World of Warcraft had its best year, even if you believe that only later

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 7 minutes

How well is World of Warcraft doing right now? MyMMO demon Cortyn believes: It probably won’t get any better than 2023 in the coming years.

After another successful visit to heroic Amirdrassil, there was a lengthy discussion in my raid group’s Discord on Thursday about the current state of World of Warcraft. A somewhat grumpy warrior believed that World of Warcraft was at a low point – nothing was fun for him anymore. It had been the “worst year for WoW in a long time.”

The (surprisingly objective) discussion that ensued led us to reflect on the entire year since the release of Dragonflight. Ultimately, most – myself included – came to the conclusion:

World of Warcraft had its best year in 2023 since the game’s release in 2004, even if many will only appreciate that in a few years.

More content than ever before – and nothing is mandatory

When you look at the sheer amount of content patches that World of Warcraft has received since the release of Dragonflight, it’s quite impressive. It’s hard to comprehend how long Shadowlands made us wait and how quickly fresh content is now coming in “continuous firing”. A new patch every 6-8 weeks with a handful of quests and smaller activities to get lost in.

Yes, not every patch offers weeks of entertainment for everyone. But each patch contains at least a little something to look forward to. Whether it’s mount collectibles, new toys, pets, small story quests, or a new world event to farm transmog.

Those who enjoy multiple contents here can spend almost infinite time in the game – all without pressure.

Because even though there are many options, there is virtually no compulsion. There is no time pressure because many rewards are simply cosmetic and completely optional. If someone doesn’t want to go back into the Zskera vault to collect the last toy, they just won’t go in there again. It’s completely different than Torghast, where everyone was basically forced to go in there every week.

WoW Zskera Vault
The vaults of Zskera – those who didn’t like them didn’t have to go in often.

World of Warcraft no longer “forces” players to spend time in the world. But it offers more than ever before.

Some miss this catalog of mandatory tasks – but the vast majority around me totally enjoys finally only having to do what they really feel like.

Another point is the number of significant overhauls of classes. Paladins and demon hunters have been drastically reworked (and significantly improved), mages have received more diverse talents, and the summoner even got a completely new specialization. These are things that Blizzard would have brought out earlier only at the launch of a new expansion – now all of this was “added on the side” in the smaller patches.

In addition, there are so many small but nice “Quality of Life” improvements. It has never been easier to play with friends – no matter which realm they are on or which faction they belong to. For a while now, guilds that unite Horde and Alliance have been possible and this mix has existed in all types of dungeons and raids for a longer time.

WoW Orc Night Elf Love title title 1280x720
Horde and Alliance, traveling together.

These are details that one quickly gets used to and which are simply “good” even though they stand in stark contrast to what World of Warcraft has done for nearly two decades.

The developers are listening – and I have the impression they really are. The tent toys were nice, but unsuitable for RP fans, as they appeared in random orientation and with a short time limit. One patch later, the tents last a full 15 minutes and always appear at the desired location and then I made a fool of myself with you.

Of course, in some ways I have also had something taken away. For example, I can no longer stroll around the capital city with my gigantic tree – but hey, it was silly that it was even possible.

Similar improvements have been made in “Mythic+”. Here the criticism was that you only focus on the affixes and no longer on the dungeons as such. Blizzard has taken this to heart, reduced the number of affixes, eliminated the most annoying ones, and increased the thresholds at which affixes become relevant.

WoW Follower Dungeons Group

More small things:

  • Draenei can now choose the skin colors of Man’ari.
  • Warlocks can now be played by all races.
  • The reconquest of Gilneas
  • The legacy questline of the undead
  • The new hair colors
  • The cool sets for night elves
  • The trading post with numerous creative and previously unseen transmog rewards.

If you list them, there is so much “new stuff” that has made individual player groups very happy.

An end that really felt like one

Patch 10.2 and the subsequent patch 10.2.5 achieved something that has been praised multiple times in the World of Warcraft subreddit. Because Dragonflight feels like it really got a conclusion.

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Whether it’s the heartwarming quests where we converse again with the aspects, Tyrande, and Shandris or the big party in the last patch – especially the party!

The celebration inaugurating Amirdrassil was just another quest for many, which they sprinted through without looking left or right. In fact, over 100 NPCs were gathered here – namely, almost all the quest NPCs we could encounter throughout Dragonflight. Almost every character from all the small side quests somehow showed up, could be spoken to, and had a few lines to say about our deeds.

Anyone who took the time here could surely spend half an hour at the celebration (rather longer) and think back on everything that had happened in the story.

Countless NPCs were present at the celebration inaugurating Amirdrassil.

This felt rounder, more complete, and simply more coherent than in all previous expansions, where there was never a real, visible resolution, but always a rush from one problem to the next.

This time it feels more organic, more natural. There are initial hints for the next expansion without immediately painting the devil on the wall. There was a “happy ending” for the dragons and the night elves.

More than just Dragonflight

When I talk about the “best year”, I don’t just mean World of Warcraft Dragonflight. Because the other WoW versions had a pretty strong year as well. I want to summarize that briefly, because I personally don’t have much to do with these WoW variants, but I am aware there were many fans who were very happy with them.

World of Warcraft Classic had the expansion “Wrath of the Lich King” – even today, many consider it the “best expansion” and accordingly it was nostalgic for many to return to Northrend and give the Lich King a beatdown. Many were also able to experience this addon for the first time “properly”, as they were simply too young back then.

Classic fans could beat down the Lich King. Many for the first time.

The “Season of Discovery” might be the most creative and fresh thing World of Warcraft could have done with Classic – no wonder the servers were overcrowded. The old game in a new guise and with some interesting “What if?” ideas. There are fresh raids, new abilities for old classes, and even completely new roles that heroes can fulfill. As a little bonus, there are even some story elements that won’t become relevant in “Retail” until many years later.

Oh, and WoW Classic Hardcore also existed, which treated us with grandiose scenes of numerous hero deaths,some of which even received their own cinematic.

Overall, World of Warcraft had a good year – not just Dragonflight.

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It’s not perfect, but still the best year

Of course, the “best year” for me doesn’t mean that everything went perfectly. For example, I am very dissatisfied with the current state of the shadow priest and I am quite sure that a few other specializations could benefit from another update – especially monks have been crying out for an update for months and quite rightly so.

However, these are all minor issues. Although I hardly enjoy my shadow priest gameplay, I still play and always have something to do. Even though World of Warcraft has reduced or completely eliminated most mandatory tasks, I continually find new activities that I enjoy.

WoW Dragonflight Alexstrasza Close Up Key Art title title 1280x720

In the end, it is clear to me: Looking back at the last year and simply listing how much new content there was, how many good and meaningful changes were made, how many adjustments to classes and specializations came together, how much feedback was implemented and wishes were fulfilled: We as WoW players have never had it as good as a whole.

And then, you add “Wrath of the Lich King Classic” and the “Season of Discovery” on top of that.

Even if many are complaining right now – because WoW players always do – I am quite sure that in 5 or 10 years we will look back at the past WoW year and say: “That was pretty awesome back then. Now I miss it.”

Much like how Mists of Pandaria was only appreciated later.

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

A fascinating movie on Netflix is like “Squid Game”, but the game only stops when there is only one left

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

On Netflix, the science fiction thriller “The Circle” is a gem that few have discovered so far. MyMMO author Schuhmann explains the appeal of the film and why it reminds him of the South Korean hit series “Squid Game.”

This is the idea of “The Circle”: In the film “The Circle,” 50 people stand in a circle around a construct that kills someone with a lightning strike every 2 minutes. Through gestures, the participants vote on who will be targeted and who will die next.

The working hypothesis that the “participants” arrive at after 5 or 6 deaths is: If only one person is left at the end, that person survives because one cannot choose themselves and no one is there to vote for them.

Start video
English trailer for the drama Circle

“The Circle” is like Squid Game, but even more merciless

Why does this remind us of Squid Game? Like in Squid Game, viewers quickly enter a tactical thinking game mode and contemplate what strategy they would pursue if they found themselves in such a situation.

