Alexmcmillan, Author at Hard Drive

Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Mystery Gift: How to Get Flying Pikachu

Posted on November 18, 2022 by Eddie De Santiago

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet introduces many new mechanics, among them is Terastallizing. Similar to Dynamaxing this transforms the Pokémon, this time to resemble a crystal sculpture, and it can also change a Pokémon’s type entirely, allowing for bait and switch strategies. Additionally, Terastallized Pokemon receive a power boost to moves that match their Tera type. Some Pokémon may even have differing Tera types across the same species. Early adopters of the new games are being rewarded with an opportunity to earn a Flying Tera-type Pikachu, who knows Fly and wears a balloon-adorned crown upon terastallizing. You have until February to redeem this special Pikachu but why wait? Here’s how to get your very own Flying Pikachu.

In order to redeem the limited-time flying Pikachu, you have to start the game. This seems obvious, but you don’t have access to the mystery gift feature until you’ve reached the first combination Pokemon Center + Shop. This is around thirty minutes to an hour into the game depending on how much you want to explore the first area, but once you’ve made it past the lighthouse, you’ll be on track.

Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: How to Claim the Mystery Gift Flying Pikachu

Once you’ve heard the tutorial information regarding the various services at the Pokémon Center, you’ll be able to access the Poké Portal from your Main Menu (which you open with X). Like other Mystery Gifts in previous Pokemon games, this does require an internet connection.

From there, you’ll want to scroll to the bottom of the menu and select Mystery Gift.

On the next menu, select the first option: Get via Internet.

Then, simply select Flying Tera Type Pikachu Gift! The flying electric mouse will be delivered to a box in your PC, which is also accessible from your main menu! As a reminder, flying Pikachu is only available until February, so don’t delay in redeeming yours as soon as possible. Keep the process in mind because there will surely be other exciting gifts coming our way over the next year. Enjoy exploring Paldea with your unique companion!

Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: How to Evolve Greavard

Posted on November 18, 2022 by Parker Johnson

Greavard is one of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet‘s new Pokemon, and learning how to evolve it can be a bit tricky. For some Pokemon, leveling them up until they evolve usually works out just fine. However, Greavard is one of the exceptions to this rule, and has bit more of a complex method to evolve him.

Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: What Level Does Greavard Evolve?

To evolve, Greavard has to be leveled up to level 30 at night time. This puts him in the same camp as other Dark- & Ghost- typed Pokemon. It’s not as difficult to evolve as some other Pokemon you may encounter during your journey across the Paldea region, but it can be confusing.

If you don’t want to wait until nighttime, you can always use a time travel method to evolve your companion instead. Though this type of cheating may have made you a target of a cheater stamp in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, we won’t give you one if you use it to evolve Greavard faster. Pinky promise.

If you do want to go the route of time travel, here’s how to alter the clock on your Nintendo Switch system:

Make sure any games running are closed.
Go to the settings on your Nintendo Switch.
Navigate to the very bottom of the left side, where it should say “System.”
In this submenu, find Date and Time and select it.
At the top of the page, turn off Synchronize Clock via Internet.
After you turn that off, you can now edit the date and time. Simply change the time to some time at night (i.e. 8:00 PM).
Once you evolve Greavard, remember to change your clock back!

And that’s how you evolve Greavard in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet! Looking to explore the Paldea region in a fully co-op open world? Check out our guide on how Pokemon Scarlet & Violet co-op works!

Call of Duty Warzone 2: How to Interrogate Enemies

Posted on November 18, 2022 by Kanishka Thakur

Interrogation is a new feature that was added to Call of Duty: Warzone 2. When you down enemies, you can now interact with them via the interrogate menu and gain tactical information. If you want to survive and extract the most loot in the DMZ game mode, you need to master interrogations to track down enemies and have the upper hand at all times. Here is a quick guide explaining the interrogation mechanic and how you can use it to its fullest in Warzone 2.0.

How Interrogation Works in Warzone 2

Crossplay & cross platform on Call of Duty Warzone 2.0.

When you down an enemy player in a squad-based mode, you can go for the finish to secure your kill like before. But you also have the option to interrogate enemy players when playing squad-based modes to interrogate them. To interrogate a player, simply get close to a downed enemy and you will get a prompt to interrogate them.

