On December 22, 2023, the news came from China that the authorities were again taking action against gaming: The ways in which games earn money have been restricted. This led to a sharp drop in stock prices for the company behind League of Legends, Tencent, and NetEase. Apparently, this now has consequences. You should better not confront the powerful penguin and LoL.
Online games were no longer allowed to reward players for logging in daily
Games could no longer reward players for spending money for the first time
Furthermore, it was prohibited to reward players for logging into the game on consecutive days
The rules were apparently aimed at reducing the “addiction factor” associated with free-to-play games. Because these are all typical methods used by free-to-play games to keep players engaged and spend money in the cash shop.
League of Legends is a gaming giant, ultimately backed by Tencent Games:
Start video
A spectacular video about League of Legends has now 138 million views – Shows how huge LoL is
Gaming giant collapses on the stock market
This was the consequence: The news of the restrictions triggered a stock market crash among major Chinese gaming companies. Especially Tencent (the company behind LoL, the emblematic penguin) suffered significantly, losing 16% of its stock value at the lowest point. That’s quickly gone 50, 60 billion $ at a market cap of 400 billion $.
According to experts, the stock market crash was not due to the specific impacts of the new rules, but rather because a signal was sent: “The Communist Party has once again identified video games as a problem.”
This has happened before: The party labeled gaming as “digital opium” and for a long time, no new games were allowed: There was a “freeze.” In China, games need an official license to even be released.
This is what happened next: Just a few days later, on December 25, China hinted that it did not want to send the signal that it was opposed to video games and quickly approved 105 new games to make it clear that it was not planning a “new strike against games.” (via gameworldobserver).
The face behind the strict rules against games must go
But apparently that was not enough. As reported by the news agency Reuters, the responsible official Feng Shixin has now been dismissed. He was the head of the “Publishing Unit” of the PR department of the communist party. His department also oversaw a National Agency that establishes the rules for video games.
According to 5 sources from Reuters, his dismissal is directly related to the new rules for video games and the stock market crash.
No official statement has been made, but Feng was seen as the face of the Chinese government for the “rules against video games.” Observers now interpret this as a signal that China is shifting towards a more “pro video game industry” stance.
Here we show you the best weapons in Red Dead Redemption 2 and Red Dead Online. These are the best guns in the categories of revolvers, pistols, rifles, shotguns, snipers, throwing, and melee weapons.
In Red Dead Redemption 2, you have a wide selection when browsing through the gunsmith’s catalog. But which firearm should one choose?
We list the best weapons by type and also show you alternatives in these categories. This way, you are well equipped as a sniper and melee cowboy.
The ratings are based on our experiences and player feedback, as well as the weapon stats.
The best Revolvers
This is the best revolver: Schofield Revolver
What makes the weapon so powerful? The advantage of the Schofield over other revolvers is that it offers slightly more damage and accuracy. However, the fire rate is slightly lower and the reload speed is a bit slower. You can customize the weapon at the gunsmith.
Location: The Schofield Revolver can be found at the gunsmith after you complete the mission “Blessed are the Meek?” in Chapter 2. You can also start a robbery at the Doctor in Valentine and secure the revolver in the back room. You can find out how to do this in our tips for Red Dead Redemption 2.
More powerful revolvers: The Double-Action Revolver is another strong choice in this category. It becomes available at the gunsmith after the quest “Strange Kindness” in Chapter 2. The high fire rate and reload speed distinguish this weapon.
In online mode, many players swear by this revolver. The reason is the accuracy that cowboys appreciate.
Price: In Red Dead Online, the Schofield Revolver currently costs $192.
Rank: You only need rank 9 to unlock the revolver. This is easily achievable.
The best Pistols
These are the best pistols: Volcanic Pistol, Semi-Automatic Pistol
What makes the weapons so powerful? The Volcanic Pistol has the highest damage and is inexpensive to purchase. The Semi-Automatic Pistol, on the other hand, impresses with its high fire rate, good accuracy, and short reload time.
Location: The Volcanic can be found at the gunsmith after the mission “Eastward” in Chapter 1. Owners of the Special/Ultimate version receive it for free. The Semi-Automatic is available at the gunsmith in Valentine and Saint Denis after the mission “The Pleasures of Civilization” in Chapter 4.
More powerful pistols: Some players praise the Mauser Pistol for having a large magazine and being able to fire bullets very quickly. However, it is more recommended for “having fun”.
Online players praise the Semi-Automatic for its high fire rate. This fits perfectly in PvP game modes, where you fight as a team and deal with multiple opponents. The high purchase price and rank requirement are problematic.
Price: The Semi-Automatic Pistol currently costs $537 in Red Dead Online.
Rank: You need rank 22 to unlock the weapon.
The best Shotguns
This is the best shotgun: Semi-Automatic Shotgun
What makes the weapon so powerful? Like the semi-automatic pistol, the semi-automatic shotgun has a high fire rate. This allows you to fire many shots in a short amount of time. The low reload time and damage also speak for the Semi-Auto. A top choice for short-range fights!
Location: After the mission “A Night of Debauchery” in Chapter 4, you can get it at any gunsmith. You can also find it in Watson’s cabin in the basement. You can find the cabin by riding west of Valentine. On the map, you will see “Wallace Station”. Ride a bit west of Wallace Station and then a little north to discover the cabin.
More powerful shotguns: The sawed-off shotgun is also recommended because you can draw it at the same time as another weapon. The sawed-off shotgun becomes available after the mission “Step Up, Followed by Memories” in Chapter 1 at any gunsmith.
Repeater Shotgun in Red Dead Online
The Repeater Shotgun is highly praised in the community. The outstanding damage it deals is remarkable. Additionally, it has decent accuracy, which is important in intense battles. This shotgun excels at close and medium ranges. The downside is the relatively high price.
Price: The Repeater Shotgun currently costs $434 in Red Dead Online.
Rank: You need rank 11 to unlock it.
The best Rifles
This is the best rifle: Bolt-Action Rifle
What makes the weapon so powerful? In accordance with the nature of a repeater rifle, this rifle has a low fire rate. However, the damage per bullet is enormous, and accuracy is high. You can also equip it with a scope.
Location: You unlock the rifle after the mission “He Preached Forgiveness” in Chapter 3. After that, it is available at all gunsmiths.
More powerful rifles: As you progress through the story in Red Dead Redemption 2, you unlock new weapons, such as the Lancaster Repeater. It has a higher fire rate than the Bolt-Action. The Springfield rifle, which is available shortly after “Eastward” in Chapter 1, is also a strong alternative in this weapon category.
The best rifles in Red Dead Online
Bolt-Action Rifle: Although the fire rate is low, the damage impresses the online community. This is also due to the fact that you only need a low rank to unlock the weapon. In PvP, this rifle is especially suitable on large maps to pick off enemies from a distance. With a scope, it is also a good sniper rifle. The rifle is available from rank 7 for $216.
Litchfield Repeater: This weapon is well-received by many players due to its solid stats. The large magazine is also impressive. It is said to be challenging to aim with the weapon. However, at medium range, it is a beast. If you can carefully aim from cover, the Litchfield becomes a serious threat to any opponent. You can get this weapon from rank 18 for $348.
Springfield Rifle: This rifle is one of the strongest weapons in Red Dead Online. At medium and long distances, this weapon is particularly effective. You will need to get used to the low fire rate. However, after one shot, an enemy shouldn’t have much left to say. If you hit them in the chest or head, they should die after one hit. The rifle is available for $156 from rank 38.
