The Fortnite v21.20 update, which arrived on July 6, has brought a lot in the way of new content as well as many secrets. This was the second major Fortnite Battle Royale update in Chapter 3 Season 3.
Casual players might have missed the secrets that arrived with the latest update. These secrets have a lot to offer, with some of them even letting players gain an advantage over their enemies!
This article will list some of the most interesting Fortnite secrets that were released with the v21.20 update.
10 interesting Fortnite secrets that came with update v21.20
1) Puzzle
Shuffled Shrines is a new location that replaced the temple between the Joneses and Rocky Reels. While this location has numerous Fortnite secrets, players will have to complete a puzzle to uncover them.
Completing a puzzle may be challenging the first time, but once you finish it, it will be easy to do it again.
It all comes down to checking symbols in four different shrines and then turning obelisks to match them. When you do this, a secret door will open and give you access to a new hidden area.
2) Fortnite secret rooms
Shuffled Shrines has many different secret rooms that players can enter. To access the first secret room, players will have to complete the puzzle. However, this room has many other secret rooms that offer valuable loot to players. Moreover, the first secret room can help players ambush foes. They can simply hide in the room and wait for enemies to approach to them.
That's not all; accessing one of the secret rooms is the objective of a new quest, and players will have to complete it to unlock a new Indiana Jones style.
3) Lonely Henchmen are on the move
Lonely Henchmen used to be the biggest Fortnite secret when Chapter 3 Season 3 was just released. Epic Games trapped them behind a waterfall at Reality Falls, and players had to team up to get them out.
They are now finally free and are moving across the island! With the v21.20 update, Lonely Henchmen moved to Sleepy Sound, and they seem to be having a lot of fun.
4) New Skateboard POI
The latest season update of the game is fortnite chapter 2 season 5, zero point. To update the games you play through the epic games launcher, like fortnite, go to the app's. 2) select network & internet.
There have been leaks about Epic Games adding skateboarding to Fortnite Battle Royale in Season 3. These leaks will most likely turn out to be true as the development team added a skateboard POI to the island with the latest update.
This POI can be found next to the Sanctuary, and it seems it's still a work in progress. However, the new location will most likely be ready by the time the v21.30 update drops, and it may be used in upcoming summer challenges.
5) Dragon Ball Z collaboration
POSSIBLE DRAGON BALL Z x FORTNITE COLLAB!Epic added a new Creative Stamina Prop this update that looks exactly like Capsule Corp from DBZ, and this prop also has outlines like the anime cosmetics! https://t.co/0CANUPqU4y
The biggest Fortnite secret that was released with the latest update is a Creative mode prop that resembles an item from Dragon Ball Z. Fans know that nothing Epic Games does is accidental and that the Creative addition is most likely not an exception.
Dragon Ball: Super Hero is coming out on August 19, and this potential Fortnite collaboration could be perfect for the movie promotion. Considering that many players have been asking for this collab, it could be a huge success.
6) Squad Origins
Squad Origins is a new cosmetic set that has been added with the v21.20 update. These new outfits are expected to be released to the Item Shop very soon, possibly by the end of the week.
One Fortnite secret that is hidden with these outfits is their theme. There are 10 skins in total, and each skin represents one season from Chapter 1. OG players will definitely love these skins!
7) New Galaxy skin for free
Khari is one of the best-looking skins that was added with the latest Fortnite update. The best thing about her, however, is that players will be able to obtain her for free!
To win the cosmetic item, players will have to participate in the new Galaxy Cup that will take place on July 16 and 17.
Fortunately, the skin will probably be released in the Item Shop at some point in the future. If you don't win it during the tournament, you will be able to spend your V-Bucks on it.
8) Archive feature
Have you ever wanted to hide some of the cosmetic items you own? The upcoming Fortnite feature will allow you to do so, and your locker will look clean and tidy.
This feature has been one of the most interesting Fortnite secrets added with the latest update, and many players would love to use it. With over 6,000 cosmetic items that have been released so far in the game, this feature will certainly come in handy.
9) Another free skin
Aside from Khari, Fortnite players will also be able to obtain Xander for free. This skin, however, will not be obtainable via a tournament. Instead, players will have to indulge in the Refer-A-Friend feature and complete a couple of quests with their friends to get this unique reward.
Fortnite's Refer-A-Friend program is expected to return very soon, and Xander will be its final reward. If you like the skin, bring one of your friends to Fortnite, and you will receive it after completing several challenges!
10) The Transformer
One of the biggest Fortnite secrets that was released with the latest update is the addition of The Transformer! Many veteran players remember this structure from Chapter 1, and it's finally been rebuilt in Chapter 3.
Players can find the unique structure east of Coney Crossroads, just under the Loot Lava Volcano Station landmark.
Update has new gun to offer
In the v21.20 update, players finally received a new location that was teased by Epic Games. They can now land at Shuffled Shrines and complete many different challenges there. Furthermore, the Charge SMG has also been released in the game. The weapon is amazing in classic battle royale modes, although it's not very impressive in Zero Build modes.
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Jump in and start playing right away with just the screen and your fingers, no gamepad or keyboard/mouse are needed. It would allow you to download a wide range of games from the developer, along with fortnite. Posted by 4 years ago.
It's no secret there's been some antagonism between Steam and Epic as the latter seeks to establish its own digital storefront. Only earlier this week Valve called Epic's decision to snap up Metro Exodus "unfair to Steam customers", prompting fans to display their annoyance by review-bombing past Metro titles on Steam.
In light of all this, what could be funnier than a file called "steam" breaking a game on the Epic Games Store?
Axiom Verge, a Metroid-esque indie originally released in 2015, yesterday made its debut on the Epic Games Store as a free-to-play title. Players soon found, however, that entering one area resulted in a 100 per cent crash rate. After poking through the game files, one observant player found the reason behind this: the game was mysteriously missing a file called "steam".
