaching Friendly status; this ring upgrades automatically as your reputation level increases.

Other updates

Phase 3 also introduces a new Netherwing daily quest hub, making it easier to build reputation with the faction; upon reaching Exalted status, you can unlock Netherwing Drake.

Additionally, Epic Gems will begin dropping in-game, and Scale of the Sands vendors will sell Epic Gem patterns, allowing you to craft them yourself by gathering the necessary materials.

The final update concerns PvP: Arena will officially enter Season 3. If you are looking for a more thrilling PvP experience and the associated rewards, be sure to prepare in advance!

That covers the details of BCC Anniversary Phase 3 update. If you still have unfinished content from Phases 1 and 2, you might want to prioritize the tasks that will help you experience the new Phase 3 raids! Good luck!

Exiles, Path of Exile 2 0.5.0 has been live for almost two months. Tired of the mainstream builds and looking for something different? Today, I'll introduce five creative and powerful builds from the community:

1. Plgue Bearer Monk
2. Double Arc Mjölner Titan
3. Blazing Berserker Ritualist
4. Gemling Legionnaire
5. Thanos Shotgun Gemling

Plgue Bearer Monk

The core of this build is stacking a large number of Poison layers through various means, then detonating Bursting Plaguet for a burst of damage.

Plgue Bearer is a continuous buff that stores a portion of Poison damage you inflict. Once enough layers are stored, activating the skill releases Plague Nova, dealing physical damage equal to the stored damage value to all surrounding enemies. The idea behind this build is to generate as much Poison damage as possible through other skills, then use this mechanic to unleash a massive physical damage attack on all enemies instantly.

It's worth noting that this build uses Reverie body armor. This item underwent a rework in PoE 2 0.5.0, no longer providing flask-related bonuses, but instead granting Rite of Restoration skill, allowing Non-Unique Life Flask effect to persist. Combined with Flask Recovery attribute, it provides an incredibly high amount of life regeneration.

Double Arc Mjölner Titan

Mjölner Torment Club is a unique one-handed hammer. Its core mechanic is triggering a Lightning Spell on melee hits. Paired with another one-handed hammer, Sadist's Mercy, it can achieve impressive screen-clearing effects. The core synergy of this build is as follows:

Using Sadist's Mercy inflicts Grueling Madness on enemies, who gain additional Power based on the number of Grueling Madness stacks they have. Higher Power means Mjölner can gain energy more quickly, and once fully charged, Lightning Spell triggered by Mjölner will unleash a barrage of attacks.

This build also utilizes Blood Magic to maintain skill casting, and combined with the Titan's inherent life regeneration bonus, sustain is not an issue at all. The most amazing aspect of Double Arc Mjolner Titan is its combination of map clearing speed and single-target damage, which is rare among all dual-wielding melee builds in Path of Exile 2.

Blazing Berserker Ritualist

Ritualist is one of Huntress's ascendancy builds. Unlike conventional approaches, this build follows a melee sacrifice route. Its core mechanics are as follows:

First, through Wildwood Persistence's mechanism that increases life regeneration by 10% for every 5% of unreserved life lost, damage taken is converted into life regeneration and life refund - the more life you lose, the faster you gain life regeneration.

Then, it cleverly utilizes the passives Self Immolation and Deterioration - Deterioration restricts you to only one ailment at a time, while Self Immolation causes 40% of the ignite effect you inflict to simultaneously apply to yourself. Therefore, once you ignite an enemy, they can no longer be affected by other status ailments (such as freezing, bleeding, etc.).

Finally, this build leverages Ritualist's unique low-resistance playstyle to gain higher damage output, and combines it with Sadist's Mercy's Gruelling Madness and Harbinger of Madness for further damage enhancement.

However, the only drawback of this build is its slow movement speed and the need for some investment to get started. If you want to experience this rare melee Ritualist as early as possible, you can buy PoE 2 currency from IGGM.com to accelerate gear progression.

Gemling Legionnaire

Gemling Legionnaire is one of Mercenary ascendancy builds, and also one of the strongest ascendancy builds in 0.5.0 Return of the Ancients. Its core advantage lies in its deep customization capabilities for skill gems.

Blistering Bond is a Ruby Ring in PoE 2 whose unique effect is that the bleeding you inflict deals fire damage instead of physical damage. This means you can stack both Bleed and Ignite damage over time simultaneously, inflicting double the torment on your enemies.