The best Snipers
This is the best sniper rifle: (Rare) Rolling-Block Rifle
What makes the weapon so powerful? The advantage of the Rolling Block is the extremely high damage and its early availability. If you don’t like the rifle in its original state, you can customize it at the gunsmith.
Location: You can buy the Rolling-Block Rifle at any gunsmith after you complete “Oiling” in Chapter 2.
More powerful sniper rifles: The Carcano Rifle has a higher fire rate and better reload time than the Rolling Block. However, it deals less damage and is only available late in the game.
Which sniper for the online mode? For kills from a greater distance, players in online mode often prefer the Bolt-Action Rifle. We have already mentioned this among the rifles. You can get this weapon with high damage output for $216 from rank 7.
The best Throwing Weapons
This is the best throwing weapon: Ancient Tomahawk
What makes the weapon so powerful? In terms of damage, the throwing weapons hardly differ from one another, except for the strong dynamite. The ancient tomahawk is rare and looks cool. Players love it.
Tomahawk also popular in online mode: In Red Dead Online, you can get the tomahawk from rank 36. Whoever gets in the way of this throwing weapon pays for it with their life. In online mode, you can start certain showdown series with this weapon.
The best Melee Weapons
This is the best melee weapon: Machete
What is special about melee weapons? With melee weapons, the choice is very much dependent on personal taste. There aren’t many differences, although the machete deals a little more damage. Players rave about the machete while others prefer the Viking axe.
Location: The machete and other melee weapons can be found at the fence in Red Dead Redemption 2.
What are your favorite weapons in Red Dead Redemption 2?
The Silent Killer in Red Dead Online
Players refer to the bow in Red Dead Online as a hidden gem. Many do not have it on their list of best weapons, but it offers many advantages.
What makes the bow in Red Dead Online special? Paired with your Dead Eye ability, the bow becomes the silent killer. In the game mode Hostile Territory, it is crucial for capturing areas to be quiet and not reveal your position.
Admittedly, hitting with the bow requires a high level of discipline. In intense fights, you need to calmly draw the bow and aim. This works differently than with pistols or rifles with high fire rates. But if you hit, it is deadly.
Price: The bow is available for just $124.
Rank? You must have reached rank 10 to unlock the bow.
The MMORPG Throne and Liberty is set to be released in the West this year. The YouTuber Asmongold now reveals that he will definitely play the title. He lists the things that bother him about the game and what he is looking forward to.
What about the release of Throne and Liberty?
There is no concrete date yet for the global release. The game is expected to be released sometime in early 2024.
In South Korea, the MMORPG has been available since December 7, 2023. The first test scores have been positive.
The well-known YouTuber Asmongold reacted to a video that discusses the previous reviews of Throne and Liberty. Since the game is currently only available in South Korea, he is very curious about the release. He even reveals that he will play the title “100%”. He lists the features he is particularly excited about and the things that disappoint him.
In the following video, you can get an impression of Throne and Liberty:
Start video
Throne and Liberty – NCSoft presents the launch trailer
Asmongold is disappointed with Pay2Win
How does Asmongold rate Throne and Liberty? On a scale from 1 to 10, he would give the MMORPG a 7. This rating is good enough for him to check out the game. Both the visuals and the gameplay look good to him, but not “great”.
He is glad that the game lost about 10% of its stock value after its first beta. In his opinion, this gave the development team an incentive to take player criticism seriously and address negative points.
You can watch the complete video of his reaction here:
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The YouTuber is pleased with what Throne and Liberty has become. Asmongold can imagine spending about a month of his life in the MMORPG. He praises the following points:
The combat system is the most important point for him and convinces him in the first videos.
Asmongold is impressed that the game doesn’t lag during massive PvP battles. He thinks the scenes must be fake because the performance is so good.
It looks to him like the MMORPG has a good balance between solo and cooperative content, which is extremely important to him.
However, it turns out that there is a bonus in the in-game shop that prevents players from losing experience points after death. Additionally, items can be offered in the auction house by players that can be purchased by others using the game’s premium currency. To acquire this premium currency, real money is needed.
Asmongold also states that he expected “this kind of garbage”. Nevertheless, he is disappointed by this aspect.
In Hollywood, there are some actors who have many methods for preparing for a role. For Christian Bale, it is important to get as physically close to the role as possible. That is why he is also known for his incredible body transformations, which can also take a toll on him.
Christian Bale is not only one of the great actors in Hollywood because of his role as Batman.
He has been nominated 4 times for an Oscar for his acting performance, and won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for the film The Fighter.
Bale has not shied away in the past from gaining or losing weight drastically for his roles. He needs this strong physical change to immerse himself in the characters. He transformed his body for his role in Vice.
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Vice – Trailer for the film about American Vice President Dick Cheney
His probably first extreme transformation took place for the film The Machinist. For the film, he trimmed his body down to 120 pounds (about 54 kg). At the end of filming, however, the next role awaited the actor in the form of Batman in Batman Begins. He had 6 months to build muscle for the film and reached 220 pounds (about 100 kg).
After that, his films continued. Sometimes he lost weight again for his role in Rescue Dawn, only to gain it back for The Dark Knight or The Prestige. For his role as Vice President Dick Cheney, he gained 40 kg again and is hardly recognizable in the film.
In an interview with The Guardian, he explains that he transforms his body in preparation for his roles. It is helpful when you don’t look like yourself. He explains how he cannot simply slip into a role, he needs a distance from himself, which he achieves when he looks in the mirror and thinks: Ah, that doesn’t look like me.
But these transformations also have physical and mental consequences. Although he has been lucky so far and has not suffered any lasting damage, he knows he cannot keep this up. He explains in The Times: I can’t do that anymore. I really can’t. My mortality is staring me in the face.
The time spent within the roles is also mentally taxing for him. During his promotional tour for the film Mowgli, he talked about how he cannot do this anymore.
It is pathetic. It is terrible. When you lose weight, you gain nothing but going to bed hungry and feeling miserable […] [Gaining weight] is the complete opposite. You lose absolutely all discipline and eat like crazy. I have to stop, this is not healthy for your body.
This was in 2018. For the 4th installment of the Thor series from Marvel, he has lost a lot of weight again to transform into the villain Gorr. So far, the actor has been lucky and has not suffered any lasting damage, but such transformations could lead to health problems in the future.
The actor would only return as Batman under one condition:
A Swedish Twitch streamer named Kris, also known as ‘RelicKris’, finds himself in a precarious situation in Japan after the bank of a donor withdrew the funds intended for his trip.
Streamer stuck in Japan: The Swedish Twitch streamer Kris ‘RelicKris’ has recently been struggling with financial difficulties. The problems began when the bank of a donor who had funded his planned trip to Japan withdrew the money due to a chargeback.
Kris suddenly found himself in a precarious situation and labeled himself as “homeless” in a foreign country, as the initial funds for the trip were no longer available. In an emotional Twitch stream, Kris shared his situation with the community, explaining that he was bankrupt and in a desperate predicament.
Start video
Chef ruined his company in 59 seconds on Twitch – What happened to him?
He and his companion had the goal of traveling to Asia. The necessary financial resources were made possible through donations. However, the trip was in jeopardy when the donor’s bank withdrew the funds.