Downloaded Axiom Verge from Epic Store (it's free and I hear it's good). Game crashes 100% entering an area. I poke around & find the log files. Turns out it's missing a sound effect: "steam". I have a pretty good idea how & why that happened, lol
— Scott LaGrasta (@NoGasta) February 7, 2019
ResetEra users further investigated the files, and discovered "steam.xnb" was an audio clip related to a steam vent - a form of environmental obstacle in the game. A comparison of the game's files on Steam compared to its Epic Store version confirmed the file had been removed since the game's Steam release.
Axiom Verge developer Tom Happ took to Twitter to clarify the situation.
"I was thinking it being Epic and all, I shouldn't include Valve's dlls and such, so I excluded all files with 'Steam' in the name," he explained somewhat sheepishly.
"Oops."
Obviously this problem has a relatively simple fix, and an update has been issued to re-introduce the rogue file. Players need only go to Axiom Verge in their Epic Store library, click the gear, hit verify, and then choose update.
As the situation has been quickly resolved, nobody's ended up in hot water - and the whole episode has given me a good chuckle. Will this happen with other Epic Store games in future? It's anyone's gas.
Good news, wrestling fans: 2K has announced the WWE 2K22 system requirements so you can make sure your gaming PC is ready to rumble. The series isn’t known to be too taxing, and fortunately, it doesn’t look like this will change after skipping WWE 2K21. In fact, many Steam users are already prepared to get in the ring without the need to upgrade.
WWE 2K22 features a new engine, but rigs built within the past half-decade will fare just fine as the games sets a low barrier to entry. Not only will you get away with ten-year-old CPUs and five-year-old graphics cards, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 that the minimum specs ask for is still the most popular GPU on the Steam hardware survey. Just make sure it’s the 6GB version, as 3GB falls slightly short of the ideal amount of VRAM.
Despite the gap year and some enthusiasm on Reddit, there’s still no sign that the latest entry will pack modern features like ray tracing, Nvidia Reflex, Nvidia DLSS, or AMD FSR. It’s also unclear how WWE 2K22 will perform on Valve’s Steam Deck, as it’s not yet rated.
To run WWE 2K22, you’ll need at least 60GB of storage free, but it shouldn’t matter whether you pop it on the best SSD for gaming or a mechanical hard drive.
Make sure you have high performance. Geforce gtx 1060 aero itx 3gprocessor: I get solid frames with a 1050ti and an awful processor, a 1060 with a semi decent processor would easily run fortnite on solid 60.
1060 3gb fortnite fps
Minimum
Recommended
OS
Windows 10 64-bit
Windows 10 64-bit
CPU
Intel Core i5-3550 AMD FX 8150
Intel Core i7-4790 AMD FX 8350
RAM
8GB
16GB
GPU
AMD Radeon RX 480 Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060
AMD Radeon RX 580 Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070
VRAM
4GB
6GB
Storage
60GB
60GB
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Take the WWE 2K22 system requirements test over on PCGameBenchmark to answer the question… Can I run WWE 2K22?
Top 5 Free To Play Multiplayer Shooter Games For Low Spec PCs
Shooter games are one of the fundamental genres of the gaming industry. Popular titles like the Halo and Call Of Duty franchise are one of the founding pillars that led to its massive success. Unfortunately, the aforementioned titles and many more of the sort have gamers shell out a fair amount of money. Here is a list that’ll showcase amazing experiences to be had without ever spending any money.
Games such as Fortnite, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Team Fortress 2 will not be included. These games are already well known free to play shooters. The list will also focus on games capable of running on low-end PCs or even laptops.
PUBG Lite
PUBG Corp. has just launched the latest instalment in its battle royale focused franchise. The original PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds had seen massive success which had even carried forward to its free PUBG Mobile version. The game is in beta stages with polishing still required but in all intents and purposes is a true PUBG experience. It features watered-down textures and effects to have a broader audience similar to its Mobile version. Its key elements include:
Realistic gun mechanism and physics
Minimal size and system requirements
Indian Servers for a lag-free experience
Better graphical fidelity over PUBG Mobile emulator
The game is slowly gaining traction in India and has a positive impact on the Indian gaming community and culture. It can be played from both first-person and third-person perspective. Similar to its previous iterations it will also feature every map that has been released so far. PUBG Lite is available on PC through its official website.
Paladins: Champions Of The Realm
The year 2016 had seen the massive success of two genres, Battle Royale and Hero Shooter. Paladins from HiRez studio is a free to play first-person hero shooter with an emphasis on a team focused gameplay like Team Fortress 2 and Overwatch. The game is based in a fantasy world of magic and dragons. It is one of the top 20 most played games on Steam and has a healthy player base. Every character in the game is unique and has dedicated roles to perform in every game. If people wonder what makes it different from Overwatch that features arguably similar characters and game modes:
Free To Play
Unique Champions
In-depth card customisation and character modification options
Capable of running on low-end PCs
It is one of the more popular games on Steam and has game modes such as Team Deathmatch, Onslaught (Secure area) and Siege, where a team captures the objective and pushes it. However, Unlike the more popular Overwatch, Paladins does not have the same great graphical fidelity or mirror polish that accompanies a Blizzard Entertainment title. It is constantly updated with new characters, skins and limited-time game modes making it a must-try title. The game is available for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo via Steam.
Warframe
Does space sound enticing? Do Ninjas? Now, how about space fighting Ninjas. Warframe is a title that heavily marketed its space ninjas before its launch. It is a game based on the distant future where humanity has conquered the solar system and the biggest threats they now face are themselves with various ongoing faction and allegiance fighting over dominance. The game involves a hack and slash melee gameplay mixed with fluidic gunslinging action from a third-person perspective. The game currently holds one of the top 5 players based on Steam. Key gameplay elements include:
In-depth character customisation
Faction wars and Special Events
Fluidic Parkour movement across air, walls and ground.
Amazing Gunplay and Special attacks
Game is a looter shooter where the player can grind daily.
The game is developed by Digital Extreme game studio which is well renowned for its healthy relations with its gaming community. It is constantly updated and new features and cosmetics are always added. Warframe is available on PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One And PC via Steam.