When you interact with downed players, you will learn the locations of all their allies and they will be marked on the minimap using red dots. The outlines in the environment will also be visible for a short duration, which can make the difference between winning and losing a fight. If you have used Snapshot Grenades in Warzone, you know what the user interface looks like. You are heavily incentivized to interrogate enemies in Warzone as it gives you intel on enemy equipment as well, which can give you an edge when finding the stragglers to finish off the squad.

The goal of the interrogation feature is to find enemies who are nowhere to be found once one of their allies is downed. If you are being interrogated, you can also mark your location which gives the enemy position away.

The few seconds of intel that you get should be capitalized on and you should never use the feature in an active gunfight as it will lead to certain death. The best places to interrogate downed enemies are inside buildings and behind sufficient cover so you do not risk your life trying to gain intel.

Tips for Interrogating Enemies in Warzone 2

The best tips for how to interrogate enemies in Warzone 2.

Knowing how to interrogate in Call of Duty Warzone 2 is only half the battle. Here are tips to stay safe when interrogating.

Mind Your Surroundings: When you are interrogating enemies, make sure that you have cover else you could get killed mid-interrogation. Coordinated teams will have players call out interrogations and they could catch you off guard if you do not constantly keep an eye out for enemies when interrogating.

Protect Your Teammates: If one of your teammates is being interrogated, you could bait enemies into you and go for a sneaky revive. By creating distance between yourself and your downed teammate, you will force players to move toward you and you can use that opportunity to go revive your teammate.

Finish Kills After Interrogations: Once you are done interrogating enemies, make sure that you finish them off to prevent any revives. Warzone 2 requires you to think on your toes and you should engage enemies immediately after gaining intel on them. Kill enemies after interrogations and go for the kill on the surviving teammates immediately.

Pay Attention to Intel: With Warzone 2’s interrogation system letting you know which equipment is available to enemies, you should be prepared for fights when engaging. Equipment can change the tides of a fight and you should take note of all the intel you get and play to your strengths.

Bait Interrogations: One of the best things you can do in Warzone 2 is bait enemies with interrogations. If your entire squad gangs up near a downed enemy and start interrogating, survivors are likely to engage you. You can start an interrogation to bait enemies closer to you and have your teammates ready to ambush them.

Be Wary of Third Parties: Do NOT interrogate enemies in vulnerable positions if you have been fighting for a long time. Gunshots are audible from long distances and you do not want to give your position away to bloodthirsty third parties who want to kill you. You need to take a call on when to let interrogations go as you may get pushed by other squads in a heavily contested point of interest (POI) if you linger around in a fight for too long.

The circle collapse has been modified to encourage more fights in major POIs and you should be wary of additional enemy squads engaging you at all times. In endgame zones, it is not worth interrogating in most cases as there are very few places your enemies can be hiding in and you do not want to risk your position to win a gunfight.

Always interrogate when you are safe and you should also be aware of the fact that your position is given away by downed enemies during an interrogation. Mastering how to interrogate will help you track down enemies and win more gunfights with ease in Warzone 2, as well as the new DMZ mode.

Secret Facility Holding Ape Captive Has Another Great Day Where Nothing Goes Wrong

Posted on November 17, 2022 by Seth Finkelstein

CLASSIFIED — A recent investigation into a mysterious facility currently holding an Ape in captivity reveals that it’s a fantastic place to work where everything always goes according to plan.

“Another beautiful day in paradise!” said security guard Anna Dimitrova as she clocked into her shift. “This is the greatest job I’ve ever had. The people are great, the benefits are second-to-none, and there are always the best snacks in the break room. And don’t tell my boss this, but the job is so easy. I just have to make sure the Ape we have locked up doesn’t break out, which is impossible.”

“We’ve been calling this place Ape In,” Dimitrova added. “On account of the fact that there’s an ape that’s always in a cage!”

Head of Research and Development Tyler O’Rourke believes it’s no surprise the facility has such a dedicated and happy work environment where things are always running smoothly.

