For those looking for a classic, tab-targeting fantasy MMO, Tarisland fits the bill. Unlike some free-to-play MMORPGs, Tencent states it’s looking to create a game without pay-to-win mechanics and “insists on creating a fair world that offers pure fun.” The game will release new seasonal content regularly, which Tencent says will add new maps to explore, quests, and dungeons. It’s available on PC and mobile, and features cross-play and cross-progression between platforms.

At launch, Tarisland features nine classes to choose from, ranging from fantasy staples like Paladin, Warrior, and Priest to more-unique archetypes, like the Shadow Swordsman or the Phantom Necro. In terms of endgame PvE content, Tarisland currently has five five-player dungeons and eight 10-player raids. For the PvP inclined, there is also an Arena mode.

The MMO, which is available on PC as well as mobile, was revealed early last year, right around the same time Blizzard’s MMO was pulled from China due to a breakdown in contract negotiations between Activision and Blizzard’s Chinese publisher, NetEase. Blizzard announced earlier this year it had struck a new licensing deal with NetEase that will see WoW and other Blizzard games return to China.

Tencent’s timing of the announcement, and the look of Tarisland, didn’t go unnoticed by WoW players at the time, who quickly labeled the MMO a “WoW clone.” There’s no denying Tarisland does takes heavy inspiration from WoW and the various races of Azeroth, with one of the game’s cinematics even mimicking the opening cinematic of WoW’s Cataclysm expansion. One of the first groups of NPCs players encounter are a group of bull-like characters that look extremely similar to WoW’s Tauren, right down to their Native American-inspired clothing and dwellings. In another example, Tarisland’s Ranger class has some strong Night Elf energy, and there are even airships adorned with giant eagles that look extremely similar to the ones Alliance players in WoW have ridden on for decades. The list goes on. Even one of WoW’s original creators, Chris Metzen, had to do a double-take after the first Tarisland trailer was revealed.

However, all those similarities don’t necessarily have to be a bad thing, as the game seems capable of standing on its own. For those interested in checking out what Tarisland has to offer, the game is available for download on the iOS and Google Play stores, as well as directly through the Tarisland website for PC players. Watching Tarisland gameplay on Twitch between June 21 and July 8 will earn players some additional rewards. At the time of writing, around 60,000 people were watching Tarisland content on Twitch.

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Fortnite Metallica concert start times

The event kicks off on June 22 with three showings, followed by three more the next day.

Saturday, June 22:

• 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET
• 2 PM PT / 5 PM ET
• 8 PM PT / 11 PM ET

Sunday, June 23:

• 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET
• 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET
• 2 PM PT / 5 PM ET

To access the Metallica concert, all you have to do is log in to Fortnite during the aforementioned times, select the “Metallica: Fuel. Fire. Fury” tile in the Discover screen of Fortnite’s menu, and then enjoy the show. There will be a 30-minute window after the times listed above when you can still access the concert, and up to three friends can join you.

The concert will feature six of Metallica’s songs from the band’s illustrious, decades-spanning catalog, created by the VR, AR, and metaverse studio Magnopus, which built the experience for Fortnite. If you’ve previously seen Fortnite concerts like those starring Travis Scott or Ariana Grande, you know to expect an audiovisual spectacle. The concert won’t be playable after these dates conclude, so be sure to make the time if it sounds like a good time. Spoiler: It’s gonna be a good time.

More Metallica in Fortnite

But for the Metallica (or Fortnite) devotees, there’s a lot more of the metal band’s influence to be found all over the game. First off, the new season of Fortnite Festival is all about the metal band. You can read more about that in our coverage of Fortnite Festival Season 4.

In battle royale and Zero Build, you’ll find a new traversal item/weapon in the Ride The Lightning guitars, which create a trail in your wake on which allies can ride. It even has a ground-pound-like smashing effect when you land, giving it some offensive capabilities, too. There’s also a new landing spot on the island based on the M72 World Tour.