The film ruthlessly plays out various scenarios and shows what happens when one follows plausible or typically human strategies:

  • It quickly becomes clear that one does not want to stand out, cause any issues, or appear as a threat to others.
  • But does one just want to remain silent and risk dying next purely by chance?
  • Choosing the “seemingly right path” and advocating that a pregnant woman or a little girl should be the last survivor inevitably leads to one’s own death.

How much this “How would I survive this?” fascinates viewers is evident from the existence of a YouTube video with 11 million views on the topic “How to defeat the death game in The Circle” (via youtube).

The difference from Squid Game is that in “The Circle,” there is only one game that runs continuously and mercilessly. The clock is ticking, and every two minutes, the next vote is due. There are no breaks or time for private conversations, as in the Korean hit series.

Instead, controversial topics are negotiated in conversation with the group: Should it matter if one has a family, a good job, or belongs to an ethnic minority? And can this even be verified, or do people just tell something that makes them appear much better than they actually are?

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There is no star who is “safe”

This is what makes “The Circle” special: The film does not feature any well-known actors. It was made in 2015, and no one from the cast has really become a star in the years since. This benefits the film because no one is safe, and the most important person in one sequence can already be the next one lying dead on the ground, pulled out of the circle by an invisible force.

Here, you can’t say: Oh, he has already won 3 Oscars, he will surely survive until the end.

The lack of star power is also responsible for the film having remained almost completely under the radar until today. As the directors told in an AMA on reddit, many publishers were interested in the film, but no one really wanted to distribute a film with 50 unknown actors. That’s where Netflix came in at the right time.

Where can you watch this? “The Circle” is streaming on the subscription service Netflix. It is available only in English, but there are German subtitles.

More recommendations on Netflix: An “18+” series on Netflix offers intrigue, brutality, and naked skin like Game of Thrones

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

Palworld played: The new survival game is great because it combines some of the best games

Dariusz Müller Dariusz Müller Reading time 6 minutes

MeinMMO editor Dariusz loves Pokémon, shooters, and the survival game ARK. Now he has tested Palworld, the “Pokémon with guns”, and is having a great time.

I’m honest: I’ve been waiting a long time for the release of Palworld. When I first saw a trailer for the “Pokémon with guns” in 2022, I knew I would like it.

Now I’ve spent the first hours in the game and can confidently say that my assumption about the game has been confirmed. Palworld is absolutely ridiculous and is a huge amount of fun.

From ARK to Pokémon: A successful mix of my favorite games

If a game developer wants to make a game that immediately grabs my interest, they must meet at least one of three criteria.

  • It is a shooter with entertaining gunplay and movement
  • It is a survival game, ideally with the ability to tame creatures and work with them
  • It is Pokémon

Palworld actually succeeds in entertainingly combining all three aspects for me.

I have been a huge Pokémon fan for about 20 years. I have played every game in the main series, collected the cards as a child, and even watched the entire anime. However, I am not fixated on something having to be an original Pokémon game and just enjoy the principle of catching little cute monsters, traveling with them, or battling. For example, I also enjoyed Temtem.

Furthermore, ARK: Survival Evolved is one of my favorite games. However, I am not a dinosaur fan. I just like the game concept. It is a rather challenging survival game where I can tame and breed various creatures to farm resources, engage in boss or PvP battles, or explore the map. I am also a big fan of the building system.

Palworld is so much fun for me because it combines ARK with Pokémon. I can catch different monsters, train them, and use them for battle or work. I really like the designs of the individual Pals. Some are cool, some are cute, and others are just so oddly designed that I wonder what I am actually looking at.

Like ARK, Palworld also has some shooter mechanics. Of course, it can’t be compared to real shooters or survival games like Rust or DayZ, but it is still not poorly implemented. For example, I like shooting with a bow and arrow in Palworld much better than in ARK.

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

Palworld borrows strong mechanics from Nintendo

Palworld has some really good mechanics that have already worked well in other games. One of them is the glider from Zelda: BotW. More and more new and upcoming games have a glider like this, including LEGO Fortnite and Palworld. Especially in survival games, this is a popular feature because you can glide through the air and avoid fall damage.

Additionally, you can climb stone walls in Palworld. At first, this doesn’t sound special, but in ARK, I often wished I could climb properly – not least to avoid attacks from aggressive dinosaurs.

One of the highlights of Palworld, however, is catching the Pals. This does not take place in turn-based battles, as we know from the main Pokémon games, but is like in Pokémon Legends Arceus.

This means we move freely on the map and manually throw balls at the monster. In doing so, we have to dodge the monster’s attacks with a roll and simultaneously weaken it to increase our chance of capture. To weaken it, we can use our Pals, firearms, or a baseball bat. Yes, the game is really crazy.

Palworld Catch Animation
The catch animation of Palworld
Palworld Catch Chance
Display of the catch chance during capturing
Palworld Glider
The glider
Palworld World Boss Mammorest
World Boss Mammorest
Palworld Pals Carrying Berries in the Camp
Pals carrying berries in the camp
Palworld Sleeping Pals
Sleeping Pals
Palworld Pal Grilling Food on the Campfire
Pal grilling food on the campfire

Pals are Kelvin in cute

Palworld has also taken some inspiration from the survival game Sons of the Forest, which was released in early access in 2023. In Sons of the Forest, you have an NPC named Kelvin who helps you survive and can, for instance, farm wood. The Pals can also support you and collect stones, operate the workbench, and fulfill any tasks you assign them.

This is not only practical because you have to farm less when you don’t feel like it. It complements the gameplay because it gives you time to catch new Pals or engage in battles.

In addition, the Pals gain experience points when completing tasks and level up. So you don’t have to fight wild monsters for hours and train your companions when you face a too-strong opponent.

Extensive options to adjust difficulty

It was obviously clear to the developers of Palworld that their game would not only attract survival fans or shooter players. There are different difficulty levels that can also provide a fun experience for casual players.

The “normal” difficulty is already easier and more beginner-friendly than, for example, the classic experience of ARK: Survival Evolved. However, if you have never played such a survival game, you can further reduce the difficulty. There is a level that makes the game very easy and allows for uncomplicated progress.

If you are used to games like ARK and are looking for a challenge, you can also increase the difficulty.

However, the custom settings are particularly interesting. Here, you can adjust a series of different parameters. This includes, for example, how quickly a resource respawns.

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The performance is okay – it could be worse

In my time playing so far, the game has not crashed, and I have had acceptable FPS on the highest settings. I could certainly get more out of it, but I am satisfied and enjoy the graphics. Visually, Palworld is not a masterpiece, but it’s not ugly either. I like the style.

I’ve only rarely experienced FPS drops. After I set a corresponding FPS limit, they completely disappeared.

I believe there could still be some tweaking to optimization given the graphics, and performance could be improved further. But overall, Palworld is in a playable state and is far from the poor performance that, for instance, ARK: Survival Ascended had at launch.

Conclusion: If you like ARK and Pokémon, it’s a recommendation

The idea of shooting little monsters with firearms and making them work for crafting items is absolutely ridiculous – but I really have a lot of fun with Palworld.

It is an early access game, so not everything is perfect, and there are still some desirable content missing, but that has not worsened my experience with the title so far.

Especially, I find the price of 26 euros on Steam to be really fair – I probably wouldn’t have paid 50 to 60 euros. But this is primarily due to my extreme frugality and lack of trust in survival games in early access – a shoutout to The Day Before – and not because of the quality of Palworld.

So if you love Pokémon like I do and enjoy playing games like ARK, then you probably can’t go wrong with Palworld. If you’re not sure if Palworld is interesting for you, you can also check out a stream on Twitch. The game is currently taking off:

“We had an emergency meeting” – Palworld reaches over 700,000 simultaneous players, overwhelming the servers

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

These 10 games celebrate their 20th anniversary in 2024 – How many of them have you played?

Christoph Waldboth Christoph Waldboth Reading time 7 minutes

In 2024, some real game classics are celebrating their 20th anniversary. Reason enough to take a look back and wonder: Has it really been that long?

We all get older year by year, and so do the games we love. In 2024, some of the biggest classics in gaming history will turn 20 years old. We want to take a look back, feel old, and note what has become of the releases from back then.

Ready for a nostalgic journey? Then let’s go.

