A company is now offering hotel rooms on the moon, but the prices are quite high. Behind this is the vision of a founder who wants to conquer space in the future.
A company called GRU Space has publicly announced that it intends to build multiple habitats on the moon. The highlight will be a hotel, which is said to be inspired by the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco.
The plans sound ambitious. Within the next 6 years, they aim to achieve their high goals or at least organize the first moon missions. However, traveling to the moon and the corresponding hotel room is not cheap.
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Students spy on passersby with hidden cameras and AI, find name and address in seconds
The journey and the hotel on the moon cost at least 250,000 US dollars
On Monday, January 12, 2026, the company invited interested parties to make a deposit between 250,000 and 1 million dollars to secure a spot for one of the first moon missions. That amounts to about 200,000 euros and more for the travel and the hotel room. And keep in mind, this is just a deposit.
But the story gets even more interesting. The magazine Ars Technica reports that GRU Space had only one employee in December 2025: the founder Skyler Chan.
However, the founder seems to be serious about the matter. He stated in an interview with Ars Technica that the goal is to build a whole infrastructure:
I realized that we needed to create a third pillar: the space tourism industry. We could expand a proven market to the moon and build the first hotel there. And once we have built the hotel on the moon, we can expand our structures, like roads, warehouses, and outposts. And then we can repeat that on Mars. So I made that decision.
Why a hotel at all? Founder Chan’s thoughts go far beyond a hotel. His vision is: with a hotel, you give people a reason to go there, and you need the corresponding infrastructure to support people. However, others could also benefit from the created infrastructure. He himself compares it to the ships that brought the first pioneers to North America:
However, we are convinced that the fundamental problem we must solve to bring humanity to the moon and Mars is the colonization of other worlds. We cannot just leave all people on the first ship that sailed to North America, right? We must build the roads, buildings, and offices in which we live today.
The long-term vision is to extract resources from the moon, Mars, asteroids, and beyond to drive the expansion of humanity into space. This is also reflected in the company’s name: the “GRU” in the company’s name stands for “Galactic Resource Utilization.”
The company has already received its first funding
What’s next for the project? GRU Space has already received initial funding from Y Combinator, a company that funds startups in exchange for a percentage of the company shares.
With the initial funds, GRU Space aims to complete a three-month organizational program. This is intended to help Chan and his company refine their project and provide them with more opportunities for fundraising.
Players have also been identified as a target audience for trips. Some hotels are perfectly tailored to the needs of specific target groups. In Taiwan, a hotel is now fully geared towards gamers. You can read more about this directly on MeinMMO: Hotels discover gamers as a target audience, creating gamer paradises
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
According to a new leak, the developers of Battlefield 6 seem to plan to extend the current season and keep players waiting for new content even longer. They are reacting annoyed.
What is this leak about? According to a new leak, the developers of Battlefield 6 are currently planning to extend the current Season 1. An update is expected on January 20 that will officially announce the extension. New will then likely be an additional bonus path that players can complete on January 27.
Shortly after Valentine’s Day, the leak suggests that Season 1 of Battlefield 6 will end on February 16. One day later, on February 17, 2026, the new Season 2 is expected to start if the leak holds true. For the community, this is not good news, as they are left high and dry.
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Neuer Modus in Battlefield 6 bietet entspannte Runden und viel XP
90 % of the players are gone
How do players react to the leak? In a post on Reddit, the new leak is being widely discussed. Fans mainly believe that they have been waiting far too long for new content and that there is currently too little variety.
Player abracadoobra writes on Reddit that he plans to extend his break for a month, until new content arrives.
In contrast, Reddit user Ampleceted_Future thinks that another delay is what everyone wants, adding, “People were unhappy with the direction, so Dice slows down and adjusts while continuing, but people are angry that it takes time?”.
Even though the developers of Battlefield 6 are making an extra effort to develop “the right” content for the game, player numbers are looking anything but rosy. Reddit user Happy_Abbreviations3 clearly expresses his opinion: “Dice is trying to set a new record for the lowest player count. The perfect time to take a month off and hit the gym.”
How is Battlefield 6 doing? Almost no shooter was as popular in 2025 as Battlefield 6, and this was reflected in the player counts at launch. Over 700,000 players started the game simultaneously on Steam, with more players joining on consoles.
Today, Battlefield 6 has only about 75,000 players at peak times during the week, while on weekends it barely reached the 100,000 player mark according to SteamDB.
Battlefield 6 has lost many of its players, which makes the significance of Season 2 even greater, as it is about bringing players back to the battlefield.
The players of Battlefield 6 are hungry for new content. If the developers extend Season 1 and the leak proves true, this could send even more players into a break than have already left. While Battlefield 6 is on the podium of the biggest shooters, one title remains unbeaten: The biggest multiplayer shooters from Fall 2025 in ranking – Which game takes first place?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Some champions are so strong in League of Legends that even professionals fear them. One of them has had a new role since the last season and is now even stronger there.
Which champ is it? The demonic war hero Aatrox has been a part of League of Legends for over 12 years. He is mostly played on the top lane but has found a new place since the last LoL season.
If he was played at all, he was only placed in the jungle. The LoL community on Reddit was surprised that the champ has a larger audience and more success in the jungle than in his original role.
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League of Legends shows new trailer for Season 1 from 2026
Players are afraid of a raid boss in LoL
What changes are being made to Aatrox? With the new patch 26.02, which according to the Riot website is set to release on January 22, 2026, Aatrox’s ability that made him so strong in the jungle will be buffed. Here are the changes:
Patch 26.01 (current patch, as of January 14, 2026): His Q ability deals 15 bonus damage on the first hit and is increased to 18.75 and 22.5 bonus damage with the second and third hits, respectively. If you hit the so-called sweet spot of the swords, a small area of the ability, the damage will be even further increased.
Patch 26.02 (next patch on January 22, 2026): The first hit will now deal 25 bonus damage with the new patch, which is already more than the final hit of the ability in patch 26.01. The second and third hits will receive bonuses of 31.25 and 37.5 damage, respectively. The bonus for hitting the sweet spot will also be increased.
