After the shutdown of one of the most popular mods in Final Fantasy XIV, the boss is now talking about official alternatives

Sophia Weiss Sophia Weiss Reading time 2 minutes

In September 2025, one of the most popular mods for Final Fantasy XIV went offline. Apparently, the development team is now trying to officially introduce the features that were previously possible through the mod, as a recent Ask-Me-Anything with producer Naoki Yoshida shows.

What was that mod? In September 2025, the mod Mare Synchronos was released. It allowed players to make their mods, which were only visible locally on their own client, visible to other players. This enabled better role-playing with shared emotes and glamours.

However, mods in Final Fantasy XIV are fundamentally prohibited. Additionally, Mare also shared problematic and partly illegal mods.

What features are expected? With the December release of patch 7.4, the MMORPG already implemented complete glamour freedom. In an Ask-Me-Anything on a Japanese server of the game, Naoki Yoshida, the director and producer, stated that there will be further changes: Currently, the team is planning customization options for emotes. This could officially replace external emote mods and the functionality of Mare.

Start video
Final Fantasy XIV: Rocking trailer for “Into the Mist” sets the stage for patch 7.4

Personalized emotes as an alternative to modding?

What exactly is supposed to happen with the emotes? Overall, the discussion about customization options for emotes is very vague. In the original chat excerpt, Yoshi-P is specifically asked what motion-related systems are planned. The response from the director and producer is: In the area of movements, we are currently planning to offer players some form of customization options.

This statement could refer to the emotes in the game, but also to the different idle, walking, and running animations depending on race and class.

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Were there any other updates in the AMA? In addition to the question regarding motion adjustments, there was also talk of a version of the game for Nintendo Switch. This was confirmed by Naoki Yoshida. Other topics included:

  • New information about the new class Beastmaster is expected in the next live letter
  • More space in the glamour wardrobe
  • More space for housing decorations
  • The next ultimate will be Meta
  • Updates for character skin tones
  • Regional FATEs and events

When the mentioned features are expected to be released is still unclear. The Beastmaster is set to go live with patch 7.5, which is likely to be released in April 2026. Recently, there were also initial theories from the community. In a base-game region, an unnamed level 1 mob has appeared, which many consider to belong to the new class: In just two days, a cult has formed around a new, mysterious creature in Final Fantasy XIV.

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

Player wants to send his gaming PC securely, chooses an unusual method

jan hartmayer jan hartmayer Reading time 2 minutes

A user is unsure how to best prepare their PC for shipping. Their solution is interesting, and Reddit informs them that there was a much easier way.

What happened? The user Holiday-Ad3427 asks for help in their Reddit post from 06.01.2026. They want to pack their PC securely for shipping and share a picture of the computer. They then ask the community for their advice on whether their transport protection is sufficient.

The player has stuffed their entire PC with laundry, cloths, and towel packages. Every corner is full, and even the graphics card and CPU cooler are enclosed.

On Reddit, the community upvotes an important tip over 7,000 times, which simply and elegantly addresses one of the biggest problems: According to SuperHooligan (via Reddit), Holiday-Ad3427 should simply remove the graphics card before shipping and send it packed separately.

If you are currently looking for a gaming PC, then check out the video of the upcoming Steam Machine:

Start video
Valve presents the Steam Machine in the new trailer

Graphics cards are prone to damage during transport

Why is the solution so important? GPUs are installed on the PCI port of a motherboard and are usually secured by one or more screws at the back of the computer. This is often sufficient for normal operation as a mount, but it is unsafe for transport.

Due to sudden pressure effects, such as when braking during a car ride or carrying inside a box, the slot where the graphics card sits is heavily stressed. Depending on the intensity of the load, it can happen that the GPU or other components are damaged by the GPU.

To avoid this, the tip from Reddit is ideally suited. Removing the graphics card protects the PC from unnecessary damage caused by the GPU. If still available, the graphics card could then be placed in its original packaging to ensure the best possible protection.

But even with the correct transport protection, a PC can suffer serious damage during transport if not handled carefully, as a player had to find out disappointingly.

Community points out potential risks

Meanwhile, the player’s post has garnered 4,400 upvotes and over 500 comments (as of 12.01.2026), and Reddit users comment eagerly:

  • mikopsid007 explains (via Reddit): “Great advice, plus the power supply looks like it could explode at any moment.”
  • Cutlass_Stallion advises (via Reddit): “Also remove the RAM, in case a postal worker still has to pay off their car.”
  • BoSknight writes (via Reddit): “Take the laundry out; there are these expanding foam packages.”
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Overall, it seems to have been a good idea to have the transport protection reevaluated on Reddit. With all the tips, the PC should be even safer – if the owner follows the advice. Because without protection, you should not send a computer. If you find the mail for your gaming PC too insecure, a player has found an unusual solution: Player really wants to travel with his gaming PC: Will his PC survive the journey by plane?

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

Pokémon GO: How to catch Voltrel in the new event High Zaptitude

Max Handwerk Max Handwerk Reading time 2 minutes

In Pokémon GO you will soon be able to obtain the Pokémon Voltrel and Voltrean. However, there is a bit of work to do. We will show you what.

What kind of Pokémon is Voltrel? Voltrel comes from the games Scarlet and Violet. It belongs to the Flying and Electric types. Its evolution is called Voltrean and shares the same type combination.

When does Voltrel appear? In Pokémon, the event High Zaptitude starts on January 13, 2026. It runs on Tuesday from 10:00 AM and will continue until January 18, 8:00 PM. With this event, Voltrel will also enter the game – but not immediately!

Before you can catch Voltrel, a global challenge must be completed first. After that, you can start searching for the bird.

Start video
Pokémon GO shows its new season in the trailer

When will Voltrel be unlocked in Pokémon GO?

It depends on the trainers. Because: To unlock Voltrel, it is expected that you first need to collect kilometers.

The global challenge is expected to bring “tasks around exploring.” These must be solved collectively by all trainers worldwide. Based on experience, “exploring” means that a certain number of kilometers must be walked. As soon as the exact number is known, this article will be updated.

Moreover, Voltrel will only be unlocked at level 2 of the challenge. How quickly this will be achieved remains to be seen.

Where do I catch Voltrel? Voltrel will be available both in the wild and in field research once the challenge is mastered. Therefore, you do not need to look for the electric bird in raids or eggs.

How do I obtain Voltrean? You can obtain Voltrean by evolving Voltrel. For this, you need to collect and use 50 Voltrel candies.

Can Voltrel be shiny? No, Voltrel cannot be shiny for its debut in Pokémon GO.

What else does High Zaptitude bring?

