No word on whether the next patch will correct the crashing that many players are experiencing.

Below are the pre-patch notes according to the official forum post

• Removed the blur effect on soldiers that appeared when Commanders were using EMP attacks
• Fixed the audio bug where audio sometimes randomly dropped out while playing on certain multiplayer maps (typically Golmud Railway and Hainan Resort)
• Fixed the “one-hit kill bug” where occasionally damage from a single bullet was applied multiple times
• Fixed a common crash that would occur when exiting from the Single Player Campaign to Main Menu
• Tweaked the network and computer performance screen to show proper values. Players can now test their computer and network connection and get recommendations if they need to adjust something to improve their gameplay experience.

For many long time support players these changes will probably be scary at first but hopefully by the beginning of LoL Season 4 they will have everything as balanced as possible for everyone.

We’re making changes to the way abilities scale on champions designed for the support role. Our goal is to emphasize utility and protection over damage output and, with more gold flowing to supports, we had to tweak numbers to ensure certain champions didn’t become too oppressively powerful.

The patch notes are way too long to post here so it’s advisable to read up on all of the changes on the official forums

Check out the quote from Shacknews on the changes…

The change that’s making waves, though, is an overhaul of crafting introducing recipe scrolls, which allow you to combine items to get something fancier. This, in addition to sockets on cosmetic items, means you’ll be able to make really customised items.

This is all very interesting of course, but as PCGamesN points out, it also means that unusual couriers are no longer as rare as they were after Valve patched out randomly generated coloured flame particle effects just a few weeks after introduction. One unique example was sold for $38,000 last week, and in a very short amount of time there will be copycats popping up everywhere. Ouch.

Reports across various forums are of many players who were holding these items in hopes of scoring a quick buck or maybe holding on for a while in hopes of highers profits down the road only to find out that the item is now essentially worthless. A steamgifts.com forum member reported his item previously considered a quick sell at $2000 was worthless as of this morning.

The updated, dubbed the Three Spirits Update adds an Earth Spirit and Ember Spirit while also updating the Storm Spirit as well,

In addition the update adds in an in-game coaching function allowing skilled players to teach beginners (or pros to make money teaching noobs), a showcase view when watching matches, and the belated return of the Diretide event.

Major Content/Features:

• Added support for the Descent: Champions race events and Race Season Five.
• Added a new Dexterity support gem – Enhance: This is a world-drop-only gem with three levels that only performs its function at level two and above.
• Added a new Strength skill gem – Purity of Fire: Casts an aura that grants fire resistance to you and your allies. Higher levels increase maximum fire resistance.
• Added a new Dexterity skill gem – Purity of Ice: Casts an aura that grants cold resistance to you and your allies. Higher levels increase maximum cold resistance.
• Added a new Intelligence skill gem – Purity of Lightning: Casts an aura that grants lightning resistance to you and your allies. Higher levels increase maximum lightning resistance.
• The new aura gems are available to certain classes from the “Intruders in Black” quest and to other classes from the “A Fixture of Fate” quest (both in normal difficulty).
• Added four new Unique items, all of which were designed by supporters.
• Added three new cosmetic microtransactions: Golden Spectral Throw, Discipline Force Field Effect and Scion Dance Animation.
• Two new Achievements have been added: Capture the Flag and Zombie Horde
• A checkbox has been added to allow Guild Chat to be hidden.
• New art has been added for Endurance, Power and Frenzy charges.
• Eight new vendor recipes have been added in two groups of four, including ones for changing which bandit quest reward you chose.
• To change your bandit quest reward, use the book that you receive from the recipe in the appropriate difficulty. If you had Eramir’s reward, you will need a skill point available to change away from it.
• When race prizes are awarded in Race Season Five onwards, the remove-only stash tab they go to can be accessed from any non-event league. You cannot access it in the first two weeks of a ladder. This means that your race prizes can be removed from the tab in Domination or Nemesis (but can’t be put back in). When the next four month leagues start, the prizes will not be available in the first two weeks (to keep the early race fair).

Patch 1.0.1 goes live during the day in NZ, whatever the hell time that is.

Check out the full patch notes on the Path of Exile forums

Turning Point – free update

• World Builder: This highly requested community feature enables players to design their own epic multiplayer maps for Company of Heroes 2
• New Multiplayer Maps: Two free multiplayer maps ‘Rails and Metal’ and ‘Lazur Factory’ added to the multiplayer rotation for all players to enjoy
• Four New Multiplayer Commanders: Four new Commanders, two per faction, are introduced into the game’s multiplayer and skirmish modes as part of ‘Turning Point’. One Commander from each faction was created by members of the Company of Heroes 2 community and will be available via registration at www.companyofheroes.com

Theatre of War – Victory at Stalingrad:

• Co-Op Scenario: Kalach Pincer – 70 kilometers west of Stalingrad, Soviet forces must move rapidly to secure key locations and resources about the town of Kalach before mounting the final attack on the vital bridge across the River Don
• Solo Challenge: Tatsinskaya Raid – The Red Army’s 24th Tank Corps is headed deep into enemy territory to take the German airfield at Tatsinskaya and destroy the aircraft that keeps trapped German forces supplied in Stalingrad
• Solo Challenge: Bridge Defense – Forced to wait for air units to be ready, the Red Army has had to delay Operation Uranus at the last minute. Irregular and Partisan forces have already moved to secure a key bridge across the Don River and must now hold out against determined German attacks
• AI Battle: Winter Storm – The Wehrmacht has launched Operation Winter Storm in an attempt to relieve their Sixth Army in Stalingrad. Soviet forces must block this attack to prevent the fascists from escaping the city
• AI Battle: Stalingrad Resistance – The Soviets defend the blown out Stalingrad inch by inch, all the while looking to the skies as the German Luftwaffe drops bombs on any target they can find
• AI Battle: Stalingrad Encirclement – Months of bloody close-quarter fighting have led to a decisive turning point for control of Stalingrad. Most of the German 6th Army has been left cut off and surrounded in the city. The Red Army must repulse a breakout attempt by the exhausted German forces

Miscellaneous premium DLC

• Three new Soviet skins: Bi-Tone Red Guards, Two-Tone Spring, Makeshift Sand
• Two New German Commanders:
  – Elite Troops Doctrine: Utilize Germany’s most elite companies, using stronger base troops with added abilities
  – Luftwaffe Supply Doctrine: Using the power of the Luftwaffe, keeping your troops on the front lines as long as possible, even if cut off!
• Two New Soviet Commanders:
  – Soviet Industry Tactics: Using the built up soviet industry, making use of more and stronger vehicle units at the cost of infantry numbers
  – Partisan Tactics: Making use of the Soviet Partisan network to harass enemies from behind the lines while destroying them with the soviet main army

The decision comes amid changes to the Chrome and Firefox core design and do away with plugin support. The good news for players for the classic game is the changeover will be very minor and barely noticed.