The tactical shooter genre is currently experiencing a small boom. A new representative of the genre is now appearing on Steam and is competing with Ready or Not.
What kind of game is this? The new tactical co-op shooter Contain will be released in Early Access on Steam tonight at 6:00 PM. In the game, you can fight against anomalies as a military unit with up to 3 friends. The game takes a very tactical approach, reminiscent of Ready or Not.
To give you a first impression of the game, here is the trailer for the game.
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CONTAIN shows snappy early access trailer
100,000 people want the game
Why is the game so popular? According to the developers, 100,000 players have added the game to their Steam wishlist (via Steam). The trailer on YouTube has also gathered over 180,000 views in 4 weeks. Tactical shooters seem to be currently in demand.
The mix of horror and tactical co-op shooters seems to resonate well with fans. Additionally, a long gameplay video from the developers has convinced the community.
@unknown_lazer writes on YouTube: “This looks majestic, finally a development team that shows it can achieve what it set out to do instead of endlessly talking about how ambitious its project is. Good job, guys.”
@builderNITRO also thinks: “This game is amazing, I love how transparent the development team is and how it shows things like this.”
What does the world look like? Contain takes place in the “SCP” universe. A fictional horror universe where a secret organization secures anomalous beings, objects, and phenomena on behalf of governments.
The “SCP” universe is not a new invention of the developers but originated in a 4Chan forum and has been continuously expanded by fans since then.
EFT fans might also enjoy this game
What Tarkov elements does Contain offer? First and foremost, the weaponsmithing mode resembles that of Tarkov. In Contain, weapons can also be disassembled and modified into their individual parts.
In Tarkov, there are players who focus solely on modifying weapons; this will also play a role in Contain.
Additionally, the atmosphere of the game is reminiscent of Escape from Tarkov.
Will there be PvP? This is still uncertain. The developers are still considering this and will announce it on their website. The team has a clear answer regarding loot boxes; there will be none, just like there won’t be a cosmetic shop.
Contain is also supposed to be playable offline, and similar to Ready or Not, there will be a system later on to command computer-controlled teammates.
Despite a total of 53 nominations, the spin-off series of “Breaking Bad,” “Better Call Saul,” left empty-handed at the Emmy Awards. Now fans are venting their anger on X.com and Reddit.
Yesterday, on January 15, 2024, the most important television award in the USA was presented: the Emmys. Despite a whopping 53 nominations, Better Call Saul went home completely empty-handed, setting a new negative record:
It is now the most nominated series at the Emmys without having won a single award. You can read more about Better Call Saul’s significant Emmy defeat here with our colleagues at Moviepilot.
One day after the awards ceremony, numerous fans of the series are now voicing their opinions on social media – they are angry.
Here you can see a trailer for Better Call Saul:
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Better Call Saul – Trailer for the spin-off of Breaking Bad
Fans absolutely cannot comprehend the decision
What are fans saying? Many fans are reacting with anger and disappointment over the news that Better Call Saul was unable to win any Emmys.
In their opinion, the series as a whole, as well as the individual actors, deserved better. Many claim that the series was “robbed” of an award that other series were able to win.
Here we have gathered some comments for you:
BBCS0 on Twitter: “The fact that Bob Odenkirk has never won an Emmy for Better Call Saul is absolutely criminal and one of the worst things that has ever happened to the Emmys. Besides, Bob Odenkirk has created one of the most complex, if not the most complex character ever, with his brilliant portrayal.”
Mr_Rogui on Twitter: “This is the biggest bust in television history. Better Call Saul is simply the best television series of all time, and the fact that it has never won an Emmy shows how underrated this series is.”
SanderSo47 on reddit: “The Emmys really said: ‘You never meant much to me.'”
Plasmaposting on Twitter: “Has there ever been a show that was so much robbed of its wins?”
Why Better Call Saul has one of the best TV villains ever is explained by Marco Risch, who, with his YouTube channel Nerdkultur, is also part of the Webedia network, in this video:
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MeinMMO editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski has also already commented on the matter on X.com/Twitter. She says:
It’s really still a shame. Such strong dialogues and nonverbal storytelling, with unforgettable performances. I would have loved for everyone involved.
Who were the winners of the night? The main award of the evening was taken by the drama series Succession, which won a total of 6 awards. The Bear: King of the Kitchen also received 6. The miniseries Beef took home 5 Emmys.
What do you think about the Emmy Awards? Do you think Better Call Saul deserved better? Or was the competition stronger in your eyes? Feel free to let us know in the comments!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
We at MeinMMO take a look at which survival games will be released in 2024 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, or PC. These upcoming games should be on your watchlist if you enjoy survival, horror, or that special thrill.
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In this list, we take a look at various representatives of the survival genre that are set to be released in 2024. Included are multiplayer games for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, as well as exclusive titles and single-player games.
The selection is a personal assessment by the author, featuring promising titles or survival games with unique ideas. You might also find a hidden gem or two that you wouldn’t have considered otherwise.
Developer/Publisher: Studio Wildcard | Release: 2024 | Model: likely Buy2Play | Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X|S | Players: Multiplayer
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ARK 2: Watch the 4-minute announcement trailer for the survival sequel
This is ARK 2: ARK 2 continues ARK: Survival Evolved. So far, not much is known about the game, but gameplay and content are expected to differ little from its predecessor.
ARK is a survival game in the classic sense. You start almost naked, have to gather your equipment laboriously, and progress steadily. On your journey through the world, you uncover secrets and backgrounds and eventually reach a point where you can fight with futuristic weapons and armor.