The Metallica Cup will take place in Fortnite’s competitive circuit on June 18, giving you the chance to win the Ringer emote before it hits the shop later this season. Visit the Fortnite blog for complete details.

Over in Rocket Racing, you can find a new track, Thrash Mountain, fitting of the California-based band, as well as the new Backfire car body, Puppetmaster Backfire decal, and Chasing Light wheels, all of which can be unlocked for completing Metallica Quests.

There will even be Lego styles for each band member and, in the shop, a Metallica-themed car bundle, with the following items on offer:

• Jäger 619 Car Body (with 13 paint colors)
• Circuit Pro Jäger 619 Decal
• Euphoria Jäger 619 Decal
• Kraken Jäger 619 Decal
• Storm Warning Jäger 619 Decal
• Stripes Jäger 619 Decal
• The Summit Jäger 619 Decal
• Puppetmaster Jäger 619 Decal

Gallery

If you already have the Jäger 619 Car Body in Fortnite, you’ll get the Puppetmaster Decal for free, as well as any other Jäger Decals that come to the shop in the future. This applies to all car bodies starting in v30.10, Epic revealed. If any decal for a car body you own enters the shop, you’ll receive it automatically if you don’t already have it.

Ride the lightning with Fortnite’s most metal season yet starting on June 13.

NoxPlayer is a free Android emulator for playing mobile games on PC and Mac, supporting Android 5, 7, 8, and 9, and compatible with Intel, AMD, and Apple processors. You can run NoxPlayer perfectly on commonly-used operating systems like Windows 7, 8, 10, 11, and iOS.

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Anker Prime 250W Power Bank

$125 (was $180)

The Anker Prime Power Bank can charge three power-hungry device with it two USB-C ports and USB-A port that deliver up to 250W of power total. Anker says you can juice up your MacBook Pro (M2 Pro) to 50% in just 28 minutes. That’s an impressive stat–and one that far outperforms the average portable charger. So while you’ll find cheaper chargers out there, the Prime is an ideal pick for those who travel with multiple larger devices, such as a laptop, Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, and iPad Pro.

See at Amazon

Despite all that firepower, the Anker Prime Power Bank is still quite small, weighing just over a pound and standing just over six inches tall. And along with charging electronics fast, it holds 27,650mAh of juice, enough to charge an iPhone 14 more than four times before needing a recharge of its own.

Toss in a smart app to track your charging stats or to help you locate your Prime Power Bank with audible alerts, and you’ve got a comprehensive charging station.

Amazon is advertising this as a “Limited Time Deal,” though it’s unclear when exactly it’ll end. That means you’ll want to scoop up the portable power bank as soon as you can to ensure you don’t miss out on this steep discount. You’ll also find a smaller version, the Anker Prime Power Bank 20,000mAH, for $110 (down from $130).

There’s even an optional charging base for the Prime (either model) that can quickly refuel the power bank while also doubling as a stand.

While this power bank is great for remote workers, digital nomads, or anyone who travels with heaps of gadgets, the Prime is still more of a niche device. Everyone should have a power bank–they are quite handy–but the average user will get by just fine with a cheaper option. We’d recommend this Baseus 65W power bank with 20,000mAh. On sale for $45 with Amazon’s extra 25%-off coupon, this power bank offers fast charging for your smartphone, Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, and laptop–though don’t expect to charge your larger devices multiple times over or simultaneously.

NoxPlayer is a free Android emulator for playing mobile games on PC and Mac, supporting Android 5, 7, 8, and 9, and compatible with Intel, AMD, and Apple processors. You can run NoxPlayer perfectly on commonly-used operating systems like Windows 7, 8, 10, 11, and iOS.

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We have an exclusive look at three cards that will make their Magic debut in the Assassin’s Creed set. Two of them are creature cards–one fits nicely into artifact decks, the other can disable an opponent’s biggest creature for a turn–while the third is a legendary artifact, both in Magic and in Assassin’s Creed.