Additionally, his passive ability will be improved, allowing Aatrox to heal based on his maximum health.
What do players say about the changes? In the LoL subreddit, the complete patch notes for the upcoming update were shared.
The Reddit user notsureiftwins questions why Aatrox is being buffed and writes: “I know I am just Emerald/Diamond (the rank), but this is really funny: [Aatrox] goes ahead in 90% of my games and just melts people away. Raid boss style.”
What is Aatrox’s win rate? Another Reddit user wonders why Aatrox is being buffed in the jungle when he is currently having problems on the top lane. According to leagueofgraphs.com, Aatrox has a win rate of about 47% on the top lane across all ranks, which is still his most played position.
Even in the jungle, the demonic war hero has a win rate of approximately 47%. The exception is at the highest ranks (Master and above), where Aatrox has an impressive win rate of 52% in the jungle (as of January 14, 2026).
MeinMMO demon Cortyn has to hold back hard not to lose composure. Because the biggest promise of World of Warcraft Midnight is currently being taken.
There are few expansions I look forward to as much as Midnight. I love Quel’Thalas and the Blood Elves and have been a big fan of Xal’atath – ever since she was my Artifact weapon in Legion. Now housing has also come and brought WoW very close to perfection for me. The last issue was the (often deemed necessary) addons that one could use for raids or dungeons. Those should disappear soon as well. I thought. But Blizzard is diluting its own red line.
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WoW Midnight – The opening cinematic of the new addon shows the attack on Silvermoon
Midnight was supposed to be the end of combat-relevant addons
World of Warcraft Midnight is supposed to lead Blizzard’s MMORPG into a new era. Not only is the overhaul of the fundamental game systems continuing, but an important thing is also on the agenda: the “disarmament” of interface addons.
The Game Director of World of Warcraft wrote a long blog post about this and made it clear what is to be achieved: Interface addons should no longer provide any gameplay advantage. This means that pretty much all addons that extract any information from fights will no longer function.
Untouched will be addons that are purely visual or represent accessible information visually differently. Cosmetic adjustments should therefore still be available, as well as role-playing addons or databases that help in farming (like the addon “All The Things”).
At the same time, Blizzard is providing its own solutions for many addons, such as an internal “Damage Meter” or a timeline on which you can see when a boss uses special abilities. This aims to ensure that all information is accessible to everyone and that addons never become a necessity or expectation.
Strong start, strong decline
When the beta of Midnight launched, it was clear how serious Blizzard was about this. Addon authors, like those from WeakAuras, quickly threw in the towel and said: With these restrictions, we will no longer exist.
The developers at Blizzard then communicated closely with the addon authors to loosen restrictions and give cosmetic addons back the freedoms they need.
Basically, this is a good thing – but we all know how the World of Warcraft community works. As soon as there is a way to exploit something and gain even a minimal advantage, there will also be addons that implement it.
An example mentioned by YouTuber and analyst Bellular in his latest video is “Northern Sky Raid Tools”. You can see the relevant passage from minute 2:22 to minute 5:38:
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Why does this work? Because you set everything that can be set on an external website before the actual fight. You specify which characters participate in the boss fight and also which characters have which tasks – such as, which enemies need to be interrupted by whom. Then you receive lines of code that you insert into the addon in the game.
Since most boss fights have a fixed timer for when things happen, these are not “live information” from the fight – but rather prepared calls that are then converted into clear readable information. This makes it possible to display a big “INTERUPT THIS MOB” directly on the enemies’ health bars – without having to find out which mob actually belongs to which character.
And yes, strictly speaking, these are not combat information, but simply complex agreements made beforehand. However, for most it is probably clear that in the end it is just WeakAuras with extra steps.
Not so bad is still bad enough
Bellular believes that we should not view the whole situation so negatively. Because the new possibilities are still not as powerful as addons like “WeakAuras” currently are. Additionally, one would have to install a variety of addons to even come close to the capabilities currently possible with WeakAuras. This would only be interesting for hardcore raiders playing at the top mythical level and should have no significance for the vast majority of players.
I see it differently. If there is a possibility to gain gameplay-relevant tactical advantages through addons that go beyond just cosmetic interface adjustments, then that will also be utilized. Right now, in World of Warcraft, what “the pros” use is slowly trickling down, and more and more is seen as necessary by larger parts of the community.
Much promised – much diluted.
I have no reason to believe that things will be different with Midnight when Blizzard does not cut addons as heavily as initially announced.
From my perspective, there are only two ways Blizzard can salvage this situation.
Either Blizzard admits that they couldn’t manage it. It is simply not possible to completely cut down addons in their combat effectiveness without also disabling cosmetic addons and those that enable more accessibility.
Or Blizzard says: “We allowed too much again” and imposes more restrictions that will deactivate numerous addons again.
Because now we have the absurd situation that World of Warcraft Midnight starts with the pre-patch already next week, but “addons with advantages” somehow still exist – they are just slightly less powerful and significantly more difficult to implement. But they exist and can be used. This is exactly the opposite of what was promised and aimed for.
There is still time – but the clear line is missing
Fair is fair, Blizzard still has a few weeks of buffer time between the pre-patch and the actual release of Midnight at the beginning of March. But Blizzard needs to act quickly and clearly state where they actually want to go with addons. Because the “red line” has already been diluted again to the point that one could say with some cynicism: It all essentially remains as it is.
The big initiative that World of Warcraft wanted to create for more equality and fair conditions for everyone, regardless of whether with or without addons, seems to be more than just cracked.
My clear opinion on this: Kill all combat addons. I want to see a World of Warcraft where addons are only cosmetic. I want to see the developers’ vision that they have built an entire expansion around, with fights designed so that powerful addons belong to the past.
Do not deviate from this goal. It was simply not enough to just “disarm WeakAuras”. All other addons that provide any gameplay advantage in combat must be eliminated. In this respect, I am clearly for a “all or nothing” variant. Because if it is not done “all the way”, addons will end up being a requirement for many groups. In the end, it hinders everyone, who would like to get back into World of Warcraft.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The quest “Industrial Espionage” is one of the trickier ones in ARC Raiders. We show you how to solve it quickly and as safely as possible.
