Hytale: Multiplayer – How to play with friends and fix known problems

Christos Tsogos Christos Tsogos Reading time 3 minutes

Hytale is the new sandbox game for fans of Minecraft. Many interested players want to experience an adventure with their friends, but some of them have problems with multiplayer. We show you how to connect with your friends.

[toc]

How can I play with friends? There are two ways to meet up with friends in Hytale. Either you host a game world and let other players join, or you join a world yourself. Hytale uses your router with UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) to establish a secure connection.

Depending on what you want to set up, you will need to follow different steps to meet up with your friends. We explain both options and also provide solutions if there are issues connecting.

Start video
Hytale shows 16 minutes of gameplay with the state from 2025, clarifying how exploring and fighting looks

Hytale: Host Your Own World

To host a world, you should proceed as follows:

  • Create a world in singleplayer
  • Press ESC and open the pause menu
  • Click on “Online Play”
  • Set “Allow Other Players to Join” to “On”
    • (Optional) Enable a password to restrict access
    • (Optional) Enable “Include Password in Share Code” to embed the password.
  • Save your settings

Hytale will now communicate with your router to enable UPnP. Once the process is complete, a code will be displayed on your screen. Additionally, the connection status of UPnP and the NAT type will be shown below.

Now click on “Copy to Clipboard” and send the code to your friends. With this, they can join your world.

Hytale: Join a World

To join a world, you should proceed as follows:

  • Open the menu with ESC and go to the “Servers” menu item
  • Click on “Join via Code”
  • Paste the code that you received from your friends
    • (Optional) If a password is active, you must enter it now
  • Click on “Connect”

The client will attempt to establish each connection in order of priority until a connection is successful.

With these steps, you should be able to connect, but some players still report issues when setting up a session. Below we will now show you some solutions that could be the cause of the problem.

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Multiplayer Not Working – How to Fix the Error

In Hytale, there could be various reasons why you cannot join a world or generate codes. We will now provide different solutions for various issues that you can try.

Error 1: Code Cannot Be Generated

Problem Occurrence: No code has been generated when attempting to generate a code for your world. The system is blocking it and you may receive an error message.

ReasonsSolutions
UPnP is disabled on the routerLog into the administration interface of your router and enable UPnP.
Router does not support UPnPUse manual port forwarding (Source: support.hytale.com) or let one of your friends host the world.
Multiple routers are activeEnable UPnP on all routers or connect your PC directly to the main router.
Firewall blocks HytaleAllow Hytale through your firewall.

Error 2: Friends Cannot Join

Problem Occurrence: The code was successfully generated, but friends cannot connect to the world. The result is timeouts and errors.

ReasonsSolutions
CGNATYour internet provider shares a public IP address with multiple customers. Therefore, UPnP port forwarding does not work. Friends should take the role of the host.
Firewall blocks incoming trafficAllow Hytale in the Windows firewall for private and public networks.
UPnP mapping expiredSave the online game settings again to update the mapping.
Antivirus interferenceTemporarily disable or add Hytale as an exception.
Internet providers block game portsContact your internet provider or use Tailscale (Source: support.hytale.com)

Those are all the important infos we can provide you for multiplayer in Hytale and creating a game world. If you can offer additional solutions that we haven’t listed, feel free to mention them in the comments – we will then update them. You can find more about Hytale here: Hytale has 2.8 million players at release, surpassing even the warnings from developers, who are pushing the first patch

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. support.hytale.com

The 10 Best Mobile MMORPGs 2026 for iOS and Android

Alexander Leitsch Alexander Leitsch Reading time 14 minutes

Mobile games are on the rise, not only in Asia but also here with us. We have selected for you the 10 best MMORPGs for Android and iOS.

More and more mobile MMORPGs are making their way to the West, and they are even being received positively here. The trend is shifting towards gaming on smartphones, and possible crossplay could lead to even greater interest in the future. Therefore, we present to you the best representatives in the area of mobile MMORPGs in 2026.

Update from January 14, 2026: We have updated the ratings and added new article links. We remove Tarisland from the list, as it went offline in 2025. Crystal of Atlan is celebrating its premiere.