Besides the Voltrel debut, the following highlights are part of the event:

  • Increased shiny chance for Blipp, which you can hatch from 2km eggs
  • Double catch XP after level 1 of the global challenge
  • Double catch stardust after level 2 of the global challenge
  • Double hatch XP and double hatch stardust after level 3 of the global challenge
  • 2km eggs yield Pichu, Elekid, Toxel, and Blipp
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In summary, it means: Plan in a walk or two if you want to make the most of the event. Then you contribute to the Voltrel challenge while also gaining bonuses for hatching eggs. And in the coming weeks, exciting dates will follow: What else is coming in Pokémon GO is shown in the overview of all Pokémon GO events in January 2026.

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

A developer saves 140 euros by building his own memory

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 2 minutes

Memory is getting more expensive all the time. A user has now built his own RAM and saved a lot of money in the process. However, the replication is only partially recommended, as it requires a lot of skill to recreate such RAM.

The prices for memory have been skyrocketing for several months. In the summer of 2025, one could still pay between 50 and 60 euros for 8 GB DDR5, while today one rather pays between 150 and 200 euros. And there is no sign of improvement in the situation.

A Russian developer has come up with the idea of assembling RAM himself. In this way, he was able to save over 100 euros. However, the effort behind it is not insignificant, and the process to get a finished RAM module is also not very simple. This is reported, among others, by Videocardz.com.

Start video
Valve presents the Steam Machine in the new trailer

Modder uses laptop memory to convert it into regular RAM

The modder bought two laptop memory modules with 16 GB each, a new circuit board, and a cheap heatsink. Additionally, he needed some tools. In total, the entire project cost him 17,015 Russian rubles. This is about 185 euros.

He then dismantled the memory modules from the laptop model and mounted them on the new circuit board. In a final step, he flashed the firmware from an Adata retail kit onto the new RAM model, which gave the memory an XMP support of 6400 MT/s that can be recognized by any motherboard in the BIOS.

The magazine TomsHardware emphasizes, however, that assembly is not that easy if one wants to replicate something like this: Specifically, it is mainly about reballing, meaning certain contacts on the individual elements (via pactech.com). Here, one needs a lot of skill and finesse to avoid making mistakes.

Was it worth it? We can only partially verify RAM prices in Russia, so we looked at the German market for comparison: The cheapest DDR5 module with 32 GB of memory that we found online currently costs 320 euros (via Geizhals.de). Currently, there are not many viable alternatives for cheap memory.

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Memory is currently getting more expensive. In line with that, there’s another story: A gamer gets lucky and finds 64 GB of RAM at a fair price. But for the seller, the price seems too fair. Already the next day, he corrects the price so that no one else can benefit from it: Gamer gets lucky, finds 64 GB of RAM at a bargain price – The seller corrects his mistake the very next day

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

The story of a new sci-fi series on Amazon is so secret that even the actors don’t know all the details

Christoph Waldboth Christoph Waldboth Reading time 3 minutes

Fans of science fiction can look forward to the new year 2026, as a well-known franchise is returning on Amazon Prime in the form of a series. Its origins date back to 1994 and start with a German director.

Which series is it? Stargate premiered as a film in 1994, marking the beginning of a franchise that has produced three feature films, five series, several documentaries, specials, and even video games.

The very first entry was directed in 1994 by the German director Roland Emmerich, who is now mainly known for his exaggerated disaster films like The Day After Tomorrow, 2012, the alien movie Independence Day, or a mediocre Godzilla story.

In 2025, Amazon announced that Stargate would return in the form of a new series. The last series project was the web series Stargate Origins in 2018. Consequently, fans of the franchise are likely to be eager for new stories from their favorite universe.

Stargate was supposed to have its own MMORPG, but unfortunately, it never appeared. Here you can see the trailer for it:

Start video
Stargate Worlds – Trailer

Strict Confidentiality

What do we know about the series? Currently, nothing is known about the plot. However, it can be assumed that the titular Stargate, which is a kind of wormhole that allows travel through the universe, will once again play an important role.

In fact, the specific screenplay is so secret that the producers are likely employing methods similar to those used by major Hollywood films. In productions such as those from Marvel, for example, the latest Avengers: Doomsday, actors often only receive excerpts of the script to read. Namely, those in which their character appears.

According to actor Michael Shanks, who played the character Daniel Jackson in Stargate SG-1, similar circumstances exist for the new series. Although he is not involved in the production, he has learned about the work on it and mentions in the YouTube video from the channel Dial the Gate that strict confidentiality is enforced under Amazon’s thumb. The actors are also only informed of parts of the story to prevent leaks and unintended information being made public.

I don’t know if it is necessarily the best approach to not really tell the actors what they are working on. When I acted in a science fiction series on Netflix, I never saw the script. I had no idea what the series was about. We just shot, and I only read my scenes, which I received a week in advance. I remember saying back then: “I can’t wait to see the series to find out what we all are doing in it!”

Michael Shanks

At a time when the fear of spoilers is high and studios want to tightly control which information leaks out, such an approach is becoming increasingly common.

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Who is involved in the series? Fans of the franchise will be pleased to know that veteran Roland Emmerich is returning. Although he is not directing, he is serving as a producer. In this role, he has complete oversight of the series. Next to him is Martin Gero as the showrunner, the creative head – he previously worked on Stargate Atlantis and subsequent series as part of the writing team.

When exactly the series will premiere on Amazon Prime Video and who will appear on camera is unfortunately still unknown. However, ambitions seem to be high, and they need to be. At a time full of prestigious series like Stranger Things, Fallout, or the upcoming spin-off of Game of Thrones, studios must show that they can keep up with this high level. More about the latter production can be found on MeinMMO: A man mentioned only twice in Game of Thrones is now getting a whole series

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. jeuxvideo.com
  2. Titelbildquelle: MGM

Player has been tracking his steps with a Pikachu for 10 years: “I’m amazed the counter even runs that high.”

Caroline Fuller Caroline Fuller Reading time 3 minutes

A gamer presents the community with the result of 20 years of perseverance. He collected steps with a very special tracker for over a decade. What initially sounds like a rather unremarkable action becomes significantly more impressive when he mentions his condition.

Which device did the player use to track his steps? In the gaming subreddit, the user asdfqwer426 shares the result of years of work. He tracked steps for 10 years with a Pokémon Pikachu 2, a Tamagotchi-like virtual pet that also includes a pedometer. 

The device was released in 1998 alongside Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal and displays a Pikachu on its small screen, which can be walked with. It does not have to be fed or otherwise cared for; however, it can get sulky later if you don’t spend time with it.

The author of the post reports that he collected over 3 million steps after 10 years… which the community initially finds quite disappointing. 