According to the first images, ARK 2 will strongly orient itself to the first part. The first dinosaurs have already been seen, and the world resembles the jungle-like biomes of the first part quite closely.
The struggle for survival: Basically, you need to pay attention to water, food, and your health. At least your needs can be easily satisfied with a little searching, but you should prepare well for fights.
Especially for encounters with large dinosaurs or bosses, you need the right equipment or support in the form of tamed dinosaurs.
Protection is primarily provided by a clan. You can play ARK together with friends, build a base, and establish defenses. You will retreat there whenever you need to recover.
In the video, you will find everything you need to know about the predecessor ARK: Survival Evolved in 2 minutes:
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Everything you need to know about the survival game ARK: Survival Evolved
This is what we expect from the game:
A colorful world with various biomes
All kinds of dinosaurs and creatures to fight and tame
A hidden story that can be revealed through secrets and discoveries
High replay value and years of support with DLCs and updates
When and where is the release? There is no specific date yet, but ARK 2 is supposed to be released in 2024. ARK 2 is coming for PC and Xbox Series X|S. A release for PS4, PS5, and Xbox One is currently not planned.
Developer/Publisher: GSC Game Worlds | Release: September 5, 2024 | Model: Buy2Play | Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X|S | Players: likely only single-player
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S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl: “Come to Me”, the official trailer
This is S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: The latest entry in the famous S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series. You find yourself in Chernobyl, several years after the disaster, following another catastrophe that has created strange anomalies. Flora and fauna have mutated, and Pripyat is an absolute military exclusion zone.
You still wander as a stalker through the area, searching for particularly valuable “artifacts,” strange items created by the anomalies. Radiation and mutants are constant dangers you must face.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is gameplay-wise a first-person shooter with strong elements of survival, horror, and RPG. At E3 2021, there was first gameplay. You will have access to over 30 weapons with modifications. In a non-linear story where you encounter different factions, you are supposed to decide the fate of the exclusion zone.
The struggle for survival: Hunger, sleep, injuries, and radiation are the main survival elements in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. However, the greatest danger to survival remains enemies and anomalies that lurk everywhere in the game world.
Since S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is primarily an RPG, you will probably not face impossible challenges. Fun and story have been the focus so far, and it is likely to be the same in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. Even survival beginners will find joy here, even if they are not familiar with the other entries in the series.
A comprehensive story will be one of the most important features.Anomalies are dangerous – and valuable.One of the mutants you will encounter.
This is what we expect from the game:
Gloomy, oppressive atmosphere
Game with dangerous radiation and bizarre mutations
Interesting and diverse weapons
Gripping story
Various factions where you can earn reputation or eliminate
Full mod support
When and where is the release: After several delays, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is now set to release on September 5, 2024, for PC and Xbox, as a Microsoft exclusive. It will also be available on Xbox Game Pass at launch. According to rumors, exclusivity is expected to last only 3 months.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 will cost between €59.99 and €109.99, depending on the version you purchase.
You play as a realm traveler who visits different worlds in search of a new home for humanity. A magical catastrophe threatens to destroy their old home.
However, these new worlds are already inhabited by wondrous Fae creatures that may not be friendly. You should be able to defend yourself with various tools and weapons to establish a foothold for humanity.
The struggle for survival: Currently, we do not know if there will be classic survival elements like hunger and thirst. However, since you can grow fruit and vegetables, that suggests such mechanics.
Moreover, crafting and building play a significant role. You can build your own houses and settlements, farm fields, and erect defense lines against the Fae with other players. Nightingale also features various biomes like forests, swamps, and deserts.
You will wander through different, increasingly dangerous worlds. The biggest survival factor will likely be the enemies you must fend off. There is no PvP.
You can see the latest gameplay of Nightingale here:
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Nightingale is considered a great hope for survival, without PvP – The latest gameplay looks fantastic
This is what we expect from the game:
A unique “Gaslight” setting with corresponding visuals
Strange, fairy-like monsters as enemies
Much co-op gameplay with PvE and community building
Support for NPC workers
Hopefully RPG elements that live up to BioWare’s legacy
If you want to check out the game, you can register for playtests on the official page.
Under A Rock
Developer/Publisher: Gameforge 4D/Nordic Trolls | Release: TBA | Model: likely Buy2Play | Platforms: PC (Steam, Epic), PS5, Xbox | Players: Multiplayer/Co-op for up to 10 players
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The survival game Under a Rock is revealed for the first time in a new trailer
This is Under A Rock: You can imagine this survival game a bit like ARK, if it were made by Disney. You play as an explorer who lands on an island, roughly at the beginning of the 19th century.
On the island, you will find exotic creatures in a jungle, but also natives who want to get rid of you. The world is procedurally generated.
The biggest difference is the playful look in comic style. However, this is a bit deceptive, as even though Under A Rock looks like a survival game for kids, the features sound quite tough.
The struggle for survival: So far, the mechanics sound roughly similar to those of ARK. You need to eat and need shelter. You can farm resources, craft, and build structures. Protection against nature in battles is particularly important.
To help, you can tame the island’s creatures, just like in ARK. There are also technical aids like grappling hooks and gliders for movement.
This is what we expect from the game:
A mix of a cute exterior and tough mechanics.
A variety of creatures that can be tamed and hunted.
Lots of exploration to make use of gliders and grappling hooks.
Strong co-op gameplay for up to 10 players with joint hunts and base building.
When and where is Under A Rock being released? A date for the release is still pending. In the Epic Store, it says that the game will be released soon, but there is no hint. The game is coming to PC, Xbox, and PS5.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
With the Reloaded update of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone, two new weapons are introduced to the game. How you can unlock the HRM-9 will be explained here on MeinMMO.
