A laptop for around 4,500 euros contained such a strange idea that it is still extinct 27 years later

Manufacturers continually test new ideas to sell devices. HP tested a particularly interesting laptop years ago. A particularly strange idea, a mini-mouse inside the laptop, did not catch on.

What kind of laptop is this? With the HP OmniBook 800CT, the manufacturer HP launched a completely new laptop in 1997. The hardware used may sound quite unremarkable today, but it represented a huge advance for the time:

  • Intel Pentium 166 MHz with MMX technology and PCI bus architecture.
  • 16 MB RAM, which could be upgraded to 48 MB.
  • The device was offered with three different hard drive sizes: 772 MB, 1.34 GB, and 2 GB.
  • The display, with a resolution of 800 x 600, could be purchased as either TFT or DSTN and offered a size of 10.4 inches.
  • Windows 95 was, by the way, pre-installed on the model.

In particular, this laptop was the first model where Intel’s Pentium processor was used, even though the performance of 166 MHz cannot keep up with modern systems today.

A mini-mouse did not catch on in laptops

What was so strange about the device? The strangest idea, however, was in the side of the model: Instead of a touchpad, the device offered an integrated, self-calibrating mouse that could be stored inside the device. With the push of a button, you could take the mouse out of the device and then use it.

From today’s perspective, it is not surprising that this mini-mouse has not been revived by any manufacturer to this day. The main reason for the mouse eventually disappearing is likely that the device was simply impractical: The mouse was so small, with its few centimeters in size, that it must have been cumbersome to work with.

Can you see this in practice? You can check out the device live with the YouTuber LGR. The YouTuber explains in his video that the device allegedly cost around $5,000 (about €4,500) at its release in 1997.

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Where can you find the device today? Otherwise, you can still find the model in various computer museums in the USA or Australia. On eBay, you can still buy functioning models for about €1,500. For that money, however, you can also get powerful, modern gaming laptops or a proper gaming PC.

Today, for €4,500, you can get a fully equipped gaming PC with high-end components and sometimes with usable peripherals. But it can get even more expensive. A German company recently introduced a gaming PC with RTX 4090 that costs as much as a car or a nice vacation:

German company introduces gaming PC with Nvidia’s RTX 4090: It weighs 14 kg and costs as much as a car

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. 3djuegos.com

LoL: A player suddenly has fun and success instead of frustration and annoyance because he turns off the chat for 6 months

League of Legends is known for its toxic community, and Riot has been trying to address the problem for years. A player on Reddit completely turned off the chat in LoL for 6 months and reports nothing but positive experiences. He suddenly had more success and also more fun in the game.

League of Legends has had a problem with toxic players since its inception, like many other major online games. To mitigate the problem, Riot is trying a lot. This year, for example, they are trying to ban toxic players from the most popular mode.

A frustrated player now describes in a Reddit post how he has significantly more fun and success in the game away from the report system, all because he simply turned off the chat for 6 months.

Start video
How the Worst Troll from Twitch Became the Face of League of Legends

What I got back are 1000LP and fun in the game

User Mahazzel posted on Reddit his experience of playing for 6 months completely without the in-game chat. Right in the title of the post, it is clear how positive it was for him. According to his own statements, he achieved 1000 LP and, perhaps most importantly, more fun in the game.

This season he had no success in his ELO for the first time and wanted to take drastic steps by completely turning off his chat. At first, he had concerns, as he expected a tactical disadvantage without communication with his teammates, but he did it anyway and found out: You don’t need the chat.

  • He was stuck in the Emerald rank, but without chat he even reached Master with 200LP, the highest rank of his career
  • He notes that for the majority of the game time, the chat is used only as a frustration outlet, whether for oneself or for other players
  • Explaining something to other players or even criticizing them is just a waste of time, energy, concentration, and burdens one’s own mood

At the end of his post, he states that League of Legends without chat is a much better experience for him, both in gameplay and for his enjoyment. He can only recommend it to everyone.

Among the comments on his post, there is mainly support and players who have had similar experiences.

  • Robit72: I recently did the same. The game feels so much better now. I don’t think I’m missing anything. I just gave up on the League community.
  • LaZorChicKen04: I have been playing with the chat disabled for 2 years now. The best decision I made in this game. It is so much more fun.
  • Daunt-M4: 90% of the time in League or any other online game, the players have nothing intelligent or valuable to say. Their contribution to the chat is literally worthless to read.

What do you think about turning off the chat? Have you even had positive experiences with the chat? Let us know in the comments.

For some players, toxic behavior is part of their trademark:

LoL: A German player became successful as a toxic YouTuber – years later he has hardly any viewers

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

One of the best mystery series you can currently watch for free

The cult series “Lost” is considered one of the best mystery series ever. Right now, you can watch it completely free with German dubbing.

Between 2004 and 2010, the mystery series Lost thrilled numerous fans with its complex narrative style and exciting story. To this day, it is one of the most well-known and best representatives of the genre.

This is also reflected in the top ratings on IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes:

  • On Rotten Tomatoes: 90% on the Audience Score and 86% on the Tomatometer
  • On IMDb: 8.3 out of 10 stars based on 585,102 ratings
Start video
Lost – Trailer

This is the series Lost

What is Lost about? The series revolves around a group of survivors who end up on a mysterious island after a plane crash.

There, they struggle for survival while mysterious forces threaten the area. However, there are also conflicts within the group, and everyone has their own backgrounds and secrets.

What makes Lost so good? It scores primarily through its original storytelling. The series covers multiple timelines and tells the backstories of the individual survivors through numerous flashbacks.

Additionally, there are unexpected plot twists and thrilling puzzles and mysteries surrounding the island. Only the ending of the series divides fans’ opinions and was not well received by many.

Here you can currently watch Lost for free

Where can I watch Lost? The mystery series is available on Disney + and can be purchased online through Maxdome and the iTunes Store (as of January 3, 2024).

For those of you who don’t want to spend any money, there is currently a free alternative.

