By spring 2024, Pax Dei is set to launch in Early Access, a new sandbox MMO with ambitious goals. The game offers an enormous amount of freedom and hardly any fixed paths that you need to follow. However, this could now become its biggest weakness, fear interested parties.
What kind of game is this?
Pax Dei is a mix of survival game and MMORPG in a medieval fantasy world. While there are classes, the game promises absolute freedom otherwise.
The core features of Pax Dei include an extensive crafting system, world exploration, and a city-building system that allows you to found and expand entire settlements.
The unique selling point of the game is its unique zoom feature: To obtain information about objects or the environment, you need to observe them closely.
The sandbox MMO will be released for PC on Steam. A console version is currently not planned. More information will be shared in the coming days and weeks.
The developers say: The game needs a community to be further developed. That’s why it will only be released in Early Access. However, players are skeptical about whether it can all work out.
Valheim is one of the major inspirations for Pax Dei. We have already spoken with the developers about their game:
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New sandbox MMO sounds like it wants to be the future of MMORPGs and survival – Calls Valheim as a model
“When I see sandbox, I exit”
In a thread on Reddit, players and interested parties discuss the release announcement. There, they are unsure about what to think of Pax Dei. The biggest concern: the game will not offer enough.
It is said, for example: The game sounds like players need to find something to do on their own. Such a thing wouldn’t work. What has been seen so far is also not finished enough. Combat is placeholder, quests and NPCs have not been seen yet.
The idea is good, and a fantasy MMO with a similar economy to EVE Online is indeed interesting. However, Pax Dei may suffer from launching too early in Early Access.
A similar discussion has already taken place in the MeinMMO editorial team, particularly between MMORPG specialist Alexander Leitsch and survival expert Benedict Grothaus. The discussion is likely being viewed too much from the MMORPG perspective. Especially since the MMORPG subreddit is overly critical of MMORPGs.
For players used to rich quest areas like those in World of Warcraft or Guild Wars 2, Pax Dei seems sparse. But for fans of Conan Exiles, ARK, and similar games, a large area to explore with great features and RPG elements is an interesting approach.
Some users also see it similarly: Pax Dei should be viewed more as an MMORPG than a survival game. In fact, this mix is something that both genres have been steering towards for a while now. Even some developers share this view. Recently, this was seen with Conan Exiles. The barbarian MMO is increasingly evolving into a survival MMORPG.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
If you want to watch the latest episodes of One Piece, you previously had to subscribe to Crunchyroll. There, you can find the very latest episodes from Japan in simulcast – a new episode is available every Sunday at 9:00 AM. But now fans have the opportunity to watch the anime on another streaming service.
Where can I watch One Piece soon? Starting tomorrow, it will be possible to watch the latest episodes of One Piece on Netflix. We are not talking about the live-action series or the remake – the new episodes come from the original series, which has been running as an anime since 1999.
The English-speaking Netflix account had confirmed just a few days ago that One Piece would be added to the program. However, we now have confirmation that the anime will also be available in Germany:
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It is not known how many episodes will be available on Netflix. Netflix Anime only refers to the Egghead Arc, which has only just started in the anime. If it works similarly to Crunchyroll, there might be a new episode from Japan released weekly.
We do not currently know if further episodes from older arcs will also be added to the program. Anime expert NinotakuTV assumes that only the current arc will be available on Netflix for the time being.
As the German dubbing is still in the middle of the Wano Country arc, we assume that the episodes will be offered in the Japanese language with German subtitles. There is currently no official confirmation.
The Egghead Arc has a new opening, which you can watch here:
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One Piece – The 26th Opening for the Egghead Island Arc has been released
Netflix or Crunchyroll – Which streaming service is worth it for One Piece
Who is Netflix One Piece worth it for? Worldwide, more people have a subscription to Netflix than to Crunchyroll. In 2022, Crunchyroll had almost 10 million subscribers (via AnimationBusiness). During the same period, Netflix had more than 230 million subscribers (via Statista).
Therefore, there is a high chance that you also have a subscription to Netflix rather than to Crunchyroll. If you are only using Crunchyroll for One Piece and already have an account with Netflix, you can safely cancel Crunchyroll and save costs.
However, there is a minor downside: If the weekly release schedule remains, the new episodes will always be available on Netflix a week later than on Crunchyroll. For example, currently, we can watch the latest episode of the Egghead Arc on Crunchyroll, but not on Netflix.
Also, you should base your decision on which subscription model interests you at each provider. With Crunchyroll, you pay between 6.99 € and 9.99 € per month. With Netflix, the prices start at 4.99 € per month, but the upper limit is 17.99 € per month.
Currently, several services like Steam, Discord, LoL, and also Microsoft Teams are experiencing internet issues. What is behind these problems and what can be done about it?
Update January 12, 12:19 PM: According to AllStörungen, Discord and League of Legends are currently the most affected. Other services like Microsoft Teams or internet providers are calming down regarding the reports. We will keep you updated.
What’s going on with the internet right now? Currently, reports are increasing that there seem to be problems with the internet. It is said to affect not just one provider, as dozens of services are affected, including
Steam
Instagram
Discord
Microsoft Teams
League of Legends
DHL
WhatsApp
Google
And the list is significantly longer at this time (as of January 12, 2024, 10:00 AM). On Allestörungen.de, thousands of users are already reporting that they cannot connect to several services or are experiencing outages.
Where is the problem? Some suspect that there might be a larger disruption at DE-CIX, which stands for the German Commercial Internet Exchange. It is the largest internet node in the world and connects users, websites, and suppliers to the internet. In one case, for example, a disabled water cooling caused thousands of people to be unable to pay their bills.
So far, we don’t have any exact information. However, we will keep you updated on MeinMMO if more information becomes available.
So far, there is no official report or statement
Are there already solutions for the problem? In some cases, restarting the router or the program can help. Not everyone is equally affected by the issues. While some of us can log into Discord and Steam without problems, others cannot establish a connection.
More on the topic of the internet: One country in the world now offers the fastest internet. What this brings and how users can benefit from it can be found in the following article on MeinMMO:
The best co-op games for PC, PlayStation (PS4 / PS5), Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Switch in 2024: We chose them together with you and present them in this ranking. After a survey, we show on MeinMMO the list of the 25 most popular co-op games. The special thing about it: It’s based on an equally weighted evaluation from editorial staff and the community.
This is how the ranking was established: In two surveys, we let the readers on MeinMMO as well as the editorial staff vote on the best co-op games.
It is, in the truest sense of the word, a “WE”, because the resulting placements for the co-op games have yielded a fixed score – once from the editorial team and once from the community. They were added together, and thus the two groups had a combined influence of 50% on the result.
The participants could choose up to 10 of their favorites from a total of 45 titles, giving a cumulative ranking. The games received different amounts of points depending on their position:
1st place receives 25 points
2nd place receives 24 points
3rd place receives 23 points
etc.
The point amounts resulting from the user and editorial surveys were added together. And thus, the final ranking of the best co-op games was created. More than a thousand people from the MeinMMO community participated, along with the entire editorial team. The texts were then written by our respective experts, enriched with personal anecdotes!
Update, January 2024: We have supplemented the list with some current co-op tips from the editorial team, including titles like Baldur’s Gate 3 or Diablo 4. You can find the new recommendations for 2024 here.
But now, let’s get to the ranking and the winners of our extensive co-op recommendation list:
[toc]
25th place: Conan Exiles
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Conan Exiles in the introductory video
Genre: Survival | Developer: Funcom | Publisher: Funcom | Platform: PC, PS4, PS5 (only via backward compatibility), Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S | Release date: May 8, 2018 | Number of players: Up to 40 depending on the server, more on private servers | Age rating: 18
What is the game about? In Conan Exiles, you take on the role of a criminal who has been exiled. But that’s not enough, you’re bound to a cross and left in the desert to slowly die in the sun. Your salvation: the famous barbarian Conan himself.
