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.
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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?
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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:
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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.
The former “League of Legends” professional and top laner Dyrus has revealed that his former team TSM did not pay him any salary.
Who is this about?
Marcus “Dyrus” Hill (31) is a former professional player of League of Legends, who was active on the top lane for TSM and before that for Epik Gamer.
Dyrus gained special fame during his time with the US esports organization TSM (March 2012 to October 2015), where he won 3x the NA LCS and the IEM World Championship Season IX alongside Bjergsen.
Anyone who has been active in the LoL scene for a long time may remember the pillow that Dyrus took to some tournaments.
In October 2015, Dyrus ended his career as a LoL esports player and subsequently worked as a streamer for TSM until 2017.
At the beginning of 2024, Dyrus agreed to answer some questions on X.com (formerly Twitter) that his followers could ask him. He provided interesting insights into the salary he earned during his time at TSM.
The LoL anime Arcane recently released a teaser trailer for the second season. You can watch it here:
Start video
Arcane: Season 2: First Look of the Netflix series
“I did not receive a paycheck”
What exactly does Dyrus say? On January 3, Dyrus answered several questions on X.com that his followers asked him. One user wanted to know what the highest salary Dyrus earned during his time at TSM was.
To the surprise of his followers, Dyrus replied that he did not receive a salary from TSM: “I did not receive a paycheck; everything was funded through streaming.”
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However, Dyrus then added that he had forgotten about the tournament winnings. According to esportsearnings.com, that’s 158,973.97 US dollars, which he earned over 49 tournaments and 5 years of professional play.
However, according to Dyrus, that was still not much money and Riot Games only started awarding large prize pools at tournaments after his retirement.
According to esportsearnings.com, Dyrus earned the most money by winning the IEM World Championship Season IX. That was nearly 21,700 US dollars.
Did Dyrus provide any other interesting insights? Yes, the ex-professional explained, for example, how it happened that he took a pillow to the stage at tournaments. It was not a conscious decision, and he simply went with the “flow”.
He also explains how he managed to avoid burning out from all the training sessions, etc., during his professional time. He loved the game enough to play it for more than 12 hours a day. Nevertheless, he believes he should have retired a year earlier.
One who is not thinking about retirement is the “Unkillable Demon King” Faker. The four-time world champion recently explained that his goal is not to make money but to learn and grow even more:
The third season of 7 vs. Wild continues to face criticism. Now, Papaplatte has expressed his disappointment and reveals that his team’s location was leaked by an employee on social media shortly after the drop.
In the past 90 days, Papaplatte averaged over 20,000 viewers.
In his streams, he showcases a variety of games alongside the “Just Chatting” category and reaction content. These include titles like Minecraft, Fortnite, as well as Elden Ring, Lies of P and Escape from Tarkov.
From the Witness Stand with Barbara Salesch to the King of Twitch – Career and Life of Knossi
“The days before were the real survival”
What does Papaplatte say? During a Twitch stream, Papaplatte spoke disappointedly about the third season of 7 vs. Wild, even reaching the devastating conclusion: “The organization and the days before were the real survival. I’m telling you, real talk. What happened in the background, brother, is truly wild.”
Prior, the 27-year-old reported that on Day 1, shortly after the drop, the location where Papaplatte and team member Reeze were during the season had been leaked on social media.
According to him, an employee responsible for security on site posted a photo of the helicopter, including its registration number, in his Instagram story. Thanks to this photo, some viewers managed to check the helicopter’s flight route and determine where the team was dropped, the streamer elaborates.
Additionally, Papaplatte reported that there were some people on site who were following the participants. These individuals theoretically could have walked to the team’s spot. This did not sit well with the streamer, who emphasizes: “We couldn’t have done anything. We were 0 safe.”
In this YouTube video, you can listen to Papaplatte’s statements (about from minute 05:00):
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Papaplatte explains in a stream how his spot at 7 vs. Wild was leaked (about from minute 05:00)
Continual criticism of the production: The leak of the location of Papaplatte and Reeze is not the only disappointment in the third season of 7 vs. Wild. The production and overall organization of the survival series have disappointed many fans this year.
However, both Reeze and Papaplatte had already expressed negative opinions about the organization of the season about 1.5 months ago. It was chaotic and poorly thought out. The two have already ruled out a re-participation:
Sony released an annual outlook showcasing the best new games for the Playstation 5. Among them were Metal Gear Solid Delta and Silent Hill 2. This indirectly announced the release year for both highly anticipated remakes.
So far, “Metal Gear Solid” fans have been left in the dark about when the remake of the well-known Konami classic would finally launch. The same applied to players who have been eagerly waiting for Silent Hill 2.
Now, both games, along with several other titles, made an appearance in the Playstation annual preview for the year 2024, so fans can expect to enjoy the long-awaited remakes this year.
