I only wanted to take a quick look at the tutorial in New Cycle, then I built 2 cities for 5 hours

Benedict Grothaus Benedict Grothaus Reading time 5 minutes

New Cycle will be the first major build game in 2024 and will be released on January 18 on Steam. MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus was able to test it in advance and got lost in the game for too long. Unexpectedly strong and complex mechanics kept him captivated for hours.

I have an enormous problem: New Cycle is too much fun for me. Seriously, I really don’t have time for a game where I get bogged down like other nerds in Factorio! Plus, I have way too much to do:

Even in Against the Storm, which has been fully released in December 2023, I haven’t been able to take a look since then. I love the game and have already sunk over 130 hours into it.

And now New Cycle is around the corner, a mix of Frostpunk and Fallout. I wanted to check it out anyway, but actually later. But my boss Leya said, “I have something here that basically has your name on it.”

Yes, damn it, it does! I was determined to just play it briefly, BRIEFLY. But then I was stuck in this game for hours on the first night, and I even completely exhausted finished “just one more thing”… multiple times.

Start video
New Cycle: The gameplay trailer for the new building game on Steam

A personal Fallout settlement in the post-apocalypse

Quickly about the game itself: New Cycle is a building survival game in which you lead a group of people and create a settlement. You need to take care of the needs of the people, research new technologies, and expand.

In essence, the game is reminiscent of Anno 1800 in terms of building and population. Only the visuals are something that has not been seen in the genre before. Instead of nuclear fallout or frozen tundra, there are steppes laid waste by solar eruptions.

New Cycle plays with the idea that you already know everything: There is electricity and industry, but the knowledge of such technologies has vanished. People have to “relearn” them, and you accompany them in this process.

Unlike most build games, New Cycle introduces several mechanics that completely surprised me. I’m not just taking care of the settlement, but I even create outposts in the world and shape the political landscape of my … realm? New Cycle is already providing me with a lot of what Frostpunk 2 promised me.

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“Hey, we heard you like capitalism – That’s why we now have prostitution”

Now don’t expect intrigues like in Crusader Kings 3 or anything, but New Cycle offers some quite far-reaching decisions. Early on in the game, my inhabitants ask me whether I will allow them to engage in barter trading.

As a convinced capitalist, I naturally agreed. Let the free market govern. A few years into the game, however, I was confronted with the problems: Instead of working, especially young women prefer to resort to prostitution.

This leads to a drop in productivity and is certainly not beneficial for a society that lacks medical care. That was not the plan. Shortly thereafter, an epidemic eventually wiped out the colony – although triggered by a quarantine I had to impose due to a world event.

However, since New Cycle had already hooked me, I immediately started a new settlement, armed with the knowledge from the previous setback. This time, I created a communist realm, and so far, it’s going well. I keep noticing more and more details.

New Cycle Close Screenshot
The city looks nice even up close.
New Cycle Detail Statistics
There are many details in various overviews.
New Cycle Screenshot Cutscene
Whether cutscenes are really needed… is debatable.
New Cycle Screenshot Decisions
Difficult decision: capitalism or communism?
New Cycle Screenshot World Map
The world extends well beyond the settlement.
New Cycle Screenshot Solar Eruption
The danger: solar eruptions.
New Cycle Screenshot First City
My first city did not survive very long.

From: “We need more people” to: “The world is about to end” in just a few hours

Especially in the first few hours, I kept learning new mechanics. For example, the fact that I can send out scouts to explore outposts, from which I can obtain resources and food, was a game-changer.

The only real major problem, however, is the speed at which everything plays out. At the beginning, the build-up takes an extremely long time. There is virtually no reproduction, and strangers rarely join the colony.

Colleague Fabiano Uslenghi from GameStar criticizes the game similarly. Fabiano has spent significantly more time in New Cycle; you can find his detailed review of New Cycle on GameStar.

I need people to reach the next levels of technology. As long as that takes, nothing really happens. The stockpiles fill up and prevent people from working until there are enough citizens to inhabit the city.

However, at a certain point, it tips over. Instead of having to wait painstakingly for enough thinking heads for my research, suddenly problems arise on top of problems:

  • people want more food and pets, which means rations increase
  • at the same time, they accuse me if they do not receive their promised rations during a drought
  • researchers repeatedly want resources from me because they want to research new technologies or predict the future – if I deny them, everything takes longer
  • the sun itself occasionally attacks and causes my people to feel unwell or even leads to dilemmas that require a decision from me
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It probably eases up a bit when I have more experience and know how to respond to difficulties. However, this causes colonies to die rather spontaneously for me, and I have to restart with the tedious beginning. And so far, I haven’t been able to finish any campaign.

New Cycle is first being released in Early Access and only on Steam. I haven’t been able to test a few features, like certain biomes, which are still to come. Nevertheless, I am excited and especially happy for the German publisher Daedalic, who is behind the Turkish developer studio of New Cycle. I sincerely wish the team success after Gollum.

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

You can currently watch a gladiator series with an 18 rating for free on Amazon

Marie Friske Marie Friske Reading time 2 minutes

The gladiator series “Spartacus” can be watched for free on Amazon via Freevee. All four seasons are available to you.

What is this series about? Spartacus is a Starz series that aired between 2010 and 2013. It tells the story of Spartacus and his slave revolt against the Roman Empire.

In Spartacus, blood sprays during the fights in the arena and the epic battles. Furthermore, the series, unlike Game of Thrones, goes quite a bit further when it comes to erotic scenes. Therefore, the series is only suitable for viewers aged 18 and over.

Here you can see a trailer for the gladiator series:

Start video
German trailer for season 1 of the bloody sandal series “Spartacus”

What is Spartacus about? The story revolves around Spartacus, who is abducted from his homeland as a slave and taken to the gladiator school of Batiatus to fight in the Roman arenas.

There, Spartacus witnesses the power plays and abuses of the wealthy and one day he has had enough. He no longer wants to tolerate slavery. So Spartacus seeks allies and begins a revolt that ends in a war against the Roman Empire.

How can you watch the series for free? Through Freevee, a video platform from Amazon, you can stream the sandals series for free. However, you should expect advertisements.

You can go directly to the Freevee Amazon page for Spartacus via this link.

If you already use the Amazon Prime Video app, you can also access the series for free through there.

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What is Freevee? Freevee belongs to Amazon and is a streaming service that is financed through advertising.

Therefore, you can watch series and movies there completely for free, but you have to accept ad interruptions.

If you like series like Spartacus, you might also be interested in this list, which contains more titles with a lot of violence, promiscuity, and ruthless characters; you’ll find 11 series like Game of Thrones here.

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

Steam: Warframe overtakes CS2, becomes the top seller – This was the turning point

Dariusz Müller Dariusz Müller Reading time 3 minutes

Warframe is suddenly the top seller on Steam and only has to face the Steam Deck. Even CS2 has been beaten.

What is Warframe?

  • Warframe is the SciFi MMO that has been rumored for years to be “the game with space ninjas”.
  • In Warframe, you embody a Tenno who fights numerous enemies with their Warframe. Warframes are biomechanical armors that work similarly to combat suits.
  • However, the Warframes are not quite as stealthy and hidden as one would expect from a ninja. Instead, they come equipped with various weapons and are deadly fighters in direct confrontations.
  • A special feature of the Warframes is their high mobility, which also gives a unique style to the MMO’s gameplay.
  • Warframe was released in 2013 and has been regularly updated since then, bringing new content and further improving the gameplay.

Currently, Warframe is playable on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC. However, especially on Steam, the MMO has recently experienced a resurgence and even managed to become the top seller.

Warframe overtakes CS2 as the top seller on Steam

Why is Warframe celebrating? Warframe is currently the top seller on Steam worldwide and recently even surpassed Valve’s long-time favorite Counter-Strike 2.