So begins Conan Exiles. You start in the merciless land of the exiled, where everything and everyone wants to kill you – even the land itself. Giant spiders, sandstorms, and hostile tribes want to skin you and prevent you from using your just-reclaimed life properly.
In the meantime, Conan Exiles now offers an alternative start. With the Isle of Siptah expansion, you can start on an island where you suffer shipwreck during a prisoner transport. On Siptah, there are even more secrets to discover, new enemies, and recipes to build your bases and gear.
This is how you play: Conan Exiles is a classic sandbox survival game. In your attempt to survive, you scour the land of the exiled for resources for your base and equipment, or for food and water. Your journey takes you through various biomes, starting from the desert to a humid jungle to the icy north with a dangerous volcano.
You start naked and must collect materials for your first tool, clothing, and weapons. You gradually advance from making stone weapons to iron ones and finally to rare materials like starmetal.
To secure your survival, you need a base. You build it from various materials and set up a bed and workshop there to manufacture better equipment. But be careful: NPCs regularly attack during a “purification” and try to drive you away and destroy your home.
Even though Conan Exiles does not forgive mistakes and is very rough, the entry point is accessible. The journey with its progressively difficult tasks is a kind of guide through the game. Thus, you can follow the quite exciting story and always have a goal if you ever get stuck.
As it is all about survival, you also need to learn to fight. The various weapons offer different combat styles. In your exploration, you will even encounter dungeons with real puzzles and bosses that reward you with unique items and recipes.
An important feature is slaves and pets. Slaves assist you in combat or work for you in your base’s workshops. The wild animals of the land can be tamed and even serve as mounts if you manage to subjugate them.
Trivia about Conan Exiles:
The legendary barbarian Conan and his companion can be found in the only friendly city in the game. You can speak with them.
The climbing mechanic in Conan was added by the developers as a homage to climbing in Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
The DLCs are based on cultures from the Conan franchise, which have real-world counterparts – such as feudal Japan.
How does co-op gameplay work? In Conan Exiles, you play on servers. These are officially provided by Funcom, but you can also play on private servers or even rent servers yourself. The size of the servers depends on the settings. Official servers typically support 40 players.
The servers have different settings, which determine how you interact with your fellow players:
PvE: Players can only be killed by NPCs, you cannot destroy buildings.
PvE Conflict: PvP is only possible during certain times. Buildings are still protected.
PvP: Players can kill you at any time and destroy your buildings. Depending on the settings, you may lose your equipment (“Full Loot”).
Conan Exiles also supports clans. You can play with friends or acquaintances and build a large base together if you want. Clans comprise up to 10 players on official servers, and more on private servers depending on settings.
You can also host Conan Exiles on a local server. Then you’re alone and another player can join you locally. Ideal if you want to execute admin commands or just play with a friend.
Conclusion on Conan Exiles
Barbar Benedict Grothaus: As an old survival enthusiast and fan of rough, adult settings, Conan Exiles impressed me since Early Access. Upon release, the game was great and has steadily improved with cosmetic DLCs and expansions like The Sunken City or Isle of Siptah.
Even though Conan Exiles does not have as many players as ARK or Rust, it is the best among the major survival titles for me. Why? The setting is different. No firearms, no sci-fi nonsense, just a raw, harsh world where survival really feels realistic.
I have spent several hundred hours in Conan Exiles, mostly crafting for myself and my friends in co-op. With mods, you can even turn the game into a real RPG, and I have even tried role-playing on corresponding servers.
The biggest motivation, however, remains exploration. Conan Exiles has so many beautiful spots, secret NPCs, and cool recipes that there’s always some new goal. Special tip: Conan Exiles is included in Xbox Game Pass for Xbox and PC.
Suitable for
Anyone looking for a new survival game with co-op
Fans of the Conan franchise and former “Age of Conan” players
Anyone seeking mature entertainment
Creative players with a penchant for unusual bases or towns
Owners of the Xbox Game Pass
Not suitable for
Anyone who quickly frustrates from frequent deaths or difficult entrances
Total story fanatics – the story is there, but it is not the absolute focus
Anyone who is not interested in survival games
Anyone who is bothered by nudity
Children under 18 years
24th place: Outriders
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Outriders: Worldslayer Launch Trailer
Genre: Loot-Shooter | Developer: People Can Fly | Publisher: Square Enix | Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S | Release Date: April 1, 2021 | Number of Players: 3 | Age Rating: 18
What is the game about? Outriders is a dark shooter with a science-fantasy setting. Humanity has destroyed Earth and is now searching for a new home in the vastness of space.
You take on the role of an so-called Outrider and are tasked with exploring the planet Enoch, a potentially new habitat for humanity. Upon arriving on the planet, you not only come across a mysterious signal of unknown origin, but also a strange and dangerous anomaly, a type of supernatural storm.
Due to unfortunate circumstances, your character ends up in cryo-sleep and wakes up 30 years later. In the meantime, Enoch has been colonized, but humanity finds itself caught in old conflicts.
During your journey, you discover that you can suddenly use special abilities that were awakened in you by the anomaly storm. Throughout the Outriders campaign, you will find out what the mysterious signal and the anomaly storm are about. You’ll need to fend off the dangers of Enoch as well as other people.
This is how you play: Outriders is a third-person shooter with a cover system that focuses on its story and loot system. There is no PvP.
Technomancer: This class is considered an all-rounder and uses various gadgets like a freezing cannon, rocket launcher, or minigun with its skills. It has bonuses on ranged weapons and can heal its entire group as the only class in Outriders.
Pyromancer: The Pyromancer is described by the developers as a crazy fire mage. It is particularly strong at medium ranges. Its skills burn enemies, and its strengths lie in holding entire enemy hordes at bay.
Devastator: The Devastator is like the tank and frontline fighter in Outriders. It can control gravity and can, for example, mix whole groups with earthquakes. It can also float in the air and launch fatal falling attacks from above. Additionally, it can impale enemies with earth pillars and deflect enemy projectiles with a magnetic field.
Trickster: This class controls space and time, can teleport itself with skills or slow down enemies in a kind of temporal bubble. It also has something like an energy blade that can dissolve enemies into skeletons and make them explode. It is pretty fast and zips between enemies.
After the campaign, you will find the 15 expeditions awaiting you, offering some extra missions to collect the best loot in the game. There are a total of 11 different weapon classes – from assault rifles to sniper rifles, including well-known classics. There’s also the double gun, which fires from two magazines simultaneously.
The difficulty level of Outriders is determined by the 15 world ranks. The higher your world rank, the greater the challenge. You will get better equipment. There’s also a practical crafting system to customize your weapons and armor perks.
In June 2022, the new DLC named Worldslayer was released, in which you fight against a powerful opponent named Ereshkigal. This DLC offers new weapons, mods, skills, and expands the endgame with new content.
Even if Outriders does not forgive mistakes and presents a very rough experience, the entry is accessible. The journey with its increasingly difficult tasks is a guide through the game. Therefore you can follow the quite exciting story and always have a goal if you ever get stuck.
You also need to learn to fight for your survival. Each weapon offers different combat styles. You will even encounter dungeons with real puzzles and bosses rewarding you with unique items and recipes while exploring.
An important feature is slaves and pets. Slaves help you in combat or work for you in your base workshops. The wild animals of the land can be tamed and serve as mounts if you manage to subjugate them.
