HAWKED News

MY.GAMES has been making games for another trip around the sun. What’s more, as per that sacred symbiosis we cherish, you’ve been playing said games for yet another trip around the sun. So, to celebrate, we’ve planned festivities across all our games!



With Issue #2: Dark Arrival just recently landing with heaps of new HAWKED content, there’s more than just ticking time to celebrate on the Riftwake.

• Sign-in Event: Collect rewards by playing HAWKED over three days, including a bounty of 10,000 Hawks, 750 Wonderium, and a special MY.GAMES Anniversary Player Banner.
• Solo Adventure: Complete 50 Encounters to enjoy cake all year round with a GAMES Anniversary Cake Souvenir for your Quarters.
• Community Adventure: Band together with Renegades worldwide to see if you can finish 1,000,000 Encounters by the end of the event. If you do, you’ll loot 2,000 Wonderium each!

Festivities are ongoing until June 3, so let’s get this party started!

What’s treasure hunting without new guns, right? We love making new guns, and we know you love shooting new guns. That’s why six all-new weapons are available to loot in Issue #2: Dark Arrival.

These new firearms fill unique niches, and we’re sure you’ll enjoy trying them all out on the Shooting Range and X-Isle. Handle with care, Renegades, because these guns are coming in hot (this is not a figure of speech, some are quite literally very hot)!

[h2]BTAR 33[/h2]

• Weapon Category: Assault Rifle
• Ammo Type: Plain
• Fire Mode: Fully-automatic
• Range: Close-to-medium

[h3]Hunter’s Manual[/h3]
The pride of the arms manufacturers who sit on GRAIL's Board of Directors, the BTAR 33 assault rifle has all the trademarks of STAAL Industries. Reliable firepower? Check. Built to last? For sure. Cool design? Absolutely.

The BTAR 33 is a great assault rifle that not only performs well but looks the part too. Warning: this gun is guaranteed to make your teammates jealous, so try not to be too much of a showoff.



[h3]Helpful Hints[/h3]
The BTAR 33 is efficient in close to mid-range firefights—but don’t let its accuracy mislead you into thinking it’s also suited to long-range engagements. While it can deal damage from afar in the right hands, keep engagements in close proximity.

Hip-firing the BTAR 33 is a little tricky as it’s not very accurate, so ADS (aiming down sights) is necessary if you want to land shots consistently.

Fun Fact: The BTAR 33 was named “Sexiest Gun of the Year” two years in a row by GRAIL’s Treasures and Bounty Monthly.

[h2]FARpoint 15[/h2]

• Weapon Category: Assault Rifle
• Ammo Type: Efficient
• Fire Mode: Semi-automatic (single-shot)
• Range: Medium-to-long

[h3]Hunter’s Manual[/h3]
Used worldwide in shooting competitions, the FARpoint 15 is renowned for its incredible accuracy. This semi-automatic rifle is fantastic for designated marksmen looking to pack a mean punch from mid to long ranges. But its damage and accuracy are also complemented by a quick fire rate, so long as your trigger finger is fast enough.

Its sleek design makes it a must-have for any Renegade going for that “tacticool” look.



[h3]Helpful Hints[/h3]
In firefights, it is highly recommended to keep your distance from the target, as the FARpoint 15 doesn’t perform well at close range.

It’s a good idea to keep an SMG or shotgun on hand in case of a CQB (close-quarters battle) when using the FARpoint 15.

[h2]Satyr[/h2]

• Weapon Category: Assault Rifle
• Ammo Type: Plain
• Fire Mode: Burst (dual-shot)
• Range: Medium

[h3]Hunter’s Manual[/h3]
When a single bullet won't suffice, Satyr chambers and shoots out more in a burst-fire mode, guaranteeing constant compliance with the "Double-Tap" rule. The deadly burst mode of the Satyr makes it a great weapon for mid-range engagements.

Renegades who’ve used the Satyr describe it as a weapon of true professionals. Once you can control its burst, mid-range fights will always be in your favor.



[h3]Helpful Hints[/h3]
How well you control the Satyr’s burst will either make or break firefights. Renegades who like to spray lead will likely not have a good time with the gun’s fire rate.

