The MMORPG company Nexon had to pay a fine of 8.1 million euros. The reason for this was false information about the chances of loot boxes, so-called “Cubes,” in MapleStory. As part of the lawsuit, the company had to disclose how much it earned from the loot boxes.
How much have players spent on the loot boxes? The company had to name the 10 players with the highest amounts spent. A table shows the years 2019 to 2022. In the reddit forum, user anonn102030 published the figures for all users (via ftc.go.kr):
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The highest amount was spent by a player in 2021. He invested approximately 194,000 euros in loot boxes. In the top 10, there is no player who has spent less than 16,800 euros on the loot boxes.
The table is to be read in such a way that each year counts on its own. So it could be that the player with the 194,000 euros also spent a five-digit amount in another year. However, it is not known whether the player in first place is always the same person.
The explosive part: The figures Nexon had to provide only relate to spending on loot boxes. There are other ways to invest money in the game – unfortunately, the amounts are not shown in the table.
The MMORPG MapleStory is presented in the trailer:
Start video
MapleStory introduces Arteria, the Moving Fortress
Pandemic seems to have driven the numbers up
Why do the numbers rise so sharply from 2020? The table particularly shows that spending increased significantly in 2020. This is probably due to strict regulations at the time because of the Corona pandemic.
The contact restrictions may have led to more people spending time in the MMORPG and thus investing more money in it.
Nexon secretly changed the probability structure of the Cubes. For example, it was no longer possible to obtain certain rewards from the loot boxes.
The chances were adjusted based on the player’s activity and location, their items, and the number of friends on the friends list (via mmorpg.org.pl).
The court has now sentenced Nexon to a fine of approximately 8.1 million euros. However, this is unlikely to harm the MMORPG company, as impressive 383.5 million euros were earned from loot boxes over 10.5 years.
The Master Ball is a rare and special item in Pokémon GO. You can find out here why a trainer used it for a Jigglypuff and why she does not regret her decision.
Why is the Master Ball so special? The Master Ball is a ball that has a 100% chance of catching a Pokémon. It is very rare and has only been available temporarily through limited research that was lengthy and complicated. Therefore, trainers use the Master Ball on Pokémon that are worth it.
A trainer now reports on Reddit that she used the Master Ball for a Pokémon that most trainers would consider a waste – for a Jigglypuff. This is a Jigglypuff with a bow, which could be caught during the New Year’s event. Additionally, this specimen appeared as shiny.
We link the Reddit post here:
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A large part of the community sees the use of the Master Ball here as ‘waste’
What does the community say about it? Many trainers from the community say that using a Master Ball for a Jigglypuff is unnecessary and wasteful. You could have just used a Razz Berry and a Great or Ultra Ball to catch this Pokémon, writes one trainer.
I’m mad, a golden Razz Berry and an Ultra Ball would have been enough, so this triggers me, comments another trainer, while another writes what a waste.
But there are also trainers who can understand the use of the Master Ball here. [..] People who use the Master Ball for Pokémon that make them happy live a carefree life, and I respect that because it’s a mentality we should strive for when it comes to games to enjoy them.
What does the trainer say about it? The trainer herself fully supports her decision and does not regret it. I’m not afraid of missing the Galar birds like some people and Hundo raid Pokémon don’t interest me, but I would have been devastated for months if I hadn’t gotten this costumed shiny Jigglypuff, so it was worth it. What do you think about it? Do you also think she wasted the Master Ball, or did she do everything right since it’s a Pokémon she really wanted to have? What have you used Master Balls for so far? You can also find more about the events in January in Pokémon GO with us.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
After the last beta of Tarisland was plagued by Pay2Win accusations, the developers are now returning with an update in which they want to listen to community feedback.
What kind of game is this? Tarisland is an Asian MMORPG that is set to be released for both PC and mobile devices. The MMORPG is being developed by Tencent and is considered China’s answer to WoW. Both graphically and in terms of gameplay, the game resembles the original.
Although the game promised to be Free2Play without Pay2Win, a version of the shop was presented for the first time in the last beta, which did not sit well with players. For many, the promise of non-Pay2Win had been broken.
You can watch the trailer for Tarisland here:
Start video
The new MMORPG Tarisland presents itself in the trailer, starts into closed beta – Here’s how you participate
Tarisland listens to player feedback – Changes 3 areas
Why do the developers want to change something? The developers state in a Discord post that they have actively listened to feedback from the beta and plan several changes. During the beta, players were regularly surveyed about their opinion on the game day and current content.
What changes are expected in PvE? There will be challenging content in PvE. Dungeons and raids will receive a “Challenge Mode” designed for players who found it too easy so far.
Equipment will also receive some balancing changes so that players experience more “strategic depth” when combining the right gear.
Additionally, they want fewer random occurrences when collecting equipment in the game. The “Arcane Realm” will also receive additional rewards to improve character growth.
What about PvP? PvP is set to become fairer. In a new 3 vs. 3 mode, it should focus more on skill and strategy. Moreover, all classes will receive 5 new PvP-specific talents to choose from, providing more depth to the PvP experience.
What is happening with crafting? There are also plans to change crafting. Crafting is to be simplified to make it more accessible for players. Additionally, with consistent recipes, more items will result in the end to better meet market needs.
To pacify the community, there will now be less Pay2Win
What is changing about Pay2Win? The developers of Tarisland have now announced that the crafting of equipment pieces will be limited. This means fewer pieces of equipment can be crafted.
Some equipment pieces will only be available through PvE content. Players will thus no longer be able to obtain certain equipment without having played PvE.
In the future, the developer also wants to tackle further points in the area of Pay2Win. This includes commercial content and the so-called “Inscribed Stone” system, which also had a degree of Pay2Win. Furthermore, they want to work on the classes. It was only in the last beta that there was a new class in Tarisland.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Yesterday, on January 7, 2024, the 81st Golden Globes took place in Los Angeles. Major films like “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie” won awards. For the first time, an anime, “The Boy and the Heron”, managed to take home a prize.
What has the film achieved? In 2007, the category “Best Animated Feature” was introduced at the Golden Awards and awarded to Cars. In the years that followed, animated films repeatedly won the title – but not a single anime.
Until yesterday: For the first time, an anime, The Boy and the Heron, directed by master director Hayao Miyazaki, won a Golden Globe Award.
Here you can see a trailer for The Boy and the Heron:
Start video
The Boy and the Heron
This way, the anime prevailed against the following other nominees in the “Best Animated Feature” category:
Elemental,
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,
The Super Mario Bros Movie,
Suzume,
Wish
What kind of anime is The Boy and the Heron? In The Boy and the Heron (original title: Kimi-tachi wa dou ikiru ka), a boy travels with a talking heron to a wondrous world. There, he hopes to see his deceased mother again.
The anime is by director Hayao Miyazaki, who is known for great masterpieces like My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away. He originally intended to retire after The Wind Rises in 2013 but returned for The Boy and the Heron.
Since January 4, 2024, you can watch The Boy and the Heron on the big screen. The film runs for 124 minutes and is rated 12+. If you’re still unsure whether the anime is right for you, here is a spoiler-free film review by MeinMMO author CWaldboth, explaining what makes the anime so good: The new Ghibli film is a puzzling masterpiece that no anime fan should miss
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The case of a missing 16-year-old girl from the USA is a cautionary example of online contacts, which could also be resolved through World of Warcraft.
