Gaming
Counter-Strike 2 is official!
Coming later this summer

Finally, it’s official. After a huge leak a few weeks ago, Valve has officially confirmed that Counter-Strike 2 is coming. And it’s coming fast.
On the last full day of Steam’s Spring Sale, Valve suddenly revealed its official plans for Counter-Strike 2. No longer just a rumor, the upcoming title will come this summer as a free upgrade for those who already own Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
As was leaked previously, the title will come with several upgrades to the existing system. While it’s still the same formula underneath, Counter-Strike 2 will look and feel better than previous titles.
For one, smokes are now volumetric objects, meaning they can react to gameplay events naturally. If you shoot through smoke, the bullets can push a visible hole through the cloud. It will also fill spaces around objects more naturally.
The game will also feature graphical upgrades to the old titles. Classic maps have refreshed designs with better lighting, more realistic textures, and better reflections. Dust II, or de_dust2, looks absolutely amazing in its upcoming iteration. Smaller elements — such as UI and throwable effects — are also improved.
In terms of performance, Counter-Strike 2 is apparently going beyond tick rates. Though the previous leak hinted that the title might upgrade its servers to compete with modern shooters like VALORANT, the official update introduced “sub-tick updates,” a new engine which will supposedly make tick rates obsolete and gameplay more fluid.
Now, if you can’t wait for summer, the upgrade is already available today in a limited test. Valve will also release more updates for the game before it launches in a few months.
SEE ALSO: Counter-Strike 2 potentially ready for release soon


Filipino players will now have access to the Sigil Tablet update for Ragnarok Origin, allowing them to enjoy more power-ups and boosts during battle.
This latest feature on the beloved mobile MMORPG lets players to acquire exciting bonus effects. This is done by embedding powerful sigils onto their stone tablets, pushing character customization and enhancement to a whole new level.
Here are a few things to know about the Tablet System update:
Unlocking the Tablet System
To access the Tablet System, players must reach base level 75; once a guide quest is completed, players will unlock the system and be able to acquire free sigils.
Customizing Sigils
With the Tablet System, players can embed one active sigil, one specific class sigil, and up to four passive sigils simultaneously; some sigils take effect upon embedding, while others can be manually activated during combat.
Sigil types
Sigils are categorized into three: active, job-exclusive, and passive.
- Active sigils can be actively used in combat, granting players a diverse range of additional skills (Primal, Power, Descent of Holy Light, and Excalibur);
- Job sigils are exclusive to specific jobs, and enhance particular skills. For instance, Lord Knights can benefit from the Aura Enchantment sigil;
- Passive sigils can be activated during battles, regardless of a player’s class, to enjoy their effects during combat.
Sigil activation and upgrade
Each sigil unlocked for the first time will activate corresponding collection stats that have a permanent effect.
Unlocking and upgrading sigils will earn players collection XP, which in turn unlocks bonus stats and item rewards.
Sigil upgrade process
To increase the level of a sigil, players may utilize sigil charts. Each upgrade will grant additional stats for a stronger character.
Once the maximum level has been reached, sigil shards can be used to repair the stone tablet. Increasing the repair level unlocks stat bonuses too for further power boosts.
Acquiring sigils
Where does one acquire sigils? Sigils and sigil shards can be obtained in the Juperos Ruins, Dungeon Leaderboard rewards, and by purchasing random sigil boxes in the Nyan Berry Shop and Diamond Shop.
Juperos Ruins
In the Juperos Ruins, players will assemble a five-member team to gear for an intense 10-minute battles where they will face off against three powerful boss monsters.
Each of the bosses’ revival will lead to increased difficulty, allowing players to win better rewards and scores.

The ROG Ally has some hefty shoes to fill. Touting an impressive slate of specs, the upcoming handheld console is one of the first true competitors to the dominating Steam Deck. Unfortunately, early reviews revealed a flawed comparison against Valve’s juggernaut of a console. Now, days ahead of its official launch, ASUS is releasing new firmware which drastically improves the console’s performance.
Getting down to the nitty gritty of things, the ROG Ally, in its unpatched version, lacked performance in low-wattage scenarios. Early reviewers found that the console could not keep up with the Steam Deck under such circumstances.
A new update, which started rolling out to early units, started catching up. According to YouTuber Dave2D, the update easily improves the console by 15 to 20 percent better than its initial release. First of all, it brings the ROG Ally almost at par with the Steam Deck in low-wattage scenarios. While the results aren’t as good as the latter device yet, it’s a much better performer compared to the former on day one. ASUS acknowledges that Valve really did its homework in low-wattage scenarios.
More notably, the update dramatically boosts the ROG Ally’s performance in higher wattages. The console is now close behind the Ayaneo 2S, a beefier alternative to the Steam Deck. Before the update, the ROG Ally could barely touch the Steam Deck, let alone the Ayaneo 2S.
ASUS also notes that the update should include improvements for the battery life. The lackluster battery has been a point of contention among all early users.
The ROG Ally is officially launching on June 13 and will start at US$ 699.99.
SEE ALSO: How well do PlayStation games run on the ROG Ally?

The renaissance of chess is an interesting sight to behold. While there are a few reasons why the sport rose in popularity — such as the emergence of chess content creators on Twitch — there is one show that quickly catapulted chess into the limelight: The Queen’s Gambit. If you’re still a fan of the show, Netflix is launching a chess game based on the popular show.
The Queen’s Gambit Chess is the next step in the platform’s push towards mobile gaming. Back in 2021, Netflix announced its first forays into offering mobile games for its subscribers. Now, every Netflix subscriber has access to a library of games right on their app.
With The Queen’s Gambit Chess, Netflix is going back to its pool of notable franchises to tie into the gaming world. The platform previously did the same with other franchises like Stranger Things.
In the upcoming title, players will immerse themselves in the world of Beth Harmon. They can “take lessons, play puzzles and matches, or compete against friends.”
Netflix has not shown a lot of footage of the game yet. The announcement comes through a short video enumerating the titles it has on slate for this summer. This slate also includes Cut the Rope, Oxenfree, and the upcoming Oxenfree II: Lost Signals.
Queen’s Gambit Chess will launch on July 25.
SEE ALSO: Netflix Tudum 2023: Talent lineup, how to watch live
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