Other games like Baldur’s Gate 3, Naraka: Bladepoint, or Apex Legends had to bow down to the space ninjas. Only the Steam Deck still reigns above Warframe in the top 100 (as of January 18, 2024, 11:30 AM, via Steam)

This pleases Warframe’s creative director Rebecca Ford, who ceremoniously writes on X.com:

In 11 years, we have reached a significant milestone for Warframe. It is currently the world’s best-selling game on Steam (Rank 1)! Working with the team here has been incredible, and it means a lot to us to share our work with people out there.

Rebecca Ford via X.com

When Ford shared her post on social media, Warframe was even above the Steam Deck at rank 1 of the Steam top sellers, and with the “Gauss Prime” complete bundle, the MMO managed to place a package with additional content at rank 7. However, the bundle has since slipped to rank 29.

Start video
Warframe shows a first trailer for the upcoming update Whispers in the Walls

Expansion and a long-awaited feature bring resurgence

How Warframe became a top seller: There are several factors that contributed to the current resurgence of Warframe.

On the one hand, the latest expansion Whispers in the Walls, which brought among other things a new Warframe and cross-save, was released in December.

Cross-save is a feature long desired by many fans, allowing players to use their game progress from one platform (such as PlayStation) on another (Steam, Xbox).

The access to the cross-save feature occurred in waves after the release of the latest expansion in December. Since the release of Whispers in the Walls, a noticeable increase in player numbers has been observed on Steam (via SteamCharts).

  • In November, an average of 45,549.6 players played
  • In December, an average of 55,599.2 players played
  • In the past 30 days, an average of 62,478.3 players played

It is therefore reasonable to assume that many players utilized the cross-save feature to transfer their accounts to the Steam version of the free-to-play game – after all, many Warframe players have desired cross-save for years (via Reddit).

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However, the transfer of game saves has no direct impact on Steam’s top seller list, as Warframe is a free-to-play game that does not need to be purchased.

As Rebecca Ford from Warframe revealed on X.com, all other transactions play a role – including the release of the new “Gauss Prime” complete bundle, which was released on January 17, 2024, and also climbed the ranks in the Steam top sellers.

As ‘installation’, all transactions for Steam items go through that (i.e., I install for free on Steam, but I buy some platinum through Steam, the higher instance for that purchase is the game client itself)

Rebecca Ford via X.com

Ford explains that the game is installed for free via Steam, but the purchase of in-game currency counts as a purchase for the game itself. This also explains how CS:GO and now CS2 can dominate the top seller list for years.

If you like Warframe, but could use a bit of variety in the future, a loot shooter called The First Descendant will be released in 2024 that could be quite interesting for you: The First Descendant: What is going on with the shooter?

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

EA FC 24: Two formations are very popular, played by almost all professionals – We show them to you

Thomas Dummer Thomas Dummer Reading time 4 minutes

After several months of EA FC 24, two clear favorites among formations have emerged for professionals. While one tactic is suitable for a more controlled build-up, the other formation promises absolute attacking football. We introduce you to the formations with the corresponding tactical instructions.

Which formations are we talking about? The controlled option is the 4-2-3-1 tactic with three central attacking midfielders (CAM). This formation shines through its balance between defense and offense.

The more offensive formation is the 4-3-2-1, which visually promises concentrated offensive power with three strikers. However, this setup also knows how to impress defensively with a specific tactical trick.

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The two best formations with tactics and instructions

What distinguishes these formations? Both formations are suitable for playing down the wings. In EA FC 24, utilizing the flanks is essential for scoring goals.

We have compiled more tips for quickly improving in EA FC 24 here for you: With these 5 tips, you’re guaranteed to score more goals.

Below, we will show you which tactics and instructions you should apply to the formations to use them most effectively in the game. The tactics can be transferred to both formations. Only the instructions have small differences.

Tactical Settings

Offensive: One of the most important tactics is to go offensively in creating chances with “Direct Passes.” With this instruction, your players will move more freely and create open spaces and new passing options.

If you prefer a calmer build-up from the back and like to have a lot of possession, you can choose “Slow Build-Up” instead of “Balanced” for the build-up play. This way, your players present themselves better in their own half and initiate fewer forays.

Defensive: Particularly, the depth in defense is a decisive factor this year and should be adjusted according to your needs. In our article about the new OP setting, we reported on how effective pressing with an automatic offside trap at a depth of “71” is this year. Good opponents, however, know how to counter this pressing. Therefore, we would recommend a depth of “45-70.”

If you want to play without automatic pressing, you should set the depth to “44” or less but will then have to defend more actively yourself: Here we show you the simple tips that ensure you concede fewer goals in EA FC 24.

Other Settings: There is nothing to change regarding the defensive and offensive width. The same goes for the number of players in the penalty area. Once you have familiarized yourself with the tactics, you can feel free to experiment a bit and see if a specific adjustment to the settings pays off.

If you want to avoid conceding annoying counter-goals, you should reduce the number of players for corners and free kicks to one or a maximum of two players.

EA FC 24 Tactics for the best formations
This is what the tactical instructions could look like

Instructions

What instructions should you give your players? In the instructions, you can adjust many things, such as how the players should behave during build-up or when creating chances. However, most of it is handled by relying on the tactics shown above. Therefore, you only need to make a fine-tuning of your game in the instructions.

Common Instructions for the 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-2-1

Goalkeeper: Let’s start in goal. Your keeper should have the instructions “Cross Catcher” and “GK-Libero.” While Cross Catcher ensures that your goalie snatches the ball from strikers when they are too close to crosses in front of the goal, the goalkeeper anticipates overhit passes with GK-Libero and intercepts them outside the penalty area.

Defense: In defense, it is particularly the full-backs (FB) who come into play significantly this year. Many pros let at least one of their full-backs constantly move forward. If you want to secure defensively, give one FB the instruction “Stay Back While Attacking” regarding offensive runs. It is important that the wide runners really run along the sideline. Therefore, you should choose the “Overlapping Run Type” for both full-backs.

If you prefer a more offensive approach, simply do not leave one of the two full-backs back.

Midfield/Attack: The offense works through the tactics even without additional instructions for individual players.

What is important regardless of any tactic: You need players with the best playstyles in EA FC 24 in your team. A pro has ranked all playstyles, we show you the results.

Special Defensive Instructions for the 4-3-2-1

For the 4-3-2-1, there are several important additional instructions regarding defensive stability. You should give the middle of the three central midfielders (CM) the instruction “Stay Back While Attacking.” This way, you always have a player who stays in front of your defensive line and stabilizes the defense. Furthermore, he becomes an important passing option in the center.

However, the most important thing with such an offensive alignment is that the defensive behavior is not neglected. To keep that in mind, you transform the 4-3-2-1 defensively into a 4-4-2 formation. This works by giving the middle CM and one of the two outer CMs the instruction “Cover Center” in the “Defensive Position.” You do not give any instructions to the remaining outer CM.

To finally establish a back four in defense, depending on which outer CM you let defend the wing, you must give the diagonally opposite wing striker the instruction “Reinforce Defense.”

EA FC 24 Instructions 4-3-2-1

In other words: On the side of the CM who moves inside to cover the center, the wing striker must reinforce the vacated defensive position. The wing striker falls back to the position of a winger in case of loss of possession.

With this, you have transformed the already offensive 4-3-2-1 into a stable formation defensively as well. Give yourself and the formations with the instructions and tactics time to internalize them. Once you master both tactics, you can switch back and forth in the game as you wish and challenge your opponent with your variability.

Sometimes even the best formations and plays are of no help. In such cases, a free kick might be necessary. We show you how with a simple trick you can score more free-kick goals.

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

In a new building game on Steam, you must protect your tribe from the darkness – At any cost

Linda Knabe Linda Knabe Reading time 2 minutes

Next month, a new building game will be released on Steam, which presents you with the challenging task of protecting an entire tribe from the darkness. What you can expect from it, you will find out here.

What kind of game is this? The Tribe Must Survive is an upcoming building game on Steam that lives up to its name. Because your task will be to secure the survival of an entire tribe.