In World of Warcraft, many players find lifelong good friends. However, not all contacts are always as good as they seem at first glance. The game has now helped to clarify the case of a missing girl. She had logged into the game while staying with a 31-year-old man several hundred kilometers away.
What happened? A 16-year-old girl from Ohio was reported missing shortly after Christmas. The girl was located many hundreds of kilometers away in the US state of Florida, where she was staying in the house of a 31-year-old man. The girl was found due to her account in World of Warcraft (via huffpost.com).
How did WoW help? Investigators learned the girl’s location through World of Warcraft. She had logged into Blizzard’s MMORPG at the man’s place where she was staying. According to the developers, they were able to locate the address.
What happened during the arrest? When the investigators rang the man’s doorbell, he initially denied knowing the girl but then led them to the door. The young woman was described by the officers as “frustrated but cooperative.”
The arrest provided further information about the relationship between the 31-year-old and the girl. During his interrogation, the man confirmed that he had a “romantic relationship” with the girl. He knew the girl’s age and had planned to hide her and later “make her his wife.”
The contact between him and the girl had come about through the chat software Discord and primarily took place there. They gave each other WoW-related pet names, such as “My Hot Tier DH Tank” or “little Wolf.” Several messages exchanged between them were “of a romantic nature.”
On December 27, the man drove to the girl and picked her up.
The officers also noted some bruises on the man’s neck, which are likely “hickeys” from the girl, which she confirmed.
The officers also noted that the “open sexual behavior” was not “normal behavior” between a child and an adult.
What charges is the man facing now? The man must now face three charges in court:
Sexual activities with a minor
Interference with custody
Harboring an unmarried minor
While the first two points are self-explanatory, the third point refers to a law that exists in many countries. In Florida, it is illegal to provide shelter to an unmarried minor for more than 24 hours without promptly informing the guardians or relevant authorities.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Hwei is the newest champion in League of Legends and is mainly known for his 10 skills. He is incredibly difficult to learn, and that is reflected in a catastrophic win rate. However, this does not stop players from picking him frequently.
How is Hwei doing currently? Looking at the current statistics for Emerald and higher on U.GG, you can see that Hwei has the worst win rate in 3 positions: Support, Midlane, and ADC. As a Midlaner, he currently has a catastrophic win rate of 41.02%. After that, Azir comes in on the Midlane with 48.45%.
Interestingly, Hwei is also currently the most popular Midlaner with a pick rate of 11.8%. Sylas follows with a pick rate of 11.5%. The difference with Sylas is that he currently has a win rate of 51.11%, making him one of the best Midlaners. It seems that despite his poor performance, Hwei is still liked and played by players (as of 08.01.2024, U.GG).
Start video
LoL: The new champion Hwei fights with a brush -Trailer
Hwei is difficult but fun
Hwei is a difficult champion; learning the various combos is one thing, learning the right application for these skills and using them without issues is another. But that’s exactly where the fun lies.
With Hwei, you will be able to learn new things in countless matches. At the same time, you have many options in the laning phase and in fights that the opponent cannot always predict. Many people might also play Hwei to understand him as a match-up.
Many players also have a positive opinion about Hwei on Reddit. The user DarthLeon2 posted about Hwei and the community agrees that Hwei is a well-designed champion.
DarthLeon2: After playing 40 matches with Hwei, I can safely say that I consider him to be the most entertaining and best-designed mage that Riot has ever developed.
okiedokieoats: The champ is not for me, but I think he is a really cool addition to the game.
Phkblaze95: I really believe he is currently the most fun champion for me by far.
In the meantime, Riot has also presented us with the next champion. Whether he will be as popular remains questionable:
Despite his currently catastrophic performance, Hwei seems to be doing the most important thing right: he provides players with incredible fun. If he stays as he is, his win rate will increase with player experience. Next season, mage items will also be adjusted, which can significantly change his performance as well. The current state of Hwei suggests a course change that the LoL director announced some time ago: “Fun over fairness” – LoL director promises major changes for the future of the game
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The community of Diablo 4 is not exactly easy: if you criticize the game, you have no idea. If you like the game, you are a casual and ignore the important problems. There is hardly anything in between. This is increasingly noticeable to fans.
Shortly after release, however, there were numerous problems. Players stated that there wasn’t enough to do. The endgame lacked relevant content.
Over the months, this has improved significantly. Now, with Season 2, fans feel: Diablo 4 is in a really good place and only a few minor things need polishing.
This is the criticism: The debate over whether one can like Diablo 4 or not is already as old as the game itself. Sometimes it goes beyond that: already before the release there was a dispute about whether one is even allowed to buy Diablo 4.
A player on Reddit now criticizes the ongoing behavior of the community. He says: The hostility and derision shown to those who like Diablo 4 is simply “ridiculous.”
One can hardly express oneself without being attacked directly by someone. There is no constructive criticism anymore, just whining and blunt “game bad” statements. As if to confirm him, another user writes: “I like Diablo 4” and receives appropriate responses (via Reddit).
In the interview, the devs explain what lies ahead for Diablo 4:
Start video
BlizzCon 2023: Diablo 4 leaders talk to us about the development and future of the game
Player says: “I like Diablo 4” – Is an example of the problem
The reactions in the second thread reflect the criticism highlighted. It states, for example: “Most people have already stopped. But you are right, those who still play probably like it.” We are talking about echo chambers.
However, emotions run in both directions. The community wonders, at least on Reddit, what such posts are even supposed to achieve. It is no longer about criticism or discussions, only about liking or hating. User TraiLDawG420 aptly describes:
“They want the game to fail to validate their position. It frustrates them when people like the game. In modern gaming, [a game] is either a dumpster fire or the messiah of gaming.”
In response to the comment that most people would not be playing anymore, others say: That is normal. Very few would play a game for 400 hours or more. Even the developers say: if you are no longer enjoying it, stop playing.
Another user jumps in and shows with player numbers that there are still many fans playing Diablo (via activeplayer.io). Only the discussions are slowly dying out: casual players are playing, they are not posting on Reddit.
Why are so many arguing about Diablo 4? Diablo is an ancient brand and has inspired enthusiasm since the first part in 1996 with its innovative ideas. Since then, the series has become an absolute cult with a large fan base.
When finally Diablo 4 was supposed to be released, 11 years after Diablo 3, hopes were high. Fans expected a blockbuster that could never live up to the expectations – especially compared to Diablo 3, which had been maturing for 11 years. With a game like Diablo, many emotions are involved, which players cannot always contain.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A gamer has upgraded his gaming PC with a new SSD. However, he cannot utilize most of the storage space. With a trick, he can “unlock” the rest of the hard drive.
A new upgrade for the home gaming PC is nothing unusual. Especially the storage space runs out quickly when one has many large games installed. A gamer has now expanded his storage, but then faced a new problem: He cannot use a large part of his SSD. Fortunately, the problem can be solved quickly.
What exactly is the problem? The player himself explains on Reddit that he installed the SSD in his computer and can only use “88 GB” under Windows. So, about 900 GB are missing. This is of course frustrating when you cannot use nearly 90% of the newly purchased SSD.
In the comments, many users suspect that he cloned his old drive onto the new device and forgot to expand the old partition.
Where is the trick? With built-in Windows tools, you can check what storage devices you have installed in your computer. The prerequisite is that all devices are properly connected to the computer. For a standard SSD, both the power and SATA cables must be correctly inserted, and an M.2 SSD must be properly seated in the slot.