Here you can see the Playstation annual outlook yourself:
Start video
Upcoming Games in 2024 | PS5 Games
These are the two remakes of the PS hits
What kind of game is Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater? Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater is the remake of a Konami classic for the PS2 from 2004 and comes from video game creator Hideo Kojima, known for his complex and cinematic games.
In the game, you play as the soldier Snake, who is sent on a mission to the jungle during the Cold War to prevent the deployment of a destructive weapon.
You must sneak past enemies stealthily and ensure your survival in the hostile environment by taking care of wounds or setting traps.
What kind of game is Silent Hill 2? This is also a remake of a Konami classic. The survival and horror game was released in 2001 for the PS2.
In the remake, you once again take on the role of James Sunderland, who receives a letter from his deceased wife Mary. He is to go to Silent Hill. However, upon arrival, he finds a ghost town full of monsters.
In this horror game, you then solve the mystery surrounding Mary and the strange place while avoiding various creepy creatures.
What PS5 highlights are still coming this year? Aside from the two mentioned highly anticipated titles, the following games are also shown in the video:
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Helldivers 2
Tekken 8
Stellar Blade
Rise of the Ronin
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Concord
Pacific Drive
Dragon’s Dogma 2
Forever Skies
The Plucky Squire
Foamstars
The Casting of Frank Stone
The Last of Us Part II Remastered
Which PS5 game are you particularly looking forward to this year? Feel free to let us know in the comments.
Here you can find a clip from Sony that looked ahead to the year 2078:
A reddit user discovered a platinum medal in Pokémon GO that seems almost impossible to achieve. Because it takes a full 12 years to earn this achievement.
What are medals? Medals are special achievements that players can earn in Pokémon Go by reaching certain milestones.
For example, there are awards for distances traveled, caught pocket monsters, or special actions. Each medal has four different tiers: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
Additionally, some of these tiers unlock certain bonuses, such as higher success chances when catching a specific type of Pokémon (via Niantic).
Start video
Pokémon GO shows the new season “Timeless Travels” in the trailer
What achievement is it about? User throwupandaway71 recently posted a screenshot showing a special achievement in Pokémon GO.
The platinum medal is titled “Ultra Hero”. To earn it, players must defeat the Team GO Rocket Boss Giovanni a total of 50 times.
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This may not sound too tragic at first, but as the user correctly asks, the boss can only be fought in the game every 3 months.
The Reddit user g_pelly mentioned that he has fought against Giovanni every time since the launch of the boss whenever he saw him. But with only 21 victories, he hasn’t even reached half of the achievement yet.
How do you fight Giovanni? To challenge the big Rocket boss, you need to use the Super Rocket Radar to locate him.
Activision Blizzard must once again face serious allegations. A former employee accuses the company of discriminating against him as an “old white man.”
What is the allegation? According to a lawsuit dated January 2, 2024, which is filed with the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles, former “Activision Blizzard” employee James Reid Venable accuses the company of discriminating against him because he is an “old white man.”
The indictment states:
The defendants of Activision retaliated and discriminated against the plaintiff by considering his age in the selection of the plaintiff for termination and retaliated against the plaintiff shortly after he filed a discrimination complaint with the company’s Human Resources Manager. The reason given by Activision for the termination is a pretext. The plaintiff has suffered economic damage and emotional distress due to Activision’s unlawful conduct.
Furthermore, former CEO of “Activision Blizzard” Bobby Kotick allegedly said at an executives’ conference that Activision Blizzard’s issue is that they have “too many old white men” and need to hire more young and differently colored people.
Shortly thereafter, two older, white employees reportedly left the company. One of them was Venable’s supervisor. However, he had still recommended Venable for a promotion before leaving the company. But instead of Venable, Activision promoted Jonathan Lee, a “substantially younger” and “non-white employee.”
The lawsuit is available to the New York news site Law360. The corresponding excerpts from the document can be seen here:
Complaint Venable vs. Activision Blizzard via Law360Complaint Venable vs. Activision Blizzard via Law360Complaint Venable vs. Activision Blizzard via Law360
Accordingly, women were reportedly paid less for the same jobs and the top positions in the company were primarily held by white men.
Additionally, women at Activision Blizzard were said to have been sexually harassed. However, former CEO Bobby Kotick denied this in a March 2023 interview and stated that investigations had been conducted and there was never a systemic problem with harassment:
Netflix released the first teaser for the 2nd season of the popular animated series Arcane. Fans are thrilled and can hardly wait to dive back into the world of League of Legends three years after the first season.
In 2021, the first season of Arcane captured the hearts of fans. This year, the successful series on Netflix is finally continuing.
Yesterday, on January 5, 2024, a first small teaser was released that sparked fan excitement and reminded them how good the first season was.
Here you can see the first teaser for Arcane Season 2:
Start video
Arcane: Season 2: First Look of the Netflix series
What does the community say about the teaser? Under the Youtube video, there are numerous comments from happy fans who can hardly wait to see the new season of Arcane.