What kind of quest is this? You receive the quest from the merchant Tian Wen and need to deliver a weapon to a weapons depot. For this, you must go to the map “Buried City” and find the corresponding depot. In our guide, we show you the best way to do this.
Important: You only need to deliver the weapon there. You do not have to successfully reach an extraction point afterwards and can complete the quest directly during the match.
However, you need to have the weapon (Burletta) with you – if you accidentally sold or recycled it, you will need to craft a new one. You cannot simply restart the quest or obtain a new one from Tian Wen.
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ARC Raiders soll laut der Community die chilligsten Lobbys haben
You can find the weapons depot for “Industrial Espionage” at this location
Here you will find the weapons depot for the quest: Once you start your match on the “Buried City” map, you should head to the gas station map point. You will find it in the north of the map. Then, look out for a square container in the western part of the region. It is located near an old bridge ruin and a bus buried in the sand.
We have highlighted the region on the map in green for you:
Here you will find the crate for the weapon depot | Map: mapgenie.io
If you want to be as cautious as possible and avoid encountering enemies, it is advisable to bypass the loot zones in the region (the library and the hospital; shown in red on the map). There, you are likely to encounter other players.
When you approach the crate, it should display “1/1 Burletta”; otherwise, you have likely lost the weapon somewhere or disposed of it in some other way. Interact with the container, and you will automatically complete the quest.
You can then decide whether to continue playing the match or escape directly through an extraction point. The next point is quite a distance south of you.
A little girl discovered a character from the Anime My Hero Academia about a year ago. She realized that they have some things in common. Her discovery moved several people in charge.
What is this commonality? About a year ago, a little girl known as Windy-chan discovered a plush toy from My Hero Academia. The plush toy represented the character Shoto Todoroki, who, just like the girl, has a scar on his face.
As a new video shows, even more positive things have happened to the girl: Windy-chan not only got to meet the English-speaking voice actor of the character but also received a really great gift.
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My Hero Academia prepares for the emotional finale
Girl looks like the hero from My Hero Academia
How did she meet the English-speaking voice actor?On X, it’s shown how David Matranga meets the little girl. The two meet at a convention where Matranga is present for photos and autographs.
Windy-chan even dressed up as Shoto and carries the very doll she discovered in the store back then. The meeting is heartwarming. Of course, he signs a figure of Shoto for the little girl, at least the base on which the figure stands. Additionally, he takes a group photo with the whole family that they can now display at home.
Afterward, Windy-chan asks who Matranga’s favorite character is. He responds that he’s very biased, and of course, Shoto is his favorite.
What kind of gift did she receive? The streaming service Crunchyroll sent the little girl a complete package of surprises. In a picture on X, she can be seen proudly holding up 2 plush toys of Shoto and Tanjiro from Demon Slayer.
The movies of The Lord of the Rings by director Peter Jackson have enjoyed great popularity since their release. This also applies to the Extended Cuts, which are the longer versions. Jackson has now commented on rumors of an even more extensive version.
No matter if as a book or in the film adaptation – The Lord of the Rings is an epic. The story takes some time due to the numerous characters, locations, and plot lines.
As is often the case, there are also different versions of The Lord of the Rings. On one hand, the theatrical version, which lasts about 558 minutes across all three films. On the other hand, the so-called Extended Cuts, which are more detailed versions that last a total of 683 minutes, over 11 hours.
But that is still not enough for many fans. For years, there have been rumors about another cut, the so-called “Mithril Cut”.
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Epic Trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship
Peter Jackson responds to the rumors
What is the Mithril Cut? In short: a longer version of The Lord of the Rings, basically an Extended-Extended-Cut. Fans believe there are more secret scenes that were never released but would add further content to the film universe.
The name “Mithril” refers to a valuable metal that is very rare and resistant. Frodo receives a shirt made from this material in “The Fellowship of the Ring,” which saves him from the otherwise deadly blade of the Witch King of Angmar.
Does the Mithril Cut really exist? As is often the case with such rumors, they seem to become more real the longer they exist. But now someone who should know has responded: Peter Jackson, the director of the trilogy.
In a conversation with Empire, he must disappoint the fans. The Mithril Cut never existed and does not exist. He elaborates:
Are there great scenes that we never used? The answer is no. There are a few little things here and there, I think. But if one were to release an Extended-Extended-Cut version or whatever you want to call it, it would be disappointing. It would be an Extended Cut version with a few extra seconds here and there; it wouldn’t be worth making.
Peter Jackson
The rumors have arisen because in the past, individual scenes were mentioned that never appear in the film. For example, one where you get to see a young Aragorn. As it turns out, those were just fragments of scenes that would offer little added value.
So no new material for the fans? While Peter Jackson disappoints all those who were waiting for the Mithril Cut, he raises hopes for a possible documentary about The Lord of the Rings.
According to the director, in addition to the already very detailed making-ofs (available on the DVDs and Blu-rays), there are still more alternative scenes and bloopers. All of this could be combined in a future, long documentary. But when and if that will really happen is left open by Jackson. Until then, we can continue to enjoy the high quality of the actual films: The Lord of the Rings trilogy still looks fantastic after 2 decades; we owe that to a technology that is over 113 years old
So no new material for the fans? While Peter Jackson disappoints all those who were waiting for the Mithril Cut, he raises hopes for a possible documentary about The Lord of the Rings.
According to the director, in addition to the already very detailed making-ofs (available on the DVDs and Blu-rays), there are still more alternative scenes and bloopers. All of this could be combined in a future, long documentary. But when and if that will really happen is left open by Jackson. Until then, we can continue to enjoy the high quality of the actual films: The Lord of the Rings trilogy still looks fantastic after 2 decades; we owe that to a technology that is over 113 years old
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A leading developer of ARC Raiders has talked about the game’s matchmaking and shared information that “rats” might interpret as a warning.
Who is warning here?
Virgil Watkins, the lead designer of ARC Raiders, discussed the game’s matchmaking in an interview with gamesradar.