To check your installed SSD, search for disk management under Windows. A large window will open where you can see all the installed storage devices at the top and the details at the bottom. Here you can also see if individual areas are not allocated. Each partition on your medium is presented as an independent section (see the following image):
In the top disk, you can see that storage is still unallocated: This is shown in black by the system. Blue areas are allocated to a partition. Multiple partitions are displayed as separate blue sections.
This is how you can allocate free space: If there is still free space, you can allocate it:
If there is storage that Windows refers to as “unallocated,” you can change that with a right-click on the existing partition.
Here, select “Extend Volume” and utilize the unused space.
Then you will receive a menu where you can resize the storage of your partition in MB. Theoretically, you can use all the unallocated storage.
Caution: Windows is now smart enough to recognize if you have, for example, a Linux system installed on your medium. If Windows still does not recognize this, you should not carelessly expand your partition. Because in the worst case, you might overwrite the Linux system.
Not always is unallocated storage the problem. For several years, many fake SSDs have been circulating, which are equipped with a counterfeit memory controller. The controller deceives the operating system into thinking there is 1 TB of storage. In reality, you only get a slow flash memory that delivers significantly less storage.
If you suspect a counterfeit, you can also quickly verify that yourself: Use the free tool “H2testw” and first test a part of the alleged storage. Base your test on the sizes of USB sticks: In a first test run, check 70 GB: If the test fails, then you know that your SSD only contains a flash memory of 64 GB. If the test is successful, double the amount of storage to test.
In Destiny 2 several free seasonal events are scheduled for 2023, offering guardians the opportunity to earn special rewards and challenges. In this article, we provide an overview of these events and explain how they work.
Update: We updated this article on January 8 with new information about the Guardian Games event.
[toc]
What are seasonal events in Destiny 2? In Destiny 2, there are special events that are particularly unique. These are the four free seasonal events. When one is active, the Tower of the Last City is adorned with a lot of beautiful decorations, always fitting to the event.
The “Guardian Games” are an annual event that takes place in spring and heralds the arrival of spring.
The “Sundering” is a hot summer event, which usually takes place in July.
The “Festival of the Lost” is the Halloween event, thus taking place in October.
“The Dawning” is celebrated by Bungie in December, spreading festive cheer with cookies.
Those who participate in all events can earn not only the individual event titles but also a special “Glutton” title.
Eva Levante is affectionately known by guardians as “Space Grandma” – she accompanies the seasonal events
Eva Levante is “Space Grandma” and event specialist in Destiny 2: It is also worth mentioning that guardians can only meet the most well-known Space Grandma in the Destiny universe at these seasonal events: Eva Levante. She is the contact person and main moderator of the seasonal events and is also happy to spawn new event weapons.
MeinMMO now provides you with a handy overview of the events and what to expect.
The Guardian Games – Spring Event
What kind of event are the Guardian Games? The Guardian Games are the spring event where the different classes from Destiny 2 compete against each other – a kind of Olympic competition between Hunters, Titans, and Warlocks.
Start video
Destiny 2: Lightfall – Trailer to the Guardian Games 2023
When do the Guardian Games take place? The dates always vary a little – depending on how Bungie has planned its content in a season. In 2023, the Guardian Games took place from May 2 to May 23, 2023, over a span of three weeks.
In 2024, Bungie, The Final Form, will bring the Guardian Games forward. Therefore, they will take place in March.
How does the event work? During the “Guardian Games” event, Bungie assigns specific tasks and distributes medals for their completion to see which class has the upper hand.
Players earn these medals by playing an activity set by Bungie. In 2023, for example, it was the Strikes-Ops playlist and the Competitive playlist with the mode “Control”.
Regardless of your class, achieving high scores progresses you in the “Guardian Games” quest, allowing you to light more and more torches in the Tower to receive rewards. Each torch from Bronze to Platinum unlocks a better reward than the previous one, so it’s worth it.
At the end of the Guardian Games, the winning team earns bragging rights for a year along with a memorial statue displayed in the Tower all year long.
What rewards were there in the Guardian Games 2023?
The event card is part of every seasonal event in Destiny 2 – it offers instant rewards for silver
Earn this title in 2023 with the Guardian Games: Through the event card, which is newly stocked for each seasonal event, guardians can earn event rewards.
By completing all challenges in the Guardian Games, you earn the title “Champ”. It can also be gilded, which, however, requires completing a few additional triumphs.
If you upgrade your event card for 1,000 silver, you unlock new rewards immediately, and with the passes earned through completing challenges, you can unlock even more. However, you will receive passes even if you haven’t upgraded the card.
Earn “Taraxippos” during the Guardian Games 2023, the first strand scout rifle in Destiny 2
These weapons can be earned during the Guardian Games 2023:
In 2022, Bungie created a strand submachine gun named “The Title” for the Guardian Games. It is also available in 2023, albeit with new, refreshed perks.
The new featured Guardian Games weapon in 2023 is “Taraxippos,” the first legendary strand scout rifle in Destiny 2. It has a lightweight frame and some amazing perk combinations.
Sundering – Summer Event
What kind of event is the Sundering? Every year in summer, it is customary to celebrate the limited-time “Sundering Event” in the European Airzone in Destiny 2.
Here, each year, the luminous ornaments of the Sundering armor are particularly sought after along with the rather unique cosmetics that are washed ashore at the glimmer beach of the Eververse.
Start video
Destiny 2 shows your fancy, glowing armor in the new Solstice trailer
When does the Sundering take place? The Sundering event takes place from July 18, 2023, to August 8, 2023, in Destiny 2.
How does the event work? Each year, the event also introduces an additional area, the European Airzone. In 2023, players will again have access to a special activity during the event. This is a kind of horde mode called “Campfire Party”. Here, the goal is to build a massive campfire and unlock as many loot chests as possible by defeating mini-bosses.
The more mini-bosses you defeat before the final fight, the more loot boxes will spawn.
At the end, players then have a little less than 2 minutes to find the loot boxes throughout the area.
In 2023, there are also two buffs active that provide additional benefits.
Bungie has also made changes to the event’s difficulty level, affecting both enemy density and the overall challenge of the activity.
What rewards are there at the Sundering?
In 2022, players could determine their stats during the Sundering with silver dust
This is what makes the Sundering special: The Sundering event is also special in terms of rewards, as guardians can not only unlock armor glow. They can also redistribute the stats of the obtained armor pieces and thus influence their armor to a certain extent in the game.
Whoever wants to balance the stats in their armor, to perfect it, cannot miss out on this seasonal event.
Guardians who reach the third upgrade process can choose a status value for the last mod slot of the Sundering armor, which should have a minimum value of +20.
Combining this with a ghost mod for another status value grants at least +10 to the armor value.
This was the title at the Sundering: In 2022, players could earn the title “Flame Keeper” at the Sundering. It can also be gilded, which, however, requires completing a few additional triumphs.
These weapons could be earned in 2023 at the Sundering: Bungie provided the Sundering event with the very first strand rocket launcher. In 2022, players could earn a 120 Stasis hand cannon named “Something New” with an aggressive frame.
A small interface addon makes life easier in World of Warcraft. Fans love it – it is simple yet brilliant.