Many users rave about how great the first season of the “League of Legends” series was. For example, @zmollon says: “If season 2 is even half as good as season 1, it will be fantastic and one of the best animated series of all time.”
Also @jacobdirkin5730 expresses excitement: “My most anticipated series of the year! The first season was absolutely stunning. I can hardly wait to see what you have in store for us next!”
Some users are discussing the content of the teaser. One user notes that there is no trace of Vi and Jinx in the clip, but Vander and Singed may be more in the foreground of the continuation.
Furthermore, @batmanvsjoker7725 writes: “I already feel like season 2 is going to be somehow even darker than season 1. And Warwick looks damn terrifying. I’m so excited.”
YouTuber Ludwig Ahgren has gone to great lengths to appear smarter on Twitch than he actually is. His goal was to defeat the clever Twitch streamer Northernlion in a quiz competition. He was willing to use any means possible.
What was his goal?
The YouTuber Ludwig Ahgren (known for his legendary subathon) wanted to beat Twitch streamer Northernlion in a riddle duel.
The Canadian is regarded as a smart cookie on Twitch, often solving puzzle games.
Ludwig wanted to gain an unfair advantage and devised an absurdly complicated plan to cheat cleverly.
Other cheaters are not as popular:
Start video
17-year-old is banned from Fortnite, cries in front of 20 million people, uses it for his YouTube career
YouTuber secretly develops his own game and makes it popular on Twitch
This was the effort Ludwig made: Ludwig had one of his employees program his own online quiz: “Dop*ple.” In the game, players viewed a digital medium and had to guess the year and month the medium was released.
Then he ensured that some Twitch streamers, whom he knew Northernlion was watching, played this game in their streams. Ludwig himself played it, but not on his YouTube livestream, rather at his good friend Fuslie’s stream.
And indeed: Northernlion took the bait and played Dop*ple, unaware that Ludwig was behind it.
Finally, Ludwig challenged his opponent Northernlion to a comprehensive quiz duel, suggesting his own game “Dop*ple” as one of the games they would duel in.
How did the plan go? Well, this exaggerated effort to develop his own game, over which he had full control, only partially paid off for Ludwig. Because ultimately, Ludwig didn’t want to cheat too badly, but merely ensured that he had a slight advantage in “Dop*ple” because the game’s topic of the day, France, particularly suited him.
Ludwig’s mother is French, constantly texts him about France, and therefore he thought he had comprehensive knowledge that Northernlion lacked.
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Ludwig was indeed able to win the Dop*ple match against Northernlion by a narrow margin. But that was just one game out of a total of 14 games they competed in. In the end, the quiz expert still won with 8-6.
The conclusion from Ludwig: Instead of investing so much time into cheating, he should have learned the countries of Central America. Then he would have won.
How is this being commented on? People generally thought it was great that such a big YouTuber as Ludwig brought the relatively small streamer Northernlion into the spotlight.
People have somewhat gotten used to Ludwig and his “brilliantly evil master plans.” One user said: “Ludwig actually created a trivia game to look smarter in the stream than he is. The guy is truly crazy.”
Actress Amber Heard has been relatively quiet lately after losing the court case against Johnny Depp. However, she recently reached out to her fans on the occasion of the cinema release of Aquaman: Lost Kingdom.
This has happened around Amber Heard recently:
The court case between Amber Heard and her ex-husband Johnny Depp last year was widely covered in the media.
In the end, the actress lost the case and had to pay Johnny Depp over 10 million dollars in damages for defamation.
She had accused him of committing domestic violence against her, which the court found had harmed his career.
Here you can see a trailer for Aquaman: Lost Kingdom:
Start video
English trailer for ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’
Amber Heard thanks her fans
Yesterday, on January 4, 2024, the actress posted three photos on Instagram. In them, she is seen with her red wig portraying the character Mera, her role in the Aquaman films.
After Aquaman’s sequel was released in theaters on December 21, 2023, Amber Heard has now thanked her fans for the support and love shown to her character’s return. She writes:
“After all this time, Aquaman 2 has splashed into cinemas (sorry, that’s too easy). Thank you to all my fans for the overwhelming support and love for Mera’s AQ return. I appreciate you so much.”
However, Amber Heard received very little screen time in the new Aquaman film and is only seen in a few scenes.
As Moviepilot reported even before the film’s release, DC head Walter Hamada stated that the actress was originally supposed to be completely cut from The Lost Kingdom.
The reason for this was the lack of chemistry between her and the lead actor. This was not unusual, and typically it can be fixed with clever editing.
However, in the case of Heard and Momoa, it was more difficult than expected, and even the post-production department found it challenging.
In the end, she was allowed to return for the second Aquaman film because her management, as well as director James Wan and leading actor Jason Momoa, advocated for her.
