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Browse Buff's collection of helpful blogs as we explore gameplay tips and tricks from the pros, review and recommend the latest games, and take an inside look into loyalty gaming and earning rewards.
Tips & tricksDominating the Valorant Economy: Insider SecretsYou probably already know that the economy is super important in Valorant. But what does it mean to manage your economy? Buff is here to give you the full breakdown to ensure that you maximize your time winning rounds with the best weapons you can get.
» Need more VPs? See the best ways to get free Valorant Points
The Basics—Credit Earnings and Buys
No matter how you perform in a game, there are some numbers that are constants. Every player starts the match with 800 credits, and the maximum amount of credits you can have is capped at 9,000. There are different ways to earn credits:
Credit Earnings for Wins
Winning a round gives a flat 3,000 credits to each player on your team. However, there are opportunities within the round to earn even more, such as 200 credits for each enemy you kill.
There are also side-specific ways to earn credits:
On the attacking side, planting the spike will give you and each member of your team 300 credits. As the defenders, defusing the spike will grant each member of your team 300 credits. Though not directly tied to economy management, the player who successfully plants or defuses the spike, or kills an enemy, also earns 1 Ult point.
Credit Earnings for Losses
With each consecutive round loss, your team will earn more credits, capping at three straight losses.
One Loss: 1,900 creditsTwo Losses: 2,400 creditsThree or more losses: 2,900 credits
Types of Buys
Full buy
This is the ideal scenario where you have enough credits to have your loadout decked out. This will mean full armor (heavy shields), Vandal, Phantom, or Operator (your most preferred weapon), and key abilities. For this, you need 3900 credits, plus the cost of key abilities.Eco round
This is a credit-saving buy, where you are typically getting the Ghost or Sheriff and light armor (light shields). Depending on the role, this may mean just buying key abilities rather than focusing on your weapon loadout. The goal is to have enough credits saved for the following round to make a full buy. Anti-eco
This is a response tactic when you know the enemy team will be doing an eco round. Rather than saving along with them, you spend credits to greatly increase your chances of winning the round with a loadout advantage. The most common occurrence of this is after winning the pistol round (first round of the half), as the enemy will almost always go Eco to build a losing streak for the credit earnings increase.Half buy
This is a middle-ground buying tactic to save for a full buy in the following round when you have enough credits to buy better weapons than a sidearm, but not enough for a full buy. The range is pretty wide here in terms of weapon and armor choices, but the most common ones are the Spectre, Marshal, or Guardian.Force buy
As the name states, this is when your team is forced to buy the best loadout they can. This is typically either when your team is one round from losing or at the last round of the first half, as everyone starts with 800 credits at the first round of each half.
» Looking to improve your aim? Here are 5 sensitivity settings that could help you
How to Manage Your Economy
Simply put, the goal is to have as many full buy rounds as possible. There are some rules of thumb that are a good place to start:
For the second round of a half, go with a half buy if you won the first round or an eco round if you lost the first round. This is the best way to capitalize on the losing streak to make a comeback, or to take advantage of the enemy team when you know they will be coming with a very weak loadout.Understand the role you play and what abilities take precedence over a weapon in a loadout. There are many new players that misinterpret a full buy as being 3,900 credits and just buy a Vandal and Full Armor with no abilities, when the team may be relying on them to smoke key choke points.Dying during a full buy round means that you have to spend at least another 2,900 credits for a Vandal or Phantom on your next full buy, whereas staying alive effectively means you've saved that same 2,900 credits. The same applies to getting a kill on eco or half buy rounds. If you kill somebody on the enemy team during their full buy, you can save 2,900 credits by picking up their gun and staying alive for the rest of the round.Some new players also fall victim to endless half buys, where they die and only have enough for another half buy the following round. Remember, the goal is to maximize the number of rounds you can make full buys.
Buying After the 3rd Round
The 3rd round in the half is a pivotal moment because this is the round where momentum can really change. There are a few scenarios, all of which dictate what type of buy you should be making:
If you lost the first two rounds, this is your opportunity to turn the tides with a full buy from the extra credits you've saved from your losing streak.If you won the first two rounds, this is what is called a bonus round. You are typically coming into the round with the weapons from your half buy last round still intact. Most teams hedge their bets by not making a full buy, knowing that the other team will surely be doing so, effectively saving 2,900 credits for the following round.If you won one round and lost the other, it's best to communicate with your team. See how they'd like to proceed, as it's best to be coordinated.
» Need help with Fracture? Discover the pro tips for Valorant's Fracture map
Additional Tips for Maximizing Your Earnings
Here are some extra tips that can help you manage your credits better:
Choose the Right Armor
You may have seen some pros buy light armor when they are against an opponent's full buy. The idea behind this is that the Vandal is already a one-hit headshot kill, even with full armor, so it is more cost-effective to just buy light armor. However, pros are playing in an extremely high-skill environment where landing headshots consistently is all but expected. For newer players, getting Heavy Shields is the more sensible purchase.
Don't Forget Your Abilities
Next, some agents have ultimates that equip them with a powerful weapon. Abilities like Jett's Knives, Chamber's Tour de Force, or Neon's Overdrive equip you with some of the most powerful weapons in the game, allowing you to save credits for that round.
Don't Waste Your Credits
The last key tip is to not waste credits by earning over 9,000 of them. Offer to buy weapons for your teammates, as that would improve the team's overall econ. Similarly, watch your teammates loadout and wallets, and ask them for a buy should the same opportunity arise.
» Read our tips for climbing the competitive ladder more efficiently
Perfect Your Economy Skills for Higher Win Chances
Perfecting your economy management is essential to improving as a Valorant player. By understanding what decisions to make and when to make them, you allow yourself the best loadout, which translates to more kills and more wins! And while winning, don't forget to run Buff in the background for some extra rewards.
RewardsGet Paid to Play: 5 Ways to Monetize Your CS:GO SkillsCS:GO has brought fame and fortune to many gamers out there; whether you're a pro player, a streamer like Shroud with an entertaining persona, or you've even just some extra time on your hands, you can also make a great profit off of this globally free-to-play game!