Unlike many other MMORPGs, in World of Warcraft, you can customize the interface quite generously. For almost two decades, a large addon culture has developed that allows you to customize the user interface or add meaningful features.
What kind of addon is it? The addon is called “I remember you”. The function is relatively simple but very useful. For every character you encounter in the game, you can right-click on their portrait to create a small note to remind you of that person.
You can adjust or delete the notes later. The notes apply across realms, so you can also create notes for players who are not on the same realm as you.
Why is this useful? In World of Warcraft, you constantly meet other players. However, the friends list is limited, and just because you might have a pleasant encounter, you don’t necessarily want to add someone directly to your friends list. This makes it difficult to remember every character after hundreds or thousands of encounters.
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With “I remember you,” you can create a small note for every character you encounter in the game world with just two clicks. The next time you come across that character, the appropriate note will briefly appear on your screen. A few examples would be:
“Was a good tank in M+”
“Pleasant RP in the tavern”
“Answered my questions about fire mages”
“Fished together and talked about series”
“Made me potions for little gold”
Of course, you can also use the addon for “negative notes” – for example, if a player was rude to you, abandoned you in a dungeon, or tossed away the nice transmog dress just to disenchant it right in front of your eyes.
In general, it is recommended to use it for positive notes. It’s simply a pleasant feeling to stroll through World of Warcraft and be reminded now and then when you encounter someone with whom you have already had a nice interaction.
How can you install the addon? “I remember you” can be downloaded and updated regularly through the program “CurseForge,” just like most other addons. If you prefer to install addons manually, you can also download it directly from the Curseforge website.
This is how the community reacts: In the World of Warcraft subreddit, players are quite enthusiastic about this small addon idea. Although many probably use the addon primarily for negative notes to remember disappointing teammates from “Mythic+” dungeons, the interface extension is celebrated. The post received over 3,300 upvotes within the first 7 hours, with a proud approval rate of 96%. Some comments:
“Cool idea, I will definitely try this. I have so many people on my friends list now that I don’t even remember; I don’t even want to talk about those I haven’t added to the friends list.” – Any_Discipline_6394
“The bond between fishing brothers is unbreakable.” – Kodiak_Marmorset
“The simplest addon you never thought you needed. Great idea!” – yourteam
Although addons – like the one presented here – are very popular, there is also criticism of other addons. Especially powerful tools, such as “WeakAuras” or boss mods, are frequently discussed to see if they trivialize the game in some cases. Occasionally, Blizzard has had to intervene and change mechanics in the game because addons could completely counter them. Recently, developers even delayed parts of the combat log to combat external programs that could provide precise position information for all participants in a fight in real-time.
Smaller addons, like “I Remember You,” which basically only take on the function of a “sticky note,” are widely accepted.
Final Fantasy 14 has introduced the second new class to be added to the popular MMORPG this summer during the fan festival.
The MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV will receive two new DPS classes with the expansion Dawntrail in summer 2024: a melee DPS and a ranged DPS. It has been known since October 2023 that the first new job, the melee class, will be called Viper. In this class, you use two swords in combat that can also be combined into a long sword.
What kind of new class will it be? The new class of Final Fantasy 14 will be called Pictomancer and will make you a kind of magical painter. You will use a type of oversized wand as a brush and attack your enemies with magical ranged attacks.
You start in Gridania, so you can begin your adventures right away in Dawntrail. You also do not need any other class as a prerequisite to use it. The starting level is 80.
In combat, however, you do not simply paint color on your opponent’s face with the Pictomancer. As shown in the trailer, you draw the respective attack, which then hits your target. In one scene, the opponent is hit by a giant ice block, and in another, by a rock.
You can watch the trailer for the Pictomancer here:
Start video
Final Fantasy 14 showcases the new class Pictomancer in the trailer
What is known about the Pictomancer’s combat abilities? FFXIV Game Director Naoki Yoshida, known as Yoshi-P, describes the combat abilities of the Pictomancer as follows:
“Works in the medium of mixed aether, using a special brush to bring his visions into reality.”
“These creations [the drawings of the Pictomancer] include not only creatures and weapons but also landscapes.”
“Since summoning such wonders takes time, the Pictomancer also has immediately usable abilities and spells.”
Yoshida also states that the Pictomancer is not as attack-oriented as the Black Mage, but it is also not a pure support class.
You start in Gridania, so you can begin your adventures right away in Dawntrail. You also do not need any other class as a prerequisite to use it. The starting level is 80.
How is the Pictomancer being received by the community? The new class has left a mixed first impression on the community of the popular MMORPG. Some players are already excited to be able to play the magical painter. Others are disappointed with the animations and sounds or believe that the style does not fit the game.
BunnyFaebelle via Reddit: “I will definitely play the Pictomancer. […] So many jobs are already dark and edgy, so it’s nice to have a cheerful class added.”
More_Lavishness8127 via Reddit: “I’m not sure what to make of it. I guess I’ll have to see it in game. The animations and sound effects honestly seemed pretty silly.”
mkflmngo02 via Reddit: “I mean, it looks cool, but at the same time, I think it clashes with the existing art style of the game. Anyway, I hope it’s fun to play.”
In summer 2023, many fans of the MMORPG speculated about what the upcoming class might be. Some suspected a class whose weaponry resembled the ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ because Yoshida was wearing a TMNT t-shirt at the fan festival in 2023. In 2014, he teased the “Dark Knight” class in a similar way while wearing a Batman t-shirt.
Instead of the Ninja Turtles, which are named after famous artists, there is now a painter class.
All candidates at 7 vs. Wild struggled with hunger. However, in the new Behind the Scenes, the locals show that there were plenty of plants on site that could have been consumed.
Why did the participants have to go hungry? The participants primarily didn’t know what they could eat on site. Although the candidates were shown in a briefing before the suspension which plants are edible and which are not, the participants likely didn’t dare to eat large quantities of the wild-growing plants out of fear of food poisoning in the show.
The candidates also had little luck with animals: While some participants hoped for trout in ponds, only Jens “Knossi” Knossalla and Sascha Huber actually had luck fishing in the show. Small animals like rabbits or birds were scarcely available for consumption.
One of the participants of Season 3 is Twitch streamer Jens “Knossi” Knossalla. You can see more about him in our video.
Start video
From the Witness Stand with Barbara Salesch to the King of Twitch – Career and Life of Knossi
Hunger leaves its marks
What effects did hunger have on the participants? The team from the Nature Sons is probably one of the big losers when it comes to food. The two outdoor professionals found hardly any food on site, except for a few berries. As a result, Gerrit from the Nature Sons increasingly felt worse. Ultimately, the lack of food contributed to the team’s elimination.
Other teams also had problems with food supply. Although small fish were occasionally caught by the teams and one or the other berry was eaten, there wasn’t much available for any team.
Especially the local plants shown to the teams during the briefing seem to have hardly been touched. A bite into some algae was enough for most candidates for the two weeks.
The participants rely on fishing and are disappointed
How did the participants prepare for food procurement? Most teams focused on fishing in their preparation. This is because the candidates expected something different at the filming location. Fritz Meinecke has repeatedly expressed criticism about the shooting location, saying he personally would understand something different than Canada. He had already held the production accountable beforehand.
The Trymacs and Rumathra team explained in a “Behind the Scenes” episode that they had brought laxatives specifically because they wanted to eat bark. However, this never happened in the show.
You can watch the entire “Behind the Scenes” episode here.