On January 17, the Reloaded update for Season 1 will come to CoD: MW3 and Warzone, bringing new content, a new map, and new weapons to the shooter. One of the new weapons is the HRM-9, a submachine gun.
In Season 1, several submachine guns belong to the meta – we have introduced you to the top 3 here with setups. Whether the HRM-9 will rank among them remains to be seen.
Update January 17: We have updated the article with new information based on today’s update.
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CoD MW3 & Warzone – Season 1 Trailer
How to unlock the HRM-9
With the HRM-9, a new weapon joins the submachine gun collection. According to callofduty.com, you can unlock the submachine gun as part of the weapon chamber challenges by completing daily tasks, which should be quite feasible.
Update January 17: You can unlock the HRM-9 in Sector A21 of the Battle Pass. To do so, you first need to complete an adjacent sector and complete four tasks:
JAK Thunder-LMG Kit: Achieve 10 Operator or Special Zombie kills with submachine guns’ sights
JAK BFB: Achieve 10 Operator or Special Zombie kills with submachine guns from the hip
“Skull Splitter” emblem: Achieve 10 Operator headshots or critical Special Zombie kills with submachine guns
Double Battle Pass XP Tokens: Achieve 10 Operator or Special Zombie kills in tactical stance with submachine guns
HRM-9: Earn all sector rewards
The new submachine gun HRM-9You will find the HRM-9 in section A21
The developers describe the HRM-9 as a lightweight and robust 9mm close-combat submachine gun that is well-suited for quickly taking down enemies. The HRM-9 has a high rate of fire and solid handling and mobility, making it particularly suitable for aggressive play styles. With attachments, its capabilities at medium and short range can be improved.
The second weapon that will be introduced with the update for Season 1 Reloaded on January 17 in CoD: MW3 and Warzone is the TAQ Evolvere – a light machine gun. How you can unlock it will be explained in this article: CoD MW3 & Warzone: How to unlock the TAQ Evolvere
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A teaser provides a first insight into the upcoming action-comedy “The Gentlemen“. The Netflix series adapts the eponymous film by Guy Ritchie.
The Gentlemen is a crime comedy and a spin-off of the 2019 film directed by Guy Ritchie.
The director is known for his action-packed gangster films. For example, he directed Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (2000), Revolver (2005). He is also known for the action movie Sherlock Holmes (2009).
In 2000, the famous director was involved in the series adaptation of his film Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (2000). He served as an executive producer and screenwriter.
Since then, Guy Ritchie has focused entirely on film. However, this will soon change with a new Netflix series, the first trailer of which was released yesterday, January 15: The Gentlemen.
Here you can watch the teaser for the upcoming Netflix series The Gentlemen yourself:
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Netflix teaser for the new series by Guy Ritchie: The Gentlemen
What is The Gentlemen about? The Duke of Halstead, Eddie Horniman, inherits his father’s estate after his death. He realizes that behind his family’s aristocratic facade lies a vast empire dedicated to the shady drug trade.
Eddie Horniman quickly makes acquaintances with important figures of the British underworld and increasingly falls into criminal activities.
Who is in the cast of The Gentlemen? Among others, there are:
How is Guy Ritchie involved in The Gentlemen? He directed two episodes of the series adaptation of The Gentlemen and is involved as a producer. He also collaborated on the screenplay.
When does The Gentlemen premiere? Soon. The series will be available on Netflix in March this year and will consist of 8 episodes.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Smolder will be the first new champion in Season 14 of League of Legends. The little dragon has a cheeky line that you will only rarely hear. MyMMO reveals the details.
Who is Smolder? The little dragon is the newest ADC champion in League of Legends. Smolder was unveiled by Riot Games on January 4. He is the third dragon champion alongside Shyvana (half-dragon) and Aurelion Sol.
Smolder has caused quite a bit of criticism due to his human-like face, as some players described. Riot Games responded promptly and adjusted the appearance of the dragon pup. However, Smolder’s uniqueness is not only reflected in the design but also in the lines he delivers during the game.
Start video
League of Legends opens the 2024 season with an emotional trailer
Smolder has an extremely rare, cheeky line
What does Smolder say? Sound designer from Riot, Daniel Kim, gave an exclusive insight into one of the champion’s voice lines, revealing a hidden Easter egg in the game.
Daniel Kim shared on X that Smolder only extremely rarely says a specific line. And that cheeky line (Taunt) is: Well my mom works for Riot and she’s going to ban you. – which translates to: Well, my mom works for Riot, and she will ban you.
You can see the post here:
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Daniel Kim expressed via X that it somehow seemed natural to him for Smolder to exploit the power of his mother to intimidate his opponents. Therefore, he thought it would fit.
The peculiarity of this line lies not only in its humorous threat but also in the extremely low probability of hearing it. The chance that Smolder utters this line is only 1 percent and can be considered an Easter egg according to Daniel Kim.
The developer recalls the beginnings of this idea and emphasizes that the line was originally meant as a joke to make the team laugh. However, the positive response from the team led to the line actually making it into the game.
Smolder is expected to arrive on the live servers on February 7. However, there is still no official release date.
Trading is a classic component of the Pokémon series that should not be ignored in Pokémon GO. Because trading brings bonuses.
Catch Pokémon, conquer gyms, complete raids, battle in the battle league, and more: In Pokémon GO, there are all sorts of things to do. Trading Pokémon is one of them. However, I have largely ignored it until now.
I have only traded Pokémon in two cases so far:
I have traded to get a monster that I did not have yet.
Or I wanted to take advantage of the bonus of certain monsters that no longer cost evolution candy after the trade. Practibalk is an example of such a candidate if you want to have its final evolution Meistagrif.