By learning to time your shots, the Satyr will become a very lethal weapon and reign king over any mid-range firefight.

[h2]Twin Eclipse[/h2]

• Weapon Category: Sniper Rifle
• Ammo Type: Energy
• Fire Mode: Burst (dual-shot)
• Range: Long

[h3]Hunter’s Manual[/h3]
How do you make a dual-blasting, burst-firing, sniper rifle even more lethal? Slap a silencer on it and make it fire lasers, of course! Voila — you have yourself the Twin Eclipse.

This weapon has stirred up controversy in the sniping purists’ community, who believe that “true” snipers do not fire in burst mode. You should’ve seen the look on their faces when they saw the Twin Eclipse in action!



[h3]Helpful Hints[/h3]
Do your best to land the burst, as a single missed shot could cost you the kill. Landing the first shot and missing the second one will still deal a lot of damage, but will also give away your position. On top of that, charging up for another burst takes time, meaning your target can escape.

If the first shot of your burst hit the target but the second missed, don’t bother charging up another burst all the way. Just fire another one ASAP, while you still have the target in your sights.

Fun Fact: Though the Twin Eclipse is silenced, many treasure hunters have been spotted and found because they kept saying “pew-pew” while firing the rifle.

[h2]Solar Flare[/h2]

• Weapon Category: Shotgun
• Ammo Type: Energy
• Fire Mode: Semi-Automatic (single-shot)
• Range: Close-to-medium

[h3]Hunter’s Manual[/h3]
Shotguns are scary as it is, but make it an energy weapon and call it something scary like “Solar Flare” and you have yourself the perfect close-range powerhouse.

Like a burst of energy from the Sun's surface, the Solar Flare fires a ton of energy pellets, which fly through the air in an arc. It’s absolutely deadly at close ranges, and can even cut through multiple targets when aimed from specific angles.



[h3]Helpful Hints[/h3]
The Solar Flare is a shotgun, so it’s not meant for long-range engagements. However, if you aim higher, the energy pellets will go farther, since the Solar Flare fires in an arc. And while you likely won’t hit targets that are too far away, you can engage in medium-range firefights so long as you can calculate the trajectory of the arc.

The Solar Flare can be used very effectively against groups of enemies. Since it does AOE (area of effect) damage, if enemies are clumped together you can take out several of them with only a few shots, making the Solar Flare energy-efficient.

[h2]Pulsar[/h2]

• Weapon Category: Unique
• Ammo Type: Energy
• Fire Mode: Single
• Range: Medium

[h3]Hunter’s Manual[/h3]
The Pulsar is the gun you’d use against that person you really don’t like. It fires clusters of explosives and its payload leaves nothing in its wake. Its unique firing mechanism makes it one of the most sought-after weapons in GRAIL’s arsenal.

Getting feedback in regards to the Pulsar has been a challenge, as most Renegades are left speechless after firing this monstrosity.



[h3]Helpful Hints[/h3]
Do not use the Pulsar in CQB. The Pulsar deals a ton of damage and it indiscriminately dispatches anything and everything. The Pulsar can ruin your day as much as it’s capable of making it better. This is why Renegades are strongly advised to keep their distance after firing a payload.

The payload of the Pulsar breaks up into smaller cluster charges after being fired. You can leverage this to take down several foes at once, which means the Pulsar is also energy-efficient.

Fun Fact: The Pulsar was actually designed as a mounted weapon, not portable. But it looked so cool to fire it on the go, that many Renegades just couldn’t resist. Since then, MedBay has reported an increase in shoulder-related injuries, but no one can quite figure out why.

Calling all Renegades! GRAIL needs you for a very special mission that requires your most important skill as a bonafide treasure hunter: your imagination. We want you to create your very own Class Card!

Submit a custom loadout with your choice of Gear and Artifacts, give it a cool name, write some background lore, and your custom loadout could be chosen to become an official Class Card in-game. Just imagine: your creation immortalized as a legendary Renegade, with all your allies and rivals getting to loot X-Isle using your recommended loadout.

All Renegades are invited to participate in this contest and all you have to do to qualify is follow the 3 easy steps below.