Realm Royale
Realm Royale is a battle royale game with a unique twist in the formula. It is another game developed by HiRez Studios and adds its unique hero shooter formula to a larger map game mode. In the game 100 players drop in after preselecting their class which allows them to have special abilities or buffs in certain areas. This also includes the weapon choices that can be crafted in-game rather than constantly having to loot. The game, unlike most other battle royale titles, promotes engaging in fights rather than avoiding them to be the last man standing. Its key elements are:
Unique class systems
Class-based abilities, perks and weapons
You turn into a Chicken when downed and are auto revived after a minute
Players can summon a horse for traversing the large maps.
The game had initially taken off when it was first launched back in 2018 and had a numerous big streamers and people playing the game. Unfortunately, the game isn’t as popular as it used to be but still has a good amount of player base. The game is available on PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PCs via Steam.
Splitgate: Arena Warfare
Splitgate: Arena Warfare is a multiplayer first-person shooter that uses player-controlled portals to open a new gameplay mechanic in a first-person multiplayer shooter game. Ever had a pesky camper spawn camp? No problem shoot a portal behind him then gun him down via portals. The game places heavy emphasis on the old arena shooter like Unreal Tournament or Quake. Its unique elements are:
Players can make portals to open different angles of attack and movement.
Jetpack! To open aerial combat into the mix.
Simple but sound shooting and movement mechanics
Completely free and is extremely easy to get into.
The game was launched to a welcoming audience and has a healthy playerbase. It is capable of running in various low-end PCs as well with a little tinkering. Splitgate is currently available on Steam for Xbox One and PC.
Also Read: Indian Government Will Soon Be Able To Track Stolen Mobiles More Effectively
Comment below if you ever get a chance to try out any of the games. Give us your feedback as to what other gaming related information you’d like to receive. More updates similar to this and upcoming titles will be arriving soon. Stay tuned for more on the gaming world.
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Visit the fortnite crew page for more details. The gun i have been really looking forward to! Friendly reminder that hero abilities and weapons do not add the crowd control counter mentioned in the previous report.
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Can't find the Imposters playlists in Fortnite? Here's what you need to know.
Last year, Epic Games revealed that it would be launching a new Fortnite game mode called Imposters. Despite obvious inspiration having been drawn from Innersloth's popular party game Among Us, it took Epic Games a full month to formally acknowledge the influence.
Fortnite's Imposters mode follows a similar format to Among Us, taking on a third-person perspective rather than the top-down view of the original. Players would assume the role of either an Agent or an Imposter, tasked with taking down those in the opposing role.
But players hopping into Fortnite as of late might have noticed the mode's absence. So, just where has it gone?
As of Fortnite's v21.50 update in Chapter 3 Season 3, Imposters playlists have been vaulted.
In the v21.50 blog post, Epic Games said, "we’ve vaulted the Impostors playlists as our teams shift focus to other Fortnite projects."
"We want to extend a thank you to everyone who’s trusted, betrayed, and of course, Peely Party’d together during its limited release."
At the time of writing, it's unclear whether or not Epic Games plans to unvault the game mode in the future. As is often the case with Fortnite, nothing is usually gone for good and the limited timed mode might indeed make an appearance again.
Want to know what else has changed in Fortnite's latest update? Be sure to check out our breakdown of the full Battle Royale v21.50 patch notes.
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As fans and the media continue to adjust to a world without major — or even minor — league sports, e-sports is taking on a new reality.
ESPN featured 12 hours of gaming on April 5, including the first round of its NBA 2K tournament that featured as players only NBA athletes such as Kevin Durant, Trae Young, Zach LaVine, Rui Hachimura and eventual winner Devin Booker. (This isn’t to be confused with NBA 2K League, a professional e-sports league founded in 2018 by the NBA and Take-Two Interactive Softwear that features gamers who compete virtually.)
This week, ESPN also aired a tournament for Riot Games’ Valorant, a free-to-play PC game that was made available as a beta version on April 7, and in late March, it saw record ratings for its inaugural eNASCAR Pro Invitational iRacing Series.
Meanwhile, the League of Legends tournament and Overwatch and Call of Duty leagues moved their in-person match-ups to online competition, and gaming organizations such as FaZe Clan and 100 Thieves are engaging with their community through tournaments and content (However, League of Legends postponed its Mid-Season Invitational global tournament and canceled it on Thursday).
Long stereotyped as the domain of pimply youth locked in their darkened bedrooms or basements playing video games for hours, e-sports and gaming have actually been big business for year — proven last summer when teenager Kyle Giersdorf won $3 million for finishing first at the Fortnite tournament, which gave out a total of $30 million in prize money. With more and more consumers taking up the games even before the coronavirus forced everyone into lockdown, apparel brands have been eyeing the fast-growing market for some time.
Brands such as Champion, Puma, Adidas, Nike, K-Swiss, Mitchell & Ness and others have created apparel and footwear collections for both the players, many of whom have enormous followings, as well as their fan base. Sales of Champion’s limited-edition collection for gaming company HyperX, for example, sold out in one day last fall.
Jewelry lifestyle label GLD produced pieces with professional Fortnite player Mr. Savage as well as gaming organization FaZe Clan and its member FaZe Banks.
“I think it’s really going to get bigger honestly,” GLD founders Christian Johnston and Dan Folger said about gaming and e-sports. “I feel like fashion is going to follow at some point.”
Despite worldwide shutdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the collections planned for spring for e-sports teams and fans have already been produced. And later drops are not seen being impacted by production delays that are impacting other industries. Plus, since e-sports players are used to being online anyway, and generally skew younger, buying these collections via e-commerce should come easily.
Targeting this audience can ultimately represent big bucks for brands. Newzoo, a games and e-sports analytics company, recently updated its projections for global and regional e-sports revenue in 2020, bringing the expected volume down slightly to $1.059 billion from $1.1 billion. But for 2023, the forecast is for sales to rise to $1.598 billion from $1.556 billion.