In short: I have primarily traded individual Pokémon with a focus on collecting and have only rarely looked for other bonuses, such as guaranteed lucky trades with lucky friends.
But that may have been a mistake, as there are bonuses when trading that can be worthwhile.
Why should you trade more in Pokémon GO?
These bonuses can be worthwhile: Trading brings some “side effects” that you may not even be aware of if you’re only focused on tracking your Pokédex.
One of them is lucky Pokémon. These special monsters can only be obtained through trading. They usually have good stats and have the advantage of costing a reduced amount of stardust when leveling up.
I have only received them when I have had a guaranteed lucky trade with friends displayed. In fact, there is another guarantee for lucky Pokémon: For the “Hard Times” event in December 2023, it was introduced that a trade with a Pokémon that has been in your or your trade partner’s collection since 2018 or earlier leads to a guaranteed lucky trade.
Additionally, the maximum number of guaranteed lucky trades has been increased from 15 to 25 per trainer. You can read more about this here: Why you should trade old Pokémon.
More bonuses when trading: Since this event, I have also been paying more attention to the topic of “trading” and have been more aware of trading monsters that I already have multiple times in my collection. Some bonuses are very helpful in getting strong monsters.
This includes the possibility of getting a monster with better stats. The traded Pokémon does not retain the stats it had with your trade partner. If you both have the same monster with weak stats, it can be worthwhile to trade with each other and hope to get better stats this way. This is especially true for poorly caught legendary monsters or monsters from the list of the best attackers in Pokémon GO.
You should also pay attention to the friendship level: the higher your friendship level with the trade partner, the better the chance of getting stronger stats. Also, the stardust costs when trading decrease more and more with an increased friendship level.
Additionally, you can receive extra candy when trading. Here, you should be sure to trade monsters that you have caught from afar.
For a trade from 0 to 10 kilometers distance, you receive 1 candy.
For 10 to 100 km, you receive 2 candies.
For over 100 km, you even receive 3 candies.
There is also a chance for an XL candy when trading.
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Pokémon GO shows the new season “Timeless Travels” in the trailer
When should you trade? In general, events like Community Days are well suited for trading, as they usually cost only half the stardust. Additionally, on these days, there are often special trades available that you can take advantage of. Do you want to know when the next dates are? Then check out the overview of events in January 2024 for Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Almost a week into Season 14, League of Legends is now live, and with the patch, many new item changes came, and this time the map has significantly changed as well. Especially this change means that the strong top laner Illaoi is not performing as well as before.
The new items are currently bringing a fresh, new meta to LoL. Many AP champions are becoming stronger, and the lethality items are creating powerful builds. A champion that was incredibly strong last season is not performing as expected now, and that is due to the new map.
Illaoi is a feared top lane champion. As a bruiser, she is not only quite tanky but can also deal a lot of damage. With her tentacle mechanic, she is a nuisance on the lane for many champions. She can also deal good damage from a distance, even though she is a melee champion.
If you look at the statistics on U.GG, you can see that she was quite strong last season. When considering all ranks, she had a win rate of 51.33% on the top lane in patch 13.24. That made her one of the strongest champions in the patch. However, in the latest version, she only has a win rate of 47.75% and is currently one of the worst top laners.
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League of Legends opens the 2024 season with an emotional trailer
The new map makes Illaoi worse
Why is she so much worse? Illaoi was not actively nerfed, but rather passively by the new map. Her tentacles spawn on nearby walls and help her attack when she pulls the soul of an enemy with her E and when she attacks enemies and units with her W.
The problem with the new map, however, is that the top lane has become significantly wider and more open, and the walls are farther away than before. This means that the range of her tentacles no longer covers as much as it did before and thus is not as effective in combat as it was previously.
As an Illaoi player, you now have to pay much closer attention to where you stand and fight in order to utilize the tentacles effectively. In the middle of the lane, it is virtually impossible to hit the walls with the tentacles.
While you can still win with her, if the opponent pays a little attention to how they position themselves, it becomes difficult for Illaoi.
Riot is aware of the issue and explained on x.com (formerly Twitter) that they will address the problem. For 14.2, they want to see what can be changed to improve the gameplay experience for Illaoi. If they don’t find anything, regular buffs to her stats will follow.
Gamers Nexus is one of the most well-known YouTube channels specializing in hardware. The channel has now dismantled an expensive gaming PC from Starforge Systems. That’s the company of Asmongold and other major streamers.
Which protagonists are involved?
Gamers Nexus is one of the most well-known tech channels on YouTube with over 2 million subscribers. Many credit him for always presenting his criticism honestly and speaking his mind. His reviews are always very comprehensive and full of details.
Asmongold is a Twitch streamer and is part of the organization One True King (OTK). Together, they are responsible for the company Starforge Systems.
How good is the PC? In a nearly 30-minute-long video, Steve Burke, the editor-in-chief of Gamers Nexus, dismantled the gaming PC from Starforge. Overall, they were positively surprised. This is definitely one of the better prebuilds they have seen so far. Other prebuilds that Gamers Nexus tested were more than just disappointing.
Temperatures and noise levels are decent and what one would expect from a prebuild system, but nothing more.
The BIOS is perfect and only a few months old. However, the fan curve is not very well adjusted.
There is no installed bloatware.
The installed SSD is quite slow, but sufficient for everyday use.
Criticism is only harsh for two points:
On one hand, not all screws are tight and are partly floating around in the case. Here, the YouTuber explained that this could also pose a risk for the system and cause a short circuit.
On the other hand, there is still a film (peeling) on the SSD or on the thermal pad that does not belong there.