[toc]

Half Life 2

Release: November 16, 2004 | Developer: Valve | Platforms: PC (Steam), Linux, macOS, Xbox, Xbox 360/One/SeriesX/S, PlayStation 3, Android

Start video
Half Life 2 – Trailer

Our first stop on our journey into the past is one of the best and most important shooters ever produced. The sequel to the already revolutionary first part from Valve continues its events. Again, we take on the role of the mute Gordon Freeman and fight against Combine soldiers, Headcrabs, zombies, and more from the city of City 17. The different weapons along with the innovative physics engine make it a lot of fun (keyword: Gravity Gun).

The story is told entirely from the protagonist’s perspective without cutscenes. After the game was released, Episode One and Episode Two followed, which continued the story. Players are still waiting for Episode Three or an official third part of the series. Fans must settle for the VR spin-off “Alyx.” Nevertheless, Half Life 2 influenced many other shooters and is still enjoyable to play today.

GTA San Andreas

Release: October 29, 2004 | Developer: Rockstar North | Platforms: Windows, Xbox, Xbox360/One/SeriesX/S, PS2/3/4/5, macOS, iOS, Android, Fire OS, Windows Phone

Start video
GTA San Andreas – Trailer

“Oh shit, here we go again.” – The famous words of protagonist CJ as he hops on his bike and rides off have long become an internet meme. With him as our character, Rockstar releases us into the largest GTA adventure up to that point. The story is inspired by movies like “Boyz N the Hood” and “Training Day,” told from an African American perspective, which remains a rarity in gaming to this day.

New features in the series include not only the vast countryside of the city but also RPG elements, allowing us to send CJ to the gym, making him lose weight, which we can visibly see in the game.

GTA San Andreas was released just two years after its predecessor Vice City. By comparison, it will be at least 12 years by today’s standards between GTA 5 and its successor. San Andreas laid the foundation for the modern GTA worlds with its massive game world and has long become a part of pop culture.

Halo 2

Release: November 11, 2004 | Developer: Bungie Studios | Platforms: Xbox, Xbox 360/One/SeriesX/S

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Halo 2 Anniversary Cinematic Launch Trailer

The second installment of the long-running Halo series was initially only released for the proprietary Xbox console. A PC port for Windows Vista followed in 2007 – even though the game actually also ran on the XP version.

Compared to the influential first part, Halo 2 shines with far fewer innovations. This is hardly surprising. After all, Halo: Combat Evolved introduced the modern shooter controls for gamepads. Nevertheless, Halo 2 offers some improvements in terms of storytelling, world-building, and variety. The game’s campaign takes players through many different locations and also plays for the first time on Earth.

Halo 2 notoriously led to four more entries in the main series. In addition, there were several spin-offs like the Halo Wars series, a TV show, and a variety of books.

World of Warcraft

Release: November 23, 2004 | Developer: Blizzard Entertainment | Platforms: Windows, macOS

Start video
World of Warcraft Cinematic Trailer

One thing WoW has certainly achieved in its 20 years of existence: Almost every gamer has heard of it, even if they haven’t played it themselves.

The MMORPG, which was born out of the Warcraft brand, was not the first game of its kind but probably the most well-known, discussed, and beloved.

WoW has firmly brought the MMORPG into the mainstream – and into the media, where it has often been a punching bag in the debate about video game addiction. In the process, the gaming qualities were usually overlooked.

To this day, nine expansions have been released. In time for the game’s anniversary, the tenth, titled The War Within, is set to go online in 2024. And WoW Classic, the vanilla version of the game, continues to be very popular. Meanwhile, there are countless books, board games, comics, and a Warcraft film. And although there have been many attempts over the years to dethrone WoW, no game has truly succeeded.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
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Gronkh shows on Twitch that he still has it: currently the biggest streamer of Palworld worldwide

Lydia Lydia Reading time 2 minutes

Palworld is currently the talk of the town. The crazy “Pokémon with weapons” is conquering not only Steam but also Twitch. And Erik “Gronkh” Range (46) is leading the way.

What is the situation on Twitch? That Palworld could become a hit on the streaming platform was already evident before release. Currently, it belongs to the most-watched categories on Twitch and even leaves long-standing favorites like Fortnite behind.

Big streamers like Asmongold and Rubius showcase the game in front of tens of thousands of viewers on Twitch. However, it is actually a German streamer who is currently in the lead and leaving everyone else behind – none other than Gronkh. In the last 3 days, no other streamer had as many viewers on average for the game (via SullyGnome).

Start video
Gronkh, the man with the voice – Career and life of Germany’s most famous Let’s Player

Gronkh and Palworld seem to be a great combination

What is Gronkh up to in Palworld? All sorts of mischief, and he is having a lot of fun doing it. The 46-year-old jumped straight into Palworld on Friday, January 19, 2024, and immersed himself in the game for more than 6 hours. During that time, Gronkh has already discovered the current meta, human trafficking:

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In addition, the content creator participates in the “normal” Palworld activities such as Pal-tormenting and building an exploitative operation. That he names Pals after his friends and then makes them work for him probably doesn’t need to raise any eyebrows… or (via Twitch)?

For those wanting more Palworld content from Gronkh, you’re in luck because the streamer is far from done and has plenty of big plans for the survival game. He visibly struggled to end the stream, as this is a game where he “could easily continue until 8 or 9 o’clock.”

As for angry Pokémon fans who consider Palworld a blatant copy, Gronkh has a clear opinion. Gameplay-wise, the survival game is already quite different from the original creature collector, and besides: “Cute creatures were not invented by Pokémon.”

You can find the entire stream, as usual, on Gronkh.tv.

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That Gronkh is still relevant after so many years in the content business is regularly demonstrated when he dominates the Twitch charts with a new release. This was recently the case with another survival title: Twitch: 45-year-old is currently the biggest streamer in Germany – 20 years older than number 2, twice as successful

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

Diablo 4: Players find, Season 3 “looks like a big win”

Nicole Wakulczyk Nicole Wakulczyk Reading time 3 minutes

On January 23, Diablo 4 will start its third season. The announcements regarding the content and changes seem to put players in a confident mood; many are looking forward to the new season, while others are skeptical.

In the stream on January 18, 2024, the developers talked about their plans for Season 3 in Diablo 4. They provided more information about the Seneschal companion that you can enhance with stones, as well as the leaderboards that will be introduced during the season.

In addition to the features, many players are also appreciating the “Quality of Life” improvements, including the announced WASD controls for PC. On Reddit, user “Tiger_Widow” wrote on January 18 that he is looking forward to the new season. He feels that Diablo 4 is now “standing on both feet.”

Some users agree with him, while others criticize the announcements and wish for more features and adjustments.

Start video
Diablo 4: The Announcement Trailer for Season 3

“As if they kept the good parts and expanded on them”

Why does Season 3 sound like a win? On Reddit, “Tiger_Widow” wrote on January 18, “Season 3 sounds like a massive W [Win] and Diablo 4 feels like it’s really taking off now.”

In the post, he writes:

I am very pleased with the developer stream and how the game is evolving. It has certainly been a rocky start, but honestly, it feels like the game is now standing on both feet. I am really looking forward to Season 3, which I didn’t feel about the previous seasons.

In the comments, some users ask what exactly he is looking forward to. “Tiger_Widow” responds: “The companion mini-game. I love the insights we’ve gotten into the attacks […]. I can imagine that I’ll be tinkering with these glyphs [stones] much more than I probably should, lol.”

User “S1mpinAintEZ” writes in a comment: “I agree. I wanted to give up after Season 1, but I’m glad I tried again because the game feels much better than before. I’m not sure what I think of the companion thing. I usually don’t like summoner builds, but we’ll see.”

To this, “Tiger_Widow” responds:

Exactly. The blood harvest was so much fun, which was a win for me. Bigger packs, a better gameplay feel, faster gameplay. Higher drop chance on Ubers, target farming, realistic boss runs connected to said target farming. And now Season 3 feels like they have kept all the good parts and elaborated on everything even more.

In another comment, the poster notes that it is evident that the developers are truly listening to feedback and taking it seriously, which is commendable. He also sees the implementation of WASD controls as a “game-changer.” And “ikazuki404” adds that he has wanted WASD since 2017, “that’s great.”

