Since the release of Diablo 4, the Butcher has caused fear and dread, but also a morbid fascination. This iconic enemy has more players on his conscience than heroes have died in PvP. Now, with Season 3, he has a worthy opponent.
What is the deal with the Butcher?
The Butcher, originally from Diablo 1, is known as the “Schlächter” in German. He first gave players a horror moment when they entered his bloody chamber and were greeted with the famous: “Fresh Meat!” (original: “Fresh Meat!”).
Since then, the Butcher has made several appearances, including in Diablo 3 and Heroes of the Storm. In Diablo 4, players can also find the demon, where he wreaks havoc in random dungeons.
In Diablo 4, the Butcher is one of the toughest enemies ever, largely because he appears out of nowhere and disappears again after he has killed you. He prefers to greet you when you have no cooldowns and potions left.
This is why players wanted more of this: The Butcher made Diablo 4 regain a horror element that has been missing from the series for a while. Many fans found Diablo 3 just too colorful.
Now there is once again an enemy that appears out of nowhere, screams in your face, chases you down faster than you can run, and rearranges your organs with meat hooks and a cleaver. They say: it feels like being in a horror movie.
Some players are so fascinated by the Butcher that they desperately want more situations like this. More bosses that suddenly appear, smash a steel chair in your face, and then leave again. That’s exactly what we now have.
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Diablo 4: The Announcement Trailer for Season 3
The Son of Malphas is the new Butcher, but even more vicious
The actual challenge of the Vaults is that traps lurk everywhere. If you want to snag the most loot at the end, you need a special buff and must not be hit by traps.
Additionally, the miniboss “Son of Malphas” can randomly appear in the dungeons. The idea behind him is the same as with the Butcher: the demon shows up, smacks you down, and leaves again.
However, players are already saying that the Son of Malphas is more like a Butcher on steroids. From my own experience, I can say: he cannot be kited around pillars or boxes like the Butcher, but jumps down on you from the sky every few seconds.
Moreover, he hits much harder. One hit can easily take away your entire health bar – or more. There probably just aren’t enough data yet to have a solid strategy against this beast, but… well, such an enemy is exactly what many wanted. Even if some will surely consider him a fairy tale, only to be surprised later.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Wizards are in a good position in the current Season 3 of Diablo 4. Almost every build is playable, but 3 particularly stand out. We will list these for you and explain what makes them so special.
Update from January 25: We have updated the list with the top 3 builds for Season 3.
What are these builds? This list includes the builds that lead the wizard builds in the Tier List for Season 3. They prove themselves either through massive damage, their utility, or especially their effectiveness against tough enemies. The following builds are currently considered top tier for endgame:
With Season 3, there have been a few shifts: As the vampiric powers have disappeared, the strongest builds from Season 2 have lost power. However, new class uniques now allow for new builds that were previously not strong enough.
The Globe Lightning build allows you to circle your globe lightning like planets around you. They hit enemies as you move through them and protect yourself with defensive skills in close combat. A strong build for solo and group players, but you need to have experience.
The Blizzard build is currently the best boss killer for wizards in Season 3. You cover the entire screen with snowstorms that create deadly ice shards and impale enemies. A strong defense makes the build particularly attractive in hardcore mode.
A newcomer among the builds: Thanks to the new class unique, meteors become free and receive a cooldown instead. With this, as well as with further legendaries, you create meteors that split and bombard the entire playing field. Very strong in dungeons, unfortunately almost useless against bosses.
Season 3 is still relatively fresh, which is why the rankings can shift significantly in the first period. However, if you stay tuned, you will always be well informed because we update our builds and guides for each class and keep them up to date for you.
Apart from the mod, there hadn’t been any official statements from Pokémon regarding Palworld – until now. Because now the Pokémon Company has released an official statement.
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Palworld showcases the small monsters in massive action in the early access trailer
What the Pokémon Company says about Palworld
In the statement, Palworld is not mentioned by name, but it is clear that the message is directed at the Steam hit. The Pokémon Company explains that they have received many inquiries regarding this matter and clarifies that they have “not granted any permission for the use of Pokémon intellectual property or assets in this game.”
The Pokémon Company seems to be keeping a close eye on how their creations are handled: “We intend to investigate any actions that infringe upon the intellectual property rights of Pokémon and take appropriate measures,” the statement says.
The English statement of the Pokémon Company in its entirety:
We have received many inquiries regarding another company’s game released in January 2024. We have not granted any permission for the use of Pokémon intellectual property or assets in that game. We intend to investigate and take appropriate measures to address any acts that infringe on intellectual property rights related to the Pokémon. We will continue to cherish and nurture each and every Pokémon and its world, and work to bring the world together through Pokémon in the future. (via corporate.pokemon.co.jp)
What does this mean for Palworld? That remains to be seen. However, it is clear that the Pokémon Company is monitoring the situation – and topics like the Pokémon mod are likely to be treated particularly critically.
More on the subject: So far, there has been no lawsuit from Nintendo or the Pokémon Company against Palworld. We asked the well-known lawyer for internet and media law, Christian Solmecke, on what basis such a process could be possible. His assessment can be found in this article: Could Nintendo successfully sue the Steam hit Palworld? – We asked a lawyer
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A new horror co-op game on Steam is reminiscent of Phasmophobia but promises a twist that makes your ghost hunting an emotional affair.
What kind of game is this? Remnant Records is a new horror co-op game that was released on January 23, 2024 on Steam and currently has 87% positive reviews.
Visually, the game is reminiscent of Phasmophobia and fits into the popular horror co-op games like Devour, Demonologist, or Pacify. However, Remnant Records does not only promise a new twist but also shows in the trailer that it is definitely not for the faint of heart:
Start video
Remnant Records makes you ghost hunters
What awaits you as ghost hunters? At first glance, the game not only looks like Phasmophobia but also sounds quite similar in concept.