“821 steps per day,” calculates OkFuture8667, “which can be considered nearly sedentary.”

But when the gamer explains when and for what purpose he used the device to count steps, opinions on Reddit change dramatically: “I thought this was a joke, holy shit.”

Start video
With Pokémon Pokopia, Nintendo mixes two of its most popular franchises for the Switch

Together with Pikachu to millions of dance steps

What makes this result so impressive? The author of the Reddit post explains that he stopped regularly carrying the Pokémon Pikachu 2 about 6 to 7 years ago because he didn’t want to lose it or wear it out too much. However, he did not completely give up the pedometer and his virtual friend.

For the past 3 to 4 years, he has used the device exclusively when playing the dance game Dance Dance Revolution. In this game, the player stands on a dance mat and must step on the corresponding direction arrow on the mat that is shown on the screen at the right moment with good timing.

This not only resulted in an impressive statistic of steps but also provided solid cardio training, as he explains: “I am much, much fitter than I was at the beginning when I started 5–6 years ago. Last year it got a bit boring for me, but recently I’ve been playing it in doubles (with two pads for one player).”

What does the community say about the Pokémon and dance enthusiast? The community on Reddit is impressed by his perseverance and motivation to use such a device for over 10 years. 

“I am amazed that the counter actually gets that high,” admits Dark_Pulse, and DevEnoz also finds that one can truly be satisfied with such a result: “Professor Oak would be proud.”

While some Pokémon fans have never heard of the Pokémon Pikachu 2, the player’s post evokes old memories for others from a time when the franchise was perceived very differently by many parents: “I had the yellow variant and my mother forced me to burn all my Pokémon stuff, so I hid it for a while. I eventually lost it on the church bus 🙁 That’s an amazing achievement, great job!”

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The author of the post wants to continue using the Pokémon Pikachu 2 to find out if the device has a limit one day. This is also a good reason to play more Dance Dance Revolution.

Pokémon will celebrate its 30th anniversary this year, which is why an event will take place on February 27, 2026, during which new games and further announcements will likely be shown in a video. One might speculate what new things will come for Pokémon, but players only want one thing: Pokémon celebrates its 30th anniversary, but players are only thinking of a little yellow chonk

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

WoW has a lot of new players right now – the perfect time to get started

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

In World of Warcraft, there are particularly many newcomers right now. Is this the best moment to start with the massive MMORPG?

Those who take a look into World of Warcraft will find that in the “Mythic+” and current raids, the activity has diminished a bit – the number of groups has significantly decreased. Of course, it’s the phase just before a new expansion, making the current endgame a bit less interesting. However, what is noticeable is that there are many newcomers and returners in World of Warcraft.

The trailer for the current WoW patch 11.2.7:

Start video
WoW: Patch 11.2.7 – The warning shows what threatens Quel’thalas

Why are there so many newcomers and returners right now? This is due to a lot of factors coming together at the moment. On the one hand, we currently have “Legion Remix” – nostalgia for an expansion that many still consider to be “the best”.

At the same time, housing has launched in World of Warcraft. This is a feature that many have wished for in recent years and often even led to players stepping away from WoW. Now, many are enjoying the complexity of housing, which even outshines the once-genre leader WildStar.

Another aspect could be that World of Warcraft now has quite a solid returner program. Because those who log back into the game after a long time are now directly asked if they need a little refresher in terms of gameplay. Along with that, there are suitable equipment and clear guidance on where to travel next.

Furthermore, there are also features like the “1-Button-Assistant”, which make WoW accessible for people who would otherwise be overwhelmed by the complexity of classes.

Last but not least, at least in the German-speaking area, the streamer event Sauercrowd may contribute to some people checking back into WoW, although the interest here seems to be primarily focused on the Classic variant of the game. However, many who check into Classic afterwards also take a look at the retail variant of the game.

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Many are returning – and are pleasantly surprised

New and old players report: Even in the WoW subreddit, many have noticed that there are currently many newcomers in the game. This is evident in the “Newcomer” channel with increased questions, but can also be seen everywhere in the game. And many even admit that they belong to the newcomers themselves:

  • “Before I stopped playing WoW, Legion was the last expansion I played, and I loved it so much that I just couldn’t continue when it ended. I came back for Legion Remix and I’m excited again. And this time I’m not sad that it ends, but rather excited and looking forward to Midnight. I’m just happy I got to say ‘goodbye’ to the Suramar campaign one last time.” – HyphenGlory
  • “I returned at the beginning of The War Within. The game is just so good, just wait until you experience the start of a season. It’s magical, everyone is so active and there’s literally so much to do.
    For most people, the ‘boring’ part of the cycle is happening right now. Activity will explode in March. Not just in the game, but also on social media, in streams, and so on.”     – aruapost
  • “I haven’t played since Lich King.
    No idea why, but I recently decided to start again, and I’m loving it.”     – dudSpudson

What is your perception currently? Have you checked back into World of Warcraft after a long time, or do you know friends who have now returned? If so, it could be worth taking a look at our guide for newcomers and returners to be prepared for any eventualities.

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

Trainers can hardly find monsters in Pokémon GO, complaining: “It has completely ruined the game.”

Paul Kutzner Paul Kutzner Reading time 2 minutes

The community is currently reporting that players find it increasingly difficult to locate monsters in Pokémon GO. There are no official statements on this.

Catching monsters is one of the most important aspects of the game, if not the most important. Trainers may have different preferences. While some prefer to collect increasingly stronger specimens, others prefer to go for rare monsters such as Shinys.

Currently, many voices in the community are reporting that catching monsters has recently been adjusted and has now become more difficult.

Start video
Pokémon GO shows its new season in the trailer

“Pokémon are leaving the game before players do”

What has changed? According to trainers on Reddit, the number of monsters appearing in the wild for them has been significantly adjusted. While there were many more monsters recently, the number of spawns in the wild seems to have been drastically reduced.

While this supposed change already affects trainers in larger cities, trainers in smaller towns and rural areas are even more affected since the number of wild monsters is generally already lower here than in big cities.

The number of monsters appearing during a Spotlight Hour is also reportedly affected according to several trainers. It is unknown whether the number of spawns in other activities, such as Community Days, might also be affected.

What does Niantic say about this? So far, there is no information or statements from the official side on this. There are also no update news indicating a reduction in spawns.

Whether this is merely a subjective opinion of the trainers, a planned change, or a bug cannot be definitively stated at this time.