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“Many fundamental issues need to be addressed”

What is being criticized? Not all users agree with “Tiger_Widow”. Some write that the “real test” will come with Season 4 and the overhaul of the item system. “sansaset” writes on Reddit that the loot part is currently uninteresting, and there is also a lack of build diversity.

“Soresu0203” criticizes that the best loot still comes from the same grind at Uber Duriel. There are still issues with minion builds and seeing all chests in the Hell Tide.

“SamMerlini” adds in a comment: “Too slow, not enough. The [new] mechanics sound fun, but many fundamental issues need to be addressed. Being able to switch builds, zooming out, more chest space, social features.”

What do you think about the announcements for Season 3? Are you looking forward to it, or are you missing something as well? Feel free to leave us a comment.

If you missed the livestream with the developers, we have summarized all the important information for you here: Diablo 4: Blizzard talks about the plans for Season 3 – The most important information from the stream

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

Palworld: Unlocking and Building Incubators – It’s That Easy

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 2 minutes

You want to unlock and build an incubator in Palworld, but don’t know how to do it? MeinMMO explains what you need and how to do it the fastest.

What do you need the incubator for? You need the incubator if you want to hatch eggs from Pals. You can get the eggs by breeding or find them in the wild. Unfortunately, it is not possible to hatch the eggs without this machine. You can find out how to breed Pals and produce eggs in our Breeding and Breeding Guide on MeinMMO.

Requirements for the incubator: There are two requirements you need to fulfill: first, you must reach level 7, and second, you need 1 point in Ancient Technology. Where to find Ancient Technology, you can read on MeinMMO.

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von Benedikt Schlotmann

Building the incubator – These materials you need

You will need these resources: To build the incubator, you need the following items:

  • 10 Paldium
  • 5 Fabrics
  • 30 Stones
  • 2 Ancient Components

Where can I get the materials? You can find Paldium and Stones in the wild, Paldium glows blue but also drops from stone boulders when you hit them. You must first unlock Fabrics in the technology tree and then you can produce the fabric at a simple wool workbench:

  • You get wool from the Pal Lamball, which we count among the best starters in Palworld.
  • Another option is the Pal Melpaca, which you will also find quite early but has a higher level than Lamball.

The biggest hurdle will likely be finding Ancient Components. Because you get these by successfully completing dungeons or by defeating shiny Pals, also known as Shinys. The latter are quite rare but comparatively easy to defeat. Dungeons are also recommended if you want to level up quickly in Palworld.

Once you have gathered all the resources, you can place the incubator in your base. Afterwards, your Pals will help you build the incubator. The hatching of the eggs takes some time but happens completely automatically.

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Authority cancels Nintendo’s patent for summoning and fighting creatures
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All guides to Palworld: Are you looking for more tips, tricks and assistance for Palworld? Then check out MeinMMO. We are accompanying the game for you and have bundled all the guides that are meant to help you in a clear list:

Palworld Guides: All tips, tricks and Pals at a glance

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

„We had an emergency meeting“ – Palworld reaches over 700,000 concurrent players, overwhelming the servers

Lydia Lydia Reading time 2 minutes

The crazy survival game Palworld has been in Early Access since yesterday and is already one of the most played games on Steam. MeinMMO reveals why this led to an update in the Epic Games backend.

Update: As soon as the article was published, Palworld has already surpassed 715,000 concurrent players on Steam. This puts it in 9th place for the highest all-time peaks in history and kicks Apex Legends out of the Top 10 (via Steamcharts).

This is how successful Palworld is: Even before the Early Access launch, it was clear that this crazy survival game could be a success, as it conquered the Twitch charts. However, such numbers cannot always be simply translated into commercial success for a game.

Sometimes potential buyers do not fully trust the hype and prefer to get a sense of the game by watching others play. Did someone say “The Day Before”? However, the situation for Palworld looks significantly more positive so far than for the failed survival hope. Here’s what Palworld has achieved in less than 24 hours:

  • On January 20, 2024, at around 1 PM, Palworld reached an all-time peak of 639,048 concurrent players on Steam – and could continue to grow over the weekend.
  • It is currently in 2nd place for the most played games on Steam, just behind Counter-Strike 2, and could push Apex Legends out of the Top 10 of the highest player records (via Steamcharts).
  • In just 8 hours, Palworld already surpassed 1 million copies sold, and now there are already more than double that (via X). It is no wonder that Palworld is currently the top seller on Steam .
  • On Twitch, Palworld has more than 239,000 concurrent viewers, outpacing games like GTA 5, Counter-Strike, and Fortnite.

However, the massive influx also presents an unexpected strain.

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

Palworld is so successful that Epic had to update its backend

How are the servers doing? They apparently couldn’t withstand the enormous influx. This especially led to issues with multiplayer. According to the developers on X, formerly Twitter, the connection difficulties when hosting cooperative games are due to a problem in the Epic Games backend.

Developer Pocketpair also revealed that there has already been an emergency meeting with Epic Games, which resulted in a short-term update being initiated at Epic Games. Players should therefore notice an improvement in the connection issues.

This also suggests that Pocketpair is using Epic Online Services for the Palworld servers.

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Pokémon clone suddenly changes its name, community mocks: “Unique?”
von Christoph Waldboth
Authority cancels Nintendo’s patent for summoning and fighting creatures
von Dariusz Müller
Instead of working on Palworld, a developer prefers to play Crimson Desert: “Wants to stay at home and play for 12 hours straight”
von Cedric Holmeier

If you too have been caught up in the Palworld fever, you’ll find a range of guides and tips here on MeinMMO to help you get started in the game. Palworld: The 7 best tips you should know at the start. Feel free to share your first impressions in the comments and let us know if you still experience connection issues.

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

The template of 7 vs. Wild is coming to Germany, but how similar are the two series?

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 3 minutes

7 vs. Wild has become a huge success. The 3rd season is now airing on YouTube and reaches millions of people with each episode. RTL has now secured the rights to the format “Alone”; here you can find out how similar the two series are.

What is Alone? Alone is a US survival show that is considered a sort of template for 7 vs. Wild. Fritz Meinecke and other participants have repeatedly emphasized that they watched episodes of the show as preparation for their time on 7 vs. Wild. In the series, survival professionals are placed in the wild and must survive alone until only one remains.

One of the participants in the 3rd season is Twitch streamer Jens “Knossi” Knossalla. You can see more about him in our video.

Start video
From the Witness Stand with Barbara Salesch to the King of Twitch – Career and Life of Knossi

The differences lie in the details

Which candidates are involved in Alone? The difference between the two series begins with the candidates. In 7 vs. Wild, there is sometimes talk of a real “school trip feeling” because there are primarily YouTubers and Twitch streamers who know each other. In Alone, however, only survival professionals are placed.

The casting call provides a bit more clarity about the candidates:

You (m/f/d) are at least 18 years old, assertive, physically fit, and want to take on the challenge of surviving as long as possible in the wild?

You can expect a battle against the relentless forces of nature, hunger, wild animals, and perhaps the hardest task of all: isolation.

Casting call from ITV

RTL is having the series produced by production company ITV Studios Germany. The company is probably best known for the show “I’m a Celebrity – Get Me Out of Here!” 

Who wins in Alone? In Alone, the participant who survives the longest wins. In the German version of the show, a prize of 75,000 euros is at stake. In other countries, the prize money is significantly higher at 500,000 euros. 

In 7 vs. Wild, the winner in seasons 1 and 2 was determined by who collected the most points through the various daily challenges. In season 3, however, all teams that managed to last the full two weeks won.

In both shows, participants can drop out at any time and call for help even in great danger.

Here you can watch the trailer for the “Alone” spin-off from the UK.

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What other differences are there? In both Alone and 7 vs. Wild, there are no camera crews; the participants film themselves. However, in Alone, there are 10 candidates each with 10 items, while in 7 vs. Wild, at least in season 1, there were 7 candidates with 7 items. 

The locations of the two series are also quite similar. Both Alone on RTL+ and the 3rd season of 7 vs. Wild were filmed in Canada, specifically Vancouver Island. Both series also take place in an area of the First Nations, the indigenous people of the region.