This is the streamer: Kris grew up on the picturesque Greek island of Corfu and has now found his home in Stockholm. His IRL streams, which he produces together with his Latvian co-host Emilija, take viewers on journeys around the world.
Kris hopes that viewers will stick around and enjoy his content. On Twitch, he has already gained 15,000 followers and reaches an average of 230 viewers according to Sullygnome.
This is how the community reacts. Reactions in the Twitch community are mixed. Some show understanding and empathy for Kris’ unexpected situation, while others critically question whether he should have been more prudent with the donated funds.
In the world of Twitch donations, a challenge from viewers can lead to chargebacks, which in turn can cause uncertainties in financing such trips. Nevertheless, there are differing opinions on Reddit about the extent to which the streamer is responsible for the developments:
lemyeons writes: “Maybe he shouldn’t spend money he doesn’t have. He’s been on Twitch for a while now; he should know that chargebacks happen. Don’t trust donations until they are 100% processed and in your bank. I’d be even more cautious with large donations.”
myaccountgotyoinked comments: “Do people frequently travel when they are on the brink of subsistence?”
chamber25 notes: “Are people now traveling with a one-way ticket?”
Another streamer recently experienced a trip to Japan that was anything but a vacation for him. You can read more about it here:
Season 3 of 7 vs. Wild is just not going well. Now the production has even managed to disappoint the YouTube community.The thumbnail and title had to be changed for the new episode.
Why did the episode have to be changed? Recently, the latest episode of 7 vs. Wild Season 3 was released on YouTube. In episode 10, there were massive spoilers regarding the content of the episode directly in the title and the thumbnail. The title suggested the elimination of a team and also showed it in the thumbnail.
In plain terms, this means that you can see involuntarily who will be eliminated in the episode already in the YouTube notification for the new episode, on the homepage, or when searching for the episode. When the next episode will be released on YouTube can be found here.
You can see the spoiler here
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One of the participants in Season 3 is Twitch streamer Jens “Knossi” Knossalla. You can see more about him in our video.
Start video
From the Witness Stand with Barbara Salesch to the King of Twitch – Career and Life of Knossi
How did the production react? The “7 vs. Wild” production has reacted and has since changed the image and title. The current title is free from the exit spoiler and shows wildcard participant Ann-Katrin “Monkey on Bike” Benedixen (23) holding a crab, with the title: “Feast”.
So action was taken quite quickly. Nonetheless, many people may have already been spoiled due to the notifications and the fixed airing dates.
After the broadcast is before the shitstorm
How did the community react? The community was not surprised that such a spoiler had happened. On YouTube, the top comment from KingBob6464 reads: “Great thumbnail, makes it really exciting.”
Also on Reddit, the active “7 vs. Wild” community noticed the thumbnail.
chris_ro via Reddit: “That’s really an achievement.”
HeSeMuReiRoLi via Reddit: “That has nothing to do with the organization that is responsible for the rest, right? For the YouTube release, different people, possibly the same ones as in the previous seasons, should be responsible, right?”
Who exactly is responsible for the YouTube episodes cannot be determined, but the “7 vs. Wild” brand belongs to Calivision.
Which episode has been edited? Episode 1 has also received updates on Freevee, as the community noted on Reddit. Although the episode has been published for several months, adjustments have now been made in the intro.
On the other hand, the introduction of Wieland “Rumathra” Welte (28) has been completely revised. While he was previously presented more as the sidekick of Trymacs, the new intro gives more focus to his skills, preparations, and the adventure.
Until January 4th at 7 PM, you can get the fantastic co-op game It Takes Two for a historic low price of 10 euros in the Steam Winter Sale. That’s a discount of 75 percent.
What kind of game is it?
It Takes Two tells the story of the couple Cody and May, whose marriage is currently anything but good. Through a spell, they are suddenly transformed into dolls and must find a way together to become human again.
For this, you grab a friend or your partner and tackle various challenges as Cody and May. From puzzle sections to obstacle courses to boss fights, the action-adventure offers plenty of variety.
You must play It Takes Two in co-op. There is no single-player mode. However, you can decide whether you want to play online or locally on a shared screen.
You can get a taste of what to expect in the game from the trailer:
Start video
It Takes Two Gameplay Trailer
One buys, two play
Do both need to own the game? In the case of It Takes Two, only one of you needs to own the game. Even if you want to play online together instead of on the couch.
This is made possible by the so-called Friends Pass. The one of you who doesn’t have the full version of the game downloads it. This allows the owner of It Takes Two to invite the other into their game.
Important: The Friends Pass works across generations, but not across platforms. This means your friend must also be playing on PC and cannot join you with a console. Additionally, both players need an account on the platform.
If you buy the game in the Steam Sale, your co-op partner will also need a Steam account for online play.
95% positive Steam reviews
What makes It Takes Two so good? If you’ve watched the embedded trailer above, then you already know: It Takes Two is not a slow platformer or a purely puzzle game where cooperation is optional.
There are countless gameplay mechanics, new ideas in each section, and cooperation is required every time. Many Steam reviews praise these points and also tell heartwarming stories about how they and their co-op partner have built a closer bond through the game.
One player writes: I started the game with my girlfriend and finished it with my wife.
Another player shares: I started the game today with my daughter, and we played for 3.5 hours. After that, she just couldn’t stop talking about it.
Yet another writes: In all my years of gaming, I’ve never played anything this perfect. The attention to detail, the diversity, the creativity, everything was perfect. After each chapter, something new came up, there was just so much to discover.
Do both have to be good gamers? Often, co-op games assume some prior knowledge regarding controls or enthusiasm for the genre. This is not the case with It Takes Two.
As you can already guess from the Steam reviews, many enjoy playing the co-op game with their partner or their children, as the controls are easy to understand at first. The learning curve is gentle.
However, the game does not make it too easy for you. Especially the boss fights require a certain level of coordination and skill. Often, you can “revive” your knocked-out partner in battle and thus balance out playful differences well.
The year 2024 could be a big year for “The Walking Dead.” At least that’s what a trailer from AMC suggests, announcing upcoming projects for this year.
What was announced? The American media company AMC Networks uploaded a short trailer on its Instagram profile, which is supposed to give you a little taste of the upcoming movies and series for 2024.
They promise that this is going to be an unforgettable year for AMC+ and shows clips from “Monsieur Spade,” “Orphan Black: Echoes,’ and “Interview with a Vampire.”
Above all, fans of The Walking Dead should be quite excited about this summarizing trailer, as three spin-offs of the popular franchise have been announced for 2024:
What can fans of The Walking Dead look forward to in 2024? After 11 pretty successful seasons, the drama about a zombie apocalypse ended in October 2022. Nevertheless, the universe created for this series still lives on a little bit longer.
With, for example, successful games or comics, fans of the franchise can still enjoy more zombie action. But there are also a number of spin-off series related to different characters, which are either already available or will debut this year.
3 spin-offs bring back 4 beloved characters to the franchise
As the trailer announces, we can expect three spin-offs in 2024:
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – Season 2
The Walking Dead: The Book of Carol
Where the latter is itself a small sequel to Daryl Dixon. So it’s a spin-off of the spin-off. Melissa McBride’s character is among the most loved ones in the original series. Many fans can therefore look forward to this spin-off.
The second season of Daryl Dixon is said to be of similar quality to season 1. That sounds promising, as the first season was praised by critics for its fresh approach.