[h2]How to Enter the Contest[/h2]

1. Follow this link to our official Google Form.
2. Fill out the Google Form, including your custom loadout, which Artifacts, Ward, and Exo Gear you use, give it a name, a short description of its playstyle and what makes it unique.
3. Submit the Google Form and await the results.

Five winners will be selected by MY.GAMES. From that shortlist, we’ll invite the Renegade community to choose their ultimate favorite to become an official Class Card. A People’s Choice Award, if you will.

[h2]Prizes[/h2]

• 3rd–5th Place: 300 GE-0 Cash
• 2nd Place: 720 GE-0 Cash
• 1st Place: 1,170 GE-0 Cash & Official Class Card

Prizes will be given out within two weeks after the end of the contest, and the winning Class Card will be added to HAWKED in a future patch. Though it’d be amazing to have the winner’s custom Class Card in the game ASAP, it will take a little time to be implemented into the game. Expect it a few patches down the line following the end of the contest.

The contest starts on May 27, 2024, and ends on June 3, 2024, so you better hurry and submit your custom loadout. If you need inspiration, check out our introduction to Class Cards.

The dream of any true Renegade is to have their legacy etched into the legend of X-Isle. This is your opportunity.

GE-0 has received a delivery of fresh new tech from GRAIL’s greatest minds (and a little material inspiration from VEKTR). Renegades who’ve proven loyal to the treasure-hunting cause can exchange them for Hawks, and leverage their impressive new abilities and uses to cause chaos out in the field!

[h2]DEVOIDER (Exo)[/h2]
This reclaimed piece of VEKTR tech shows just how advanced the shadow organization really is. Some of GRAIL's brightest minds spent all night trying to understand how VEKTR managed to create a gauntlet capable of gravity manipulation—only to arrive at the conclusion that "THOSE WEIRDOS BROKE OUTER SPACE!" — more of an accusation, really.

• Common: Creates a temporary gravitational anomaly that pulls enemies within its radius and inflicts a Slowed Debuff.
• Rare: The radius of the anomaly is increased.
• Legendary: The anomaly reduces the maximum Health of enemies within its radius.

Requires GRAIL Loyalty Level IV.




[h2]Blockade Ram (Exo)[/h2]
GRAIL recently had a "Take Your Kid to Work Day". It wasn’t the best idea. Kids shouldn't be on submarines. They touch everything. Some of them even snuck into R&D and drew all over the new Gear plans. The next day, when the engineers saw a drawing of a medieval knight on a ruined blueprint, they thought it was a Gear request from management. So anyway, the Renegades have a shield now.

• Common: Wield an impenetrable shield, its duration dependent on available charges. Charges fully restore over time.
• Rare: Expend all remaining charges to perform a shield attack, inflicting enemies with a Stun Debuff.
• Legendary: Charges drain 100% slower when standing still.

Requires GRAIL Loyalty Level VIII.



[h2]Loaded D20 (Ward)[/h2]
Some of GRAIL's greatest inventions come in the form of happy accidents. Or, in this case, an attempt to cheat. In an attempt to win a tournament of their favorite tabletop game, a GRAIL engineer loaded a set of dice with Wonderium, hoping it would turn the odds in their favor. The engineer received a commendation for their unexpected creation, but also a lifetime ban from any future tournaments.

• Common: When activated, it grants you a random positive effect.
• Rare: Get a chance for a lucky roll, doubling the Loaded D20’s duration and reducing its cooldown.
• Legendary: Chances for a lucky roll are increased.

Requires GRAIL Loyalty Level II.



[h2]Bang-O-Matic (Ward)[/h2]
Are you tired of collecting ammo off the dirty ground? Fingers cramping from always having to reload? Then look no further! The Bang-O-Matic is precisely what you need to bring unbridled, unlimited destruction to your enemies! (WARNING: the Bang-O-Matic is known to spontaneously explode. GRAIL is not liable for any injuries inflicted while using this device.)

• Common: Deploy to temporarily provide you and your allies unlimited ammunition and ensure no weapon overheats. You and your allies much stay within range of the device to receive its benefits.
• Rare: The Bang-O-Matic explodes after a short delay. Dealing damage based on distance.
• Legendary: Bang-O-Matic effective radius is increased.