After the quiet turn of the year, there are now plenty of reports in the MMORPG genre. This week, the focus in the world of MMORPGs was primarily on money. MeinMMO summarizes the most important news of the week.
In contrast, the MMORPG company Nexon has confirmed that it has indeed unlawfully taken money from players. In their game MapleStory, false probabilities for loot boxes were reported for 10 years. The company now has to pay a record sum of 8.1 million euros, but has earned 383.5 million euros from the loot boxes over 11 years.
What else happened? Also at The Quinfall, the focus is on money. Players warn that the MMORPG could be a scam. Only selected players are allowed in the closed beta, and a fee is to be charged for the open beta.
Some fans therefore advise being cautious with the MMORPG. To them, the developer studio does not seem trustworthy enough due to AI support, assets, a small number of employees, and only minor communication.
This is how the development team advertises their MMORPG The Quinfall:
Start video
The Quinfall – Alpha-Trailer
Money is also involved with other MMORPGs
This is what happened with the major MMORPGs:
In World of Warcraft, there is a new vendor selling exclusive weapon skins and a golden mount. However, the prices are quite steep: You have to spend over 2,000,000 gold to obtain the legendary treasures.
For Final Fantasy XIV, the Dawntrail expansion is set to release in 2024, for which a fee will also be charged. After that, the development team at Square Enix promised to attend to more features. Players can expect a lot of new features there.
This month, there are also two different in-game events in Star Wars: The Old Republic. The first event Relics of the Gree starts on January 9, 2024. The second event The Pirate Incursion is set to follow on January 23 (via mmorpg.com).
This is what happened with MMORPGs in development:
Magic to Master is a new MMORPG, which takes a similar direction as Metin 2. It visually orientates itself on far eastern aesthetics and offers 4 classes. The title is set to release on Steam soon.
Chrono Odyssey claims to offer a true next-gen experience. Unfortunately, the developers have remained tight-lipped so far and only occasionally release new screenshots or small videos of the MMORPG. When the next information will come is unclear (via massivelyop.com).
With that, we have summarized everything important that happened this week in the world of MMORPGs.
What did you enjoy this week? What annoyed you? Feel free to write it in the comments at MeinMMO. If you are looking for new MMORPGs in 2024, the following list might be helpful for you:
On Saturday, January 6, 2024, the Community Day with Bauz takes place in Pokémon GO. In the shop, there is a ticket for about €1. We will show you what’s inside.
What kind of ticket is this? The ticket is called “Featherlight” and gives you an optional special research for the Community Day with Bauz. It costs €0.99 in the shop.
The event runs on January 6, 2024, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. With the ticket, you will receive additional research steps related to the Pokémon Bauz, allowing you to earn some rewards.
Since the event has already started in other time zones, the research steps are already known. To help you assess whether the ticket is right for you, we summarize all steps and rewards here using the overview from LeekDuck.
Research “Featherlight” for Community Day with Bauz – 1/4
Task
Reward
Land 5 good throws
15 Poké Balls
Catch 15 Bauz
Bauz encounter
Make 10 Power-Ups on Pokémon
20 Bauz candies
Stage reward: After completing Stage 1, you will receive 3,000 Stardust, a Bauz encounter, and a smoke.
Research “Featherlight” for Community Day with Bauz – 2/4
Task
Reward
Send 10 Pokémon
10 Sananabeeren
Catch 15 Bauz
Bauz encounter
Evolve 3 Bauz
30 Bauz candies
Stage reward: You will receive 4,500 XP, a Bauz encounter, and a Star Piece.
Research “Featherlight” for Community Day with Bauz – 3/4
Task
Reward
Land 3 great curveball throws
15 Ultra Balls
Catch 15 Bauz
Bauz encounter
Evolve 1 Aboretoss
50 Bauz candies
Stage reward: After Stage 3, you will get 4,500 Stardust, an Arboretoss encounter, and a Rocket Radar.
Research “Featherlight” for Community Day with Bauz – 4/4
Task
Reward
Already completed!
15 Hyper Balls
Already completed!
Bauz encounter
Already completed!
2 silver Sananabeeren
Stage reward: In Stage 4, you don’t have to do anything anymore, just collect the rewards. On top of that, you will receive the stage rewards: 5,500 XP, a Silvarro encounter, and 3 special candies.
Start video
Pokémon GO shows the new season “Timeless Travels” in the trailer
Who is the ticket worthwhile for? Generally, it is not necessary to buy the ticket to play the Community Day itself. The event is free; with the research, you will only receive some additional items as well as XP, Stardust, and encounters with the Bauz family.
The items exceed the value of one euro if you were to buy them for real money in the shop. At the same time, you can also earn the coins for this in-game, or win the Rocket Radar from the Rocket Bosses.