Watkins states that “aggression-based” is somewhat misleading as a description of the system, but players are not entirely wrong in their understanding of how it works – however, player behavior is just a small part of a significantly more complex system.
The developer then shares information that “rats” might interpret as a warning.
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Spieler in Arc Raiders schreit so laut um Hilfe, dass der Nachbar die Tür aufbricht
ARC Raiders knows what you did on the last map
What is this warning to the rats? Watkins says that the game can determine if someone is shooting you sneakily in the back. “We can track who shoots first and who takes damage,” he explains.
As Embark’s CEO Patrick Söderlund confirmed back in December, your playstyle affects which lobbies you enter. So if you often shoot other players in the back, the game recognizes that, and you will more frequently enter lobbies with other players who also shoot first.
Watkins then explains that the game, however, cannot discern intent or morality, only who lands hits on another raider first:
“If I am a very bad player and you are a good player, and I am the attacker and just miss all my shots while you defend yourself, then the game doesn’t know what the intent was. It only saw that you defeated me because I am so bad.”
So if you want to ensure that the game does not label you as the aggressor in a conflict between raiders, you might just have to let yourself be hit first.
If tabletop adventures are cancelled, it can be frustrating. But for fans of the Anime Overlord, that is the reason why the series even exists.
Anime often have a curious backstory. Because it’s not always just the author’s diligence that brings a work to life – sometimes it’s also a pinch of frustration. That was the case with Overlord. The author, Kugane Murayama, actually wanted to play tabletop with his friends.
But because the sessions kept getting cancelled, he instead wrote Overlord during that time – both the manga and the series became a huge success.
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Trailer for Overlord, the Isekai anime featuring a monster lich as the protagonist
Tabletop group never comes together – that creates time
What did the author say? In an interview (mypage.syosetsu) eight years ago, Murayama explained how Overlord came to be. To which he replied:
One of the reasons I started writing is the fact that my [tabletop] group no longer met regularly. Even in the setting of Overlord, the RPG plays a significant role.
Elsewhere, he clarified that this tabletop game was Dungeons&Dragons. Thus, it is clear: We have the (somewhat unreliable) tabletop group of Murayama to thank for both the Overlord books and the anime ever being released.
What is Overlord about? Overlord takes place in the world of the MMORPG “YGGDRASIL” – at least at the beginning. Because the game is being shut down. The player with the character “Momonga” logs in one last time to settle in the guild hall of his “monster guild”. In the process, he reflects on past adventures and waits for the servers to be shut down.
But time passes and … nothing happens. The game world continues to run, and the NPCs suddenly come to life. Momonga then takes the name of his guild “Ainz Ooal Gown” and plans to dominate the game world – with the wealth of his guild and all the NPCs he and his former teammates have gathered over the years.
How has D&D influenced Overlord? How strongly Overlord is influenced by Dungeons&Dragons can be noticed in almost every episode. The entire magic system in the series is based on D&D – both the “levels” of the various spells and many of the abilities themselves. Almost all have a counterpart in tabletop or are even directly taken from it.
While the levels in YGGDRASIL (the PC game that the protagonist merges with) differ, as levels up to 100 (and possibly higher) can be achieved there – in D&D, it generally caps around level 30 with epic creatures.
Overlord, like many other modern anime, belongs to the so-called “isekai” genre, where characters from the real world are transported to a fantasy world and then experience adventures with their knowledge and often special abilities. We have introduced some of the best isekai anime here.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A customer is buying a powerful computer for AI content. The machine has more video memory (VRAM) than RAM for a good reason. In AI, CPU and RAM play a lesser role, while the graphics card and its VRAM are much more important.
A user reports on Reddit that a friend of his works at a PC company that professionally assembles PC systems for buyers. A customer is said to have ordered a special PC system: a machine with 4 RTX-4090 graphics cards and 64 GB of RAM.
The special thing about the system: The 4 graphics cards alone have more video memory than the entire computer has RAM. A standard RTX 4090 has 24 GB of VRAM, which totals 96 GB of video memory.
How much did the system cost? The user explains that the customer paid about 16,000 US dollars for the PC, including assembly, shipping, and warranty. This is approximately 14,000 euros.
What is not known? It is not known which CPU, which motherboard, how much system memory, and what kind of case are installed. According to another comment on Reddit, the case is said to be a specific custom model from a Chinese manufacturer. The motherboard offers 8 slots for RAM, so it is likely to be a specific motherboard.
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Valve presents the Steam Machine in the new trailer
Generative AI relies on fast graphics cards and readily available video memory
And what is the expensive hardware used for? According to the user’s statement, the customer wants to use the system to deploy AI models locally. This at least explains the need for the graphics cards.
Why is VRAM more important than RAM? The computer is primarily intended for generative AI use. A lot of RAM does not bring significant advantages in generative AI. RAM only becomes important, as a user explains on Reddit, when you want to save intermediate steps, called checkpoints.
Video memory has the advantage that you can already fit the entire AI model into this memory. The important and large models are then at 20 GB and more. Processor and RAM play a less important role here because VRAM is significantly faster than normal RAM and is much more directly connected to the graphics card and its graphics processor.
Neural networks, for example, require many parallel calculations simultaneously, which graphics cards are particularly good at. The more video memory is available, the faster and easier it goes. Running these calculations on a CPU that then accesses normal RAM would be significantly slower.
Community considers the computer a fair offer when observing high prices
Why is this a good offer? Several users explain that 14,000 euros for such a system is quite fair, considering the current market situation. Particularly in light of the rising prices for hardware. Because it is still unclear when prices will stop rising.
Just the four graphics cards and 64 GB of RAM are expected to be significantly more expensive in a few months than they are currently. One user writes that the offer is better than he thought. Another adds: “With the 5k cards that are coming soon, it sounds almost like a good deal.”
Upon the release of Hytale, MeinMMO author Johanna took a look at the Minecraft competitor. Her conclusion: Hytale gives her exactly what she has always missed in Minecraft.
And another to be honest: Minecraft, which is very similar to Hytale, was never really my game. I never spent excessive hours in the game, just – like many others probably do – the two weeks a year when you play the game with your friends. Otherwise, the game never really grabbed me.