Start video
The Walking Dead – English Trailer for Season 11
However, fans will likely find The Ones Who Live interesting as well, because in this spin-off, you will see some returning characters from the original series. Rick Grimes and Michonne find their way back to the franchise in this spin-off. Especially Rick had long been at the core of the series. Allowing this character to return for a spin-off could mean a lot.
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live is also set to premiere on February 25, 2024.
And even though the images shown in the trailer don’t contain many new bits of information, they do show that the zombie franchise will be quite present this year.
Those who press a button on the Xbox controller at the wrong moment will automatically get banned. This can easily happen in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a great, but also very mature game. Some quests are not only quite cruel and brutal, but nudity also plays a role. This is not only due to the possibilities of displaying the characters completely naked – for example, during character creation – but also because of the sex scenes that are clearly intended for an adult audience.
However, these very scenes can become a downfall for players on the Xbox Series X|S, resulting in Xbox accounts being banned – with potentially hefty penalties.
Why the success of Baldur’s Gate 3 was no coincidence has been discussed here in detail:
Start video
Middle finger to the AAA industry: Baldur’s Gate 3 was no coincidence
What happened? In a post by “Daddy-Vegas” in the Baldur’s Gate 3 Subreddit, he shows some screenshots of notifications regarding his Xbox account. He received an account penalty for uploading some clips – for a hefty year.
These are gameplay scenes from Baldur’s Gate 3, which he describes as “naked fun in the camp.” Although the three clips were recorded in very quick succession, they count as a triple violation of the rules because they contain inappropriate content – namely the aforementioned nude scenes.
Daddy-Vegas actually wanted to record the clips just to show them to his brother and have a laugh together.
The consequence is that his Xbox account is banned until the end of 2024.
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Why does this happen? The main reason is the default setting on most consoles. When a clip is recorded, which is possible with a simple press of a button on the controller, it is automatically uploaded to the Xbox servers. This is an option that must be actively disabled in the settings if one does not wish to use it.
Since this upload is enabled by default, the content is automatically reviewed, and in the event of a violation, it can lead to account penalties – which are relatively steep.
What are the consequences? Even a temporary suspension of the Xbox account can have a whole range of unpleasant side effects that drastically limit cooperative gameplay. These include:
No games requiring an online connection can be played.
Streaming rights are restricted.
Video clips and screenshots can no longer be uploaded.
Groups in the Xbox ecosystem can no longer be created or joined.
In the end, it remains to be seen whether it makes sense for content that is an integral part of a game to automatically lead to a ban when recorded. Microsoft will have to consider this carefully. Everyone else should ensure that their saved clips are truly stored locally and not accessible to the public – or you might as well just keep the heated love scenes to yourselves without saving them.
Regardless, you should consider turning off the automatic upload of clips. Otherwise, you risk falling into this trap if you want to capture a fiery night with Karlach or Gale for eternity.
In January, you can expect Porygon in Pokémon GO during the Community Day Classic. When it takes place and what bonuses are available, you will find out here.
What kind of event is this? During a Community Day, a Pokémon is the focus, which appears very frequently. A Community Day is accompanied by special bonuses that are active at the same time. A Community Day Classic features a Pokémon that was already present in a regular Community Day.
When does the event take place? The Community Day Classic with Porygon will run on Saturday, January 20, 2024, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
Which Pokémon is the focus? In this event, you will encounter Porygon more frequently. This is a Normal-type Pokémon from the first generation. It has the evolution stages Porygon2 and Porygon-Z.
Trailer for the current season Timeless Travels.
Start video
Pokémon GO shows the new season “Timeless Travels” in the trailer
Community Day Classic with Bonuses, Researches, and Showcases
What bonuses are there during the event? Apart from the increased spawn rate of Porygon, you will receive triple experience points for catching Pokémon. If you activate incense or a lure module during the event, they will remain active for a full 3 hours.
Which special move can Porygon-Z learn? If you evolve Porygon2 into Porygon-Z during or up to 2 hours after the event, it will learn the charged move Tri Attack. This move is of the Normal type and deals 75 damage in raids and gyms, and 65 damage in trainer battles, where it also has a chance to lower the attacking and defensive stats of the opposing Pokémon.
What research will be available during the event? In the Community Day Classic, you can complete field research in which you need to catch Porygon and will be rewarded with more Porygons, stardust, and ultra balls. Additionally, there will be a free limited-time field research as well as an exclusive limited-time field research for 1 €.
Will Porygon be available as Shiny? Yes, Porygon will be available as Shiny during the event, so you can add this Pokémon and its evolution stages in their Shiny variants to your collection.
What else will happen during the event? While the event is running, there will also be showcases where you can compete with your Porygon and Porygon-Z. If you take AR photos during the event, Porygon might sneak into your picture.
Are you looking forward to this Community Day Classic? Do you still need Porygon, or are you less interested in this Pokémon? If you want to know what else is currently happening in the game, take a look at the Events in January in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The YouTuber and Tetris expert Blue Scuti is the first person to have completed the NES version of Tetris from 1989. However, the end of the game is not defined by a credits roll but by the so-called “True Killscreen”.
What awaits one at the end of Tetris? The end of Tetris is not a classic ending:
Actually, Tetris is programmed to be played indefinitely.
With each level, the speed at which the blocks fall increases.
From level 29, the speed is so fast that it is impossible for casual gamers to place the blocks correctly. Thus, this level was long considered the end of the game.
Over the years, many Tetris veterans have developed techniques to arrange the blocks even faster. This made it possible to place the blocks correctly even after level 29.
Since the speed does not increase from this level on, it is only a matter of concentration to reach higher levels.
Blue Scuti managed to play so many levels that the game froze. This is the “True Killscreen,” which defines the end of Tetris. So far, only an AI has managed to trigger the freeze at level 237. The Killscreen is therefore not always triggered at the same level.
Many analysts, such as HydrantDude, have calculated when the earliest possible crash could occur. In fact, a single block can cause the game to freeze as early as level 155.
You can watch the important moment on his YouTube channel:
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The colors of the Tetris blocks sometimes caused problems
How did Blue Scuti’s game unfold? The 13-year-old is the first person to reach level 157 and thus provoke the “True Killscreen”. After his victory, he begins to hyperventilate and says that he can no longer feel his fingers.
After 30 minutes, the teenager began to get nervous. Just one mistake would be enough to ruin the whole run. At times, he couldn’t even feel his fingers anymore. One level made it particularly difficult for the virtuoso to set the record.
The blocks in level 146 are dark and similar in color. On his screen, the blocks looked very similar to Blue Scuti, which is why he referred to this level as the greatest challenge.
Can this record be beaten? It remains to be seen whether a player will ever manage to beat level 157 without triggering the “True Killscreen.” Should the level actually be the end of the game, speedrunners might try to beat Blue Scuti’s time.
Alternatively, it might be possible that the hunt for the highest high score will begin at level 157. Either way, the 13-year-old can be particularly proud of himself for being the first person in the world to reach the end of Tetris.
Tetris fans can watch the backstory of the arcade classic on Apple TV+:
In League of Legends, there are countless players who do not always aim to win the match. A very special streamer has made it his mission to troll as many games as possible and ruin the game for the players. For this, he operates surprisingly efficiently.
It’s about the streamer LIONL9. He even advertises that he will int, essentially ruining your game. For this, he has an efficient strategy.