In summary: The ticket is especially worthwhile if you wanted to buy items anyway or want to receive some bonuses for the Bauz candies and extra items. If you just want to catch and evolve the event monster, it is sufficient to play the Community Day.
In Pokémon GO, the special research “Timeless Travels” continues. We will show you the now known steps 5 to 8 in the overview.
What kind of research is this? The special research “Timeless Travels” has been given to all players in December 2023 as part of the season of the same name in Pokémon GO.
The research has a total of 14 chapters, but not all of them have been unlocked yet. Instead, they are being released gradually into the game. This is also the case for “Timeless Travels”. The latest section of the research will be released with the start of the event “White Odyssey” on January 6, 2024, at 10:00 AM.
As some players have already been able to play the research due to time differences, the new steps are now known. We summarize them for you with the overview from LeekDuck.
Start video
Pokémon GO shows the new season “Timeless Travels” in the trailer
Timeless Travels 5/14
Task
Reward
Hatch 3 eggs
5 Razz Berries
Do 10 Power-Ups on Pokémon
15 Pokéballs
Walk 10 kilometers
5 Sanan Berries
Stage Reward: You will receive 1,000 XP, 750 Stardust, and an incubator after completing this step.
Timeless Travels 6/14
Task
Reward
Complete 10 Field Research tasks
2,500 XP
Do 10 Power-Ups on Pokémon
10 Revives
Earn 15 Hearts with your Buddy
2,500 Stardust
Stage Reward: You will receive 2,500 XP, 750 Stardust, and an encounter with Rockruff for this stage. The encounter with Rockruff also has a chance to get a specimen that can evolve into Midnight Lycanroc – but this is not guaranteed. The “normal” form of Rockruff is also likely a possible encounter.
Timeless Travels 7/14
Task
Reward
Catch 25 Pokémon
15 Ultra Balls
Use 25 Berries to catch Pokémon
3 Charged TMs
Catch 20 different species of Pokémon
3 Silver Sanan Berries
Stage Reward: Here you get 3,000 XP, 1,000 Stardust, and a Premium Battle Pass.
What’s next: Once you reach stage 9 of 14, you will no longer receive tasks there, but only the message that the professor is working on the research and will return soon. This means you have completed the research as far as possible for now.
In Destiny 2 there is trouble over a modifier in the new activity “The Coil,” which is perceived as “unfair to solo players.” The frustration is high at Christmas.
Update from January 6, 2024: As Bungie announced on the evening of January 5 via X/Twitter, the company has taken player criticism into account. The developer will therefore remove “Togetherness” from the modifier rotation for the activity with the next update on Tuesday, January 9, so it will no longer be active in the future.
What bothers the Guardians at Christmas?
With the “Season of the Witch,” a new seasonal activity came to Destiny 2: “The Coil.”
For solo players, the activity is a true highlight; with some “rogue-lite” elements, it promises replayability and a challenge. Overall, the activity is praised by the Destiny community.
The Coil is also a pleasant activity for “normal players,” where one can gradually improve and contribute. Especially for solo players, it represents a welcome change and motivation. But there is a catch.
Start video
Destiny 2: Season 23 sends the Guardians for a Last Wish to the Dragon’s Lair
Hate modifier ruins players’ Christmas in Destiny 2
The modifier causes health regeneration to be reduced unless one stays close to a team member.
However, if one goes into the activity solo, it means that one cannot properly regenerate health, making the activity completely unnecessary, laborious, cruel, indeed almost unplayable for solo players.
This is the complaint: For a Reddit user, the situation showing that this modification is active right at Christmas indicates that Bungie simply does not care about the actual game.
The modifier punishes solo players and discriminates against them. All other modifiers are sensible and okay, but “Togetherness” breaks the game for solo players.
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Players agree: Modifier is annoying, buggy, needs to go
What others say: Overall, “Togetherness” seems to be an absolute hate object in Destiny 2. Even in a team, it’s said to be a “crappy modifier” on Reddit.
The modifier feels frustrating and buggy, even when one stands next to team members, it seems like health regeneration takes forever to kick in.
One user explains: The modifier is actually buggy; you’ll only be rid of it when you take damage while standing next to a team member.
In any case, it seems that Bungie is playing the Grinch here at Christmas.
On Saturday, January 6, 2024, the Community Day featuring Rowlet will take place in Pokémon GO. We will show you what content and bonuses await you and how to make the most of the event.
What kind of event is this? The monthly Community Day always focuses on a specific Pokémon. This Pokémon appears in very high numbers, giving you the opportunity to catch many specimens and candy.
This Community Day revolves around Rowlet. It is a Pokémon from Generation 7, which has the types Grass and Flying. It can evolve into Dartrix and then into Decidueye.
Can Rowlet appear as a Shiny? Yes, during the Community Day you can encounter Rowlet as Shiny. The chance of finding a Shiny specimen is significantly increased during this event.