Together with up to three other players, you will be employed as ghost hunters to investigate in a ‘haunted house’. In this case, it’s not only about identifying the ghost but also exorcising it.
Your first task will be to understand the ghost, its death, and its life. Only then will the exorcism work. You will search for evidence left behind from the ghost’s life. Diaries, newspapers, or other unusual items provide information about the deceased’s life.
This twist seems to excite many players. For instance, “Aubs” writes in a review on Steam that Remnant Records humanizes the ghosts, as you must engage deeply with their lives. This definitely makes ghost hunting a more emotional task.
In character selection, this game also offers a better opportunity to customize your character to your individual play style, which is well-received by players.
Instead of just choosing from a few character models, you also have to decide on one of four roles in the group. For example, you can play the muscle-bound character who can kick down blocked doors or a medium that has a close connection to the dead.
To further tailor the game to yourself, you can design your character, set the difficulty level for ghosts and puzzles separately, acquire new skills, and document your strategies after each mission to improve your survival in the next task.
In co-op mode, the six different ghosts are said to possess special abilities that they do not show when you play single-player.
Chests can be found in Diablo 4 in all sorts of places and variations. In Season 3, those that overwhelm you with a lot of gold were added. However, some of them are equipped with a trap.
What kind of chests are those? In Season 3 of Diablo 4, there are chests that literally shower you with gold when opened. However, they are not specifically marked. They can be called “Majestic Chest” or simply “Chest.” Based on our experience, “Majestic Chests” almost always contain a significant amount of gold.
In principle, it’s worth opening every chest – but you need to be careful while doing so.
Where can I find the chests? In fact, the chests with the large amount of gold can be found anywhere – in vaults, dungeons, but also in the open world of Sanctuary.
How much gold is in such a chest? The individual chests will certainly not always contain the same amount of gold. In our example, we received around 25,000 gold from the chest without a special designation.
As you can see in the pictures, it was in the middle of a large trap:
We only opened it after successfully completing the vault to avoid losing too much of Zoltun’s protection if we got hit by the trap.
So one could assume that damage could occur when opening the chest if you are not well positioned. However, there are also chests equipped with a trap that only activates after opening. And not always is there a fortune inside.
Are there chests that trigger traps? This also happened to us in the vault. The chest was in a seemingly safe corner behind the traps. However, when opened, another small trap on the ground was triggered, which dealt significant damage to the character. Additionally, it only contained a small amount of gold and 2-3 yellow items.
Thus, every chest could potentially reveal a fortune or a trap upon opening.
Whether you want to take the risk and especially fight through the dangerous traps for the chests is up to you to decide. Particularly in the vaults, you could quickly lose a few stacks of protection.
A new season in Diablo 4 means not only new content but also creating and leveling a new character. When it comes to leveling, there are various ways to earn XP.
The YouTuber and Twitch streamer HandOfBlood has now realized that he has earned more money in e-sports during his years as an influencer than his currently unsuccessful team at League of Legends, Eintracht Spandau. Surprisingly, his resume even includes a 6th place at the Fortnite World Championship. How is that even possible?
Everything you need to know about the LoL team Eintracht Spandau – in 4 minutes
He has now noticed it himself: On January 10, HandOfBlood published a somewhat amazed tweet: He just realized that he earns more money in e-sports than his own team.
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HandOfBlood has earned $68,000 in e-sports “on the side”
What do the numbers say?
HandOfBlood has actually earned $68,000 in e-sports, with the lion’s share in 2019.
His LoL team, Eintracht Spandau, has only earned the relatively meager sum of $17,149: There were once €3,000 for 3rd place in the Prime League in summer 2023 and €2,000 for 2nd place in the Prime League Cup (via esportearnings).
Generous prize money at the Fortnite World Championship 2019
Why has HandOfBlood made so much money? HandOfBlood participated in the Fortnite World Championship in 2019, at that time there was $50,000 for each participant just as entry money.
However, HandOfBlood was never such a mega player that he could qualify against the strong competition in solos or duos. But Epic was pouring out incredible amounts of money for Fortnite at that time, that even in “Creative Mode” large prize pools were distributed.
HandOfBlood, then 26, finished sixth in “Creative Mode” and scored $62,500 in prize money. In addition, there were some smaller wins in the “Twitch Rivals” format, where Twitch streamers were allowed to compete.
Ultimately, HandOfBlood was able to secure $68,000 in prize money as an “e-sports professional” – more than most of his LoL pros have seen so far (via esportearnings).
However, there is one exception: In 2024, Tristan “PowerOfEvil” Schrage will play for Eintracht Spandau. He has already had his career as a LoL pro and has earned $125,000 in prize money (via esportearnings), which is nearly twice as much as his boss.
The most was earned in 2017 when he placed 5th-8th at the LoL Worlds, back then with Misfits.
HandOfBlood will probably have to show respect to him.
In Season 3 of Diablo 4, a few quests are currently causing issues. For “Kull’s Heart”, you need to gather diaries, but they are not easy to find. What this is about, you can learn here on MeinMMO.
What do I have to do in the quest? As part of the seasonal quest, you will arrive at a new meeting point – “The Gate Hall”. You can reach it via a new waypoint. It serves in Season 3 of Diablo 4 as a transition from the “Overworld” to the vaults.
In the Gate Hall, you will find not only robotic vendors but also a diary. It is located on a table near the wardrobe and is marked as a side quest. As soon as you click on the first diary, a seasonal side quest titled: “Kull’s Heart” will start.
In “Kull’s Heart”, you will need to collect more diaries. The first can be found in the Gate Hall on a table near the wardrobe, and the second is obtained after defeating Malphas at the end of the seasonal main quest.