The filming locations are somewhat different, while 7 vs. Wild was filmed in the northern part of the area on the islands Hope Island and Nigei Island, Alone takes place on the west coast of the area.

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What about animals? In Alone, the danger from bears and other wild animals like cougars and wolves is much higher than in 7 vs. Wild. RTL indicates that the participants filmed in the fall, just when bears are out searching for food in preparation for hibernation.

However, like in 7 vs. Wild, participants have additional items to defend themselves against or ward off wild animals.

Will you watch Alone on RTL+? Or do you watch 7 vs. Wild mainly because of the candidates? Let us know. A lot of funny things happened in 7 vs. Wild, but some situations with the production also weren’t so pleasant. Here you can find out why one team almost dropped out because one candidate overslept.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. RTL Medienhub
  2. ITV Castingaufruf
  3. ITV

Steam: A strategy game is currently free, suddenly has 1,200% more players

Lydia Lydia Reading time 2 minutes

The strategy game Endless Legend is celebrating its 10th anniversary on Steam in 2024. Thanks to a developer promotion, it is currently heavily discounted and even available for free. This has set a new player record for the title.

What kind of game is it? Endless Legend is a turn-based 4X strategy game, placing it in a category alongside games like Civilization. While the latter is based on our real world – with some creative liberties – Endless Legend transports you to the planet Auriga, which is threatened by a mysterious catastrophe.

So not only do you need to build, develop, and expand your own civilization, but you also have to save the world in the process.

Endless Legend was released on September 18, 2014, on Steam, where it enjoys an “Very Positive” rating with 84% recommendations. It currently ranks 4th among the best-rated 4X games on Steam (as of January 20, 2024).

You can get an impression of the game from the trailer here:

Start video
Endless Legend shows its world in the atmospheric launch trailer

Endless Legend sets new player record 10 years after release

What are the player numbers like? Endless Legend had an average of 156 players in December 2023, peaking at 329. This is not unusual for a game that is almost 10 years old – what is surprising is that the much newer Endless Dungeon from 2023 barely has more players (via SteamDB).

In the last 30 days, Endless Dungeon has averaged over 2,000 players and even set a new player record of 88,785 simultaneous players on the night of Saturday. The last peak was at 10,429 simultaneous players in April 2015 (via Steamcharts).

Where does the increase come from? This is likely due to a special promotion from the developer Amplitude Studios. Until January 25, 2024, Endless Legend is available for just €4.99, representing an 80% discount on Steam.

But wait, the title mentioned “free”? Indeed, you can currently add the strategy game to your Steam library completely free of charge. To do this, you need to link your account with Games2gether, Amplitude Studios’ community forum. A detailed guide can be found with the colleagues at GameStar.

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If you take a look at Endless Legend due to the promotion and enjoy the strategy game, you can also purchase a number of DLCs that bring additional content to the game. The last expansion was released in 2021.

If you are still looking for a more modern 4X experience set in a sci-fi setting, MeinMMO editor Schuhmann has a hot tip for you: He subjugates humanity with a gang of raving space bunnies

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

Baldur’s Gate 3: A player makes a popular companion almost useless – Don’t make the same mistake

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time < 1 minutes

A player accidentally disabled Karlach’s Rage in Baldur’s Gate 3. This made the character Karlach almost useless.

A player has now realized that they had accidentally “nerfed” Karlach for most of the game. Karlach is a Tiefling character who can join you as a companion.

After playing through most of the game, the player finally noticed that Karlach’s gear in heavy armor makes her Rage almost useless (via reddit.com).

Start video
Baldur’s Gate 3 – Trailer Game Awards

Karlach’s Rage is almost useless with heavy armor

What is behind the bug? While any character can theoretically equip any weapon or armor, only those who master a particular category can use them effectively and without negative consequences. Additionally, certain class abilities make using specific gear more or less attractive.

What does this have to do with Karlach? Barbarians like Karlach master light and medium armor. However, with the passive trait “Unarmored Defense,” it is most sensible not to equip any armor at all.

The problem here was that the player equipped the Tiefling Barbarian with heavy armor. By wearing heavy armor, the “Rage” state is prevented and cannot be activated.

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von Johanna
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von Benedict Grothaus

This meant that the benefits of Rage, such as additional damage, resistance to physical damage, and advantages in strength, could not be utilized. As a result, Karlach lost several powerful bonuses.

The best build for Karlach: If you have hired Karlach as a companion, you can find the best tips and tricks on how to play the Tiefling in the following guide:

Baldur’s Gate 3: Best Barbarian Build – Here’s how to play Karlach right

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

Pokémon GO: 1-Euro-Ticket for C-Day with Porygon – All Rewards

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 2 minutes

Today in Pokémon GO, the Community Day Classic featuring Porygon is taking place. In the shop, you can purchase a ticket for €1 to unlock a special research task. We will show you the contents.

What is this ticket? At least one Community Day takes place every month in Pokémon GO. Correspondingly, you can unlock research in the game’s shop for a price of about €1 (varies depending on the shop). The special research always revolves around the Pokémon featured in the respective Community Day.

Due to the time difference, some trainers have already participated in the research and shared the tasks and rewards with the community. We show you all the contents in the overview. This way, you can easily decide whether purchasing is worth it for you.

Special Research with Porygon on Community Day 1/4

TaskReward
Make 5 great throws10 Ultra Balls
Catch 15 PorygonEncounter with Porygon
Use 10 Power-Ups on Pokémon20 Porygon Candies

Stage Reward: If you complete all three tasks and collect the corresponding rewards, you will additionally receive 2,000 Stardust, 1 Incense, and an encounter with Porygon.

Special Research with Porygon on Community Day 2/4

TaskReward
Send 10 PokémonEncounter with Porygon2
Catch 15 Porygon1 Up-Grade
Evolve 3 Porygon20 Porygon Candies

Stage Reward: If you complete all three tasks and collect the corresponding rewards, you will additionally receive 2,000 XP, 1 Chespin, and 1 Incense.

Special Research with Porygon on Community Day 3/4

TaskReward
Make 3 excellent curveball throws20 Porygon Candies
Send 10 Pokémon1 Sinnoh Stone
Evolve 1 Porygon25 Golden Razz Berries

Stage Reward: If you complete all three tasks and collect the corresponding rewards, you will additionally receive 2,000 Stardust, 1 Rocket Radar, and 1 Incense.

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Special Research with Porygon on Community Day 4/4

TaskReward
Already completed!5,000 Stardust
Already completed!4,500 XP
Already completed!5 Silver Pinap Berries

Stage Reward: If you complete all three tasks and collect the corresponding rewards, you will additionally receive 2,000 Stardust, 3 Special Candies, and an encounter with Porygon-Z.

Is the purchase worth it?

What you need to know: Through the unlocked Pokémon encounters, you will receive strong Porygon, Porygon2, and Porygon-Z. Additionally, you will receive valuable items such as a Rocket Radar, Incense, and Berries, the monetary value of which exceeds the purchase price of the ticket. So, if you are interested in the items anyway and still need strong Porygon for your collection, the purchase of the ticket might be worth it for you.

Why 4 stars are not always the best stats for your Pokémon

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

Manor Lords is one of the most wished-for games on Steam, but the developer least expected it.

Dariusz Müller Dariusz Müller Reading time 2 minutes

Manor Lords is among the most highly anticipated games alongside Hades 2 and Hollow Knight: Silksong on Steam. Even the developer is surprised by how many players want the game.

What kind of game is it? Manor Lords is a strategy game developed by the solo developer Slavic Magic and will be released on Steam on April 26, 2024. Additionally, Manor Lords is expected to be included in the PC Game Pass.

Currently, Manor Lords, set in a medieval environment, is one of the most requested games on Steam. It ranks second, just behind Hades 2, and is just ahead of Hollow Knight: Silksong.

What makes Manor Lords special? Gameplay-wise, Manor Lords features large-scale medieval battles as well as an extensive city-building system, allowing you to freely place your buildings, paths, and fields. You are not, as in other construction simulations, bound to a grid that dictates where an object can be placed.

In addition, Manor Lords incorporates various economic and social systems as well as seasons that bring different requirements. Your goal is to grow your hometown into a proper medieval city.