First, here’s Loyal Inventor:

• Loyal Inventor (Creature – Human Artificer)
  • Costs 2 generic and 1 blue mana to cast
  • 2 power/3 toughness
  • Vigilance
  • Ability: When Loyal Inventor enters the battlefield, you may search your library for an artifact card, reveal it, then shuffle. Put that card into your hand if you control an Assassin. Otherwise, put that card on top of your library.

Any cards that let you search your library for a card are powerful tools, and Loyal Inventor gives you a sizable creature along with the search. Any blue artifact deck should consider adding Loyal Inventor, as he has the potential to turn a game in your favor simply by entering the battlefield.

Next, we have Tax Collector:

• Tax Collector (Creature – Human Advisor)
  • Costs 1 generic and 1 white mana to cast
  • 2 power/2 toughness
  • When Tax Collector enters the battlefield, choose one:
    • Tax – Until your next turn, spells your opponents cast one generic mana more to cast.
    • Detain – Detain target creature an opponent controls. (Until your next turn, that creature can’t attack or block and its activated abilities can’t be activated.)

Tax Collector has flexibility other 2/2 creatures for two mana lack, as it can make a difference at any point in the game. Drop it early to delay your opponent’s gameplan for a turn, or drop it late to lock down an imposing creature and give yourself some room to breathe; it’s a win-win.

Finally, here’s our last reveal, Apple Of Eden, Isu Relic:

• Apple Of Eden, Isu Relic (Legendary Artifact)
  • Costs 4 generic mana to cast
  • Tap, pay 4 life, sacrifice Apple of Eden: Look at target opponent’s hand and exile those cards face down. You may play those cards this turn, and mana of any type can be spent to cast them. Until end of turn, whenever you play a land or cast a spell this way, its owner draws a card. At the beginning of the next end step, return the exiled cards to their owner’s hand. Activate only as a sorcery.

Sometimes you wonder what your opponents are hiding in their hands. The Apple of Eden here lets you not only find out, but turn a big play against them from right under their noses. It will need to be paired with Treasures or other permanents that can make mana of any color, but in the right deck, the Apple can win you the game at a moment’s notice.

The Magic: The Gathering Universes Beyond Assassin’s Creed set launches July 5.

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The two new crewmate roles are the Tracker and the Noisemaker. The Tracker is able to track and locate a crewmate’s position on the map to sus out the Imposter. The Noisemaker, on the other hand, sends out a distress signal when killed. The visual indicator from the Noisemaker’s death is able to easily rally and pinpoint the Noisemaker’s location to more readily deduce the Imposter.

The Phantom is the final role added in this update: an Imposter role able to vanish for a short amount of time. Using this vanishing ability to escape or secure a kill makes the Phantom a swift assassin who can open up new strategies.

Game Presets from the Lobby Settings option can allow players to simplify the game without additional roles, while the Roles Galore option can change how often roles like Tracker, Guardian Angel, and Engineer appear.

Hide N Seek now has two presets available, with Pitch Dark and Flashlights for darkness and light playstyles, respectively.

Among Us has not just seen new updates in the core game recently, but at Summer Game Fest, Innersloth showcased an upcoming animated series based on the game with Randall Park, Yvette Nicole Brown, Kimiko Glenn, Phil Lamarr, and more included in the cast.

Be sure to update Among Us, so you can play and interact with the breadth of the game’s new features out now. The full patch notes are below.