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Old School RuneScape – The MMORPG Classic

Developer: Jagex | System: Android, iOS, PC | Release Date: 2013 | Model: Free2Play | Rating: 16

What is Old School RuneScape? The MMORPG RuneScape has been expanded and renewed over time. But many players wanted to bring back the old flair of the early 2000s. So the developer Jagex released Old School RuneScape for PC and smartphone.

The MMORPG relies heavily on interaction with other players, crafting, and trading. You can expect countless different “skills” such as sailing or smithing, a gigantic open world with hundreds of quests, and many opportunities to shape your character to your liking.

The special thing about the development of Old School RuneScape is that players decide on new content. Only if 75 percent of all subscribers agree to a feature will it be implemented. However, there are still surprises from time to time, such as the subscription increase 2024.

Start video
Old School RuneScape – Trailer for the Steam Release

What do the reviews say?

  • Old School RuneScape has a 4.1 out of 5-star rating on the Google Play Store with over 134,000 reviews and more than 5 million downloads.
  • In the App Store, the MMORPG even reaches 4.8 stars with about 87,000 reviews.

Positively, reviews highlight that the MMORPG is very lively and you immediately meet players who help you in the unfamiliar environment. Nostalgia is, of course, in the foreground with Old School RuneScape.

Pro
  • Diverse MMORPG thanks to many “skills”
  • Large community
  • Intense collaboration between players and developers
  • No autoplay or pay2win
Contra
  • Graphics require getting used to
  • Requires a subscription to experience all features (12.49 euros per month)

Where can I download Old School RuneScape? You can get Old School RuneScape both in the Play Store and in the App Store.

Who should play Old School RuneScape? If you like old MMORPGs where trading, crafting, and community are at the forefront, you are in the right place with Old School RuneScape.

The game includes many features from the original PC MMORPG but has also been equipped with innovations. It is also known for having a community that takes on bizarre challenges and achieves things that create ripples beyond the game.

While it can be played for free, those who want to experience the complete game will eventually have to resort to the subscription. This includes some “skills”, additional maps, mini-games, and more abilities.

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Optionally, you can also play the “current” RuneScape 3 on your smartphone. The subscription for Old School RuneScape also automatically includes RuneScape 3. You can find out how RuneScape is currently doing here: With the new boss on board, an MMORPG classic restarts, releasing the biggest update in 12 years

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

8-year-old proudly tells his father about his success in Monster Hunter, who thanks the community

Ody Ody Reading time 2 minutes

A proud 8-year-old told his father how he took down an extremely dangerous beast in Monster Hunter Rise. But when the father looked at his son’s equipment, he was astonished – and thanked the community.

What kind of success are we talking about? The father of the boy describes the situation of the Monster Hunter community in a Reddit post. In the r/MonsterHunter subreddit, he shares that his current 8-year-old son has been playing Monster Hunter Rise for a while and has taken down a particularly dangerous monster.

The monster he took down was a Master Rank Magnamalo. The Magnamalo is already an extremely aggressive and agile monster. The Master Rank variant is considered to be even stronger and more dangerous.

After the 8-year-old defeated the monster, the father became curious and took a look at his son’s equipment. What he saw made it clear to him that his son must have been helped by other hunters to get this far.

Monster Hunter Rise debuted as an exclusive game for the Nintendo Switch, but is now also available on Steam:

Start video
Monster Hunter Rise trailer shows the features of the Steam version

8-Year-Old is a Successful Hunter – Despite Really Bad Gear

What was wrong with the boy’s equipment? According to the father, the boy was using only a low-rank Basarios armor and a normal iron bow. Additionally, he only had 32 Zenny, which is a very low amount for the in-game currency. On top of that, he had “exactly two potions” in his inventory.

The boy’s box was still full of monster parts and eggs. Despite his bad gear, he successfully completed many monster hunts. For this reason, the father thanks the monster hunters on Reddit: “A big thank you to the Monster Hunter community for completely carrying him this far.”

What does the community say about this? They are not quite sure yet whether the boy was really carried by other players or if he is just very persistent.

  • “Either some people carried him a lot, or he’s a god,” writes user Chafgha on Reddit
  • “Many of us OG PS2 hunters fought through the games with sheer force,” explains SatyrAngel on Reddit. “No guides, no videos, no MV knowledge – just hit it until it dies, while not dying yourself.”

MV stands for Motion Value, which determines the raw damage of your weapon in Monster Hunter.