What does the community say? While there are also some trainers who report that their numbers have not changed, there are many critical voices complaining about the reduced numbers. Some of them include:

  • “Was swarmed with Delibirds for the entire hour last week. This week I got an initial spawn of around 6-8, and after that a grand total of 3 more Pokemon over the remainder of the hour. Not spawns of multiples, 3 individual, solitary Pokemon. Enraging” writes triple_heart regarding the Spotlight Hours.
  • “I was wondering what happened to all the spawns near me. Rural player already having a difficult time finding spawns. Now it’s almost impossible. Thanks” comments ClydeSheltonX.
  • “Just why. We’ve been begging for 10 years to make the game more accessible to rural players. This is literally the opposite. It’s almost like they don’t want people to play.” comments v3xxie.
  • “Yeah this kinda completely killed off the game in my small town. If I drive all over town I can get maybe 8-10 Pokemon outside of incense spawns.” writes Ab47203.
  • “Pokemon are leaving the game before players.” notes aba_lancer sarcastically.
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Have you had similar experiences in your area in recent days? Let us know in the comments. If you want to know what activities await you in the game in the near future, feel free to take a look at our overview with all events in January 2026 in Pokémon GO.

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

New MMORPG is set to release in the West in 2026, achieving the success in Asia that everyone desires

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 2 minutes

While in the West there has been a long wait for a new good MMORPG, the new Aion 2 launched in Korea in November 2025. New numbers reveal how successful it is after the release.

What kind of MMORPG is this? Aion 2 is a theme park MMORPG and the successor to the well-known “Aion” from 2008. The focus of the MMORPG is more on PvE than on PvP, but it also keeps up with the times and offers shorter experiences instead of lengthy raids.

The concept seems to be working, as new business figures show how well the MMORPG is doing even two months after the release.

Here you can watch the launch trailer for Aion 2:

Start video
Aion 2: New trailer prepares for the Korean launch of the MMORPG

Great success for Aion 2

What has Aion 2 achieved? Although Aion 2 had a rocky release and has been struggling with bots since week 1, the MMORPG is well received by players. In the latest livestream by the developers on YouTube, they talked about the current success of the MMORPG and even mentioned specific figures.

While other MMORPGs like Blue Protocol: Star Resonance have already lost half of their players during the same period, Aion 2 is accomplishing what everyone hopes for. Player numbers and subscriber counts for the MMORPG are higher two months after launch than at release.

Two months after the launch, there are about one million sold subscriptions, whereas in the first week there were only about 250,000 and about 500,000 one month after the launch.

Revenue for Aion is also on the rise. By January 7, revenues of over 58 million euros (100 billion won) had been achieved. Player numbers are also increasing.

According to the developers, player activity is increasing rather than decreasing. They state that currently over 80% of players are active and that activity continues to rise.

How do the developers plan to maintain the numbers? In the developers’ livestream, they shared their plans for the near and distant future. They are planning to implement a wardrobe feature, new locations, a new class, a higher maximum level, as well as new dungeons and PvPvE areas.

They also want to work on the balance of classes and systems, as well as on the rewards for daily tasks within the game. Matchmaking and the separation of PvE and PvP gear are also topics that are being worked on.

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Aion 2 aims to improve in Asia first before it launches in the West at the end of 2026. Despite the initial difficulties, it was clear early on that this MMORPG would be worthwhile for the developers: The new MMORPG Aion 2 launches with problems in Asia but is expected to earn more than 1 million euros daily

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

Dozens of Paladins in Diablo 4 discover an important detail for their build only after 250 Paragon – It is right in front of their noses

Benedict Grothaus Benedict Grothaus Reading time 2 minutes

Some important information about the character is well hidden in Diablo 4. However, most of what you need to play is visible at first glance. But maybe that’s too obvious. Because a lot of players are just now noticing an important orb that helps Paladins with their builds while playing.

What detail is that?

  • The Paladin is the latest class in Diablo 4 and comes with many new abilities and of course a class mechanic: Oaths. Depending on your playstyle, you can grant different effects to your abilities with it.
  • One of the oaths is the Disciple, which allows you to take on the “Area Form” when using Disciple skills. For a short time, you become an angel that hovers over the battlefield and slaughters demons.
  • When you have selected the oath, a much smaller orb with a sword as a background appears next to your life and your faith (the class resource) next to your skills. But it is not just for looks; it has a function.

What does the orb indicate? The filling of the orb represents the time you have left in the Area Form. When fully charged, the orb is filled blue and gradually loses color, just like the orb with your life force or resource.

This allows you to see when you are losing your form and use a new Disciple skill in time to remain an angel. For some of the best builds in the game – such as the “Light Swing” or the “Blessed Hammer” Paladin – the form is an important modifier for damage.

The orb is small, but actually quite noticeable and only visible when you are a Disciple. Judges, Fanatics, and Molochs do not have this display. Nevertheless, many players apparently either deliberately ignored or simply overlooked this display.

Start video
Diablo 4 shows the Paladin and his oaths in the gameplay trailer

“Oh, THAT’s what that’s for!”

On Reddit, a user shares the realization about the blue orb, which he only noticed after 166 Paragon. Surprisingly, he is not the only one: many comments agree that others only noticed that the Area Form has a display after 250 Paragon or more. Some have only become aware of it through the post.

Until then, they either counted seconds painstakingly or paid attention to their own appearance. If you no longer look like an angel, you just cast a new ability. Others wondered why their damage sometimes simply fell through the floor… now they know.

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Others wonder how one could not notice such a display, after all, it is obvious. But there is also an explanation for that:

On console, you ignore most of the stuff down there. There are zero explanations for most of it, only my buffs that I ignore. The only way to see them is to open the profile and then go to the stats to hope that the buff is still there. You get conditioned to ignore that.

iWushok on Reddit

In the discussion, there are still some useful tips, such as that no Disciple skill extends the Master Form when it is triggered by “Master of Justice,” unless it is about to end. Therefore, they should be cast towards the end to maintain the form.

Diablo as a casual game encourages you to just switch off your brain and run. But with the new class and the fresh features in Season 11, many players seem to need to look a bit more closely at what they are doing: Players complain that the new feature in Diablo 4 destroys their items – they just don’t understand how it works

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

In Divinity, companions become even more important than in Baldur’s Gate 3 because the developers listened to a community request

Jasmin Beverungen Jasmin Beverungen Reading time 2 minutes

In Baldur’s Gate 3 you don’t have to travel through the world alone, but have companions by your side. With them, you can even enter a romance, but among each other, the companions have hardly any interactions. This should change for Divinity.

What should improve? In a Q&A on Reddit, fans were able to ask the developers from Larian some questions about Baldur’s Gate and Divinity. One fan noted that with each game, the writing of the story and the narrative had improved.