Patch Notes

That’s a lot of newness happening, but it wasn’t just new items the team was working on. We also have a lot of patches so be sure to update your game to v2024.6.18 for these fixes:

• The Fungle – Crewmates won’t be stuck in the ladder climb animation if a Mushroom Mixup happens while climbing a ladder
• Shapeshifters who are climbing a ladder when a meeting is called will no longer get stuck in the climbing animation
• Airship and The Fungle as Shapeshifter – The Shapeshift duration timer now counts down correctly under all conditions
• Classic and Hide N Seek – Desolation of Skeld Pet will now appear in the actual game and not guard their hoard in the dropship
• Quick Chat – Text in the chat field will have the same colors as the quick chat builder
• iOS – The “Pending Account Deletion” message is no longer hidden by the Friend List bar
• Child Accounts that become old enough to be full accounts will now receive permissions correctly
• Scientist – The battery duration timer is no longer blocked by the settings icon on some resolution settings
• The Great Goalie visor now layers correctly with certain hats
• Skeld – An extra button no longer appears on the screen during the second part of the Inspect Sample task

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For those subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online, a handful of classic games are coming to the service. For Game Boy Advance, the GBA port of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Four Swords combo pack is now playable, along with Metroid: Zero Mission, a GBA remake of the original Metroid. On the N64, players can check out Turok: Dinosaur Hunter and the original Perfect Dark, though those interested will need to download a separate N64 Nintendo Switch Online app specifically for Mature-rated games like the two mentioned.

The only other game to be shadow dropped following the Direct was Metal Slug Attack Reloaded, a tower-defense spin-off of the classic sidescrolling shooter franchise that was previously available on mobile devices. It’s available now for $10.

On the update front, Among Us received a new update that adds three new roles to the multiplayer social deduction game, including the new Phantom role for the Imposter that allows them to turn invisible for a brief period of time. Disney Illusion Island, a co-op 2D platformer released last year starring Mickey and friends, also received a new free update. The Mystery in Monoth update sees players tracking down clues to help Dash Dolphin solve a new mystery and crack the case.

Nintendo’s June Direct, which came a week after other major video-game presentations like the Xbox Showcase and Summer Game Fest, didn’t disappoint. The publisher revealed a first look at Metroid Prime 4 gameplay, as well as a new top-down Legend of Zelda game starring none other than Zelda herself and a new Mario and Luigi RPG.

NoxPlayer is a free Android emulator for playing mobile games on PC and Mac, supporting Android 5, 7, 8, and 9, and compatible with Intel, AMD, and Apple processors. You can run NoxPlayer perfectly on commonly-used operating systems like Windows 7, 8, 10, 11, and iOS.

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Fortnite Festival Pass – Season 4

This season’s pass offers the customary free and paid paths, both of which include several new cosmetics. One big change this season, however, is how many more skins you’ll get for buying into the premium track of the Festival Pass. All four members of Metallica have been turned into Fortnite outfits, with Lars Ulrich unlocking immediately upon purchasing the premium track, while Kirk Hamett, Robert, Trujilio, and frontman James Hetfield can be unlocked as you progress through the season’s challenges.

The premium version of the pass also includes Metallica’s nearly eight-minute banger, One, which will make for quite an endurance test in the game. The band members’ iconic instruments can be found in the premium pass too, such as Ulrich’s TAMA drum kit and Hammett’s Gibson “Greeny” Les Paul guitar.

The premium track of the pass can be unlocked for 1800 V-Bucks (about $18). If you stick to the free track, you’ll still enjoy the new Slurp Blaster guitar, as well as several new songs from Epic Games: S.O.M.P., The Night Porter (Winnage), and Dreamer. Additionally, you can claim the mosh-pit-approved Dark Flame Aura and Roundhouse emote.

Gallery

Fortnite Festival Battle Stage

Fortnite Festival is getting a new competitive PvP mode, throwing 16 players into a last-rockstar-standing match. Played with a four-song setlist, four players will be eliminated after each song–three for the last song–until one musical maestro stands victorious.

To even the playing field, you’ll choose your instrument and difficulty but can’t select songs from your library. The Overdrive multiplier feature already seen in Festival will now allow for attacks to be launched at your rivals, which can disrupt their streaks and slow their scoring. The game also uses a skill-based matchmaking system so players can be grouped with others at their level rather than land in a lobby with Tosin Abasi.