Still, I really wanted to try Hytale. The game showed many things in its trailer that piqued my interest: An avatar that you can customize (I am a simple woman), discovering temples and other interesting buildings plus survival elements.
Here you can get a first impression with the gameplay trailer:
Start video
Hytale shows 16 minutes of gameplay with the state from 2025, clarifying how exploring and fighting looks
Limitations are more
What does Hytale give me now? Simply put: limitations and a few RPG elements.
Minecraft is essentially a huge sandbox game that gives you the freedom to build whatever you want. That overwhelms me. It requires too much decision-making. I have to bring a lot of my own creativity to fill the world of Minecraft.
That doesn’t feel the same in Hytale. I don’t feel the pressure to be overly creative to create impressive builds because they already exist.
I know what the counterargument is now: “Hytale is also a sandbox game!” And that is true, no question, especially in its current state. But! Hytale gives me limitations in that it sets a style and doesn’t have too many building options (so far, of course).
The game presents a world that is coherent with its details and design. That inspires me to design my own builds in a way that fits into the world.
Hytale shows me a world with many beautiful details that I can explore.
Furthermore, Hytale already offers many different biomes with many different creatures. Not to mention the monsters.
And another resolved problem that I had in Minecraft: As a solo player, I always felt quite lonely. In Hytale, I also spawn alone, but it didn’t take half an hour before I found other friendly creatures.
NPCs greet me by waving when I encounter them. My loneliness is cured!
In Hytale, patience is required
What’s the downside? One thing that annoys me is that Hytale is still in early access and many aspects of the game are not yet possible. I would just like even more “limitations” or things I can do.
Many buildings are unfortunately still not accessible and are marked with such a sign.
But those are small details and with what Hytale already has to offer, I’m excited about what the future of the game holds. I’m sure: I will spend more time in Hytale than the maximum two weeks a year like in Minecraft.
After a long wait, the first version of the Minecraft alternative finally launched on January 13th, and the numbers already show success.
How did the launch go? The developers of Hytale repeatedly warned in the days leading up to the release about issues at launch. It was stated even before release that the game had already sold a million copies and a large influx was expected. On January 11, 2026, CEO Simon wrote on X.com: “We expect over 1 million players on the day of Hytale’s Early Access release (January 13th) […]”.
However, this mark was finally surpassed. According to a screenshot from Hytale content creator Myne on X.com, “Simon,” as he is known in the game, posted that player numbers would be at 2.8 million on the evening of the release. He himself only stated on his X.com account: “We are seeing a VERY HIGH rate of new Hytale players.”
While it is unclear whether these are logins, concurrent players, or sold units, since it is the evening of the release, these numbers are likely to be quite close together. But that is not the only success that Hytale has achieved.
Here you can watch a trailer for Hytale:
Start video
Hytale shows 16 minutes of gameplay with the state from 2025, clarifying how exploring and fighting looks
Mega Success for Hytale
What else has Hytale achieved? The Minecraft alternative is not only successful in terms of player numbers, but it has also become the largest gaming category on Twitch, as the website SullyGnome.com shows. Thousands of streamers and over 400,000 viewers ventured into the new hit and tested how good Hytale really is.
Despite the blocky appearance, Hytale aims to impress graphically.
Time for a Patch
How are the developers responding to the surge? While the developers and CEO “Simon” personally warned for days about delays in purchasing, sending confirmation emails, and waiting times at login, they did not remain idle.
On the release day, January 13, 2026, a first patch was released, which is supposed to fix important bugs in the game and especially in the internal systems. Several crashes that previously caused the game to crash or led to login issues were addressed. You can find the complete patch notes on Hytale.com
However, the patch did not bring any expansions for gameplay. These are expected only in upcoming patches, after the developers have managed the surge at launch.
Why does Hytale only start now? The development history of Hytale raised some doubts about whether the Minecraft competitor could really achieve the success that the once highly successful trailer had promised. After the purchase by Riot, they opted for a different engine and a new concept, developing for years, only to then stop development.
To craft weapons in Hytale, you need the ore Thorium. In this guide, you’ll learn how to find the material and what it can be used for.
What is Thorium? Thorium is a green ore in Hytale. It is required to craft the third set of armor, weapons, and shield, as well as the fourth set of tools. Here is the item description:
While Ferans do not themselves make use of this metal, they keep a vigilant watch over its deposits in the sun-scorched deserts and arid badlands. Should their age-old enemies rise once more, these reserves would be the first they sought to harvest.
This is what Thorium looks like in Hytale.
Finding Thorium in Hytale
Where can you find Thorium? Thorium can be found in the Howling Desert among other places. There, the ore can be mined both on and in the mountains. Specifically, you should search the brown-marked areas of the mountains on the map, as Thorium has not yet been found in the lighter regions.
In the desert, there are also dark holes in the ground where Thorium ore spawns like any other ore.
The specific bars can also be a boss drop from an armored skeleton in volcanic areas. YouTuber BundaBlox received two Thorium bars after defeating this enemy:
Thorium – What the ore is needed for
What can you craft with Thorium? Thorium is required to craft the third set of armor, weapons, and shield, as well as the fourth set of tools and the Tier 2 Workbench in Hytale. Before the tools and weapons can be crafted, the ore must be smelted into bars in the Furnace.
The following amounts of Thorium are needed for the respective items:
RAGNAROK X: NEXT GENERATION has finally launched its global Open Beta. The highly anticipated new mobile MMO with a unique graphic style can now be extensively played.
On January 14, 2026, a new journey begins as RAGNAROK X: NEXT GENERATION (ROX Global) opens its gates for beta players around the world.
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ROX Global has over 25 million players worldwide and is now ready to make its blend of nostalgic charm and modern innovation accessible to an even wider audience. You can now download the game from the official website and respective app stores to return to the world of Midgard.
Since its debut, ROX Global has achieved success in multiple markets, receiving awards such as Google Play’s Best Game of the Year in regions like Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia.
In 2025, the game successfully expanded to America, proving its ongoing appeal and solidifying its position as a top contender in the regional MMORPG charts.
After a constructive soft launch phase, ROX Global now announces the start of the official open beta on January 14, 2026!