Because you can find all 6 seasons of Lost for free on Joyn. To access the content of the streaming platform, you just need to register with your email address.

You can go directly to Lost on Joyn via this link.

If you are looking for more exciting series, check out our colleagues at Moviepilot: I waited 13 years for this series: 20-hour horror marathon unites my favorite series The Walking Dead and Lost

How many episodes does Lost have? The mystery series includes a total of 121 episodes and 6 seasons. An episode lasts about 41 minutes. It is not specified how long Lost will remain available for free on Joyn.

If you are fans of mystery series like Lost or Stranger Things, then this list is just right for you:

9 series like Stranger Things

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

Pokémon GO: Trainers saved particularly rare Pokémon for cool evolution – Are now disappointed and angry

In Pokémon GO a new form of Wolwerock was announced. However, the circumstances of the development are causing frustration among some trainers. 

What kind of development is this? It is the so-called “Twilight form” of Wolwerock, into which the small Pokémon Wuffels can transform starting from the start of the new event “White Odyssey”. Until now, it could only develop into the Day and Night form

How do you develop Wuffels? According to the announcement, only “some” Wuffels specimens that you catch or hatch will have the ability to transform into the Twilight form – not all.

This version of Wuffels, which does not differ externally from the previously known Wuffels, will only be available starting from the event launch. And that is exactly the point that is bothering some trainers.

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

Old Shinys or Four-Star Wuffels are probably not an option

This is what trainers say about the development: The fact that apparently only new Wuffels can be developed – and not all of them – is especially frustrating for trainers who have saved old Wuffels specimens to eventually evolve them into the Twilight form. 

That they can still only use the Day or Night form – they did not expect that. A few examples from the Pokémon GO community on reddit: 

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  • “I kept my Hundo and was so excited when I took a look at the message in the app today. Just to come here tonight and see that I won’t be able to evolve it. I’m so depressed,” says “daisies4me” (via reddit).
  • “I had saved a shiny and I’m pretty annoyed,” writes user “whereisbeezy” (via reddit).
  • “I have a perfect Wuffels, so I’m angry. Which one should I take now?” asks “Frazzle64” (via reddit).

In general, the announcement that only certain Wuffels can be developed into the new form does not generate enthusiasm. Some players refer to “FOMO,” as Wuffels are usually also not found in the wild, but only from eggs, raids, or research. 

Is there a background to the development? Indeed, yes, because the Twilight form of Wuffels is also a special case in the main Pokémon games. Because you only get it if the caught Wuffels has the ability “Equilibrium” or “Tempo Maker”. These versions of Wuffels do not differ externally from regular Wuffels, but they do not transform into the Day and Night forms, but into the Twilight form. 

Viewed this way, Pokémon GO is also implementing the special development in its own way.

What do you think of the new development? Tell us in the comments!

And if you want to know what else is coming up in the game in the coming weeks: Here you can find the current January events 2024 in Pokémon GO.

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

Great reboot of Tomb Raider on Steam has 96% positive reviews: currently 80% off

Steam’s winter sale runs until tomorrow. You can secure a reboot of Tomb Raider with very good ratings for just under €3.

Which game is it? We’re talking about the “Tomb Raider” reboot, released by Crystal Dynamics in 2013. This reinterpretation tells the story of Lara Croft, who evolves from a young woman into a tough survivalist.

The mission is to explore a mysterious island full of puzzles, temples, and ruins and uncover its secrets. To achieve this, you must gather resources and upgrade tools as well as weapons to pave your way through enemies. The game offers a successful mix of action, jump’n’run, and stealth.

Netflix is currently producing an animated series featuring the heroine:

Start video
Netflix gives you the first glimpse of the animated series Tomb Raider: “It was about time”

“I felt like I was in a movie”

How is the game received? On Steam, Tomb Raider is rated “overwhelmingly positive” – a solid 96% of the 140,343 current reviews are positive (as of January 3, 7 PM). Players particularly appreciate the impressive graphics, which still impress even for a game over 10 years old, the gripping action, and the clever puzzles.

We summarize a few opinions for you below:

  • “Reikan” writes: “This game is a solid title in the Tomb Raider franchise. Really fun gameplay, great graphics, and it plays well on the Steam Deck. I would recommend buying it on sale, or even at full price.”
  • “zigafix17” thinks: “One of the best games I’ve played in a long time … The graphics are good, to say the least, for such an old game, the puzzles are challenging, a little more than action-packed …”
  • “ninjixel” writes: “Towards the end, it became a bit repetitive, but overall it was really fun; I felt like I was in a movie.”
  • “BigKahuna” thinks: “Fun exploration and gameplay with excellent graphics and presentation. Great soundtrack. I love the whole reboot of Lara Croft […]. Definitely recommended.”
  • “Alice” writes: “The story of the stranded Lara Croft + crew is fun. […] There are really many impressive, beautiful, well-staged images for the eye. Not only visually, but also in terms of gameplay, Tomb Raider is convincing. The levels sometimes end in very chaotic, action-packed scenes, but with the really good design of the world, you always find your way. If you like this kind of game, action with occasional puzzles, you will also have a good time here.”

How much does Tomb Raider currently cost? Until January 4, 2024, according to the Steam countdown for about 23 more hours, you can get Tomb Raider for €2.99 and save 80%. Even when buying the GOTY edition, you can save. This is priced at €10.11 instead of €43.84 and includes, among other things, the expansion “The Tomb of the Adventurer” and outfits for Lara Croft.

Another game with extremely positive reviews is discounted on Steam until January 4 and costs less than €3: A Fallout game on Steam has 96% positive reviews – It’s currently cheaper than a cola in the restaurant

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

Former Blizzard employee says: The worst launch on Steam was Bobby Kotick’s fault

On August 10, 2023, Blizzard released their Free2Play game Overwatch 2 on Steam: It was a fiasco. Even today, the game has terrible reviews with only 15% positive ratings and is considered one of the worst releases of a major studio on Steam. An employee now says: The fiasco was the fault of then-CEO of Activision Blizzard, Bobby Kotick.