Requires GRAIL Loyalty Level VI.



Chat with GE-0 on the upper deck of the Riftwake to get your hands on these chaotic contraptions. GRAIL’s engineers have more Gear to cook up yet, and they’ll be sending more batches throughout Issue #2: Dark Arrival. You can also check out previous batches from Issue #1!

There’s a massive alien spaceship in the sky, dropping Depots and securing Outposts across X-Isle. The laser-wielding, artificially enhanced forces are a menace to Renegades, or, as GRAIL puts it, ‘a problem for profits.’ We’ll figure out why they’re even here once we get ‘em off our island, and this guide will provide you the knowledge to do just that.


[h3]GAMMA[/h3]
“Can’t say if there is anyone underneath all that tech, but it falls just like any other in a suit.”

VEKTR’s boots on the ground. These foot soldiers do the dirty work of an invasion, with broad blades fitted to their cybernetically enhanced suits. Powered by the same force behind energy weapons, even under all that tech they’re surprisingly agile, rushing in and overwhelming their opponents with jump attacks. Manage to get the upper hand against them, and they’ll boot up their shield in defense.

Elite and Champion GAMMA troops boast even more advanced tech, with Champions able to deploy drones to aid them in combat.


[h3]BETA[/h3]
“Looks like a human, but there’s clearly something rather… what’s the word? ‘Artificial’ to its intelligence.”

A bad mimicry of the human form, no doubt mass-produced as a supporting force to the invasion. These bots keep to clear coding, staying behind the frontlines and suppressing the enemy with ranged shots, while they avoid close quarters and dodge incoming attacks.

Much like GAMMA troops, Elite and Champion BETA’s sport more hardened and sinister armor, with Champions carrying deployable drones that will aid them in combat.



[h3]DELTA[/h3]
“It was all fun and games searching for the data key, until I saw the tank that was holding it.”

These battle-ready war drones are equipped with a powerful drill to crush through both earth and opponent. Their spidery legs are designed to anchor their weight as it strikes and support it as it transforms into a turret-like platform. No doubt repurposed from mining bots, DELTAs are the heavy weaponry of the VEKTR forces, but also the means of extracting any resources found within X-Isle.

It's wise to give them a wide berth, though they may be worth the risk to secure the data keys that unlock VEKTR Depots.

Elite variants have a silvery layer of extra armor, while Champions sport a sinister red (clearly a universal symbol for deadly) and have an entire detachment of deployable drones at their disposal.



[h3]EPSILON[/h3]
“Well, that’s something they’ve improved on. If only natural and organic parasites were half as beneficial to their hosts.”

Like a deadly expansion pack, these drones are harmless and not a threat at all until they attach themselves to a host and bolster their abilities. They’re crafty little things too, if without a host and cornered, they’ll hop right off and disappear through a portal!



[h3]OMICRON[/h3]
“The perfect domestic bot, with coding that suggests its original purpose was to complete household tasks. Just someone’s gone and installed a death drive on it, reckless.”

They’re still decorated in the uniform they wore while completing their initial household duties, or someone at VEKTR has a strange sense of army attire indeed. Whatever the case, these bots don’t look at home in battle, and they don’t seem to survive them too often either, as their sole purpose on the field is to rush in as close to their opponent as possible… and self-destruct.

The good news is, they’ve got horrible reflexes and barely ever dodge an attack, so gun them down first thing before they get too close!

There is only one variant of OMICRON (the one that goes boom).



[h3]THETA[/h3]
“It’s the eye of the THETA you gotta watch out for.”

While the rest of VEKTR’s forces rush in to overwhelm the target on sight, the THETA stalks slow and methodical amongst them. Once locked in on its distracted target, it fires a concentrated blast of energy from the midfield. It takes a while for it to recharge, so take advantage of the downtime. If the second blast strikes the target, well, let’s hope you brought a couple of Heal-O-Cola crates to the fight.

With more factions joining the fray, you’ll have to stay sharp and read smart to survive out there! Make sure to also read The Comprehensive Bestiary, a remarkable tome of collective research on the invasive, otherworldly Disciple species, their habits, strengths, and peculiarities.