The challenge lies in the darkness that surrounds your new settlement and harbors many dangers that you will only see when it is too late.

Especially with its interesting graphics, the Stone Age setting, and a world reminiscent of the works of H.P. Lovecraft, this new building game stands out a bit within the genre. What else you can expect is shown in a short video of the last playtest:

Start video
In The Tribe Must Survive, you decide the fate of an entire tribe

When is it released? The game will be released on February 22, 2024, on Steam and will be published by Starbreeze, who is also responsible for games like PAYDAY 3.

What can you expect? The short video from the last playtest gives you a pretty good impression of what to expect in The Tribe Must Survive.

You take on the task of ensuring the survival of your tribe in a pitch-dark world. Around a large campfire, this challenge begins, as the light is for now everything that protects you from the darkness.

Around the campfire, you will then build shelters and other facilities that are essential for survival. You send your people to gather, mine, and process resources. You should always keep your options in mind. Because if you run out of resources, your people will eventually be exposed to the darkness and thus to impending death.

The more fires you build, the larger your settlement will become, and the safer your people will be.

With new areas, you also get the opportunity to establish outposts and create safe routes along which traders can travel between outposts and the main settlement.

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You decide the fate of your tribe

You send the bravest members of your tribe on expeditions to explore interesting places, find new resources, or uncover secrets. You should always keep an eye on the skills and needs of the expedition members. Because if you send the wrong people, it could quickly lead to losses.

As the new leader of the tribe, you will also face difficult decisions that strongly determine the fate and future of your people. For example, you must decide whether to believe a man who claims to be suffering from terrible hunger or to be sure that he is lying.

Or you instruct your people to swim through a river instead of searching for a way around. The consequences of these decisions, of course, become clear only later. However, it is clear that they can have serious repercussions in the worst case.

In another game on Steam, you don’t want to send your people out into the world but rather keep them safe behind doors: Steam: A popular building game about your own prison announces its 3D successor in the trailer

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

Destiny 2 is likely bringing back the machine gun that veterans have been raving about for 5 years

Britta ♤ BeAngel Britta ♤ BeAngel Reading time 4 minutes

Since 2019, Destiny 2 players have been eagerly awaiting the return of a certain legendary weapon that once defined the game – the “Hammerhead”. With the Sunsetting, Bungie removed the weapon from the game, which many viewed as a significant loss. But now, there is finally a glimmer of hope for its triumphant return in 2024.

Which weapon are we talking about? In the Destiny 2 universe, there is a very special weapon that was among the most sought-after in the game in 2019, only to fall mercilessly victim to the Sunsetting.

It was part of the loot pool of the first premium DLC of Season 5, released on December 4, 2018 – the “Black Armory” DLC. The DLC provided Guardians with not only the finest legendary weapons but also numerous exotic weapons. Weapons that still define Destiny 2 today.

  • Among them is the Exo-bow “Le Monarque”, which is now indispensable in the game. It is still appreciated by numerous Guardians for its poison effect, dealing damage over time in both PvE and PvP.
  • Also the Exo-fusion rifle “Jötunn”, affectionately known as “Toaster”, which, while incredibly effective, is also considered a noob weapon due to its homing fireballs that knock players out in PvP.

In addition to the exotic representatives, the legendary weapons of the Black Armory were also immensely popular. Like the Void machine gun “Hammerhead”. It is considered one of the most sought-after and best legendary machine guns that Destiny 2 has ever seen.

In this 2018 trailer, you can see all the iconic weapons of the DLC that remain unforgettable to this day:

Start video
Destiny 2: Forsaken Annual Pass – The Black Armory

We are sure: “Hammerhead” will return in 2024

Although many weapons, like “Broken Neck”, have already returned from the Sunsetting in Destiny 2, the weapons of the Black Armory are still missing.

However, this could change in 2024, as Bungie has already given a preview of the upcoming weapon arsenal of the “Final Form” DLC, including a machine gun. When comparing the two weapons, the similarity to the “Hammerhead” is hard to deny.

The showcased weapon for the upcoming DLC deviates from the original only in terms of color design, with an additional cap on the top of the stock and a different sight.

The old Hammerhead from 2018 compared to the new “Final Form” weapon

Why was this MG so popular? The Void machine gun “Hammerhead” has been the legendary weapon that especially Destiny 2 veterans wish to see return after the Sunsetting. It was regarded as a gun that performed excellently in all activities of the game.

At one time, the weapon was available with Adaptive Frame, Armor-Piercing Rounds, and the perks “Feeding Frenzy” and “Rampage”. With those, it swept aside every type of enemy with ease. Moreover, it was extremely precise, and the sound of the machine gun was regarded as particularly pleasant by some players.

You know you’re done for when the opposing team gets ammo for the Hammerhead. You don’t even have to aim, and you can wipe out an entire team with ease and still have enough ammo for one or two more. In PvE, it’s the same story; you melt through any enemy.

wrote the player Hulkl once via light.gg about the Hammerhead

Furthermore, the Hammerhead was also considered a so-called “Dad weapon” that perfectly fit into the “Dad Loadout”. The term “Dad Loadout” refers to a joke in the Destiny community that describes Guardians who have little time for gaming or only check in to Destiny 2 for a few hours at the end of the day.

“Could be the next craftable Solar MG”

From Void to Solar? Players are considering this possibility

After Bungie’s announcement, players have already developed their own theory for the weapon’s return. Dewrevolution is convinced, for example, that the “Hammerhead” will not be a Void MG anymore, but will become a craftable 450 Solar machine gun.

They have changed the elements of many of the rebooted weapons recently, but maybe that’s why we are experiencing so many seasons without seeing any craftable 450 Solar weapons, with the only available ones coming from the Trials of Osiris or the Dawning event. Save the best for last.

wrote the player Dewrevolution via Reddit

This Solar MG is already craftable: However, this new MG would not be the first craftable machine gun. A Solar MG already in the game is the Calus MG “Fateful Chance”. You obtain the weapon and the blueprint in the dungeon “Duality”. However, it only has a fire rate of 360, not 450.

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What additionally speaks for the return: Additionally, the lore text of the former Black Armory machine gun is interesting. It states: “Fight through the Veil.”

This subtle hint to the Veil was completely unknown to players in 2018. They discovered this strange object called The Veil for the first time in 2023 in the DLC “Lightfall”. Whether this is pure coincidence or a brilliant move by Bungie, we leave to you.

Destiny 2 fans hope to soon be able to use the legendary 450 machine gun again in the fight against the Witness. And perhaps also some of the other still-missing elite weapons of the Black Armory.

What are your expectations for the possible return of the “Hammerhead”? Do you think it will debut as a craftable Solar MG? Or are you more skeptical? Feel free to share your thoughts and theories in the comments. You can find all further information about “The Final Form” and the announcements here: Destiny 2: Everything about the “Final Form” DLC of 2024 – Release, New Abilities, Enemies, and Editions

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

Steam giant Valve bans 27-year-old during the tournament: Own professional career and that of his team ruined

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

27-year-old Peruvian Steven “StingeR” Vergas had a very bad day. The support player was banned live during a tournament in DOTA 2 (Steam) by Valve. This caused them to lose the tournament. He and his teammates were subsequently fired from their team.

This was the situation:

  • The tournament “DreamLeague Season 22: South America Closed Qualifier” was played – here, 8 teams from South America fought for the right to participate in the attractive “DreamLeague” in DOTA 2.
  • Support player StingeR was one of 3 teams directly invited to the qualifier with his team “Mad Kings.” However, they had already lost their opening match against White Dragons and ended up in the loser’s bracket, where they won their first match.
  • But in the 3rd game of the qualifiers against “Thunder Awaken,” StingeR was banned by Valve in the middle of the match. His team automatically lost and was eliminated.
Start video
Dota 2 – The New Frontiers Update

Pro player allegedly “boosted” by his own teammate

Why was he banned? The ban against StingeR had been looming in the days leading up to the match. Community members accused StingeR of having another player play on his behalf to boost his account (via reddit).