Trivia about Outriders:
The name of the planet Enoch has biblical roots. Several people from the Bible, such as the first son of Cain, share this name. There is also the “Book of Enoch,” which is about the apocalypse.
Enoch is about 12 light-years away from Earth.
Unlike most loot shooters, Outriders is not a service game. It was released as a “finished” game and does not rely on an in-game shop or season models.
How does co-op gameplay work? In Outriders, you can complete all content of the game in co-op with up to two other players. Missions are repeatable, and the progress is shared.
Every player also collects their own loot; you cannot take anything from anyone, nor can you lose your drops to others.
You can either play specifically with friends or use the player search. You are not restricted to a platform; crossplay is activated by default.
Conclusion on Outriders
Outrider Tarek Zehrer: Outriders is an incredibly fun shooter. Its greatest strength lies in the classes and the loot system. Each of the four classes stands out from the others and has its own quirks.
One feels like a supernatural killing machine while slicing through monsters and humans. Especially in co-op with friends, it’s also a blast to combine different abilities.
The loot system is incredibly motivating, and the cycle of searching for and improving gear kicks in right from the first mission. However, in the endgame, things can quickly feel stale.
But that doesn’t matter, because by then you’ve already had countless hours of fun, and even the campaign can entertain. It offers enough variety and scope.
The story quality may be debatable; however, anyone not expecting a complex thriller who is unbothered by brutality and simply seeks bloody popcorn action with a hint of seriousness and social critique is exactly right here.
Suitable for
Anyone looking for a new survival game with co-op
Fans of the Conan franchise and former “Age of Conan” players
Anyone seeking mature entertainment
Creative players with a penchant for unusual bases or towns
Owners of the Xbox Game Pass
Not suitable for
Anyone who quickly frustrates from frequent deaths or difficult entrances
Total story fanatics – the story is there, but it is not the absolute focus
Anyone who is not interested in survival games
Anyone who is bothered by nudity
Children under 18 years
23rd place: Unravel Two
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Unravel Two Trailer
Genre: Platformer| Developer: Coldwood Interactive | Publisher: EA | Platform: PC (Steam), PS4, Xbox One, Switch | Release: June 9, 2018 | Number of players: up to 2 | Age rating: USK 6
What is the game about? In Unravel Two, you traverse the world as two yarn figures called Yarnis, connected by a thread. During the journey through different areas of the world, they not only chase a golden glow but also follow the story of two boys.
The story is completely devoid of dialogue and leaves much to the interpretation. The boys, who remain in the background of the 2D world, seem to come from an abusive household and do everything they can to escape from there together.
Although Unravel Two also deals with themes like abuse and fear, there is always a hopeful tone in the game, making it, along with the relaxing soundtrack, a positive gaming experience.
This is how you play: The two yarn figures climb and swing their way through a two-dimensional world that showcases green forests, a burning barn, or bustling factories as a backdrop.
However, the two can never get too far from each other as the thread connecting them has a limited length. At the same time, both also have an open thread that they can use like a lasso. Thus, they can either pull themselves up to higher branches, swing over chasms, or by tying their rope to an anchor point, create bridges or trampolines.
Much teamwork is required between the Yarnis. There are spots that can only be reached by one yarn figure acting as an anchor point while the other swings to distant platforms via the connected thread. In another instance, one Yarny must distract an angry chicken, allowing the other to slip through a secret passage.
In addition to the story mode, Unravel Two also provides some challenges that involve tricky environmental puzzles or difficult platforming challenges. These demand a lot of skill but reward you with new options to visually customize your yarn figure with new colors.
The yarn that makes up the Yarnys represents love.
Yarny has a guest appearance in The Sims 4 Knitting Pack DLC.
The Yarnys have different personality traits corresponding to their color. The red Yarny is more outgoing, while the blue one is rather shy.
How does co-op gameplay work? You can play Unravel 2 either alone or in local co-op. If playing alone, you can switch between the yarn figures. If playing in local co-op, each of you takes on one Yarny. Cooperation is especially important here. Even though you can move relatively independently (only as far as the connected thread allows), good timing is crucial if you want to successfully navigate many of the jumping and swinging passages together. In some cases, you can also connect to one Yarny so that one of you takes over the controls when it gets too challenging for the other.
Conclusion on Unravel Two
Yarn Master Eleen Reinke: I love co-op games where I can just play with friends without worrying about PvP. And even though I’m pretty terrible at platforming – and Unravel 2 has some challenging sections – the game was never really frustrating. That’s also because my co-op partner and I could help each other out when the other got stuck.
This makes Unravel 2 much more fun to play together than alone. Sure, it’s stressful when we have to find the perfect timing to let one Yarny swing safely to the other side before we release the thread, but after a while, the right rhythm grooves itself automatically and jumping and swinging becomes really enjoyable.
Aside from the gameplay, Unravel 2 also shines with its mood, which can be cheerful at times and melancholic at others. It always leaves me with a warm feeling after playing.
Suitable for
Fans of challenging platformers
Fans of feel-good games
Anyone seeking a short, loving gaming experience
Indie fans
Friends of stylized comic graphics
Not suitable for
Anyone who places a lot of value on the story
Anyone who dislikes short gaming experiences with little replay value
Anyone looking for online coop
On the next page, we’ll continue.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the current Season 2 of Diablo 4, you can finally farm Uber Uniques, the most sought-after items in the game, on purpose. Many players defeat the corresponding boss dozens of times – and it doesn’t always work. The community shares their experiences.
The boss itself is a stronger version of Duriel, whom you encounter during the campaign of the game. He primarily fights with poison attacks.
The special thing about Uber Duriel is that you can best farm the coveted and controversial Uber Uniques with him. These items are the strongest in the game for most classes, although not necessary for a build.
This is the result: A player shares on Reddit that he has already received 4 of the Uber Uniques with over 300 kills: Doombringer, the Ring of the Starless Skies, the Harlequin’s Crown (or simply: “Shako”) and the Grandfather.
All the items have dropped in the past 3 weeks, mostly during the doubled loot chances, which no longer apply. The most important item, Shako, he only received today, on January 11.
However, the player did not reveal how many of each dropped. His information triggers a discussion among fans because there apparently are significantly unluckier players – but also some with much more loot luck.
For Diablo 4, the first expansion is already known:
Start video
Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred – Teaser Trailer
“400 without an Uber, I’ve finished with the season”
In the comments, players discuss their own loot rates. Some users with 150 and even over 400 kills on Duriel say: they haven’t found any Uber Unique at all. That is so frustrating that they stop playing the season.
A particularly unlucky case claims to have found an Uber Unique only after 500 attempts. Shako has not dropped even after 800 kills.
From a user with more luck, it is said: he has gotten after 500 runs
Looking at the numbers as a whole, the player with his (probably) 4 Uber Uniques after 300 runs seems to be doing quite well on average. Similar numbers were obtained by the expert Rob2628.
He put together a group with 3 other players and then defeated Duriel directly 540 times, roughly double as often as the player in the latest thread on Reddit. The result of the expert: 43 Uber Uniques for the group, which is about 11 per character. This gives him a drop chance of about 2% – although he didn’t have a Harlequin’s Crown in the loot.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The classes in World of Warcraft are changing again. We have all the adjustments that will go live soon.
The next patch of World of Warcraft Dragonflight is just around the corner. The “Seed of Renewal” update brings not only some fresh content, such as the epilogue of the Dragonflight story or an interesting archaeology substitute, but also a few changes to the existing classes. In many cases, these are only small adjustments that you should keep an eye on to avoid any problems.
What is changing? The biggest changes affect the former “Covenant abilities” from Shadowlands, which have now become an integral part of many talent trees. Not only do these abilities get a new look visually, but their damage type can also change in some cases.