Based on feedback from players across various regions, it is clear that communities particularly value the core pillars of classic MMORPGs: steady progression, strategic dungeons, and deep social connections. And today, a new generation of adventurers enters the world of Midgard.
The core experience – A truly player-driven economy
Based on a 20-year Ragnarok IP tradition, ROX Global preserves the essence of classic MMORPGs from the PC era. It combines venerable systems – such as attribute point distribution and card enchantments – with modern mobile optimization to pave the way for a refreshed adventure:
Farm-to-Win (F2W): Pure gameplay progression: All core equipment, upgrade materials, and cosmetics can be obtained purely through gameplay – quests, dungeons, life skills, and especially through the Exchange Center, the game’s trading place. Optional spending accelerates progress, but the choice remains yours: Be a grinder or a payer.
Player-driven economy: The Exchange Center allows players to set prices and freely offer their loot. The entire economy is regulated by natural supply and demand, with the system taking only a minimal transaction fee.
True F2P accessibility: The premium currency diamonds and the in-game currency crystals are fully exchangeable in both directions, allowing free-to-play players to access all content and even benefit by investing time and trading rare items.
Community, epic battles, and the beauty of social gaming in Midgard
At the heart of the ROX Global experience lies its social ecosystem designed to foster community through intense competition and meaningful interaction. Two core pillars define the collective adventure.
Brotherhood on the battlefield: Honor and competitive glory
For players who love challenges and team strategy, ROX Global offers robust competitive social systems:
Guild Wars (GVG & KVM): The ultimate test of strategy and teamwork. Guilds fight against opponents in large-scale GVG warfare and tactical KVM/5v5 matches to gain city control and rare resources. These systems form the core of competitive gameplay, offering high stakes and exciting battles.
Epic global championships: In addition to regional battles, players can compete in massive global tournaments such as the War of the Chosen, gaining the highest honors and exclusive champion rewards.
Bonds & Lifestyle: Social connection and personal expression
Beyond combat, ROX Global offers extensive features for community building and self-expression:
Social & pair systems: Through dedicated guild activities and the pair system (oath/marriage), players can form lasting bonds. Couples can host grand weddings and unlock unique partner skills and mounts.
Style & personalization: Personal flair is important. The game offers a wide selection of exquisitely crafted outfits, headgear, and quirky mounts – from adorable Poring to the futuristic Whirlwind skateboard – ensuring that every adventurer stands out in Midgard’s vibrant cities.
Casual fun: A seamless social integration, including a user-friendly photo mode, ensures that adventurers never feel alone – perfect for players who value a strong community culture.
Start your adventure today: The gates of Midgard are open, and you don’t have to embark on the journey alone. Gather your friends and join us on this epic adventure!
The adjustments for the Dragonknight are on the public test server of Elder Scrolls Online. The initial feedback is surprisingly positive, as the fundamental combat experience is also expected to improve significantly. But what about the players who do not play Dragonknight?
What is currently playable on the test server? On the PTS (Public Test Server) of Elder Scrolls Online, you can test some of the new features that are supposed to come with Update 49 or “Season Zero: Morninglight and Eveninglight.” These include:
Adjustments for Dragonknight class
Improved two-handed weapon skill line
The new Gold Coast Bazaar with a selection of offers
Diverse improvements for the overall player experience, comfort, and quality of life
Not yet testable are, for example, the new battle pass system around the Tamriel Folios or the event zone Night Market. Interested parties can download the test server via the PC launcher as usual. To do this, you must activate the option “Show Public Test Server” in the launcher settings.
Start video
Microsoft brings Elder Scrolls Online to the big stage with colorful trailer
The Dragonknight offers hope for more enjoyable battles
What is happening with the Dragonknight? Behind the visual overhaul and balancing updates of the Dragonknight, which were announced as part of the roadmap for 2026, there is a lot going on in detail. There are many changes, especially in the skill lines of the class. But also in the visual and tangible impact of the attacks.
The goal of the developers is to give the Dragonknight a playstyle where it becomes increasingly powerful during combat, to then explode like a volcano. Each skill line is supposed to offer something significant, they want to improve the support abilities of the class, and the overall combat experience with the class should improve.
The details on all the already implemented and still planned adjustments can be found in a very extensive article on elderscrollsonline.com.
Is the goal achievable? The new combat effects of the Dragonknight and the suddenly noticeable impact behind some attacks have received somewhat euphoric praise from many testers.
Eigh1 Puppies explains in his video on YouTube: “In my opinion, these changes may easily become some of the most positively impactful new features for the combat experience in recent years.”
cujokills celebrates in her video on YouTube: “The new effects look incredible, but they also feel fantastic.”
However, the details show that the developers still have quite a bit of work to do, as highlighted by the YouTube video or the feedback document on docs.google.com from Skinny Cheeks. Especially the audio effects and the names of the new skills received a lot of criticism. Furthermore, the balance does not seem to be right yet, as some skills appear to be too weak.
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What is the biggest problem? The developers seem to be moving in the right direction with the Dragonknight adjustments. However, there are still 6 other classes, and more weapons than just the two-handed. According to the roadmap for 2026, by December only the Warden and the Sorcerer will receive a similar modernization.
Priest, Nightblade, Necromancer, and Arcanist will, therefore, not be updated until at least 2027. Perhaps one of the classes will even slip into 2028. When the other weapons will come is unclear.
Even if the developers succeed with Update 49 in noticeably improving the combat experience with the Dragonknight, it will still take a long time until the players who play other classes will benefit. This is noticeably frustrating a part of the community:
iforgotmyemailxdd jokes on Reddit: “Great, I’ll play again … in about 2 years.”
Idefix2 writes in the official ESO forum: “One class at a time simply takes too long. It would be better to do everything at once.”
In the process between the dismissed employees and GTA 6 and Rockstar, the studio claims that “highly sensitive materials” were discussed, which they did not want to announce yet. However, as they had to provide evidence for this, Rockstar leaked exactly the feature they wanted to protect.