After these two diaries, however, it seems to be at a standstill for now.
Start video
Diablo 4: The Announcement Trailer for Season 3
The progress of “Kull’s Heart” is stuck at 2/5
This is the problem: Many players report that after the second diary, they cannot find any more. The quest does not progress any further.
Many players have complained, especially at the beginning of the season, that it does not proceed at this point. However, you just need to be patient: You will find the diaries as planned in the vaults.
In our tests and those of other players, we found diaries mainly after completing Nightmare vaults. We had collected all 5 when we finished the first dungeons at level 31 and above.
So if you’re stuck at 2/5 diaries, just keep going or try higher vault levels. Whether this really affects the drop chances, we cannot confirm yet.
The quest is important to complete a step in the season journey and thus to advance the Battle Pass. Accordingly, it is very important for many players to be able to finish Kull’s Heart as well. Another step is to kill the Echo of Malphas. How this works is explained in our guide: Diablo 4 Season 3: Summoning Echo of Malphas – Farming glowing cores, tips for the fight
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Twitch announced changes to the monetization of content on January 24, 2024. This is likely to please large creators like MontanaBlack, as the unpopular cap of $100,000 for a preferred 70:30 split is being removed.
What is this change? In September 2022, Twitch caused discontent among big streamers when Twitch stripped them of their financial special treatment. While a 50/50 split is common on the platform, where content creators receive 50% of the revenue from paid subscriptions on their channel, the biggest streamers could secure a favorable 70/30 split.
Instead of granting all streamers the 70%, Twitch introduced a revenue maximum of $100,000 per year at that time – anyone earning more had to give up 50% of it. This change is being lifted immediately, according to a press release on January 24, 2024.
This is intended to increase the “growth and income potential” of streamers. In the future, large streamers will benefit from an unlimited 70/30 split. The $100,000 cap no longer matters.
Big streamers get more money, but what about the rest?
What else is changing? Starting May 24, Twitch also plans to expand the so-called Partner Plus program and make it accessible to affiliate streamers as well. In this context, it will be renamed to the Plus Program.
An additional tier will allow for a 60/40 split, and the criteria for receiving 70% will also be lowered. This is intended to allow three times more streamers to gain access to the advantageous revenue share.
Furthermore, starting in June 2024, the payout model for a subscription through the Prime Gaming service will be changed. There will be a fixed rate for each country. The exact amount will be detailed in a blog post.
What are the initial reactions? On social media, the change is already being actively discussed. So far, the mood has been mostly positive. It’s described as a big “W”, a “win” for Twitch. One user praises that the streaming platform is caring for the needs of its creators – but also mentions the recent layoff of about one-third of the workforce (via X).
Criticism seems to come mainly from smaller streamers: The new regulations would only benefit top streamers; others would gain nothing from it (via X).
The transition is particularly interesting as Twitch CEO Dan Clancy recently admitted that the streaming platform is not profitable and is supported by Amazon. This was also the reason for the layoffs. Instead, they now apparently want to focus on the satisfaction of the streamers. Twitch CEO publicly admits they are not making money: “We were bigger than we needed to be”
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Day Before was once the most wanted game on Steam, but development has been overshadowed by disagreements and legal disputes. A month after the game’s demise and the studio’s closure, the developers released a statement blaming Twitch streamers for the failure.
What is the current situation with The Day Before? On January 22, the lights were turned off in the scandal game: The servers were shut down less than one and a half months after release – certainly a sad news for the one remaining active player.
But now, more than a month after the disastrous launch and the studio’s closure, the developers of The Day Before suddenly speak up again. In a statement published on January 24 on the official X account of Fntastic, they blame content creators for the game’s failure (via 3D Juegos).
The colleagues from GameStar have extensively discussed The Day Before in a talk and even spoke with a lawyer about the alleged “scam of the year”.
Start video
The Day Before: Between Fraud and Incompetence
The promised features were all there, you just don’t remember
What do the developers say? In their statement, the creators of the scandal game once again insist that they have been working “hard and honestly” on The Day Before for 5 years. The team has given “100% of themselves” to make the game a success.
Allegations that the finished game did not match the trailers and was more of a kind of extraction shooter than a survival MMO are denied by the studio. “We’ve included everything shown in the trailers, from house furnishings to a detailed world to off-road vehicles.”
Only some “minor features” were removed at launch due to bugs, according to Fntastic. However, the missing features should be included in the full release.
Why then did the game fail? The developers have a clear answer: It is the mean content creators from Twitch and YouTube who are to blame. Some “bloggers” earned a lot of money by spreading untruths about the game with sensationalist titles from the beginning, according to the statement.
Due to the original popularity of “The Day Before”, this led to a veritable gold rush among content creators, who misled potential players, according to Fntastic.
You played the game yourself and can hardly remember all the great features? Well, it’s also the fault of the numerous Twitch streamers and YouTubers who spoke negatively about The Day Before. They caused negative prejudices among players and shifted their focus.
In fact, the reviews had already improved over the first weekend after launch, after fixing some bugs, according to Fntastic. The developers also claim to have received messages from players who felt betrayed by the “bloggers” and rated the game positively.
The leading Twitch streamer Asmongold has fallen in love with the new survival game Palworld (Steam, Xbox) and he also has a theory as to why. The game from Japan is not directed at Western culture, but rather at “normal people.” They don’t care about all the controversies that gaming journalists and bloggers are so upset about; they just want a good game.
This is the situation:
Palworld is an action-adventure survival game from a Japanese developer. It has been announced for quite some time, but most people didn’t have Palworld on their radar or didn’t take it seriously.
On January 18, Palworld then launched in early access on Steam for €26 and made a splash. It is now the second biggest game of all time on Steam.