Instead of playing a single match, he plays multiple matches at once
He exclusively plays the champion Nunu when he is not banned
He runs down the Midlane in every match to the enemy tower and dies there
If one of the accounts he uses gets banned, he simply logs in again with a new account
His stream is visually barely tolerable. He has several tabs open, the screen is full of images and memes, and there is a counter showing how many times he has already been banned. He is only seen wearing a Nunu mask printed on cardboard. According to a clip on Twitch from 21 days ago, 1,666 of his accounts have already been banned.
Start video
LoL: Video shows the relationship between rank placement, MMR and league points
His behavior fits his sponsor
According to 3DJuegos, the streamer also has a sponsor who deals with the distribution of LoL accounts. This also explains how he seemingly has unlimited accounts to continue with. However, with these services, it is often unclear where these accounts come from. Many are leveled up to level 30 by bots, but stolen account data from other players cannot be ruled out either.
According to Riot’s Terms of Service, both selling and using purchased accounts is prohibited. Riot also states that it is likely that such vendors want to scam you.
Removing LIONL9 from the game proves to be more difficult than expected. While his accounts are diligently banned, Riot cannot act against the many new accounts. The streamer could likely circumvent even an IP or hardware ban.
The only way to stop him, according to 3DJuegos, would likely be a ban or restriction on streaming platforms, as he would then no longer fulfill his entire advertising contract for the sponsor.
Besides LIONL9, there are also many toxic players who get banned for their behavior:
A gamer bought his son a new gaming PC. But the new system has a major drawback, as the hardware is completely outdated. Many criticize that the father was taken for a ride at that price.
A new gaming PC is likely to be a small highlight for anyone. Because new hardware usually means a significant increase in performance. However, a father recently bought a gaming PC at the request of his son. But he probably won’t have much joy with the gaming PC.
1,200 Euros for 10-year-old hardware
What hardware is installed in the PC? The user on reddit reports that the gaming PC is equipped with an Intel i5 2500 without K and a GTX 1660ti from Nvidia.
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The i5 2500 was first released in 2011 and received its last security and maintenance update in 2019. Moreover, the CPU only runs with outdated DDR3 RAM and a correspondingly old motherboard.
The GTX 1660ti is still from 2019 and theoretically offers enough performance for relatively new games at medium or high details. The problem, however, is the outdated CPU, which will throttle the graphics card in many games and applications.
Price far too high: Just for comparison: A modern gaming PC with Ryzen 5 5600 and RX 6700 XT is now available for well under 1,000 Euros and you could buy a decent monitor with the remaining money. Alternatively, there is also an RTX GPU from Nvidia with DLSS support.
What do users say? They consider it a scam to sell such a computer as a “gaming PC” and on top of that for so much money. Many have strong words in the comments for this action:
Damn, the seller is really heartless, I feel sorry for the child suffering under a 13-year-old CPU.
(…) I think you should directly tell him [the father] so that he can be more careful next time by doing research or seeking help. A simple ChatGPT prompt or a Google search will open his eyes.
Some also warn against simply buying “new” hardware without knowledge. Because in the worst case, it can happen that you end up with things that are not worth the money at all.
Is old hardware worth it at all? The problem with very old components is often that they limit themselves: A 10-year-old processor can only be equipped with a similarly old motherboard and DDR3 RAM. Therefore, you will never enjoy modern features. In addition, older CPUs often do not work really cost-efficiently.
For modern hardware, you already need to replace the entire system (motherboard, RAM, and CPU). Upgrading old hardware with similarly old hardware is hardly ever worth it.
A list of hardware that you should not buy today can be found in the following article directly on MeinMMO:
A new farming game, which refers to itself as a “fantasy farming simulator,” is set to be released on Steam this year. The announcement trailer quickly reveals that Tales of Seikyu does not want to be like all other farming games.
The game introduces you to the hidden fairyland Seikyu, which serves as a refuge for Yokai, various spirits and demons. You begin your new life on a farm there and try to cope with tasks and the new neighbors. It soon becomes apparent that Seikyu is threatened by ancient gods.
The trailer also indicates that you will need to overcome a few more challenges to secure your survival:
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In Tales of Seikyu treffen die verschiedensten Yokai aufeinandern
In Tales of Seikyu, you become the monster yourself: As the trailer quickly shows, you do not only pursue your daily tasks in your human form. Because as it is for a Yokai, you can change your shape.
To do this, you collect various masks in the game that allow you to take on a new form. For example, you can become a wild boar to plow the field or turn into wet slime to irrigate the field.
But even outside your farm, these powers are quite useful. You can transform into a crow Tengu to fly long distances or quickly reach the top of a mountain. As slime, you can even explore everything underwater.
Tales of Seikyu promises many features that you wish for from a farming game
In addition to the aspect of shape-shifting, the trailer shows several other features:
Explore your surroundings
Gather resources, for example by blowing up trees
Help the various NPCs and use your different forms for that
Build your farm and hotel according to your own ideas and decorate your house
Take care of your animals
Cook various dishes
Fight the ancient gods with your weapons and receive treasures from them
Play together with your friends
The trailer also promises that you can build relationships with the various villagers. There will also be the possibility to start a romance.
In various interactions, you can connect with around 30 characters, complete trades, and learn their stories. The residents are as diverse as one can imagine Yokai to be: From “human” forms to neighbors in otter or bird form, there is already a lot to see in the trailer.
The new movie from Studio Ghibli has become a masterpiece again. At least that’s what MeinMMO author Christoph Waldboth thinks. He explains how he came to his spoiler-free opinion in his review.
“The Boy and the Heron”. That is the new film by Hayao Miyazaki. Even those who do not know the name of the legendary director have probably seen at least some of his films. These include animation gems like “Spirited Away”, “Princess Mononoke”, or “My Neighbor Totoro”.
Actually, Miyazaki wanted to retire long ago (reported by Süddeutsche Zeitung). “The Wind Rises” from 2013 was supposed to be his last film. But obviously, the anime master cannot find peace due to his own creativity.
Who is writing here? Christoph Waldboth is a film lover across all genres. Whether deep drama, explosive action, or imaginative animation – spinning wild theories about his favorite films is as much a passion of his as writing about them.
The new film is called “The Boy and the Heron”. In the original Japanese, it is titled “Kimitachi wa Dō Ikiru ka”, which translates to: “How do you live?”. With this, Miyazaki’s film takes its title from the novel of the same name by the Japanese writer Genzaburo Yoshino. However, the actual story of the film comes from the director himself. As has been so often, a child is at the center of the narrative. Without giving too much away: It is about grief and how to deal with it.
Here you can see the trailer for the film:
Start video
The Boy and the Heron
The Return to the Fantastic
“The Wind Rises” told the story of a Japanese engineer from the 1920s, and was correspondingly realistic. In “The Boy and the Heron”, the fantasy elements take up more space again. So much so that I felt reminded of past films from Studio Ghibli time and again. Key word: parallel worlds.
The fact that the magical is once again part of it was already hinted at in the trailers. Still, I was overwhelmed in the cinema by the creativity and the many creative ideas that the film has to offer. Colorful as ever, it enchants with wonderful backgrounds and absurd creature designs (slightly disturbing: The heron).
The film is, in the best sense, a surprise bag. Once opened and looked into, you can’t pull your head out again. You want to see and experience everything. Moreover, everything looks great again.
Animation Art at the Highest Level
Yes, the images. Yes, these animations. Ghibli proves once again that the studio belongs to the best that the world of animated films has to offer. With great attention to detail, characters and scenery are animated. Even small, seemingly unimportant things like awkwardly slipping into a shoe are given space.