The second player is David “Parker” Nicho Flores, another team member of Mad Kings.

While it has not been officially confirmed whether StingeR was banned for this reason, it is assumed within the community.

This boosting was seen as repulsive behavior in the community.

In games like DOTA 2, a matchmaking rating ensures that players are matched with opponents and teammates of roughly equal strength. However, if a player uses another’s account to play (smurfs), who has a lower ranking, they compete against significantly weaker players. This is generally considered unfair.

Ban in the middle of the tournament even confuses the casters

This was the reaction: StingeR was banned in the middle of the tournament, at the 10-minute mark in the 2nd game. After the ban, he could no longer log into DOTA 2. The ban resulted in an automatic loss for his team and elimination.

The clip of the live ban during the tournament and how the casters discussed it can be seen on Twitch. Apparently, everyone was surprised by the situation. The casters said that such a ban in the middle of a game had never happened before.

As Dotesports writes, the ban of StingeR in the middle of a tournament is a clear sign that Valve is serious about their initiative against “smurfs.”

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Player and his teammates fired within 24 hours

This was the result: After the ban of the player, he and all his teammates were fired from the team “Mad Kings” within 24 hours. They had formed the team on December 29.

The organization now wants to take a break from esports.

More on the topic of “smurfing” in DOTA 2:

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

Palworld seems to be the 1st Twitch hit of 2024 – And the ‘Pokémon with guns’ is even wilder than everyone thought

Lydia Lydia Reading time 2 minutes

The survival game Palworld enters Early Access on Steam and Xbox on January 19, 2024. Streamers on Twitch are already showing what players can expect, and the “Pokémon with guns” looks really crazy.

What kind of game is it? Palworld is a survival shooter that the internet affectionately calls “Pokémon with guns.” In contrast to other monster collectors, you are not only supposed to send your “Pals” into battle but also let them work in factories for you and even be able to eat them.

This crazy mix makes many curious and earns Palworld a spot among the most wished-for games on Steam. On January 19, 2024, the survival game will start in Early Access, but it already has thousands of viewers on Twitch.

Start video
Palworld showcases the small monsters in massive action in the early access trailer

Twitch hit with human trafficking and bird butts

How is Palworld performing on Twitch? Palworld is poised to become a hit on Twitch even before release. Some larger streamers like Rubius, the “Spanish xQc,” and shooter streamer Lirik are already showcasing the game to tens of thousands of viewers (via sullygnome).

At its peak, Palworld even had more than 104,000 simultaneous viewers. It is currently playing in a league with established titles like Escape from Tarkov and Rust. At one point, the insane survival shooter even went head-to-head with Fortnite. Currently, it stands at number 16 of the games with the highest viewer peak in the last 3 days (via sullygnome).

What are the first impressions? To put it briefly: completely crazy. With more than 27,000 views, the currently most-watched clip shows how streamer “Coney” surprisingly catches a human instead of a chicken.

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The game immediately informs him that this practice is considered morally reprehensible, but it does not stop him from selling the captured human at the next trader. Coney has thus already discovered the first “meta” in the game: human trafficking (via Twitch).

For those who find this too unethical, they can also simply process their prisoners into meat (via Twitch).

Other clips show the use of Pals as flamethrowers or as bizarre grenade launchers – no points if you can guess where the exploding eggs come from:

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A factor that contributes to the popularity of Palworld on Twitch is that, besides the excitement of players, there is also curiosity about whether this is even a real game. After all, many may still remember The Day Before, which went from being the most wished-for game on Steam to the supposed “scam of the year”.

More games on Steam:
New pirate game on Steam does it like Crimson Desert, drops the MMORPG and becomes successful
von Ody
New survival MMO dies after just 2 months on Steam, refunds all buyers
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Co-op game on Steam has been free since release – unfortunately, a price tag is now attached
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It is thus little surprising that potential players want to get a picture of the game first. Nevertheless, the absurd clips are also really damn entertaining.

What do you think? Do you want to give Palworld a chance at launch? Feel free to let us know in the comments.

If you find Palworld a bit too crazy and are more into classic survival battles, we have the 25 best survival games of 2024 for PlayStation, PC, and Xbox for you.

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

Steam: The new survival game Nightingale gives a taste of your start in the open world in 20 minutes

Linda Knabe Linda Knabe Reading time 2 minutes

Nightingale, the new survival game on Steam, showcases the first steps in the game in nearly 20 minutes of gameplay: from exploring the open world, to gathering resources, to building the first base.

What can you expect in Nightingale? Nightingale is a new survival game on Steam, which is set to be released next month on February 22, 2024. The game is being developed by Inflexion Games.

  • Nightingale takes place in an open fantasy world that is heavily inspired by Victorian style.
  • Players explore the mysterious world as fearless “Realmwalkers” in multiplayer or solo.
  • The game aims to focus heavily on PvE.
  • During the closed playtest in November, over 12,000 players were able to test the survival game and spent quite a bit of time alone in the character editor.

We have summarized even more information about the world of Nightingale and your life as a “Realmwalker” in a short video:

Start video
Nightingale is considered a great hope for survival, without PvP – The latest gameplay looks fantastic

What do the 20 minutes of gameplay show? You can now enjoy nearly 20 minutes of gameplay on the IGN YouTube channel and get a first impression of the initial steps in the open world, resource gathering, and base building.

The video begins with a narrator wanting to tune you into your new life and your task in Nightingale. Afterwards, the video shows quite a bit of gameplay, where fans of the survival genre should quickly feel at home:

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Nightingale shows what survival fans can look forward to

To build your base, you will of course need to gather the right resources. As the video shows, you can plan your construction beforehand and then gather the necessary materials to complete your new home step by step.

You can freely design both the exterior and the interior of your base, allowing for a great deal of creativity. As the video shows, you should equip your house with a bed, a cooking station, and a workbench to survive in the world of Nightingale.

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In addition to the typical survival gameplay, you can also catch a glimpse of the world maps in the video. These provide you with information about possible resources or important locations.

Additionally, there seem to be “Realm Cards” that can bring you various advantages when played. For example, the video shows the “Abeyance Card”, which provides a location with minimal dangers, making it perfect for building a base.

Not only Nightingale could become the new hit for survival fans in 2024: 8 new survival games to look forward to in 2024

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

Pokémon GO: First hints of new Ultra Beasts and legendary Pokémon have been found

Paul Kutzner Paul Kutzner Reading time 2 minutes

First hints of new Pokémon have been found in the code of Pokémon GO. These belong to Ultra Beasts and legendary Pokémon.

What hints are there? Data miners have discovered new attacks in the code of Pokémon GO that have been added to the game. These attacks were found within so-called movesets, meaning the assignment of Pokémon to the respective attacks.

This is an indication that the appearance of the respective Pokémon is being prepared. When exactly this will happen is still unknown. We will list the attacks and the corresponding Pokémon for you here.

Trailer for the current season Timeless Travels.