“A lot of people are saying that we have a labor shortage in America. What we really have is a culture problem,” said O’Rourke as he looked over some recent findings from experiments conducted on the Ape being held at the facility. “Pay people fairly, respect their time, make sure they are doing a good job of keeping that ape in a cage, and really listen to their needs — and you’ll have a workplace that’s happy, healthy, and runs like clockwork, day in and day out.”

Several independent audits of the facility have uncovered that the work environment is low-stress, the food in the cafeteria is fantastic, and nobody has any moral quandaries about the wellbeing of the wild animal locked up in the depths of the installation.

“This place has been a game-changer for me,” said research scientist Chase Knowles. “I had a really awful work experience before this job, but every day I come in with a smile on my face. Bosses always say that work is like a family, but this is the first time I’ve really felt that way. Take this Ape, right? We’re best buds who get along great!”

Further follow-up questions to the facility did not receive a response, presumably because things are just going so well.

Feeling a little teased? Wondering what it would be like if that ape broke out of its cage and embarked a glorious jazz-filled violent rampage on its quest for freedom? Well boy do we have the game for you! This article is sponsored by Devolver Digital and you should check out APE OUT — one of the coolest indie games ever made!

Call of Duty MW2/Warzone 2 Battle Pass: Rewards & Overview

Posted on November 17, 2022 by Richard Tammaro

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2.0’s highly anticipated Season One has been released and with it comes a new MW2 and Warzone 2 Battle Pass with plenty of rewards for players to earn. This Battle Pass introduces a number of new features not seen before in Call of Duty and other games featuring seasonal battle passes. Here is everything you need to know about COD Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2.0’s Season One Battle Pass.

Call of Duty MW2 Battle Pass: Basic Information

Season One’s Battle Pass began on November 16th, 2022 with 105 rewards to unlock. As of the writing of this article, no end date has been announced. As always, there is a free and premium version of the Battle Pass. The free version features 20 unlockable rewards, while the rest are locked behind the premium version. The premium version costs 1,100 COD Points and offers exclusive rewards, including the new Operator, Zeus. A Battle Pass Bundle is also available for 2,400 COD Points, including not just the new Operator, but also 20 Battle Tokens. PlayStation players get an additional 5 Battle Tokens with their purchase of the Battle Pass Bundle.

Warzone 2 & MW2 Battle Pass: What Are Sectors?

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2.0 have innovated on the Battle Pass formula adding a new way to unlock rewards and an overall more free-flowing system. Season One’s Battle Pass is broken into Sectors that are shown in a map style format. Each Sector includes 4 rewards with a 5th High Value Target reward that can’t be unlocked until the previous four are unlocked from that Sector. The Sectors are connected to each other on the map, and unlocking all of the rewards in a Sector opens any Sectors that are immediately connected. Very quickly players will open multiple Sectors at once and will be able to pick and choose what they want to unlock and when. You’ll also be able to plan ahead to a specific reward by only unlocking rewards in Sectors that connect or lead to the reward they really want. This is a level of freedom we haven’t seen from Battle Passes in any game before.

Call of Duty MW2: How to Unlock Battle Pass Rewards Using Battle Tokens

Since Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2.0’s Battle Pass is no longer linear, rewards are not unlocked simply by gaining XP. Instead, Battle Tokens are used to unlock rewards. There are a variety of ways to gain Battle Tokens quickly. But, the most basic explanation is that Battle Tokens are unlocked by gaining XP; however, Battle Token XP is gained at a fraction of the XP you earn in game. The exact conversion isn’t currently known, but just prepare yourself for a bit of a grind.

Battle Pass Reward Showcase

Below is a list of every reward available in COD Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2.0’s Battle Pass.