How bad was the release of Overwatch 2? It was very bad:

Start video
Overwatch 2: This is Mauga, the crazy laughing tank who always gets headshots

Launch without support was solely Bobby Kotick’s decision

This is what an employee from Blizzard says: On December 29, Andy Belford, a former Senior Manager at Blizzard in community development, spoke out on Twitter. Belford left Blizzard in September 2023 and is currently looking for a new job.

He says his team had warned the management months before that Overwatch would face review bombing:

“We begged for more information, more details, and more resources to help with all the expected backlash – everything was flatly denied.”

The community team was supposed to handle all the backlash on Steam, which Belford did not want to subject his employees to.

When he asked who had made the decision to release Overwatch 2 on Steam without providing more support to the community team, the answer was: “Bobby Kotick.”

Shit flows down, landing on poorly paid employees

Belford says: Kotick established a terrible culture at Activision Blizzard. Shit flowed from the top down and landed on the lowest-paid employees who were the most overworked. Management was too busy dealing with the wild directives from above that constantly changed direction and made no sense:

In the end, the management didn’t care about the players’ experience. It was only about the next earnings call with investors and shareholders.

https://twitter.com/andybelford/status/1740867341142077718

What’s behind it: Some of these reports have now come out after Kotick’s departure, hinting that “Kotick is a ruthless businessman and has no love for games or his employees.”

To be fair: Blizzard brought the shitstorm upon themselves with the decision to release Overwatch 2 because of the PvE and then scrap the PvE.

Even if Kotick had listened to Belford and had assigned more people to moderation, the shitstorm at the Steam release would have happened; they just could have handled it somewhat better: Overwatch 2 is on Steam and is directly one of the worst games of all time – 86% negative

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

A Fallout game on Steam has 96% positive reviews – currently cheaper than a cola in the restaurant

The winter sale on Steam is coming to an end soon, but until then, you still have the opportunity to secure a highly-rated Fallout game for less than €3.

Which game is it? We are talking about Fallout: New Vegas, the post-apocalyptic role-playing game with an open world by Obsidian Entertainment. The game was published by Bethesda.

A cool feature from Fallout: New Vegas sadly did not make it into Starfield, the latest game from Bethesda.

The Fallout series is arguably one of the most well-known post-apocalyptic games. In an alternate timeline, you play as a resident of one of the “Vaults” after a devastating war. These are the safety bunkers originally designed to protect against bombs, but instead were used for experiments by the manufacturer VaultTec.

Soon you will also be able to watch Fallout on Amazon Prime:

Start video
First trailer for the Amazon Fallout series

“You can feel that this game has a soul”

How is the game received? On Steam, Fallout: New Vegas is rated “extremely positive” – 96% of the current 152,314 reviews are positive (as of January 3, 6 PM). Users especially highlight that the game is still fun after all these years and multiple playthroughs, and that it has a great main story.

We summarize a few opinions for you below:

  • “francesco.onorato1” says: “This is undoubtedly one of the most entertaining games ever made.”
  • “Dreadwolf” writes: “Played it through 5 times in 13 years. […] When you play these old games, you realize they were ahead of their time in terms of storytelling, etc. You can feel that this game has a soul, most new games do not have a soul.”
  • “Sebbel245” writes: “Always a pleasure, brings back great memories. The many background stories, an interesting main quest and decisions that really change things. The combat system can be a bit stiff compared to Fo4, as shots can miss, but that’s something you can overlook. The music and radio stations create such a great atmosphere.”
  • “olds216” says: “In many ways, it feels like a shining example of what a modern Western RPG should be, packed with great characters, captivating stories and fascinating choices. The DLCs might even be better, with strong plot lines that are not only great standalone stories but also connected to important background characters in the main game.”

How much does Fallout: New Vegas currently cost? Until January 4, 2024, according to the Steam countdown for about 25 more hours, you can get Fallout: New Vegas for €2.49 and save 75%. Even when purchasing the Ultimate Edition, you can save money. It costs €6.59 instead of €19.99 and includes the main game along with 6 expansions.

We also have a tip for fans of challenging construction simulations. In a game with 95% positive ratings, you build a settlement anew because a storm destroys it repeatedly. The roguelite construction game was released on Steam about a month ago and is also discounted:

“As good as everyone says” – Construction game on Steam is 95% positive and now on sale

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

Star Citizen now has 1,100 employees – Taking in more and more money, spending more and more money

The developer Cloud Imperium Games now has more than 1,100 employees working on Star Citizen and Squadron 42. This is evident from a new financial report for the year 2022 and some details for 2023. While there were record revenues in the financial year 2022, there were also record expenditures.

How has the employee count at CIG changed?

  • In 2012, CIG started with 13 employees, by 2018 the number had grown to 521, and by the end of 2022, there were 860 employees.
  • In 2023, the number surged again as they acquired the company “Turbulent” in July 2023, a Canadian IT studio.
  • As a result, CIG now has more than 1,100 employees worldwide.
Start video
Star Citizen Alpha 3.22 Trailer

How have the finances developed? CIG’s income saw a significant jump in 2022: from $100.8 million in 2022, it increased to $130.7 million. An increase of thirty percent.

But costs also rose by 29%: nearly half was spent on salaries and related costs.

Ultimately, the massive revenues are going out just as quickly as they are coming in. A lot of money went into the “flagship” studio in Manchester, England, and into a new facility in Frankfurt, Germany.

This is what the developers say: The financial report states that they have made great progress in 2023 – despite the high costs generated by Squadron 42. In the first three quarters of 2023, they achieved “Featured Complete” for Squadron 42, which was a very important step.

The year 2023 has been “not inexpensive,” but they had great revenues and could focus on the goals of getting “closer to the vision” of delivering a gaming experience that is unique in the universe, with truly epic scale and quality.

New package in Star Citizen costs 53,121 euros and 60 cents – More than a German gross annual salary

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

Steam: A new shooter lets you kick monsters in the face – Looks like extreme good mood

The shooter Anger Foot on Steam comes with a colorful cartoon graphic and looks extremely fun. The main feature: You fight your opponents not only with firearms but mainly with hefty kicks to the face.