Streamers have also jumped into the game. The German Gronkh leads the charge worldwide, followed by two Japanese streamers, but the prototypical WoW player Asmongold is also caught up in the fever.
Start video
Career and life of Asmongold in 3 minutes – What makes him special?
Twitch streamer Asmongold is getting worked up
This is Asmongold’s theory on why Palworld is such a hit: Asmongold uses the popularity of Palworld to sing praises of Japanese developers while simultaneously attacking Western gaming culture.
The streamer gets worked up in a Twitch stream, a clip of which is circulating.
The Japanese developers said in an interview that they designed the game for “Americans” and therefore included weapons (because Americans like shooting). They also included a gender-neutral character editor because Americans like to create “very ugly” characters.
Asmongold was immediately in his element:
“That’s not true. If Japanese fans see this: It’s not Americans who create ugly characters; it’s the development studios that create these ugly characters. The real players, the real people – none of them want that type A type B bullshit. Just make normal figures, with normal proportions, and make them hot. That’s what normal people want to see.”
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That’s what “normal players” want: Asmongold continues his rant. Actually, “normal players” don’t care about anything; they just want a video game that is fun. He also mentioned this in a tweet.
Topics like AI usage, slavery, cruelty to animals, or copyright infringement are all “made-up problems” that normal people completely ignore. They just want to have a good game, then it will sell well.
Asmongold mocked a comment under this tweet. Someone wrote: “Palworld is not a good game, just a game that people wanted” – that, Asmongold said, is exactly the attitude of “gaming journalists.”
This is what he sees as a problem with Western games: Palworld has understood that players primarily care about the “gameplay loop.”
Many Western games, however, target people who constantly feel offended by everything and then complain about something on social networks.
That is a mistake because these people are “adult babies” who don’t have any money anyway.
“Normal people” who have money and contribute to society, like electricians, just want to play games that are fun. The opinions of “some crazy bloggers” should be ignored.
Freaks on social networks, who feel insulted by something a video game character says, should be institutionalized. They should not be pursued as a target group. The only industry that should consider these people as a target group are manufacturers of straightjackets.
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What’s behind this: The fact that a multimillionaire, who has become famous by explaining a fantasy world with Orcs, Goblins, and Elves to people and whose fans gasp in horror when a woman stumbles into his gaming room, is the spokesperson for “normal people” might seem a bit strange.
Ultimately, though, this is a success secret of influencers like Asmongold: He speaks for his target audience, “the normal people,” and sets them apart from “the weird freaks” out there. If you listen to Asmongold, you are in the treehouse to which the evil others have no access. This creates identity.
With this model, which serves as an alternative to mainstream and classic media, many successful content creators in the USA thrive. Even the huge podcaster Joe Rogan creates his relevance by clearly distancing himself from other opinions in the mainstream media.
The idea that all gaming bloggers or gaming journalists have a completely distorted perspective and that only he sees the truth is somewhat absurd, especially regarding Palworld, because there is currently no outcry against Palworld in the international gaming press.
Not even the explicitly left-wing and socially critical U.S. gaming sites like Polygon are currently criticizing the game but are instead publishing guides and positive articles. In this regard, Asmongold is fighting somewhat against the wind but doing so very successfully.
The Twitch streamer “Boggles” showed how he put a fork into a toaster and pretended to get a massive electric shock. But it all was supposed to be staged. The ban he received for this, however, is all too real.
What was that for an action? The Australian Twitch streamer “Boggles” drew attention to himself last week with clips in which he pretended to get an electric shock. In his streams, he repeatedly stuck forks into toasters and then played a pre-recorded video.
For the viewers, it was supposed to look like the streamer was thrown back by a strong electric shock and fell unconscious. After that, the stream ended due to “technical difficulties.”
While Boggles usually performs for a double-digit audience, the clips were significantly more successful on other social networks. A video was watched by 2.2 million people on X, formerly Twitter. It shows Boggles inserting forks into two toasters at the same time to find out if the effect “cancels each other out.”
You can see the result here:
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Twitch streamer receives real ban for fake electric shocks
How did it go for the streamer? The fun ended on January 19. Because Twitch apparently noticed the content of the streamer. On X, Boggles shared a message from the streaming platform stating that they were “concerned about him.”
Self-harm behavior violates community guidelines, which is why Twitch removed the relevant content and banned the streamer for 30 days. In the message, the streamer is also referred to a page with resources for mental health support. He is a valued member of the community and should take care of himself, it further says.
Apparently, Twitch is concerned that the clips represent dangerous behavior that could also be imitated by others.
And indeed, it seems that not every viewer on X is fully aware that it is fake. It says that Boggles could accidentally kill himself one day for a bit of online fame (via X).
Content creators are apparently resorting to increasingly drastic methods to generate a “shock factor” among their viewers.
Start video
Twitch streamer shaves his head for donation and is bitterly disappointed!
What’s next for the streamer? He claimed in his post that it was all an “honest mistake.” Until the ban is lifted, he wants to stream on the competing platform Kick. There, Boggle continues enthusiastically with a growing number of toasters.
For instance, his most successful clip – the one with the two toasters and the apparently stained shorts – was created on Kick. Other streamers also seem to be jumping on the new “meta”: Kick streamer Grish conducted a “socket challenge” in his stream, where he inserted a wet fork into a socket and played a similar recording as Boggles.
It remains to be seen whether Twitch will actually lift the ban of the “repentant” streamer after 30 days or permanently ban him for violations outside the platform.
How convenient would it be to have all the monsters available in Palworld gathered in one place? With all the important information a player would need. Conveniently, a fan has designed just such a tool – modeled after the Pokédex.
What is the situation? Palworld currently contains 137 Pals, the small or larger monsters that you can battle, make work for you, or eat.
It’s easy to lose track. Especially to keep an eye on the various skills of the Pals, a kind of lexicon would be practical, wouldn’t it?