The firm stressed, however, that the slightly lower number this year “has nothing to do with decreased demand (the audience is not smaller) or decreased supply (the number of events organizers want to put on is not fewer). Rather, due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, many events have been postponed, canceled, or moved to online formats.” This “temporary cease” in e-sport activity, or a transition to digital-only events, is what led to slightly lower projections, Newzoo said.
The impact of the coronavirus will also lead to lower sales of merchandise and tickets, which the company said are now expected to be $106.6 million, down from $121.7 million. But again, it doesn’t mean a drop in demand. Instead, most media rights and sponsorship are broadcast-driven so canceled in-person events, where merchandise would be sold, led to the lower numbers.
In February, Newzoo estimated that the total e-sports audience will grow to 495 million globally this year. E-sports fans account for 222.9 million of this number and are projected to grow at a compounded annual rate of 11.3 percent to 295.4 million by 2023.
YouTube introduced a separate gaming app in 2015 and integrated it into main site last year. According to RQ, YouTube’s partner agency that works on marketing and programming, the web site’s gaming content typically ranks in the top three of all forms of content. In 2019, more than 30 million channels uploaded gaming content and the channel itself has 84 million subscribers. Beginning in 2020, YouTube Gaming became the official streamer of the Call of Duty and Overwatch Leagues and Hearthstone Esports.
Related: Tipping Point: The ‘Gamification’ of Fashion Is Accelerating
But while e-sports are about the only sports on TV right now (unless you count reruns of decades-old NBA playoff games), there are few indications that this sub-culture will ever move truly into the mainstream. A recent survey conducted by the research firm Piplsay found that only 20 percent of respondents said they have turned to e-sports with traditional sports on pause, while nearly 70 percent said they did not and 10 percent said they were already e-sports enthusiasts. Asked which sport they followed the most, the respondents still voted mainly for traditional sports, with 27 percent saying the NFL, 19 percent the NBA, 13 percent Major League Baseball and only 10 percent saying traditional e-sports such as DOTA 2 or Counter-Strike.
Additionally, when asked if they purchase e-sports-related apparel or footwear, over 61 percent of respondents said they did not, while 38 percent said they did.
Matt Powell, senior industry adviser of sports for the NPD Group, is far from bullish about the market. He said none of the product drops have been “material,” and he doesn’t expect these products to become “a commercially important part of the market.”
However, Powell admitted there is a strategic reason on entering the sector — to reach its core fans of teenagers and young adults. Launching apparel for gamers is more about “identifying with the interests of the core consumer,” he said.
David Robertson, director of brand marketing for Champion, said the brand had identified e-sports as an opportunity about 18 months ago as it sought to further solidify its standing with a “young, very digitally savvy consumer” for whom this was a “passion point.”
“This is a new way of connecting and engaging with them and what they wear when they’re competing and gaming. It makes a lot of sense.”
Tyler Lewison, general manager of Champion Teamwear, said the company’s goal was to come into the market “in an authentic way,” so it partnered with some of the major companies in the space. One of the first was with Activision Blizzard and its popular Overwatch League, where Champion created limited-edition product for its championship event in New York last year. The product sold out immediately.
Since then the brand has also partnered with HyperX, the leading headset and keyboard company, to create a limited-edition capsule of T-shirts, hoodies and crewneck sweatshirts that was available mainly online as well as at some late fall events, and gear for both influencers and fans who participate in FaZe Clan.
Champion also outfits teams such as Dignitas with their official jerseys, and works with organized high school and college e-sports groups. It is also the official outfitter of the NBA 2K league where the players and their avatars are all outfitted in Champion, and the brand produces fan gear.
Last week, Robertson said, Champion dropped a new collection of NBA 2K collection with 10 styles of sweatshirts, T-shirts and shorts that is currently being sold on its web site.
Much of the merchandise would be available at events as well as Champion stores and other retailers such as Foot Locker, but in light of the store closures, it’s now being sold exclusively online. But that’s not hurting sales, they said.
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Lewison said Champion continues to expand its footprint in the e-sports space and is readying a number of limited-edition drops for later this year. They acknowledged that with so many factories around the world closed, Champion has had to pivot where it produces its collections temporarily. There is a teamwear facility in Manhattan, Kan., that is currently closed, but plants in Central America and Asia have picked up the slack, Lewison said. “The Hanes supply chain is all around the globe,” he said of Champion’s parent company.
That’s a good thing because with the pandemic, the appetite for e-sports today is even more robust.
“Everybody is at home and looking for ways to entertain themselves,” said Robertson. “And gaming is more popular than ever.” Lewison added: “Consumers are looking for something real-time that they can consume and engage with. There’s a tremendous amount of opportunity if you pick the right partners, and we see this as more than just a temporary uptick.”
Daniel Kelley, corporate marketing director for HyperX, said the “stigma of gaming is that it’s not a fashionable industry.” But its consumers still like to wear nice clothes that are comfortable and allow for movement, and the brand’s first apparel collection with Champion sold out in one day, he said. “We’re talking about doing more with them and others. The industry is ripe for doing really cool things both from the hardware side as well as in apparel.”
In January, the Overwatch League, a global professional e-sports organization created by Blizzard Entertainment, tapped streetwear designer Jeff Staple to create a kit for its players. The uniforms for Overwatch’s 20 teams feature elevated fabrics, graphic applications and side gussets for ease of motion. Staple described the kits as “not only specifically engineered to perform to players’ specifications, but they’re also designed to look great outside the arena.” The initial drop consisted of short- and long-sleeve jerseys, a jacket, hat, beanie and compression sleeves.
The merchandise is sold by Fanatics and a company spokesperson said sales on the Blizzard Gear Store were up 25 percent month-over-month from February to March.
Daniel Siegel, vice president of licensing for Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard Esports, said the partnership with Staple has been successful because of his ability to intersect gaming and fashion. Staple created a silhouette that is “truly unique to e-sports,” similar to those offered by professional hockey, basketball or baseball organizations, allowing the players and their fans to have a distinct look.
“A lot of other merchandise is just a take-down of soccer jerseys, it’s not that special,” he said. “But Jeff was able to bring the style of the street into the e-sports world and the consumer is really interested.”