What did Rockstar have to prove? During a preliminary hearing regarding the dispute between Rockstar Games and the dismissed employees, both sides presented their own evidence to support their case. This mainly concerned the decision of whether the dismissed employees were entitled to interim compensation. This would mean that Rockstar has to continue paying their salaries until the final hearing.
Rockstar argues with various accusations, including the dissemination of “highly sensitive materials” on an internal company Discord channel. These were so “strictly confidential” that they should not be read aloud in court. However, the evidence for this accusation subsequently became available to the public.
The team from “People Make Games” examined the printed evidence closely and indeed found the “strictly confidential” feature that Rockstar was trying to keep from the public.
Start video
MeinMMO and GameStar discuss the future of GTA 6
Collected evidence amounts to over 2,000 pages
What feature is being referred to? The team from People Make Games examined the submitted evidence from Rockstar Games, which included three thick binders containing over 2,000 pages of material.
In their video on YouTube, they emphasize that there is only physical evidence, so during the few hours they had, they could only skim through many of the pages. They were looking for interesting content that was relevant to the hearing.
They also highlight that the strictly confidential feature is said to involve multiplayer sessions with up to 32 players. This has not yet been officially announced by Rockstar but circulated on the internal company Discord channel when the exact number of players was mentioned in writing.
Rockstar and its strategy of isolation The Rockstar executives around the Housers (Dan and Sam) are unlikely to be happy about having to disclose internal information in the course of the court proceedings. Rockstar Games has been known for its strategy of isolation for many years. They take every possible measure to prevent leaks. Official interviews are rare. The dismissals of the employees involved in the current court proceedings underscore this.
The discussion on Discord, and Rockstar’s alleged misconduct of the employees, refers to the fact that the QA team at Rockstar had taken vacation and therefore they could not assemble 32 players. The exact message used as evidence for the violation was as follows:
“No idea, they said the big session today was ‘difficult’, but that was 32 players, I don’t know why that should have been difficult.” (Source: YouTube)
What other messages were considered “misconduct” by Rockstar Games? Conversations between employees included concerns about potential crunch times, possible elimination of cafeteria benefits, and worries about the use of generative AI. The chat also addressed pressure regarding commuting to and from the office in dangerous weather.
Additionally, some “stronger” words and insults were reportedly used. “Cowardly entrepreneur ass” and “c*nt” are reportedly two terms mentioned for managers and supervisors.
Particularly surprising is the dismissal of an employee who only formulated one sentence in the affected Discord conversation. And it did not even cast the company in a bad light. Regarding the crunch times, he only wrote: “Nothing I heard in North QA! I’ll keep you updated if that changes.”
Even though the preliminary hearing does not yet involve the official trial, it was the first step for both sides to present their respective concerns and provide evidence. How the process will proceed and how the court will ultimately decide remains uncertain.
The Anime Sentenced to Be a Hero started a few days ago on Crunchyroll. With its premiere, it achieved something that only a few series manage.
What was so special about Episode 1? Sentenced to Be a Hero released its first episode as a one-hour special. This created plenty of hype among fans, as it impressed with its animations and action.
Now, there’s a new image for the upcoming Episode 2 on X. It features Xylo, the protagonist of the series, as well as Teoritta, a goddess. In addition, there are two more characters to discover: Norgalle Senridge and Tatsuya.
With Episode 2, the series transitions into the “Gun Mine Shaft” arc. This is one of the first major missions that Xylo must complete with Teoritta. Here, they need to explore a mine that transforms people and animals into monsters. The arc forces the characters to fight with limited evasive maneuvers due to the narrow corridors.
The transition to the new arc simultaneously means that the first arc was already concluded with the first episode. The novels on which the anime is based are divided into missions and backstories. Episode 1 already covered the entire “Forest Mission” arc.
This is rare in the anime field. Another example is Oshi no Ko, whose premiere was almost 90 minutes long. A counterexample, where the first arc stretches over several episodes, is Demon Slayer. Here, the first Final Selection-arc lasts a whole 5 episodes.
Start video
Sentenced to Be a Hero: Trailer for the anime shows heroism as punishment
Sentenced to Be a Hero keeps expectations high
What do fans say about this? On Reddit, fans find it “really cool”. They hope that the upcoming episodes can maintain the quality of the premiere. If that’s the case, Sentenced to Be a Hero would be “an example of how much direction can work wonders.”
However, viewers also wish that the anime wouldn’t ignore the premise of 2 seasons, as Oshi no Ko would. Here, fans on Reddit are dissatisfied with the pacing.
But so far, the anime community is celebrating the series. One user summarizes it and renames the anime to “Sentenced to Be Peak”.
HBO Max launches in Germany with many different movies and series. MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes has to recommend a film that has been unjustly rated poorly by critics.
Which film is it? In 2019, Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters was released as a sequel to the American Godzilla film from 2014 (in between, Kong: Skull Island was also released). This time, it is not the humans who must confront Godzilla. The King of the Monsters faces another monster that wants to rule over the Earth.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film received rather mediocre reviews from critics. With 351 reviews, the film only has a 42% rating. To me, that is a true scandal, as there are only a few films that can offer such a spectacle.
Start video
Im Trailer zu Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters, zeigt die Riesenechse, warum sie so gefürchtet wird
The King of Monsters is always impressive
What makes the film so good?Since 1954, Godzilla has represented spectacle. A gigantic monster that destroys entire cities is simply impressive. As in previous films, Godzilla in King of Monsters acts more as a hero of humanity, who must stop the threatening Kaijū.
And that alone is already a lot of fun. There are many monsters from Godzilla’s history to see, and the battles are intense. They are brutal, look great, and the bluish color and the constant rain give the film a unique look that I can watch over and over.
Especially amazing are the sound and the sound design. Godzilla (and the battles) sound fantastic. Sitting in the cinema seat, you constantly have goosebumps. Last year, I bought a sound system for my living room and the first thing I watched was this film. Godzilla literally made my living room shake, just with its roar.
That’s exactly what I love about the franchise. I want to see the giant creatures presented grandly to marvel at, jaw dropped, in front of the screen or the TV. And in King of the Monsters, the monsters are indeed beautiful, threatening, and spectacular.