This was probably the thought of the Reddit user @Maael, who spoke up in the subreddit. He has attempted to create his own website where you can have all Pals at a glance. The website thus serves as a lexicon, similar to the Pokédex from Nintendo’s own monster game.
As Maael emphasizes, there are already some other attempts to create a so-called Paldeck. All are made by fans, but no other version has satisfied him.
Palworld showcases the small monsters in massive action in the early access trailer
The Paldeck is informative, free, and ad-free
What is special about the Paldeck? Maael explains in his Reddit post what he expects from a good Paldeck:
The Paldeck should be “standalone”, meaning it should function without additional software. It should also not be part of another website. Filtering by elements or workforce should be simple and fast. Additionally, very importantly: The tool is free and ad-free. According to the creator, this is also intended to remain in the future.
How is the Paldeck received by the players? So far, very well. Under the post in the subreddit, there are many comments praising the creator of the tool. Some even go so far as to express their admiration:
“You are a saint,” expresses @NotGrizz gratefully.
“The hero we needed,” agrees @droidevo in the positive feedback.
“Will you marry me?” asks @IolairesMinion enthusiastically.
The creator also addresses detailed inquiries. He shares that the website also works for mobile users. However, the tool is far from perfect, and the many suggestions users write in the comments will, if possible, be considered.
Amazon intends to release the South Korean MMORPG Throne and Liberty on Steam, PS5, and Xbox Series X in 2024. However, it seems there are difficulties between Amazon and NCSoft, causing an “early release in 2024” to be uncertain.
What is the status of the release of Throne and Liberty?
The MMORPG was released on December 7, 2023, in South Korea for PC.
However, reports from South Korea indicate that things are not going as smoothly as anticipated and hoped.
Start video
Throne and Liberty – NCSoft presents the launch trailer
Release on PS5 and Xbox Series X likely a problem
What kind of problems exist? In South Korea, the site Sisajournal raised alarm in an article on January 23. A reporter sees several issues that jeopardize an originally planned launch for the second quarter in Europe and the USA. Currently, there is no timeline for the worldwide release, it is said.
According to information from the site, it was planned that Amazon would be responsible for developing the console versions. The console versions are deemed “essential for the western market” because PS5 and Xbox Series X are more important than the PC market here.
The difficulties are evident as Throne and Liberty is not yet listed in the PS Store as one of the upcoming games, and no pre-order page has appeared yet.
For NCSoft, a port to PlayStation 5 is still uncharted territory; they originally wanted to bring the MMORPG “Lineage W” to the PS5 but have not managed to do so in 2 years.
Success falls short of expectations and much competition on consoles
What difficulties are being faced? Allegedly, there are disagreements between NCSoft and Amazon. Amazon is demanding that NCSoft resolve issues before proceeding with the launch. These “issues” could jeopardize the sales success of Throne and Liberty.
It appears Throne and Liberty is not selling as well as hoped in South Korea, with servers needing to be merged due to lack of sales success. It may be that Amazon is hesitating with the release for this reason.
Moreover, in the first quarter of 2024, strong console games like Stellar Blade, Tekken 8, Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth, or Like a Dragon are set to release. There are fears that Throne and Liberty could be overshadowed by such strong competition.
It is also unclear how much interest players on PS5 and Xbox Series X have in MMORPGs, it is stated.
Hence, there are now speculations that Amazon might first release only the PC version and then follow up with a version for PS5 and Xbox Series X.
NCSoft has been trying to enter the console market for 6 years – failing
What’s behind this: This is all hard to understand from a western perspective. What one must realize is that in South Korea, consoles play no role at all; everything revolves around PC and Mobile.
The pioneer for “MMORPGs on consoles” is Pearl Abyss with Black Desert. NCSoft (“Guild Wars 2”) has been talking for years about bringing their PC games to consoles and originally wanted to do this with Blade & Soul years ago, but they never managed it and now seem to be facing difficulties and uncertainties again.
In 2018, NCSoft proudly announced that it would develop 4 new MMOs and MMORPGs for PC and PS4 – including Throne and Liberty. All “non-mobile games” were to be aimed at consoles and PC in the future. None of this has worked in the last 6 years.
Amazon also has no real experience in bringing an MMORPG to PS5 and Xbox Series X: New World and Lost Ark were purely Steam games.
According to the new report, it now seems unlikely that we will see “Throne and Liberty” in quarters 1 and 2 in Europe. It might really end up with a release from September 2024 or Amazon may prioritizes a PC release.
Note: It is a bit challenging to fully understand the issues from reports out of South Korea that are translated using Google Translate. It is a very different video game culture and language.
It’s quite turbulent: There’s trolling, blowing up, and killing everything in sight. The chaos reached its peak yesterday, on January 23, 2024, when the group set out to defeat the powerful Ender Dragon.
Also joining: MontanaBlack
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Career and Life of MontanaBlack in 2 Minutes: What Makes Him Unique?
Mr. Teacher, he was mean to me
How did it go for the chaos crew? The whole action was reminiscent of a day trip in elementary school – only, all the kids are on energy drinks. This is evident right from the start, as the rascals – some of whom have never played Minecraft before the event – have to equip themselves accordingly.
The Minecraft streamer Fabo knows best and naturally takes on the role of the beleaguered educator: “You definitely need a bow and blocks to build. Does everyone have arrows?” And whose diamond sword is lying on the ground?
Everyone here? No, Trymacs is still missing, MontanaBlack is picking up a package for his dad. Once the crew is finally complete, they can get started. However, the path to the Ender Dragon is fraught with danger – foremost from their own teammates.
No one seems to really know where they need to go, everyone is in each other’s way – and the first one gets pushed.