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Which berries could be eaten? The inhabitants of the islands from the T’lat’lasikwala tribe showed in the last “Behind the Scenes” episode that there is plenty of food on the islands.
Starting with the Salal berry, which is eaten repeatedly throughout the show. According to myfitnesspal, it provides 4 kcal per berry. The participants would have to eat about 500 – 600 berries per day to meet their daily needs. The berry tastes, according to Jan Schlappen, like a blueberry and looks similar to it.
According to the locals, there were about half a dozen other berries, but we couldn’t see them in the show. However, they would also have been edible.
Which plants could be eaten? Some water plants could also be eaten by the 7 vs. Wild participants. Seaweed and sea asparagus also appeared in the participants’ spots. The seaweed is said to taste somewhat like salty salad and can be easily collected from the ground and consumed.
The sea asparagus, also called “Salicornia”, is also edible raw and grows where the sea comes and goes during high and low tide. The plant is also used in German cuisine as sea asparagus or Friesen herb, especially in northern Germany. It is said to be delicious, although quite salty. The false asparagus was shown in large quantities in the “Behind the Scenes” episode. So it can be assumed that some participants had some on site.
Here you can see some of the plants we report about.
Bladderwrack or Latin name Fucus vesiculosus in a close-up.A kelp forest underwater.
Another plant is the so-called kelp, an alga that grows in kelp forests underwater. The plant resembles a tube, especially because it is hollow in the middle. It is considered, according to t-online, a specialty in Japan and is rich in iodine, iron, calcium, and provitamin A. The leaves should be consumed from the plant, not the tubular stem. This is a different type of seaweed.
The last edible plant that the participants could have found is bladderwrack, or in English “Bladderwrack”. It is named after its bladder shape and belongs to the brown algae. This alga is also edible raw. The cook featured in the “Behind the Scenes” episode makes a salad from it.
What about animals? Small animals like rabbits are said to not exist on Hope Island due to the many wolves. According to Fritz Meinecke, it was forbidden to shoot wolves or even bears. Trymacs said in a stream that, according to the organization team, there might have been frogs that could be eaten, but the teams did not do so due to the risk of poisoning.
Fish were often caught by Sascha and Knossi. According to the residents, there are salmon, halibut, cod, and various shellfish.
The upcoming shooter Outpost: Infinity Siege on Steam combines base building and tower defense. The trailer features impressive heavy artillery and mechs that you can use to face waves of enemies either solo or in co-op.
What kind of game is this? Outpost: Infinity Siege is a first-person shooter with base building and co-op features, developed by Team Ranger and published by Lightning Games. Players fight against hordes of enemies specifically targeting the mobile outpost, which obviously gives the game its name.
To counter this threat, you build massive bases and utilize heavy artillery as well as a range of firearms. The trailer further showcases the use of mechs in which players combat enemies.
The trailer gives you a sense of the gameplay of Outpost: Infinity Siege, including outpost building and heavy weapon combat:
Start video
Trailer to Outpost: Infinity Siege, the shooter with tower defense
Outpost: Infinity Siege combines elements of tower defense, first-person shooter, and real-time strategy, with a clear focus on defeating enemies charging your base from all directions.
The unique “Protoslag Gun” plays a central role in the game as you break through the no-go zone, collect unique weapon units, and enhance the firepower of your outpost. You leave your base to explore the surroundings and gather valuable resources.
There will be different difficulty levels and a co-op feature where you can fight together against waves of monsters in an endless mode.
When is the game coming out? Originally, the release was planned for the third quarter of 2023. On Steam, the developers wrote on August 7, 2023, that the release would be delayed due to “unresolved issues with optimizing game performance.”
At that time, some storylines were still in development. The developers issued an apology and are aiming for a projected release in February 2024.
Another shooter is set to launch on Steam in 2024. There, you won’t be blasting hordes of enemies with huge guns, but instead kicking monsters in the face – all in a colorful cartoon graphics style.
You will explore the brightly colored ruins of the city of Shit City and utilize not only firearms but also the kicking power of your incredibly strong feet to tackle the challenges to the best of your ability:
League of Legends has a huge selection of champions. However, a former pro wishes that the “Disneyland characters” would be removed.
Who is it about? Marcus “Dyrus” Hill (31) is a former professional player of League of Legends who gained particular fame during his time with the US eSports organization TSM (March 2012 to October 2015). Before that, he was active for the team Epik Gamer.
Dyrus played on the top lane for TSM and won 3x the NA LCS as well as 1x the IEM World Championship Season IX alongside Bjergsen.
In October 2015, Dyrus ended his career as a LoL eSports player and subsequently worked as a streamer for TSM until 2017.
On January 3, 2024, Dyrus agreed to answer some questions on X.com (formerly Twitter) that his followers could ask him. In doing so, he also revealed which champions he would like to delete from LoL.
The LoL anime Arcane has meanwhile released a teaser trailer for the second season. You can watch it here:
Start video
Arcane: Season 2: First Look of the Netflix series
Which champions would he delete? When asked which champions Dyrus would delete if he could, the 31-year-old replied: “Zoe, Lillia, Yuumi, Neeko, anyone who looks like a Disneyland character except Gwen. I would be happy if any of them were deleted.”
However, Dyrus did not reveal why he would delete precisely these characters and whether their visual design or their abilities were the decisive reason.
Yuumi was originally intended as a kind of “beginner champion” that new players could latch onto an experienced teammate. However, the cat became overpowering in the hands of experienced players and professionals.
In Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 5 has introduced the “Honour Mode,” which presents players with an even tougher challenge because: In this mode, you cannot reload. A player lost in this mode because he forgot an important item.
In Act 3 of Baldur’s Gate 3, you are faced with an important decision. It is about whether to free Orpheus, the prince of the Githyanki and actually the rightful leader of his people, or not.
If you choose to free him, you need an important item. How to obtain the item and what the consequences are if you save him – or do not save him, we have explained in this article.
However, a player forgot the important item and thereby essentially lost the entire game, as he could not reload in Honour Mode.
Start video
5 helpful tips for Baldur’s Gate 3
Spoiler: The article contains spoilers for Act 3 of Baldur’s Gate 3.
How did he lose the game?On Reddit, user “JohnFrum” writes on January 4th that he believes he has found the “stupidest way” to lose in Honour Mode of Baldur’s Gate 3. In his text, he describes what happened to him:
I am on my way to the final battle and decided to free Orpheus, so I swapped Karlach for Lae’zel because she would sulk if I didn’t bring her. We just delivered the message to the Emperor, and he left us in the Prism.
Great! Now we just have to smash the rocks with the special hammer for which we traveled all the way to hell. Lae’zel, you have the honor!
What? You forgot to get Karlach’s hammer?!?
But we are in a red zone, can’t rest, and the Emperor closed the gate when he left. So now we are all stuck here with just our farts for company, I guess. Maybe we can chop off his arms and free him that way?
In a comment, “JohnFrum” writes that he has already finished the game once. When asked why he even wanted to take Lae’zel, he writes that his main character had planned from the beginning to free Orpheus with Lae’zel. That’s why he thought it was important that she was there.
Originally, he also wanted to take Karlach but chose Gale instead at the last minute. And then he forgot to pass the Orphic Hammer from Karlach to Lae’zel.
In the comments on the Reddit post, one user points out that there should actually be a safety mechanism here, such as the Emperor not leaving if you do not have the Orphic Hammer.