Is the price justified? Steve Burke explained that one could officially get the hardware for about €1,400. In addition, there’s the cable management, which he estimates at €100. Therefore, Starforge requires a markup of about €450. Burke says, however, that this is acceptable: Because you get warranty, guarantee, and tech support if something should go wrong.
How does Asmongold react? He looks visibly relieved when he hears Gamers Nexus’s conclusion about his gaming PC. The streamer also acknowledges the points raised in the critique and says that they are valid points that the YouTuber has presented. However, you can also see the relief on Asmongold’s face when he hears the conclusion.
How does the situation end? Steve Burke explained in a later video that the manufacturer Starforge surprisingly contacted them. They want to address the mentioned issues: There were problems with the screws because the company used a different screwdriver than specified in the manual. As a result, the screws were not tight enough and came loose.
The editor-in-chief of Gamers Nexus explained that the feedback from Starforge came in less than 6 hours after his official video about the PC. And it is commendable that the manufacturer reacted so quickly and wants to address the issues.
More about Starforge: By the way, the last gaming PC from Starforge Systems was dismantled by Linus Tech Tips. Its conclusion was not as positive, and there was a lot of criticism of the finished PC:
A senior employee at Ubisoft says that players should get used to not owning their games – just as it is with music and films.
Subscription services like PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass are becoming increasingly present in gaming. More and more companies are offering their own services, but the various subscriptions have not yet fully resonated with many players.
Now, a representative from Ubisoft has revealed what is necessary for subscription services to take an even larger share in the gaming industry.
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Assassin’s Creed Mirage Trailer
Players should not lose anything when using subscription services
What exactly does the Ubisoft representative say? Philippe Tremblay-Gauthier is a senior employee at Ubisoft and is responsible for the subscription service “Ubisoft +”. In an interview with gamesindustry.biz, which took place during the transition of Ubisoft’s in-house subscription, Tremblay-Gauthier spoke about how players perceive subscription services.
The question was what needed to happen for subscriptions to take a larger share in the gaming industry. Tremblay-Gauthier explained that players are used to owning their games and that this mindset needs to change – similar to what happened some time ago with CDs and DVDs.
However, according to him, this change is happening more slowly in gaming. One possible factor could be players’ concern about losing their game progress should they end their subscription. However, Tremblay-Gauthier emphasizes that this should not be the case:
We have noticed, among other things, that players are used to owning their games – similar to DVDs. That is the change that needs to happen for players. They have gotten used to not owning their CD or DVD collections. This is a change that is happening [in games] somewhat more slowly. Once players get used to this aspect… they will not lose their progress. When you continue your game at a later time, the save file is still there. It has not been deleted. You do not lose what you have built in the game or your engagement with the game. So it is about getting used to not owning the game.
Do players really own their games? Tremblay-Gauthier states in the interview that players must first get used to not owning their games. However, he overlooks the fact that they often do not own the games themselves – regardless of whether they bought, rented, or received them through a subscription.
Ubisoft itself states in the terms of use for the Ubisoft services:
1.3: A license is granted to you for the services and content; they are not sold to you. We grant you a personal, limited, non-transferable, and revocable right and the corresponding license to use the services and access the content for your entertainment and non-commercial use, subject to your compliance with these terms.
Terms of use of the Ubisoft services via legal.ubi.com
This means: If you buy, for example, Assassin’s Creed, you do not own the game, but you own a limited license to use the game.
Chadwick Boseman († August 2020) is known as the king and protector of Wakanda, Black Panther, in the Marvel films. However, he initially auditioned for a completely different role in the well-known comic universe.
Chadwick Boseman made his first appearance as T’Challa aka Black Panther in 2016 in Captain America: Civil War. In 2018, the first standalone film about the comic character was released with Black Panther.
Further appearances followed in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, before Chadwick Boseman passed away from cancer in 2020. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) was dedicated to his memory.
Here you can see a trailer for Black Panther with Chadwick Boseman:
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German trailer for Black Panther
Guardians of the Galaxy instead of Black Panther
Chadwick Boseman’s big role in the MCU might not have happened if the actor hadn’t initially auditioned for a completely different character.
Initially, Chadwick Boseman auditioned for the role of Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy. Although he didn’t get the role, the audition was worth it.
As the actor revealed in the talk show The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on November 20, 2019, he was seen by the right people, who could then place him elsewhere:
Sometimes that’s how it works as an actor. You go in and know that you won’t get the role, but you meet the people who might say, “This isn’t it, but we’ll put him in this other thing.”
I feel like this was one of those moments when they said, “Oh, we might need him later.”
Chadwick Boseman explained that he didn’t know exactly what the tone of Guardians of the Galaxy was supposed to be, as he only received a few pages for the audition. In hindsight, he saw how much humor the film series had and praised the final result with Dave Bautista as Drax.
The small fantasy MMO Villagers & Heroes has been struggling with server issues repeatedly. After the recent disconnects of some players, the developer is now offering in-game compensation.
What is the situation? Villagers & Heroes is a fantasy MMO developed by Mad Otter Games. The game was released in 2011 and is free to play on PC (Steam), iOS, and Android.
Compared to many other MMOs, Villagers & Heroes is relatively small. Currently, only about 30 people are playing it on Steam (via Steam DB).
There have been server issues repeatedly in the past. For example, in March 2019, the servers were victims of a hacking attack (mmorpg.com reported). Recently, players have again encountered server outages. On Sunday, January 14, 2024, the developer reported issues in their own data center, causing all servers to go offline for a day. A hard drive crash was blamed for this. Players were unable to log in during this time.