Start video
Pokémon GO shows the new season “Timeless Travels” in the trailer

Many legendary and mysterious Pokémon as well as Ultra Beasts

Which attacks and Pokémon were discovered? The attacks and Pokémon found by the data miners are the following:

Venicro

  • Fast Attacks: Poison Jab, Spike
  • Charge Attacks: Mud Bomb, Mud Wave, Spike Finale

Agoyon

  • Fast Attacks: Poison Jab, Air Slash
  • Charge Attacks: Mud Bomb, Acrobatics, Spike Finale, Dragon Pulse

Muramura

  • Fast Attacks: Rock Throw, Body Slam
  • Charge Attacks: Light Cannon, Stone Edge, Steam Roller

Kopplosio

  • Fast Attacks: Incinerate, Astonish
  • Charge Attacks: Magic Flame, Shadow Ball, Heat Wave

Zeraora

  • Fast Attacks: Spark, Volt Switch
  • Charge Attacks: Thunderbolt, Charge Beam, Shock Wave

Chongjian

  • Fast Attacks: Leaf Tornado, Present
  • Charge Attacks: Dark Aura, Branch Poke, Leaf Storm
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Baojian

  • Fast Attacks: Powder Snow, Present
  • Charge Attacks: Dark Aura, Avalanche, Blizzard

Dinglu

  • Fast Attacks: Mud Shot, Present
  • Charge Attacks: Dark Aura, Steam Roller, Earthquake

Yuyu

  • Fast Attacks: Incinerate, Present
  • Charge Attacks: Dark Aura, Nitro Charge, Flame Wheel

Koraidon

  • Fast Attacks: Crasher, Dragon Tail
  • Charge Attacks: Giga Impact, Dragon Claw, Close Combat, Fury Attack

Miraidon

  • Fast Attacks: Thunder Shock, Fire Breath
  • Charge Attacks: Hyper Beam, Dragon Pulse, Thunder, Fury Attack

What other attack updates have there been? An attack update for Epitaff was also discovered in the data. This Pokémon will already celebrate its debut in the new battle event. For Epitaff, the charge attack Shadow Ball has now also been found in addition to the previous attacks that were already present in the code.

What do you think of the discoveries of the data miners? Are there Pokémon in the list that you are particularly looking forward to and have been eagerly anticipating for a long time? Feel free to share your opinions in the comments and exchange thoughts with other trainers. You can also find out which events are coming in January 2024 in Pokémon GO with us.

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

Gamers discuss the end of a legendary studio: “Could have been the German Witcher”

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

The studio Piranha Bytes seems to be facing closure. The German role-playing game developer has built an international reputation with games like Gothic or Risen. Therefore, the reports about the likely end of the studio after more than 25 years are being discussed internationally. Along with a lot of nostalgia, there is also disappointment.

Where do the reports about the studio’s closure come from? The German gaming magazine GameStar has learned from reliable sources that Piranha Bytes is likely facing an end. This is indicated in an article from January 17.

The website is shut down, no new videos have come out since November 27 (via youtube), and sources report layoffs of employees.

Yesterday, we at MeinMMO looked into the backgrounds of the studio’s problems, which apparently are mainly rooted in the buying spree and subsequent hangover of the publishing group “Embracer Group”.

Piranha Bytes is particularly known for the role-playing series Gothic:

Start video
Gothic 2: Gold Edition Trailer

“Doing the Same Thing for Too Long”

This is how the end of the studio is being discussed: In the gaming section of reddit, the end of Piranha Bytes is one of the biggest topics on January 17 and 18. More than 150 comments have already been received, many people have a sober view of the German studio and clearly enumerate its failures and missed opportunities:

No one on reddit is really surprised by the closure. The studio “did the same thing for too long” and has slipped from being the “leader of the pack” to the end of the food chain. The author of the top comment says he has played all the games, and Elex 2 felt like it was created a decade ago.

Another user states: The studio’s own stubbornness has been its downfall. The head of the studio, Björn Pankratz, once said he would rather close the studio than expand the staff or switch engines.

A third user makes it clear: Piranha Bytes developed AA open-world role-playing games with a small team. They had around 33 people in 2021. The Witcher 1 in 2007 had much more staff than Elex 1 in 2017 – thus, comparing the role-playing game from Piranha Bytes with major competitors is unfair.

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The user “GoldenJoel” raves: Gothic was a technical marvel overshadowed by Morrowind, which came out a year later. No one created such vibrant 3D worlds as Gothic back then.

There is also a “What if?” post: A user says the quality of Gothic took a steep rise in the first 2 games, transitioning from a solid niche game to a masterpiece. However, Gothic 3 had to be released too early because the publisher Jowood needed money – but through the fan patches, it became clear that Gothic 3 had the potential to catch up with the genre leader The Elder Scrolls.

The user concludes: Piranha Bytes had the chance to become the German CD Projekt Red (Witcher), but they messed it up in the end. Everything after Gothic 3 has only lived off the nostalgia of the people. No title from the studio has come close to Gothic.

Lots of Love from German Players

How is this being discussed in Germany? In the comments at GameStar, Piranha Bytes is seen a bit softer and more tender:

  • “A significant part of German video game history is leaving the stage.”
  • “It’s really a shame. Gothic 1-3 and Risen 1-2 are all among my top 10 favorite games.”

Typically German, they also discuss business decisions here. Whether it would have been better to remain independent. Whether the studio would have survived if it had evolved as many critics kept demanding.

For many players from Germany, a piece of youth and childhood memories is surely dying here.

This might be a glimmer of hope for fans of Gothic:

Gothic took away my youth – now it’s coming as an MMO and that will give me the rest

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

After 14 years, an item in WoW has finally been found

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

It took almost 14 years for players to obtain this item in World of Warcraft. Now they are all fishing for it.

When it comes to collecting transmog items to beautify their characters, there is no holding back for fans of World of Warcraft. Especially the end of Shadowlands offered some new options, as glasses finally became part of the game.

But one pair of glasses has been hiding bravely for over a decade. Now players have finally found “Lord Godfrey’s Old Glasses”!

What kind of item is this? We are talking about “Lord Godfrey’s Old Glasses”. This is an item that players have wished for a very long time. The glasses are worn by Lord Godfrey during the original Gilneas intro quest and have a unique model. The blue lenses are mirrored from the outside, making the eyes of the character wearing them invisible – very different from previous glasses in the game.

By the way, “Lord Godfrey’s Old Glasses” have been in the game data since patch 4.0 – that is, since 2010, when Cataclysm was launched. For many years, fans speculated on how and where to obtain the glasses, but the source was never identified.

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WoW: Finding Lord Godfrey’s Old Glasses

Where can you find the glasses? To acquire “Lord Godfrey’s Old Glasses”, you must first complete the quest line for the reclamation of Gilneas. This is only possible for characters at level 70, and you should already be wearing solid gear for this mission, as the enemies might hit a bit harder.

The quest line takes about 30 to 60 minutes, depending on your speed.

After that, you need to fish in the waters around Gilneas. It seems irrelevant whether you fish in the channels around the city, in the rivers, lakes, or the sea. As long as your area is still recognized as “Gilneas”, you can try your luck.

WoW Fishing in Gilneas
Fish somewhere in Gilneas, around the central city.

At some point, you will catch Lord Godfrey’s Old Glasses and can then immediately add them to your transmog collection.

The glasses are soulbound upon acquisition, so you cannot sell them. The only option is to redeem them in your transmog collection.

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How long does it take? How often you have to fish depends, of course, on personal luck. The special fishing rewards, such as Lord Godfrey’s Old Glasses, have a relatively low probability of being caught. However, most report that they obtained the glasses after about 100 attempts – which is a relatively short time for such an exclusive transmog.

So, those looking for the perfect look in the coming days should plan a little fishing trip in Gilneas.

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

Diablo 4: Season 3 offers you 2 powerful Uber Uniques for your new companion – This is what Blizzard says

Niko Hernes Niko Hernes Reading time 2 minutes

Diablo 4 offers you, in addition to new activities in Season 3, a mechanical companion that you can customize with various stones to match your playstyle. With 2 special Uber Uniques for your companion, Blizzard promises you incredible power.

In Season 3 of Diablo 4, you will be accompanied by a new mechanical companion, the Seneschal:

  • With 2 guiding stones, you can determine its behavior, such as whether it defends as a tank or attacks
  • Tuning stones change the abilities of the Seneschal and are comparable to runes or affixes, of which you can equip 6
  • The official blog for Season 3 describes 12 guiding stones and 27 tuning stones

In addition to the described stones, there are also 2 secret tuning stones, only the name is known. Evernight and Genesis are said to give you power that far exceeds that of ordinary people.