Start video
Manor Lord Release Date Trailer

What does the developer say about the great interest in his game? Manor Lords is largely developed by a single person. The name “Slavic Magic” refers to the solo developer Greg Styczén.

On January 18, Slavic Magic announced that Manor Lords is now on the Steam wishlists of 2 million players, but as Styczén told the American online magazine PC Gamer, he himself did not expect such great interest.

Styczén recalls that when the announcement trailer was released, his girlfriend expected just 7,000 wishlist entries. He himself was a bit more optimistic, estimating 14,000.

Ultimately, both were significantly off: “I didn’t expect the game to attract so much interest and reach over 2 million.”

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In April, the time finally comes, and medieval fans as well as strategy nerds can look forward to the release of the indie game.

For many independent developers, the release of their game is a very special event that requires a lot of time, money, and preparation. Sometimes their commitment is rewarded by the support of players.

Occasionally, indie games on Steam even experience a real hype, and the developers can then enjoy an unexpected financial cushion that often comes at the right time: 2 brothers develop a game for 20 years, run into financial trouble – bring it to Steam and become millionaires

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

Baldur’s Gate 3: A multiclass build makes you untouchable, defeating enemies with a touch

Sophia Weiss Sophia Weiss Reading time 4 minutes

The min-maxing community is having a blast with Baldur’s Gate 3 and we’ve already presented you with the boldest builds. Now, a YouTuber has developed a multiclass build that can even kill boss enemies in Act 2 with just a touch.

Where does the build come from? Behind the build that kills enemies with a mere touch is YouTuber Bouch. He has 18,000 subscribers and primarily focuses on content related to Baldur’s Gate 3.

In his first three videos, he plays through all acts and attempts to strike exactly once like the anime character One-Punch-Man. His current challenge is: Can you complete Baldur’s Gate 3 with an Armor Class of 0?

In the first video, he starts in the recently patched Honour Mode. In addition to having an Armor Class of 0, the YouTuber has implemented a second twist: All enemies have +99 to their attack rolls – they always hit, unless they roll a 1.

In the Githyanki crib, he ultimately dies. This ends the Honour Mode, but not the game. Thus, Bouch proceeds into Act 2 in the second video. However, since a normal run would be boring, he rebuilds his character and uses a multiclass build that kills enemies when they attack him.

Start video
Baldur’s Gate 3 is coming to PS5 – Trailer prepares for console release

How the multiclass build makes you untouchable

How do you recreate the build? You need a total of 9 levels for the build. Distribute them as follows:

  • Warlock: 2 levels
  • Wizard, School of Abjuration: 6 levels
  • Cleric, Storm Domain: 1 level

What abilities do you need?

  • Armor of Agathys (via Warlock): The spell requires an action and envelops your character in armor. You gain 5 temporary hit points, and if a creature hits you, it takes 5 points of cold damage. If you cast the spell at a higher level, both the cold damage and the hit points gained are doubled. Warlocks always cast their spells at the highest level. Therefore, level two gives you 10 temporary hit points and 10 cold damage.
  • Shadow Armor (via Warlock): With this ability, you can cast the spell Mage Armor at any time – no matter how many spells you can still cast.
  • Arcane Repulsion (via Wizard): Every time you cast an abjuration spell like Mage Armor, your Arcane Repulsion gains a charge. Your maximum is your Wizard level times 2 – at a Wizard level of 6, it would be 12. Every time you take damage, the repulsion reduces it by 1 for each charge currently held.
  • Heavy Armor (feat): This allows you to wear heavy armor if needed. The feat also primarily reduces magic damage against your character by 3.
  • Create Water (via Cleric): This literally makes your opponents wet. They then become susceptible to lightning and cold damage. This means that wet opponents take not only 5 but 10 points of cold damage upon contact and while active with Armor of Agathys.
  • Divine Power Focus – Wrath of the Storm (via Cleric): Every time you are attacked, the attacker takes between 2 and 16 points of lightning damage. If your opponent is wet, they take double damage – so between 4 and 32 points.
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Which armor should you equip your character with? For the build, there are two armors that you should use. As armor, choose the Adamant Splendid Armor. You need to craft this in Act 1 at the Adamant Forge. It reduces incoming damage by 2 points.

The second piece you need is the shield The Protector of the Absolute. This also reduces magical damage by 1 and allows you to use the spell Fire Shield: Chilling. This gives you resistance to fire and cold damage. Opponents take between 2 and 16 fire damage and between 2 and 16 cold damage on contact. If the opponents are wet, the cold damage doubles.

Note: To fully utilize the shield, your character needs the Mark of the Absolute.

How do you use the build? Even before the fight begins, cast Mage Armor as often as possible until your Arcane Repulsion is fully charged. Equip the armor and the shield. Before you fight, ensure that your opponents are wet.

If you are then hit with an attack, your (wet) opponent takes the following damage:

  • 20 cold damage from Armor of Agathys
  • 4 – 32 cold damage from Fire Shield: Chilling
  • 4 – 32 lightning damage from Divine Power Focus

This is a maximum of 84 damage points but at least always 28.

Additionally, incoming attacks are reduced by the following points:

  • 12 points from Arcane Repulsion
  • 3 from the Heavy Armor feat
  • 2 via the Adamant Splendid Armor
  • Magical damage: 1 from the shield

Thus, attackers automatically deal between 17 and 18 points less damage.

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Astarion’s actor had so much fun with Baldur’s Gate 3 that it damaged his health, his conclusion today: “It’s stupid”
von Johanna
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von Fabienne Kissel
Baldur’s Gate 3: Recruiting Minthara – How to Get the Powerful Companion
von Benedict Grothaus

What are the limits of the build? The build sounds absolutely overpowered, which it is. However, you still depend on dice luck. Many enemies, especially until the beginning of Act Three, don’t have enough hit points to truly harm you:

Each of their attacks is less effective than desired, and each attack automatically triggers counter damage.

If you can still attack, your opponents should already be significantly weakened. Overall, fights become easier. However, once you face boss enemies with more than 150 hit points, the build slowly loses effectiveness.

Will you try out the build? Share your thoughts in the comments. If you are big fans of the fighter class, we have something for you here: Best Fighter Build – How to play Lae’zel correctly

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

For 2 years Pedro Pascal has been wanting to make a Mandalorian movie – Now he is getting it

Marie Friske Marie Friske Reading time 2 minutes

As Disney and Lucasfilm recently announced, the famous bounty hunter “The Mandalorian” and Baby Yoda will get their own movie. This will especially please one person: leading actor Pedro Pascal.

In January 2024, instead of a fourth season The Mandalorian, a movie was announced, titled: The Mandalorian & Grogu.

This is exactly what the main actor of the Star Wars series, Pedro Pascal, wished for back in 2022, as a short clip on X.com shows.

Here, you can see a trailer for the series The Mandalorian:

Start video
The Mandalorian – German trailer for the first season

In an interview with Fandango from the D23 Expo in 2022, the actor’s enthusiasm is evident when talking about a film for The Mandalorian.

So, the interviewer asked a director and producer of The Mandalorian, Rick Famuyiwa, if it would be conceivable to end the series with a film.

Rick Famuyiwa visibly searched for words to cleverly dodge the question. In the end, he only said that he didn’t know anything about it.

You can see the clip of the interview yourself:

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Source: Twitter/X.com

Pedro Pascal quickly jumped in and answered the question enthusiastically on behalf of the director: “Yes, he would.”

The lead actor of The Mandalorian then continued: “It’s a great idea and if it weren’t already in discussion, it would be after today.” He then looked at Rick Famuyiwa with a grin and started to laugh.

For more on Star Wars, you can find it here with our colleagues at Filmstarts: The complete “Star Wars” timeline: All movies, series, etc. in the correct order (now also with “The Mandalorian & Grogu”)

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Will there be a fourth season of Mandalorian? That is still uncertain at the moment. So far, there has been no official announcement on how the series will proceed and whether the movie will appear instead of or in addition to another season.

For more sci-fi series, you can find them in this list: The 11 best sci-fi series according to IMDb

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

Pokémon GO: Guide to the Community Day Classic with Porygon – How to make the most of the event

Paul Kutzner Paul Kutzner Reading time 3 minutes

On Saturday, January 20, 2024, the Community Day Classic with Porygon will take place in Pokémon GO. We will show you what content and bonuses await you and how to make the most of the event.