Sector A0 (Included in the Battle Pass Premium Version only)

Chronophobia – Gun Screen
Articulate Response – .50 GS Weapon Blueprint
Myth Maker – Vel 46 Weapon Blueprint
10% Battle Pass XP Boost
Zeus – Operator

Sector A1

Paying Rent – Charm (Unlockable in the Free version of the Battle Pass)
Hired Sniper – Emblem
1 Hour Double Weapon XP Token
Aerial Entrance – Calling Card
The Orbiter – Kastov 545 Weapon Blueprint

Sector A2

Let’s Ride – War Track (Unlockable in the Free version of the Battle Pass)
Gathered Gents – Calling Card
Scaling Assassin – Emblem
Letter Opener – Combat Knife Weapon Blueprint
Dark Chariot – Vehicle Skin

Sector A3

100 Cod Points (Unlockable in the Free version of the Battle Pass)
Tactical AF – Large Decal
Bellicose – Bryson 890 Weapon Blueprint
1 Hour Double XP Token
Barrage – Ranger I Operator Skin

Sector A4

Wavemaker – Vehicle Skin
Damysus – X13 Auto Weapon Blueprint (Unlockable in the Free version of the Battle Pass)
30 Minutes Double XP Token
100 COD Points
Deluge – Calisto Operator Skin

Sector A5

Endless Black – Gun Screen (Unlockable in the Free version of the Battle Pass)
Ignition – Basilisk Weapon Blueprint
Hired Sniper – Calling Card
Back To Back – Emblem
Hostile Takeover – EBR 14 Weapon Blueprint

Sector A6

King’s Skull – Large Decal
World’s Best Merc – Charm
30 Minutes Double Weapon XP Token
Scorpion – Weapon Sticker
Bas P – New Submachine Gun (Unlockable in the Free version of the Battle Pass)

Sector A7

XTEN – Large Decal
Shooting Target – Charm
30 Minutes Double Weapon XP Token
Gunfighter Coffee Company – Weapon Sticker
Victus XMR – New Sniper Rifle (Unlockable in the Free version of the Battle Pass)

Sector A8

Down the Barrel – Loading Screen (Unlockable in the Free version of the Battle Pass)
Jack Of All – P890 Weapon Blueprint
Scaling Assassin – Calling Card
Time To Strike – Emblem
Espionage – Lachmann Sub Weapon Blueprint

Sector A9

Obsidian Rider – Vehicle Skin
Send It – LM S Weapon Blueprint
15 Minutes Double XP Token (Unlockable in the Free version of the Battle Pass)
15 Minutes Double Weapon XP Token
The Unseen – Kortac Group I Operator Skin

Sector A10

Offsite – Vehicle Skin (Unlockable in the Free version of the Battle Pass)
Hacksaw – Fennec 45 Weapon Blueprint
30 Minutes Double XP Token
100 COD Points
Low Drag – Reyes Operator Skin

Sector A11 – Call of Duty MW2/Warzone 2 Battle Pass

Company Lease – Vehicle Skin
Vigilant – Expedite 12 Weapon Blueprint (Unlockable in the Free version of the Battle Pass)
45 Minutes Double XP Token
100 COD Points
Zero – Zero Operator Skin

Sector A12

Hostile Takeover – Vehicle Skin
Terminal Velocity – Vaznev 9K Weapon Blueprint
30 Minutes Double XP Token (Unlockable in the Free version of the Battle Pass)
100 COD Points
100 COD Points

Sector A13

Warfighter – Large Decal
45 Minutes Double Weapon XP Token (Unlockable in the Free version of the Battle Pass)
.50 Cal – Charm
Nice Nods – Weapon Sticker
Body Count – MCPR 300 Weapon Blueprint

Sector A14

Homefront – War Track (Unlockable in the Free version of the Battle Pass)
100 COD Points
Sole Survivor – Emblem
Plane Sight – Calling Card
Executive Whip – Vehicle Skin

Sector A15

River Shadow – Vehicle Skin (Unlockable in the Free version of the Battle Pass)
Sold! – Charm
Corinthian Helmet – Weapon Sticker
Legs Day – Loading Screen
Basileus – Victus XMR Weapon Blueprint

Sector A16

War Haul – Vehicle Skin
Chiron – Kastov 74u Weapon Blueprint (Unlockable in the Free version of the Battle Pass)
1 Hour Double XP Token
Fractured – Large Decal
War Bull – Gus Operator Skin

Sector A17

100 COD Points (Unlockable in the Free version of the Battle Pass)
100 COD Points
Corner Cover – Calling Card
45 Minutes Double XP Token
Payload – Stiletto Operator Skin