It is these details that make Miyazaki’s films masterful for me. Because these details give his characters something human, making me almost forget that they are drawn characters.
Hand-drawn, it must be emphasized. Most of the scenes at Ghibli are still hand-drawn. And you can see that. It may be a matter of taste, but in my eyes, modern 3D animation can never match traditional hand-drawn art. Every single frame in this film could be printed and hung on the wall. These are not simply individual frames of an anime, but countless paintings that are worth being viewed on as large a canvas as possible.
That’s why I urge you all: Make sure to see this film in the cinema. It is worth it.
In addition, this way you will also enjoy optimal sound quality. The sounds that bring the fantastic world of the film to life sound wonderfully crisp, and the music by Ghibli’s regular composer Joe Hisaishi underscores the events on the screen in a minimalist yet atmospheric way.
One thing I absolutely have to say. “The Boy and the Heron” is, in my opinion, by far the most difficult and complicated film by Hayao Miyazaki. This is mainly due to the way the filmmaker tells his story.
Much is only hinted at or clothed in abstract images. The course of the plot can confuse, and will leave parts of the audience irritated. I too sat at the end of the screening with a furrowed brow. However, since I love such things, I dove into my own wild theories on the way home. How it could be meant, how this can be understood …
Thus, the film offers plenty of room for personal interpretation. As The Hollywood Reporter reported, Miyazaki had the following message read at a preview screening in February 2023:
Perhaps you didn’t understand it. I myself don’t understand it.
This shows that even the creative mind behind the film cannot find a clear solution.
As I said: I enjoy such things. But I also know many who just want to enjoy a film. Who want to say goodbye for two hours to another world and let themselves be entertained. Who do not want to have to piece together parts of the plot in the end. For all those, the film could be a little disappointing.
Of course, one can ignore all of that and simply enjoy the audiovisual masterpiece that the film is for me. But after I satisfactorily deciphered the riddle behind it, I was even more enthusiastic about it. You should try it too.
For me, the film belongs to the best of Studio Ghibli
When it comes to my personal Ghibli ranking, “The Boy and the Heron” already plays in the top league. This means in my case: It is on par with “Spirited Away”, “Princess Mononoke”, and “The Wind Rises”. The reason for this is simple: The film combines the best of these three other anime.
It has the seriousness and tragedy of “Princess Mononoke”, the inventiveness and absurd humor of “Spirited Away”, and the masterful interpersonal relationships of “The Wind Rises”.
Once again, Hayao Miyazaki proves that he is among the best in his field. Everyone who has even the slightest interest in anime and animated films in general should see this film. Believe me, you will see things that you have never experienced in a cinema before. You will marvel with childlike eyes, rejoice, feel fear, and experience relief. You will begin to ponder, and carry the story and the characters home with you. And you will not forget them quickly.
Until the next film by Miyazaki. According to the vice president of Studio Ghibli (via cba.ca), the master is already working on his next project despite his old age (82!). I am already looking forward to it.
“The Boy and the Heron” will be shown in German cinemas from January 4, 2024.
In CoD Warzone, a pistol is currently quite strong. A modification kit increases the fire rate of the pistol by a full 100%. For this to work, you need the right loadout.
Which pistol are we talking about? Due to balance changes, the meta in Call of Duty: Warzone often changes. Currently, the pistol Cor-45 is making its rounds in Warzone. The pistol is probably the best secondary weapon in the game – for some, even better than the primary weapon.
What makes the weapon so strong? The weapon becomes so powerful with the right loadout. The “XRK IP-V2” modification kit gives the pistol a fire rate increased by 100%. This means that a bullet is fired both when pressing and releasing the trigger.
With the modification kit, you can shoot twice as fast. This greatly improves the “Time-To-Kill” (TTK) of the Cor-45. The TTK describes how quickly you can take down an opponent.
Especially at short distances, the weapon can lead to quick fights with the right loadout. This has also been recognized in the community, and the weapon is already widely used.
If you feel a bit nostalgic after the New Year, you can watch the Warzone trailer that started it all here.
Start video
Call of Duty: Warzone – The trailer that started it all
The Right Loadout Makes the Weapon Strong
What loadout do you need?
Besides the “XRK IP-V2” modification kit, you’ll need different mods to get the most out of the weapon.
It’s best to equip the pistol with the Sonic suppressor XS. For grips, choose the angled Bruen grip or the XTEN drop grip.
You should also use the DR-6 handstop and the 40-round drum magazine along with the XRK Dynamics precision stock.
The mods ensure the lowest possible Time-To-Kill (TTK). However, they also make the weapon more difficult to control.
What are the disadvantages of the weapon? The weapon is not effective at longer distances, as is typical for a pistol. Additionally, the weapon has a high recoil with the loadout optimized for the best Time-To-Kill (TTK), which makes it harder to control.
Another negative point is the actual strength of the pistol, namely the double fire rate. One must first get used to the so-called “triggering”. The weapon does not fire fully automatically.
With “triggering”, it’s important to press and release the shoot button as quickly as possible, which is more difficult than simply holding the shoot button down like with automatic rifles.
The next patch of World of Warcraft has a release date. We reveal what’s included – and when it starts.
The year 2024 has started with a packed schedule and a strict roadmap for World of Warcraft. The developers apparently want to handle the first point particularly quickly. The next patch for World of Warcraft Dragonflight will be released in just a few weeks, and even a bit earlier than originally expected. It all starts in just under 2 weeks.
When does Patch 10.2.5 release? The patch 10.2.5 Seeds of Renewal will be released on January 17, 2024. As usual, the patch will go live in America a day earlier due to time differences and various maintenance work.
As announced in the roadmap – the content of Patch 10.2.5.
What’s included in Patch 10.2.5 Seeds of Renewal?
This patch is just a “small” patch, so there is no really new area or new season. Instead, there are a lot of smaller features that should provide distraction for at least a few weeks – along with quests to gradually conclude Dragonflight. The highlights of Patch 10.2.5 include:
Worldwide Dragon Riding: Dragon Riding will be unlocked worldwide, meaning in all old areas where flying was already possible. Here, Dragon Riding has a speed of only 85% of the maximum speed on the Dragon Islands, but that’s still many times faster than traditional flying mounts.
Archives of Azeroth: A new feature that will please story fans. Experience stories from the past of the Dragon Islands here, both in solo and group activities. Collectors can look forward to battle pets, mounts, and a transmog set.
Bel’ameth: The new capital of the Night Elves is established. After the blooming of Amirdrassil, the Night Elves have chosen the tree as their home – Kaldorei fans can discover a lot here.
Reclaiming Gilneas: King Genn Greymane sets out to reclaim Gilneas – but the once-human kingdom is not as deserted as hoped. Help bring the kingdom back under the control of the Worgen King.
Companion Dungeons: As a tank, healer, or DPS, you can now join a group of NPCs to play regular dungeons without pressure. This is possible for solo players or groups of 2-4 characters. This way, you can experience normal dungeons without social pressure and explore at your own pace.
New Character Customizations: Trolls get new hair colors and Draenei also receive some updates. Warlocks can look forward to more customizations for their demons, as the Tyrants and Darkglances can be visually modified.
What else is in the patch? Aside from the highlights, there are surely one or two hidden features that have slipped into the patch. One of them is the overhaul of the “Love is in the Air” event (Valentine’s Day), celebrated in February. Here, new rewards await and perhaps one or two fresh quests as well.