What kind of game is this? Anger Foot is a first-person shooter that is currently designed as a single-player game according to Steam. In the game, you fight your way through the brightly colored ruins of the city Shit City. You confront your opponents not only with firearms but also make the most of the kicking power of your incredibly strong feet.

Your opponents are classic thugs with broad shoulders. However, they have a funny twist: fitting the garish environment, they all wear bright masks. Additionally, you face nasty monsters with cartoon-like heads in your way.

You can see some of the opponents in the gameplay trailer:

Start video
Anger Foot – Gameplay Trailer

Kick Monsters in the Face and Party Vibes a la Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

What makes Anger Foot special? The unique aspect of Anger Foot is its brightly colored, cartoonish graphics. This makes the game reminiscent of a playable 18+ version of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series from 2022. Musically, the developers rely on strong bass and party music.

The playable levels of Shit City are said to be quite diverse according to Steam: Your path of destruction is allegedly going to lead you through apartments, slums, canals, and skyscrapers. The game environment is also reportedly largely destructible – through your kicks.

Kicking with your feet is probably the most important and also titular feature of Anger Foot. As mentioned before, you can hit your opponents right in the face this way. However, you can also kick down doors and kick objects around. In the trailer above, for example, it shows how the player kicks an explosive barrel into a group of opponents.

Who is behind Anger Foot? The game is being developed by Free Lives, the studio behind games like the 2D sidescroller Broforce, the ecological farming simulator Terra Nil, and the multiplayer game Genital Jousting. The title is published by Devolver.

The release of the shooter is currently planned for 2024. Unfortunately, there is no exact date yet. If you are curious, you can get your own impression with the free demo. You can download it via Steam.

If you prefer to play shooters with co-op mode, there are of course many alternatives for you on Steam. A new game does what CoD never dared: Brings the zombie mode as a standalone game

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

Jack Black becomes too powerful: After Bowser, he now plays Steve in the new Minecraft movie

After Jack Black was seen on the big screen last year as a singing giant turtle in the Super Mario Bros. movie, the actor has now taken his next role in an upcoming video game adaptation.

As Bowser, Jack Black sang his way into the hearts of fans with the song Peaches. It has now been announced that the actor and passionate gamer has landed his next big role in the video game universe and will appear in the film adaptation of Minecraft.

Here you can see a trailer for the Super Mario movie with Jack Black as Bowser:

Start video
First trailer for the ‘Super Mario’ movie – completely made of CGI

What is known so far about the Minecraft movie

As Deadline and Variety announced yesterday, Jack Black will appear as Steve in the new Minecraft movie. Thus, he takes on the role of the standard avatar of the block game.

Who else is in it? Alongside him, Jason Momoa (Aquaman), Danielle Brooks (Orange is the New Black), and Emma Myers (Wednesday) have already been confirmed as cast members. The film will be directed by Jared Hess, who has previously worked with Jack Black on Nacho Libre (2006).

What will the Minecraft movie be about? So far, no specific information has been provided about the plot of the film.

When will the Minecraft movie be released? The German cinema release of the film is set for April 3, 2025. Filming is likely to begin soon.

Jack Black will also be heard again as the main character Po in the fourth part of Kung Fu Panda (in the English version). You can read more about this here with our colleagues from Filmstarts.

But Minecraft is not the only video game adaptation where you can see Jack Black in action.

For in the upcoming adaptation of Borderlands, the actor has also landed a role and will embody the little robot Claptrap.

In an exclusive Q&A, Jack Black shared how it felt for him to play one of the most famous gaming villains and explained why we all have a little Bowser inside us:

“We all have a little Bowser inside us” – Jack Black explains why we love his role in Super Mario Bros, even though he is a villain

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

An Amazon driver stole 100 PS5s to sell them – but he made a mistake

An Amazon delivery driver made many deliveries disappear in a short time. Among them were also 100 PS5 consoles. The damage amounts to around 100,000 euros.

It is not uncommon for ordered deliveries to disappear on their way to their destination. This can be particularly frustrating for the recipient. But even when an order arrives, it can contain an unpleasant surprise.

If the disappearance of packages involves theft, the damage amount can be very high. In a large theft of Amazon packages in France, according to our colleagues from 3DJuegos.com, 100 PS5 gaming consoles and other goods worth 100,000 euros have now been stolen.

Start video
Check out the video of the new slim model of the PS5

100 PS5 consoles and other items worth 100,000 euros stolen

What was stolen? The stolen goods comprised various Amazon deliveries. Among the packages were clothing, leather goods, perfumes, and other valuables.

In addition, there were many electronic devices. Among these, the French authorities found coffee machines, vacuum cleaners, laptops, and PC monitors.

However, the bulk of the loot consisted of around 100 PS5 gaming consoles. Their total value is said to be approximately 100,000 euros. A large sum, but nothing compared to the fine that Sony now has to pay in France.

What mistake led to the arrest? After more and more shipments had disappeared, the shipping giant became skeptical. The two perpetrators quickly came under suspicion. Both men were arrested by the French police on the company premises.

During their arrest, several packages containing PS5 consoles were found still in the driver’s cabin of the van. Additionally, they were using forged documents. During their first hearing, both confessed to the crime.

Where were the stolen packages found? The Amazon employee and an accomplice used an additional apartment to hide the countless packages. In his role as a package delivery driver, he was able to gradually collect the stolen deliveries there.

After their arrest, they initially provided a different address. However, investigators did not find anything there. Through their work, the authorities were finally able to locate the second apartment and discovered the stolen goods.