He wanted to know what the developers want to improve regarding the narration compared to the earlier games. And indeed he gets a response from the Senior Writer of Larian, who will also be responsible for Divinity:

Companion relationships. Firstly, more interaction between the companions – not just more and better verbal sparring but also deeper relationships among themselves, just as they have with the players. Secondly, subtly building the friendship and romance between the players, so that the relationship feels natural.

This means that there will be even more character depth of the individual companions in Divinity, should the story writer succeed in what he aims for. The stories of the characters will then probably be more closely intertwined, and the dialogues between them will be more significant. Thus, the companions would become even more important.

And as another comment proves, players want this as well. One user writes that he would need a Bromance in the game.

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Characters need to become even deeper

How does it look so far? Already in Baldur’s Gate 3, the 10 companions are unique. Each character has a very deep story and their own quests. They agree or disagree with certain decisions of the player, which develops the relationship with the player. 

With high agreement, romances can even develop. However, if the agreement drops too low, the companions can even leave the group or attack the player.

Among themselves, this is not so detailed. There are only a few conversations while exploring the world. Additionally, there are scripted conflicts or story moments where the interconnected past of some characters comes to light.

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The characters are not only interesting due to their backgrounds and relationships but also because of their combat abilities. You can choose which characters to accompany you in battles. To get the best out of your companions, you should know the following article on MeinMMO: The 6 best companions from Baldur’s Gate 3 with which you can melt even tricky bosses – Which summons are particularly strong?

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

The 5 strongest armies from Lord of the Rings that make even the mightiest warrior tremble

Christoph Waldboth Christoph Waldboth Reading time 4 minutes

Herr der Ringe wartet sowohl in den Büchern als auch in den Filmen mit einigen großen Schlachten auf. Darin kämpfen verschiedene Armeen gegeneinander um das Schicksal von Mittelerde. Doch welche Armeen sind die stärksten?

Wie wurde das Ranking erstellt? In Mittelerde gibt es zahlreiche Völker und Fraktionen, die jeweils ihre eigenen Streitkräfte mit sich bringen. Für diese Liste haben wir uns all jene angeschaut, die während der Ereignisse aus Herr der Ringe im Dritten Zeitalter auftreten.

Frühere Armeen werden an dieser Stelle nicht berücksichtigt. Wir vergleichen die Kandidaten in ihrer Stärke, Größe und daran, welchen Effekt sie auf Mittelerde haben. Wie immer gilt: Das Ranking ist subjektiv und basiert auf der Meinung des Autors. Sollten eure persönlichen Platzierungen davon abweichen, könnt ihr uns eure Meinung am Ende gerne in die Kommentare schreiben.

Start video
German trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Platz 5: Éohere

Hinter diesem Namen verbirgt sich das Heer der Rohirrim, der Bewohner von Rohan. Vor allem aus Reitern bestehend, ziehen diese Menschen mutig in die Schlacht und spielen auch zur Zeit von Herr der Ringe eine wichtige Rolle in der Geschichte.

Zum einen erreicht Éomer mit seinen abtrünnigen Reitern im letzten Moment die Schlacht von Helms Klamm und dreht die aussichtlose Situation der Verteidiger zum Guten. Zum anderen sind die Rohirrim auch bei der Schlacht auf den Feldern des Pelennor ganz vorne mit dabei. Hierbei trat das Heer zu Zehntausenden auf, was deutlich mehr war als meistens zuvor.

Dadurch, dass das Heer vor allem beritten kämpft, können sie schnell angreifen und ihre Gegner überrumpeln. Blockaden durchbrechen die Reiter mit Speeren und ihre Stärke tritt besonders auf offenem Feld zutage. Ist die Front des Gegners erst einmal durchbrochen, kämpfen die Soldaten auch gerne mal mit Schwertern weiter und schwächen die Feinde im Nahkampf. Nachteile treten hingegen hervor, wenn sich das Heer in Engstellen befindet.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Titelbildquelle: Warner Bros. auf YouTube
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Trymacs spielt dank Sauercrowd zum ersten Mal WoW, will in Classic Hardcore den Titel „Der Unsterbliche“, sonst ist er weg

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 2 minutes

Maximilian “Trymacs” Stemmler is playing as part of the Sauercrowd guild for the first time in World of Warcraft. So far, he hasn’t ended up at the spirit healer even once. Fans of the Twitch streamer should keep their fingers crossed that it stays that way.

What is Trymacs’ plan for Sauercrowd? In the dungeon “Razorfen Kraul” from WoW Classic Hardcore, the German Twitch streamer talked about the “luck” of not having ended up at the spirit healer as a mage so far. He explains:

I had 11 times under 5 percent health. That I’m alive is a miracle. And if I’m dead, I’m out too. It would be crazy if I play WoW Hardcore on the First Try and actually reach level 60. […] Then I’ll be level 60, do one raid and then … I’ll stop. I’ve just never died in WoW. Absolutely immortal.

Trymacs on YouTube

In WoW, there is actually the achievement “The Immortal”, but it was introduced later in the game. To achieve this, you must overcome Naxxramas in 25-man mode within one ID, without losing a single raid member during a boss fight. So Trymacs cannot boast an official title. However, as an unofficial achievement, it would indeed be remarkable.

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“I can’t do another run”

Why the safe end? Trymacs is clearly having fun with his mage (especially when he gets to blast enemies with his frost spells while being held by a tank). However, WoW Classic is so time-consuming that the streamer can’t imagine a long-term engagement with the MMORPG.

When asked why he wants to stop if he dies, Trymacs replies:

It takes way too much time. I can’t do another run. That’s just not possible.

Trymacs on YouTube

The WoW newbie has a big advantage: he is often with a group and more experienced players in Azeroth. Furthermore, he now has emergency spells like Ice Block in his arsenal. Nevertheless, virtual life for a mage, who wears only cloth and therefore has very low survivability, can come to an end quickly.

By now, Trymacs is already level 36. He has also successfully completed the dungeon Gnomeregan (Source: YouTube).

By the way, Trymacs is not only thinking about his early retirement in World of Warcraft. In real life, he could also hang up his career right now and chill. You can read more about it here: Trymacs says he is only on Twitch for fun – Talks about the right time for streaming retirement

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

WoW Legion Remix: Last chance, otherwise it will get really expensive

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

Those who haven’t gotten everything from Legion Remix in World of Warcraft should hurry. Because prices will rise significantly soon.

Slowly but surely, World of Warcraft Legion Remix is coming to an end. January 20, 2026, will mark the end, and the alternative timeline will be closed – presumably forever. Until then, you should have leveled all your characters and spent your earned bronze. This is especially advisable for housing items. While you can still buy them later, the prices will be exorbitantly high.