1. CS:GO Tournaments
If you've got what it takes to go up against other people who are there to win with prize money up for grabs, entering into CS:GO tournaments might be for you. Tournaments are the ultimate test of skill—you're going up against the best of the best. Whether that means locally or internationally, you'll be fighting alongside your team against opponents who have spent thousands of hours in CS and who practice their skills and strategies all the time.
Winning local games will likely get you and your team scouted for bigger matches and tournaments. Keep winning, and who knows, maybe you'll enter the CS:GO Majors where you can earn a chance at $1,000,000 prize pools!
2. Earn Points With Buff
If you're not familiar with how Buff works, it's a gamer's loyalty app that rewards you in Buff Points for spending time playing the games you're already playing. Whether it be online or with your friends you can earn points that you can use to purchase in-game items and even hardware. You won't be getting cash sent straight into your account but if you're up for joining the referral program and getting your friends on board you can get some free gift cards to go towards your next skin or game, without any extra effort.
» What are you waiting for? Try Buff out here!
3. Boosting or Coaching
There's a big difference between the two: one can get you banned, while the other is actually encouraged.
Boosting
While we don't support boosting, you can earn quite a bit of cash from doing it. Boosting is when someone "boosts" a player's rank to one much higher than it should be, either by signing into their account and climbing for them, or carrying them to a crazy level by joining the lobby on a smurf or hacked account. Hacks are often involved in this process, and even when they aren't, both the booster and the player who got boosted stand a high chance of getting VAC banned by steam, as the very act messes with the entire match-making system.
Coaching
Coaching is a great way to earn some cash if you've got the CS:GO skills and knowledge to share with others, and it's fun and rewarding! Many coaches are ex-pros who've gotten too old to compete or players who have extensive knowledge of the strategy behind the game. I've personally coached a few of my friends in other games from things like aim training, angles to hold, mechanics, and rotations. Let me tell you, that feeling of watching your student consistently do better and better after taking your advice can be more rewarding than actually winning the game yourself. It's a whole other feeling of being impressed when the student starts to do better than the master.
There are a few ways to get started with coaching outside of teaching your friends, the easiest being signing up on a coaching platform like GamerSensei and Pro Guides, or using freelance platforms like Fiverr.
» Looking to boost your FPS sniper skills? Read our pro tips for sniping in Apex Legends
4. Streaming
Being successful in Streaming CS:GO doesn't necessarily mean that you need to be insanely good at the game and hitting clips all the time. Having an entertaining personality or finding different things to do in the game beyond being good can gather a lot of interest for you on your channel, like getting your mom to a high rank or role-playing while chatting with your team.
Whether you've got god-tier aim or you're doing something different, you have to have a presence on Twitch or YouTube that has some sort of showmanship or presentation. That means paying a lot of attention to and communicating with your chat, having a timetable or schedule for your viewers to follow so they know when they can catch you online, and making sure you're politically correct (unless the point of your channel is to not be)—so don't say or do inappropriate things while you're streaming.
Great CS:GO streamers to get influence from that are often live are PimpCSGO and Nikolarn. Check out Shroud too, as he originally came from the CS:GO world. Or if you want to get some inspiration on how to make content that's different from the intended purpose, take a look at some Rocket League content creators like Lethamyr or SunlessKhan.
» Need help? See our pro tips for streaming on YouTube
5. Content Creation
If you're not comfortable broadcasting live or having an audience to entertain, or you've just got extra content and more ideas to present to the world, maybe creating video clips like tutorials, guides, and montages is a direction that could work for you to make some money off of CS. There's a lot of opportunity to make interesting content based on what's in the community maps and servers, like minigames, surfing, aim maps, and much more. Making clips for YouTube or other platforms can be a lot less stressful than streaming and doesn't require as much of a beefy PC, though it certainly takes a much longer time to gather, create, and edit content for video clips than streaming takes.
The best way to get started effectively is to watch other successful content creators closely and get tips on how they produce, and reflect that in your own content. When watching with the mindset of creating your own videos, keep questions like these in mind:
Do they read from a script? What background music do they use for which situations?How fast do they switch from scene to scene? How do they actively keep your attention?How do they do their intros and outros?
Alternatively, you can consider making custom CS:GO maps with interesting and unique playstyles for others to download and use. While you won't earn any money directly from the Steam workshop, if your maps become popular enough you can create a website to list them all and monetize that when it gains enough traffic.
» Build your custom online personality by learning about trading & selling on the CS:GO skin exchange
Start Earning From Playing Your Favorite Game
You're already playing your favorite games like CS:GO, so you might as well make them work for you and start getting paid to play! And don't forget to run Buff in the background for some free rewards with no extra effort.
Tips & tricksDominating From a Distance—6 Pro Tips for Sniping in Apex LegendsSniping is one of the more challenging roles in any first-person shooter, and sometimes you just need a push in the right direction to start sniping like a pro. That being said, here are our top 6 tips for sniping to help you dominate in Apex Legends.
1. Learn the Differences Between the 5 Snipers in Apex Legends
In Apex Legends there are only a few options when it comes to weapons to snipe with, but in the right hands, any of these snipers are deadly at all ranges, though some are certainly better suited for certain situations than others.
1. Charge Rifle
Best for: Beginners and poking enemies from a distance
ProsMost user-friendlyNo bullet dropDecent damageGood for short- and long-range fightsConsConsumes 2 ammo per shotDamage drop over 150mSlow damage outputReduced ability to peak and use cover effectively
The charge rifle's laser does 45 damage, as does the round at the end, so poking is as good as hitting the rounds if your tracking is good enough. Since the beam travels in a straight line, the charge rifle is also good for short-range engagements since its hip-fire is pretty good up to 10m.
However, you'll need a bigger backpack to carry the extra ammo, just so long as you're comfortable with tracking enemy movement from a distance to control their movement rather than go for kills. Don't distance yourself too much though, in order to avoid the damage drop.