What is the biggest criticism? The biggest problem with the film is precisely the humans. You often read that the action and battles are strong, but the boring scenes with the humans detract from it. And yes, that is true. Many of the dialogues are complete nonsense, and I would have preferred more monsters.
But there are moments when the humans show awe, respect, and wonder in the face of the monsters. Just like you do when watching the film. And frankly: silly dialogues are somehow part of it.
Overall, it’s the best film of the Monsterverse from Warner Bros. Even though I had a lot of fun with Godzilla vs. Kong and Godzilla x Kong, none of the US films managed to capture the mystique of the monsters as well.
Make sure to watch Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters. It is a spectacle for the eyes and ears, and it shows why this franchise, despite its age, has not lost any of its fascination. And even if the humans are sometimes annoying: for all the positive aspects, you can ignore that.
The well-known tech YouTuber Linus Tech Tips built a PC from old components to see how much gaming performance is in a machine from the years 2010 – 2015.
What does the creator present? In the YouTube video from March 16, 2024, on the Linus Tech Tips channel, he tests an 11-year-old PC that, according to his statement, would currently cost about $10,000 or about €8,600 (as of January 13, 2026).
The interesting thing about this computer, according to Linus, is its enormous size and the possibility to use four graphics cards simultaneously via SLI. This is a technology no longer in use, where older NVIDIA graphics cards that support the function could be used together in one PC to gain more performance. The connection also confused another user, to whom the community explained, why the SLI technology is now obsolete.
In the video, Linus presents the hardware of the PC and checks how well games like Crysis 2, Cyberpunk 2077, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider run. In the case of Cyberpunk 2077, the game doesn’t even start and crashes even with a legacy patch for older hardware.
If you’re not done with old technology, check out the video about a cult classic in gaming history:
Start video
He created a legendary game, but didn’t get paid for it – Today he’s still a millionaire
A huge motherboard, a 1600-watt power supply, and four graphics cards are inside the computer
What hardware does the YouTuber use? In the video, Linus uses the following parts for his project:
Motherboard: EVGA Classified Super Record 2 (SR-2)
Processor: Two Intel Xeon x5690
Graphics cards: Four EVGA GTX 980 TI and later an RTX 3090 Ti
RAM: Six 4 GB DDR3 RAM with 1600 MHz from Corsair
Power supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 1600 T2
Storage: Two terabyte Samsung Evo 850 SATA SSD
Case: EVGA DG-85
This results in a PC that was still powerful a decade ago, albeit very expensive.
More than one graphics card was already inefficient according to Linus 11 years ago
Is the system still worth it from today’s perspective? In the video, the tech YouTuber shows that the system can output games from the past at least 60 FPS, but he also notes that the SLI technology had already been very costly in the past.
With an active GTX 980 Ti, for example, Crysis 2 from 2011 ran in WQHD in the video at about 60 – 70 frames per second. After three additional GTX 980 TIs were installed and SLI was activated, the FPS rose to about 120 – 145. Linus explained that the performance had already been very similar with two graphics cards.
In the following test of the Shadow of the Tomb Raider released in 2018, the PC averaged about 45 FPS, while, according to the YouTuber, little power of the additional GPUs was used. Cyberpunk 2077 did not start at all and could not be tested.
To boost performance, Linus later replaced the GTX 980 Ti with an RTX 3090 Ti. The initially chosen RTX 4090 couldn’t be used because there was no software for this graphics card for Windows 7. With the change of the graphics card, the FPS improved significantly. For example, in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, performance improved on average from about 45 to around 90 FPS.
Recently, a new zombie game was released on Steam, allowing you to experience the apocalypse from a different perspective: not that of a hardened survival expert, but that of a bouncer – and he has his methods to determine who gets in and who doesn’t.
Which game is being talked about? It’s Quarantine Zone: The Last Check, the first game from developer Brigada Games on Steam. Devolver Digital acts as the publisher. The game is a pure single-player experience where you guard a checkpoint in a city during the zombie apocalypse.
Thus, you are effectively “the bouncer of the apocalypse,” as Steam user TickleMeTao summarizes in his review. You alone decide who may enter the city and who may not. However, one major mistake could be enough for you to bring the plague inside.
Quarantine Zone: The Last Check – Trailer for the new zombie game on Steam
Bouncer of the Apocalypse with Chaos Potential
How does Quarantine Zone: The Last Check play? The gameplay is essentially similar to games like Papers, Please or Contraband Police. Your primary task is to subject newcomers to medical checks to determine if they are infected with the zombie virus.
During this, rather humorous situations can arise: As seen in the trailer, one of your tools is a hammer. With it, you can test people’s reflexes like ordinary doctors to see if they are healthy.
The survivors also respond accordingly if you (hopefully only accidentally) hit them on the head or other, well, sensitive areas with this hammer. Overall, the game doesn’t take itself too seriously, even though the underlying atmosphere is quite dark.
Be careful where you swing that hammer…
Additionally, you will search the survivors for dangerous contraband items. Occasionally, you may even shoot zombies yourself: From a tower, you can mow down hordes of the undead with a machine gun, or pick them off one by one with a pistol from the ground.
Fun, but Repetitive Gameplay – and Quite a Few Bugs
How is the game currently received? Out of 777 reviews (as of January 13, 14:34), 76% are positive. The biggest drawbacks are not only the somewhat repetitive gameplay but also the numerous bugs that plague the game at launch.
Steam user karakura_king warns in a review about a serious bug that could cause you to restart the campaign. Nevertheless, he is very convinced of the game: “10/10, will keep Crazy Dave in my base!”
TickleMeTao raves about the game in his review: “It makes you laugh, panic, and question your morals at the same time. If you’ve always wanted to feel important while accidentally causing a disaster, this game understands you perfectly.”
For Steam user RoyCosta, the number of bugs is simply too high. He writes in his review: “Yes, the game is fun, but the number of bugs I encountered in just two hours is a joke.” He believes the game is not worth its current price.
Quarantine Zone: The Last Check is regularly priced at 19.99 Euro on Steam, but is on sale for 17.99 Euro until January 26, 2026.
