Greetings Champions! Here's what happening in the Realm this week:
Winter is Coming
As Halloween departs & the Christmas music unthaws, we on the team are both reflecting on 2023 for Paladins, as well as looking ahead to what we plan for 2024. We've experimented a lot with update formats, reveals, and the type of content we bring to you all as players. We appreciate the compassion and excitement you all have shared with us and look forward to when we can talk more about what's coming next!
We still have a few surprises up our sleeves for 2023, but expect a bit of a quieter period as we focus on delivering the next major update. In the meantime, there will plenty of LTMs, XP events, and Chronicles to share along the way!
We've Been Fed
Last week, we released our Valor's End feedback form! Now, we're happy to share 3000 players responded before the form closed! The team is looking through all the opinions shared & using it to inform future updates and decisions. However, not all questions require a ton of analysis, for example:
You all REALLY like Cards to the Max, and Swift Siege is quite popular for its debut! We'll be taking this into account for future LTMs as well as possible improvements to existing ones. Over the next few months, we'll talk about other bits of feedback we got & how we are planning to act.
Why Stop Now?
We started this section to celebrate alongside our artists during Inktober, but it felt strange to stop doing so. We may vary in how much art we share, but consider this a permanent fixture! Let's get into some fanart!
This weekend, hone your gunplay in this arsenal-first game mode. Weapon normal & critical damage is increased while cooldowns are slowed in this more competitive version of Team Deathmatch. Try a few rounds & let us know what you think!
That's all for this week, Champions. See you all in the Realm!
This Week in the Realm | 10/31/2023
Greetings Champions! Here's what happening in the Realm this week:
Happy Halloween Hotfix!
What better way to celebrate this holiday than with some tricks & treats! We've released a hotfix to address a few larger issues that came with Valor's End & are continuing to monitor the game's health. For a list of the changes, visit here!
As for the treat, Fog of War has returned for today only! Enjoy this twist on Marauder's Port and Abyss with reduced visibility. Warning: Kasumi has taken kindly to her buffs & will jumpscare players in select spots on these maps.
So equip some festive skins & get to haunting in the Realm!
Festive Feedback
Our update has been out for about a week, which means it's time for our update feedback form! These have been a vital tool for the team to deliver some of the features and balance the community has valued most this year, so if you're able to, please fill it out here!
Painting Pumpkins
As Inktober comes to an end, we've got one last round of fall themed fanart to share with you all!
This weekend, return to Paladins' past in this LTM allowing players to visit older versions of Stone Keep, Timber Mill, and Warder's Gate. Nostalgia is a powerful feeling, and so is double Champion experience which will be live game-wide this weekend!
That's all for this week, Champions. See you all in the Realm!
New in Paladins - Valor's End
Valor's End Update - Live Now
New Event Pass: Out Now Snowfall Junction Restoration: Out Now Custom Games and UI Improvements: Out Now Major Balance Pass: Out Now
Swift Siege: October 27th - 30th Classic Maps: November 3rd - 6th Team Arena: November 10th - 13th
Effects Bar
Some of our Champions have had icons that show enemies when their effects are applied to them, but it wasn’t very consistent and was often out of the way for players' eyes. We’ve moved where to look for these icons as well as added a whole host of new ones, giving opponents more room to counterplay against certain effects. Here is the list of effects shown:
Lex Discover
Lillith Hex
Seris Soul Orbs
Luna’s Stun Target
Corvus Mark
Jenos Mark
Rei Linked Target
Kasumi Curse
Moji Mark
Omen Brand
Up to a maximum of 5 effects can show in this space, so you’ll be able to keep track of even the most hectic of team compositions. We hope players enjoy & get more meaningful use from this improved system!
Custom Matches
After popular demand, Payload will be joining the other modes as an option in Customs! This means no matter what modes are in rotation, all of our core set is available for friendly & competitive practice.In addition to this change, we also have added another suite of game rules to Customs to allow player to further create fun ways to play! The list includes:
Disable Anti-Healing
Credit Tick Frequency
Credits to Give per Tick
Credits for Holding the Objective
Credits for Pushing the Payload
Bonus Credits per Contesting Player
Improved & Unified Menus
We’ve done a large pass on all of the UI & mechanics used in menus to create a more unified experience for players! Major changes include:
New Aquisition Popup for Items
In Game Item Store now allows Undo until you leave Spawn
Items will appear at lower opacity until purchased
New, unified button appearance
The ability to buy up to 50 Boosters at once
Notifications are now a lighter fuchsia hue
Account XP is now a green bar
XP in EOML are now full circles
Here are just some of the places we’ve improved:
Early Snow Falls
Winter arrives early as Snowfall Junction is the next map to regain some of its original details from the Open Beta era! From windows lining the fort to small stands set up within every nook, make sure to stop and appreciate the little things next time you’re visiting.