2. Longbow
Best for: Versatility at all ranges
ProsGreat at all rangesBiggest mag sizeFastest sniper fire-rateFast ADS speedSkullpiercer hop-up buffs headshot damageConsHarder to useLeast body-shot damage
The Longbow is my personal favorite sniper rifle due to its great balance of damage, rate of fire, and ADS speed. The large magazine and fire rate make it the best all-around sniper rifle for dealing damage and getting knockdowns, but it takes some practice and patience to remain calm and pause between each shot. The skullpiercer hop-up makes it extra lethal if you can land headshots against your opponents.
3. Sentinel
Best for: High single-shot damage
ProsHuge base-damageGreat for medium to long-range engagementsCan be amped with shield cellsFast ADS speedBuilt-in Tempo ConsSlow rechambering speedSmall magazine sizeBullets are loud and visible
The Sentinel has the highest single-shot damage of any weapon you can find on the floor and an incredible ADS speed, but lacks in firing speed. However, the Tempo hop-up (now built-in) allows you to fire shots in quick succession if you time them correctly. You can also charge the weapon with shield cells, massively increasing the damage of each shot for 120 seconds at the cost of louder sound and more visible bullet tracers.
4. Kraber
Best for: Situational damage dealing
ProsMost damage per shot in the game1-hit headshot in most casesInstills fear in your opponentsAmazing at long-rangeConsVery slow rechambering speedSlow reload timeRed weapon onlyVery few bulletsHighly situational
The Kraber has been the only weapon to stay as a red weapon since the game's launch and can only be found in neutral care packages—and for good reason. The gun is a 1-shot demon where landing a headshot will almost guarantee you a knockdown.
Though the weapon has the highest damage per shot in the game, the Kraber isn't a gun you'll want your hands on at all times. Its 12-round max (4/mag), slow reload time, and huge scope makes it ineffective and unreliable at close range. Its situational properties make many people ignore the weapon entirely or make an effort to throw it off a cliff so it doesn't get used against them.
5. Vantage's Custom Sniper
Best for: Recon and buffing your team's overall damage output
ProsHuge damage potentialActs as a 3rd weapon slotGives team info and a damage boostFree bulletsConsBullets recharge slowlyOnly 5 rounds max at a timeNeeds consecutive hits to be effective
Vantage can pull out an old version of the Sentinel with unique damage mechanics as her ultimate ability. The first shot Vantage lands against an enemy with this gun will deal 50 damage to the body and mark the target for you and your team. Consecutive hits with the sniper will double that damage, as well as increase the damage dealt to the marked target with any weapon you or your teamies use against them. The rifle charges up bullets over time, gaining 1 bullet every 40 seconds to a cap of 5.
» Struggling to understand the shop in Apex Legends? Learn how to utilize the daily shop better
2. Understand Long-Range vs. Close-Range Sniping
Long-Range Sniping
This is where players use distance to their advantage and practice hitting precise shots over a range that other guns can't compete in. You'll do better with the Kraber and Sentinal in these engagements, but chances are you'll be chunking off large portions of damage from players more than actually getting kills.
You end up trading the safety and damage of range for the disadvantage of trying to finish enemies from a distance. If the squad you're fighting has enough cover, they can revive their downed teammate, heal up, and find a way to escape before you can reposition fast enough to finish the kill.
The best ways to take advantage of long-range sniping are to count on third-partying other fights as it's a lot harder to pay attention to snipers in the distance when you're in the middle of a fight, and securing kills on knocked-down enemies over doing more damage, making it harder for them to re-group and escape.
Close-Range (Combat) Sniping
Combat sniping is a different ball game that uses quick peaks and fast movements to dodge and weave while doing damage. Breaking off an opponent's shield early with a well-placed shot can dramatically swing the fight in your favor, so using a sniper or marksman rifle at close range can act as a major damage initiator or a 1-hit finisher at the end of your other gun's magazine.
The best way to start stepping into this role is to play with the 30-30 Repeater, Longbow, or Sentinel, and get used to playing with open sights, and 'quick-scoping' your opponents so you can track them more effectively.
» Need more Legend Tokens? Discover the best ways to get them with gameplay only
3. Choose the Right Attachments
There's some confusion around how effective some attachments are for certain weapons over others. There are attachments that suit different situations, and different attachments for each weapon should be prioritized for the playstyle that you're choosing to run.
Optics
Optics are the most important factor in aiding the playstyle you plan on choosing.
It's important to remember that the longer the scope range you put on your sniper, the longer it takes to aim down sights.
This is fine for long-range, but less so for short-range engagements where you'll have a problem acquiring targets quickly if you have to spend that extra heartbeat aiming through a scope.
Stocks
The stock not only lets you reload faster, which is essential for close-range combat or a heated fight, but it also gives your weapon better handling (faster weapon switching and ADS speed). The stock is definitely one of the attachments you'll want to prioritize if you're going for close-range engagements, but don't discount it for long-range fights either due to the added benefit of reduced weapon sway.
Magazine
Getting a magazine for your sniper or marksman weapon is self-explanatory: you get more bullets per mag. Essential in all ranges, but more so for short-range.
Barrel Stabilizer
Like the magazine, the barrel stabilizer is self-explanatory and will reduce your weapon's recoil, helping you aim between shots.
Hop-ups
Hop-ups are very weapon specific and are probably the attachment you should prioritize least unless you're hunting for a specific one that changes the way you use a weapon, like shatter-caps on the 30-30 Repeater. They certainly do add a big advantage to your weapon, but you shouldn't rely on hop-ups to make your weapon efficient.
» Accidentally bought some Apex Coins? Learn how to refund them
4. Tweak Your Sensitivity Settings
This may take some time based on what sensitivities you're used to already. Lower sensitivities tend to yield higher accuracy from fine-tuned movements, while higher sensitivities are suited to flicking to enemies and require a lot of muscle memory to pull off effectively.
Pros recommend using a sensitivity that, when dragging your mouse from the left-hand side of your mouse-pad to the right without aiming down sights, your character turns around one-and-a-bit times so that you can do a 360-degree turn comfortably.
5. Practice the Right Way
How to Optimize Your Firing Range Practice
Spending some time in the firing range doing a routine or practicing before each play session is a great way to get warmed up, get your aim in, and hype yourself up for some Battle Royale or some Arenas.