What kind of event is this? The Community Day Classic focuses on a Pokémon that has already had a Community Day. This Pokémon appears in very high numbers during this event. This gives you the opportunity to obtain a lot of specimens and candies.

The January Community Day Classic is all about Porygon. This Pokémon from the first generation is of the Normal type. It can evolve into Porygon2 and then into Porygon-Z.

Can Porygon appear as Shiny? Yes, you can catch Porygon in its Shiny form during the Community Day Classic. The chance of obtaining a Shiny Porygon at this event is also significantly increased.

Trailer for the current season Timeless Journeys.

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

Community Day Classic in January with Porygon – Start & all bonuses of the event

What? Community Day Classic with Porygon
When? Saturday, January 20, 2024 – From 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Exclusive Attack: Triplette for Porygon-Z if you evolve it by 7:00 PM
Bonuses:
– Increased Shiny chance for Porygon
– Triple catch experience points
– Lures and incense last for 3 hours (not the daily adventure incense)
– Snapshot surprises with Porygon
– Field research with Porygon
– PokéStop showcases with Porygon and Porygon-Z

Additional content during the Community Day: From 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM, there will be a free limited research task in which you can receive 3 specimens each of the evolution items Up-Grade and Sinnoh Stone. You will need these to evolve Porygon.

In addition, there will be a special research task available for about €1. You can find all the tasks and rewards here:

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von Patrick Freese

Who is Porygon worth it for?

For collectors: If you haven’t been able to collect Porygon and its evolutions so far, this event is the perfect opportunity to catch up. Especially, it provides a great chance to include the Shiny variants of Porygon and its evolutionary stages in your collection.

For fighters: Porygon’s evolutions are among the best attackers of the Normal type in Pokémon GO, even though attackers of this type are not of the highest significance.

Unfortunately, neither Porygon nor its evolutions perform particularly well in the battle leagues. In both the Great and Ultra Leagues, as well as in the Master League, these Pokémon are not ranked highly.

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How you should prepare for the Community Day Classic in January

Create space: Make sure you have enough space in your Pokémon storage for the event. Otherwise, you will have to send your Pokémon repeatedly during the Community Day Classic, which can take you a lot of time.

If you need to quickly sort Pokémon during the event, you might find our trick for quickly sorting Pokémon helpful.

Prepare the right items: There are a handful of items that can make your experience during the Community Day Classic more effective. These are:

  • Enough balls: Make sure you have enough balls in your item bag. If you need Poké Balls, we have tips for you on how to get balls in Pokémon GO.
  • Sananaberries: Using a Sananaberry when catching a Pokémon doubles the amount of candies you receive. Therefore, if you need Porygon candies, you should bring enough Sananaberries to the event.
  • Lure modules and incense: With these items, you can further increase the number of Pokémon that appear around you. When you activate these items during the event, they also have an extended duration of 3 hours.

Which Mega-Pokémon should I activate? If you own any of the following Mega-Pokémon, you can bring them into their Mega form during the event. This will earn you an extra candy when you catch a Porygon.

  • Mega-Lopunny
  • Mega-Pidgeot
  • Mega-Kangaskhan

What do you think about the Community Day Classic? Will you participate, or are you less interested in Porygon and its evolutions? What is your general opinion about the Community Day Classic? You can also find out what events are coming in Pokémon GO in January 2024 from us.

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

2024 will be even better for MMORPG fans than expected – 2 popular games are getting an add-on

Jasmin Beverungen Jasmin Beverungen Reading time 3 minutes

This week, two popular MMORPGs revealed their plans for 2024. Players can look forward to one expansion for each game that the development teams have planned. This aligns them with two other major MMORPGs that will also release a DLC in 2024. MeinMMO presents what MMORPG fans can expect in this week’s recap.

The highlights of the week:

Both The Elder Scrolls Online and The Lord of the Rings Online are popular MMORPGs. They are featured in the top 10 with the best reviews for the genre on Steam.

What else has happened? Patch 10.2.5 for World of Warcraft is finally live. There is a new capital for Night Elves, an expansion of the dragon riding feature, and a new event called Archives of Azeroth.

Although the numbering suggests it is a smaller interim patch, there is a lot of new content. At launch, the servers even had to be shut down for 8 hours to deploy the update.

Fans are eagerly awaiting the expansion that will also be released in 2024:

Start video
World of Warcraft: The War Within – Cinematic Trailer

Another MMORPG reveals its roadmap

This is what happened with the major MMORPGs:

  • In WoW, Patch 10.2.5 caused a major incident. The follower dungeons led to a bug in the game, causing issues in Mythic+. Blizzard has since resolved the issue with a hotfix.
  • A new patch was also released this week for Final Fantasy XIV. Version 6.55 prepares for the new story that will come with Dawntrail (via mmorpg.org.pl). The patch includes a new main scenario, emotes, cosmetics, and much more.
  • Players found the key character of the upcoming The War Within expansion in WoW Classic. Xal’atath appears at the end of a new quest line. Blizzard is hiding some hints pointing to the upcoming expansion.
  • Black Desert Online has changed its anti-cheat program. EAC was not effective, so Xigncode3 is now taking its place (via mmorpg.org.pl).

This is what happened with the smaller MMORPGs:

  • There is also a new expansion planned for EverQuest in December. Both EverQuest and EverQuest 2 will celebrate the “Year of Darkpaw” with events, quests, raids, and giveaways. The first game will have 16 events, while the sequel will bring back 9 old events.
  • RuneScape and Old School RuneScape have been around for several years. However, the developers have now announced that the associated forums will close at the end of March. Instead, they plan to transition to modern platforms like Discord (via MassivelyOP).
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This is what happened with the MMORPGs in development:

With that, we have summarized everything important that happened this week in the world of MMORPGs.

What were you excited about this week? What frustrated you? Let us know in the comments on MeinMMO. If you are looking for new MMORPGs in 2024, the following list might help you: The 5 best MMORPGs on PS4, PS5, and Xbox that you can play in 2024

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

Destiny 2: Xur today – location and offer on January 19th

Britta ♤ BeAngel Britta ♤ BeAngel Reading time 4 minutes

A mysterious shadow moving between worlds, a traveling merchant from the farthest corners of the universe – this is Xur, a cryptic NPC in the world of Destiny 2, who has come by again today to present his exotic offers to the Guardians.

What happened this week in Destiny? The past week in Destiny 2 brought both long-awaited returnees and eagerly anticipated innovations.

  • Since 2020, there has been a painful gap in the world of Destiny 2 – the absence of a shooting range. The once critically important feature, where players could calmly test and perfect their builds, should return to the game, according to our Destiny author.
  • In the current top-tier Nightfalls, the Guardians mainly struggle with the Cosmodrome Battleground. However, one player has revealed his secret on how he mastered this task despite the endlessly respawning enemies.
  • Additionally, the return of a legendary weapon in “The Final Form” is now confirmed, which once shaped the game.

Destiny 2 is likely bringing back the machine gun that veterans still rave about after 5 years

Start video
Destiny 2: The Most Epic Moments of the Light and Darkness Saga

All information about Xur on January 19, 2024 – PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S

When does Xur come? In the shadowy corners, Xur regularly appears, ready to sell his exotic wares to those brave enough to find their way to him. He appears every Friday at 6:00 PM and remains until the following Tuesday at 6:00 PM.

Where is Xur? This is his camp for the weekend

Xur’s position: The presence of Xur is invaluable, especially for new Guardians. However, before one can benefit from it, they first need to find him. After the reset at 6:00 PM, you can start your search. MeinMMO will reveal his location here as well.

Here is where Xur can be found: European Dead Zone, Twisted Cove
d2-xur-gewundene-bucht-etz-destiny2
Xur is in the European Dead Zone, Twisted Cove

Xur’s inventory from January 19 to 23 – All Exotics at a glance

What does Xur have for sale? Xur is known for his unique and exotic items that he offers for sale every week. His arsenal includes exotic armor, weapons, and engrams that can grant Guardians a variety of new abilities and strategies. In Season 23, you can also get rid of some Legendary Shards with him, as these will soon leave the game.