Perfect Strike is a double-edged sword; its damage multiplier is extremely high, but it requires perfect timing to unleash its full potential. The extra attack speed provided by Gemling Legionnaire conveniently lowers the difficulty of achieving that perfect timing.

It's worth noting that this build's map clearing mechanism isn't the typical poison burst build, but rather relies on the Ignite spread mechanism of Herald of Blood and Fiery Death, a rather novel approach.

Thanos Shotgun Gemling

The core of this build is the synergy between Incendiary Shot and Blackflame. Incendiary Shot is a crossbow skill that fires a flaming bolt that splits in flight. By stacking the quality skill, each shot can generate 10 fragments, and multiple fragments can hit the same target simultaneously, merging to deal damage. The skill itself converts 80% of physical damage into fire damage and increases Ignite damage by 200%.

Blackflame is a unique amethyst ring whose effect is to change the damage taken by enemies you ignite into chaos damage instead of fire damage. This essentially transforms Ignite from a fire DoT to a chaos DoT.

The advantages of a chaos DoT are: it can synergize with Despair to reduce enemy chaos resistance; it can be amplified by Wither effects; and most importantly, it can spread through Contagion.

This build utilizes Cast on Elemental Ailment to automatically trigger Contagion - each time Ignite is applied, Contagion is automatically cast, spreading the chaotic ignite to all nearby enemies. After an enemy dies, the ignite continues to spread, creating a full-screen chain reaction.

It perfectly blends the smoothness of chaos spread with the burst impact of the crossbow, truly achieving a satisfying one-click screen-clearing experience.

If you want to further improve your build, you can join IGGM PoE2 Facebook group. We're currently holding a giveaway event; participating gives you a chance to win currency to upgrade your build!

The above is a brief introduction to five community builds, covering various gameplay styles from less common mechanics to mainstream variations in PoE 2 0.5.0. Whether you're a veteran player seeking a fresh experience or looking for a second build direction, you can find inspiration here.

As Mirage League comes to an end and is removed from the core content, PoE 3.29 farming strategies are once again being reshuffled. Many farming methods have been weakened, some have been heavily modified, and others have even been completely removed.

Path of Exile Curse of the Allflame League is likely to be a relatively poor League. While the lower limit of each farming strategy should not be too low, the upper limit may also not be extremely high. Even so, no player can ignore the most efficient meta strategies with the highest possible output.

The following farming strategies are listed in no particular order:

1. Curse of the Allflame
2. Abyss
3. Eternal Conflict Legion
4. Divination Card Farming
5. Ethereal Allflame Scarab Farming
6. Nightmare Boss Rushing
7. Inscribed Ultimatum
8. Corrupted Essences
9. Harvest
10. Gilded Allflame Rotas

Curse of the Allflame

Curse of the Allflame may become the most profitable mechanic in PoE 3.29. Besides its exclusive Allflame Embers and Ducats, it can also produce Scarabs and gold.

Although its gameplay looks somewhat similar to PoE 2 Vaal Temple, the mechanic itself is not as complicated. Since you can collect multiple maps and combine them into one large map, allowing multiple modifiers to stack together, the rewards can become extremely powerful.

In addition, it can also be used for crafting. The rare equipment and Unique items generated by Curse of the Allflame mechanic may provide strong value as well.

Abyss

Abyss may replace Breach this League and become one of the main ground loot farming strategies. Two Scarabs in particular are especially interesting:

• Abyss Scarab of Crystals: Increases the number of monsters and Abyss Pits by 100% based on the number of souls fed.
• Abyssal Scarab of the Consort: Abyss Pits will spawn an Abyssal Consort.

With the nodes on Atlas passive tree, you can gain around 100% increased monster quantity and additional Abyss Pits before any map modifiers are applied. Combined with general juicing methods, Abyss will undoubtedly become one of the strongest output-focused strategies.

Eternal Conflict Legion

Eternal Conflict Legion is technically weaker because Mirage mechanic has been removed.

However, Legion itself has received a reward rework, and its crafting potential for endgame BIS gear is higher than almost any other mechanic. Therefore, it will be extremely important this League, and both Eternal Conflict Legion and regular Legion should remain very strong.