Are you looking forward to Patch 10.2.5?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Next week, on January 9, 2024, CES 2024 will begin. It is already clear that some important products will also make an appearance at CES 2024. Gamers will likely be excited about many things, but a few are less pleasant.
What is CES? The CES (short for “Consumer Electronics Show”) is one of the largest trade fairs for consumer electronics in the world, held annually in January in Las Vegas. This is where new products and interesting technologies are often showcased, and the most important manufacturers usually participate.
In 2024, we can again expect many innovations. However, a number of presentations should be particularly noted by gamers. And for almost all presentations, it is quite certain that they will occur.
Artificial Intelligence
AI has been a huge topic since the launch of ChatGPT at the end of 2022. Therefore, artificial intelligence is expected to play a significant role in 2024. Many companies are jumping on the proverbial bandwagon. Corporations like AMD and Microsoft have already stated that AI will completely change the world.
Additionally, Microsoft’s Chief Product Officer (CPO) Panos Panay intends to share more during a guest appearance at AMD’s official keynote at CES.
Other competitors like Intel are also aggressively promoting “AI Everywhere.” Therefore, AI is likely to accompany us in the coming months and years, influencing many aspects of life.
And this is true in both positive and negative ways: While gamers greatly benefit from AI in features like DLSS, others fear that artificial intelligence may also lead to job losses. AI is expected to divide people like few other topics before.
At the end of 2023, AMD introduced the latest version of FSR. FSR is AMD’s alternative to Nvidia’s DLSS. FSR has been an important step for AMD to counter a significant buying argument for an RTX graphics card from Nvidia. Intel’s counterpart is called XeSS. All three projects are real-time upscaling technologies aimed at increasing FPS in games.
So far, FSR 3.0 is being used in half a dozen games, and many are waiting for a major announcement regarding the broad support of the software. So far, Nvidia has the upper hand with DLSS, and many hope that AMD will finally close the gap with Nvidia. Unlike DLSS, which only works with Nvidia graphics cards, FSR is also compatible with third-party and older graphics cards:
New Graphics Cards from Nvidia: Super Models of the RTX 4000 Series
For months, rumors have been circulating that Nvidia will release an upgrade or at least a refresh for its RTX 4000 series in 2024. There are now several rumors under the names RTX 4080D or RTX 4080 Super.
Overall, it should be good news for gamers that Nvidia might offer new graphics card models with more performance or at least more video memory. On the other hand, the prices Nvidia is likely to demand for the new GPUs will not bring joy to gamers. For an RTX 4080, you already pay at least around 1,200 Euros (via geizhals.de).
The RTX 4090 is currently Nvidia’s fastest graphics card. Whether the RTX 4090 will also receive a Super or D model is not known.
New OLED Models for TVs and Gaming Monitors
We can expect that several manufacturers will present new gaming monitors with OLED displays.
As colleagues from TFTCentral report, several gaming monitors with OLED displays are set to be released in 2024. With up to 42 inches, a refresh rate of 480 Hz, and other features. At least LG’s “WOLED technology” is said to enable such high refresh rates.
Many manufacturers like Samsung or LG are likely to take the opportunity to showcase their new models at CES 2024. However, the prices are expected to be quite high, targeting buyers with the appropriate budget.
Why is OLED so exciting for gaming? OLED offers several advantages compared to LCD displays. OLEDs provide excellent contrast ratios and deep blacks. In an OLED display, each pixel lights up independently, allowing for very precise control of image quality.
Manufacturers are now using various techniques to prevent burn-in problems, which is why this is hardly a concern with modern devices. Devices like the Steam Deck OLED or the OLED version of the Switch do not experience burn-in issues:
What’s new from AMD? The Ryzen 8000 processors will be based on the new Zen 5 architecture and are expected to hit the market in the first half of 2024. However, do not expect much new: Zen 5 is said to be “only” a refresh of the 7000 series, which should bring meaningful improvements. The next significant upgrade is not expected until 2025.
What’s new from Intel? Intel is expected to release new desktop processors for gamers in 2024 with Core 200 under the codename “Arrow Lake.” The topic of efficiency is likely to become exciting again. In the last generation, Intel practically went for brute force: a lot of performance, but at the cost of enormous power consumption. AMD’s CPUs simply offer better efficiency. In 2024, or at the latest by 2025, it will be interesting to see who leads in terms of efficiency and performance in the future.
Qualcomm’s First Desktop Processor
What kind of processor is it? In 2023, manufacturer Qualcomm announced its entry into the PC market. By mid-2024, processors under the name Snapdragon X Elite are expected to be available (via chinahandys.net). Qualcomm aims to be the first manufacturer to offer a processor based on ARM architecture. AMD and Nvidia are also reportedly developing an ARM processor, but are still said to be in the early stages. We also know the specifications of Qualcomm’s processor by now:
The Snapdragon X Elite will be manufactured using a 4-nm process.
The processor has 12 cores, which can boost up to 3.8 GHz.
In single or dual-core operation, the chip can reach up to 4.3 GHz.
Additionally, there is a Qualcomm Adreno GPU graphics chip, which is said to deliver a performance of 4.6 TeraFLOPs. The PS5 delivers a little over double that with 10.3 Tflops.
In the end, much will depend on how good Qualcomm’s software and drivers are. Intel’s first “real” graphics cards mainly struggled due to subpar software.
Many alternatives to the Steam Deck also face software issues. We will introduce you to the most interesting alternatives directly on MeinMMO:
JayzTwoCents is one of the most well-known tech channels on YouTube, alongside Linus Tech Tips and Gamers Nexus. Now, JayzTwoCents explains that he has serious health issues. This also affects his YouTube channel.
On January 2, 2024, YouTuber JayzTwoCents informed his fans about the content he plans to develop in the coming year. At the same time, he also explained that he is struggling with health difficulties that will also impact his work.
Many viewers are surprised by the issues, express understanding for the popular YouTuber, and wish him all the best in the future. How things will progress with his channel can be read on MeinMMO.
JayzTwoCents explains how 2024 will go with his channel
What does the YouTuber say? In a video from January 2, 2024, Jayz shared that he has been struggling with some health problems since 2023 and is currently speaking with his doctors to sort everything out.
He revealed that he is dealing with anemia and some other issues that, in turn, result in him lacking the energy he usually has. Anemia is a blood disease. More information about this can be found, for example, at Techniker Krankenkasse.
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The official YouTube video from JayzTwoCents where he talks about his health.
What will happen with the popular channel? JayzTwoCents emphasized in the video that the channel will continue. At the same time, he explained that his viewers should not worry about him.
However, the lack of strength and the time he spends with doctors will likely mean that he will work with fewer brands in 2024. Therefore, there is expected to be less content from the popular YouTuber in 2024.
JayzTwoCents has almost 4 million followers on YouTube, and his videos regularly reach between 150,000 and 300,000 viewers. He regularly tests various products or collaborates with manufacturers.
Once, he even bought loot boxes that promised valuable hardware. However, things did not end well, and he did not receive a graphics card:
Escape from Tarkov has become an extremely popular game in recent years. Aspects like PvEvP raids and realistic weapon behavior characterize the hardcore shooter. But what does a game need to be like the title from Battlestate Games? MeinMMO author Dariusz Müller shows you 5 games you should play if you like Escape from Tarkov.