Mode Rotations
Limited Time Modes
New
Swift Siege | October 27th - 30th
Speed is key in this shortened & heightened version of Siege! Each team starts out at 2/4 score with increased starting & earned Credits and a minor bump in movement speed, so make each play count as the game can end in one push!
Score reduced to 2
Respawn Time set to 5s
Starting Credits at 1000
Credits per second raised to 3/s
Credits for Objective Play raised to 7/s
Anti-Healing scales 5% every 25s
Classic Maps | November 3rd - 6th
We’ve dug back into the archives once more, this time unearthing some original versions of beloved Siege maps. The first versions of Stone Keep, Warder’s Gate, and Timber Mill are all back in this throwback queue!
Note: These maps were fortunate enough to be in a restorable state, earlier maps are proving more complex. We’ll do our due diligence, but no additions are currently planned!
Team Arena | November 10th - 13th
Gunplay is front & center in this variant of Team Deathmatch, with increased weapon & headshot damage but slowed cooldowns. Use abilities wisely and focus your aim to secure victory!
Greetings Champions! Here's what happening in the Realm this week:
All Valor's Eve
Valor's End launches tomorrow around 11am ET! We'll be bringing the servers down for maintenance at 8am ET, so make sure to finish up your progress on the Sands of Myth II Event Pass today!
In addition to wrapping up any last Desert Omens goals, we've released the update notes for Valor's End today for preview viewing. See the changes we made to balance and features thanks to PTS feedback, from Imani's VFX to the addition of an Anti-Healing Toggle in Customs.
It's some of our largest amount of changes this year, so be sure to read it all here!
Autumn Art Haul
As the month winds down and the weather for us gets a bit colder, we have more Inktober creations to share from our lovely creators!
This weekend, this quick and chaotic version of Siege will get to be the first LTM of Valor's End! First to 2 wins in this fully sped-up variation, from faster Credits to movement to Anti-Healing. Bite sized Paladins matches in 10 mins or less!
That's all for this week, Champions. See you all in the Realm!
This Week in the Realm | 10/17/2023
Greetings Champions! Here's what happening in the Realm this week:
Approaching Valor's End
Last week, we unveiled our next major update releasing later this month, Valor's End! From quality-of-life improvements to major balance shifts, Khan and Nyx brought with them plenty of change to this dark yet fantastical version of the Realm! Instead of an Update Show, we opted for a shorter video format to highlight key parts of the patch. Check it out!
PTS: Please Test Stuff
We had a lovely time on PTS, with players digging deep into our larger-than-normal balance & discovering some fun issues and concerns. From immune but visible Seris, Saati generating far too much Ultimate, and Furia's range being a bit mid; there were tons of helpful catches!
We also are listening to feedback around some less-loved changes! Evie will not be coming to live with 2500+ health builds, and Imani deserves better than to be stuck in place. We'll share more adjustments from what we garnered in our full update notes near release, but until then review the PTS Notes!
Artful Fall
We've revealed yet another art theme for Paladins, one very in-tune with this season! Our artists have been enjoying their own theming this October, so let's share more of them!
This weekend, it's the fan favorite mode for chaos! Create a card Loadout for this overpowering mode where every card is boosted to level 7! Explore the forbidden areas of balance & enjoy unrestricted playstyles in TDM matches!
That's all for this week, Champions. See you all in the Realm!
This Week in the Realm | 10/10/2023
Greetings Champions! Here's what happening in the Realm this week:
Showing up for Update
Let's get right to the chase: We haven't announced an Update Show! Last update, we did a more informal dev stream & got a lot of feedback around that format. This update, we'll also be doing something a bit different, this time opting for a non-live format. Keep your eyes peeled this week for reveals as we prepare for PTS!
Blood Moon Rises
In case you missed it, to celebrate the season Lillith is being given away for free this week! In addition, play 2 games during the event & receive a Flair and Style chests alongside the Autumn Maeve Avatar. There's never been a better time to spread Blood Hexes around to your teammates...
Art You Glad
Inktober is in full effect, and we have seen another wave of amazing fan creations!
This weekend, make like a leaf as Grover, where each axe hit propels players and yourself backward and Blossom stops your momentum in this all-as-one LTM. Watch out for edges and falls!
That's all for this week, Champions. See you all in the Realm!
Blood Moon Harvest
The Blood Moon Rises!
It's Lillith's favorite time of year, where the leaves begin to fall and the ghouls rise, so let's celebrate!
For the next week, log onto Paladins to receive Lillith for FREE! If you earn your Daily Queue bonus by playing 2 games during the event, you'll also receive a Flair & Style chest and the Autumn Maeve Avatar!
This Week in the Realm | 10/2/2023
Greetings Champions! Here's what happening in the Realm this week:
Something wicked this way comes...
The team has been hard at work on our next update, and while we aren't quite ready to share details yet, here's a glimpse into where we are headed!