Trailer for the current season Timeless Journeys.
Start video
Pokémon GO shows the new season “Timeless Travels” in the trailer
Community Day in January with Rowlet – Start & Event Bonuses
What? Community Day with Rowlet When? Saturday, January 6, 2024 – From 14:00 to 17:00 Exclusive move: Flora Statue for Decidueye if you evolve it by 22:00 Bonuses: – Increased Shiny chance for Rowlet – Triple catch Stardust – Double catch candy – Double the chance for XL candy from level 31 – Lures and Incense last 3 hours (not the daily adventure incense) – Snapshot surprises – Field research featuring Rowlet – PokéStop Showcases featuring Rowlet
Bonuses until 22:00 local time: – One additional special trade – 50% reduced Stardust cost for trading
Additional content during the Community Day: As is customary for Community Days, you can participate in 4*-raids featuring Rowlet from 17:00 to 22:00 following the Community Day. If you defeat such a raid, additional Rowlet will appear around the gym for 30 minutes, which also have an increased Shiny chance.
Additionally, there will also be a special research for about 1 € focusing on Rowlet. As soon as the contents of this special research are revealed, we will inform you about it.
Who is Rowlet worthwhile for?
For collectors: If Rowlet and its evolutions have not yet found their way into your Pokédex, this event is the perfect opportunity to catch up. If you are a Shiny collector, you should also pay attention to the Community Day, as you will hardly get a better chance to obtain Rowlet and its evolutionary forms in their Shiny form.
For battlers: Decidueye, Rowlet’s final evolution, unfortunately does not play a significant role as an attacker in raids. It is not one of the best attackers of its type in Pokémon GO.
Decidueye also does not play a big role in the battle leagues. It is a decent Pokémon for the Great and Ultra League but is outperformed by many other Pokémon you should better invest in.
How to prepare for the Community Day in January 2024
Make space: Make sure you have enough space in your Pokémon storage for the event. This way, you won’t have to constantly send Pokémon during the Community Day to catch more specimens.
Prepare items: There are several items that can help you make the most of the Community Day. These include:
Enough Poké Balls: No balls – no catch. Make sure you have enough Poké Balls saved up so that you do not suddenly find yourself without any during the Community Day. How to obtain Poké Balls in Pokémon GO is something we would be happy to show you.
Pinap Berries: Using Pinap Berries doubles the candy you receive when catching a Rowlet. Since the catch candy is already doubled during the event, you can receive quadruple candy per catch with Pinap Berries.
Incense and Lure Module: Both items increase the number of Pokémon you encounter. Since these items last a full 3 hours during the Community Day, it is worth using them.
Which Mega Pokémon should I activate? If you have activated a Mega Pokémon, you will receive an additional candy bonus when catching Pokémon that match the type of the Mega Pokémon.
Since Rowlet has the types Grass and Flying, you should have one of the following Mega Evolutions active during the Community Day if you have the opportunity:
Mega Sceptile
Mega Venusaur
Mega Rayquaza
Mega Pidgeot
This way, you can further increase the amount of candy you receive when catching.
The event “White Odyssey” in Pokémon GO starts on the weekend. It brings a new evolution as well as bonuses.
When does “White Odyssey” start? The event starts on Saturday, January 6, 2024, at 10:00 AM local time. It will run until Wednesday, January 10, 2024, at 8:00 PM local time.
What is the most important aspect of the event? It is likely the debut of the Dusk Form of Lycanroc. This is an additional evolution of the Pokémon Wuffels, which has been in the game for a while. However, there is an important point that trainers should note.
Only “some” Wuffels that trainers catch or hatch starting from the event can evolve into the Dusk Form instead of the previously known Day and Night Forms. Therefore, it can be assumed that previously caught Wuffels will not qualify for the Dusk Form and new ones are also not guaranteed.
During the event, Wuffels appears in level 1 raids, in 2km and 7km eggs, and in field research.
What bonuses will be available? In addition to the new evolution, you will find three bonuses in the game that revolve around your buddy Pokémon.
They will give you souvenirs more often.
They will also bring you more gifts, which means more items for you.
They will appear longer on the map when you feed them berries or snacks. So you have more time to collect hearts with them.
With this article, Xur from Destiny 2 has also arrived in the new year. MyMMO is once again on the hunt for the mysterious merchant to inform you of where he has landed and which exotic weapons and armor he has on offer this time.
What happened this week in Destiny? The new year in Destiny 2 kicked off with exciting developments and controversial discussions among the Guardians.
Another hotly debated topic concerns the significance of finishers in Destiny 2. It is clear that choosing the right finisher is not just limited to stylish animations, but can also offer strategic advantages and tactical synergies.
The community is, however, divided when it comes to the future of the most important PvP event, the Trials. Some Guardians are pushing for Bungie to save the PvP event to maintain the player base. On the other hand, there are voices that suspect that a possible salvation of the Trials could merely serve to find easier opponents and thus simplify the game.
