Vortex Gaming

· The Black Tusk faction has been added to the popular Invasion mode.
· Black Tusk Invasions can now be initiated on both the DC and Warlords of New York maps.
· Clearing other faction content will slightly increase the Black Tusk Incitement Gauge, mitigating the issue of Black Tusk appearing too selectively in open-world content and missions.
· Upon failure or expiration of an Invasion, the Black Tusk can capture control points in that area.
· Defeating the 'Rise Up' season-exclusive BTSU Team 9 Kill Squad will grant new lore items.

· Invasion Overclock: The Incitement Gauge can now accumulate beyond 100%, stacking up to 2-3 times. This allows for multiple Invasions to be run consecutively without losing progress.
· 6-Hour Timer Change: The 6-hour timer after an Invasion starts will now only count down when you are logged into the game.
· Loot Collection Time Extended: The 30-second timer to collect loot after completing an Invasion has been extended to 90 seconds.
· Matchmaking Added: Invasion matchmaking is now available on the World Map's Matchmaker page, matching you with a random Invasion group based on your current World Difficulty.

· A new PvE difficulty applied to all main missions (DC and DLC maps).
· Five random missions will be available in Escalation mode each week, viewable at a new terminal in the Base of Operations.
· As a solution to endgame power creep for veteran players, it offers 10 stages of difficulty beyond Heroic.
· Stage 1 will be slightly harder with minor enemy stat adjustments, while Stage 10 will be an extreme challenge with massive health, lethal damage, and unique 'Mutator' modifiers.
· Escalation mode is the exclusive source for the new 'Prototype Gear'.

· A new purple-colored gear rarity that provides long-term farming goals.
· New Stat Ranges: The minimum stat value is now equal to the current maximum stat, and the new maximum stat is 1.5 times the previous maximum. (e.g., Weapon Damage 15% -> minimum 15%, maximum 22.5%)
· New Augments: Mini-talents present in all gear slots, stackable up to 7 times, primarily providing passive effects.
· Applicable Items: Applies to High-End, Gear Set, and Named items. Exotic items are not currently included but will be reviewed in the future.
· Upgrade Path: Can be upgraded to Prototype quality using an Expertise Level 30 item and 1 'Protocore'. Protocores are obtained by deconstructing Prototype items or in Escalation mode.
· Locked After Upgrade: Upgraded items cannot be recalibrated or optimized. (Recalibration feature under future review)
· Stat Guarantee: Upon upgrade, one stat is guaranteed to be at its maximum according to the new Prototype standard, while other stats are likely to remain at the previous gear's maximum level.
· Normalization: In Raids, Incursions, and PvP content, items are fully normalized, setting stats to minimum values and deactivating Augment effects.

· Classified Assignments, a Year 1 content feature, are being re-added. These are small-scale, lore and puzzle-focused missions set in unique locations.
· Ubisoft Reflections (the team that originally created Classified Assignments) has rejoined the development.
· They will be offered as a paid content add-on, and the price is not expected to be high.
· They are not suitable for farming or loot acquisition and offer no exclusive gameplay rewards. They primarily provide a one-time, puzzle-based experience.

· A new PvP Lead Designer has been hired, and PvP balancing and anti-cheat system upgrades are top priorities.
· The development team stated they will push an anti-cheat update in April and continue efforts to strengthen security throughout the year.
· Due to the nature of anti-cheat efforts, detailed information will not be disclosed.

· Core Strength Gear Set:
· 4-Piece Talent: Each core attribute in your build grants 40% of its value to other core bonuses. (e.g., wearing a mask with 15% Weapon Damage grants an additional 68,000 Armor and 6% Skill Efficiency)
· Wearing the Chest piece returns 75% of the other two core attributes.

· The Investor Exotic Mask:
· A hybrid-style item where both core and regular attributes are completely randomized.
· It has a third attribute slot instead of a mod slot.
· Talent: Grants different stats based on attribute color.

Category	Details
Red Attributes	10% Critical Hit Damage (each)
Yellow Attributes	5% Skill Efficiency (each)
Blue Attributes	1% Armor Regeneration (reduced to 0.5% in PvP)

· The Agitator Exotic Assault Rifle:
· Holstering the weapon to put it in a ready state reduces threat by 50%.
· Drawing the ready weapon again grants 25% increased Rate of Fire, 30% increased Weapon Damage, and 100% increased threat for 20 seconds.

· Global Modifier 'Recombination': Provides three modules: Attack, Defense, and Utility. Manipulating the values of these modules grants various stats related to their respective categories.
· Stat Examples: Attack (Weapon Handling, Headshot Damage), Defense (Armor, Hazard Protection).
· Modules are manipulated through 34 passive modifiers, with different outcomes depending on the order of equipping.
· Active Modifiers: Provides three unique abilities corresponding to the Attack, Defense, and Utility modules. (e.g., Blackout Pulse disrupts and destroys all electronics within range and applies Shock to enemies)
· Passive modifiers can be purchased in any desired order from a new vendor at the BU using 'BTSU Firmware' currency. BTSU Firmware is acquired through Season Journey and Major Hunter Reconnaissance.

· Starting with Year 8 Season 1, the cost of Expertise upgrades for weapons and gear will be reduced.
· Exotic components will be reduced by 50%, and all other materials by 20%.
· From Expertise Level 0 to 30, Exotic components will decrease from the previous 90 to 45.
· This does not affect the rate of Expertise acquisition for reaching Expertise Level 30.
· It is recommended not to purchase Expertise upgrades until the update is live.

· Raid/Incursion/Legendary Exclusive Exotic Items: Existing exclusive Exotic items such as Eagle Bearer, Ravenous, Ouroboros, Big Horn, and Tinkerer will no longer be Raid-exclusive.
· Blueprints for these items will be added to the Black Tusk Invasion Exotic Blueprint pool.
· Acquisition Methods:

Item Type	Source
Climax Exotic Items (Tinkerer, Bird Quick Fix Pack, etc.)	Chance to acquire blueprint upon defeating Kill Squads in Black Tusk Invasions
Raid/Incursion/Legendary Exotic Items (Eagle Bearer, Big Horn, etc.)	Chance to acquire blueprint upon successful completion of Black Tusk Invasions

· Reward Replacement: 'Prototype Core Supply' will be added as a reward for completing Raid and Incursion activities.
· This supply is the only source for Protocore currency outside of the new Escalation mode, and it is required for upgrading Prototype items and recalibrating Augments.
· This is a measure to maintain the importance of existing endgame content.