Even if the drop rate of splinters has been reduced across the board, Eternal Conflict Legion should still drop a large number of stacked decks and splinters. Meanwhile, regular Legion has always provided valuable ground loot and Scarabs, and in a League that may lean toward lower overall wealth generation, the value of these drops will become even higher.

Divination Card Farming

Quantity stacking and Divination Card farming have always been extremely important. In PoE 3.29, they have also received buffs, with scrying becoming easier to achieve and Atlas passive tree nodes providing a "12% more Divination Card drops" bonus.

Therefore, Divination Card farming is one of the few mechanics that received direct improvements this League. As League progresses and players discover new high-value targets, farming priorities may change. You need to pay attention to market demand shifts and avoid farming cards that no longer have enough demand.

Ethereal Allflame Scarab Farming

This will likely become the strongest Scarab farming strategy this League, producing a large portion of the Scarabs available in the game. Running this strategy requires a large amount of currency because Allflame Ember of the Etherea itself is quite valuable.

Demand for scarabs is extremely high early in the league; if you want to run this strategy early on, you can buy PoE currency from IGGM to invest Allflame Ember of the Ethereal.

You need to prioritize and quickly defeat map bosses. This is because only after killing the boss can Eater of Worlds Altars have a higher chance of generating important reward modifiers, such as Scarab duplication. If your build cannot comfortably handle T16 or T17 map bosses, this strategy is not recommended.

With this strategy, a single map can generate a massive amount of Scarabs. It usually takes at least 2-3 trips to collect all the loot, so make sure you reserve enough portals.

Nightmare Boss Rushing

Nightmare Boss Rushing has remained an S-tier strategy since its introduction. It is the only way to obtain Uber boss fragments and one of the few ways to acquire certain chase uniques, making it an S-tier strategy permanently.

During Mirage League, it could generate more than 25 Divine Orbs per hour, with map costs around 25 Chaos Orbs and only two inexpensive Scarabs required. You need to select Atlas passives that increase map drops, boss rewards, and related bonuses.

It should be noted that item quantity does affect Uber fragment drops. Around 233% map item quantity is required to reach the optimal result.

Inscribed Ultimatum

Inscribed Ultimatum has remained mostly unchanged. The goal of farming Inscribed Ultimatums is to obtain jackpot rewards, such as multiple Divine Orbs. If you persist long enough, you may even find an Inscribed Ultimatum that rewards a Mirror of Kalandra.

Inscribed Ultimatums with poor rewards, such as low-value Unique items or unwanted Divination Cards, can be sold to NPCs in groups of five. The five items will be consumed, and the NPC will return one new Inscribed Ultimatum of the same Tier. All rewards and modifiers on the new item will be completely rerolled.

You can identify whether it is the highest Tier by checking the "200% more monster life" modifier. If it displays 200%, it is the highest Tier.

Corrupted Essences

Corrupted Essences remain a strong farming choice throughout all stages of the League. They have been slightly weakened in PoE 3.29, but the impact is not significant.

You need to find Essence monsters sealed inside purple crystals in T16 or higher-tier maps. Before releasing them, use a Remnant of Corruption to corrupt them.

However, not every Essence is worth corrupting. The following four Essences have a chance to transform into extremely valuable T8 Corrupted Essences after corruption:

• Essence of Envy
• Essence of Dread
• Essence of Scorn
• Essence of Misery

Harvest

Harvest is one of the best farming strategies in PoE 3.29. It offers high efficiency, and with Fruiting Astrolabe, its potential can become extremely impressive.

Fruiting Astrolabe is arguably one of the best Atlas devices in the game for increasing the value of its related mechanic. Therefore, you may not need to choose Synthesised Stability keystone and should instead carefully plan which modifier you want to select.

Gilded Allflame Rotas

Gilded Allflame Rotas are the best method for obtaining gold. This strategy uses Allflame Ember of the Gilded, which replaces certain monster packs in maps with Gilded undead enemies. These monsters convert all dropped items into gold.

Since Allflame Ember of the Gilded can only enhance one map and is quite valuable, players usually maximize efficiency through rotations. Each player in the group takes turns using their own map, allowing everyone to benefit from multiple maps' rewards.

The farming strategies mentioned above will undoubtedly provide excellent returns. They are all top-tier strategies, but they focus on different types of output, so it is currently impossible to determine their exact profit rankings.