Trymacs, whose frustration over his looted farm is still palpable, immediately makes it his mission to create more chaos: He simply hits everyone within reach and enjoys the mutual accusations of his colleagues.
At the same time, Trymacs is also the one who complains the loudest: “Eris has been hitting me the whole time! […] AbuGoku pushed me off!” He explains with a devilish grin that no one knows it’s him – only to loudly call out the next moment that Eli should stop hitting.
It’s almost a miracle that the group arrives at the Ender Dragon safe and without major arguments. Well, aside from the usual insults among friends. And of course, one person doesn’t have any arrows.
In the battle, Trymacs continues his double game, as while everyone is shooting at the dragon, he can secretly attack his friends. You can get a small glimpse in this video:
Finally, the dragon is down, and MontanaBlack summarizes the whole experience quite aptly: “You are really the most annoying bunch of idiots of all time.”
After the shared looting in the End, Trymacs finally has enough and says goodbye with the note that he has snagged 7 Elytras, that’s enough for him. Trade? No thanks, bye. Clearly satisfied with his performance of the day, he explains to the chat that he can’t just let everything slide and has to defend himself sometimes.
In Palworld you can increase 5 stats. But which one is the most worthwhile? MeinMMO explains what is most worthwhile.
When do I get skill points? With each level-up, you receive a valuable skill point that you can distribute to your abilities. The highest level is 50. How you can level up quickly in Palworld is explained on MeinMMO.
Can I reset skills? Yes, at level 43 you can unlock a medicine that resets your stats. Until then, you should be cautious about which stats you invest your points in.
What stats are there? Currently, there are 6 different stats, of which you can increase 5:
Health: Describes how many hit points you have.
Stamina: How much stamina you have in the game.
Weight: Explains how much you can carry before becoming overloaded.
Crafting Speed: How quickly you build or manufacture items.
Attack: Describes how much damage you deal to enemies.
Defense: Explains how much protection you have. This stat cannot be increased with points.
Palworld: The best build and the best stats
Which stats should I increase? The stats you should focus on increasing the most are Weight, Stamina, and Health for the following reasons:
Weight: Especially at the beginning, it’s helpful if you can carry a lot of stuff with you. Things like iron ore, wood, and later sulfur take up a lot of space. This way, you won’t have to return to the storage as often. The Pal Cattiva only temporarily increases your weight as long as you have it equipped.
Stamina: Also important, as stamina affects how long you can run, attack, or mine resources. The more you have, the longer you can last. And it’s also practical for gliding.
Health: Important so that you don’t get taken out quickly. Later, you can also use a strong shield, but you shouldn’t underestimate your hit points. The shield, for example, does not protect you from fall damage.
You should prioritize Stamina and Weight and also regularly invest points in Health.
Which should I neglect?
Attack: The value is hardly worthwhile, as the 10 damage points you deal per extra point don’t make much difference. Especially when your weapons deal several hundred damage points at once.
Crafting Speed: At the beginning, it might be an interesting bonus. Later, it doesn’t matter for your base, as your stat does not influence the stats of the Pals. And since your Pals primarily work, you shouldn’t increase this stat.
Why should you do this? Most of the time, you leave the hard work in the storage to your Pals, and even in battle, your Pals take on a large part of the work. Your damage mainly depends on the weapon (and the Pal) that you select.
Stamina and Weight are the only stats that have a strong impact on your everyday life in the game. Hit points help you survive longer.
All guides to Palworld: Are you looking for more tips, tricks, and assistance for Palworld? Then check out MeinMMO. We accompany the game and have bundled all guides that are meant to help you in a clear list. Here you can find everything at a glance:
In Pokémon GO a new event is coming, but some trainers are upset. The reason: Bonus tickets that cost real money.
What kind of event is this? Pokémon GO announced the event “The Path to Sinnoh”, which brings some exciting content. The highlight is several rotating legendary Pokémon that can be obtained through raids and also through limited research.
In addition to the legendary Pokémon already included and other bonuses, two optional tickets for real money are also introduced in the announcement:
The Raid Ticket: Here you get 5000 extra XP for raid victories, an additional candy for the captured raid boss, two additional raid passes per day, and a limited research. In the research, you then receive 10 candies each for Dialga and Palkia, as well as 5 XL candies for Heatran, Cresselia, Darkrai, and Giratina. Additionally, you get an Eevee fan mask.
The Egg Hatching Ticket: With this, trainers get double XP, candies, and stardust for hatching eggs, as well as a Pikachu fan mask. Additionally, there is also a limited research that allows you to get the regional Pokémon Pachirisu, Chatot, and Venusaur.
The bonuses are valid from the event start on February 19 to February 25. Each ticket currently costs 5 US dollars; the Euro price is likely to be similar. You can buy one or both tickets – or none at all, as these extra bonuses are optional.
However, some trainers are annoyed by the paid tickets in Pokémon GO, as some comments in the Pokémon GO community currently show.
Start video
Pokémon GO shows the new season “Timeless Travels” in the trailer
New tickets in Pokémon GO lead to criticism
What is the problem? While the appearance of legendary Pokémon is praised by some players (via reddit), some are voicing criticism regarding the extra tickets for real money. Essentially, there have been optional tickets or add-ons for events in Pokémon GO for quite some time, but some feel as though it is increasing.
Some content has also been criticized, particularly regarding the fact that the included researches are limited – meaning they cannot be completed indefinitely.
On the platform X.com, some players have shared critical thoughts in the comments regarding the extra tickets, such as user MYSTIC7:
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Also in the reddit community for Pokémon GO, some players are sharing critical voices regarding the ticket aspect. I think they are testing the limits of how far they can go with the tickets and still have people buy them, says user VerraTheDM (via reddit).
Also in the subreddit “pokemongo”, a post criticizing the topic is currently circulating, which has already received over 2,100 upvotes (via reddit). There are also critical voices who do not like that seemingly more and more tickets are being added to Pokémon.
