Based on my Xbox data, it appears the top one percent of players still put in almost double the time of even those in the 98th percentile. Theoretically, the 98th percentile has spent half as much time in the game and would therefore still not be quite as good as the top one perc

The reality is that current SBMM format affects only negatively impacts a minority of players, even if they’re the most active ones. Unfortunately, unbalanced matchmaking will cause less-skilled players to complain the game is "too hard" and play something e

The following is full of assumptions and made-up but easy-to-understand numbers. The goal is to illustrate the math driving the SMBB argument as there’s no accurate game data publicly available for these calculati

Bangalore gets a snazzy militaristic skin that goes well with her various militaristic poses. Meanwhile, Bloodhound is… blue, a nice blue. Or is it turquoise? Or seafoam green? Whatever it is, it’s lov

Silence becomes a scanning tool: Unlike other games with a silencing mechanic, Revenant’s Silence (Tactical) has his grenade explode with a small AOE. This technically gives him room to hit multiple opponents at a time and debilitate the enemy’s strategy. In situations where Revenant’s team has encountered an enemy but has no idea about their positions, a well-placed Silence throw can not only reveal the general direction of an enemy but even give Rev’s team time to start a counteratt

The majority of people complaining about SBMM seem to be in the top echelon of players. Their complaints are valid. But it’s important to look at this as a mathematical challenge. The reality is that without SBMM, even middle-of-the-road casual players have an extremely high chance of being consistently matched with top players against whom they don't stand a cha

Cloud-based silencing: When Silence hits an enemy, it deals a small amount of damage. It’s because its debuff happens after it explodes on contact. When the projectile explodes, it bursts into a cloud that lingers for 10 seconds. Getting hit by the cloud or walking into it triggers the silenc

The classic remake totally revitalized our love for the game and series overall. Pretty much everything about it was well-executed... and, I mean, c'mon. The addition of the beloved Tofu Survivor should be enough to make any Game of the Year l

To think about it another way, the average household income sinks significantly if you take out a handful of billionaires that skew the data set. Using made-up numbers again, assume that if you include them, an "average" income across a given country is $500,000 dollars. But the vast majority of people make much less than that. Take the billionaires out, and the average income starts to look more like $50,

This chapter is primarily about the role of deliberate practice in improvement. A major takeaway is to set goals while playing to improve specific skills. For instance, in order to become better with sniper rifles, a person should plan to spend an entire gaming session practicing only sniper rifle kills. (Note to self: "Stop being a potato" is NOT a good go

Shadow Mode is helpful, but not indestructible: Anyone from the team who touches the Totem becomes a shadow for 25 seconds. However, Apex Legends Collectibles Shadow Mode doesn’t have Shields and only has 50 Health upon returning to the Totem after death. The Totem’s time is extended based on the last person to become a shadow. Meaning, turning into a shadow when the Totem is only a few seconds from closing will extend the Totem’s timer for another 25 seco

For the Grand Soirée event, Respawn has overhauled its reward tracking system. Each of these modes will have their own challenges that will award you points. These points will then be put toward a prize track that will unlock special Soirée-related rewards for every milestone you hit. You can earn up to 1000 points from challenges in each mode, and players will complete battle pass challenges by playing these modes as well. As an added bonus, you’ll also receive a special badge for trying out each of these special modes, which is great because everyone loves a good ba

In this chapter, Ninja offers tips on pimping a stream to make it seem more professional. Recently, TheGamer invited me to do some product reviews. With a green screen backdrop, a nice LED light and more desktop space due to a wireless mouse option, I felt so good about my setup that I'm now convinced I'm the next Ninja (have you seen the header image on this stor

In the modern era of storytelling, a well-done cinemagraphic companion show would allow bring the stories of the Legend of Zelda series to new generations while giving the longtime fans a chance to relive the gaming experiences that transformed their childh

Climbing buff is ridiculous: Revenant’s climbing speed gets buffed in that he can climb up to eight (8) stories tall, which is 6-times higher than the ordinary Legend. This means he can climb shorter walls much fas