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Those who don’t strike now will farm many hours later

How high are the new prices? You can see the current prices compared to the new prices in this table:

NameCost BronzeCost after Remix
Small Candle of the Legion2,50050 Veiled Argunite, 1,500 Order Resources
Large Candle of the Legion5,00050 Veiled Argunite, 3,000 Order Resources
Demon’s Frying Pan of the Legion5,00050 Veiled Argunite, 3,000 Order Resources
Demon’s Torch of the Legion5,00050 Veiled Argunite, 3,000 Order Resources
Vertical Demonsteel Chain5,00050 Veiled Argunite, 3,000 Order Resources
Hanging Demonsteel Chain5,00050 Veiled Argunite, 3,000 Order Resources
Demonic Storage Chest5,00050 Veiled Argunite, 3,000 Order Resources
Demon’s Torch of the Eredar Lords5,00050 Veiled Argunite, 3,000 Order Resources
Tome of the Corrupted10,00050 Veiled Argunite, 6,000 Order Resources
Torture Rack of the Legion10,00050 Veiled Argunite, 6,000 Order Resources
Hanging Demonsteel Cage20,00050 Veiled Argunite, 12,000 Order Resources
Throne of the Vrykul Prince20,00050 Veiled Argunite, 12,000 Order Resources
Shield Guardian of Moonwing’s Gaze30,00050 Veiled Argunite, 18,000 Order Resources
Corruption Pit30,00050 Veiled Argunite, 18,000 Order Resources
Holocommunicator of the Legion30,00050 Veiled Argunite, 18,000 Order Resources
Demonic Fountain30,00050 Veiled Argunite, 18,000 Order Resources
Altar of the Corrupted Flames30,00050 Veiled Argunite, 18,000 Order Resources

The message is clear: If you want the housing decorations, you should buy them with bronze now. Because values of up to 18,000 Order Resources are quite a hefty chunk and can mean several evenings of farming work. Veiled Argunite is also not available in large quantities, but you can farm it quite simply on Argus (and only there!).

Why is Blizzard making it so expensive? The housing rewards from Legion Remix are mainly meant to be a reward for those who played Legion Remix. At the same time, Blizzard doesn’t want to take away the opportunity for anyone to still obtain these decorations in the future if they need them for their own house. Therefore, the compromise is that all items are still available, but they are indeed quite expensive.

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Is it too late to start with Legion Remix? Even though the event is only a little over a week long, it is not too late yet. If you play focused and work towards some goals, you can still earn a significant portion of the rewards, even if it will become a little stressful now. However, if you only want to get a handful of items, you can still work on that in the coming days and grab them before Legion Remix ends.
How to incorporate the decorations from Legion Remix well into housing can be seen, for example, in this example of a nasty Mage Tower.

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

Pokémon Legends A-Z: All Trade Codes for Evolutions – Here’s how you can get them without friends

Alexander Mehrwald Alexander Mehrwald Reading time 2 minutes

In Pokémon Legends Z-A you have to evolve certain creatures using the trade function. Here you will find all the important codes so you don’t have to look for friends to do it.

What are the codes for? X-User @AustinJohnPlays has shared a collection of various codes in his post, which he has assigned to certain Pokémon. You can then use these codes through the trade function to specifically trade Pokémon that only evolve through trade.

This way, you can find players who want to trade the same creature without needing friends to trade with you. You can learn what codes are available and how to use them here.

Update from January 16, 2026: We have corrected two small errors.
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All available trade codes for Pokémon Legends Z-A

Here you can find all the codes that Austin John Plays shared in his post:

CodePokémon
00630063Kadabra for Kadabra
00660066Alpollo for Alpollo
01260126Maschock for Maschock
01820182Paragoni for Paragoni
02040204Irrbis for Irrbis
00960096Parfi for Parfi
Must hold a Fragrance Bag
00980098Flauschling for Flauschling
Must hold Whipped Cream
01370137Flegmon for Laschoking
Must hold King’s Rock
01760176Sichlor for Sichlor
Must hold Metal Coat
01970197Onix for Onix
Must hold Metal Coat

How to use trade codes

How do the codes work? The codes are there for as many players in the community as possible to learn about and use them to help each other. To perform a code trade, you should follow these steps:

  • Select the appropriate code from the list and have the right Pokémon ready
  • Open your menu and follow the path: Multiplayer/Online → Link Trade → Remote Players → Link Code
  • Then enter the trade code from the list and wait – it can unfortunately take some time
  • If a suitable trading partner is found using the same code, you can proceed with the trade
  • Once you have traded, your desired Pokémon will evolve

Make sure your trading partner is indeed offering the desired Pokémon and, if necessary, the right item for trade. Additionally, be careful not to accidentally trade away your rare Shinies.

The system relies on trust and the fact that as many players as possible use these codes. It can also happen that you may not find anyone using the code at the same time. Just try again later.

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Especially when you are on the hunt for Shinies, it can take quite a while to achieve your desired goal. However, you can easily obtain a Shiny Pokémon during a side quest. How and where to do this can be found here: In Pokémon Legends: Z-A, you can easily get a rare Shiny – you just need to complete a side quest

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

Player wants to know which gaming purchase users regret the most – The top comment recalls a bitter failure by Google

Niko Hernes Niko Hernes Reading time 2 minutes

Games are expensive, and even when trying to buy only the best titles, players occasionally make poor purchases, even in the full-price segment. A user asks the community which game purchases they regret, and receives countless responses.

In a Reddit thread, the user bijelo123 asked the community which full-price game purchases they regret. For him, it’s Battlefield 6. This question seems to deeply interest the players of r/gaming, as his thread has already received over 2,600 comments in just 9 hours (as of 01/11/2026, 12:50 PM).

The users mention many different games and the reasons why a game turned out to be a poor purchase. Sometimes it’s the technical condition, their own expectations, or simply the wrong platform.

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Sometimes it’s not the game itself that is a poor purchase, but the platform

Which titles do players mention? Among the comments on the thread, there are many different responses that have also emerged from personal backgrounds. The most popular answer comes from player UnableLove4527 (Reddit): Cyberpunk.. on Google Stadia. The comment has received almost 3,000 upvotes, more than double that of the thread itself.

Stadia was Google’s attempt in 2019 to compete in the console market (along with its own controller). The uniqueness was that it focused on streaming – you basically “borrowed” a high-end gaming PC.

On the cloud gaming service, you could play various titles via subscription or buy them. However, it did not become successful. Only a little over 3 years after launch, on January 18, 2023, the service was discontinued. Users were refunded for hardware and store purchases.