Sector A18

Sweet Dreams – Operator Finishing Move
Closer – Minibak Weapon Blueprint (Unlockable in the Free version of the Battle Pass)
Gathered Gents – Emblem
Sole Survivor – Calling Card
Blackout – Roze Operator Skin

Sector A19

100 COD Points (Unlockable in the Free version of the Battle Pass)
100 COD Points (Premium Battle Pass Only)
1 Hour Double Weapon XP Token
Tactique Verte – Large Decal
Weapons Up – Loading Screen

Sector A20

Dark Horse – Vehicle Skin (Unlockable in the Free version of the Battle Pass)
ETO – Charm
Best Merc Ever – Weapon Sticker
Catching Air – Loading Screen
Tokoloshe – Bas P Weapon Blueprint

Sector A21 (Unlocked after completing every other Sector)

300 COD Points

Mortal’s Bane – M4 Weapon Blueprint

Olympus King – Zeus Operator Skin

Unhinged Game Designer Makes Mana Red and Health Blue

Posted on November 17, 2022 by Joe Tilleli

SAN FRANCISCO — An absolutely demented game designer has recently shown off their latest project and completely shocked the world with its unprecedented user interface that displays mana in red and health in blue.

“Whoa, I’ve never seen anything quite like this,” said local gamer Fred Mayes, after playing a demo of the upcoming First Sworn at a recent gaming conference. “I mean, I thought Elden Ring blew the doors open on what an RPG was capable of, but apparently I hadn’t seen anything yet. This is the kind of fresh, innovative design we’ve been clamoring for in an era of redundant open world epics. What an absolute miracle this game is.”

“Blue health,” he added. “I just don’t believe it!”

Makers of First Sworn said that the controversial design choice was a very conscious one.

“Oh sure, I was influenced by the classics like Diablo and Ultima, and all the others you’d expect,” said Rory Whaley, lead developer of the title. “But I also wanted to burn it all down and make sure players felt disoriented and challenged at every step of the way. At first we were going to flip all of the directional controls, but then someone suggested that would be too far and that we could switch the colors instead. We all thought it was just fucked up enough to work.”

Early impressions indicate that Whaley’s vision is indeed a polarizing one amongst gamers.

“There is a far cry between innovative game design and shit just not making sense,” said Richard Howland, who also sampled the game’s demo. “This shit just doesn’t make sense to me. You’re telling me there’s red mana, blue health, and no skill trees or weapon wheels? Is this even a fucking video game? It’s clear this Rory Whaley guy just wants to be some rockstar developer and his bravado has no place in modern game design. I hope he leaves the games industry as soon as possible.”

As of press time, Whaley had run a red light and died in a car accident.

Halo Fans Will Love This: We’re Using Game Titles in Headlines for Site Traffic

Posted on November 17, 2022 by Camden Brazile

HUGE HALO PS5 CALL OF DUTY PS5 NEWS!

Calling all gamers! One of the most huge, epic NINTENDO CROSSOVER and GOD OF WAR: RAGNAROK news has just hit the world: Hard Drive News is now using game titles in our headlines for site traffic.

This is not just a cheap ploy to get on the google news feed of all POKEMON SCARLET or STAR WARS fans. Anyone who loves GIANT STEAM SALES or LEAGUE OF LEGENDS HACKS will be ecstatic to learn that we now will debase ourselves for your attention and clicks.

Some of it may be completely fabricated, like the SUPER SMASH BROS. ULTIMATE LEAKS that we’re currently photoshopping, or the massive MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE THEORIES that we’re spreading on Twitter, but that won’t stop us from giving readers the most scintillating, sexy made-up content the internet has to offer.

Whether true or fake, trust that all TWITCH SEX SCANDAL NEWS or FREE LEGO GIVEAWAYS will draw users to our site, effectively providing the most important part of internet news: revenue.

If you don’t think it’ll work, ask yourself this question: how are you here right now? You likely clicked the article, you stupid little pig. Now that you did what you’re supposed to do, you’re worthless to us. You make us sick.

Don’t like our content? Think that we are miserable corporate shills? Well, the only way you could possibly take us down or teach us a lesson would be to click on an article and comment below about how much you dislike it. Then, buying some of our merchandise ironically and never even wearing it.