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Xur’s inventory changes weekly and especially provides new players the opportunity to enhance their skills by utilizing Exotics and preparing faster for the challenges in Destiny 2.

This is Xur’s offer

Xur’s inventory from January 19 to 23.

Weapon: Skyburner’s Oath – Scout Rifle for 29 Legendary Shards

Hunter: Twin Tails – Leg Armor for 23 Legendary Shards

  • Mobility: +17
  • Resilience: +2
  • Recovery: +15
  • Discipline: +10
  • Intellect: +6
  • Strength: +17
  • Total: 67

Titan: Wanderwolf Leg Armor – Leg Armor for 23 Legendary Shards

  • Mobility: +11
  • Resilience: +17
  • Recovery: +6
  • Discipline: +8
  • Intellect: +7
  • Strength: +15
  • Total: 64

Warlock: Escape Artist – Arm Armor for 23 Legendary Shards

  • Mobility: +17
  • Resilience: +7
  • Recovery: +11
  • Discipline: +23
  • Intellect: +6
  • Strength: +2
  • Total: 66

Legendary Armor Set: “Ketschkiller” Set

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In addition to the regular offers, Xur sells unique rolls for exotics from no longer available exotic missions from past DLCs. However, you can only purchase these weapons from Xur if you also own the corresponding expansion.

Currently, he has a weapon for sale:

  • The exotic hand cannon “Hawkmoon” (Beyond Light DLC) with Eye of the Storm.

Trials of Osiris from January 19 – 23, 2024

destiny2-leuchtturm-prüfungenvonosiris
The path to the Lighthouse for over 7 victories in the Trials of Osiris

Lord Saladin is not far off: This weekend is the last chance for trial fans to engage in the Trials of Osiris. The Guardians can once again dive into the competition and try to climb the Lighthouse before Lord Saladin takes the scepter of the last Iron Banner in Season 23 next week.

Which map is active this week? In the Trials, the Guardians must focus on a specific map. It does not change and remains active until the Weekly Reset on January 23 at 6:00 PM.

This map is active: Endless Vale
EndlosesTal-EndlessVale-destiny2-trialsmap-pvp
The PvP Trials map this weekend is “Endless Vale”

This is the reward for a flawless run: Every week, you can expect a special weapon at the Lighthouse, which you will receive as a Master Version for your flawless run, that is, 7 victories. You can earn the weapon until the upcoming Tuesday, January 23, 2024, at 6:00 PM.

As a reward, there is always an Adept weapon when you make it to the Lighthouse safely with your ticket.

This week’s Master Trials weapon is: Cataphract GL3, Grenade Launcher
Trials-Strang-Granatwerfer Kataphrakt GW3
The grenade launcher Cataphract GL3 in normal and master version

When do the Trials officially start? The Trials of Osiris begin today, January 19, 2024, at 6:00 PM. They end with the Weekly Reset on January 23, 2024, at 6:00 PM.

Focus on the loot you want: You can, by the way, focus your trial engrams on your desired weapon at the 14th Saint. Your reward increases further once you receive a complete pass – even if you’ve lost one or two Trials matches.

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

Pokémon GO has a new Pokémon in Germany for a short time – Hurry up!

Paul Kutzner Paul Kutzner Reading time 2 minutes

Currently, you can catch a new Pokémon in Pokémon GO for a limited time. We explain how long you have and which Pokémon it is.

What kind of Pokémon is it? For a limited time, you have the opportunity to catch Jiutesto in Pokémon GO. The Pokémon is currently available in Germany as part of the Clashing Battles-event. The event runs until January 24, 2024, at 8:00 PM. So you have until then to collect the Pokémon.

Jiutesto is usually only available in North and South America as well as Africa. In Europe, Asia, and Australia, Karadonis is regularly available instead.

Trailer for the current season Timeless Travels.

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

Who is Jiutesto worth it for?

Is the Pokémon worth it for raids and gyms? Unfortunately, Jiutesto is not a Pokémon you will find in the list of the strongest attackers in Pokémon GO. It is not particularly suited for raids or battling in gyms. For this purpose, you should rely on other Pokémon.

Is the Pokémon worth it for the battle league? Jiutesto also does not perform particularly well in the battle league. It cannot score points in the Super or Hyper League or in the Master League. Again, you should use other Pokémon for this.

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Is the Pokémon worth it for collectors? If you prefer to collect Pokémon rather than battle with them, then you should not miss Jiutesto. Because this Pokémon cannot normally be caught in Germany and is only available for a limited time, you should hurry and catch it. Whether and when Jiutesto will be available again in Germany is not yet known.

Is there Jiutesto as Shiny? Yes, you can also find the Pokémon in its Shiny variant. This could be an even bigger reason for collectors among you to go hunting for this Pokémon.

What do you think about the Pokémon? Will you make your way to add it to your Pokédex? Or are you less interested in collecting? Feel free to let us know in the comments. If you want to know what else is in store for you in the game, take a look at the events in January 2024 in Pokémon GO.

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

CoD Warzone: New weapon has the potential to dominate the meta, reminds players of a legendary assault rifle from MW1

Dariusz Müller Dariusz Müller Reading time 3 minutes

Call of Duty Warzone and MW3 have received 2 new weapons with Season 1 Reloaded. Some experts believe one of them could soon dominate the meta.

Which new weapon is it? With Season 1 Reloaded, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone received two new weapons, including an SMG called HRM-9.

The HRM-9 is already referred to by many YouTubers as a really good weapon that might even define the meta in the coming weeks.

What is special about the HRM-9 is that it reminds many players, who were already playing during MW1 (2019) and at that time played Warzone, of the Grau 5.56. Because the iron sight (front and rear sights) is almost identical if you equip a certain barrel.

What was the Grau 5.56? The Grau 5.56 was an assault rifle in CoD MW1 (2019) and Warzone that was characterized by an extremely low recoil. The weapon was very stable while shooting and did not require great skill or much training to control.

Many players were also fans of the Grau’s iron sight because it allowed for precise shots without taking up too much screen space.

Start video
CoD MW3 & Warzone – Season 1 Trailer

How good is the HRM-9? The German-speaking YouTuber and CoD expert “Aimbrot” is already convinced of the SMG: “It has a 50 round mag, has basically everything you need. If the Swarm hadn’t been nerfed and adjusted, this would definitely be one of the best SMGs right now.”

Later in the video, he mentions that the iron sight also reminds him of the Grau 5.56: “The weapon is so cool. The iron sight is just like the Grau, it’s the Grau MP and I love it completely.”

Other English-speaking content creators have also already released initial videos about the HRM-9. For example, FaZe Swagg says in a video:

The second barrel makes it look like it has the iron sight of the Grau, so I assume that if the [SMG] ever comes out with a kit that turns it into an assault rifle, it will be the Grau.

Overall, the SMG is insane – no recoil, kills quickly. Unlocking this weapon in the battle pass is a must. […] In about 4 days this will be the meta SMG once everyone has unlocked it.

FaZe Swagg via YouTube

Also on the website “Warzone Meta,” the HRM-9 has already risen into the category of “best Warzone loadouts” with different loadouts (via wzstats.gg). The site keeps track of all weapons with their various setups in a kind of tier list and evaluates them.

It also states that the HRM-9 is already being used in 9.35% of all Warzone matches, ranking even above the MTZ Interceptor, the WASP Swarm, and the Holger 26, which are all also counted among the meta loadouts.

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How should the HRM-9 be played? Since the weapon has only been in the game for a few days, opinions on what the best setup for the weapon is may still change. Currently, however, this combination is especially worth recommending:

  • Muuzzle – L4R Flash Hider
  • Barrel – Princeps Long Barrel
  • Underbarrel – DR-6 Handstop
  • Stock – Folding Stock
  • Magazine – 50 Round Drum

If you want to use the iron sight of the Grau 5.56, it is essential to choose the Princeps Long Barrel as the barrel, as this changes the sight of the SMG.

If you do not yet have the HRM-9 in your weapon collection, you can simply unlock it through the battle pass in sector A21 by completing a few tasks. You can find out how to get the SMG on MeinMMO: CoD MW3 & Warzone: Here’s how to unlock the HRM-9

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