What exactly the two stones can do is still unknown, but in an interview with PCGamer, Blizzard revealed some additional information.

Start video
Diablo 4: The Announcement Trailer for Season 3

The 2 special stones are like Uber Uniques

In the interview, the two special tuning stones are compared to the Uber Uniques. They are said to reflect the power and rarity of the latter, and one has the right to brag if one finds them.

Evernight is described in a bit more detail than in the cryptic blog post. This tuning stone is said to be oriented towards the Harlequin Crown and give you +4 ranks for each of your abilities. Unlike the crown, this buff only lasts for you briefly when the Seneschal attacks enemies. Nothing was revealed about Genesis in the interview, however.

System Game Designer Sean White goes a bit further in the interview with PCGamer, describing the power that you or your Seneschal gain through these stones as it will either amplify your own power or that of the Seneschal by – let’s say quite a bit. A lot. A whole lot.

The described power matches statements made by General Manager Rod Fergusson in an interview with Electronic Playground Network, where he talked about not wanting to nerf less because the seasonal model allows OP builds to be used for a fixed period. The seasons are perfect for experimenting.

You can find the entire interview here:

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What do you think about the approach of keeping strong classes and abilities so powerful for the season? Are you excited about the mechanical companion? Let us know in the comments and tell us what you are looking forward to in the next season.

You won’t have to wait much longer; starting January 23 at 7 PM, you can start slashing in Season 3. Due to the upcoming Season 3, many players are already starting to miss the abilities from Season 2.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. PCGamer
  2. Games Radar
  3. Blizzard

Anyone looking to upgrade their gaming PC should definitely wait a few more days for AMD and Nvidia

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 2 minutes

Are you looking to buy an upgrade for your gaming PC? Then wait a few more days, because you could save some serious money on hardware.

Upgrades for a gaming PC can get really expensive depending on the product. If you are considering buying new components with your Christmas money, you should wait a few more days. Not only have new graphics cards been presented, but prices are also expected to drop significantly in the coming days.

AMD Announces “Promotional Prices” and Nvidia New Graphics Cards for Gamers

What about AMD? AMD has introduced new promotional prices for its current 7000 series graphics cards. How much the prices will drop is still unknown. Many speculate that buyers could save between 50 and 100 euros.

However, it will still take a few days for the new prices to reach interested buyers. AMD’s promotion needs to reach the retailers first, who will then need to adjust their prices accordingly. Therefore, it is quite possible that you will only pay 700 euros for an RX 7900 XT next week: Currently, prices are between 760 and 810 euros. The 7900 XTX has already been dropping below the 1,000 euro mark repeatedly for the past few weeks.

AMD also presented a new graphics card at CES 2024 that could fulfill many player wishes. However, we believe it is unlikely that the prices for the 7600XT will be lower than the MSRP at release.

What about Nvidia? Various Super variants of the current 4000 series cards are expected to come from Nvidia in the next few weeks. So far, the new Super models offer slightly more performance for the same price as the non-Super cards. For that, check out the RTX 4070 Super review at GameStar Tech with the corresponding benchmarks.

For interested buyers, this also means that it might be worth waiting for the release of the new cards. Because if someone buys an RTX 4080 now, they might get an RTX 4080 Super for the same price in a few weeks – if the sellers do not dictate other prices. After all, the days when scalpers sold graphics cards for thousands of euros on eBay are over.

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Additionally, it is quite likely that retailers will sell the old GPUs without Super at a lower price.

Players who want to upgrade in the coming weeks will likely benefit in every way. Whether you decide to go with AMD or Nvidia, patience might be worth it in the coming days.

AMD and Nvidia are arguing about the fastest graphics card – Meanwhile, the GPU is not even aimed at gamers

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

EA FC 24: Professional ranks all playstyles, places great importance on defense

Thomas Dummer Thomas Dummer Reading time 4 minutes

A professional player has ranked all playstyles in EA FC 24 after about 4 months. He considers playstyles particularly important that you need for defending. We present the ranking and then look at which players possess many of the strongest playstyles.

Who created the ranking? The creator of the tier list is the American pro Christopher Holly, better known as “didycristlito_”. Especially in the USA and Canada, the esports player is well known, having crowned himself the North American Champion in 2022 and being the first ever to win the eChampions League.

The ranking was published on the Instagram account of the content creator “ChuBoi”, who is famous for his reviews and assessments of all kinds of content about EA FC 24.

EA-FC-24 professional rates all playstyles: This is his ranking

In the list, all playstyles are based on the golden variant (Playstyle+). We emphasize at this point that we are relaying the expert’s opinion.

These are the best playstyles:

  • Intercept: more assertiveness in tackles
  • Intercept: balls can be intercepted over a larger radius and are highly likely to remain within your own ranks
  • Anticipation: greater likelihood of successfully executing tackles and stopping the ball at foot when taken away by the opponent
  • Curled Shot: curled shots are executed with additional effect and improved precision
  • Technique: allows for controlled sprint (R1-dribbling) with more speed and better agility
  • Power Pass: crosses arrive more accurately, sharper and with more effect

These playstyles are very good:

  • Speedster: higher sprint speed with the ball, more precision when passing the ball (right analog stick while sprinting)
  • Power Shot: power shots (L1+R1/LB+RB) are executed faster and with more force
  • Trivela: outside foot passes and shots (L2/LT) are triggered contextually and have more precision
  • Shielding: in jockey movement (L2+R2/LB+RB) you achieve higher speed and can switch to sprint faster
  • Fast Step: you accelerate faster during explosive sprints
  • Power Header: headers have more power and precision
  • Block: greater range and higher success rate with blocks
  • Long Pass: high passes and lofted through balls (L1+triangle/LB+Y) arrive more precisely

These playstyles are sensible:

  • Tiki-Taka: directly forwarded flat passes arrive more precisely
  • Through Pass: allows for faster flat passes that the receiver can easily process
  • Calm Center: tight dribbling at running speed, better shielding of the ball from the opponent
  • In the Air: allows for higher jumps and better success rate in heading duels
  • Decisive Pass: through balls arrive more precisely, effect passes have more curve, precision passes (R1+triangle/RB+Y) have more speed

These playstyles are not absolutely necessary:

  • Tricks: additional flick special movements (pressing the right analog stick)
  • Relentless: recovers more stamina before the second half or extra time, players can perform secondary pressing/team pressing longer (holding R1/RB while defending)
  • First Touch: better processing of balls after passes, faster transition to dribbling
  • Footwork (for GK): goalkeeper makes more saves with his legs
  • Catching Crosses (for GK): goalkeeper tries to reach crosses before the opponent when the chance is there

These playstyles are unnecessary:

  • Lob: lobs are executed faster and with more precision
  • Set Piece: set pieces are more dangerous, with more effect and precision, the target assistance is extended
  • Slide Tackle: slide tackles are more effective, the chance of possession after a successful slide tackle is higher
  • Long Throw: throw-ins are faster and farther
  • Flair: flair passes and shots (L2/LT) arrive more accurately, are executed contextually
  • Acrobatics: volleys are more precise, additional animations for executing high balls
  • Long Goal Kick (for GK): goal kicks go farther
  • Coming Out (for GK): keeper is more aggressive when coming out
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Playstyle Ranking: These cards embody the best playstyles

Which players embody the most of the best playstyles? For the following selection, we looked at which players possess the most playstyles of the top category. Our selection process initially indicated that only a single card has four of the best playstyles, but none in gold:

  • Nina Lührßen (SV Werder Bremen): Curled Shot, Power Pass, Intercept and Technique

To still create a meaningful list, we combined all offensive playstyles (Curled Shot, Power Pass and Technique) and all defensive playstyles (Intercept, Anticipation and Shielding). Additionally, we made sure that one of the named playstyles is available in gold. This resulted in the following players for offense and defense:

Players with the best offensive playstyles (at least one Playstyle+):