In addition to the Staple-designed Overwatch merchandise, the company works with other well-known apparel and accessories brands on product such as hats, socks, jerseys, jackets, mugs, pennants and other memorabilia. These include New Era, Stance, Starter and Mitchell & Ness.
“We’re always looking for the right partner and brands,” said Siegel, who stressed that even in light of the pandemic, there’s been no shortage of merchandise to sell. “All the companies we work with are used to the ups and downs of the sports world,” he said. “That’s why we picked the partners that we did.”
Puma recently inked a deal with Los Angeles-based e-sports group Cloud9 to provide the official game-day gear for players and to also produce replica gear for fans.
Matt Shaw, senior strategist for e-sports and brand innovation for Puma, said the first collection of “lifestyle essentials” launched last November and included T-shirts, hoodies, leggings and joggers. “It went really well,” he said, adding that the spring line that dropped in March was even more successful. “It was the most well-received apparel collection in e-sports,” he claimed, without providing sales figures.
The plan is to offer a smaller collection in June and then a larger drop for fall.
He admitted that like other apparel brands, Puma is having some production issues as a result of the pandemic, but it is still moving ahead. “We got lucky, we’d already received shipments for March and so far there has been no disruption in supply.”
Shaw said Puma will continue to work with Cloud9 and its teams, which includes the popular League of Legends, and may expand its relationship with the e-sports community even further in future by possibly sponsoring leagues or events or adapting the successful apparel strategy it discovered in North America and expanding that internationally.
And there may be even more business potential in the gaming world.
“A lot of brands look at gaming as a hobby, but fundamentally, that’s wrong,” he said. “It’s a language, a medium in which people communicate. It’s more than just entertainment. It’s part of the fiber and fabric of their daily lives. Ignoring gaming is like ignoring the Internet.”
Nike, too, has been active in the e-sports world. The company sponsors organizations in China, Spain, Germany, South Korea and Brazil and in 2018 it inked a deal with the New York Excelsior team of the Overwatch League to outfit players. It has since expanded to include the New York Subliners, a local Call of Duty franchise, which it is also dressing. Players on both teams are working with Nike trainers to improve their fitness.
Beyond that, the brand has begun offering gamer-related sneakers on its SNKRS app. So far, the $110 Nike PG 2.5 ‘PlayStation’ shoes for NBA athlete Paul George holds the record for most interest — six-figure “notify me’s” on the app. The brand declined to reveal how many were sold.
And last fall, Nike’s SNKRS app and the NBA 2K teamed up to offer Gamer Exclusives, limited-edition sneakers that are unlocked through play in the MyPlayer Nation game created by the two companies. The first was a purple LeBron 17 that was offered first as a digital option for a player’s online avatar and then offered for sale — for real — through the app. Other models including the Adapt BB 2.0, Giannis Zoom Freak 1, Kobe AD and KD 13 were also launched with three more to come, Nike said, including the PG 4 “Digi-Camo” GE, which is being offered starting Saturday, April 25.
“A few months ago, we built an experience with 2K that allowed a player in their game to link their account to the SNKRS app and unlock high-heat LeBrons when they reached a certain scoring level,” said Ron Faris, vice president of SNKRS digital product. “The experience was so authentic to both audiences that we couldn’t resist doing it again. There’s an organic overlap between passionate basketball e-gamers and our sneaker-obsessed audience in SNKRS. And oftentimes, it’s great to create an experience that blends the best of both worlds while inviting a new audience to join our membership offering on SNKRS.”
John Marcelo, director of strategy for B/R Kicks, the sneaker and lifestyle division of the digital sports media company Bleacher Report, said that with traditional sports on pause, “more athletes are taking to Instagram Live and online gaming platforms like Twitch to maintain that connection with their fans, audience, and fellow teammates.”
To capitalize on the popularity, brands are offering products both within the games themselves as well as through online product launches. “Nike has done an extraordinary job bridging the gap between virtual and real-life — they outfit their signature athletes in NBA 2K with their marquee sneakers, then take it a step further by making certain colorways available for purchase after players complete challenges within the game,” Marcelo said.
While this is still a new category, Nike as well as Adidas “have proven that there is synergy between the two worlds. Ninja’s [a popular professional gamer] first sneaker launch with Adidas sold out last December. For the 2019-2020 NBA season, Nike teamed up with NBA 2K to launch a collection of 10 sneakers, including a special LeBron 17 colorway that LeBron would’ve worn during the NBA Playoffs,” Marcelo said.
Louis Vuitton in 2019 unveiled a partnership with League of Legends and unveiled a trophy case for the Summoner’s Cup, the prize awarded to the winner of the League of Legends tournament. Nicolas Ghesquière, Louis Vuitton’s artistic director of women’s collections, designed a capsule collection inspired the game and skins — or outfits — for characters in the game.
Zenni, a direct-to-consumer optical brand, is also high on the e-sports community. Earlier this month the company became the official eyewear provider of the Houston Outlaws and Pittsburgh Knights teams and renewed a deal with the Golden Guardians that was established last year. As part of the deal, Zenni has launched its own social media gaming channels to promote upcoming events, giveaways and limited-edition product collaborations. It will also increase its activations at in-person events, when they resume. Zenni produces Blokz, a blue light blocking lens, that it is marketing to players for their eye health.
Sean Pate, brand communications officer for Zenni, said the company believes the “e-sports potential is exploding,” and its Blokz product is well suited for participants.
In the past, he said, most glasses were expensive and better suited for cyclists than gamers. “They were not adopted by the marketplace at all,” he said. But Zenni’s $25 model, offered in more than 3,000 style options, has proven to be popular.
Pate said that because Zenni is an online brand, sales haven’t been negatively impacted by the pandemic, and in fact, “we’ve seen a massive lift in sales in the last 10 days.”
And even though the glasses are made in China, Zenni hasn’t experienced any manufacturing or shipping delays. “Our factories shut down for 10 days in February but quickly reopened, so we’re in full production now.”