Another user, on the other hand, wants to know much more how the boy was able to spend so much money – and on what. “I just have to know what he spent all the Zenny on,” writes DegenerateCrocodile on Reddit.

However, one user doubts that one can be carried so hard. “I guess he has incredibly good dodges, because with those stats, a single hit must wipe out the entire life bar.” Another one says, “He’s probably wandering cluelessly across the map, lol.” (Source: Reddit)

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The latest game in the action-RPG series is Monster Hunter Wilds. However, the game has struggled with performance issues since release, especially on PC. The developers are now seriously addressing this problem – and an initial update gives hope. You can read more about this here: With Update 4, Monster Hunter Wilds addresses the biggest issue and finally brings back over 100,000 players to the game

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Reddit

You can now book a hotel room on the moon, but you have to pay at least 200,000 euros for it

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 2 minutes

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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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.

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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.

“Dice is trying to set a new record for the lowest number of players” – A leak about Battlefield 6 is worrying fans

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 2 minutes

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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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.
Source(s):
  1. reddit.com

A champion was feared by LoL pros last season, now he will be even stronger

Nico Scheibel Nico Scheibel Reading time 2 minutes

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.

Due to a buff in November 2025, one of his abilities, where he can swing his sword up to 3 times, dealt more damage to monsters in the jungle. In the KeSPA Cup 2025, he was banned by most pros.

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.

Start video
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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.”

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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).

The first season of 2026 has changed a lot in League of Legends. Overall, the patch notes are 83 pages long and have significantly altered the gameplay as well as champs and items. The champion Rengar has particularly benefited and received over 17 bug fixes: The new season in LoL brings 83 pages of patch notes, and they are especially good for one champ

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. reddit.com

Addons in WoW remain powerful – Blizzard breaks the biggest promise for Midnight

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 4 minutes

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.

Start video
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 cuts were so drastic that even primarily cosmetic addons like ElvUI also stated: We can’t continue like this.

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:

Recommended editorial content

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Link to the YouTube content

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.

WoW Game Master Sad Blood Elf cry title
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.

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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.

ARC Raiders: Industrial Espionage – Everything You Need to Know to Solve the Quest

Alexander Mehrwald Alexander Mehrwald Reading time 2 minutes

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.

Start video
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:

ARC Raiders Industrial Espionage Location
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.

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If you want to complete quests in ARC Raiders, your heart might race, as other Raiders or ARCs could quickly spoil your plans. One player has ranked all outfits based on how likely you are to get shot while wearing them: Players of ARC Raiders ranked 30 outfits based on how likely you are to get shot in the shooter while wearing them

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

„He is like me“ – a girl touches everyone with her resemblance to an anime hero, allowed to meet the speaker

Jasmin Beverungen Jasmin Beverungen Reading time 2 minutes

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.

The video of her discovery spread so far, that even the original Japanese voice actor and the author of the manga reached out. The voice actor mentioned the character’s sad past and expressed how glad he was that such a sad story could make other people’s lives easier.

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.

Start video
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.

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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.

Unfortunately, there will be no more new stories about Shoto. Both the anime and the manga of My Hero Academia have now concluded. The last episode brought plenty of tears to the fans: The last episode of My Hero Academia shows what became of the heroes, bringing fans to tears

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Director of The Lord of the Rings reveals after 23 years what happened to the secret scenes

Christoph Waldboth Christoph Waldboth Reading time 3 minutes

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”.

Start video
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.

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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.

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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.
Source(s):
  1. Empire
  2. Titelbildquelle: Warner Bros. auf YouTube

Developer of ARC Raiders warns all rats: “Can track who shoots first”

Dariusz Müller Dariusz Müller Reading time 2 minutes

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.
Start video
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.

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For the developers of ARC Raiders, PvP is a part of the game, but not the sole focus. It contributes to the tension and atmosphere of the shooter. Therefore, the developers do not plan to further encourage PvP with systems like PvP leaderboards. You can read more about it here: ARC Raiders does not intend to promote PvP in the future, which is why it is foregoing a well-known system: “It’s not about shooting other players”

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

One of the best anime of recent years exists only because the author’s D&D group never played

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

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.

Start video
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.

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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.

Customer purchases a powerful PC with 4 graphics cards and 96 GB of VRAM for 14,000 euros, presumably has more video memory than RAM installed

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 2 minutes

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.