  • Thunderstruck Pires (Icon): Curled Shot+, Technique, Power Pass
  • Versus Fire Asensio (Paris Saint-Germain): Curled Shot+, Technique, Power Pass
  • Versus Ice Asensio (Paris Saint-Germain): Technique+, Curled Shot, Power Pass

Players with the best defensive playstyles (at least one Playstyle+):

  • Thunderstruck Varane (Manchester United): Anticipation+, Intercept, Shielding
  • Dynasties Oberdorf (VFL Wolfsburg): Intercept+, Anticipation, Shielding
  • Winter Wildcard Saliba (FC Arsenal): Intercept+, Anticipation, Shielding
  • Gold Oberdorf (VFL Wolfsburg): Shielding+, Intercept, Anticipation
  • Gold/TOTW Bright (FC Chelsea): Shielding+, Intercept, Anticipation
  • Radioactive Caicedo (FC Chelsea): Shielding+, Intercept, Anticipation

What do the lists of players with the best playstyles show? So far, there is only a very limited number of players who can combine the best playstyles, with one being available as a Playstyle+-variant. Notably, aside from Thunderstruck Varane (market value: about 470,000 coins) and Winter Wildcard Saliba (market value: about 245,000 coins), all cards cost a maximum of 150,000 coins.

This is likely because players with the best playstyles do not automatically have the best stats. However, that might soon change, because the TOTY is just around the corner. We are curious whether one or another TOTY player will wait for us with these playstyle combinations.

Which playstyles do you find the best? Feel free to write it to us in the comments.

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

The end of used video games? Large retailer stops buying and selling games

Dariusz Müller Dariusz Müller Reading time 2 minutes

A retail chain from the United Kingdom has announced that it will no longer accept and sell used games.

Which company is giving up the trade of used games? The video game retailer “GAME” has announced that it will phase out the purchase and sale of used video games in the coming months.

GAME is a large retail chain in the United Kingdom where gamers could trade their used games for store credits or gift cards. In June 2019, GAME was acquired by the Fraser Group.

In an interview with BBC, a spokesperson for the Fraser Group revealed that the company will continue to sell the games they have in stock – but only as long as supplies last. No further games will be accepted in exchange for store credits or gift cards.

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“The End of an Era”

How is the gaming community reacting? A user on X.com (formerly Twitter) writes that he once ran his own independent store and believes that without the trade of used games, GAME cannot survive.

Another user describes GAME’s decision to stop selling used games on Reddit as “the end of an era”, to which another Reddit user expresses his surprise over this decision: “I’m surprised. When I worked there, the used goods trade was the main source of income for the store.”

Other users are less surprised by the company’s path: “The fact that GAME no longer has its own stores and is reduced to a small corner in a sports store shows that the hour for the brand has struck. A huge shame and mismanagement for a great brand.”

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Why does GAME want to stop selling used games? The company has not specified an exact reason.

Perhaps selling used games is not as profitable today as it was a few years ago. After all, there are more and more subscription services that allow players to sample a wide variety of games for a relatively low price before making a purchase decision.

Additionally, there are numerous websites where gamers can conveniently buy and sell their used games directly from home. There are also regular sales in online stores and the return of demos on Steam.

If Ubisoft has its way, gamers will increasingly rely on gaming subscriptions in the future. But as a senior employee of the company recently stated, players will first have to get used to not owning their games: You should get used to not owning your games, says a Ubisoft official

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Eurogamer
  2. BBC
  3. 3DJuegos

Steam hit The Finals releases new mode for players without friends

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 2 minutes

In The Finals, players have always had to compete for victory in teams of 3. In the new patch, the developer Embark introduces a mode where everyone has to go solo.

We have updated the article on January 18, 2024, at 10:15 AM with the player counts.

What kind of mode is this? The arena shooter The Finals still enjoys high player numbers, with a peak of 73,245 players playing the game simultaneously in the last 24 hours. Yesterday, a patch was released that expanded the game. It also introduced the new mode “Solo Bank It!” or in German “Solo-Geldregen” (Solo Money Rain).

In this game mode, 12 players compete against each other alone. The winner is the one who collects 40,000 cash first. The mode is said to work like the standard “Money Rain” mode. Players earn cash for kills and safes, which needs to be delivered at drop-off points. Any cash that is not delivered drops upon death and can be collected by opponents.

Will the mode stay? The mode is experimental and time-limited. The developers mention in the patch notes that they want to continuously improve the mode and are listening to feedback from the community on Discord.

It primarily targets solo players who have always been at a disadvantage as they had to compete against 3-player teams of friends while paired with 2 random teammates.

You can watch the trailer for the new major update 1.5.0 here.

Start video
The Finals shows new Season 1 Update 1.5.0 trailer with new mode

New balance patch nerfs the “Nuke”

What is the Nuke? The “Nuke” is a gas barrel with C4. The barrel could be thrown far and detonated at any time during its flight with the C4. The C4 dealt high damage, and the poison often finished off the rest.

For players of the light or medium classes, the “Nuke” meant a certain death, as there were hardly any counters against it.

What balance changes are being made? The patch brings many balance changes, particularly affecting the meta weapons. The C4 of the “Nuke” is being nerfed, with player damage reduced from a maximum of 210 to 155.

The minimum damage that the C4 inflicts on players is now only 100 instead of 120. This should make the C4 deal less damage.

The “Nuke” will also receive a second nerf; all portable explosive items that can be placed on throwable objects will now add weight to them. This means barrels with C4 now fly shorter distances effectively, potentially dealing less damage.

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What else has changed? In addition to many bug fixes and balance changes to almost all weapons in the game, there is also a new Fair Play Code (via Discord) that now more precisely defines what actions can get you banned in The Finals.

In short, this includes cheating or attempts to cheat, going AFK to farm currency, overlays that provide unfair advantages, and everything else where the developers decide it gives an unfair advantage. You can read all patch notes in detail on The Finals website.

Cheaters are expected to be easier to ban now as the rules about what is allowed and what is prohibited are now clearly defined. In another change, the shop is now slightly larger and offers more cosmetic items. The developers are taking different directions with the patch and seem to be listening to player feedback. The patch also fixed the bug that allowed players to fly through the map.

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

Gamer posts a video on YouTube because he feels unattractive and lonely: It changes his life

Lydia Lydia Reading time 3 minutes

Nearly 6 years ago, a young man, feeling down and slightly drunk, decided to publish a video on YouTube. In it, he spoke about how much he suffers from his appearance and how lonely he feels. By now, he is happily married.

What kind of video was it? On January 26, 2018, a young Swede, under the name “Never Give Up”, talked on YouTube about his experience of being “ugly”. He reported on insults and rejection he had faced throughout his life because of his appearance. He had never received a genuine compliment.

On YouTube, he searched for videos of people like him, as Never Give Up stated, but he only found content from good-looking people, which only intensified his feelings of loneliness.

The video received over 20.5 million views and numerous comments. Many viewers could identify with Never Give Up, thanked him for his honesty, and shared their own experiences.

Start video
Twitch streamer with only 1 viewer becomes famous through a nice gesture – This is her story

Never Give Up shows why you should never give up

How did the video change his life? After Never Give Up’s video went viral, he began to publish updates at irregular intervals, responding to comments, sharing about his life, or voicing his opinions on various topics. Additionally, he started live-streaming, where he played games or chatted with his viewers.

Among those whom Never Give Up reached with his video was an American woman who went by the name “Lullaby” online. They began talking over Discord before meeting in person and entering into a relationship.

However, the young man also reported health problems and ups and downs in his life.

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How is he doing today? In 2022, four years after his original video, Never Give Up’s life changed drastically once again: In a video, he announced his breakup with Lullaby and talked about his experiences with heartbreak.

Still, in the same year, a new comment appeared under the video that started it all. “I actually find you quite cute, to be honest. I really mean it,” wrote a viewer named “Juli”. The comment can still be found pinned under the video.