Pate added: “We’ve been extremely pleased with our initial foray into e-sports and are looking forward to collaborating more with the community to educate and reinforce the importance of eye protection when gaming. Whether you’re a pro player or casual gamer, Zenni Blokz protect your eyes from blue light and help reduce eye strain to improve performance.”
FaZe Clan has held pop-ups for product drops over the years, some of which had been shut down due to the large number of fans who turned up. E-sports organization 100 Thieves in January opened its first store in Los Angeles that is part of its Cash App Compound, a 15,000-square-foot facility where 100 Thieves players can practice their games and create content. The coronavirus may have slowed production down for the organizations, but business has been running well.
“We’ve been fortunate to see no issues with design and production in the last month,” said 100 Thieves president and chief operating officer John Robinson. “We work with a variety of designers and factories and haven’t been impacted to date. Our 2020 apparel program is proceeding as planned but we’re closely watching the news and the broader retail environment. We want to be thoughtful about releasing new collections to our community given everything that’s happening.”
Robinson said that one collection release slated for March was postponed, because “we felt it wasn’t the right time for an online sale,” but it was moved to early April and repurposed as a charity opportunity. A number of products were sold to raise funds for COVID-19 relief, including a unique colorway of the 100 Thieves jersey, and helped raise $114,000 for the CDC Foundation.
FaZe Clan, which recently struck a global direct-to-consumer product deal with Ntwrk, delayed one collaboration and a pop-up to support its collaboration with football club Manchester City, but chief executive officer Lee Trink said that most of its collaborations are still on track.
“Design hasn’t been impacted although production and fulfillment slowed down,” he said. “From a design standpoint, we’re still cranking. Production in Los Angeles is restricted so we’ve shifted to other parts of the country.”
Dre Hayes, cofounder of The Foundation and president of Kappa U.S.A., facilitated Kappa’s collaborations with FaZe Clan. He said “From a supply chain standpoint, e-sports product is made on blanks and printables, or on demand. Most e-sports business is done through e-commerce transactions. I don’t see how e-sports is going to suffer.”
In early March before the lockdown, e-sports organization Andbox launched collections for Thomas “ZooMaa” Paparatto and Dillon “Attach” Price, two players on its Call of Duty team, the New York Subliners, and said production has not been disrupted.
“We have been working as a team really closely and haven’t seen a lot of hiccups on the design and production side,” said Andbox vice president of consumer products and merchandising Collette Gangemi. “We have a pretty long calendar and have been working diligently to be able to launch our apparel.” She added that its production in Northern China was not disrupted in January and February.
D-Cave, the lifestyle gaming brand from Stefano Rosso and Furio Giraldi, is launching its product through weekly contests and with partnered streamers. “This is very effective and creates traffic to our site and social media channels,” Rosso said.
However, further collections may be delayed. “We are facing some problems as in Italy most of our suppliers have been closed and will probably go back to a decent regime in a couple of weeks. That is the reason why we are thinking to postpone most of our new collection launches to Q3 and Q4.”
The organizations have been working remotely, with the Andbox team sharing samples via mail and having video calls for fittings, and they each separately shared how they’ve benefited from being digital-first companies. They each have players that have produced content independently and are well acclimated to competing online.
“We have a digital-first product, so we have something very compelling to fall back on and an audience that is very familiar with it,” said Andbox cofounder and president Farzam Kamel. “There’s a stark difference between this industry and different sports, because this ecosystem is on 24/7. Our athletes are on and directly communicating with fans and audiences. You’re seeing as much of them now as before the season was halted.”
Hayes added, “What makes e-sports different is you don’t even have to leave your house. You’ll never be able to play against [pro sports athletes], especially in something competitive, but in e-sports you can. What I think is going to happen with e-commerce merchandise and brands is that they’re actually going to get bigger.”
Carl Stevens of RQ said the same of fans of gaming streamers. “One of the coolest things about YouTube is the relationship aspect,” he said. “These creators have relationships with their fans that go deeper than fans would have with Steph Curry or LeBron James. As streamers are making videos, fans are learning about them and their everyday lives.”
He added that streamers and content creators turned to creating merchandise as another source of revenue that isn’t dependent on advertisers. Their fans tend to buy to support the streamer, but also because of the connection built over time from watching the content creator share their lives. “Oftentimes, people buy merch for the sole purpose of supporting the creator. Merch is all about community building. You’re getting gameplay and their lives, and that’s relationship building.”
In noncompetitive gaming communities, new Nintendo title Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which launched on March 20, has risen in popularity despite Nintendo Switch consoles being sold out worldwide. Getty Museum added an art generator tool in the new game that allows players to make clothing featuring artworks by Van Gogh, Monet and Renoir. 100 Thieves released its entire apparel collection in the game as well.
“We saw our fans all making their own versions so we thought a great way to say thank you would be to release official digital versions,” Robinson said. “We want to be thoughtful about releasing new collections to our community given everything that’s happening.”
But while this time is breeding opportunity, Gangemi asserts that this is a sensitive time for all and Andbox has taken this into account for new product launches. “We’re very sensitive to everything in the world right now,” she said. “Communicating that we do care has been really important for this organization. We view our upcoming collections as an opportunity to do some good in our community. We will launch things differently than if things are usual.”
Kamel added, “It’s not business as usual for any business. We consider ourselves very fortunate, and it’s important to have perspective in that regard.”
Picking a Job to commit to is not an easy ordeal. Especially not since Final Fantasy XIV has (as of the latest expansion Endwalker, excluding Blue Mage) 19 different ones to choose from. Luckily, you can play each and every Job on a single character, but you still level them separately—and slowly. This guide will serve as an overview of the Jobs in FFXIV and their unique playstyles, to give you a good idea of what you can expect. Let’s take a look.
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Tanks
Paladin (PLD)
Brandishing a sword and shield, the Paladin is the embodiment of what makes one a tank. They are the stalwart protectors of their groups and come packed with a ton of utility to fulfill this duty. But protecting is hardly all they can do. Paladins also come packed with not only their sword—but also strong and flashy holy abilities that they unleash onto their enemies.