This is particularly important for the Demon Hunter, as “The Hunt” will no longer deal Nature damage but will instead deal Chaos damage. This ensures that the ability interacts better with some talents, but also makes certain trinkets that were triggered by dealing Nature damage useless.
Can you regain the old look of the abilities? No, not yet. However, Blizzard has already announced that they are working on a way to restore the original look of these abilities. This will likely happen through the glyph system in an upcoming patch.
Start video
WoW: The trailer for the new patch 10.2.5
Patch 10.2.5 – All Class Changes
Demon Hunter
Elysian Outburst now deals Chaos damage (previously Arcane damage).
The Hunt now deals Chaos damage (previously Nature damage).
Invoker
Source of Magic now lasts 60 minutes (previously 30 minutes).
Preservation
Essence Explosion can now be triggered by Reverse.
The mana cost of most spells has been reduced by 10%.
Grace increases the healing of the targets of the spell Reverse by 10% / 20% (previously 5% / 10%).
Timeless Magic now affects Time Anomaly and reduces the mana costs of Reverse, Time Anomaly, Echo, and Temporal Shift by 10% / 20% (previously 15% / 30%).
Mage
Power Shift now deals Arcane damage (previously Nature damage).
Monk
Windwalker
Dance of the Wind has been revamped. The dodge chance is increased by 10%, and this amount increases by an additional 10% every four seconds until the character dodges an attack.
Ancient Teachings now also increases stamina by 5% during its duration.
Teachings of the Monastery now highlight Blackout Kick prominently in the action bar when the maximum stacks are reached.
Thunder Focus Tea has new functionalities with damage redirection. This converts 25% more healing into damage and creates a Chi Ball around the monk.
Tea of Abundance now has a chance to grant the monk damage redirection and Enveloping Mist (instead of Essence Font and Renewing Mist).
Secret Brew now has an additional functionality with damage redirection and grants versatility.
Faelini Stomp is now Jadefire Stomp.
Awakened Faelini is now Awakened Jadefire.
Windwalker
Dance of the Wind has been revamped. The dodge chance is increased by 10%, and this amount increases by an additional 10% every four seconds until the character dodges an attack.
Faelini Stomp is now Jadefire Stomp.
Awakened Faelini is now Awakened Jadefire.
Faelini Harmony is now Jadefire Harmony.
Path of the Fae is now Jade Path.
Fae Contact is now Jadefire Brand.
Rogue
Resounding Rebuke now deals physical damage (previously Arcane damage) and damage has been increased by 43% to compensate for armor.
Shaman
Earth Elemental, Fire Elemental, and Storm Elemental as well as their primal variants now have reduced size for allies and enemies of the Shaman in instances. They maintain their size for the Shaman themselves.
The description of Thorim’s Summoning has been adjusted and now contains the correct damage values for Lightning Strike and Chain Lightning triggered by the effect.
Warrior
Spear of the Bastion is now called Spear of the Champion.
Elysian Power is now called Power of the Champion.
Penetrating Judgment is now called Piercing Challenge.
What’s new in the patch? In addition to the class changes, there are also a number of new features. This includes a questline around the reclaiming of Gilneas by the Worgen, as well as the companion dungeons where you can visit various dungeons with NPCs by your side and complete them at your own pace. Additionally, two different transmog sets will be added that fans have been eagerly requesting.
So there is a lot to do in the next patch – and according to the roadmap, the subsequent update is also not too far away.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Pokémon GO, the event “Fairy Dreams” starts tomorrow. What to expect, we summarize here.
When does “Fairy Dreams” start? The event begins on Saturday, January 13, 2024, at 10:00 AM and runs until Tuesday, January 16, 2024.
What kind of event is this? The new event is all about various fairy Pokémon that you can catch. Additionally, the following content is planned:
Wommel celebrates its shiny debut and can be caught with luck
Double Stardust when catching
Double Stardust when hatching eggs
Mega Energy for Gardevoir and Altaria from certain field research
Collector challenges that will bring you Rocara, XP, and Stardust
Additionally, there will be a paid limited research for 2.49 Euros, which will provide Pokémon encounters, two premium battle passes, XP, Stardust, and two star pieces.
New event reminds trainers of last year’s Dragon Fairy event
In the subreddit “TheSilphRoad” about Pokémon GO, trainers are already discussing the announcement. Some criticize the planned contents as they don’t offer much new – apart from the shiny debut of Wommel.
Some trainers miss the debut of a new fairy Pokémon (via reddit) or a new mega evolution (via reddit), while others suggest that at least the Flabébé versions should have rotated (via reddit).
However, the discussion is primarily about a similar event from last year: “Sparkling Fantasy,” which appeared in January 2023 and was praised by many. Just like the current event, “Sparkling Fantasy” focused on fairy Pokémon – but together with dragon Pokémon.
It also featured the debut of Mega-Altaria. And while that event was seen as a strong start to the year, some trainers view this year’s fairy event as weaker (via reddit).
However, trainers also point out that some of the fairy monsters in the current event are quite useful and definitely worth a catch.
What do you think of the new event? Let us know in the comments!
In addition to “Fairy Dreams,” several other events for this month have already been announced. To keep you informed, you can check here: All events in January 2024 in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The start of Season 30 in Diablo 3 is just around the corner. In line with this, there are patch notes with balance changes and a familiar seasonal theme. We show you all the details in the overview.
When does Season 30 start? On January 12, 2024, at 5:00 PM German time, Season 30 in Diablo 3 begins. The seasonal theme is “the rulers of hell” and brings the soul shards and essences of these rulers back into the game.
These contents were already present in Season 25 and were well-received by the community. We show you how the theme works and what else to expect here.
Season 30 Overview
The seasonal theme: During the season, you will find soul shards and sparks from the hell forge. You can equip large shards in headgear and small shards in weapons. With the sparks from the hell forge, the shards can be upgraded three times. With the shards, you unlock very strong bonuses, but there are restrictions:
You can only equip one soul shard of the greater evils
Cosmetic rewards: You can look forward to a chest protection and gloves from the exclusive Conqueror set. Additionally, you can unlock various portrait frames adorned with blood shards. In line with this, you can receive the All Saints’ flag. We show you how the contents look in this graphic:
Starter sets: As you know from the seasons in Diablo 3, you can earn Haedrig’s gifts by completing chapters 2, 3, and 4. If you open all with the same character, you receive a complete set. The set you can earn with the classes changes each season. This time there is the following selection:
In Pokémon GO, an the beginning of the week an important setting for a raid Pokémon was forgotten. Find out which one here.
What is it about? Since the beginning of this week, Boreos is again available as a 5*-raid in Pokémon GO. The legendary Pokémon from Generation 5 can currently be found in its Therian form. If you want to know how to best face this Pokémon, you can find the 20 best counters in the Boreos raid guide.
As in most raids, you also have the chance to encounter Boreos in its shiny form once you’ve successfully defeated it – theoretically. Because Niantic unfortunately forgot to activate the setting that allows Boreos to appear as shiny.
Apology from Niantic and compensation for affected players
What is the problem? Due to Niantic forgetting to activate this setting, it has not been possible to encounter the shiny form of Boreos in raids from the beginning of the week until today. You have therefore not been able to obtain this legendary Pokémon in raids until today.
What does Niantic say about it? Niantic has now noticed the problem and corrected the mistake. As of this morning, it is again possible for you to encounter Boreos as a shiny Pokémon in raids. At the same time, Niantic apologizes for this error and promises that affected trainers will be compensated.
Trailer for the current season Timeless Travels.