From the comment, chats eventually emerged, where Juli shared her own worries, and the two grew closer. After a few months of a long-distance relationship, Juli traveled to Sweden to be with Never Give Up.

In 2023, the two got married and moved into a shared apartment. In another video, the couple talks about the past year. It is clear to see how much happier Never Give Up is with his life compared to before.

More than 5 years passed between these videos

In the comments under the newer videos, where the young man showcases his wedding, his wife, and their new apartment, viewers celebrate with him. Many recount how they stumbled upon his videos years ago and are now filled with joy to see how his life has changed:

  • LunA-tn7ot: “You are truly inspiring. Seeing your progress over the years, and how you have grown as a man, makes me so damn happy for you.”
  • kw7814: “I remember watching your video 5 years ago and feeling absolutely terrible for you and what you went through. And today, you are married. That’s why you should never give up, no matter what.”
  • masface6: “He made it. Congratulations, Dude. I remember commenting on your original video 3 years ago. True love has been found.”

How much life can change through online connections is something MeinMMO author Kevin Nielsen has also experienced: Thanks to the love for MMOs, I’ve found the love of my life

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Never Give Up via YouTube
  2. crazed.net

WoW lost two “kings” in one day

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 3 minutes

In the small patch 10.2.5 of World of Warcraft, the balance of power shifts. Leaders step down – and others take their place.

Patch 10.2.5 Seeds of Renewal in World of Warcraft is live. Even though it’s just a small patch with relatively few new story quests, a lot happens in them. Many leaders make way for a new generation. We reveal what this means for the story.

Spoiler warning: The article discusses the outcome of some quests from the new patch 10.2.5. If you don’t want to know what happens, you should not continue reading.

Start video
WoW: Patch 10.2.5 – Release trailer for the Seed of Renewal

The reign of King Genn Greymane ends

The first major change concerns the rule of Gilneas. A larger questline of patch 10.2.5 is the recapture of Gilneas. The Horde and Alliance work together to reclaim the former kingdom of humans, some of whom have been transformed into Worgen.

In the fight against the Scarlet, who have chosen Gilneas as a new fortress for their purposes, Genn Greymane fights alongside his daughter Tess, who largely leads the attack.

WoW Genn Tess Greymane
Tess is initially incredulous when her father chooses her.

The conquest proceeds without major issues, and the scarlet threat is eliminated. In the end, a conversation takes place between Genn and Tess – and Genn announces that he will now hand over the kingdom to his daughter. He abdicates as king, thus appointing Tess as queen of Gilneas.

However, Genn does not disappear from the scene. Now that his people have a kingdom again, he wants to focus on other matters, namely the protection of Azeroth. He can now do this with full strength, knowing that his people are in his daughter’s good hands.

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Tyrande and Malfurion hand over responsibility

A similar situation occurs among the Night Elves. During the inauguration of the new capital Bel’ameth, Tyrande and her adopted daughter Shandris discuss that the Amirdrassil will now be a sacred place for the Kaldorei; just like many other places, including Hyjal, Val’sharah, the Emerald Dream, and hopefully one day again the Darkshore and Teldrassil.

WoW Tyrande Malfurion Love
Tyrande and Malfurion see each other again after a long time – and want to take a break together.

But while the two are talking, another figure appears: Malfurion. The archdruid has returned from the Shadowlands and apparently switched places with Ysera, who returned to Ardenweald at the end of patch 10.2.

In a heartwarming family hug, Tyrande decides that she will retreat with Malfurion for a while to enjoy some time alone together. However, Shandris has “everything her people need” and can always turn to her mother and father.

WoW Tyrande Shandris Malfurion Happy Family
The happiest scene in WoW in a long time.

It seems that the responsibility of the Kaldorei is slowly passing to Shandris. Whether Malfurion and Tyrande will both disappear from the scene long-term seems rather unlikely. However, it is clear that Blizzard is laying the groundwork for Shandris Moonfeather to take on an important, even greater role among her people.

Thus, players witnessed in the course of a single day how two major leaders made way for the next generation – a novelty in the history of World of Warcraft.

What do you think of the development of the story? Do you think it’s good that Genn and Tyrande are handing over some of their responsibility? Or does that not sit well with you?

Anyone who wants to experience the entire story can now also complete dungeons with NPCs – with one restriction.

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

Diablo 3: Tier List for Season 30 – Best Classes, Best Builds

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 10 minutes

In the tier list for Season 30 of Diablo 3, we show you the best classes, builds, and items. We consider the balance changes from patch 2.7.7.

What is happening in Diablo 3? Since January 12, 2024, Season 30 in Diablo 3 has been running. With patch 2.7.7, the “Rulers of Hell” theme returns as the seasonal theme. At the beginning of a new chapter, players start with seasonal characters from “zero” and then climb to the maximum level of 70.

In our tier list, we show you the classes and builds that have the greatest potential in Greater Nephalem Rifts in Season 30.

What makes Season 30 special? This is the first season where Blizzard is warming up an old theme. Up until Season 29, there were still new contents. From now on, there will only be a rotation of the familiar. With the Soulstone theme, all classes become particularly strong and can break through Greater Rifts of level 150 without much trouble.

Who creates the tier list? We base our tier list on the tier list from maxroll.gg. The website develops this tier list with elaborate tests and mathematics. It is managed by a team including Rob, Wudijo, Northwar, Facefoot, Raxxanterax, and Chewignom.

In the article, we show you the tier list as a graphic and go over the top 3 builds of each class on this and the following pages. There is also a link to the build, so you can easily recreate it and understand the mechanics.

Diablo 3 Season 30 Tier List Maxroll
Tier List for Season 30 of Diablo 3 via Maxroll.gg

What does tier “S” to “F” mean? This tier list consists of the best builds available in the game. The rankings from S to F evaluate the potential of these builds in Greater Nephalem Rifts. The S tier is the best. However, keep in mind that even builds in the F tier can be strong; they just have less potential.

You can use the tier list for Season 30 as a guideline for the strongest builds for each class. Essentially, it comes down to who grinds more and finds better gear in Diablo 3.

This is what we show you here: On this and the next 6 pages of the tier list, we present the top builds for Barbarians, Demon Hunters, Witch Doctors, Crusaders, Monks, Necromancers, and Wizards. Click on the links behind the builds to read the full explanation on maxroll.gg. There you will find all items, gems, skills, and runes.

If builds are named “LoN” or “LoD”, these are abbreviations for the legacy bonuses. You obtain these through a legendary gem or a set of rings.

[toc]

Best Barbarian Builds in Season 30

Diablo 3 Barbar Title
  • S-Tier: Raekor Boulder Toss with Starter Set (via maxroll.gg): With the Raekor set, you amplify your boulder throw and with this mobile build, you move quickly. You don’t have to play entirely in melee range. That’s good because the build is quite “soft” and you need to position yourself well.
  • S-Tier: LoD HotA (via maxroll.gg): The second strongest build for the Barbarian in Season 30 plays with the Hammer of the Ancients. The advantages of the build are that you can endure a lot and attack quickly. Your chance for crits is also quite high. However, it takes a long time to assemble the LoD build, and the playstyle is quite one-dimensional. This build was still in S tier in Season 27.
  • A-Tier: Savage Frenzy (via maxroll.gg): This lets you slice through your enemies with a relatively fast playstyle; however, it has little big AoE damage. For groups, you bring good buffs but are tied to cooldowns.
  • A-Tier: MotE Leapquake (via maxroll.gg): If you want to use the set, this build is a good choice. It is easy to play by hopping from group to group. A playstyle that you should try out. If the monster density is relatively low, the fun factor of the build decreases.
  • Bonus: The popular Whirlwind build has made it back to A tier. If you have always wanted to try out new Barbarian builds, Season 30 is your chance. If you want to stick with “Spin to win,” you can find the Whirlwind build on maxroll.gg.

On the next page, we will show you the best builds for the Demon Hunter in Season 30 of Diablo 3.

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