A Paladin’s playstyle revolves around starting with a physical damage phase, and then swapping into a magical damage phase. Once the magic phase concludes, it loops right back into the physical phase…and so it repeats. If you’re looking to be that strong, unyielding defender in Final Fantasy XIV, then Paladin might just be the Job for you.
Dark Knight (DRK)
Wielding a big hunk of sharp metal as a greatsword, the Dark Knight stands for all that is edge. They draw from the darkness within themselves to enhance their attacks and vanquish their foes, or keep their teammates from harm.
With a burst phase strong enough to put DPS to shame, the Dark Knight is no stranger to big numbers. They are very active in said burst phase, but in between these you have a lot of room to breathe. Dark Knights can also help out the party with their unique magic defense utility and their strong individual shield. Whether you like “Berserk” or not, you can’t deny that a Dark Knight just looks plain cool.
Warrior (WAR)
It’s hard not to feel badass whilst swinging around an enormous axe that could seemingly cleave someone in half. Indeed, the appeal is there to be that unstoppable juggernaut jumping into the fray without a care. The Warrior is not fueled by holy power or darkness, but instead relies on good simple anger to get the job done.
Warriors tend to have a very reactive playstyle, rather than a set rotation. They have a big emphasis on cooldown management and building up their resources to do massive hits during their burst phases. Strangely enough, they also possess a lot of party utility such as healing and party shields. If real life has got you angry and upset, perhaps you should turn that into damage in FFXIV with the rage-fueled Warrior Job.
Gunbreaker (GNB)
If you cannot decide whether you want to shoot or stab someone, why not both? The Gunbreaker Job in Final Fantasy XIV allows you to weave in flashy explosions from your gunblade in between your normal attacks, making for a fun and fulfilling experience.
Similar to Warrior, Gunbreaker also has a priority system rather than a full rotation. They are the most busy tank Job in their burst, not even having time to mitigate without sacrificing damage for it. Gunbreaker is comparable to a DPS from how they function, so if you want to feel like a DPS without suffering DPS queue times, maybe consider the GNB.
Healers
White Mage (WHM)
White Mage is the staff-wielding cookie cutter healer Job of FFXIV. This is by no means a bad thing as they are a great gateway into healing for a beginner. With easy to understand abilities and a well-rounded toolkit, there is nothing left to be desired. They also possess the unique ability to “blind” their own party with a particularly flashy AOE spell.
WHM is considered to be a regen healer, meaning that they focus on keeping the party at full health as opposed to shielding incoming damage. Speaking of, for a healer White Mage has very high and straightforward damage…be that in bossfights or mob packs. If you’re new to healing or just want something straightforward, White Mage is a great pick.
Scholar (SCH)
The polar opposite to the White Mage, Scholar is anything but simple. With a fairy to accompany them and a helpful spellbook by their side, big brains aren’t the only thing in their arsenal. The cool, calculating Scholar has a solution to every situation up their sleeve. They also have their trusty fairy to help them out.
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Scholar, as the name suggests, requires knowledge. They are considered to be a shield healer, and focus on preventing damage rather than healing it back. SCH is a Job much more reliant on their cooldowns than other healers in Final Fantasy XIV—and they have a lot of them. As such, it is imperative that one understands what to use in the situation, as well as how much is necessary. Going overboard will soon leave you with nothing left. Because of this difficulty, however, Scholar ends up being incredibly rewarding to play correctly and has you feeling like no situation can overwhelm you.
Astrologian (AST)
Brandishing a deck of cards, the Astrologian is a magician when it comes to making the party’s health bars reappear. With some preparation and a quick gaze at the stars, the AST can prepare healing preemptively even before it’s necessary.
Astrologians are the other type of regen healers, though they do have the occasional shielding moments as well. Their gameplay is very fast-paced and they are generally busy throwing out cards to buff their teammates around the clock. To play AST properly, you must be able to predict the near future (which is on brand for them), to be able to prepare your heals for when the damage does arise. If you believe in the heart of cards, Astrologian is definitely your draw.
Sage (SGE)
Being a new Job in Final Fantasy XIV Endwalker, Sage tosses books and cards aside for a pair of magical short-staves called Nouliths. Have you ever wanted to heal your friends with magical bullets? Well, SGE gives you a chance to do so without winding up in jail. Incredible.
Sages are shield healers, but also have a mechanic completely unique to them: healing through the damage they deal to enemies. This gives them ample time to throw out more attacks without worrying about the tank’s health. Their shields also shield for a lot more when the recipient is on low health, allowing for a more safe recovery. It’s a nice change of pace as a healer, and brings some much needed diversity to the Jobs of FFXIV.
Melee DPS
Dragoon (DRG)
With lance in hand, the Dragoon leaps in and out of the fight with pinpoint precision. As the old protectors against dragons, Dragoon draws a lot of its style from their age-old war. They are able to harness the power of dragons and use it to fuel their attacks. With an aerial style of combat, they are rarely seen just standing still.
Dragoons are not so much about big burst phases, but rather do constant damage. They can be considered to have a slow rotation, although they have a ton of buttons to weave between their standard rotation to spice things up. Pairing that with flashy and sick-looking abilities, DRG is just a ton of fun. If you want your big attacks to steal the show, Dragoon has got your back.
Monk (MNK)
Who needs weapons when you have two perfectly fine fists already attached to your body? The Monk Job in Final Fantasy XIV makes use of fist weapons (though all the cool ones only use their plain old fists) to deal with whatever stands before them. They are lightning fast and extremely versatile.
A Monk’s playstyle is not so much a rotation as it is a matter of priority. By swapping between different stances through their abilities, they must decide which choices fit the situation best. MNK is easily the fastest Job in FFXIV and you’ll be mashing buttons like no tomorrow to keep up. In their burst, they have to follow certain specific patterns to build up a single massive attack at the end. If you want to lose the paint on your keyboard buttons, Monk is the definitely the pick.
Ninja (NIN)
A Ninja makes good use of their twin daggers, which they hold in a backwards grip (of course) for extra cool points. Above all, they are assassins, but that is not all there is to them. By combining different signs, Ninjas conjure up a variety of “Ninjutsu” spells to unleash onto their opposition for massive damage.
Ninja, similar to Monk, is a very fast job. Ninja has a massive and intricate burst phase, but their rotation is quite simple outside of said burst. They can also create a shadow clone of themselves to mimic their attacks, or use buffs to upgrade their next Ninjutsu into a much more powerful version. Naruto fan or not, NIN is definitely a fun and unique Job to play.
Samurai (SAM)
Being the second Eastern-influenced Job in FFXIV, Samurai wields their katana with pride. They’re all about building up to those big hits and unleashing them onto whatever poor soul is on the sharp end of their blade.
Samurai’s playstyle, as mentioned above, is very much about getting to those massive attacks that make the happy brain chemicals go crazy. They are considered to be a “selfish” Job, not bringing any party utility aside from their very high damage. There is not much available optimization or variation in their playstyle, but their massive flashy attacks more than make up for this. It’s hard not to feel badass while playing a SAM, whether you care for their aesthetic or not.
Reaper (RPR)
The second Job added in FFXIV Endwalker, the Reaper cuts through enemies with their haunting scythe. They also have a bit of a dark side to them, hiding an avatar of the void within themselves. A Reaper can call on this avatar to strengthen their attacks, or to unleash devastating moves themselves.
A Reaper’s playstyle revolves around building themselves up to a big burst phase where they merge with their void avatars to become even more powerful together. In this form is where a large bulk of a RPRs damage lies, although they cannot maintain the form for very long. With flashy modern aesthetics and an overflowing amount of style, Reapers sow their names into the battlefield.
Ranged Physical DPS
Bard (BRD)
Not only armed with the power of music, the Bard also wields a bow in combat. Whilst playing a variety of songs to bolster their allies in different ways, they also fire out a barrage of arrows and flashy attacks into their foes.
Bards are all about keeping up their songs. They have three of them, and there should always be one playing during combat at all times. These do not only work to buff their party though, as they give strong individual buffs to the BRD as well. Bards have a ton of buttons to press at all times and it makes for great fun if you can keep up. All-in-all they bring decent damage and incredible party utility, and would be a boon to any group.
Machinist (MCH)
As the resident “selfish” Job of the Ranged DPS in FFXIV, Machinist uses a gun to uh…shoot things. As the co-protectors of Ishgard (alongside Dragoons), MCHs have a wide arsenal of contraptions and inventions to blow up their enemies with. They’re mechanical geniuses that can summon a mech to help them in fights and shoot out high-damage drills. Also…bombs.
Machinists are very fast-paced and unfortunately require a good connection to play properly. They have a ton of buttons to press in their burst with short time in between. Although they have no real party utility, their individual damage is a lot higher to make up for this. Looking to fight alongside your very own mech and burn enemies with flamethrowers? Then maybe take a look at Machinist.
Dancer (DNC)
A Dancer wields more than just their sick moves…they also carry a pair of chakrams with them. With a dance technique constructed specifically for fighting, a Dancer’s flashy actions are definitely more than just for show. Cut people apart from afar and look good doing it.
A DNC is not only there for damage—in fact, it’s hardly even the main reason. They can select a dance partner within their group with which to share their incredible buffs with. This alone gives them a lot of utility, but they also have heals and party-wide mitigation available to them. Dancers also have specific dances that they can perform to increase the damage of them and their partner, or their entire group. It’s a little RNG reliant, but quite straightforward otherwise and probably has the best mobility of any Job in Final Fantasy XIV. If you’re looking to super buff your group, Dancer is a great choice.
Ranged Magical DPS
Black Mage (BLM)
The Black Mage is here for one thing, and one thing only: big explosions. They wield their staff with the determination to move as little as possible in any given fight. The reason for this is their insanely long cast times, but the payoff for these casts are well worth the wait. A Black Mage is able to unleash controlled devastation wherever they tread.
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It’s not uncommon for a BLM to die because of greeding out a cast while standing smack dab in the middle of an incoming AOE. This Job is difficult to master—the most of any Job in FFXIV. While they are not hard to pick up, mastering Black Mage takes effort and time. Their playstyle consists of juggling between two phases—one in which they spend all of their mana on massive hard-hitting attacks, and a weak one to regain that mana. It also takes a considerable amount of effort and awareness not to let their buffs run out, if you’re still new to it. If you are looking for a serious challenge, Black Mage has got your number.
Red Mage (RDM)
Can’t decide if you want to be melee or a caster? You’re in luck! A Red Mage not only use a rapier, but also a focus for their spellcasting. They wield both black and white magic, and keep a careful balance of the two during their fights.
A Red Mage’s playstyle revolves around building up and balancing both white and black magic. After amassing enough of both, the RDM can jump into melee for a strong and hard-hitting melee burst that spends all of the built-up magic. They also have a unique mechanic where their every second spell can be instant cast. Red Mage is fairly easy to get the hang of and might be a good introduction into casting. If you want a bit more of a lightweight caster, or maybe just love their blazing aesthetic, Red Mage could be the Job for you.
Summoner (SMN)
Newly reworked in Endwalker, Summoner carries with it a handy spellbook similar to its class-mate Scholar. Unlike SCH with its tiny fairy though, SMN instead invokes the power of the enormous primals in battle and channels them into their own attacks.
A Summoner’s playstyle revolves around summoning the elder primal Bahamut as well as a flaming Phoenix, and looping through the other primals outside of their burst. Each summon gives the SMN unique abilities and constantly spices up their otherwise-simple gameplay. While they are not the hardest of Jobs in Final Fantasy XIV, their over-the-top visuals definitely make them a lot of fun. Summoner is the Job for you if you’re looking to command epic beings to do your bidding.
If you want to check out each Job’s unique “Limit Break”, check out Final Fantasy XIV’s own video right below:
FINAL FANTASY XIV - Break the Limit!
I hope that this guide has given you some new insight into what you might want to play or try out. If all else fails, listen to your heart. Farewell for now, Warriors of Light.