Start video
Pokémon GO shows the new season “Timeless Travels” in the trailer
On X (formerly Twitter), they write: Trainers, Shiny Boreos could not be found in raids at the beginning of this week. This issue has been resolved, and it is now available. We will compensate affected players in the coming days. We apologize and thank you for your understanding.
How exactly Niantic plans this is not yet known.
We are embedding the corresponding post on X (formerly Twitter) for you here:
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What do you think about it? Have you participated in Boreos raids this week, and did you perhaps notice the problem yourself? Let us know in the comments. You can also find all upcoming events in January 2024 in Pokémon GO with us.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Shortly before the release of the new patch 10.2.5 “Seed of Renewal” in World of Warcraft, there is a video. It summarizes what you need to know about the upcoming update and gives you an insight into the new rewards you can grab.
When will Patch 10.2.5 be released? The patch will be released on Tuesday, January 16, or in Europe on Wednesday, January 17, 2024. Depending on whether there are extended maintenance times, the servers should be ready to play by around 9 a.m.
Start video
WoW: The trailer for the new patch 10.2.5
New rewards in Patch 10.2.5
For many of the new activities, you will receive cosmetic rewards. In the Outland Cup, the dragonriding event in the shattered world, you will receive a new transmog set.
In the reconquest of Gilneas, you can also earn transmog pieces and a new mount. However, we do not yet know what it will be. You start the event in Silverwood with Genn Greymane or Calia Menethil.
The archives of Azeroth bring similar rewards as archeology back then. For the excavations, you will receive cosmetic gear, battle pets and mounts. New is that there are also group excavations that you can tackle together with other players.
After Patch 10.2.5, there will be a strict roadmap:
Yesterday, on January 10, 2024, the new cinematic of League of Legends was released for the start of Season 14. According to a statistics account, it outperformed all its predecessors and is now the LoL video that gathered the most views on YouTube within 24 hours.
The new LoL cinematic features popular characters in a spectacular battle, while a dramatic song underlines the events.
The clip titled Still Here was well received by fans. Within a day, the video gathered numerous views on YouTube, thus setting a new LoL record according to a fan account.
Start video
League of Legends opens the 2024 season with an emotional trailer
The X-/Twitter account League Charts is dedicated to tracking and publishing various statistics about League of Legends.
According to its list of the most viewed LoL videos in the first 24 hours after release on YouTube, the new cinematic Still Here with 22 million views takes the top spot (source: X.com/Twitter, as of January 11, 2024).
This achieves a lead of a full 10 million views over More (12 million views). Following are Warriors (10.6 million) and Gods (7.4 million).
In fifth place on its list is The Baddest with 7.4 million, followed by The Call with 6 million views.
How did fans react to the new trailer? Absolutely thrilled. In the comments under the YouTube video, users praise various aspects of the clip. The storytelling, the animations, and the background song are highlighted. But above all, deep emotions are evoked in the viewers while watching. More about the emotional reactions to the new LoL trailer can be found here: LoL kicks off Season 2024, impresses not only its fans with the trailer – “Did anyone else almost cry?”
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Myth of Empires was playable on Steam for a short time in 2021, then it disappeared. However, those few days were enough to prove significant interest. Now the survival game is available on the platform again and aims for the 1.0 release in February.
The game features siege battles, character progression, skills and talents, and free construction of the environment.
Additionally, there are strategy elements in the form of clans that wage war against each other and NPC companions that act as troops.
When can I play Myth of Empires? Those who already own Myth of Empires can play it right now. It is currently in Early Access.
If you have not already purchased the game through its own shop, you currently cannot buy it anymore. The price is, according to the latest information, €30.
The team is currently planning a playtest that will run from January 23 to January 30. You can sign up directly on Steam for that.
The 1.0 release is scheduled for February 5. Additional features are expected to be added to the game, such as aerial combat using balloons and facilities for city defense.
Here you can see the 1.0 trailer for Myth of Empires:
Start video
Myth of Empires: The Release Trailer for the new Sandbox MMO
Lawsuit Bans Myth of Empires from Steam for Years
Myth of Empires has actually been on Steam since 2021 and has since earned “mostly positive” reviews with 76%. Back then, it could already attract over 36,000 players, peaking at over 47,000 (via steamcharts).
As a result of the dispute, Myth of Empires was eventually banned from Steam and could no longer be purchased or played there. The developers circumvented the ban with their own shop in early 2022.
However, the sandbox MMO has been available on Steam again for a few months now and is also offering the upcoming playtests there. In October 2023, the dispute was resolved and all parties have jointly stated that they are working together on the release. We will check whether Myth of Empires can make its way into our best survival games for PC, PS5, and Xbox.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A new “Star Trek” movie is in the works. It is set to tell a completely new story in the familiar sci-fi universe. Toby Haynes will direct, who recently worked on a hit from Star Trek’s biggest competitor.
What is the new “Star Trek” movie about? The upcoming “Star Trek” film will open a completely new chapter and expand the sci-fi universe, as Deadline reported.
When does the “Star Trek” movie take place? The story of the upcoming film is said to take place decades before the events of J. J. Abrams Star Trek from 2009, as sources revealed to Deadline. However, the exact plot is still unknown.
Start video
Star Trek: Lower Decks – Official Trailer of the First Season (English)
Insiders have also revealed that a fourth “Star Trek” movie is still in the works at Paramount, which is supposed to conclude the reboot centered around Captain Kirk and his crew after Star Trek Beyond.
Who is Toby Haynes? The British filmmaker taking on the “Star Trek” project has directed several episodes of known series such as Doctor Who, Sherlock, and Black Mirror.
But also at the rival Star Wars: He worked on 6 episodes of the series Andor, which premiered in 2022 and tells the story of Cassian Andor in the early years of the rebellion, as director.
Andor was a huge success with audiences, which is reflected in its ratings:
On IMDb: 8.4 out of 10 stars based on 157,481 ratings
On Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer at 96% and an Audience Score of 86%
Who else is involved in the new film? Besides Toby Haynes, Seth Grahame-Smith has already been announced as the scriptwriter. He also wrote the script for The Lego Batman Movie. Bad Robot, owned by J.J. Abrams, is the production company behind the project.
After an upgrade, a player hears disturbing noises from his gaming PC. His suspicion immediately falls on the new hardware. The cause turns out to be a small oversight.
However, even with a manageable amount of work, one should proceed with caution. In the case of a player wanting to swap out the graphics card and power supply for more powerful variants, this could have avoided unnecessary excitement during the upgrade.
Start video
Manufacturer shows sleek case, gamers are thrilled: “Great design! Goes directly onto my wishlist”
Careless handling during the graphics card upgrade causes a moment of fright
What kind of upgrade did the player perform? The Reddit user ThickMemory2360 has upgraded his gaming PC with new hardware. During the upgrade, he replaced the original graphics card with an Nvidia RTX 4070TI and the old power supply with a model from be quiet! with 1000 watts.
After the gamer had swapped the old parts for the new hardware, he powered the system back on. Right after startup, he heard an unfamiliar noise that seemed to come from the gaming PC. He suspected a fan problem with the graphics card or power supply.
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Where did the noise come from? Fortunately, his first suspicion was not confirmed. The clattering sound did not come from a fan of either of the new components. In searching for the cause, ThickMemory2360 eventually found the culprit in the front area of the PC case.
The new power supply was installed with a small gap next to the fans in the front of the case. A power cable from the power supply was touching the blades of the bottom fan and led to the audible clattering during operation. The problem could thus be solved with a few adjustments.
No experience in error diagnosis and community feedback
How could the problem have been avoided? Since it remains unclear what kind of case the player possesses, it cannot be said whether the power supply could have been installed in another position. This would have allowed more space between the power supply and the fans in the front.