You know what, you’re right. We should hold ourselves to a higher standard. Internet traffic isn’t what it used to be, but focusing on good, quality content is the only way to ensure longevity. We may not get the numbers or engagement we want, but at least we’ll have the integrity to say we never prostrated ourselves for an algorithm, and we tried to be comical and honorable until the very end.

Breath of the Wild 2 Disney + Mandalorian Twitter Facebook Studio Ghibli Steven Spielberg Kotaku Netflix Yakuza Bioware Gamestop Ludwig Jerma Dunkey Kingdom Hearts Nintendo Pixar Mario Doom Eternal Elon Musk

Musk Reports Record Profit as Twitter Owner After Finding $5 in Cushion of Jack Dorsey’s Office Chair

Posted on November 17, 2022 by Camden Brazile

SAN FRANCISCO — Twitter owner Elon Musk reported a surge in revenue from the social media website, announcing today that he found a crumpled $5 bill in the cushion of former CEO Jack Dorsey’s office chair.

“I knew I could turn Twitter around in due time,” a grinning Musk said, holding aloft the crumpled bill. “This goes to show what one mind can bring to a project. I was rummaging through my new office, and lo and behold, in the crevice of my new chair was a new revenue stream that apparently my predecessor ignored completely. I’m not surprised, though, he doesn’t have my ingenuity or business acumen. People said that I would torpedo Twitter with bad ideas and half-baked initiatives, but we’ll see what my new friend Mr. Lincoln says about that.”

Musk fans rejoiced at the tech billionaire’s sudden cash flow.

“Just when he’s backed into a corner by radical leftists, he finds a genius way to get himself out of it,” said Elon Musk fan page moderator Devin Miles. “Not to brag, but when I couldn’t pay for my parking meter last week, I implored a similar business strategy by looking in the center console of my PT Cruiser.”

Musk elaborated on what the new infusion into the company’s portfolio would be spent on.

“This is going to get us a long way, and I plan on using it to treat myself to a Subway sandwich to celebrate all my hard work,” Musk said. “But thinking about the future, as all businessmen must do, I’ll search and scour every now-vacant cubicle and office for change and bills.”

At press time, a nervous Musk reportedly canceled a meeting with Twitter stockholders after an office vending machine ate his new profits.

Call of Duty Warzone 2: How to Get Your Loadout

Posted on November 17, 2022 by Parker Johnson

Warzone is back with Call of Duty Warzone 2, and many things are different this time around, like how to get your loadout. One thing that set Warzone apart from other battle royales was the addition of set kits you can find throughout the match. You weren’t spawned with it, but using the game’s buy stations, you could reliably purchase your custom loadout. However, this is one of the things that has changed the most in this huge Warzone update. Here’s how to get your loadout in Warzone 2.0.

Can I Buy My Loadout In Call of Duty Warzone 2?

This time around, players can’t buy their complete loadout from the game’s shop. However, you can still get your designated primary weapon from these locations at the cost of $5000. This is still a far cry from being able to get your complete arsenal loaded up with all your perks, lethal, and tactical, but for half the price of getting your complete set of tools in the original Warzone, this deal from the shop isn’t bad.

Luckily, though, there are new ways to get your loadout in the midst of Warzone 2‘s action.

How to Get My Loadout in Warzone 2.0: Strongholds & Black Site

Even without the shop, there are ways to get your loadout in Warzone 2. One of these ways is with a stronghold. Right before the first circle closes (around 10 seconds before), three strongholds will open around the map. These strongholds hold AI enemies, and can also be contested by opposing squads. Complete the task you are given after clearing the stronghold, and you should be granted the chance to choose one of your custom loadouts.

If you’re the first stronghold to be cleared out, you’ll also be granted a key card to the Black Site. After clearing out more AI enemies, including a juggernaut, you’ll be gifted with a weapon blueprint and another custom loadout.

Call of Duty Warzone 2: Loadout Drops

You can also use loadout drops to get your custom kit in Warzone. It seems this drop can happen after the closing of the second circle. These are airdropped and can be seen on the map after they are dropped in.

Those are all of the ways to get your loadout in Warzone 2 at launch. Use these methods to get your full kit of weapons, and be an unstoppable force on the battlefield!