Almost 30 years before the PS5, Sony wanted to enter the console business. The joint gaming console with Nintendo was unfortunately never offered for sale. As there is only one known example of the joint console from Nintendo and Sony, a YouTuber used the last known prototype as a template to build his own Nintendo PlayStation: Sony and Nintendo buried their joint console 33 years ago – A YouTuber simply builds his own version

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

Fraudsters abuse Counter-Strike pro for a fake giveaway – He complains: ‘Stop using my image’

The renowned CS:GO professional S1mple raises his voice against scammers on YouTube who misuse his image for fake giveaway streams. Despite the player’s public appeal, the platform responds hesitantly, and fans express outrage over the lack of efficiency in dealing with the problem.

The respected professional Counter-Strike player Oleksandr S1mple Kostyljev, who streams on Twitch, has called on YouTube via an X post (formerly Twitter) to take action against scammers who use his image in the thumbnails for fake giveaways, thus deceiving viewers.

https://twitter.com/s1mpleO/status/1742186503994741033?s=20

The exploitation of celebrities for fraudulent purposes is nothing new and has posed a challenge for online platforms for years.

The Ukrainian CS:GO professional shared a screenshot of two YouTube channels that use his image and name for fraudulent purposes. He emphasized that he only publishes his content on Twitch. 

Oleksandr expressed his displeasure over the continued use of his image for fake actions and urged YouTube to take effective steps.

Start video
Counter-Strike 2: Valve once again impresses with the launch trailer

This is S1mple: Oleksandr S1mple Kostyljev, born on October 2, 1997, is a Ukrainian professional Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most successful CS:GO players of all time, with many achievements, including 21 HLTV MVP medals, one Major and one Intel Grand Slam trophy, as well as numerous S-tier titles. 

S1mple was named the best player in 2018, 2021, and 2022, and took second place in 2019 and 2020.

Other platforms are affected as well: On platforms like Twitch, such fake channels are not uncommon. During the hype around GTA 6, before the release of the trailer in December, a fraudulent Rockstar account was banned on Twitch. The channel allegedly directed phishing links to viewers.

Viewers want more response from YouTube

This is how YouTube responds: The controversy surrounding the post has garnered considerable attention, prompting the official @TeamYouTube account to respond on X and encourage the pro player to also use the reporting feature on the site. Nonetheless, frustrated users expressed their discontent and called for a more decisive response from YouTube.

As of January 3, 2024, the fraudulent livestreams are still online. The YouTube channel named S1mple reportedly has over 3,000 viewers at times and has already amassed more than 28,000 subscribers.

This is how the community responds: Many community members express their discontent with YouTube, as the platform seemingly does little more than point S1mple to utilize the reporting function. Despite numerous reports from viewers, previous actions have shown little success. 

Some disappointed fans express themselves on X as follows:

  • _annoynymous writes: I have reported so many of these fake channels… they are still there. Ban them manually.
  • aceofrare comments: I have reported these videos a hundred times already.
  • KledCS2 notes: Same crap as with Ropz.

Incidents like this are not isolated cases. Furthermore, some scammers go a step further: they hack the YouTube channels of well-known streamers and stream fraudulent content. Even German YouTubers like Julien Bam have experienced this. You can read more about it here:

One of Germany’s most successful YouTubers has had a really bad Easter – All accounts on YouTube empty 

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

Twitch CEO defends female streamers who show a lot of skin: „They don’t hurt anyone“

In an interview with streamer roflgator, the CEO of Twitch talked about lightly dressed streamers. The bizarre thing about the interview: it was conducted in VR Chat and the CEO controlled a Gandalf avatar.

Who is the Twitch CEO? The current CEO of Twitch is Dan Clancy. He succeeded Emmet Shear in March 2023, who left the company primarily due to the birth of his son. Shear led Twitch since its founding for a total of 16 years.

You can read more details about the transition here:

More on the topic
Twitch gets a new boss for the first time – founder quits after 16 years
von Lydia

Shortly after Clancy was appointed new CEO, streamers still had high hopes that he would address the known problems of the platform. So far, he has announced, among other things, at the Twitch-Con the end of big million deals for streamers on YouTube and Twitch. In June 2023, he still spoke about the ongoing gambling ban on the platform.

What was the context of the interview? The interview was conducted by the Twitch streamer roflgator. He is primarily known for his VR chat streams, in which he uses a lightly dressed anime girl as an avatar. He used to appear mainly with an alligator avatar, hence the name.

The interview with Dan Clancy was also conducted by roflgator in VR Chat, for which Dan Clancy chose a Gandalf avatar.

roflgator and Dan Clancy during the interview in the virtual diner. The chat summarized the situation with: This is surreal.

Dressed as Gandalf, the CEO talks about solutions

What did Dan Clancy have to say? The interview revolved around the current Twitch regulations regarding suggestive content, specifically lightly dressed streamers. Just a few months ago, such streams were officially not allowed on Twitch, but in mid-December, the platform changed its rules.

Shortly after the rule adjustment, a clip went viral in which a seemingly naked streamer appeared to cover the most important body parts only with censorship bars. Meanwhile, the new rules have been reverted.

In the interview, Clancy states that they are working, among other things, to give the user the option to hide or blur explicit content on Twitch.

Dan Clancy stands up for women on the platform

Is it okay to use black bars? According to him, using black bars as censorship is also completely compliant with the rules: The viewer would fall for the illusion that the streamer is naked, while he/she is actually still dressed. He also says that he appreciates women behind this content.

Additionally, the CEO had supportive words for primarily female streamers:

They earn their livelihood, they don’t harm anyone, and the people are the ones who watch and decide whether to watch or not. And I think that people sometimes use derogatory words for them, mischaracterize them, vilify them and act as if what they do is somehow wrong or inappropriate. I absolutely disagree with that.

I think it’s very important to recognize that they don’t harm anyone. These are adults and the people who want to watch them are also adults. This is something very different than what happens when you talk about pornography or other things – this is not it. It has a sexual theme.

This is for them, because I believe they are often insulted on our website. That’s not justified.

Dan Clancy in an interview with roflgator

What will happen with explicit content? According to the statements, one can assume that more explicit content will return to Twitch sooner or later. Apparently, Dan Clancy wants to cast the streamers in a positive light and give users an on and off switch.