Another user mentions that Raphael appears in this situation, mocks the player’s inability, and hands him the Orphic Hammer. At least, provided you didn’t kill him and accepted his offer.
When it comes to great movies, 2023 has been a successful year. Due to the strike, the next few years may offer fewer films, but this year we can still look forward to many interesting movies. There’s also much to be excited about in the horror genre.
As always, this year we will also see horror films from the Conjuring universe. Already on February 8, fans could watch another Haunted House film in Night Swim. In this list, we present you with 5 horror films to keep an eye on this year, apart from the jump-scare horror.
How did this list come about? This list aims to be a good mix of various horror genres. Each film is expected to still be released this year. If the horror film you are looking forward to the most is not included, let us know in the comments.
Since the films have not yet been released, we are discussing expectations and excitement here. The expected release dates may still change, of course.
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1. Return to Silent Hill
Expected theatrical release: 2024
The famous video game series Silent Hill has had 2 film adaptations in the past, but Return to Silent Hill is supposed to be another reboot. The film is expected to be closer to the games and deal with James, who searches for his lost love in the mysterious city. In Silent Hill, James must then fight against falling into madness.
Christophe Gans is once again involved, who also directed the first Silent Hill film. The creator of the games, Keiichiro Toyama, is co-writing the script. The first images and concept art show the return of iconic monsters like Pyramid Head.
2. Alien: Romulus
Expected theatrical release: August 15, 2024
Start video
„Alien – The eerie being from a foreign world“ – Trailer with Sigourney Weaver
After Alien: Covenant and Prometheus, many fans of the sci-fi horror series were disappointed. This year, after 7 years, a new film from the franchise is being released, about which not much is known yet. The film is expected to reboot the series and focus, similar to the first part, on a group that must survive a confrontation with the Xenomorph.
Despite the little information, the involvement of Fede Alvarez is interesting and promising. He is directing and co-writing the script. With his Evil Dead reboot from 2013 and the film Don’t Breathe, he has proven that he knows how to craft horror.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
GTA Online has revamped Franklin’s phone booth missions. Now you can earn more money in an hour with them despite the nerf.
Which mission is it about? GTA Online introduced the agency and Franklin Clinton as your new business partner with the “The Contract” update in December 2021. After completing some security jobs for the agency, you will have the opportunity to perform phone booth assassinations.
For the phone booth assassinations, you request a mission from Franklin. He will then contact you at a nearby phone booth and give you an assassination assignment.
For completing a phone booth assassination, you receive 15,000 GTA dollars, and you can earn an additional bonus if you meet certain requirements. One requirement is, for example, to run over the target with a golf cart on the golf course.
The bonus is significantly higher than the actual earnings from the mission and is usually very easy to obtain. For players who consistently snatch the bonus, phone booth assassinations were a popular way to quickly and easily make money.
If you want to see how the graphics of GTA 5 differ from the first trailer of GTA 6, we’ve prepared a graphic comparison video for you here:
Start video
The graphic comparison of GTA 6 and GTA 5 in the video
Changes Allow for Missions in the Same Time
What has changed now? Rockstar Games has drastically reduced the bonus you receive for a phone booth assassination. Previously, you received a bonus of 70,000 GTA dollars if you eliminated a target according to the requirements. Now the bonus is only 30,000 GTA dollars.
To offset this significant nerf, Rockstar Games has reduced the cooldown for phone booth assassinations. It is now only 10 minutes long. Previously, the cooldown took 48 minutes.
Why can you earn more money now? By reducing the cooldown, you can now complete a total of 4 phone booth assassinations within one hour.
This means you get 15,000 GTA dollars four times and 30,000 GTA dollars four times for the bonus. This totals 180,000 GTA dollars per 60 minutes, as executing the assassinations only takes a few minutes each.
Previously, you could only perform two phone booth assassinations in 60 minutes, which would earn you 15,000 GTA dollars each plus the bonus of 70,000 GTA dollars. So you ended up with “only” 170,000 GTA dollars in the same time. Now you can earn almost 10,000 GTA dollars more within an hour.
Are the missions worth it more now? No. While you can earn more money within an hour with the phone booth assassinations, you will also be busy with assassinations during that hour.
Previously, you could use the cooldown to earn money in other ways, such as selling cars from the vehicle warehouse or the goods produced in the bunker. You were earning money in multiple ways during that hour.
After the nerf, you would have to perform assassinations for the full hour, and the 10-minute cooldown offers significantly fewer options to earn additional money than the previous 45 minutes.
If you are now looking for a new way to rake in millions in GTA Online, we have a summary on MeinMMO:
In Call of Duty: Warzone, there are still cheaters, but the developers have introduced a system to unmask them. One of the cheaters appeared confused because he didn’t realize he was caught.
Some players are caught cheating live on stream, while dancing carefreely in their chairs. Others publish clips on X because they feel “harassed” – and it becomes obvious that they are cheating.
The user “des” posted a clip on X (formerly Twitter) on January 3rd, stating “Why are they harassing me?” In the short video, you can see how “des” jumps out of the plane at the start of his match in Warzone and plummets to the ground at breakneck speed.
Apparently, he cannot deploy his parachute in time, crashes to the ground, and is K.O.
Start video
CoD Warzone shows the map Urzikistan in the overview trailer
The parachute is disabled “randomly and for fun”
Why can’t he deploy his parachute? Normally, you can activate your parachute at any time in CoD: Warzone when you are in the air. The system also activates automatically shortly before hitting the ground. However, the player “des” was unable to activate the parachute manually, nor was it triggered automatically – and there is a reason for that.
On November 9, 2023, the developers wrote in the “Call of Duty” blog that they developed a new trick in Warzone that they call “Splat” (impact). With this, they can randomly and amusingly disable the parachutes of cheaters detected by the anti-cheat system.
This causes players to plummet to the ground at match start and crash. If cheaters are only detected after match commencement, it affects their falling speed. Even small jumps can be deadly.
“des” evidently experienced both situations. As he crashed, he exclaimed, “What the hell is happening here?” You can see his clip here:
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Why aren’t cheaters banned immediately? On the CoD blog, the developers mention that cheaters are often removed immediately upon detection. However, sometimes measures are taken to “minimize their impact and gather information about the account and the cheat hardware used.”
This is how the community reacts: Under his clip on X, there are numerous comments noting that he obviously cheated. The anti-cheat system detected him and punished him with the disabled parachute. A note about the context was added to his post, referring to the new feature of “Splat”.
Several users comment: “You have unmasked yourself.” Some post clown emojis and GIFs. Others share a screenshot of the description of the “Splat” feature from the CoD blog in their comments.
The user “4RealBr0k” writes: “This is the new troll from [the anti-cheat system] Ricochet, and it’s funny to see it with someone who doesn’t know it.”
Additionally, the developers state on the blog that it is a misunderstanding that frequent reporting of suspected cheaters leads to actions. Only the first report counts.
The year 2024 starts with strong anime. We show you 5 series that you definitely should watch immediately to not miss out.
A new year has dawned, bringing with it the first season of fresh anime that are slowly starting to air. Although many series still have to prove that they can follow the magnificent anime year of 2023, the trailers and first episodes already look promising. There seem to be several guarantees that ensure that the year 2024 will also offer plenty of gems for anime fans.
Therefore, we have sifted through the list of new releases and picked out some highlights that you should take a longer look at.