My favorite routine is to take Mirage into the range, send out a clone, and do a 180 before activating the ability's mimic function to make the decoy mirror your movements so you can practice strafing and shooting at a moving target.
Don't spend too much time here, professional players spend 10-15 minutes doing warm-ups, and max 20 minutes at a time when practicing a new mechanic, like wall-jumping or tap-strafing.
Best Game Modes for Sniper Practice
The best game modes to practice sniping are the limited-time modes like Control and Gun Run as there are fast respawns and you can really get some good practice in against other players, but when these aren't on rotation it's not a bad idea to take up a sniper rifle in the Arenas.
Armed and Dangerous is another great limited-time game mode that's been around a few times that only allows shotguns and sniper rifles to spawn on the map, making it a great time to pick up Sniping as a skill.
Best Legends for Sniper Practice
Defensive characters like Gibraltar, Newcastle, and Rampart are much better suited for the long-range sniping game. Putting cover up to hide behind and peek from with these characters' abilities means that your sustainability from a distance is difficult for enemies to deal with, even if they have range as well.
Legends that have high mobility and can travel vertically well are definitely worth looking at if you're looking for all-around sniping potential. Pathfinder, Valkyrie, Vantage, Revenant, Horizon, and Octane are amazing at getting to great sniping locations and can get out of a spot quickly in a pinch.
» Want free in-game items for Apex Legends? Download Buff and earn
6. Develop Your Sniper Positioning
Where to Snipe From
There are spots all over the map that are great places to snipe from, the most obvious spots being on top of roofs, high ledges, and cliff edges. While they do provide superior vision, it's also where players expect you to be standing if you're sniping. It's not unwise to use the positions for yourself, but don't stick around for too long, lest you find yourself the victim of another sniper.
The biggest threat to a sniper (aside from being pushed or ganked) is another sniper, so knowing where other snipers might peek or camp could give you a real advantage in a ranged fight.
Repositioning After Firing
Moving after taking a shot means that you're far less predictable when enemies prepare for your next assault and can prevent enemies from effectively pushing to your position or potentially controlling the fight if it turns out they have snipers of their own. Moving also means that any 3rd-party squad looking for an easy engagement to jump in on can't attack you effectively, hopefully triggering them to attack the other squad instead and leaving the new 3rd-party opportunity to your squad.
» Discover how to get the Apex Legends Battle Pass without spending money
Dominate From a Distance
Hopefully, after reading this article, you can see that everyone can become competitive as a sniper in Apex Legends. All you need to do is put in the practice and apply our top tips and you'll be picking off your opponents from a distance in no time. And don't forget to download Buff to earn some free rewards along the way.
RewardsApex Legends: Legend Tokens & How to Get Them (Gameplay Only)Legend Tokens are one of the four primary currencies in Apex Legends, alongside Crafting Metals, Apex Coins, and Heirloom Shards. These valuable tokens can be used in the game to unlock new Legends and exclusive items. This guide will go over everything you need to know about Legend Tokens, including how to get them and how to use them in Apex Legends.
» Curious about Heilroom Shards and how to get them? Check this guide
What Are Legend Tokens in Apex Legends?
Legend Tokens are unique in Apex Legends because they are the game's only completely free currency. Unlike other in-game currencies, they can't be acquired through loot crate drops or purchased in-game. You can't even buy Legend Tokens with Buff points like you can with Apex Coins. This makes them a valuable but limited resource for players. The only way to obtain Legend Tokens is through gameplay.
You can find your current Legend Token balance on the top-right corner of the Apex Legends home screen, as shown below.
What Can Legend Tokens Be Used For?
This effort-earned currency is the key to unlocking more Legends to gain access to new abilities and styles of gameplay! It takes a total of 12,000 Legend Tokens to unlock a new Legend, which means you have to level up 20 times (600 Legend Tokens per level) before you have enough to spend on a new Legend for your team.
Next, you can unlock some cool re-colors for some legendary skins you may own. Just keep in mind that legendary recolors cycle out of the shop weekly, so you'll have to stay vigilant if you want a fancy new color for your legendary skin.
Finally, you can also spend Legend Tokens to reroll daily challenges (though we don't recommend it, the price isn't worth the reward).
Legend Token Price List
Unlock new Legend: 12,000 LTCosmetic re-color: 6,500 LT for a weapon skin and 8,500 for a Legend skin2nd daily reroll: 200 LT3rd daily reroll: 500 LT4th daily reroll onwards: 1,000 LT
» Apex Legends Battle Pass without spending $$$? Yes, it is possible
How to Get Legend Tokens in Apex Legends
Legend Tokens are, thankfully, quite easy to come by—you just need to play the game and level up by earning XP!
1. Leveling Up
There are loads of levels to be earned in Apex Legends. In Season 14, Respawn increased the maximum level cap from 500 to 2,000. That's 1,2 million Legend Tokens—or 100 new legends, five times the total Legends currently available! Even after you hit the maximum level, you'll continue to earn 600 Legend Tokens every time you earn a level's worth of XP.
If you're a new player to the game, the first 60 levels are thankfully a little easier to get through, letting you unlock your first 3 new Legends by the time you get there. The required amount of XP to level up incrementally increases per level, to a cap:
Level 1: 100XP Level 10: 8,600XPLevel 20: 12,500XPLevel 30: 14,000XPLevel 40: 15,500XPLevel 50: 17,000XPLevel 60-500: 18,000XP
After you hit level 500, you advance into the next tier, where your level resets back to 1. At tiers 2-4, the experience needed to level up is a little different:
Level 1-100: 18,000XPLevel 101-200: 20,000XPLevel 201-300: 23,000XPLevel 301-400: 28,000XPLevel 401-500: 36,000XP
» Regret buying those Apex Coins? You can refund them
2. Accumulating XP
Earning experience during a game is based on many different things you can do during a match. We've made a list to help break down how XP is calculated during a match, so you know what to focus on if you want to level up at the fastest rate:
Winning a match: 900XPTop 5 finish: 300XPTime survived: 3XP per second survivedFirst kill of the day: 500XPKills: 50XP per killDamage done: 0.25XP per 1 damage pointIs kill leader: 50XP if you become the kill leader at any point in a matchKilled champion: 500XP per kill of the champion squadIs champion: 500XP going into a match as the champion squadRevive ally: 25XPRespawn ally: 200XP
3. Playing With Friends
Teaming up with your friends in Apex Legends has more benefits than just being able to work together and communicate better. Having friends in your squad gives you extra XP! Having just 1 friend in your squad adds a +5% XP bonus to your time survived, while 2 friends gives you +10% XP to that bonus.