Twitch remains the most prominent streaming platform. However, not all potential streamers find it easy to find the right platform for them. Even global star LeBron James asks where he should stream gaming: CEO of Twitch and the dark side of the force beckon

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

WoW: New vendor only for the rich – noble weapon skins that cost a lot of gold

World of Warcraft wants you to spend your gold. An NPC is selling new weapon skins – but they are really expensive.

A new, somewhat secretive vendor has opened their shop in World of Warcraft. However, many players may not be able to afford the particularly exclusive offers. In order to get the stylish golden weapons or even the golden mount, quite large sums are required. You will need to spend over 2,000,000 gold if you want everything that the new vendor offers.

Where can you find the vendor? Miss Xiulan can be found at the black market auction house on the lowest level of the current capital, Valdrakken. The access is at the coordinates 14 / 54, under the island where the dragon babies are playing.

You need to talk to Xiulan and then choose the dialogue option that you are interested in “particularly expensive” goods. Afterwards, you can check out the selection of the Pandaren.

WoW Black Market Valdrakken
You will find the vendor at the black market.

What does Miss Xiulan sell? The Pandaren lady has some particularly exclusive skins on offer – both for weapons and shields and a fancy mount.

She sells:

NameType of ItemGold Cost
Golden Resonance CrystalMount1,200,000
Golden Gun of the HexenjägerWeapon (Ranged)100,000
Golden Crown SplitterWeapon (Two-Handed Axe)90,000
Golden Scarab BulwarkShield Hand (Shield)100,000
Trophies of the Royal HexenjägerBack80,000
Guard of the Royal HexenjägerShield Hand (Shield)80,000
Headgear of the Majestic Griffon RiderHead75,000
Corpse Carver of the Marauder KingWeapon (Polearm)100,000
Helm of the Wrathful CrusaderHead75,000
Armory: Whispering Temple BladesWeapons200,000

Anyone who wants to buy all of her items will have to dig deep into their pockets, as that amounts to a hefty 2,100,000 gold. In WoW Tokens “converted”, this corresponds to a price of nearly €160 (as of 01.03.2024).

How long will the offer last? Miss Xiulan’s offer will only remain active for a few months. When asked about it, she says that her items will only be available until “the end of August” and that any remaining stock will be transferred to the black market auction house afterwards – and will likely be at significantly higher prices there.

This roughly coincides with the possible release of the pre-patch for the next WoW expansion “The War Within”. Therefore, if you want these special skins and the mount, you should gather a lot of gold in the coming months.

Why is WoW doing this? There are probably many reasons for it. On one hand, World of Warcraft has been trying to make more and more transmog items and customizations accessible in the game in recent months, in various ways. Some are available through the trading post, others through the return of the old Naxxramas, and others through secrets and puzzles.

Therefore, it is only logical that part of the new items is also sold for in-game currency gold – as in this case. This also serves as a “gold sink”, which is a way for wealthy players to spend their gold. Such vendors have appeared in the past several times.

However, there is always a bitter aftertaste with such vendors, as gold can also be “bought” directly for real money by selling the WoW token in the auction house. This means that all gold prices can always be assigned Euro prices as well. Critics have long complained that this ruins the integrity of the game and represents a mild but existent form of “Pay2Win”.

What do you think of such vendors only for the rich and their offers? A good thing for exclusive rewards? Or just a cheap trick to entice players to buy gold?

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

Player shows how strong the aim assist is in CoD Warzone – Aiming through the wall at enemies in the building

A player of Call of Duty: Warzone illustrates how strong the aim assist is and discovers an opponent because the aim assist tracks them through walls.

What is the aim assist all about?

  • The aim assist of CoD Warzone and other recent installments of the popular shooter series is a targeting aid that can only be used by controller players and automatically pulls a player’s crosshair towards an opponent.
  • The aim assist has been a recurring topic within the community for years. For controller players, it is almost essential, while “mouse and keyboard” players hate it because it is so strong, and it has become nearly indispensable in e-sports.

A clip of the Twitch streamer “Fifakill” is currently circulating in the CoD community because he discovered an opponent by the aim assist targeting him through a wall. The clip was shared on Reddit and has been commented on over 300 times there.

Here you can see the clip on Reddit:

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What exactly can be seen in the clip? The streamer is standing on a roof in CoD Warzone when he notices that the aim assist is targeting a wall of the building in front of him. His crosshair repeatedly swings towards a specific corner of the house.

The streamer says: “I am getting aim assist for the wall,” and shortly thereafter, he starts shooting at the corner of the building where the aim assist pulled the crosshair. As a result, the player who was apparently sitting there probably moved, because shortly after that, the aim assist no longer wanted to target the corner.

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CoD Warzone shows the map Urzikistan in the overview trailer

Since the streamer wanted to know for sure, he threw a gadget that reveals nearby enemies and marks them on the map – and indeed, shortly thereafter, an enemy player appeared on the mini-map in the house.

When the confirmation comes through the marking on the map, the streamer is completely shocked and summarizes: “Oh my god… This is going too far, brother. […] That is damn crazy.”

What does the community say? These are the typical reactions. Especially “mouse and keyboard” players are particularly vocal in the comments on Reddit and are calling for a nerf of the aim assist. However, for some players, it is not surprising or even new information that the aim assist targets players through walls.

Here are some short voices from the community:

  • Kusel via Reddit: “Nothing new that the aim assist can track through walls.”
  • fiveagon via Reddit: “Why would anyone ever play MnK in this game? The amount of advantages on controller is just ridiculous at this point.”
  • TechyExp via X.com: “This has happened to me so many times where my aim assist pulls me to an enemy inside [a building]. That’s why I say it should be optimized a bit.”
  • coone90 via Reddit: “That’s a free wallhack.”

However, some players also point out that it could depend on the building, and that the aim assist cannot target an opponent through the wall in every house. On the other hand, it was also noted that some players deliberately use this in the “Search and Destroy” mode to check if opponents are sitting in certain corners.