Please note that the assessment of the series is primarily based on the trailers, the first episode, and – if available – the source material. Whether the series will still live up to their promises later on is something we will all find out together.
Solo Leveling
Alternative names: I Level Up Alone Streaming provider: Crunchyroll
Solo Leveling is one of the major anime that caused a stir at the end of last year. The promotional campaign was well underway, and the first trailers looked promising. However, Solo Leveling also has to deliver significantly, as the source material is extremely popular and has long been considered a hidden gem. Accordingly, fans are quite worried that the anime adaptation may not manage to maintain the charm of the original or has to compromise on quality.
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What is Solo Leveling about? 10 years have passed since the strange “gate” appeared, connecting the real world with a realm full of monsters and magic. To fight these monsters here, some chosen ones receive superhuman abilities and deal with these monsters as hunters.
Jin-Woo is considered the weakest hunter in the world, yet he fights against the monsters to pay for his mother’s medical care. However, one day everything changes when he is the only survivor and suddenly sees a new “training” in his quest log …
Metallic Rouge
Alternative names: / Streaming provider: Crunchyroll
Metallic Rouge has mainly garnered attention because it is the production for the 25th anniversary of Studio Bones. They are the creators behind legendary series like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and My Hero Academia. Metallic Rouge is an “original anime,” meaning it has no manga or light novel source material. This gives the creators significantly more freedom, although they also have to do without existing fans of an established franchise.
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What is Metallic Rouge about? In the future, humans coexist with androids known as “Neans.” However, as is often the case, not everything is harmonious. Metallic Rouge follows Redstar, an android charged with killing the “Immortal Nine” – a terrorist network threatening to uproot the society of humans and Neans. Under the project name “Metal Rouge,” Redstar and her human partner Naomi travel to Mars to trace the whereabouts of the terrorist organization and put an end to their machinations.
3 more exciting anime from the winter season 2024 can be found on the next page.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Final Fantasy 14 in its current form celebrated its 10th anniversary last year. This makes the MMORPG one of the older games in the genre. With a new expansion on the horizon and a long-term roadmap, the game is far from over. Is it still worth getting into in 2024?
[toc]
Final Fantasy 14 has a strong history behind it: After the absolute disaster that was version 1.0 of the game in 2010 and 2011, it was completely rescued within 2.5 years. With the re-release as Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn, the team led by director and producer Naoki Yoshida laid the foundation for a surprising development.
Since 2013, approximately every two years, four expansions have been released, continually developing and improving the game. Player numbers also increase year after year, and especially around the release of the latest expansion Endwalker, the game recorded a new peak number of players. In fact, there were so many that sales of the game had to be temporarily suspended.
The game is currently between two expansions. It is expected to launch its fifth expansion, Dawntrail, with a new story and new content this June.
You can watch the trailer for Dawntrail here:
Start video
Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail – The Final Trailer
Over the years, the game has turned into a bit of a mammoth task, partly due to the time-consuming main story and the many dungeon and raid contents that remain relevant even today.
So that you can orient yourself, we have all the information about what Final Fantasy 14 has to offer, whether it’s worth joining, and how you can get started.
So, is it still worth it in general? Can you play Final Fantasy 14 as a single player? And what if I just want to raid and don’t care about the story?
Editor’s note: We have updated the article with new information after the Fan Fest in Tokyo 2024.
By the way, we attended the Final Fantasy 14 Fan Festival in London:
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Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival London 2023
What can you expect in Final Fantasy 14 in 2024?
In Final Fantasy 14, you control a uniquely customizable character from either a first or third-person perspective. The combat system is based on tab-targeting. You initiate your abilities and actions by dragging them onto a hotbar and triggering them with hotkeys on your keyboard.
The game is a Japanese theme-park MMORPG and is the overall 14th installment in the Final Fantasy series. Accordingly, the game attempts to offer content for every type of player. Those familiar with Final Fantasy will find many references to earlier entries.
If you want to get into the new content of the expansion Dawntrail announced for summer 2024, you can find everything about it in our news:
How do I build my character in the game? To create your avatar, you first choose your race, a sub-race, and the gender. The following eight races are available to you:
Hyuran maleHyuran femaleRoegadyn maleRoegadyn femaleMiqo’te maleMiqo’te femaleLalafell maleLalafell femaleElezen maleElezen femaleAu Ra male (available from Heavensward)Au Ra female (available from Heavensward)Hrothgar (available from Shadowbringers)Viera female (available from Shadowbringers)Viera male (available from Endwalker)
The female Hrothgar were introduced during the Fan Festival in Tokyo. They will be playable for the first time 5 years after their male counterparts in Dawntrail.
Each race, sub-class, and gender can be customized relatively uniquely, and the options for adjustments are extensive. However, it currently cannot keep up with the character creation of modern MMORPGs like Throne and Liberty.
If you’re satisfied with your character, select your starting class. These change into so-called jobs starting at level 30, which then remain with you until the endgame. Currently, you can learn 20 different jobs, with two more being added in the upcoming expansion.
Roughly, jobs are divided into defenders (tanks), attackers (DPS), and healers.
The Defenders
Gladiator, later becomes Paladin
Ravager, later becomes Warrior
Dark Knight – requires the expansion Heavensward, starts at level 30
Gunbreaker – requires the expansion Shadowbringers, starts at level 50
Invoker, later becomes Summoner or Scholar (see Healer)
Red Mage – requires the expansion Stormblood
The Healers
Druid, later becomes White Mage
Invoker, later becomes Scholar or Summoner (see The Attackers)
Astrologian – requires the expansion Heavensward
Seer – requires the expansion Endwalker
The jobs starting at higher levels require you to have another class or job at that level.
Important: Each job has its own rotation. This refers to the ideal sequence of abilities. The current max level encompasses your currently ideal rotation. At the moment, that’s level 90. Therefore, it can be the case that jobs at lower levels feel incomplete or sluggish to play.
Another combat class is the Blue Mage, a so-called Limited Job. It has its own unique playstyle: You have to defeat monsters, collect their abilities, and thus tackle the regular content with other Blue Mages.
If you want to read more about it, you can do so in our guide.
In Dawntrail, two new attacker jobs will be implemented: The Viper and the Pictomancer. Here you can see the trailer for Viper:
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Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail – Gameplay of the new job Viper
What content do you engage with your character? Your main task at the beginning of the game is to play the story. This starts in one of three possible cities, which depends on your choice of the first class.
In the Sultanate of Uld’ah, the Gladiators, Fist Fighters, and Thaumaturges begin. The Woodlands of Gridania are home to the Pikemen, Rangers, and Druids. The former pirate enclave Limsa Lominsa, on the other hand, is the starting point for the Ravagers, Rogues, and Invokers.
The main story of Final Fantasy 14 starts as a tutorial and gradually unlocks many of the combat contents or access to them:
Dungeons (up to 4 players)
Raids (for 4, 8, 24, or 48 players) in various difficulty levels
Ultimate Content
Boss Fights (for 4 or 8 players)
PvP
Besides the combat content, you can engage in many peaceful activities as expected from a theme park MMO:
Crafting, with three own collector classes and eight crafting classes to level up
The in-game casino
The photo mode
Bard compositions
Housing
Treasure maps
The game is expanded with new content approximately every four months with a patch. A complete enumeration of all possible content is therefore difficult.