Staying in Touch
As we've been working towards evolving our community strategy over the course of the year, we've been looking for the best place to discuss with our players around feedback, bugs, and general topics. Recently, we've worked with our moderation team over on Discord to turn these goals into meaningful changes, so there's never been a better time to join our community & speak with others about Paladins. Feel free to join here!
Inktober Be Upon Ye
Our fan artists are always producing amazing work, but October marks the beginning of Inktober, an internet tradition that means we'll be seeing so many more spooky creations coming our way. In order to pay it back, we'll be featuring some of our favorites in TWitR throughout the month, starting today!
This weekend, return to Primal Court & fight for control as lava rises to threaten both sides! We've updated the mode to now include more traversal options for players when the magma encroaches, so take advantage of any sudden blocks to step on.
That's all for this week, Champions. See you all in the Realm!
This Week in the Realm | 09/26/2023
Greetings Champions! Here's what happening in the Realm this week:
Dev Insights: Support Keywords
We've been intently listening to community discussion following the introduction of Support Keywords at the start of Season 6. In our recent blog, we share a bit of how they came to be, how we're addressing feedback, and the open-ended future of how we balance Supports with the communities' help!
Sorry for the Disturbance
Over the past weekend, we experienced severe server interruptions that affected all platforms. Our team & service partners worked diligently over the weekend to help resolve those issues and restore stability. To express our gratitude to players for sticking with us through this, we've activated 3x Champion XP and 4x Gold Earn Rate for the entire week!
Set Sails for Twitch Prime
Embark on a journey through the Eight Oceans with your first mate Luna as Pirate's Treasure Io with our latest Prime Gaming offering! The fan favorite skin returns as a free unlock for any players with Twitch Prime linked & redeemed through here!
Weekend LTM: Rapid Choose Any
This weekend, cast abilities & select champions with no restrictions within Siege, Onslaught, and Team Deathmatch! Rapid Choose Any returns to bring duplicate Champion compositions with reduced ability cooldowns. Ultimates are a no-show, it's time to let those smaller abilities shine!
That's all for this week, Champions, see you all in the Realm!
Fall of Ascension Peak Event
Greetings Champions, and surprise!
Starting today, we’re kicking off a week-long Event: Fall of Ascension Peak.Return to Ascension Peak as it is under siege once more, this time from a larger threat: Omen and the Abyssal Lords he serves are here to destroy Jenos once and for all! In the chaos, the Magistrate aims to finally capture Ascension Peak for themselves, unless the Resistance and Paladins are able to stop them. As the title alludes, all may not go their way. Let’s dig right into the content live in the Realm now!
LTM: Fall of Ascension Peak
Those familiar with Siege of Ascension Peak will recognize the general gameplay, but as a reminder:
Play Onslaught on the Ascension Peak map, featuring falling firebombs from ongoing artillery.
All Champions have 50% cooldown reduction, calling on their strongest selves and empowered by their sides. Speaking of sides…
Changes
Play as either the Abyss & Magistrate, working together to see Ascension Peak fall or as Paladins & Resistance, allied in defense of Jenos from Omen. Pick from a selection of 17 Champions on either side representing their in-universe factions.
Based on feedback from Siege of Ascension Peak, we’ve lowered the score limit from 400 to 250 to allow for quicker matches and more chances to play either side of this conflict.
Chronicles Series 1 Finale
As a part of this Event, we’ve released the final Chronicle of Series 1, detailing how this event came to past in the narrative & giving players a glimpse into how the Realm will change as a result of Omen’s arrival. We’ve been overjoyed with how players have received Chronicles & one of the largest pieces of feedback was wanting a way to experience some of these stories in game. If you want to see the story for yourself, read it here!
Core Mode Rotation
For those uninterested in the Event, we still have some changes headed to the Realm! Starting off, we’re rotating our Core modes once more, bringing back the much-requested Team Deathmatch and giving Payload some time back in the vault. This rotation will stay even after the event ends, so you'll have plenty of time to team up & slay out. As eagle eyed players are aware, we ask in our feedback forms about mode rotation every update, and wanted to share the results here:
Desert Omens Feedback Form
Which mode would you like to see rotated out next? Which mode would you like to see rotated in next?
We’ve been watching sentiment on socials & every feedback form we’ve held to decide how best to continue to rotate modes & plan to experiment more to provide players the modes they love while keeping things fresh. Huge thanks to every player who responds to these!
Double the Fun for Twice the Time
From now until the Event’s end on September 21st, enjoy 2x Gold, 2x Account XP, 2x Champion XP, 2x Event Pass XP, EVERYTHING! A whole week to grind, whether it be in our redux LTM, the returning TDM, or casual Siege games. Play with friends to take advantage of our always-active Party Up Boost and get your Champions decked out in Golden skins!We hope all of you have fun with this Event, and we’re excited to continue finding ways to combine old and new as we strive to make Paladins the best it can be. We’ll get back to our ongoing work on the next major update, until next time!