Even Scump, one of the best and most well-known controller players and e-sport athlete of CoD, believes that the aim assist has removed skill from the game

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

Destiny 2 players miss a craftable weapon: “Apparently Bungie is allergic to it”

An inexplicable problem has crept into the weapon crafting of Destiny 2. Guardians have found that among the 139 craftable weapons of the loot shooter, there is not a single pulse rifle with the Void element. Some players on Reddit are now curious about what could be the reason for this.

This is what players have noted in Season 23: Destiny 2 is known for its weapon variety. There are countless different firearms, some of which can also be crafted. So they can be built by players with the perks they prefer.

  • The ability to customize and forge weapons according to one’s preferences promised a new level of individualization.
  • Since the launch of the DLC “The Witch Queen”, the number of craftable weapons has risen to 139.

But now there seems to be an insurmountable gap in the craftable weapon arsenal. There are a total of 13 pulse rifles – more than any other archetype. But none of them have the Void element.

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

Why can’t a Void pulse rifle be crafted?

Here’s how players explain the crafting gap: Player SushiJuice has pointed out via Reddit that the Void element seems to not receive the same attention during crafting in Destiny 2 as its Solar and Arc counterparts. Players who prefer Void particularly miss the Void pulse rifle.

As player jojokombat05 writes on Reddit: “[…] It feels dry when it comes to good Void options. […]”

However, why Bungie has neglected the Void pulse rifles remains unclear, as the developer has not yet commented on it. However, Guardians have their own theories.

Some players speculated that certain combinations of elemental damage and perks with Void were simply too strong, and that is why Bungie has become more cautious with them.

  • ThatGuyFromTheM0vie refers to the Void element as the “red-headed stepchild” among the elements and has a strong feeling that there are generally fewer Void weapons available for weapon crafting.
  • This opinion is also shared by Assassinite9: “It seems like Bungie is allergic to Void. It’s almost as if the weapon design teams deliberately neglect or refuse to fill the gaps.”
  • Guardian Apprehensive-Sound24 also notes: “This issue [with the Void element] is also evident outside of crafting. “Ros Arago IV” is the first Void auto rifle since the raid auto rifle “Unfathomable Oracle”, which was released four years ago. So they hardly produce any Void weapons, especially not outside of crafting.”
destiny2-waffencrafting-waffenschmiede-witchqueen
Players can shape and craft weapons in Destiny 2 according to their vision.

Looking back, it has already been a whole year since Destiny 2 introduced a new Void pulse rifle named Veles-X with Season 19. At that time, it was the ritual weapon of the season that players could earn in the three playlists. However, the weapon could not hold its ground well, as the craftable version of the Exo pulse rifle named “Revision Zero” quickly replaced it.

These types of weapons are also not craftable: It does not look any better for other weapon types either. For example, the crafting database currently only features one craftable Void auto rifle, which comes from the “Last Wish” raid, making it difficult for some players to access.

Hand cannons fare better, with a total of 5 versions featuring the Void element. So a stark contrast.

Other weapons with certain elements are also still missing from crafting:

  • Stasis auto rifle
  • Grenade launchers: Stasis (special ammo), Strand (special ammo), Void (special ammo), Solar (heavy ammo)
  • Stasis hand cannon
  • Strand linear fusion rifle
  • Strand machine gun
  • Arc rocket launcher
  • Stasis scout rifle
  • Arc shotgun
  • Pistol: Stasis and Void
  • Arc sniper rifle
  • Submachine gun: Strand and Void
  • Stasis sword
  • Strand pulse rifle

That’s why the gaps could soon be closed: Weapon crafting in Destiny 2 should actually be a celebration of diversity, and the absence of these Void weapons casts a small shadow over crafting. However, the Destiny 2 community still sees potential in Bungie responding to this hint on Reddit and freeing the Void element from neglect.

Moreover, the other missing weapon types could also receive a blueprint version soon. After all, a major DLC is still upcoming this year that will bring new weapons into the game and thus provide options to further close the gaps.

Until then, players are using the available Void alternatives, which consist of the exotic Graviton Lance and the legendary variants “Raster Blaster” and “Velex-X”.

Have you also noticed the absence of Void weapons in crafting? And what explanation do you have for why Bungie seems to avoid this element more often than others? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. Or do you prefer to collect weapons that are particularly rare? Destiny 2: 10 rare weapons and perks that you should keep and never delete

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

A game on Steam is currently experiencing the biggest player increase in 3 years – still available for under 10 euros for a few more hours

The current winter sale on Steam is running until January 4th at 7 PM. There are some great blockbuster games at bargain prices. Monster Hunter World is also one of the titles that has received a discount. The game has apparently gained more hunters than it has in a long time.

What kind of success is Monster Hunter World currently celebrating?

  • The Capcom title was released 5 years ago, including on Steam. At launch, about 334,000 players logged into the game within 24 hours (via SteamDB).
  • In December 2023, there was a sudden increase in the number of players. At one point, there were even over 90,000 hunters in 24 hours who logged into the game.
  • Meanwhile, the number of players has reached a high that hasn’t been seen in 3 years. Currently, around 138,000 players are logging into the game within a 24-hour period.

Until recently, the title had such high player numbers in July 2020. At that time, there were 144,000 players within 24 hours. On January 1st, Monster Hunter World was the 12th most played title on Steam. An impressive achievement for a 5-year-old game.

A sequel to Monster Hunter World has already been announced with Monster Hunter Wilds. The corresponding trailer can be found on MeinMMO:

Start video
Trailer: Monster Hunter Wilds – announced for PlayStation

Get Monster Hunter World at a bargain price now

What is the reason for the drastic increase? One of the main reasons many players are currently going on monster hunts is the low price. Monster Hunter World is one of the titles available in the winter sale on Steam.

Both the base game and the “Iceborne” expansion are currently cheaper than ever:

The title thrives on players being able to hunt monsters together with other fans. Since so many gamers are currently playing the title, it is easy to find group members for hunting.

If you want to secure Monster Hunter World at a great price, you need to act quickly: The discount ends on January 4th at 7 PM. Then the action title will be offered again at a price of 29.99 Euros.