After taking a look at the current discussions and developments in the world of Destiny 2, we now turn to the mysterious agent of the Nine: Xur.
Start video
Become Geralt of Rivia in the Season of the Wish of Destiny 2
All info on Xur on January 5, 2024 – PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S
When does Xur come? He appears in Destiny 2 weekly on Fridays at 6:00 PM and remains present in the game world until the following Tuesday at 6:00 PM. During this time, Guardians from around the world can visit his store and purchase exotic items.
Where is Xur? This is his warehouse for the weekend
Xur’s position: After the reset at 6:00 PM, the search begins and players fly to Xur’s possible locations. The MyMMO editorial team is on it and will tell you where you need to look.
Here is where Xur is located: European Dead Zone, Twisted Cove
Look for Xur in the European Dead Zone
Xur’s inventory from January 5 to 9 – All Exotics at a glance
What does Xur have on offer? Xur offers a wide selection of exotic gear and weapons on behalf of the Nine, which he sells only in Season 23 for Legendary Shards to all Guardians.
His inventory changes weekly and particularly offers new players the opportunity to improve their skills through the use of Exotics and prepare faster for the challenges in Destiny 2.
This is Xur’s offer
Xur’s inventory from January 5 to 9.
Weapon: Monte Carlo – Auto rifle for 29 Legendary Shards
Hunter: Sealed Ahamkara Grasps – Gauntlets for 23 Legendary Shards
Mobility: +15
Resilience: +8
Recovery: +10
Discipline: +10
Intellect: +15
Strength: +6
Total: 64
Titan: Ursa Furiosa – Gauntlets for 23 Legendary Shards
Mobility: +15
Resilience: +4
Recovery: +15
Discipline: +13
Intellect: +17
Strength: +2
Total: 66
Warlock: Ophidian Aspect – Gauntlets for 23 Legendary Shards
Mobility: +3
Resilience: +29
Recovery: +3
Discipline: +12
Intellect: +10
Strength: +10
Total: 67
Legendary Armor Set: “Prefect” Set
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In addition to the regular offer, Xur sells unique rolls for Exotics from no longer available exotic missions from past DLCs. However, you can only buy these weapons from Xur if you also own the corresponding expansion.
Currently, he has one weapon on offer:
The exotic hand cannon “Fatebringer” (Beyond Light DLC) with Snapshot site.
The outbreak rages in the Iron Banner
Celebrate “Outbreak” with Lord Saladin at the Iron Banner event.
What’s happening this week in the Iron Banner? This time, Bungie has stuck with the mode and has not switched back to Control. You can still play Outbreak in the Iron Banner. A “Call of Duty” interpretation of killstreaks for Destiny 2.
Just like in “Clash”, you earn points for your kills in “Outbreak”. This pushes your Space abilities significantly. Kills give you and your team ability energy. This increases if you manage to take out a series of opponents without dying. Assists also count during this process.
For your efforts, Season 23 offers several Destiny 1 Iron Banner armor ornaments and of course new weapons.
You have the chance to earn the sought-after 360 RPM auto rifle “Deadly Embrace” with penetrating casing in the Iron Banner.
There is also a “Banana” emblem, an Iron Banner shader, and you can earn the “Iron Symmachy” armors from Destiny 1 through engrams.
Real iron wolves can also crown themselves with a title gilding.
Have you already made your mark in the Iron Banner? Because you must not forget: After this weekend, Lord Saladin will only return to the Tower for Season 23 one last time. This will take place on January 23.
Gronkh is not only a Twitch streamer, but also an investor. He has invested money in the iced tea manufacturer Ocha-Ocha as well. The company is now on the brink of collapse and is discussing collaboration with the streamer. Gronkh is having the whole matter clarified by his lawyer.
Who is it about? The streamer Erik “Gronkh” Range is a stalwart on YouTube and Twitch. Gronkh was for a while the channel with the most subscribers on YouTube in Germany.
What does Gronkh have to do with the iced tea manufacturer? Ocha-Ocha is an iced tea manufacturer in which Gronkh claims to have invested. According to the company’s website, it specializes in sugar-free iced tea that is supposed to abstain from additives (via ocha-ocha.de).
Iced tea manufacturer accuses Gronkh of being unreachable
What is the dispute about? The company accuses the streamer in a newsletter published on X.com (formerly Twitter) by Anime Heaven, stating that there has been no direct contact with Gronkh for 14 months. Furthermore, no new money from investors is said to have flowed in to sustain the company. They are disappointed with how they are treated as people.
There seems to have been a misunderstanding regarding Gronkh’s role in the business relationship with Ocha-Ocha. In a LinkedIn post by the founder, Gronkh is referred to as a brand ambassador and partner. However, Gronkh himself emphasizes in his stream that he was only an investor and nothing more (via Gronkh.tv around 6:18:30).