At the same time, some players are also highlighting that they do not have to buy the tickets – after all, there are other contents in the events that can be accessed without the ticket. They emphasize that one should, if in doubt, play Free-to-Play without using the tickets.
What do you think about this topic? Do you find the tickets in Pokémon GO problematic, or do they not bother you? What do you think about the balance between Free-to-Play and paid aspects in the game? Let us know in the comments! And what else is going on in the game is shown in the overview of all events in January 2024 in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
On January 24, 2024, Enshrouded will launch in Early Access on Steam. MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus was able to play it in advance and is absolutely thrilled: The survival game from the German studio Keen Games in Frankfurt am Main takes many ideas from big hits like Valheim and Conan Exiles and makes them even better.
Now, I love survival games, but I can’t get into Minecraft at all. Too much freedom usually leads me to boredom. However, Enshrouded wanted to entice with a mix of survival, combat, and exploration. That did hook me, as it has many other interested players as well.
I have now played a preview version for about 12 hours, which was a bit buggy but already very enjoyable. However, I would like to distance myself significantly from the original narrative of “Minecraft for adults” at this point.
Enshrouded reminds me more of a German Valheim that snatches the best features from Conan Exiles and directly remedies all the criticisms I had for both games.
Like Valheim and Conan Exiles, but even better
Right from the first moments, Enshrouded practically screams that it was inspired by Conan Exiles and especially Valheim:
The start itself is quite classic survival: I start naked in a bucket and first have to learn what is going on in this world. A mystical voice from the off helps me with that.
Controls and combat are virtually identical to those in Conan Exiles or Valheim, especially with the dodge and parry system. Fighting is directly a lot of fun.
Skills are distributed through points in a huge tree and allow builds and proper classes like in an RPG, such as: tank with shield, mage, healer, assassin, or – my current favorite – barbarian with a two-handed axe.
The real Valheim flashbacks happen in the building and crafting system. I learn new recipes not through skills, but by finding new materials or building new workshops. Just like the dead Viking heroes.
Especially the expansion of my own base is a delight. Enshrouded has a voxel mechanic like Minecraft, but without the annoying physics and static like in Valheim. This means that those who want can build tunnels and caves that will not collapse. Excellent for all creative minds.
Start video
Enshrouded – Building & Terraforming
What smells the most like Valheim to me is the food system. I cannot starve or thirst to death, but food provides useful buffs. Better food also means better buffs for stamina, health, or attack power.
Additionally, there is a kind of servant system like in Conan Exiles. But instead of enslaving the NPCs, here I free them and actually receive new crafting options from them, not just better recipes.
A huge world with a touch of … Zelda?
The perhaps biggest unique feature of Enshrouded in the current survival environment is the map and exploration. The map is not procedurally generated like in Valheim, but fixed like in Conan Exiles.
This is also important because there are specific places you must visit to progress. More specifically: puzzle towers where jump puzzles and more await, as well as special altars. As a reward for finding and mastering them, there are materials with which the base can be upgraded.
These towers actually led to a mature discussion between the colleagues from GameStar and me when we played together. For 2 out of our 4-person group, Enshrouded felt like Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom as multiplayer. For the other two, it was a significantly more playful Conan Exiles.
By the way, Enshrouded can be played in co-op without PvP with up to 16 people per server.
Secret doors are often hidden somewhereWHEEEEEEEMy attempt at a longhouse. Can only get better.Miasma roots are important story points.Some enemies, like bosses and minibosses, are tougher.Story is hidden in many places.The environmental storytelling is excellent.
The big problem: Enshrouded wants to be too pretty
Exploration is an important factor in Enshrouded, and that is evident everywhere. One of the coolest features in the game for me was the medieval wingsuit made of leather. Instead of annoying climbing or glitching around, I simply build myself a glider and soar over the map. It feels wonderful.
The most important feature for exploration is the “miasma”, a type of fog that envelops certain areas of the map. As humans with a special blessing, we can survive there while everyone else would die instantly. Actually a cool idea.
The problem here is that the fog consumes an incredible amount of performance. Even with powerful graphics cards (all in the 4000 range), there were problems which mostly occurred due to fog and lighting.
I know that the developers are aware of the problem and are working on it. However, during testing, it was irritating not to get more than 70 FPS even at medium settings. Valheim has a similar exploration demand but makes it easier: There, the creators rely on pixel graphics that still look great with the right settings. Enshrouded may just want too much.
The biggest point of criticism from the colleagues is the balance. André Baumgartner from GameStar criticizes that it is relatively easy to find strong equipment when you move a bit out of the “planned” level area. As a result, the character becomes suddenly too strong for their level. You can find the detailed review of Enshrouded with a rating on GameStar.
Here it particularly shows the different perspective. For an adventure, such a thing is bad, as the sense of adventure is lost when you wipe everything away without problems. However, for a survival RPG, that’s not a problem since it’s all about raw survival. Every advantage is welcome.
From a survival fan’s perspective, Enshrouded offers me everything I need: great exploration, a mature building system, and excellent combat mechanics. The rest is a bonus that I accept with pleasure. If the developers can now improve bugs and especially performance, Enshrouded definitely has the potential to be the next Valheim. You will surely find it soon in my list of the best survival games for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Many players on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 3 can change their names in the PSN. But the suggestions that the PSN provides are not very good. We show you cool name generators for your PSN IDs.
What’s new? Since April 11, 2019, PlayStation players can change their PSN IDs for the first time. This new feature is free for the first use.
So you have the opportunity to part ways with old names.
Whoever found it cool to call themselves XxDarkLord420xX ten years ago may not find it appropriate anymore.
A free name change is more than welcome. However, this also comes with new problems.
Problems with a new name in the PSN? The suggestions from the PSN generator are really strange.
This is the problem: Anyone who wants to part ways with their old name needs an alternative. A new name is necessary. Those who are uncreative may hope for good suggestions from PSN itself. But they are… well… see for yourself:
lively042rock
weak759excellent
coffee024yellow
doctor358round
real_customer346
round_rock180
These are just a few highlights. As “real_customer346” you can prove to your friends and Sony that you are indeed real – what a great suggestion!
While creating the PSN ID, we took a few screenshots for you, so you can see that we are not making this up. It often seems to be a combination of nouns and adjectives that PSN combines with a few numbers or special characters.
However, they are mixed so randomly that in rare cases anyone can identify with them.
Name Generators for PSN Names
Here you will get help: If you can’t do anything with these interesting suggestions from PSN, but definitely want to use name generators, take a look at these.
Themed name generators: The internet is full of generators for online names. A simple Google search yields various generators.
If you are fans of a particular theme like dragons, orcs, werewolves, or vampires, you can specifically search for such names.
Do it like Jürgen and choose a timeless name like Catguy – The guy likes cats – Clear message!
The website Fantasynamegenerators.com offers a wide selection of themes for names. There are fantasy name generators for:
Aliens, such as Zukkiks or Araill
Bandits, such as Jorden Grimm or Houston the Scar
Cowboys, such as Wesley “Lucky” Holden or Loretta “Gamble” Miller
Cyberpunk, such as Mellow or Nimble
Detectives, such as Adam Quinn or Beht Lawson
Elves, such as Volodar Venwenys or Baerinda Pawreak
Gargoyles, Kreskad or Siscox
Killers, such as The Strangler or The Bloodhound
Trolls, such as Zoljin or Rhazin
There is also a generator for German names. If yours is too boring, the generator suggests names like Frank Messerschmidt or Manuela Rühle. A visit to the website is definitely worth it if you’re looking for suggestions for your online name.
Palworld is so well received also because it appeals to both young and old. A Reddit user recently showcased the base he built with his son and sparked a wave of lovely comments where parents shared their experiences playing together with their children.
How does Palworld bring families together? In a Reddit post, a father proudly shares the base he built with his son with the community. The post went viral and attracted many parents who talked about their shared moments with their children in Palworld.
Even though the game also features firearms, parents and children seem to have a lot of fun together in the survival game.
You can watch the trailer for Palworld here.
Start video
Palworld showcases the small monsters in massive action in the early access trailer
Parents are proud of their children
What do parents report about their time together? Parents on Reddit seem to have a great time with their children.
Easy-Coconut-33 agrees with the post creator: “I do the same with my son. Cool base you guys built! 🙂 We haven’t invested much in base building so far. We mainly explore the world.”
Professional_Rub_711 states: “I’ve been playing this game wrong for the last two days, and Reddit has shown me how! I wish I could get my wife and kids into it.”
ScarcityOpposite3657 mentions: “Jumping on the ‘playing with my child’ train and it feels so heartwarming. What a game. This is the kind of game I’ve wanted to play with her for years. Good times!”
Crookeye states: “Happy. I take turns with my 5-year-old. All he does is die and waste my Pal spheres.”
That Palworld appeals to a large audience is certainly one reason for the game’s sudden success.
You can read the original post and check out the father’s base here.
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Is Palworld the right game for children? Whether Palworld is the right game for children is something parents must decide for themselves. Some Reddit users also suggest first taking turns playing with their children to see if it is suitable for them.
As in most survival titles, base building in Palworld is an important aspect of the game. With a trick, you can customize it even further.
In the open world of Palworld, there is much to explore. It is all the more wonderful to return to your – hopefully well-defended – home at some point. If you like to decorate your base, you will have to experiment with limited options in the current early access version.
For example, there is only one type of staircase available. It takes up the entire width of a foundation and goes straight up. If you want to build a spiral staircase, you will need to resort to a trick.
What is that trick? On Reddit, user Kenobi-Kun shows his simple but effective method for creating custom stairs.
For this, simply grab another piece of furniture: the bench. If you place them cleverly on top of each other, you can eventually use the construction like a normal staircase.
How to build a staircase around the corner
I find this trick particularly helpful for building stairs that lead to the upper floor from just one foundation. Here’s the best way to proceed:
1. The first step
Place the first bench directly at the edge of the foundation, in the direction in which the bend is to happen. Otherwise, ugly gaps will form at the top. To see the end of the foundation better, you can (temporarily) place a wall.
The staircase is to lead to the right, so I place it all the way to the right on the foundation.
2. The rotation
Now place the next bench on top of the previous one. Try to work as evenly as possible.
Reference points help me achieve the same rotation every time.
3. Place from above
From the third step onwards, you will notice that you can no longer place the bench from below. To fix this, you can jump, as Reddit user Kenobi-Kun does.
I used a regular staircase that I placed on the foundation in front of the structure. This allowed me to comfortably reach the height needed for building. For the top benches, I had to turn the staircase around once.
With a bit of patience, you will get a staircase with a 90-degree turn.
Can Pals use the staircase? If you rely solely on this method, the upper floors are a “Pal-free zone.” The cute helpers cannot use the improvised staircase.
What is a disadvantage for some, I see positively: “Additional advantage: storage space that Pals cannot fill with any junk.” (via Reddit)
How practical is the method? I admit, the method is quite fiddly. Also, the material consumption is much higher, as you need 10 wood per bench. A normal staircase only costs 2 wood.
Therefore, I would not build straight staircases using this method. But if you want to save space in a corner or build creatively, this trick gives you the possibility to do so.
Now that you have beautifully decorated your base, you might want to move out to take on boss enemies. For this, you should not only equip yourself well, but also have strong Pals as a great support.