4. Progressing Through Seasonal Battle Passes
The seasonal Battle Pass definitely has some juicy items, but as you level up through the premium tier of the pass, you'll also unlock stackable XP boosts that add a 10% bonus to the top 5 and win XP for you and your party members. These boosts also stack up with everyone in your party, amounting to a potential 300% boost for the rest of the season!
Better Get Playing!
Legend Tokens are the key to growing your Legends roster, and gaining levels are the key to earning more Legend Tokens, so by playing loads of matches and surviving for as long as you can, you'll be adding new Legends to your team in no time. Just start, as every minute helps.
Additionally, don't be afraid to spend some Legend Tokens on your favorite recolor either—they're only around for limited times, and you'll eventually earn the tokens back.
» Buff can't get you Legend Tokens, but it can everything else—Download Buff
RewardsHow to Earn Cash Competing in Fortnite Tournaments: Entry Criteria & FeesFortnite Season 5 is just around the corner, and with it comes the 5th FNCS, where EPIC has allocated a jaw-dropping $20 million to the competition.
The huge prize money this year also comes with even more competition as the championship is now officially cross-platform, meaning everyone on PC, mobile, and consoles will be competing for the same prize. And if competing in tournaments isn't your thing, there are other ways to make money by playing Fortnite.
» Like earning by playing? Download Buff and earn vBucks through gameplay
Important Considerations for Participants
With so much competition, it's important to be prepared with the setup that suits you best for the competitive shooter. Familiarize yourself with the gun meta for the season, and get comfortable using and abusing the strats that pro players have discovered and shared.
Since the tournament is cross-platform, it's also important to find which platform works best for you. Each platform has its benefits—PC players have the option of extremely high framerates and the highest mobility potential, while console and mobile players have powerful aim-assist.
Here are some helpful tips for each platform:
Console: The latest consoles like the PS5 and Xbox series X have the potential to play at really high frame rates. Using a 144hz monitor and plugging in your controllers can dramatically boost how fast you can react to situations in-game.Mobile: Mobile devices can connect to Bluetooth controllers, computer mice, and keyboards. Take advantage of whatever input you're comfortable with and make it your main input. PC: Turning down your graphic settings can boost overall performance in Fortnite. Couple that with a high-res monitor with a very high refresh rate and you've got the smoothest potential for the game.
Entry Requirements
Certain tournaments have entry fees. Major official tournaments hosted by EPIC seem to be free to enter.Some tournaments require you to have a partner for Duos matches or a full squad for the team tournaments.You must be 13 years of age or olderYou'll have to have a tax certificate for legal reasons when accepting prize money.You must be on good terms with epic- no game violations.Your account must be at least level 15You must have 2-factor authentication tied to your account
» Check out the 9 esports games with the biggest prize pools
5 Pro Tips for Major Earnings
1. Understand & Follow the META
META stands for the most effective tactic available. This is always changing depending on updates and patches to the game. It's important to keep up with the building strategies, the best loot spots, and the best guns and equipment to use for every season.
When a season launches, get into arenas and normal BR and get up to speed with the new changes. Try out the new guns and find out what works best for you, and keep an eye out for what other people are using to beat you.
» Need a refresher? All the Fortnite game modes explained
2. Find a Partner
It's been announced that FNCS and related major tournaments are going to be Duos for the rest of 2022, but whether you're in duos or trios in a competitive tourney, you should be practicing with a set team or partner from early on, instead of consistently switching up the team you're playing alongside.
It's important to develop a dynamic with your team, to understand how they play, and to find a solid way to communicate with one another effectively.
3. Create a Schedule
Schedule times for you and your partner to practice—this way, you can make sure you get the practice you need for the tournament.
It's important that during this time you're jumping into games with 100% effort, and really use the time to improve your mechanics, reactions, and placement.
4. Find Your Main Drop-Spot
In the Fortnite BR map, there are good as well as bad places to land. Find the place that works for you and your team and land there. Consistently. Forever.
Well, maybe not forever. Have a backup landing spot that you are extremely comfortable with, in case your planned drop-spot ends up being a hot spot during a competitive match. But otherwise, you should totally be spending each game landing in one POI and mastering that area's peaks and covers.
5. Watch Your Previous Matches
It's a great idea to record and watch your matches or to navigate to your replays and watch them. This may seem like an underwhelming tip, but it's a tactic most pros do to improve their gameplay at a phenomenally faster rate than most other players.
Remember: you're watching your VODs so that you can pick up your mistakes from a spectator's eye. Formulate a way to get around those mistakes and apply that formula to your game, practicing to drill the new tactic into your muscle memory.
Feeling Ready to Enter a Fortnite Tournament And Take Them On?
Qualifiers for the FNCS kick off in early February 2023, so it's time to get the team together, practice, and prepare as much as you can. Apply maximum effort, stay cool, and focus on improvement, and you'll be ready to compete in official Fortnite championships in no time.
» Get rewards while playing, even if you don't win—download Buff
Buff faqsHow Does Buff Really Work? (Earning Points Safely & Easily)Getting free things for playing games with your mates—that's just too good to be true, right? Think again.
Simply by having the Buff app open in the background while you're playing what you love can earn you in-game content, gift cards, and even peripherals like a Razer Kraken X Ultralight gaming headset! In this guide, we'll be showing you around the app and how you can get in on free rewards, and some sweet tips on how you can get your rewards faster!