Why did he overlook the cable? As a self-proclaimed PC novice, he was not aware of his error. Additionally, he had not yet gained any experience in hardware error diagnosis and thought he had a serious problem. Carelessness during a PC upgrade is one of the biggest causes of subsequent errors, which may still be discovered by luck before one’s expensive hardware gets damaged.
The system is about 2 years old and was his first gaming computer at that time. Since the successful assembly, ThickMemory2360 had not touched the inside of the computer again. The planned upgrade of the graphics card and power supply was supposed to go just as smoothly.
What do other users say? The community reacts mostly positively to his story. Many admit to having had similar experiences:
I had that just a month ago! Seriously, I thought a fan blade was broken until I did what you did: I opened the case and saw a GPU fan hitting the end of the cable tie. (Major-PITA via Reddit)
This is the experience we live for in the PC community. We can shut down a perfectly functioning PC and when we come back: Boom, a blue screen or strange noises. (Successful_Copy9373 via Reddit)
SeriousSkeletor points out the lack of cable management that could have spared the player the fear for his hardware:
If you are planning to build a new gaming PC or want to swap certain hardware components for a stronger upgrade, be sure not to make the following mistakes. These can also happen to experienced pro-tinkers. Lack of care is part of it: 5 beginner mistakes to avoid when building a new gaming PC
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
An AP item in Season 14 of League of Legends stands out particularly. MeinMMO author Fabienne Kissel shares her first impression.
The current Season 14 in League of Legends has some impressive changes, and particularly one new item stands out – Stormsurge (in English: Storm Blitz). After an evening of playing and watching some LoL matches, I want to give a little impression of the new AP item.
Storm Blitz – A True Game-Changer
What exactly can Storm Blitz do and why is it so strong? The AP item Storm Blitz is characterized by its strength for AP-based champions in League of Legends, thanks to:
High Ability Power: 100 Ability Power
Magic Penetration: The 10 magic penetration helps break through the opponent’s MR. Even if opponents do not stack MR, every champion has base magic resistance by default.
Movement Speed: With an additional movement speed of 5%, it improves the mobility of the champion.
Passive – Storm Hunter: If you deal 35% of a champion’s maximum health as damage within 3 seconds, they are marked with “Storm Blitz” and the user receives 25% movement speed for 2 seconds. 30 seconds cooldown.
Passive – Storm Blitz: After 2 seconds, a lightning bolt strikes the target dealing 120–260 (depending on level) (+40% ability power) (melee) / 90–195 (+30% ability power) (ranged) magic damage. If an opponent dies from the lightning or before it strikes, the lightning explodes immediately, dealing damage to enemy champions in a large area and granting you 30 gold.
Storm Blitz is especially effective for champions that can deal large burst damage quickly and also benefit from additional movement speed – for example on Fizz, Zoe, Viktor, Syndra, Ahri, Lux, Hwei, and also on Rumble.
The item costs 2900 gold, which is cheap for what it can do. Also, the fact that the lightning explodes immediately (if an opponent dies from the lightning or dies before it strikes) and deals AOE damage to enemy champions is pretty cool. The passive can be compared to Electrocute, only it deals more damage and also has the described AOE effect. With the additional movement speed from the passive, you can cleverly maneuver out of the fight once you unleash your burst – or chase down the opponents.
But not only Storm Blitz has caught my attention this season. I am also particularly impressed by the new passive of Shadow Flame. Magic damage and true damage critically hits enemies with less than 35% health and causes 20% increased damage (increased to 30% for damage over time and companion effects). For example, the item is strong on Syndra. Do you know the feeling when the opponent barely survives despite your burst damage and ultimate? That doesn’t happen as quickly with Shadow Flame anymore. But also on Rumble together with Storm Blitz.
Please note that this is just a first impression, and I definitely need to play some more matches to get a full picture, especially since we are still at the very beginning of the new season and there is so much new to try out. Overall, I feel that AP champions currently stand in a very good light, which makes me very happy because I enjoy playing AP mages in the mid lane in addition to support champions.
In general, I am impressed by the dynamics that these new and changed AP items bring to the current meta.
With the removal of mythical items, I feel that we are no longer on such a fixed path regarding item builds. Thus, no item is excluded anymore because you couldn’t combine two Mythic items.
Presumably, some AP items, including Storm Blitz, will be nerfed again. But for now, I definitely enjoy it.
What is your impression of the new season? Feel free to write it in the comments.
With an impressive comeback, HandOfBlood returns as President Knabe, and together with the E-Sports team Eintracht Spandau, he presents a new video on their YouTube channel. This event continues the captivating lore of the team, which has been shaped since its founding by press conference videos and rivalries with other German clubs such as BIG.
HandOfBlood is back in the role of President Knabe. The streamer Maximilian HandOfBlood Knabe has published a new video on their YouTube channel together with his E-Sports team Eintracht Spandau, in which he appears in his character as President Knabe.
The E-Sports team has built a comprehensive lore around the club since its inception, including press conference videos and rivalries with other German clubs such as BIG.
Start video
Everything you need to know about the LoL team Eintracht Spandau – in 4 minutes
HandOfBlood returns as President Knabe, new video with Eintracht Spandau continues lore
Eintracht Spandau has a comprehensive lore. Since its founding, Eintracht Spandau has distinguished itself from other e-sport teams by some remarkable features, with the distinct lore of Eintracht Spandau being a significant part of it. Initially, it was not the YouTuber Handofblood who took the leading role, but the character President Knabe, who was primarily noted for his often bad mood and shouting at employees.
Throughout the lore, we experience the ousting of President Knabe, to which the club’s fans also join in with the hashtag #Knaberaus to demand the president’s dismissal. After his ousting, the former president unexpectedly shows up at the Twitter announcement of the new mid-laner PowerofEvil and claims responsibility for the signing.
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In the latest video, we see President Knabe in his apartment, where he receives a visitor. The new investor turns out to be a disaster, and President Knabe is asked to return. Although he initially declines, he is eventually persuaded, as a friendship between fans of BIG and Eintracht Spandau is to be created. So fans of Eintracht Spandau can be pleased that President Knabe is back.
The community’s reactions are overwhelmingly positive. The response to the video is entirely positive: On one hand, many fans are generally excited about the existence of a distinct lore, while others particularly praise the performance of the YouTubers and the attention to detail in the videos. Numerous comments under the video reflect the enthusiastic reaction:
Marco_Bebop writes: The president is really Hanno’s role of his life. Also in this little room and all the decor and everything. Great compliment. The video actually turned out really great. And how the tower falls unconscious at the end. Oh my god.
OWL-hg6ix comments: I have been behind Mr. Knabe since day 1, without him, not only Eintracht but the whole e-sport world would collapse.
ARMYforLife notes: “Oh shit, this is so well acted, it’s almost creepy…”
Handofblood himself notes: #Knaberein
You can read here how the official signing of PowerofEvil to the team looked and what significance his announcement brought:
Which Pokémon are available in raids during the event? The following Pokémon may appear in raid battles during the event:
5*-Raids Habitats Bustling Promenade and Toxic Excavation Sites:
Dialga *
Palkia *
Habitats Historical Grove and Geothermal Lagoon:
Origin Dialga *
Origin Palkia *
3*-Raids
Habitats Bustling Promenade and Toxic Excavation Sites:
Chelterrar
Panferno
Impoleon
Habitats Historical Grove and Geothermal Lagoon:
Hisui-Silvarro *
Hisui-Tornupto *
Hisui-Admurai *
1*-Raids
Habitats Bustling Promenade and Toxic Excavation Sites:
Chelast *
Panflam *
Plinfa *
Habitats Historical Grove and Geothermal Lagoon:
Bauz *
Feurigel *
Ottaro *
All Pokémon marked with an * can be caught in their Shiny variant. In addition, from Friday, February 23 at 00:00 until Sunday, February 25, 2024, at 23:59, there will be no limit on remote raids.