Start video
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.”

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This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Hytale restricts me as I always wished from Minecraft

Johanna Johanna Reading time 3 minutes

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.

To be honest: When I heard that Hytale was finally going to have a release, I was quite skeptical. After all these years and the back and forth with Riot Games, I had mentally prepared myself for a fiasco.

Especially since its reach could also be limited by not being on Steam; but that is not the case, as we are seeing right now.

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.

A temple in Hytale
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.

A friendly merchant in Hytale.
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.

Hytale is still quite unfinished in some areas.
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.

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Have you tried Hytale yet? If so, what do you think of it? Let us know in the comments!
Hytale will likely be the game that takes the top spot on my current gamer list. The launch of Hytale seems to have pleased not only me, as the Minecraft alternative broke all records on its release day: Hytale has 2.8 million players at launch, surpassing even the developers’ warnings, who are pushing the first patch

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Hytale has 2.8 million players at launch, surpassing even the warnings of the developers, who are pushing the first patch out

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 3 minutes

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.

Image shows creatures at sunset in Hytale
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.

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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.

Only through the rescue of the original founder “Simon,” who bought back Hytale in 2025, did it return to the original concept of the Minecraft alternative, which now made its debut on January 13, 2026, in an early alpha version. However, the unfinished state did not hinder its rapid success.

Hytale has died and been resurrected; the success of the game likely proves that the developers and CEO “Simon” made the right decision to buy back the game from Riot. How this all worked out, you can find out here: Cancelled game reminiscent of Minecraft, now the creator offers 25 million to Riot to save his work

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. thenerdstash.com

Hytale: Thorium – How to find and use the mayhap strongest material in the game

Sophia Weiss Sophia Weiss Reading time 2 minutes

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.

Hytale Thorium
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:

Hytale Thorium find Boss

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:

  • Thorium Cuirass: 20 Thorium Bars
  • Thorium Shield: 5 Thorium
  • Thorium Pickaxe: 6 Thorium Bars
  • Workbench Tier 2: 30 Thorium Bars
  • Furnace Tier 2: 5 Thorium Bars

Among other things, the Thorium Sword and the Thorium Pickaxe can also be obtained in NPC villages. As more locations of Thorium ore and bars as well as additional crafting recipes are discovered, we will update the guide accordingly. Hytale has just launched in Early Access. More about it can be read here: The “Minecraft Killer” launches today far too late and without Steam, yet sells so well that the next 2 years are secure

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. YouTube
  2. YouTube

RAGNAROK X: NEXT GENERATION – The global MMORPG with 25 million players launches its worldwide Open Beta

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 3 minutes

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.

Get ROX Global here!

A global success story arrives in a new region

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.

rox-6

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.

Get ROX Global here!

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.
rox-4

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.

rox-7

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.
rox-8
Get ROX Global here!

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!

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This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Elder Scrolls Online addresses one of the biggest weaknesses, but many players may not experience it until 2027

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 3 minutes

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.”
More about ESO:
The 16 MMORPGs with the most players according to official numbers from the developers
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Do you feel the same way, or are you glad that the developers are at least working on the combat experience of the classes? Feel free to let us know in the comments. The new payment model for the MMORPG is also being hotly debated right now. More about that can be found here: What does the new Battle Pass bring and what happens to ESO Plus of Elder Scrolls Online in 2026?

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Zenimax über PTS-Start

„Strictly confidential“ function of GTA 6 leaked: Lawsuit forces Rockstar to do something they hate

Caroline Fuller Caroline Fuller Reading time 3 minutes

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.”

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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.

Despite the challenges surrounding the issue and delays with GTA 6, its release is still expected to be the “gaming event of the decade.” At least that’s what an expert says, who is confident that nothing would stand in the way of this outcome: Experts say: Even angry employees and delays can’t prevent GTA 6 from becoming the “gaming event of the decade”

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Patreon (People Make Games)

Sentenced to Be a Hero accomplishes something that is very rare in anime with its first episode

Jasmin Beverungen Jasmin Beverungen Reading time 2 minutes

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”.

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The new episodes of Sentenced to Be a Hero are released weekly. It’s particularly convenient that the German dubbing is available right at the release of the new episode. You can read when the next episode will be released here: Sentenced to Be a Hero: When will the next episode of the anime be released? Overview of releases

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.