1. Download the App & Sign Up
The Buff app runs off of a trusted gaming creation/tracking platform called Overwolf that's been around since 2010. Overwolf helps synchronize your data with the Buff app to make sure your gameplay is tracked and you are rewarded for completing challenges. Buff runs on both PC and mobile, and getting started on either is super easy:
How to Install Buff on PC
First, let's check if you can run BUFF. If you're up to date with gaming and don't have a device that's a decade old, you have a pretty good chance of running Buff. That being said, here are the minimum system requirements:
OS: Windows 10RAM: 4gbCPU: Intel Core i5-4400E +GPU: Nvidia GeForce 510
After ensuring that you meet the minimum requirements, simply follow these steps:
Head to the BUFF home pageClick "Download Buff Now!" or click HEREFollow the installation process prompts—once that's finished, Overwolf will sync to the games you're playing and update your statistics
How to Install Buff on Mobile
Currently, Buff only supports Clash Royale, Clash of Clans, and Brawl Stars.
If you play any of the titles above, head on over to your Google Play app for Android users or the App store on iOS and download the BUFF App!
Make sure the app is open and running when you play your games, and it should automatically synchronize your game stats.
2. Earn Points As You Play
The aim of the game(s) is getting Buff Points that you can redeem for sweet rewards. You'll need to have BUFF open in the background, but it uses so little processing power that you won't even notice. There are a few ways you can earn Buff Points, and we'll break them down for you:
Weekly Challenges
This is the best way to get Buff Points for free.
You'll have 3 tiers of challenges per game title that increase in difficulty and reset each week. You earn 10BP for the first tier, 20BP for the second, and 40BP for the third, letting you get 70BP per game each week if you complete all of them.
Daily Challenges
A great way to earn a little extra Buff Points on top of your weekly challenges, you'll earn 5 BP each day on completion.
Daily Rewards
You may have seen systems like this on mobile games: you'll get some free Buff Points by logging in and playing your first match of the day, every day, for a 7-day cycle. In 1 week you can get 17BP per game title.
Spin the Wheel
Every day you'll also get a wheel to spin with a max reward of 3BP
Get Premium
There are different tiers of premium, and the top tier gives you 300% Buff Points on game-related earnings, 200 free Buff Points monthly, extra challenges, and loads of discounts and extra goodies.
If you finish every assigned challenge and log in every day, you can earn just over 120BP every week per game if you're playing for free. Getting the top premium package means you can get about 630BP just from completing all challenges within a week per game!
Buff strictly only tracks in-game performance, like your kills, wins and losses, how often you log in, and how long you spend in game. Buff does not have access to any personal information such as your account details and friends lists.
3. Cash Out for Rewards
Here's the fun part: getting free stuff! Once you've completed enough challenges and collected enough buff points, you can head over to the marketplace inside the app and redeem your points.
There's a variety of cool rewards you can get from the Buff store, such as:
Gift cards you can use for AmazonCredits you can add to your platform of choiceCool skins and cosmeticsGaming peripherals
Going full premium grants you access to other items in the store as well as special challenges and raffles where you can stand a chance to get big rewards!
What More Do You Need?
If you're playing your game every day already, why not keep Buff open in the background and earn free things? Even if you're not focusing on your challenges, you'll be slowly working your way to a sweet gift card or new mouse, and that amazing feeling of getting free things for playing video games!
Tips & tricksSurfing in CS:GO: From Beginner to Pro in 5 Easy StepsWhen players used to ask in-game, "how do I surf?" my favorite way to respond was to type this back into chat:
With WASD: D -> /ramp\ <- Adon't touch W or S.
But, truthfully, it's a little more complex than that. I'll try to break it down as best as I can so that you'll be more prepared the next time you hit the ramps.
1. The Basics of Surf Movement
Thanks to the way Valve built the physics of their engine, games like Counter-Strike, Team Fortress, Portal, and even Apex Legends all have a movement mechanic setting called "Air Acceleration."
It's a bit difficult to explain, but if you're in mid-air, and you push a directional button while looking in a certain direction, your character model will actually speed up. This would allow you to hop around pillars or 'curve' in mid-air. On the other hand, hitting the backward input can make your character halt their momentum altogether.
There are 2 main types of surfing, and 2 main 'modes':
The first type of surfing is standard WASD surfing. Here, you're strafing into the ramp with your left or right movement key while looking forward, which is what you should be practicing.The second type is a 3-quarter surfing. It's way more advanced and requires multiple directional keys to be pressed. Pros say that they can finetune their movements better with this, but I would avoid it completely in the beginning.
As for the game modes, there's Skill surfing and Combat surfing:
Skill surfing implies either going through maps that are broken up into stages or surfing along one long map that will have its own challenges and obstacles to get past. Players tend to compete for the best completion time for a competitive edge over just practicing the mechanic to enjoy it and get good at surfing.Combat surfing is my favorite form of surfing. I've sunk way more hours into it than I'm willing to admit. Here, guns and damage are enabled, and your goal is to take out the enemy team or plant/defuse the bomb, much like the standard Counter-Strike.
» Have some extra cosmetics you don't need? Read how to sell and trade skins in CS:GO
2. How to Gain Speed While Surfing
If boosts aren't an option, gravity is the answer for gaining speed. If you're heading perfectly straight on a horizontal ramp, when you look down, you'll start gradually picking up speed. Inversely, looking up simulates going up a hill or ramp, so you'll slow down a fair amount.
Speed is key in many surfing situations, and knowing how to speed up or slow down is essential to getting good times on skill maps. It also gives you the control you need for an upper hand in combat maps.
3. How to Strafe and Bunnyhop Properly
Bunnyhopping is the act of conserving or even increasing speed by limiting your contact with the ground as much as possible. While hopping, you're spending most of your time in mid-air, touching the ground in split-seconds, so most of your momentum and speed will come from the aforementioned "Air Acceleration."
Today, in most bunnyhopping servers, admins have added a bind where if you hold down your jump button, the game will simulate a continuous input. This would allow you to hop up and down without having to time a jump perfectly. If this isn't available to you, I suggest binding your jump to "scroll-wheel down," so you can achieve the same effect.
Once you've got the hopping mastered, try using just your A and D keys to move around while looking in the same direction as the input you're pushing.