Here you can get an impression of the game:
Start video
Villagers and Heroes – Trailer
The developers are handling the issues exemplary despite fewer players
How did the developers react to the problems? Villagers & Heroes is not a large MMO. Nevertheless, the few players seem to be important to the developer. In a statement, it was said:
Thank you very much for your patience while the servers were unavailable! The problem has now been resolved. In the next 24 hours, all players will receive special rewards for one character per account upon logging in. Thank you once again for your patience and support.
Mad Otter Games seems willing to put in the effort to offer their own in-game compensation. Furthermore, the issues are communicated openly. This is exemplary, especially for an indie developer of this size.
Are the problems now resolved? Although the servers are back online, some players are reporting further issues in the forum and on Discord. There are repeated crashes. It seems the issues are not completely resolved yet.
However, the open communication with their own community gives hope that Mad Otter Games is working hard to resolve the server issues as soon as possible.
Aside from that, the MMO is actively being developed. A larger patch during the Christmas season brought, among other things, new mounts and outfits to the game. They can be purchased in the in-game shop. Additionally, the raids have been improved. If you are now interested in the game, you can try it for free. Or take a look at the currently best MMOs of 2024.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Since the introduction of items on Steam, Counter-Strike has been one of the most traded games. For 10 years, even when CS2 was still CS:GO, players tried to get a specific pattern on a skin; now it seems one player has succeeded.
What skin is it? The skin in question is the AK-47 Case Hardened. The skin can have various patterns, making it look a bit different for everyone. Some patterns are so rare that it took 10 years for the skin with the rare “Blue Gem” pattern to be discovered. The time frame is due to the skins from CS:GO transferring to CS2.
What is the Blue Gem pattern? “Blue Gem” stands for “Blue Jewel,” referring to patterns with an exceptionally high blue content. This is particularly rare and looks better than other variations. You can check out the weapon in the tweet by ohnePixel.
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The high value of the skin is due to the “Blue Gem” pattern and the fact that there is no other known skin with this pattern. This makes the skin one of a kind.
Another aspect that makes the skin rare is that it is the StatTrak™ variant of the skin, which counts the kills a player has made with the weapon. This adds to the cost and rarity of the weapon.
Can you really sell the weapon for that much? Selling rare skins in Counter-Strike 2 is like dealing with all rare items; market prices are difficult to determine, and finding a buyer willing to pay that much is also a challenge.
Depending on the country, there may also be taxes on the sale. It is also unknown whether the player even wants to sell the skin. However, it is possible that the owner of the skin finds a buyer willing to pay a million for it.
It is not uncommon for millions to be offered for skins in Counter-Strike 2, especially when it comes to the “Blue Gems.” In another deal involving a “Blue Gem” knife, ohnePixel was also involved. Here, a player rejected an offer of 1.2 million US dollars.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Monster Hunter World has experienced a small renaissance since the announcement of the new installment and a good discount in December. Many players have returned to hunting on Steam. However, the game is currently receiving some negative reviews, which is due to a new update from Capcom.
Why is it suddenly being poorly rated? Actually, Monster Hunter World is doing quite well at the moment. With the announcement of Monster Hunter Wilds, World experienced the largest player increase in 3 years on Steam. Players are really eager to play the game.
However, for the past few days, some negative reviews have been accumulating on Steam, which is related to a new update from Capcom. Capcom has now added an Enigma copy protection to some of their games, which is intended to make modding their games more difficult. At the same time, many players are concerned about performance issues.
The reason for the copy protection is not known. A few months ago, Capcom was highlighted because it was discussed in a presentation that mods for Capcom would fall into the same category as cheats (via GamesRadar).
In 2025, we can finally expect a new Monster Hunter:
Start video
Trailer: Monster Hunter Wilds – announced for PlayStation
Many players are not thrilled with the DRM software
On Steam, Monster Hunter currently holds 88 % positive reviews, but the negative reviews from recent days mainly reference the new copy protection:
haha oh wow: Capcom adds DRM Enigma Protector to their game catalog. Prevents modding, cheat engine, and reduces performance by up to 10-15 FPS with stuttering.
Amerith: Until the DRM, which is both positive for viruses and prevents modding, is permanently removed from all games that use it, I will not remove this negative review or purchase Monster Hunter Wilds.
For the DLC Iceborne, the reviews look even more serious in the statistics. The game currently holds only 57% positive reviews, and there, users also criticize the new copy protection software. Kingofsmash101 only writes: I’m not angry, just extremely disappointed in them.
It should be noted that the Enigma copy protection was not added to Monster Hunter World, but to older Capcom titles such as Resident Evil Revelations, from which the update was quickly removed. It is not known if and which titles will follow. Nevertheless, fans are currently punishing some Capcom games in the reviews.
Editor’s note: In the original version of the article, it was unclear that the copy protection was not added to Monster Hunter World. This information was added later.
So far, Capcom has not responded to the players’ criticism. Whether they will backtrack on this is questionable. What do you think about such software? Do you find mod support important or do you understand Capcom’s view? Let us know in the comments. At the release of Monster Hunter World on Steam, the game already received many negative reviews.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Changing a PokéStop changes quite a bit for a trainer in Pokémon GO. He has an arena right in his apartment. Many fans are envious: They wish they had that much convenience.
That is why the trainer’s apartment is so popular: A trainer reports on Reddit that the PokéStop right next to his house is now an arena. This changes the way he plays the game. Players who do not play in a big city are sure to be envious of this.
What advantages does this bring? With an arena that is accessible right from home, you can almost certainly get your free coins every day without leaving your apartment. The only requirement for this is that your Pokémon are also knocked out by other trainers from the arena every day.