Gallery

New Fortnite Festival Shop Items

Like other seasons of Harmonix’s social music game, you can also find alternative versions of Metallica’s foursome in the Item Shop. This includes the Puppet Master outfits for each member of the legendary band. Several more Metallica songs will be sold in the shop too, including the following songs right away and more to come later this season:

• Enter Sandman
• Fuel
• Master of Puppets
• Ride The Lightning
• The Unforgiven
• Wherever I May Roam

Jam Tracks as Lobby Tracks

As previously promised by Epic on social media, Jam Tracks can now be equipped as Lobby Tracks, and even randomized, giving you a new playlist of favorite songs to listen to between rounds of Festival, Battle Royale, Creative, or anything else in Fortnite.

On top of all that, some quality-of-life fixes, Support-A-Creator changes, and a few song gameplay tunings are coming to Fortnite Festival with this update, so take a look at the official blog for more details.

NoxPlayer is a free Android emulator for playing mobile games on PC and Mac, supporting Android 5, 7, 8, and 9, and compatible with Intel, AMD, and Apple processors. You can run NoxPlayer perfectly on commonly-used operating systems like Windows 7, 8, 10, 11, and iOS.

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The event kicks off on June 22 with three showings, followed by three more the next day. Here’s the full schedule:

Saturday, June 22:

• 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET
• 2 PM PT / 5 PM ET
• 8 PM PT / 11 PM ET

Sunday, June 23:

• 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET
• 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET
• 2 PM PT / 5 PM ET

The concert will feature six of Metallica’s songs from the band’s illustrious, decades-spanning catalog, created by the VR, AR, and metaverse studio Magnopus, which built the experience for Fortnite. Parties of up to four players can head to the show together. If you’ve previously seen Fortnite concerts like those starring Travis Scott or Ariana Grande, you know to expect an audiovisual spectacle. The concert won’t be playable after these dates conclude, so be sure to make the time if it sounds like a good time. Spoiler: It’s gonna be a good time.

More Metallica in Fortnite

But for the Metallica (or Fortnite) devotees, there’s a lot more of the metal band’s influence to be found all over the game. First off, the new season of Fortnite Festival is all about the metal band. You can read more about that in our coverage of Fortnite Festival Season 4.

In battle royale and Zero Build, you’ll find a new traversal item/weapon in the Ride The Lightning guitars, which create a trail in your wake on which allies can ride. It even has a ground-pound-like smashing effect when you land, giving it some offensive capabilities, too. There’s also a new landing spot on the island based on the M72 World Tour.

The Metallica Cup will take place in Fortnite’s competitive circuit on June 18, giving you the chance to win the Ringer emote before it hits the shop later this season. Visit the Fortnite blog for complete details.

Over in Rocket Racing, you can find a new track, Thrash Mountain, fitting of the California-based band, as well as the new Backfire car body, Puppetmaster Backfire decal, and Chasing Light wheels, all of which can be unlocked for completing Metallica Quests.

There will even be Lego styles for each band member and, in the shop, a Metallica-themed car bundle, with the following items on offer:

• Jäger 619 Car Body (with 13 paint colors)
• Circuit Pro Jäger 619 Decal
• Euphoria Jäger 619 Decal
• Kraken Jäger 619 Decal
• Storm Warning Jäger 619 Decal
• Stripes Jäger 619 Decal
• The Summit Jäger 619 Decal
• Puppetmaster Jäger 619 Decal

Gallery

If you already have the Jäger 619 Car Body in Fortnite, you’ll get the Puppetmaster Decal for free, as well as any other Jäger Decals that come to the shop in the future. This applies to all car bodies starting in v30.10, Epic revealed. If any decal for a car body you own enters the shop, you’ll receive it automatically if you don’t already have it.

Ride the lightning with Fortnite’s most metal season yet starting on June 13.

NoxPlayer is a free Android emulator for playing mobile games on PC and Mac, supporting Android 5, 7, 8, and 9, and compatible with Intel, AMD, and Apple processors. You can run NoxPlayer perfectly on commonly-used operating systems like Windows 7, 8, 10, 11, and iOS.