Many details are still unknown due to the legal dispute. However, Gronkh stated in his stream that he would comment on it once it is clarified.
We have a video for you about Gronkh’s career and his life as Germany’s most famous Let’s Player.
Start video
Gronkh, the man with the voice – Career and life of Germany’s most famous Let’s Player
Iced tea manufacturer makes differences with Gronkh public
How did the dispute become public? In a stream at the start of the new year, a viewer in Gronkh’s Twitch chat mentioned hearing negative things about the streamer from Ocha-Ocha and asked what was going on.
Gronkh then told his viewers that he had read the newsletter to which the viewer was referring at the start of the new year.
I won’t go into it too much, please don’t be mad at me. The whole thing is with the lawyer and there should have been mail sent out today, and as long as that’s still pending, I won’t talk about it too much, but we can definitely, very gladly, discuss it more. Yeah, that was… so holy shit.
Gronkh found the iced tea manufacturer’s contact to be “overreaching”
What does Gronkh say about the newsletter? Although he didn’t want to reveal anything, Gronkh does bring up the topic in his stream: “When you read the newsletter, I think you can see why I distanced myself back then, or why I didn’t want contact. I believe you can directly notice that when you just read the newsletter.”
The streamer emphasizes afterwards that there was always contact with the company, even if he himself was not reachable. According to him, Ocha-Ocha had a contact person at Range Ventures, as he himself felt the iced tea manufacturer’s contact was “very overreaching”:
I understand one of the points. One of the points was that I wasn’t directly reachable. But first of all, it is unusual for investors to always be directly reachable for everything. And secondly, I was no longer directly reachable because the contact was very overreaching… because I found the contact to be very overreaching. And that’s why I wished not to do that anymore. However, since then our CEO at Range Ventures has had regular contact. Regularly. Was available at any time. Was always there, always in every conversation. Was always involved, did everything.
Gronkh in his stream
Furthermore, Gronkh believes that one should not write negatively about an investor in a newsletter, especially when looking for investors. He adds that he has supported the company, referring to the company figures he has access to through his investment activities.
What exactly was said in the newsletter? The company Ocha-Ocha published a newsletter in which they not only wrote negatively about Gronkh but also announced the impending end of the company. It is said to only continue as a project and the founders of the start-up want to look for jobs again.
Although they do not directly attribute reasons to Gronkh, they dedicate a separate section of the newsletter to their collaboration with him. In it, they write that they should remove any “content” from Gronkh from their sites, without being given a reason for this.
You can read the full newsletter here:
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The company also states that they have not communicated directly with Gronkh for 14 months and that numerous emails went unanswered. They are disappointed with the development, especially in how they were treated as people.
Gronkh is generally seen in a positive light by the gaming community, not least because he regularly raises a lot of money for charitable causes together with other streamers as part of Friendly Fire:
Valve has introduced a new version of its popular Steam Deck. MeinMMO presents you with the similarities and differences in detail.
With the OLED model, Valve has introduced a new version of the Steam Deck. But what is changing and what is new inside? MeinMMO explains the similarities and differences of the OLED model in detail:
The article was first published on November 10, 2023. We updated the article on January 5, 2024, and added some information.
Last updates: January 5, 2024, November 10, 2023
Start video
Check out the official trailer for the Steam Deck OLED
Steam Deck vs Steam Deck OLED: What’s new?
What is new with the OLED model? Valve has changed the Steam Deck primarily in details:
Display: The namesake OLED display is new and will be slightly larger: from the previous 7 inches (LCD) to 7.4 inches (OLED).
Battery: The battery has grown a bit, from 40 WHr to 50 WHr.
Storage: Valve offers an option with more storage. You can now buy a model with 1 TB of storage. Previously, it was capped at 512 GB, but you could still expand the storage yourself.
Design colors: In the USA, several colors are offered for the Steam Deck. In Germany, you can initially only buy the black model. Whether more colors will come to Germany is still unknown (as of January 5, 2024).
Is the Steam Deck OLED faster? No, Valve still uses the same AMD chip in its Steam Deck. The chip in the OLED model is smaller (7 nm vs 6 nm), but this was primarily done for efficiency reasons. As a result, the battery life of the OLED model is significantly longer depending on the game when compared to the LCD model. If you are looking for “only” more performance, the OLED model may not be worth it for you.
Will there be trade-in for the Steam Deck OLED? No, not currently. All information about the trade-in for the Steam Deck can be found directly on MeinMMO.
When will the Steam Deck OLED be available? Since November 17, 2023, you can officially order the device. According to Steam, you currently have to expect delivery times of 3 to 5 days.
Alternatives to the Steam Deck: Are you looking for exciting alternatives to the Steam Deck but still want to game on the go? Then check out the following article directly on MeinMMO, where we present you with the most interesting options:
