Joel Franey got his Bachelors in Creative Writing and Games Design from Brunel University in 2017, before going on to do a Masters in Creative and Critical Writing from Sussex University. During this time he also worked freelance in various gaming-related roles and professions, including design, PR, reviews and features, before eventually joining the guides team at USgamer and ReedPop in 2019. Since then, he has written professionally for numerous publications, including Gfinity Esports, Eurogamer, VG247, Dicebreaker, RPS, Jelly Deals and more. These have involved, among other things, writing guides, news, features, reviews, and even working as an SEO consultant, restructuring and rewriting content for the purpose of increased online traffic. He eventually joined GamesRadar+ as a Guides Writer in 2021, with a focus on covering single player games and narrative games, though nonetheless regularly contributing to ongoing coverage of online gaming services and multiplayer properties, and has covered a variety of major AAA games in his time since then. In his spare time he is also a long-time fiction writer, having written books, screenplays and more besides in a variety of genres, and is the co-host and co-creator of the pop culture comedy podcast, "Margaret Thatcher, Templar Spy".
Latest articles by Joel Franey

How to use the Battlefield 6 Range Finder
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The sniper rifle range finder in BF6 automatically zeroes your scope to the correct distance

The ultimate Pokemon Legends: Z-A guide for newcomers to Lumiose City
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Pokemon Legends Z-A is out now, and everything you need to know is here

All Pokemon Legends Z-A Mystery Gift Codes and Rewards
By Joel Franey published
Guide Mystery Gifts in Pokemon Z-A are available now, through different means

All Battlefield 6 game modes you can play now
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide There are lots of game modes in Battlefield 6 spread across many playlists, catering to a range of objective types

All Battlefield 6 classes explained and the best ones to use
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide With BF6's class system, you get to choose between Assault, Engineer, Support, and Recon

Best Battlefield 6 Engineer class loadout and guns
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Vehicles can wreak havoc in Battlefield 6, so the best Engineer loadout can destroy them quickly

Best Battlefield 6 Recon class loadout and best guns
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The best BF6 Recon loadout and build right now is a sniper-focused one

Best Battlefield 6 Support class loadout, guns, and medic build
By Will Sawyer last updated
Guide Battlefield 6's Support class is best played as a frontline medic using a carbine

Best Battlefield 6 Assault class loadout and guns
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The best Assault loadout in BF6 is based around mid-to-close range combat and speed

Battlefield 6 game server queues and error codes explained
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide You can't access the BF6 while queues are full, and will have to wait in the queue

How to repair vehicles in Battlefield 6
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide To fix tanks, planes and helicopters in BF6 all you need is a Repair Tool

How to get a Jet or Helicopter in Battlefield 6
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide You can get helicopters and jets at your HQ in BF6 but only in large game modes and maps

How to revive in Battlefield 6
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Reviving and healing in BF6 involves a new drag drag mechanic

Best weapons in Battlefield 6
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The best gun in BF6 is undoubtedly the M87A1 Shotgun, at least until it's inevitably patched

All Battlefield 6 maps at launch
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide There will be nine multiplayer maps in BF6 with a few options to mix them up

How to unlock Class Challenges and Assignments in Battlefield 6
By Joel Franey published
Guide Class Assignments and Challenges in BF6, like Assignment Assault, aren't unlocked until you progress far enough into the game

How long is Battlefield 6? Campaign length and time to beat explained
By Joel Franey published
Guide The BF6 story mode is very short, but multiplayer has no time limit

Best Battlefield 6 Training Paths and how to unlock them
By Joel Franey published
Guide Training Paths in BF6 are variant subclasses that provide different perks during multiplayer

Battlefield 6 review: "More refined than innovative, this FPS is on target with multiplayer even if its campaign is just a big shrug"
By Joel Franey published
Review

Is Fortnite down? And if so then how long is the Fortnite downtime?
By Iain Wilson last updated
Guide What to know if you're seeing the dreaded "Fortnite servers not responding" error

All Alan Wake 2 Nursery Rhyme and charm locations
By Leon Hurley last updated
Guide How to solve every rhyme and find all the dolls in Alan Wake 2

The best Helldivers 2 Warbonds for new players to buy first
By Will Sawyer last updated
Guide Our Warbond tier list for Helldivers 2 will let you know the best options for what to invest in

Everything in the Helldivers 2 Dust Devils Warbond and is it worth it?
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The Helldivers 2 Dust Devils premium Warbond focuses on desert warfare
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