Another reason for the increase in players could be the announcement of Monster Hunter Wilds. This is the sequel to the Capcom title, which received a first trailer at the Game Awards 2023. The announcement may have sparked interest in monster hunting among many players.

Due to the sale and the new trailer, both newcomers and veterans are coming together in Monster Hunter World.

There are other titles that are currently available at low prices in the Steam sale: Currently, you can get one of the best co-op games of recent years at the lowest price ever in the Steam Sale

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

Production of 7 vs. Wild denies accusations from participants – Says there was no danger to the teams

The biggest danger in 7 vs. Wild Season 3 was probably the dangerous “Red-Tide” algae outbreak, which could have forced teams to give up. Now the production of the series has finally commented and contradicts the statements of the contestants.

What danger is it about? In the “Making-of” format of 7 vs. Wild “Behind the Scenes”, this episode was also about the biggest danger in terms of food that threatened the contestants. We’re talking about the algae outbreak “Red-Tide” that occurs in the seas off Vancouver Island. 

The algae there can produce a toxin that accumulates in mollusks, like clams. If these are then eaten by the participants, they can suffer from food poisoning.

According to production, this can lead to death in the worst-case scenario, although no deaths have been documented so far. We have already reported on the “Red-Tide” algae outbreak.

One of the contestants of Season 3 is the 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

Production and Contestants in Disagreement

What is the contradiction? In the “Behind the Scenes” episode, the production of 7 vs. Wild states that there was no “Red-Tide” algae outbreak during the filming of 7 vs. Wild. If there had been one, the filming would have been canceled. There was reportedly no danger to the teams.

Although the harvesting of mollusks was forbidden due to the algae plague, according to the series, this ban was only “prophylactic” since not all bays could be checked by the government for the actual danger.

This is interesting because recently several participants stated that when picking up the memory cards from the cameras, a ranger specifically approached the team and warned them about the algae plague. Also, the consumption of clams was only prohibited to the teams during filming.

If there was no “Red-Tide” algae outbreak, why did the organizing team rush to the team after Knossi’s announcement instead of simply giving the all-clear? We have reported on the incident here.

Kevin “Papaplatte” Teller has commented on the algae plague in this video.

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Who is right now? This is difficult to assess from the outside. Several teams have independently reported that they were warned by a ranger about the “Red-Tide” algae outbreak while they were already exposed to the danger. This presents a conflict with the statement that there is no “Red-Tide” algae outbreak.

Why would the production interrupt the isolation of the participants to warn about a danger that doesn’t even exist?

And why were the scenes filmed according to Papaplatte, where the organizing team warned the participants, not shown? Let us know your opinion in the comments. In the past, fans have allegedly discovered that a team was dropped off near a hotel.

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

Pokémon GO: Niantic is testing a change today that benefits raid fans

In Pokémon GO, a change in Raid Hours is being tested. What exactly it entails and who benefits the most from the adjustment, you can find out here.

What is a Raid Hour? Raid Hours take place every Wednesday from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM. During this time, a large number of raids appear in many gyms, which usually correspond to the special level 5 raids. This is a great opportunity to complete a lot of raids in a short time. You can also find an overview of the Raid Hours in January with us.

What change is being made? Until now, there has been a period of 60 minutes, known as the Raid Timer, between the appearance of the egg from which a raid emerges in a gym and the start of the raid. Only after this timer has expired is the raid active and can be fought by you.

Niantic has now announced on X that the number of raids during Raid Hours will be doubled for testing in January.

Trailer for the current season Timeless Journeys.

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

More Raids in Closer Proximity

How is the test conducted? Niantic has not specified exactly how and where the test will take place. They have only announced that the test will occur in all Raid Hours during January at selected locations worldwide.

In the past, Niantic has often conducted changes through so-called A/B testing. In this method, changes are not released to all trainers, but only to a certain number (A), while the remaining number (B) does not receive the changes. Whether Niantic will proceed in this manner with this test is still unknown.

Who benefits from the change? If you participate in a lot of raids, this change can be very beneficial for you. This way, you can participate in significantly more raids in your immediate area during the Raid Hours and also have the opportunity to catch more raid Pokémon.

It is still unclear whether this change will be fully integrated into the game after the test and to what extent the test will take place. As soon as there are new updates on this, we will inform you about it.

What do you think about this? Do you participate in Raid Hours, or do you stay away from them? Share your opinions with us in the comments. You can also find an overview of the events in Pokémon GO in January 2024 with us as well.

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

WoW has serious login problems today – costing you time and nerves

Things are not going well in World of Warcraft. Login issues and lags during various actions make the experience unpleasant.

Update, 2:15 PM: The problem seems to be resolved, login is possible again.

Original report: Since today’s maintenance work (03.01.2024) there are some issues in World of Warcraft. Many players are complaining about login problems and are grumbling that regular playing is almost impossible right now.

What kind of problems are occurring? For many, even logging in seems to be impossible. Authentication fails, no server list is displayed, or the loading screen doesn’t fill up.

“Cannot log in” – WoW: Login issues on 03.01.2024

As long as you are in the game, fights seem to run mostly without problems – there are hardly any errors here. However, other actions cause frustration:

  • Logging in may not proceed with a full loading bar.
  • Immediately after logging in, there is a disconnect and you have to log in again.
  • Switching a zone or using an environmental vehicle can also lead to disconnects.

The auction house is extremely slow. Requests can take several minutes, and posting auctions is not possible at all.

Not all errors seem to be occurring equally among all players.

What does Blizzard say? Blizzard is already aware of these problems and is trying to identify the errors and work on a solution. Usually, it only takes a few hours to resolve such issues.

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How is the community reacting? The community is currently rather angry – as usual with server issues. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that many people are still on holiday or vacation and want to spend their last free days extensively with their hobby. When playing is not possible, this leads to frustration.

As soon as the errors are resolved, we will update the article. In the meantime, don’t let it get to you and relax with other content – such as great anime series that we recommend from MeinMMO.

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