How does Final Fantasy 14 get financed? The MMORPG is currently pay-to-play. That means you have to pay once for the game itself to own it. After that, a monthly subscription fee applies.
The base game is available separately, and with the purchase of the current expansion, you can retrofit all previous content. However, Square Enix also offers a bundle.
In addition to the price for the game, there is also a shop that is not in the game itself. There, non-essential items are offered, such as certain NPC costumes, funny mounts, or seasonal items from past years. The only connection to the game is that you can try on the purchasable clothing in the game.
Final Fantasy in 2024 – is it still worth getting into, and if so, for whom?
Final Fantasy 14 in its current form has now proudly reached 10 years. If you count the time since the initial release of the failed version 1.0, we are already nearing 14 years by 2024. That’s a lot of time during which much content can become very irrelevant.
So, is it still worth facing the mountain of content in 2024? Here, we answer the most important questions in detail.
Final Fantasy 14 is praised for its great community, which is usually really great.
Is the content of Final Fantasy 14 still relevant? The content of Final Fantasy 14 may have appeared in 2013, 2016, and 2019, but they are still current. Because you play the main story while leveling up, which unlocks most of the content, you usually have exactly the right level and the right gear for the respective content.
If you enter a dungeon or a raid that is below your level, you will be automatically “synced” to the appropriate max level during a regular run. This means that your level 90 character will only have that level and the associated abilities in level 60 content.
This ensures that even outdated content does not lose its appeal. If you follow the story, you can also track the continuous evolution of the content: With each expansion and every patch, there were new contents with new mechanics and effects.
This also means that you keep learning the possible boss mechanics. So, it can happen that you are in the current endgame at level 90, and the boss suddenly throws mechanics at you from a level 70 raid.
Dungeons, boss fights, and raids are thus still challenging even before reaching the current endgame.
Can you still play the story in its entirety? Indeed, yes! The story is told chronologically from the base game to the latest expansion. There is, therefore, a red thread running through the entire game.
Moreover, the exciting story of Final Fantasy is definitely worth playing:
Your character starts at level 1 as a simple adventurer in the land of Eorzea, as just one of many seeking their fortune. As you level up, you make a name for yourself in the entire region and attract the attention of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn.
This group, consisting of scientists, researchers, and fighters, has made it their mission to help the world of Eorzea resolve its conflicts. Since you can face the game’s boss opponents, known as Primals, without being influenced by them, the Scions quickly recruit you.
The Scions of the Seventh Dawn quickly become your most important allies and later your best friends.
Besides the Primals, you also have to defend against another threat: The Garlean Empire. This technologically advanced empire is doing everything it can to colonize Eorzea – a proposition that no one there wants.
And that’s just the beginning of the story in the base game, where you undertake a great hero’s journey. Then it continues into the expansions Heavensward, Stormblood, Shadowbringers, and Endwalker.
With the new expansion Dawntrail, you will finally start a completely new story with your NPC allies.
Is Final Fantasy 14 still being updated? Currently, Final Fantasy 14 is facing a longer break: On January 15, 2024, Patch 6.55 will be released, likely the last major update for Endwalker before the launch of the new expansion Dawntrail in summer 2024. After the release, regular updates will continue in a 4-month rhythm.
There is thus enough time to play through all previous content punctually for the release of the expansion. Additionally, many long-term players will be catching up on pending content during this time. So, there are usually enough players online to play all MMORPG content together.
On the other hand, if you want little to no contact with other players, you’ll be happy: The developers focused heavily on optimizing the main content of the game for single players in the patches for Endwalker. This means you can now tackle most dungeons and boss opponents with just your character and NPC support.
Whether you are a traditional MMORPG player or a single player – starting in Final Fantasy 14 is a worthwhile venture for anyone who is considering the game.
Here are some impressions from dungeons with NPCs:
How to get started in Final Fantasy 14 in 2024?
You have several options for playing Final Fantasy 14. First, you need to choose your desired platform, subscription model, and whether the story interests you or not.
On which platforms can you play the game? Final Fantasy 14 is playable on the following platforms.
The save files are mostly cross-compatible, and you can play the same character with an account across all platforms. Only the Steam version currently cannot be linked.
It is also important to note that Final Fantasy 14 is an online game. An active internet connection is thus needed not only for updates but also to play.
What subscription models are available? Before purchasing the game, you can start with the free trial version. This includes almost all content up to the end of the Stormblood expansion. You can play this for as long as you like and do not have to pay a subscription fee.
In the trial version, you can play most of the content. However, you can only access many social features like the market board and Free Companies (the game’s guilds) with the full version.
If you like the game, you can purchase it on your desired platform. The Square Enix store offers several variants, including just the base game, a complete edition, or the current expansion separately.
Currently, Final Fantasy 14 is no longer sold physically on discs. However, at a well-stocked retailer of your choice, you might still be able to grab one of the stylish PC or PS4 disc versions.
What if I don’t feel like the obligatory main story? There’s also a good solution for players who primarily want to engage with dungeons and raid content. While you will not completely avoid story content, with one of the adventure stories, you can catapult yourself to level 80 and start directly with the current Endwalker content.
Final Fantasy 14 has one of the best stories in the series, but story is simply not everyone’s cup of tea.
In the settings, you can also set the automatic skipping of cutscenes. This way, you are fastest in the current endgame. Of course, you can still do all previous content, as they are mostly unlocked through adventure stories.
To use the items, you need the full version of Final Fantasy 14. You can purchase it in the game’s online store. If you want to start directly in Endwalker, go for the adventure stories: Shadowbringers.
Note: Your character will still be level 1, not level 80. You can either manually level him up via grind or buy a second adventure story that allows you to skip leveling.
My conclusion: Why you should play Final Fantasy 14
Ultimately, I can and want to recommend Final Fantasy 14 to everyone. I have been playing it continuously for 7 years and can say: There is suitable content for everyone, and always something to level up or achieve. The game was also my first MMORPG ever.
My character at level 1 vs …… my character at level 90.
I have worked through various jobs, leveled almost all crafting and gathering classes to level 90, and regularly play both alone and with friends. While I am currently not completely up-to-date with the story and am stuck on patch 6.3 before the dungeon. This is because I have been playing a lot of Baldur’s Gate 3 recently.
I always have fun in Final Fantasy 14 and never feel bored.
If you ever feel like taking a break, you can pause the subscription and go online again for the next exciting patch. This is also what director and producer Naoki Yoshida wishes. He said years ago in an interview that players should also play other games so as not to burn out in Final Fantasy 14.
Actually, players are currently worrying more about the MMORPG. However, these concerns are actually rather unfounded. Here’s more on the topic:
My personal tip for everyone who is Final-Fantasy-14-curious: Get the free trial version now and try out the game. If you don’t like it, simply uninstall it and you won’t have spent a cent.
And if you’re having fun, play until you’ve finished all the content of the trial version. Then invest in a version of your choice. This way, you can easily get 2 to 3 months of playtime for free.
Now is also the best time to catch up on and recover content. If you start now, you can play all the important content at a relaxed pace and be up to date by the release of Dawntrail in summer.
By the way, I am planning to start over with the game myself. Since my start in 2016, the developers have significantly streamlined and simplified the early-game and leveling experience. I will share my impressions about this soon.
Will you take a look at Final Fantasy 14 soon? Are you looking forward to Dawntrail? Let us know your comments.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