*while hopping or in mid-air*
Holding D + panning right = speed in a curve going right
Holding A + panning left = speed in a curve going left
4. How to Handle Curves
Let's say you're heading down the left side of a ramp, but there's a left turn coming up. You can't just keep holding "D" to stick to the ramp as you make the turn—you'll just yeet yourself off the ramp. In order to make the turn, you have to look to the left and hold A to "pull" yourself in a curve left along the ramp.
It'll make more sense in practice, and it'll take a while to get the proper feel of the turn. Eventually, you'll know how to conserve your momentum along the ramp and when to "push" against the ramp or "pull" away from it in order to make turns or jump from one ramp to another.
5. How to Change Direction Mid-Air
After you've got the basics of bunnyhopping and handling curves on ramps, turning becomes much easier, too. If you apply the same rules (hold left input and look left etc.), you can turn in mid-air without the need for ramps at all.
Remember that surfing is all about maintaining your momentum, so turning too sharp can slow you down.
» Learn how to trade your DOTA skins for the CS:GO ones
Where to Find Surf Maps in CS:GO?
The easiest way to get started is to find a running surf server online by heading to the community section in-game and scrolling through the available server browser.
If you're keen on a more private experience, you'll want to start a private match with a surf map you've found on Steam or online. Just head over to Steam's community workshop section, and search for "Surf" in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Once you've found the maps you want, follow the respective authors to download them, which should then automatically end up in the right folders for you to start playing.
This next step is *SUPER* important to get started with surfing:
Open CS:GO, find and launch your first surf map, and increase the round timeOpen up the console by hitting the ` key (the button under your 'Esc' button) If nothing comes up, "enable console" in "game settings"One by one, enter these lines and hit "enter"
sv_cheats 1
sv_airaccelerate 150
sv_accelerate 10
god
sv_autobunnyhoping 1You can now start surfing!When you're ready for a new map type this in:
changelevel [surf_mapname]
If the bug bites you as hard as it bit me, you'll find yourself sinking hundreds of hours into trying to perfect this unique form of mobility—though I do wish I had Buff running in the background for some free gaming gear and gift cards.
EsportsTop 5 Earners in CoD: Warzone & How Much They Made (2022)The Call of Duty (CoD) competitive scene spreads widely, with different leagues and tournaments across different games. Vanguard is home to the CoD League (CoDL), while Warzone tournaments are hosted on a variety of platforms and organizers, Activision included.
While there isn't an official, publisher-backed league for Warzone, the potential earnings for pro players dropping in are no joke. According to data grabbed from Warzone Earnings, the biggest Warzone pros are not just racking up cash to buy stations in-game, but are also making big bucks IRL from their winnings.
Keep reading to learn about the top 5 earners in CoD: Warzone.
» Learn more about CoD: Warzone
1. Thomas "Tommey" Trewren
Tommey, arguably the most famous name in competitive Warzone, comes in as the top Warzone earner, with $416,722.61. Although Tommy has been playing CoD since 2010, he was also one of the first pro CoD players to dive into Warzone and its competitive scene upon its March 2020 release. Tommey recently left the 100 Thieves streamer umbrella, but he isn't giving up his #1 spot anytime soon.
While Tommey is no stranger to competitive shooters, Warzone has really set a new level for raking in dough for the CoD veteran. In 2022 alone, Tommey brought in 5-figure prizes from multiple tournaments, including:
OpTic Texas 100K Warzone Trios: 1st Place, $40,000eFuse Joe Wo's Cladera of Passion: 1st Place, $10,000
2. Ben "Almond" Rosendahl
Coming in as the 2nd highest earner with $381,521.77, Almond made his debut in 2020 and cemented himself as one of the best competitive Warzone players since. Even without a super long history, his talent on the sticks and in content creation led him to being quickly picked up by Minnesota RØKKR back in June 2021.
Almond's earnings from Warzone tournaments had definitely added lots of dollars to the 23-year-old's bank account, especially with his streak of 1st place wins in the last four tournaments he has played:
World Series of Warzone Season 2 NA Trios: 7th Place, $8,000JoeWo: Battle for the Crown 2 Day 2: 1st Place, $6,000eFuse Battle of the Titans: 2nd Place, $6,000$20k 2v2 ChainGames Warzone Finale: 1st Place, $10,000
» Got your own CoD skills? Learn about the online CoD tournament entry criteria
3. Aydan Conrad
Trailing 2nd place by just under two grand, Aydan comes in as the 3rd highest earner with $379,274.27. Formerly a competitive Fortnite player, Aydan showed that his skills could apply to just about any game with crosshairs. After leaving Ghost Gaming back in April 2020, Aydan is officially part of the content creator team for the New York Subliners (NYSL), the official CDL franchise team of New York.
Aydan was previously the highest earner for Warzone back in March 2021, being the first pro player to break the $300,000 in tournament earnings milestone. While he's been overtaken by fellow pros, he is definitely not out for the count:
World Series of Warzone Season 2 NA Trios: 4th place, $15,000eFuse Batttle of the Titans: 1st Place, $13,714New York Subliners $50K WarzoneMania 3 Day 1: 1st Place, $10,000
4. Ethan "Fifakill" Pink
New to the top 5 list, and coming in as the 4th highest earner is Fifakill, with $258,582.82 earned. At just 21 years of age, Fifakill is a young star in the CoD scene, arguably one of the most OG FPS franchises there is. Currently representing the UK as a part of Quadrant, a gaming org backed and built by fellow Englishman and Formula One driver, Lando Norris.
Most notably, Fifakill had an incredible showing in September of this year in the World Series of Warzone NA Solo Yolo, which pushed him up 6 spots in the earnings rankings with a 1st place prize of $100,000! Here are Fifakill's biggest wins of the year:
World Series of Warzone Season 2 NA SoloYolo: 1st Place, $100,000BoomTV x TimTheTatman 2v2 Kill Race: 1st Place, $66,000
5. Jordan "HusKerrs" Thomas
Last on this top 5 list is definitely not the least known. HusKerrs has been in the Warzone scene since the beginning and was the first player to earn $100,000 in Warzone tournaments. Though currently unsigned today, HusKerrs was a part some of the biggest teams in esports, being a part of Rogue in 2020 and NRG Esports, which Buff proudly sponsors, across 2021.
Though HusKerrs may not be seeing the same level of dominance he did back when Warzone first started, he is undoubtedly still one of the strongest contenders:
eFuse SuperEvan's Judgment Day: 3rd Place, $2,000JoeWo: Battle for the Crown 2 Day 2: 2nd Place, $4,000New York Subliners $50K WarzoneMania 3 Day 2: 1st Place, $10,000
» Looking for an esport to compete in? Discover the highest esports prize pools
Final Thoughts
The surprising thing about the list is the diversity of the players. Coming from different gaming backgrounds, ages, controller, or keyboard and mouse, they share at least one thing in common: they have all made six-figure earnings from this one game alone. This number will only continue to go up as we saw with World Series of Warzone Season 2 staying strong. Going into Season 3, let's see who might break the million-dollar earnings milestone first!
» Earn free rewards while playing CoD: Warzone—Download Buff
Esports7 Most-Streamed Games to Watch on Twitch Right Now Unlike in the very early days of Twitch, nowadays there are many viewers, many streamers, and many games to watch. If you are completely new to the scene, it can be pretty overwhelming to decide what games to watch since scrolling through them seems to be endless.
Explore our list of the 7 most-streamed games that can guide you in the right direction and help you choose, depending on if you are more into casual entertainment, esports, or the same games you play.
» Want to stream instead? Discover the 7 best Twitch games to stream now
1. Overwatch 2
With the release of Overwatch 2, there's obviously going to be a lot of hype for Blizzard's MOBA-FPS franchise. When Overwatch was first released, it was revolutionary with its combination of the MOBA and FPS genres, especially since both genres were at the forefront of esports at the time. According to Stream Charts for Overwatch 2, there was an average of 5,677 channels to choose from in October 2022, amassing over 138.5 million hours to watch.
With the game being so popular amongst esports fans and casual players, it is no surprise that this one is our first recommendation. If you don't currently play, this could be the best time to start, with the Overwatch 2 launch being so recent! Especially considering the high quality of the twitch drops recently, with the Werewolf Winston Legendary Skin being super clean. Seriously, start watching.
» Play Overwatch 2 and earn Buff coins
2. Apex Legends
Apex Legends made history with it hitting the 10 million player milestone in the first 72 hours. Though there's a lot of controversy over their initial marketing tactics during the first game launch, they have been super consistent with updates and improvements to the game. There's been a big move of the COD Warzone crowd to the game as well, so it shouldn't be too difficult at all to enjoy some streams and then pick up some games with your squad.
According to Stream Charts for Apex Legends, there was an average of 3,439 channels to choose from in October 2022, amassing over 32.9 million hours to watch. Like other games, there are some sweet skins and rewards to be earned from watching during some of the bigger tournaments.
» Earn free rewards while playing Apex
3. Grand Theft Auto V
Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V) is one of the most interesting titles on this list. While GTA V is the latest game in the Grand Theft Auto franchise, it was actually released back in 2013. The game has not only remained popular but is actually going strong—one of the biggest reasons for this is the GTA V Roleplay server and community. It's a super interesting viewing experience you can't get with most other games, with some of gaming's biggest names and streamers partaking in it.
According to Stream Charts for GTA V, there was an average of 2,617 channels to choose from in October 2022, amassing over 95.9 million hours to watch. While there have been leaks about GTA 6, there is no well-defined date of release just yet, and GTA V still continues to scratch the itch for many viewers and players.
4. Valorant
Valorant is the game to watch if you like to see headshots galore. Valorant is Riot Games' take on the Tactical FPS genre, most famously started by Counter-Strike. This is a captivating viewing experience that's really easy to get into if you've had any experience with CS:GO or CS 1.7 in the past, and we are actually seeing a lot of the Counter-Strike community move over to playing Valorant as the game continues to rise in popularity. Giving the genre some Riot Games flavor, we see the addition of abilities to replace smokes and mollies from Counter-Strike and even allow for some really diverse gameplay.
According to Stream Charts for Valorant, there was an average of 4,704 channels to choose from in October 2022, amassing over 69.7 million hours to watch. Being a fresh game and explosive esports relatively new to the scene, the drops are easily obtained, with the annual Valorant Champions Twitch being a great opportunity to add things like exclusive titles, sprays, and cards for the game.
» Use Buff to get free Valorant points
5. Minecraft
If you are looking for a mix of creative and entertaining content, both can be found in the world of Minecraft. There are so many mods that exist for the game that you can practically watch Minecraft streams for a variety of viewing experiences: speedrunning, competitive, building showcases are all on the table for the channels you find under Minecraft on Twitch.
According to Stream Charts, there was an average of 1,893 channels to choose from in October 2022, amassing over 43.5 million hours to watch. Earning rewards on Minecraft through Twitch Drops is slightly more complex and not available out of the box, but there are certain Minecraft servers where Twitch Drops are enabled, allowing you to earn while watching a streamer on a specific server as long as you are also playing on the same server.
6. League of Legends
League of Legends is one of the most notable esports there is. There have been tons of new games coming in—new esports titles, MOBAs, multiplayer games in general—but LoL is still at the forefront of the gaming industry.
According to Stream Charts, there was an average of 2,813 channels to choose from in October 2022, amassing over 159.4 million hours to watch. There is so much variety and complexity in the game, with some of Twitch's most popular streamers playing the game almost exclusively, that there will always be a reason to watch.
» Get Buff and play League of Legends for free RP
7. FIFA 23
FIFA has actually been the entry point into the world of gaming for many gamers across the world. Sports games have historically been one of the strongest bridges between the gaming community and those existing outside of it, and what is better suited than arguably the most popular sport around the globe.
According to Stream Charts, there was an average of 1,525 channels to choose from in October 2022, amassing over 61 million hours to watch. Seeing as the game was just recently released, be on the look out for any Twitch Drop viewing opportunities. If you have Twitch Prime, be sure to grab the already available rewards.
Watching streams is not only a great form of entertainment, but there is also so much to gain from it and so much to explore. If you really care about getting better at one of your favorite games, you should definitely start watching popular skilled players, and make notes.
» Ready to test your skills? Have Buff running in the background to earn rewards while playing