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The big difference between the 1st Gen and 2nd Gen models is that the 2nd Gen supports phone cases. That makes it much more appealing, as you won’t have to remove and replace the protective layer every time you want to use your Backbone. Beyond that, the two are largely the same, offering passthrough charging, a 2.5mm headphone jack, premium buttons and triggers, and support for most iPhones and Android devices.

Best Backbone One Deals

• Backbone One (2nd Gen, USB-C, White) — $80 ($100)
• Backbone One (2nd Gen, USB-C, Black) — $80 ($100)
• Backbone One (2nd Gen, Lightning, White) — $80 ($100)
• Backbone One (2nd Gen, Lightning, Black) — $80 ($100)
• Backbone One (1st Gen, Lightning, White) — $80 ($100)
• Backbone One (1st Gen, Lightning, Black) — $80 ($100)

If you plan on traveling with your Backbone One, consider adding the official Backbone One Carrying Case to your order. It’s only $25, but because it’s water-resistant, durable, and great at protecting your controller while in transit, it could save you from damaging your Backbone One over the years.

Our Backbone One review found it to offer a “combination of solid hardware and smart app design,” and that’s only improved with the updated 2nd Gen. From Game Pass and emulators to Genshin Impact and Call of Duty Mobile, it’s the ideal companion regardless of what you’re playing. We’re not sure when the price will drop this low again, so swing by one of the retailers and cash in on the offer while you can. If you’re looking for more smartphone gaming controller recommendations, be sure to check our list of the best controllers for Android and iPhone.

Backbone One deals

• See all deals at Amazon
• See all deals at Best Buy
• See all deals at Walmart

NoxPlayer is a free Android emulator for playing mobile games on PC and Mac, supporting Android 5, 7, 8, and 9, and compatible with Intel, AMD, and Apple processors. You can run NoxPlayer perfectly on commonly-used operating systems like Windows 7, 8, 10, 11, and iOS.

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Following a beta in South Korea in April that ran for four days and saw more than 50,000 players sign-up to participate, Krafton is moving forward with its plans to get the mobile adaptation of Ironmace’s fantasy-themed extraction game into the hands of more players. The global beta will implement feedback from the April Korean test and will feature additional content for players to experiment with.

Dark and Darker Mobile sets itself apart from its PC counterpart in a few key ways, namely in that it features a separate PvE-only mode in addition to the PvPvE the original is known for. It also introduces a Sidekick system where NPC companions can accompany players into the dungeon, something not seen in the desktop version. Krafton has promised additional endgame content and unique rewards as well. The game is targeting a full release later this year.

As for the desktop version of Dark and Darker, it finally returned to Steam as part of Summer Game Fest, following a long series of legal copyright battles with Nexon that saw it originally removed from the platform for copyright infringement. Nexon accused developer Ironmace of stealing code and assets from a canceled Nexon project to create Dark and Darker, allegations Ironmace, which is largely made up of former Nexon employees, has denied. A copyright lawsuit filed by Nexon in the US on the issue was dismissed last year, paving the way for the game’s return to major platforms like Steam and its debut on the Epic Game Store. Prior to its return to major PC storefronts, Ironmace made Dark and Darker available directly through its own website and launcher.

Dark and Darker is technically playable now for free, though it has drawn criticism for its current “free-to-play” label on PC storefronts, as the game’s free starter account serves more as a limited trial or demo as opposed to a true free-to-play experience. The full game, including multiple character slots, a shared stash, and access higher-level dungeons only becomes accessible after purchasing “Legendary” status for $30. Ironmace released a statement on June 9, stating it “did not intend to deceive our players” and will be making changes to its free-to-play implementation soon.

NoxPlayer is a free Android emulator for playing mobile games on PC and Mac, supporting Android 5, 7, 8, and 9, and compatible with Intel, AMD, and Apple processors. You can run NoxPlayer perfectly on commonly-used operating systems like Windows 7, 8, 10, 11, and iOS.

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