The real-world Hall of Fame celebration takes place this Sunday, July 26, with Carlos Beltrán, Andruw Jones, and Jeff Kent expected to be the featured inductees from the baseball world.

As a leading virtual baseball game, MLB The Show 26 will launch its new July Legends & Flashbacks Collections and a Hall of Fame Sunday celebration on that same day. This implies that new player cards may be added to MLB 26 as rewards.

Here is how you can prepare for the new event to earn more player cards and strengthen your current roster.

More activities for Hall of Fame Sunday

Hall of Fame Sunday celebration is expected to introduce a dedicated program in MLB 26. You will be able to earn XP by completing missions, unlocking rewards such as stubs or player cards along the progression path.

We speculate that the reward path might include cards for players like Dave Parker or CC Sabathia, or perhaps earlier versions of cards that assist with other collection tasks, alongside exclusive Hall of Fame series cards.

Additionally, MLB 26 may launch a tiered collection featuring new cards for players such as Billy Wagner, Dick Allen, and José Bautista, though completing this collection will probably be a challenge.

Notably, regarding Hall of Fame inductees, MLB 26 might feature Andruw Jones as a program reward card and Carlos Beltrán as a collection reward card, while Jeff Kent may not be added to the game at this time.

Since both players started as center fielders, they should be capable of playing any outfield position. If you are in need of outfielders, both offer reliable defensive skills.

While Beltrán, a switch-hitter, might be preferred by some players, Andruw Jones should not be underestimated.

Completing more collection missions

Last week, MLB The Show 26 launched a series of Draft-themed events, including a program, new cards, a new Conquest map, new collection missions, and more.

The collection missions served as a lead-up to Legends & Flashbacks Collections; completing them didn't yield new player cards directly but instead awarded special vouchers used to redeem the new reward cards featured in the July Legends & Flashbacks event.

However, it is worth noting that Draft collection mission is just one way to earn vouchers; you will need to complete additional collection series, including, but not limited to, All-Star series, to gather enough of them.

It must be said that the missions required to unlock any Legends & Flashbacks reward are quite challenging, as they demand a vast number of player cards, and the unlock conditions for some can be incredibly demanding.

Therefore, if you find yourself with many gaps across the available collection series, rather than struggling to unlock them one by one, it's better to buy MLB 26 stubs on IGGM to redeem and open many packs all at once!

That said, the introduction of new Legends & Flashbacks content should make completing the older versions released in previous months easier, potentially allowing you to skip two or three collection missions.

Best strategy for completing collection missions

Faced with a multitude of collection missions useful for the July Legends & Flashbacks, your first priority within Draft series should be unlocking Jackson Flora. Additionally, any cards eligible for quick sell are worth acquiring as soon as possible.

Spotlight and Topps Now series are usually the biggest headaches, as they often require you to collect nearly every relevant card released since the game's launch, and the game continues to release more Spotlight cards over time.

Speaking of which, the June Spotlight Drop 2 released July 19 is still active; it offers three player card rewards and a pack usable for June Spotlight Week 2. Make sure to unlock these in time.

It is also worth noting that Andrew Miller has been re-released multiple times in MLB The Show 26, causing the required stubs to fluctuate constantly. With the launch of the new Legends & Flashbacks collection, Veteran Series Andrew Miller card is currently in high demand.

All-Star cards are generally difficult to obtain, and MLB 26 may introduce even harder-to-get cards, the so-called chase cards.

Furthermore, be sure to complete Jolt and Negro League collection missions early. Push through these and gather all the necessary cards, as they will eventually serve as vouchers.

However, the trickiest collections are likely the ones that keep adding new cards. Fortunately, you can obtain some of these player cards simply by investing time to complete a specific program.

As for Standout series, you will likely need to unlock at least nine cards; solid choices include Bobby Abreu or Brian Roberts. Headliner cards are easier to acquire, as the associated packs are more accessible and the cards can be readily obtained via the marketplace.

In short, no matter how eager you are to unlock Legends & Flashbacks or Hall of Fame rewards, it is best to wait a bit; the cards required for these collections will generally become easier to obtain over time.

All in all, from All-Star and Draft to the upcoming Hall of Fame event, July has seen MLB The Show 26 perform far better than in previous months, perhaps in response to other sports games launching or opening pre-orders during this period.

We hope MLB 26 maintains this momentum and continues to deliver fresh events and valuable rewards for players!