Which Pokémon can be attracted by incense? If you activate incense during the event, you have the chance to encounter Incognitos. This applies only to regular incense and not to adventure incense. You may encounter the following Incognitos:
Habitats Bustling Promenade and Toxic Excavation Sites: Incognito in the forms H, I, N, O, and S.
Habitats Historical Grove and Geothermal Lagoon: Incognito in the forms H, I, S, and U.
All Incognitos can also appear in their Shiny form.
Which Pokémon have an increased Shiny chance? The chance to encounter one of the following Pokémon in Shiny form will be increased during the event:
Chelast
Panflam
Plinfa
Skunkapuh
Hisui-Voltoball
Hisui-Baldorfish
Pachirisu
Plaudagei
Venuflibis
In addition to these, the chance for costumed Pokémon to appear in Shiny form will also be increased, along with additional, unknown Pokémon.
Trailer for the current season Timeless Journeys.
Start video
Pokémon GO shows the new season “Timeless Travels” in the trailer
A team play challenge and another Pokémon on routes
What team play challenge will there be during the event? From Saturday, February 24 at 10:00 to Sunday, February 25, 2024, at 18:00, there will be a team play challenge. Here you will have the chance to encounter Regigigas together.
Which Pokémon can appear in the event on routes? If you are on routes during the event, you may encounter white-lined Barschuften. This cannot currently evolve in Pokémon GO.
What do you think of the event and the new information? Will you participate locally or globally? If so, what are you looking forward to the most? Feel free to write it in the comments. Until then, there are more events in January 2024 in Pokémon GO waiting for you.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The legendary Nintendo PlayStation console was never released. A single prototype is worth a lot of money today. Its unique design inspired a YouTuber to build his own version of the game console.
33 years ago, Nintendo and Sony presented a joint game console. The Nintendo PlayStation was never sold and was scrapped before its release. This simultaneously marked the launch of Sony’s own game consoles.
At least one prototype of the hybrid console from that time still exists and was auctioned for a high sum in 2020. This piece of video game history was recently taken as a model by a YouTuber for his own version of this unique game console.
Start video
Check out the video of the new slim model of the PS5
YouTuber recreates a piece of video game history
What kind of game console is this? YouTuber James demonstrates the construction of his own Nintendo PlayStation console in a video. He creates a new game console step by step from parts of a PlayStation and the Super Nintendo (known as Super Famicom in Japan).
The interior consists of the electronic components from the PlayStation, while the outer appearance is shaped by the case of the SNES (Super Nintendo). Throughout the video, viewers witness several successful test runs of his creation.
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What were his first steps? Initially, James had to repair a capacitor on a PS1 circuit board to get the game console to start again. Since his unit was missing the disc drive for the game discs, he also had to use a different laser. Alternatively, he could have used the laser from a special PS1 if he had had access to one.
Once he verified that the electronics of the PS1 were functioning again, he could begin the modification. However, the YouTuber quickly realized that he could not install the mainboard and other components without significant adjustments.
What modifications were necessary? Since the dimensions of the SNES case were not large enough for Sony’s hardware, James had to make some changes to the case and the electronics. A grinder was used to modify both the case and the electronics.
After the YouTuber had trimmed some of the components to a suitable size, they had to be rearranged and resoldered. Wires, connectors (for example, for the PS controllers), and switches were also made “compatible” with each other.
What tools were used? In addition to the aforementioned grinder, a soldering iron, a pair of pliers for heavy work, and a hot glue gun were used. With the latter, he fixed all the components that he had already placed in the SNES case at that time.
After some technical issues and resulting additional work with the soldering iron, he was able to successfully test the modified hardware. James now faced the difficult task of combining the disc drive with the cartridge slot of the Nintendo games.
How did he proceed with the disc drive? The initial tests with the new laser caused scratched discs in a horizontal position. Therefore, the disc drive had to be installed vertically. The deep cartridge slot in the SNES case was perfect for this.
James secured the laser with hot glue above the cartridge slot on the top of the case. This way, a game disc would partially “disappear” into the slot when inserted. After a final use of the soldering iron, thankfully, the connected controller also worked.
Where did his idea for the hybrid console come from? At CES 1991, Sony and Nintendo introduced their joint game console. The SNES (Super Nintendo) with a cartridge slot was intended to be expanded with a CD-ROM drive. The name for the expansion was PlayStation at the time.
A legal dispute over contractual matters ended the project before its release. Nintendo then worked with Philips on a CD console. Meanwhile, Sony began developing its own PlayStation, which was now almost 30 years ago.
After the project ended, all prototypes of the Nintendo PlayStation were to be destroyed. A single unit escaped destruction and was later rediscovered by chance. In 2020, this piece of video game history changed hands in an auction for 274,000 euros. For that amount, one could also buy well over 100 PS5s, which are currently very popular among thieves.
Turtle Beach has introduced a high-end controller for PC and Xbox with the Stealth Ultra. But is the price of 200 Euros worth it for the controller? MeinMMO editorial staff member Benedikt Schlotmann has tested the controller and reveals what you get for your money.
Turtle Beach has introduced a high-priced gaming controller with the Stealth Ultra. After all, the manufacturer charges 199.99 Euros for the model. The most well-known high-end controller for PC and Xbox, the Elite Wireless 2, currently costs around 150 Euros. For the Scuf Instinct Pro, you pay 239.99 Euros.
I have taken a detailed look at the controller for you and will explain what you get for your money.
Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra in Test, Quick Overview:
I have a penchant for hardware and tech and currently own over 20 gaming mice, as well as numerous keyboards and controllers. Since 2019, I have been testing hardware for MeinMMO for our readers. In addition to PC and PS5, I also play on the Steam Deck.
Our device is a review sample provided to us by Turtle Beach for testing.
Benedikt Schlotmann Hardware Editor MeinMMO
Technical details of the Stealth Ultra:
Here you will find all important technical details of the Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra in a table:
Model
Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra
Connection
Wireless or Wired
Platform
PC, Xbox
Scope of delivery
Controller, charging station with transmitter, USB cable, 4 grip caps for the thumbsticks, transport box, manual
Special Features
Micro-switches and Hall sensors; adjustable trigger buttons and buttons on the back
Weight
253 grams
Price (RRP)
199.99
Scope of delivery, design and construction
What does the scope of delivery include? The scope of delivery of the controller includes
a charging station with transmitter
a USB cable,
4 grip caps for the thumbsticks
a transport box that is padded on the inside.
the obligatory manual.
Scope of delivery of the Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra: Everything you need is included.
How is the controller built? The Stealth Ultra adopts the typical asymmetric Xbox design and slightly modifies it. Thus, the menu buttons move slightly upwards, while the Xbox button shifts to the lower edge of the controller.
At the top of the controller, there is a small display that can show you certain information. On the back, there are a total of 4 buttons, 2 on each side. However, they are not real back paddles like on the DualSense Edge or the Elite Wireless 2. Additionally, the controller features a built-in battery, unlike the standard Xbox controller.
The controller can be used both wired and wirelessly via the transmitter. However, the controller charges fastest via the docking station. Also practical: the transmitter can be attached to the docking station, allowing you to use the docking station not only for charging but also for connecting to the PC or console.
Via Bluetooth, the controller can also connect to a smartphone or other mobile devices.
