Dirty Bomb presents… The ‘What the Dickens?’ Update

Welcome, traveller, to my humble abode!

The abode itself isn’t mine, per se, but don’t let trivialities interfere; Take a seat by one of the fires as I read from a classic.

You’ll know Charles Dickens as the noted Victorian author of such great novels as Oliver The Whist, Niggling Nickelback, Great Expectorations, Our Mutual Target, and of course the unforgettable A Tale Of A City And Another Similar, Yet Contrasting, City.

But did you know that Charles invented Dickensmas as we know it? Thanks to his Yuletide yarns we writhe in a seasonal orgy of liver-detonating feasting, feigned social reconciliation, cloying family sentiment and mass material consumption.

“Bah, Hamburg!” I’m tempted to say. But these comfy holiday sweaters, Trinket trails and Ranking shenanigans have really lifted my spirits!

Then again, maybe it’s the brandy talking… Now, where was I?

Introducing Trinkets

You take your desk for granted. Crowding it with figurines, nick-nacks, and filthy post-it notes is par for the course, but spare a moment for the Mercs of the world with no portable alternative. Now bury the fear: Trinkets are here! These aesthetic add-ons attach to your Primary Weapon, to calm your nerves and provide light entertainment between spawn waves.

Trinket Hunt Event

Three Limited Edition Trinkets lie in wait for hardworking Mercs to find. For two weeks of the holidays, you can get them all simply by playing in matches. You’ll be able to track your progress towards each Trinket in-game, but be vigilant though, as on January 6th all progress will be lost and any remaining Trinkets will disappear forever!

• Lump ‘o Coal (3 hours play time) – Don’t let the inquisitive eyes and clever branding fool you, it really is just a lump of coal. Cute, though.
• Olde Flashlight (+12 more hours, 15 hours total) – For those ready to put in the hard yards. Apparently these things use oil instead of batteries!
• Warm Snowman (+45 more hours, 60 hours total) – The truly dedicated will be rewarded with the Warm Snowman. A reminder of mortality attached to a death-bringer – How ironic!

The Trinket Hunt event will take place on the following dates:

• London (GMT, UTC): 18:00, Tuesday, December 22nd – 18:00, Wednesday, January 6th
• Los Angeles (PST): 10:00 AM, Tuesday, December 22nd – 10:00 AM, Wednesday, January 6th
• Sydney (AEDT): 5:00 AM, Wednesday, December 23rd – 5:00 AM, Thursday, January 7th

Limited Edition ‘What the Dickens?’ Merc Trinkets

Three Limited Edition Merc Trinkets will be available in the store until January 13th, for US$4.99 each.

‘Mine Sweeper’ Proxy adorably recalls the misery of the 19th century working class, ‘Arty Marley’ Arty is a genuine throwback to Scrooge’s ghostly business partner, and ‘Angel of Ire’ Sparks is really not happy to see you. She’s just not.

Limited Edition ‘What the Dickens?’ Loadout Cards

If wearing legitimately uncool sweaters during the holiday season makes you cool, ‘What the Dickens?’ exclusive Loadout Cards will make your Mercs the coolest. Available for one month only, these outfits will irrefutably prove that you spent more time online than with your family.

Dickens-flavored cases will be available until January 13th, featuring all Loadout Card variants:

• Dickens Equipment Cases drop instead of regular Equipment Cases, and can be bought in the store for the same price as the regular Equipment Case, giving a 0.3% chance of scoring a ‘What the Dickens’ Loadout Card
• Dickens Elite Cases can be bought in the store for the same price as the regular Elite Case, and give a 10% chance of scoring a ‘What the Dickens’ Loadout Card
• Dickens Event Cases are given away as a bonus when you purchase a bundle of 10 Dickens Elite Cases, and guarantee a ‘What the Dickens’ Loadout Card

Drop the Dickens Event

During the first week of the Trinket Hunt Event, the ‘Drop the Dickens’ Event will take place. Dickens Event Cases, guaranteeing a ‘What the Dickens?’ Loadout Card, will randomly drop to lucky players throughout the event. Keep your eyes peeled when you complete matches – it could be you!

• London (GMT, UTC): 18:00, Tuesday, December 22nd – 18:00, Wednesday, December 30th
• Los Angeles (PST): 10:00 AM, Tuesday, December 22nd – 10:00 AM, Wednesday, December 30th
• Sydney (AEDT): 5:00 AM, Wednesday, December 23rd – 5:00 AM, Thursday, December 31st

Introducing Ranked Seasons

Early next year we’ll be kicking off the first Ranked Season in Dirty Bomb, letting you work your way up the Matchmaking Ranks to unlock higher level rewards. Each Season will last for a few months, ending with a reward for the highest Rank you achieved at any point during that Season.

When Season 1 begins, you’ll also earn a reward for the Pre-Season that’s happening right now – An exclusive Rank Trinket that will never be available again!

Your rank will then reset, and you’ll be put into placement matches for the first official Ranked Season.

• For the remainder of the Pre-Season, we’ve made the following changes:
• Enabled Friendly Fire in Ranked Matches
• Enabled Vote Kick in Ranked Matches (don’t be a Dickensian!)
• Added a Ranked Season Overview page to the Profile stats menu
• Increased matchmaking search times to focus on finding closer-skilled players
• Updated the skill rating algorithm to factor in recent Win/Loss ratio – This will mean if players are consistently winning/losing a lot, then they will move up/down the Ranks more quickly

Trade Up Discount

Because two holiday events just aren’t enough – From now until Monday, all Trading Up costs are reduced by 20%!

• London (GMT, UTC): 18:00, Wednesday, December 16th – 18:00, Monday, December 21st
• Los Angeles (PST): 10:00 AM, Wednesday, December 16th – 10:00 AM, Monday, December 21st
• Sydney (AEDT): 5:00 AM, Thursday, December 17th – 5:00 AM, Tuesday, December 22nd

For the full rundown of the latest patch, check it out on the forum here!