In addition, you can participate in all raids that take place in the arena. Besides the convenience of doing this from the sofa, there is another advantage: You do not need to use the more expensive remote raid passes to participate in the raids, but can fall back on the premium battle passes. These cost fewer PokéCoins than the remote raid passes.
How a PokéStop is upgraded to an arena
How did the trainer upgrade the PokéStop? The trainer reports that he nominated an existing PokéStop to become an arena. This application, which you can submit from level 38, was accepted by Niantic and the PokéStop was transformed into an arena.
Pokémon GO shows the new season “Timeless Travels” in the trailer
How envious other players are: Further trainers from the community report that they are in this advantageous situation or congratulate him. One trainer writes: Welcome to the club! I treat this gift with respect and fairness. Normally, I knock people out just before midnight and get knocked out myself the next morning. During the day, I let others battle. A lot of coins if we all work together.
Along with other comments like Congratulations, there is also the following request to the trainer: Can I rent your basement?
What do you think about the topic? Do you perhaps live next to an arena yourself, or have you already gained experience in upgrading a PokéStop to an arena? Feel free to write it in the comments. You can also find more Pokémon GO events in January 2024 with us.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Rob2628 is known for his expertise in Diablo 4. He has now set a new record: with his team, he completed the fastest run in Zirs Butcher worldwide. His druid caused tremendous damage, being the best build currently in the game.
What is this build?
The Shred Druid transforms into a werewolf, pouncing on his enemies and stacking damage through various debuffs.
The build is suitable for both solo and group play, even though it does not appear at all in the tier list of the best builds in season 2. There, the tornado druid is more popular.
The Diablo expert and streamer Rob2628 has now cleared Zirs Butcher with this build in a 4-man group in under 3 minutes. The best time so far (via maxroll.gg). In the unofficial leaderboard, however, the best solo player is also a Shred Druid.
Here you can see the video from Rob, including an explanation of his builds and the run through Zirs Butcher:
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This is what makes the build so strong: Rob explains that he has given up on all defensive aspects and skills – at least, insofar as they do not strengthen his offense as well. A screenshot can be seen on Reddit, where several numbers amounting to one trillion appear.
Important for the build is the snapshot mechanic. When particularly strong, passive bonuses are active, channeling abilities and those that last over time are used, benefiting from the buffs for the entire duration. In the analysis, Rob shows two items or aspects that have helped him particularly:
The Exploitative Aspect increases damage by 20-40% (multiplicatively) against unstoppable enemies.
The Elemental Aspect increases certain elemental damage by up to 30% (multiplicatively).
Since Rob wears the Elemental Aspect on a two-handed weapon, the effect is doubled. This results in an increase of 2.56 times damage solely from these two items when enemies are unstoppable.
Important for the build: the vampiric powers from season 2:
Start video
Diablo 4 presents new Season 2, coming this fall – Blood & Vampires
The build is only OP for another week at best
Another important factor for these absurd numbers are the vampiric powers from season 2. Rob uses purely offensive powers that increase his damage and curse enemies, to gain even more damage.
These powers will disappear with season 3, which starts on January 23. Which other mechanic will replace it will be revealed by Blizzard on January 16 or 18. Whether the Shred Druid will still be the strongest build then remains to be seen.
On Reddit, users are making fun of the build. It is said, for example: Blizzard had promised that Diablo 4 would be more like Diablo 2. Such absurd numbers did not exist back then, it all feels more like the exaggerated Diablo 3.
Tomorrow, the servers of World of Warcraft will be taken down for patch 10.2.5. Although it is just a minor patch, the update will take 8 hours. MyMMO informs you of the time frame during which you will not be able to log in.
When are the servers offline? Blizzard has listed how long the servers of WoW: Dragonflight, WoW: Classic, and WoW: Wrath of the Lich King Classic will be offline. For the former, you should expect a downtime of 8 hours, while for the classic titles, it will only be one hour.
WoW Dragonflight: January 17, 2024, 3:00 AM to 11:00 AM
WoW Classic: January 17, 2024, 3:00 AM to 4:00 AM
WoW Wrath of the Lich King Classic: January 17, 2024, 3:00 AM to 4:00 AM
During this time, you will no longer be able to log into World of Warcraft. Blizzard has already revealed in the patch notes what new content will be in the game. Even though it is a “minor patch,” there are numerous changes.
You can watch the trailer for the upcoming World of Warcraft expansion here:
Start video
World of Warcraft: The War Within – Cinematic Trailer
These are the contents of patch 10.2.5
What’s new with the update? The 8 hours during which the servers are offline already indicate how much content there will be. Among other things, classes will be addressed, with some even changing their damage types.
In the shattered world, you can participate in a dragon riding race event for the Shattered World Cup
Furthermore, there will be changes to the user interface and accessibility. This is intended to make WoW even clearer. For example, the design of unit frames for predictions and absorptions or skull symbols has been revised.
A small change in Diablo 4 now definitively reveals the start date for Season 3. It will arrive at the end of January and will start on the same day that Season 2 ends. You have time until the last moment to secure all the rewards that are still missing.
When does Season 3 start?
The start date for Season 3 is Tuesday, January 23, 2024. This is confirmed by a small change in the banner when you start Diablo 4.
We do not yet know the exact time. So far, 7:00 PM has been a popular time for such updates.
There will probably be a corresponding patch beforehand, although maintenance work cannot be ruled out.
The only thing known about Season 3 so far is an image of a broken mask that somewhat resembles the fanatical followers of Inarius. Therefore, light powers may be a theme this time.
As major features, the coveted leaderboards, the weekly challenge dungeon The Gauntlet (The Gauntlet) and the Hall of Ancients are already known.