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Processing
Turtle Beach relies on components in its high-priced controller that promise high durability: On the one hand, micro-switches are located under all buttons that are not only supposed to be particularly fast but also particularly durable.
Furthermore, Hall effect sticks are used in the thumbsticks. These use magnets inside, so there is no friction from components inside. Theoretically, the sticks are immune to annoying stick drift.
In direct comparison to the “Xbox Elite Wireless” controller from Microsoft, the Stealth Ultra has to come up short: the D-pad, parts of the back, and the metal paddles just feel better than the plastic on the Stealth Ultra.
I really like the transport bag and it offers enough space for the controller as well as the additional button caps. Only the charging cable cannot be accommodated anymore. That’s a shame, but not too bad.
On the left, the Xbox Elite Wireless 2 controller and on the right, the Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra.
Software
Turtle Beach relies on software called “Control Center 2.” This can only be downloaded from the Microsoft Store.
Basically, you can change almost all controller settings via the software, reassign buttons, and also turn off the RGB lighting to save energy.
However, the software does not really convince me. It feels somewhat cluttered, quite bulky, and the color scheme (purple on black) fits the manufacturer but is hard to read. The same goes for the gray menu on a black background. Whoever designed that.
In addition, the software is rather slow and only available in English.
Cluttered and poor color combination: Turtle Beach’s Control Center 2 does not really convince.
I had no problems connecting the controller to the PC or console. You connect the transmitter to the PC or console and then hold the Xbox button for several seconds until the controller starts. And then it connects right away.
Ergonomics and Weight
Weight: The Stealth Ultra is surprisingly light compared to other high-quality controllers. I weighed all devices with a regular kitchen scale:
The Stealth Ultra weighs 253 grams.
The official controller for the Xbox Series X weighs 269 grams.
The Xbox Elite Series 2 comes in at 342 grams.
The DualSense Edge still weighs 334 grams.
Especially during longer gaming sessions, I find the Stealth Ultra significantly more comfortable to hold, as my wrists have to support almost 100 grams less than with the Elite Series 2. By the way, my partner confirms this about the weight: While the Stealth Ultra weighs similar to the official controller, the Elite Series 2 feels almost like a “brick” in comparison with its significantly higher weight.
The Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra with charging station.
Ergonomics: The Stealth Ultra is a few millimeters larger than the standard Xbox controller or the Elite model. Ergonomically, it fits excellently in my large hands. With a hand length of 19 centimeters, I have relatively large hands.
Especially the buttons on the back are easily accessible. The action buttons are exactly where my fingers normally rest and grip the controller. Thus, they are easily accessible and well within reach. Thanks to built-in micro switches, the back buttons feel excellent. The same applies to the other buttons.
The buttons on the back: While not back paddles, they are still easy to reach and click.
Gameplay: Fantastic feel thanks to micro switches
How does it play with the controller? In everyday life, I’ve tried various genres with it. For example, the very fast fighting game Brawlhalla or the more leisurely Age of Wonders 4. Both are games that offer native controller support.
Especially Brawlhalla plays impressively with the controller because I really like the micro switches: the satisfying click with each confirmation gives me not only more precision but also just feels great. The Wolverine V2 from Razer, which I was able to test for MeinMMO, clicked similarly well. The triggers can also be shortened with a button on the back, making them react faster.
Age of Wonders 4 with native controller interface. And it works really well.
The small, integrated display (Connected Command Display) is also an exciting idea that has proven to be useful in everyday use several times. Here you can make numerous settings on the controller, such as adjusting the vibration, switching profiles, adjusting the lighting, or calibrating the sticks. You can also quickly access corresponding options via the plus button on the controller without needing additional software.
Battery life: If I turn off the lighting, I get about 25 hours of battery life with the Stealth Ultra. With active lighting or fully lit display, the battery life drops, not surprisingly. However, I only see the remaining battery life in percentage when I connect the controller to the docking station and not during everyday use. The battery icon that depletes is not very practical.
At least: With the included docking station, the controller can be fully recharged within 2 hours. That’s usually enough for me in everyday life when I want to play a few rounds with friends in the evening.
The Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra from the front.
Conclusion: Great controller if you want to pay the high price
Who is the controller worth it for? First of all, 199 Euros is not a small amount of money for a gaming controller. However, you get a high-quality controller with many comfort features and theoretically very durable hardware: This is at least supported by the micro switches and the magnetic thumbsticks. Theoretically, you get a controller that will accompany you over the next few years, if the technology holds up as promised.
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Technically, the Stealth Ultra may not seem as well made, but it looks significantly more modern than the Elite 2, which has been around for 5 years now (released in 2019) and for which Microsoft has yet to issue an overhaul, but hopefully will.
From a pricing perspective, the official Xbox Elite 2 Wireless remains the alternative, as you can regularly get it for 130 Euros with accessories. The paddles still feel somewhat better than the back buttons on the Stealth Ultra. The Scuf Instinct Pro is even more expensive at 239.99 than the Elite 2 or the Stealth Ultra tested here.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a huge hit that has even surprised the developers. Michael Douse, the Director of Publishing at Larian Studios, is now revealing one of the secrets to its success. The fundamental insight was already gained by Walt Disney 70 years ago.
How successful Baldur’s Gate 3 is:
Baldur’s Gate 3 was released in August 2023 in a rather niche genre. While classic role-playing games have a strong fan base, they rarely become true blockbusters. The developers therefore expected 100,000 players at their peak – in the first days alone, there were 700,000 on Steam. Later, it reached the millions.
This is what makes the game so good:In a longer tweet, Michael Douse shares an important insight that the development team gained during development. He says that humor is the key to success.
When Larian was working on and testing the campaign, the shared information in the game was great, but participation kept declining. During testing, it simply became boring. The solution:
[…] We focused on how funny sharing information can be, just as much as the quality of the message itself. Once we did that, engagement skyrocketed, and people began to enjoy the “ride” of the campaign. If I learned one thing during Baldur’s Gate 3, it is that you need to make people smile to create a real sense of resonance […] Humor is the engine of patience.
Douse explains that this insight was already gained in the 1950s. At that time, the “Jungle Cruise” was introduced in Disney theme parks, a sort of documentary roller coaster. Walt Disney himself heard a mother say that she would not ride it because she already knew it.
After a conversation with his colleague Marc David, he said: Of course, “it’s not funny, there’s no humor.” Once this criticism was addressed, the ride not only became better received but also significantly more realistic.
Shortly before release, Larian caused a small scandal with a clip and clarified what kind of humor you can expect from Baldur’s Gate 3:
Start video
Creators of Baldur’s Gate 3 show intimate love scene with a bear and get banned instantly
Baldur’s Gate 3 offers every kind of humor
Baldur’s Gate 3 is filled with humor that is sometimes simply funny, sometimes blunt or very dark, and sometimes even balances on the edge of being inappropriate. One of the best examples of this is the barbarian, a playable class.
When you talk to a magical mirror that seems very mystical and wants to guard its secrets, you can persuade it as a bard, discuss with it as a wizard… or throw a stone at it as a barbarian.
You will constantly be confronted with situations in which you have to laugh or at least smile. And even if it’s just when Astarion coldly says: “Of course, I am talking about sex. But not with you.”
At the latest, the narrator will make you laugh with a dry comment about your own stupidity while simultaneously informing you about what you actually need to do.
However, humor is not the only reason for the success of Baldur’s Gate 3. The game was in development for many years before the release and for a good part of the time even already playable. This is actually something that is absolutely frowned upon in the industry. However, it worked for Baldur’s Gate 3: because many fans played the game early, it became such a huge hit.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