MeinMMO also had bitter disappointment over Stadia:

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Among the comments in the thread, there are also other titles mentioned with more classic arguments. For instance, Seventh_Sinner (Reddit) mentions Cities Skylines 2, which had a terrible technical state at launch.

More often, the anime fighting game Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is mentioned, which, despite initial hype, couldn’t keep players in the game for long. pepsiguy24 (Reddit) regrets his purchase. He mentions Evolve, which was also a special experience for MeinMMO’s demon Cortyn.

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Which game purchases does MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes regret? I have quite a few titles in my collection that I wouldn’t buy again. One game that comes to mind is Rage 2 from Avalanche Studios and id Software. I was really looking forward to the great shooting from id, but the mission design and the open world ruined it for me.

As a big fighting game fan, I was also very excited for Street Fighter x Tekken. In 2012, I was still a teenager and sold a few games to buy it right at release. Well, even though I really like both franchises, the equipment mechanics and the look just didn’t feel good.

Otherwise, I remember Mario Strikers: Battle League Football from the Nintendo side. I like Mario sports games, but it not only lacked its own identity, the focus on the online mode and the sparse single-player content just wasn’t fun.

But what about you? What gaming purchase do you still regret today and why? Feel free to write it in the comments. Even if some games are bad, you don’t have to regret them all, because even bad games can be fun: I love anime games on PS5, even though most are quite bad

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

Players are comparing the new area from Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred to the 1st DLC, saying: Skovos will be 25% larger than Nahantu

Benedict Grothaus Benedict Grothaus Reading time 2 minutes

In April, the second DLC for Diablo 4 will be released, titled Lord of Hatred. It brings a ton of new content, including a new part of Sanctuary that you can explore: the Skovos Isles. An initial map has already been seen and players are comparing it. Skovos will be larger than Nahantu, but whether that is a good thing, fans are not entirely sure.

This is the new area:

  • In the expansion Lord of Hatred, the journey goes to the Skovos Isles, located in the south of Sanctuary, a bit west of Nahantu.
  • Unlike the area of the first DLC, Skovos is based on Greek aesthetics, but also has a significant lore background: on the islands, Inarius and Lilith spent a lot of time and created the first civilization during the time of the Nephalem. It is the oldest region of Sanctuary.
  • What all this means for gameplay, we do not know yet – only that with Skovos, fishing will also come as a feature. At least regarding size, players have already found clues.

Where does the map come from? Currently, a map of Skovos is circulating on Reddit, which was first published in December 2025 – and even here with us. In a promotional ad on MeinMMO as well as with our colleagues from GameStar, a map of the islands can be found.

As users have discovered in another thread, the silhouette of Skovos exactly matches the “War Table”, a new endgame feature from Lord of Hatred that has already been introduced. For many, the comparison between Skovos and Nahantu is more interesting.

Thus, one user has scaled the maps as best as possible and placed them side by side with the result: Skovos could be about a quarter larger than Nahantu. In discussions, fans are sure that at least the map looks “legit”, and the comparisons could be accurate. Only whether the size is beneficial is still being discussed.

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Diablo 4 shows content from the second DLC Lord of Hatred in the gameplay trailer

“Can’t wait to not look at 99% of the map”

In the comments in various threads, players are discussing what there will be to discover in Skovos – aside from the best fishing spots. Nahantu had some new collectible items, but in Skovos, fans are hoping for “more Points of Interest.”

The size of the map could even be a problem, some users feel. Most parts are ignored anyway because players have to ride to the next boss or bounty while staring at the minimap.

Unlike its predecessors, Diablo 4 does not have a transparent map overlay, a feature that veterans miss dearly and have been demanding for ages. Colleague Peter Bathge from GameStar even dedicated a column to the feature and does not understand why Diablo 4 stubbornly ignores the map overlay.

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With Lord of Hatred, not only Skovos appears as a new map, but the game also gets a new class, making it the third overall since release. After the Paladin was surprisingly released with Season 11, Blizzard has promised a second, yet unknown class for the DLC.

Fans are still guessing which class will come to Diablo 4. Hopes are pinned on old favorites like the Witch Doctor, and there are always rumors or users who have found something that hints at the identity of the new hero: Yesterday, the Paladin surprisingly arrived in Diablo 4 – players now believe they have already discovered clues about the 2nd new class

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

Mystical beings have created the world of Warhammer Fantasy, but there are 3 “races” that are even older.

Ody Ody Reading time 5 minutes

The universe of Warhammer is ancient – and not just because the tabletop game has existed since 1983. The fantasy world has a long history. Here we present the 5 oldest of these beings.

[toc]

The Warhammer universe encompasses many different worlds that are – sometimes more, sometimes less – strongly interconnected. The oldest of these worlds is the “Old World.” The tabletop game began with this in 1983. 

The Old World offers fairly classic fantasy with humans, dwarfs, elves, orcs, vampires, and more. It is also this world that you conquer in the grand sandbox campaign of Total War: Warhammer 3 – or try to save from the end of the world in the co-op slasher Warhammer: Vermintide 2.

But did you know that the Old World did not always look like it does now? Long before most of the currently living races existed, the world was already inhabited and shaped by other beings. Many of them have become rarer today – or have even completely disappeared.

What is being ranked here? We are only looking at the oldest beings from Warhammer: The Old World. Warhammer: Age of Sigmar eventually ties into the end of the Old World, and Warhammer 40,000 takes place in the distant future of our own universe. You can read about the differences between the various Warhammer settings on MeinMMO.

For the ranking, we examined the age of these beings within the lore. As a starting point, we chose the coronation of Karl Franz, the current Emperor of the Empire. This can be easily located in the Imperial Calendar (IC) used by Warhammer Fantasy: It took place in the year 2502 IC. However, since Games Workshop deliberately avoids exact dates when it comes to events before year 0 (when Sigmar Heldenhammer founded the Empire), there are not always concrete numbers for the time relevant to us. The ranks are awarded in ascending order, from the youngest to the oldest.

As a source for the entire lore, we used the Lexicanum, a fan-created online wiki about Warhammer. Its entries refer to official material that comes directly from Games Workshop or licensed partners.

Rank 5: Slann

Still ancient but only in 5th place are the Slann. These creatures resemble fat toads and sit on palanquins magically levitating above the ground. They are the leaders of the lizardmen, their priests, and incredibly powerful mages.

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Der In-Engine-Trailer zur Fraktion der Echsenmenschen aus Total War: Warhammer 2

Although they are the youngest beings on this list, they are still old enough to remember a world without humans and dwarfs. Many Slann died in the first great war against Chaos – one of several events that nearly wiped out the world of Warhammer Fantasy. Since the disappearance of their masters, no new Slann have been born.

One of the oldest living Slann is Lord Mazdamundi, although his exact age is not known. However, we do know that he belongs to the second brood of Slav that occurred sometime after -10,000 IC (events that occurred before year 0 are marked with a “-“). This makes Lord Mazdamundi about 12,000 years old.

In terms of age (and power), he is surpassed only by one other, namely Lord Kroak. He was one of the first Slann created between -15,000 IC and -10,000 IC. However, he has not actually “lived” for a long time, existing instead as a “relic priest” – his spirit lingers in his mummified body.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
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The Lord of the Rings trilogy still looks fantastic after 2 decades, thanks to a technique that is over 113 years old

Niko Hernes Niko Hernes Reading time 3 minutes

Many film classics like The Lord of the Rings still look quite good decades after their release, often even better than many new movies. This is also due to an effective but labor-intensive technique behind the scenes.

What technique is being referred to? The old trilogies of Star Wars or The Lord of the Rings are still considered classics today. They shape pop culture even now and are still appreciated as films. This is also because these old movies still look quite good decades later.

This is partly due to many techniques that were used back then, as there were no CGI capabilities like today. One of these elements is miniatures. Since the beginnings of films, they have been an important part.

Start video
Epic Trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship

Miniatures have been present since the dawn of film

What is meant by miniatures? In a YouTube video, the film and series channel Nerdstalgic explains why miniatures were so effective. Miniatures refer to structures that have recreated a specific scene or environment on a smaller scale.

Although stop-motion films like The Humpty Dumpty Circus (Source: scriptandshutter.blog) already used miniatures in 1898, one of the first films to use miniatures with real actors was Le Voyage dans la Lune (in English: A Trip to the Moon) from the year 1902. It was one of the first sci-fi films to use miniatures, costumes, and drawings to depict a journey into space. You can watch the nearly 13-minute film in its entirety on YouTube.

Over the years, miniatures were then used in various films in different ways. As Nerdstalgic explains, the size of the miniatures varied as well. For example, the model for the capital of Gondor in The Lord of the Rings, Minas Tirith, according to MiddleEarthUpdates (YouTube), was up to 7 meters tall. This allows for impressive scenes that highlight the size of such a city.

You can watch the YouTube video by Nerdstalgic here:

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A common technique for many films

In which films were miniatures also used? In many major films, miniatures were an important factor in highlighting scale relationships, but also in impressively portraying locations:

  • For the scenes with the monkey, multiple models of the creature were used in King Kong from 1933 (Source: YouTube). Through the mix of stop-motion, real actors, and miniature constructions, the creature could be brought to life.
  • The first Star Wars trilogy consists of many small miniatures. Especially the various ships and the Death Star were built to shoot many of the impressive scenes (Source: YouTube).
  • The large cityscape of Los Angeles that you can see in the first Blade Runner (1982) is also a miniature. The lighting effect was produced using small lamps (Source: YouTube).

Why are miniatures so good? As a commentator under the Nerdstalgic video notes: Miniatures look realistic because they are real. There is no CGI that doesn’t look good after years because it is filmed on a real existing set that just happened to be small. The trick lies in working with perspectives and effects that make the miniatures look realistic.

The problem is: Miniatures are expensive. Not only do you need the materials and labor time, but you also need many employees and the space to use the miniature as a set. In addition, you must carefully plan how to use and implement the miniature in the film. Additionally, such a filming method is also error-prone. Greenscreens and CGI effects are cheaper and save time and money, even if they don’t always look better. Nerdstalgic itself points out:

Why spend millions of dollars to build a tiny model house or castle to shoot it for a few seconds when you can create it digitally for just a tenth of the cost?

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Although CGI effects are now the big standard, there are still filmmakers who rely on miniatures, including stop-motion. However, they are not as present as they used to be and are more often seen in the background. Even with the lightsabers in Star Wars, tricks had to be used back then: The old lightsabers from Star Wars and street signs have something in common, and the trick is brilliant

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. nyfa.edu
  2. Nerdstalgic auf YouTube
  3. Titelbildquelle: Warner Bros. auf YouTube

ARC Raiders offers you huge bonuses if you sacrifice all your possessions for it – developers want more players to dare to do so now

Niko Hernes Niko Hernes Reading time 2 minutes

ARC Raiders was a surprise success in 2025 that continues to this day. As is common in an extraction shooter, there eventually comes a wipe. In ARC Raiders, however, it was voluntary. But even though many players participated, the developers still want to improve a lot.

When ARC Raiders launched in October 2025, few would have thought how successful the extraction shooter would become. After all, even today, at peak times, there are between 300,000 and 400,000 players on Steam (via SteamDB).

On December 22, 2025, there was the typical extraction wipe. The developers behind the shooter, Embark Studios, gave players the choice. You could participate in the wipe and receive bonuses for the server reset based on your items and coins. If you declined, you simply continued playing on the remaining server.

In an interview with PCGamesN, the game’s design director, Virgil Watkins, revealed that a little over a million players chose to participate in the wipe. However, that is still not enough for Embark.

Especially due to absurd situations, ARC Raiders is popular:

Start video
Spieler in Arc Raiders schreit so laut um Hilfe, dass der Nachbar die Tür aufbricht

They want to analyze player data and adjust the wipe

What does Embark want to consider for the future? One of the biggest feedback topics regarding the wipe was the requirements for skill points upon reset. You could earn up to 5 skill points for the server restart, with 1 million coins (and the value of your gear) equaling one skill point.

He explains that they probably waited too long with the information. They wanted to wait to adjust the requirements to the actual economic power of the player base instead of guessing too early. Watkins believes that the information led some players to feel pressured to reach that value.

According to the interview, of the nearly 1 million players who chose to participate in the wipe, about 35% to 40% of them reached the full 5 skill points. While they are satisfied with that, they want to make this process even more interesting in the future:

We are fully aware that it is not particularly motivating to only be after money, [and this] can lead to the use of your equipment becoming unattractive, which is what people actually look forward to at the end of a reset cycle.

Virgil Watkins on the requirements for wipe bonuses (Source: PCGamesN)

For future server wipes, they want to analyze how players liked the bonuses. They also want to look at how to encourage players who proceed more slowly or did not participate in the wipe to use the feature. They do not want these players to feel left behind.

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Wipes are probably the most controversial topic in extraction shooters because you lose hard-earned loot. What do you think about it? Did you participate in the wipe in ARC Raiders, or did you stay in the first expedition? Feel free to let us know in the comments. But you should be careful about what you wear: Players of ARC Raiders rate 30 outfits based on how likely you will be shot in the shooter

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