Escape from Tarkov (EFT) can be very frustrating for new players. Furthermore, it can only be played on PC and can only be purchased from the developer Battlestate Games. If you want to buy the game on Steam, you are out of luck.
If you want to buy a game like Escape from Tarkov on Steam or need a change from the hardcore shooter, MeinMMO author Dariusz Müller has put together a list of 5 games that share basic gameplay mechanics with Escape from Tarkov.
The article originally appeared in June 2022 on MeinMMO. We updated it in January 2024 and removed The Cycle: Frontier from the list. In May 2024, we also added Gray Zone Warfare and Incursion Red River.
[toc]
EFT-Like: These games share the same gameplay principle
This is what defines EFT-Likes: Escape from Tarkov has established a new genre with its innovative gameplay – EFT-Likes. If you want to know exactly what characterizes this type of game, we at MeinMMO have explained the new gaming genre EFT-Likes.
Gray Zone Warfare
Genre: EFT-Like |Mode: PvPvE |Developer: Madfinger Games |Platform: PC |Release Date: April 30, 2024 | Model: Buy-to-Play |Perspective: First-Person
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New gameplay trailer for “Gray Zone Warfare”
What defines Gray Zone Warfare? Gray Zone Warfare focuses on realistic gameplay. This is reflected in the graphic style, weapon models, recoil, movement patterns, and injuries.
You will traverse the tropical landscape inspired by Laos in squads of up to 4 players and complete various missions. During these missions, you may encounter hostile NPCs and players.
If you die during a raid, you will lose your carried equipment. Unlike other extraction shooters, however, the equipment is not automatically lost. You can set out again and recover your own equipment unless it has been stolen by another player. Therefore, the raids also have no time limit.
Pro
Beautiful graphics thanks to Unreal Engine 5
Active community due to the recent release
Creative approach to the extraction shooter genre: no time limit, possibility to recover lost loot
More beginner-friendly than Escape from Tarkov, as it provides coordinates for quests.
Developers are actively working on game issues and communicate frequently with the community
Contra
Performance is not good; the game generally requires powerful hardware
Server issues during peak times
Clearly recognizable early access: bugs, insufficient hit registration, limited content
Genre: EFT-Like | Mode: PvPvE | Developer: Crytek | Platform: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 | Release Date: August 27, 2019 | Model: Buy-to-Play | Perspective: First-Person
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Hunt: Showdown Launch Trailer
What is Hunt: Showdown about? In the core gameplay mode of Hunt: Showdown – the bounty hunting – you must hunt down and kill at least one of up to two monsters on the map.
To know the position of a monster, you must first gather clues or encounter it by chance. There are four different monsters that can appear on the map.
Then you must collect the trophy dropped by the killed monster and get it off the map, similar to Escape from Tarkov.
What defines Hunt: Showdown? Hunt: Showdown has a very special twist: a permadeath mechanic. If you die before you have extracted your character and the collected trophy from the area, you lose everything – and when we say everything, we mean everything.
Even the character you have leveled up over hours and its progress is gone if the character dies. MeinMMO author Mark Sellner has experienced this in over 700 hours of gameplay in Hunt: Showdown.
In addition to numerous NPCs, preferably monsters or other grotesque creatures, the hunters controlled by other players also pose a great danger to successful extraction. The other hunters want to stop you from finishing the bounty objectives and collecting the respective trophy, and in the worst case, even kill you.
These features of Hunt: Showdown stand out: The paranoid feeling in Hunt: Showdown is further enhanced by the excellent sound design of the shooter.
You can hear almost every sound loud and clear and determine movements based on the soundscape. This is comforting when you can accurately determine an opponent’s position, but the multitude of continuously audible sounds also creates a certain tension that contributes to an immersive atmosphere.
Genre: EFT-Like |Mode: PvE |Developer: Games of Tomorrow GmbH |Platform: PC |Release Date: April 10, 2024 |Model: Buy-to-Play |Perspective: First-Person
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Incursion: Red River gives an initial impression of the gameplay in the trailer for the Steam Next Fest
What defines Incursion Red River? Incursion Red River is an extraction shooter on Steam that was previously known by the working title “Project Quarantine” and focuses on realistic gameplay.
You find yourself in a fictional version of present-day Vietnam, where a civil war between gangs, militias, and private armies rages. The map accordingly provides you with a tropical area, with green forests and hot temperatures.
Gameplay-wise, you can expect a typical extraction shooter where you accept missions in your hideout and start a raid. You then aim to complete these missions while gathering new loot. At the end of the raid, you must successfully extract.
Unlike Escape from Tarkov or Gray Zone Warfare, however, Incursion Red River only offers PvE. You can, however, fight cooperatively with up to three friends.
Pro
Decent graphics
Since there is no PvP, everyone can play at their own pace and independently of other players
Noticeably cheaper than other realistic extraction shooters like Escape from Tarkov or Gray Zone Warfare
Contra
Early access is clearly evident in the technical condition of the game
Genre: EFT-Like | Mode: PvPvE | Developer: Small Impact Games | Platform: PC (Steam) | Release Date: October 3, 2022 | Model: Buy-to-Play | Perspective: First-Person
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Marauders Closed-Alpha Trailer
What is Marauders about? Marauders is already considered a space Tarkov before the official release, set in a parallel universe. In this alternate reality, humanity has aimed to conquer space after World War II. Accordingly, the spaceships visually resemble tanks with regular projectiles and bullets instead of lasers and railguns.
With the space tanks, you will head to space stations or spaceship wrecks and search them for usable resources. However, other players have similar intentions, which can quickly lead to a deadly confrontation.
If you have secured valuable loot, the next goal is to escape. You must flee from the space station or the shipwreck, and should you die in the process, the collected loot is lost.
What defines Marauders? In Marauders, you can own not just a spaceship, but an entire military frigate and engage in tactical space battles. You want to get as many fighters as possible onto the respective station or wreck and shoot the players to the target location using drop pods.
Since the drop pods are destructible and you may encounter space battles, upgrading and improving your frigate is an important feature in Marauders. Additionally, you can increase your character’s abilities by improving them through skills.
What is DMZ about? With Warzone 2, Call of Duty has also ventured into the EFT-Likes genre and released the free DMZ mode. DMZ stands for “Demilitarized Zone” – an area where no military can be stationed.
Nevertheless, there are plenty of armed NPC enemies who will shoot at you as soon as they see you: the so-called AQ Forces.
How does DMZ play? Since the DMZ mode is a typical extraction shooter, there are not only NPCs but also plenty of other players on the map. These are traversing the city of Al Mazrah, known from Battle Royale, and trying to complete various faction missions and improve their equipment.
Within a round, however, you have limited time to complete tasks and loot buildings, as a timer is constantly counting down.
After the time expires, a radioactive zone spreads across the map. This will not only quickly eliminate you if you linger in it but also gradually push all remaining players on the map towards one of three extraction points.
These extraction points are crucial for the outcome of the round, as due to the spreading zone, you cannot remain on the map forever. You must extract eventually – ideally after completing your faction missions and packed with necessary items and good equipment.
Pro
Free2play
Beginner-friendly and intuitive gameplay
Familiar weapons, handling, and movement from CoD MW2 and MW3
No endless inventory cleanup
Contra
Technical problems and crashes in CoD: Warzone 2 also affect the DMZ mode
DMZ is more of a marginal feature next to Warzone
Not a good sound system compared to other extraction shooters