We already know of 2 general changes that could come to the game during Season 3 or shortly thereafter:
The corresponding Campfire Chat about Season 3 is still pending. However, a date for it is also missing. We assume it will take place no later than January 19.
So far, there is no trailer for Season 3 – but we have already managed to extract information about the new class from the developers:
Start video
We asked the heads of Diablo 4 about the new class and they answered
What disappears with Season 2
All rewards in the Diablo 4 Battle Pass are tied to the season for the time being. If you want to secure the cosmetics, you should have completed the current pass by January 23. Highlights include:
a horse armor in the bloody flesh chunk style of Lilith
cosmetic armor and weapons in vampire style
emotes and back items for each class
If you also want to continue playing in the Eternal Realm afterwards, it would be wise to farm Uber Duriel now. You best get the coveted Uber Uniques there, and we do not yet know if there will be a better farming method in Season 3.
explore the entire map or at least collect the teleport points in every city
farm reputation in the areas for a faster start
While all of this takes some time, it only needs to be done once. After that, you have the benefits for every subsequent season.
Diablo 4 has gained popularity among fans after a somewhat rocky start with Season 2. Players say: it now feels really good to grind and slay monsters. Only a few minor things could still be improved. Therefore, we expect a similarly good feeling from Season 3 – especially since even the boss says: Diablo 4 is best when it feels like you are cheating.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In 7 vs. Wild, Trymacs and Rumathra have probably traveled the farthest of all teams. They haven’t shown a discovery they made on their tour. Now, Trymacs reveals what it’s all about.
This article contains spoilers for 7 vs. Wild Season 3 Episode 1-14.
What kind of place is this? Maximilian “Trymacs” Stemmler (29) and Wieland “Rumathra” Welte (27) undertook a long journey at the end of their “7 vs. Wild” adventure. In search of water, the two walked several kilometers to the drop-off point of Fritz Meinecke (34) and Martin “SurvivalMattin” Rudloff (40).
During this, they discovered an abandoned village. While the village was not mentioned in the series, Trymacs now talked about the discoveries in his stream. You can see the stream excerpt on TikTok.
One of the participants of Season 3 is Twitch streamer Jens “Knossi” Knossalla. More about him can be seen in our video.
Start video
From the Witness Stand with Barbara Salesch to the King of Twitch – Career and Life of Knossi
The production did not expect them to go there
Why was the team at that location? Initially, the two did not know that they were at the Lost Place. They were informed beforehand that this place existed, but they were also told that it was too far away and the team probably wouldn’t make it there.
What did it look like at the location? Trymacs and Rumathra found seven abandoned houses on site. The houses are probably 8 – 10 years abandoned and thus significantly younger than the houses that Hanna Assil (32) and Ann-Katrin “Affe auf Bike” Benedixen (24) had last found.
On Google Maps, you can view the houses from above. In the TikTok video, which also shows Trymacs’ reaction, you can see the houses and the map.
What did they do when they realized what lay before them? When the two realized what was probably ahead of them, they turned back. Trymacs said on the stream that they had respect for the locals. It was probably not clear to them at that moment that the houses were abandoned. According to Trymacs, Rumathra was afraid of the island’s indigenous people.
[…]and he is always afraid, when approaching their property, that one will either be attacked by dogs or that they will shoot directly[…]
The team of Trymacs and Rumathra eventually ended their search at the spot of Fritz Meinecke and SurvivalMattin. They found no water there either and had to give up as the 3rd team. Similar to Fritz Meinecke and SurvivalMattin, the team vacated the field due to a lack of water. Previously, one team left the series for a different reason.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In ARK Survival Ascended, you can enter Console Commands to gain advantages in your game. We will show you how to enter these commands on each platform and which commands are available.
How do I enter Console Commands? In ARK: Survival Ascended, you can enter Console Commands to take advantage. This means you can grant yourself a specific amount of XP or even tame all surrounding dinos and animals.
However, to enter these cheats, you first need to open the Command Console, and there is a different key combination for each platform. You must perform the following steps for each platform:
For PC players:
Open your menu
Switch to the second tab “Advanced”
Activate the “Console Access” option
Press the “~” key
For Xbox players:
Open your menu
Switch to the second tab “Advanced”
Activate the “Console Access” option
Now you can access the Console Command in the pause menu at the bottom left
or press RB, LB, X, and Y
For PlayStation players:
Open your menu
Switch to the second tab “Advanced”
Activate the “Console Access” option
Now you can access the Console Command in the pause menu at the bottom left
or press R1, L1, Square, and Triangle
Once you have pressed the buttons on your respective platform, the Command Console will open where you can enter your “cheats” and benefit from them. We will now show you all known Console Commands in our list.
Start video
ARK: Survival Ascended is revealed for the first time in the trailer
All Console Commands of ARK Survival Ascended
Command
Effect
addexperience [value]
Gives your character XP in the specified amount
banplayer [player ID]
Bans the specified player from the current server
changesize [value]
Changes the size of your character
cleartutorials
Disables tutorial messages
destroyall [type]
Destroys the specified creature or dino
dorestartlevel
The server will restart
dotame
Your targeted dino will be tamed
enemyinvisible
Makes you invincible against enemies
fly
You can fly
forcetame
You can tame a dino in your line of sight and then ride it without a saddle
forcetameaoe [radius]
All dinos within your specified radius will be tamed and can be ridden without a saddle
These were all the known cheats you can enter in ARK: Survival Ascended. If you have any additional codes that we should include in the list, please leave us a comment.
If you are wondering which animals or dinos you should tame, we have the appropriate overview for you:
