Netflix is allegedly going to film Baldur’s Gate 3, fans say: Please don’t …

Sophia Weiss Sophia Weiss Reading time 4 minutes

For a few months now, there has been a rumor circulating on the web that Netflix wants to make Baldur’s Gate 3 into a live-action adaptation. Film and series adaptations of popular video games are currently very much in trend, so the rumor even sounds credible. However, on Reddit, fans are already losing their minds at the mere thought. So what is true?

What is the rumor about? According to the rumor circulating online, Netflix is interested in the rights for a live-action adaptation of Baldur’s Gate, not specifically Baldur’s Gate 3. The streaming giant has already had contact with the Dungeons & Dragons lore, on which the Baldur’s Gate games are based, through series like Stranger Things.

With the waning popularity of Netflix’s most important series cosmos The Witcher following Henry Cavill’s departure and the premature cancellation of successful series like Shadow & Bone, the streaming giant is said to be searching for a new flagship.

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Baldur’s Gate 3 is coming to PS5 – Trailer prepares for console release

Where did the rumor come from? The rumor first appeared on September 20 on the website Giant Freakin Robots. The site specifically states:

We have learned exclusively that Netflix is in talks to acquire the rights to a live-action adaptation of the Baldur’s Gate game series.

Giant Freakin Robot, 20.09.2023

However, it is not yet clear whether Netflix intends to create a series, a film, or even a film series. Furthermore, there is speculation that a Netflix adaptation of the Baldur’s Gate games would create an unofficial crossover between the games and the film Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.

The specific source of Giant Freakin Robots is not named, so its validity cannot be verified.

The topic gained momentum again about two days ago when the news outlet Covered Geekly picked up the rumor. The article specifically refers to Baldur’s Gate 3 rather than the entire series comprising three games.

The article from Covered Geekly is now being discussed in at least two posts on Reddit.

Fans say please no to a Baldur’s Gate 3 adaptation

How do fans feel about it? Fans are anything but enthusiastic on Reddit. Here’s one of the recent posts:

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Players are mainly concerned that Netflix will not adapt Baldur’s Gate 3 properly. They worry that their favorite characters might be cut or rewritten.

In a second post, commentators refer to the series announced by Paramount Pictures and can only shake their digital heads: User cataclytsm sarcastically calls for Chris Pratt as Astarion and receives sarcastic, but also outraged reactions.

Here are a few voices from the community:

  • Ennasalin via reddit: Hell no… after what they did with The Witcher… no… double no.
  • onemorekayaker via reddit: Oh no! I would prefer a YouTube series where the VAs do a complete DND run based on the campaign. Netflix will butcher the whole thing.
  • KrookedDoesStuff via reddit: I hate Netflix. I want to go to Build a Bear!

The general sentiment among both posts is: Why do we need this and please don’t.

How realistic is a Netflix adaptation of the game?

Should this rumor be taken seriously? It is absolutely plausible that a streaming provider is in discussions with the rights holders about an adaptation. Every film and series studio is free to contact Wizards of the Coast or its parent company Hasbro and inquire about the necessary rights.

Thus, it might be the case that Giant Freakin Robots’ source is correct and Netflix is currently trying to acquire the rights for Baldur’s Gate live-action adaptations.

What are the chances of this happening? Most likely, fans do not need to fear a potential Netflix Astarion. The background to this is that the film and series rights for adaptations of Dungeons & Dragons IPs are held by Paramount Pictures (take a look at your Blu-rays or the credits for the film on streaming services).

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Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves – Second Official Trailer for the Movie

Paramount Pictures obtained the rights from Hasbro or Wizards of the Coast and has already produced the aforementioned film starring Chris Pine. As our colleagues from Filmstarts reported, they are also planning their own series for Dungeons & Dragons. This is set to air on their own streaming service Paramount+.

Since the Baldur’s Gate games take place in the universe created by Wizards of the Coast and would not work without the traditional Dungeons & Dragons lore, the rights for it should also be with Paramount Pictures.

Whether this is the case, we cannot say for sure, as we unfortunately do not have access to the contracts. However, since Baldur’s Gate is closely tied to Dungeons & Dragons, it would be surprising if it were otherwise.

Attention: On Amazon Prime Video, you can watch the highly recommended cartoon The Legend of Vox Machina. However, the rights here belong to the creators at Critical Role, a nerdy group of voice actors from the USA. The story, characters, locations, items, and spells are based on Dungeons & Dragons but do not draw these elements from the lore associated with Wizards of the Coast.

Think of it this way: Dungeons & Dragons, the pen and paper game, is the engine for the game The Legend of Vox Machina developed by Critical Role. While the engine is the foundation, it does not grant the engine developers any rights to the game developed within.

In summary: Since Baldur’s Gate is too closely tied to Dungeons & Dragons, the rights presumably lie with Paramount Pictures. However, this does not rule out the possibility that Netflix might obtain rights for a live-action adaptation of the games specifically. The chances of that happening are slim.

What do you think? Would you like to see a live-action adaptation of Baldur’s Gate 3? Or are you satisfied with just playing the game over and over again? Let us know in the comments.
More about Baldur’s Gate 3: Baldur’s Gate 3: ‘I must cry soon’ Producer releases the speech that was cut short during the Game Awards, touching fans

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Giant Freakin Robot
  2. Covered Geekly
  3. Critical Role

Studio creates a bunch of good movies that hardly anyone knows – now working with Hideo Kojima on Death Stranding

Niko Hernes Niko Hernes Reading time 2 minutes

The games of Hideo Kojima are known for containing many cinematic elements. No wonder, as Kojima himself is a huge fan of movies and often collaborates with many actors and directors. Now he is allowed to adapt his own work into a film with a suitable studio.

If you follow Hideo Kojima on social media, you will notice that he is an incredibly big movie fan. In his games and announcements, he often works with actors and directors. Recently, he announced a collaboration with horror director Jordan Peele for a new horror game.

On Twitter, he announced yet another collaboration, this time with the film studio A24. Kojima Productions and A24 are now supposed to adapt Death Stranding into a film. Kojima says: We are creating a Death Stranding universe that has never existed before.

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Death Stranding 2 – Game Awards Trailer

A Film Studio Full of Indie Hits

A24 is an interesting choice for a film studio. Not a streamer like Netflix and not a large triple-A studio, but a studio known for its unusual indie films. The probably biggest film of the studio Everything Everywhere All At Once won 7 Oscars last year. An incredibly high number for a rather unconventional film.

The other filmography of the studio also fits the unusual Death Stranding. Midsommar and Beau is Afraid by Ari Aster are unconventional horror films that are loved by many critics. But titles like Dream Scenario, The Lobster, and The Whale also show that A24 gives its directors a lot of freedom for creative expression.

Kojima himself praises the film studio in his announcement tweet: The films they release into the world are of high quality and very innovative. I have felt attracted to their works and they have even inspired my own work.

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Just as the game itself breaks many conventions, the film is also unlikely to be a classic blockbuster. The collaboration with A24 promises to deliver an extremely interesting adaptation of Death Stranding. Apart from the announcement by Kojima and A24, nothing is known yet about actors or the story.

However, a trailer for the sequel to Death Stranding was released last year that excited MeinMMO author Marie Friske:

If Death Stranding 2 really turns out like the trailer, a great sequel is coming our way

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

Company introduces new 3D monitor that could soon revolutionize gaming – Costs as much as a high-performance gaming PC

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 2 minutes

The company Lenovo has introduced a new monitor that can display 3D content without glasses. This could potentially open up new opportunities for PC gaming in the long term.

Lenovo offers a new 27-inch 4K monitor called ThinkVision, which can display 3D content without glasses. The monitor was first presented at IFA 2023. Now further details and the official release have been announced. However, the high price is likely to deter many users.

Monitor offers 3D display without glasses, initially aimed at developers

What does the monitor offer? The display features a switchable lenticular lens and real-time eye-tracking technology, coupled with the accompanying software “3D Explorer”, which provides a 3D player and a software development kit (SDK) to create 3D applications. The ThinkVision offers a 3D resolution of 1920 x 2160.

A lenticular lens creates a three-dimensional impression using tiny optical lenses or prisms. The created illusion can then be viewed without optical aids (such as glasses).

What are the technical details? You get a 4K IPS display with 60 Hz, a maximum brightness of 310 nits, and a contrast ratio of 1,000:1, as well as 99% DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB and a Delta-E color accuracy of under 2.

Apart from that, the monitor can also be used as a regular 2D version: In 2D view, a resolution of 3840 x 2160 is possible.

By the way, to use the monitor in 3D mode, a reasonably powerful PC is necessary: You need a PC with Windows 10 or higher, equipped with at least an Intel Core i5-7400, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 or better, and at least 16 GB DDR5 RAM.

Who is this monitor intended for? Essentially, the monitor is aimed at content creators, including 3D graphic designers and developers. Thus, the target audience is initially very limited.

However, if this technology can establish itself, it could also represent an exciting innovation in the gaming sector. Who hasn’t imagined characters suddenly climbing out of the monitor and fighting on their home desk?

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High price and release not until February 2024

What is the drawback? The biggest drawback is probably the price: After all, Lenovo charges $2,999 for the display, which will probably amount to around 3,000 euros with taxes in Germany. With that money, you could currently buy a powerful gaming PC.

When will the monitor be available? According to Lenovo, the monitor is expected to be available in stores starting in February 2024. Whether the model will also be directly available for purchase in Germany is not yet known. Where the model will be offered, such as only in the in-house shop or also on Amazon, is also not known.

More about monitors: Recently, a 17-year-old invented a completely new gaming monitor. What makes this model so unique and why it is expected to offer significant advantages in the long term, you can read directly on MeinMMO:

A 17-year-old invents a revolutionary new PC monitor for gaming and office – costs only 500 euros

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Source(s):
  1. digitaltrends.com

Pokémon GO brings part 2 of the Christmas event with a new shiny and research

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 3 minutes

The Christmas event “Winter Holidays” takes place in Pokémon GO in two parts. The developers have now revealed what to expect in the second part.

What has been revealed: Until now, players only knew the content of Part 1 of the Winter Holidays in Pokémon GO. Niantic has now shown how it continues afterwards. A new shiny and new costumes await you. In addition, there will be raids, research, and more.

In our overview, we show you all the contents of the event.

Winter Holidays Part 2 at a Glance

When does it take place? From Monday, December 25 at 10:00 AM to Sunday, December 31 at 8:00 PM. The times are for the local time zone.

What bonuses are available?

  • During the Winter Holidays, you choose the bonus you receive for completing the Timed Research. The options include double catch XP and double catch Stardust.
  • You will receive more XP and Stardust for opening gifts.

New Pokémon: You can find Psyduck and its evolution Golduck for the first time in holiday attire in Pokémon GO. You can also find them as shiny.

For the first time, you can encounter shiny Gelatini as a new shiny.

Pokémon GO Psyduck Golduck Holiday Attire

Raids and Wilderness: During the event, you will encounter Pikachu in holiday attire, Alolan Vulpix, Psyduck in holiday attire, Jurob, Eevee with a holiday hat, Quiekel, Botogel with a holiday ribbon, Schneppke, Seemops, Galar Flampion, Gelatini, Petznief with a holiday ribbon, Frigometri, Flaniwal, and hopefully also Sniebel, Keifel, and Amarino in the wilderness.

Pokémon GO Winter Holidays Part 2 Wilderness

In the raids, you can expect the following bosses:

DifficultyRaid Boss
1Pikachu in holiday attire
Alolan Vulpix
Petznief with a holiday ribbon
Krabbox
Flaniwal
3Jugong
Lapras
Botogel with a holiday ribbon
Glaziola in underwater holiday outfit

2-KM Eggs: In eggs that you receive during the event, you can find Psyduck in holiday attire, Eevee with a holiday hat, Kussilla, Galar Flampion, or Amarino.

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Field Research: If you complete certain field research tasks, you will encounter

  • Pikachu in holiday attire
  • Alolan Vulpix
  • Psyduck in holiday attire
  • Muschas
  • Rossana
  • Lapras
  • Damhirplex in holiday outfit
  • Seemops with a holiday scarf
  • Shnebedeck
  • Glaziola in underwater holiday outfit
  • Gelatini
  • Krabbox
  • For some, also energies for Mega Rexblisar or Mega Firnontor

Paid Timed Research: Anyone who wants can buy up to two tickets to unlock special research.

  • Ticket 1 for 2 US dollars: A two-part Timed Research – In Part 1 of the event, you will encounter the event Pokémon such as Seemops with a holiday scarf, Frigometri, and Psyduck in holiday attire, as well as 2 premium battle passes
    • In Part 2 of the Winter event, you will receive encounters with Psyduck in holiday attire and Petznief with a holiday ribbon, as well as 2 premium battle passes
  • Ticket 2 for 5 US dollars brings you an avatar pose and the following rewards for the Timed Research:
    • Double catch candy
    • Encounters with event Pokémon such as Pikachu in holiday attire, Botogel with a holiday ribbon, and Psyduck in holiday attire

How do you like the look at Part 2 of the Winter event in Pokémon GO?

All events in December 2023 in Pokémon GO are shown here in the overview

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

WoW explains old raids and why you fail: “You will be 125 times stronger”

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

Farming old raids is part of daily life for many in World of Warcraft. However, the reasons for its frequent failures were explained in a developer conversation.

When there’s nothing to do in World of Warcraft, players attempt to tackle old content. After all, there is still much to gain there – although not strong gear, there are transmog, pets, or achievements.

The raids from the previous expansion are usually still significantly too difficult, but the raids from the penultimate add-on offer a solid challenge.

This is also intended by Blizzard. During a live chat with the Community Council, the developers revealed a few details about how they envision this and what their goals are.

How strong will you be in the new add-on? Blizzard has fairly clear ideas about how strong characters will become throughout an add-on. The guideline is a multiplier of 5. This means that by the end of “Dragonflight,” you should be about 5x as strong as by the end of “Shadowlands.”

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This, in turn, also means that by the end of Dragonflight, you will be about 25x as strong as in Battle for Azeroth and then 125x as strong as during Legion.

This leads to the difficulty of old raids:

  • Raids from the last expansion are nearly impossible to handle alone (there are exceptions), as you are only 5x as strong as intended for the content.
  • Raids from the penultimate expansions are solo doable but provide a solid challenge – as you have roughly the power of a full raid group because you are 25x as strong as back then.
  • Older raids are trivial, as you are 125x stronger than initially intended – meaning you alone have the strength of nearly 5 raid groups.

What is the problem with old raids? Old raids often need further adjustments by Blizzard to ensure they are soloable. Many bosses have mechanics that require multiple players. Be it areas that need to be absorbed by multiple characters or different objectives that need to be fulfilled simultaneously – there are several mechanics that simply cannot be played alone.

Blizzard therefore wants to adjust all raids from Battle for Azeroth “before the end of Dragonflight” so that fights with special group mechanics work differently if you are solo. They have done this in previous expansions as well, but the demand from the community seems to be growing each time.

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Is farming old raids worth it? That probably depends on what one desires. If it’s about completing the wardrobe, it might be better to wait a bit before farming old raids. With the start of the next expansion “The War Within” (or the Pre-Patch 11.0), you will be able to unlock transmog for armor classes that you can’t even use yourself.

Thus, mages will be able to unlock plate armor in the future – or warriors can add cloth to the transmog collection. That makes farming old raids for transmog significantly more efficient.

Do you enjoy exploring old raids? Or can such content not entice you at all?

The first tests of “The War Within” are already taking place – the first realm is online.

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

On Twitch, viewers complain about lightly dressed female streamers – Now the platform is changing its rules

Lydia Lydia Reading time 2 minutes

Kaitlyn “Amouranth” Siragusa is considered a pioneer of the notorious “Hot Tub” meta on Twitch. Meanwhile, other female streamers have followed in the footsteps of the 30-year-old. Find out at MeinMMO what is changing now on Twitch.

What content is involved? Kaitlyn “Amouranth” Siragusa is a master at pushing the boundaries of what is permissible on Twitch. With her method of offering flascivious content on Twitch and funnelling fans to paid platforms, she has become extremely successful.

By now, there are many female streamers who employ a similar strategy as Amouranth. Also in the German space, so-called pool streamers are represented in the Twitch charts – much to the annoyance of some viewers and creators.

Users have repeatedly complained about sexualized content on the homepage of Twitch. Now the streaming platform is responding and will be stricter yet more lenient regarding nudity.

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Twitch allows more but shows less

What is changing now? In an official blog post dated December 13, 2023, two changes were announced.

  • The guidelines for sexual content will be simplified and made more understandable. Content that was previously not allowed will now be tolerated on Twitch: content that “consciously highlights the breast, buttocks, or pelvic area” or “fictionalized […] female-identified breasts, genitals, and buttocks [completely exposed].” However, the condition is that the streams are labeled accordingly.
  • In return, sexualized content, as well as content depicting drugs, intoxicants, excessive tobacco use, violence, or gambling, will no longer appear among the recommended streams on the homepage of Twitch.

Twitch justifies its decision by stating that female-identified streamers have been “disproportionately disadvantaged” by the old regulations. At the same time, it acknowledges that not everyone wants to see this type of content (via X).

Female streamers or female-identified streamers can now create their content more freely, without worrying about bans. At the same time, users will no longer be confronted with “naked facts” at first glance on the homepage.

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The rule change comes just a few days after a new meta took hold on Twitch: The streamer and OnlyFans performer “Morgpie” allegedly appeared topless during her streams and received a ban on December 11, 2023.

It seems that Twitch now wants to satisfy everyone with the new guidelines. The first comments on Twitch are currently positive.

For many content creators, such a ban initially means they have no income – others benefit from it:

Twitch: A ban should ideally punish a too-sexy streamer – turned her into the most successful woman on the platform

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Unge returns to Twitch after a long break, shares huge advertising revenues with the community

jacquelinek jacquelinek Reading time 2 minutes

In May, the Twitch streamer Unge paused for health reasons but returned at the end of November. In a recent livestream, he announced that he generated a revenue of $20,000 (around €18,300) solely from advertising.

How long was Unge absent and what prompted him to return to Twitch? Unge announced on YouTube that he needed a break due to a diagnosed social phobia and health challenges. 

A month later, he released a short update video, in which he explained that he is currently still streaming as Vtuber Raik, but exclusively in English. The decision to present himself in a new format allowed Unge to vary his content experience and keep his community updated. 

In November, he unexpectedly returned to the Twitch stage without much prior announcement, which brought much joy and excitement to his viewers.

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Minecraft, longboards and vegan food made him famous – The career of Unge

How is Unge’s health today? In his comeback stream, which he also partially uploaded to YouTube, Unge delves into his personal background regarding his illness. He reveals that social interactions became increasingly exhausting for him over the last two years.

This stress even extended to the point where he was reluctant to leave the house and spent less time with close friends. However, in recent months, the streamer reports that he feels better than in the past few years, signaling positive developments in his health.

What kind of content has Unge streamed during his return to Twitch? Alongside his comeback stream, in which he addressed numerous fan questions, Unge focused mainly on playing World of Warcraft in the last few days. The streams sometimes extended over an impressive 15 hours, during which he actively involved his community in the gaming experience.

$20,000 revenue solely from advertising 

After Unge made his Twitch comeback in front of 100,000 viewers, he presented his current earnings solely from ads on Twitch. The announced amount of about $20,000 led to general amazement, even for Unge himself. 

This remarkable income is particularly impressive considering that the creator recently celebrated his streaming comeback. It is important to emphasize that this is solely the advertising revenue from Twitch.

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What’s next for Unge? Unge already emphasized in his comeback stream that he is back to streaming with enthusiasm and excitement. This statement gives hope that viewers can expect regular new content from the streamer in the future. 

Unge’s positive attitude suggests that he looks forward to continuing his streaming activities and entertaining his community with regular content.

If you want to learn more about why Unge decided to stream as Vtuber Raik despite his streaming pause, you can read more details here:

Twitch: Unge gives an update after a month of streaming without face: “Financially a stupid decision”

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  2. InGame

New movie featuring one of the biggest gaming YouTubers in the world captures one of the most important points in gaming

Leya Jankowski Leya Jankowski Reading time 6 minutes

A new movie on Apple TV+ deals with gaming. One of the biggest gaming YouTubers in the world has a role in it: Rachell Valkyrae Hofstetter. Editor-in-chief Leya was able to conduct an interview with Valkyrae on this occasion, discussing the positive effects of gaming and streaming.

A new movie on Apple TV+ focuses on the concept of streaming. Actually, The Family Plan on Apple TV+ is an action-comedy. Mark Wahlberg plays a former hitman who now leads a quiet family life.

Therefore, he is paranoid about social networks and not pleased that his son Valorant streams on Twitch. Because during his time as a hitman, he naturally made many enemies who can more easily track him down over the internet.

One might think that the movie targets evil gaming and evil streaming. But that is not the case. Quite the opposite. The gaming YouTuber Valkyrae has a guest appearance in the film and plays an e-sports athlete.

When I received the offer to interview Valkyrae, I immediately accepted. Because I am always very curious about how gaming influences pop culture. I spoke with the streamer about how she views certain topics regarding gaming in the film and how that aligns with reality.

“Gaming has opened so many doors for me”

MeinMMO: What was your first thought when you received the offer to participate in The Family Plan?

Valkyrae: Every time I get such opportunities, I think: Is this real? How do I get something like this, especially thanks to gaming? I never thought that gaming would open so many doors for me that have nothing to do with gaming. Movies definitely belong to that!

I was just blown away. I was a bit nervous because it was outside of my comfort zone. But I just had to say yes.

MeinMMO: Why is it outside your comfort zone if you are constantly in front of the camera?

Valkyrae: I know! I hear that all the time. When I’m streaming at home, I’m in my room, I can just chat away, I’m talking to screens. But in person, there are so many people watching [during filming], and it’s a lot of pressure to do well.

“I hid that I play”

MeinMMO: That fits so well with what happens in the movie. The son talks about feeling inadequate in his “real life” and feeling the opposite in his stream. That he then feels he is among his people and has found so many friends online. What do you think as a streamer about this statement?

Valkyrae: I can relate to that very well.

That is exactly why I started streaming the games I was playing at the time. I felt very lonely back then and was working at GameStop. We sold trading games that I posted on Instagram, where I first heard about streaming. I started doing it to find friends. And I actually found friends through it, and I met them all online and through gaming.

Thanks to streaming, I found a community that identifies with me. I really love it.

Start video
The Family Plan – Official Trailer | Apple TV+

MeinMMO: I thought it was cool that they included that in the movie. I have the impression that gaming is generally shown positively in The Family Plan. This has not been the case in films for a long time. How do you think the portrayal of gaming in media like television has changed compared to ten years ago?

Valkyrae: I am so happy and excited that gaming is becoming more mainstream. I think gaming is very universal. It’s just entertainment. I always compare it to television, only that you can interact more.

In the past, I was bullied for gaming. I always hid that I played and it was so embarrassing for me.

MeinMMO: Could you imagine a career in e-sports like in the movie?

Valkyrae: As a professional player? I have been playing my whole life, and I know that I can’t have just one favorite game or even just one type of favorite game. I love so many genres for different reasons. Whether it’s a story-driven single-player game or a multiplayer like Battle Royale. How can you decide? There are so many good reasons to play the most diverse games. I love looting, I love progression, but I also love playing with friends just as much as I love a good story.

I don’t think I could play professionally, because that would mean I’d have to play a game over and over again, 24 hours a day, every day. I don’t think that would be for me.

Also, I might not have time to do something like participating in a movie like I did, which I enjoyed so much.

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MeinMMO: I have noticed that more and more streamers are being approached lately to give them small roles in films. Do you think we will see this trend more often?

Valkyrae: Yes, that is definitely a trend. It makes total sense. It’s good advertising.

I know that I will talk about the movie in my stream, and I will tell all my friends and family about it. I also know that my biggest fans will watch the movie to support me. It’s just a clever move by the film producers.

But it’s also a win-win situation for people like me, who have never done something like this before and might be able to do it more in the future.

“I used to be online so much that I got pain”

MeinMMO: A theme in the movie is technology and the fact that the son is very easy to find because he is always online. I have the impression that there is also a bit of criticism involved. How do you see the topic of being constantly online as a streamer, and maybe even losing touch with reality a bit?

Valkyrae: I believe some people really become addicted to being online all the time. It can be life-changing. I mean, some people have found their soulmate through the internet.

Others get so good at a game that they make it their profession. They might be very young and have parents who would prefer to see their children studying. It can be such a complicated topic because there are so many different situations.

I personally believe I have a good work-life balance. But in the past, I was online so much that I developed physical pain. I had pain in my legs, and a nerve in my back was pinched. Luckily, I quickly realized that I couldn’t continue like that. So I started living healthier and incorporating more movement into my daily life.

I think we all just need to find a good balance for how often we are really online.

Must not be missing in the stream: Valkyrae’s dog Mika

MeinMMO: Finally, I have the bearer of a question! My colleague AK (GameStar YouTube) is a big fan of yours, and I’m supposed to ask you from her why your dog is so cute?

Valkyrae: Send her my love! Mika is a Shiba Inu and I didn’t know that his white color is so rare. When I got him, everyone was surprised that there are these dogs in white as well. Of course, he is the cutest dog in the world! He has a few fears, but we are getting better at handling them. For me, he is perfect.

MeinMMO: Thank you very much for answering the questions.

Gaming is becoming better understood

The conversation with Valkyrae confirmed for me what I thought after watching The Family Plan: Overall, gaming is being portrayed more positively and better understood by the creators of such works.

Gaming is not the main theme of the film. But it is nice to see that other media are also engaging seriously with games and the cosmos around them. There are also things in the film that are unrealistic, especially regarding the e-sports tournament. However, the film does not aim to be realistic in every detail.

But what it does well is convey through the son what gaming can mean for someone. Especially when it comes to achievements and friendships.

Otherwise, The Family Plan is a light action-comedy that primarily focuses on how the family grows together through the adventure. A movie that you watch when you want to unwind a bit and smile – and see how gaming is represented in such a family film. However, it is more of a subplot that helps move the story forward.

But you should definitely not expect the next Scott Pilgrim or John Wick. Think more along the lines of “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”.

Video games are replacing Marvel as the eternal star on the big screen

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

Pokémon GO: Quickly Find Friends – How to Complete the Challenge Today

Max Handwerk Max Handwerk Reading time 2 minutes

You want to find friends in Pokémon GO to complete the current challenge? We show you three ways to do it quickly.

What kind of challenge is this? The challenge “Tough Times: Friendship Challenge” started with the event “Tough Times”. It is a limited-time research that ends on December 15, 2023, at 8:00 PM.

There are the following rewards for new friendships:

  • Make a new friendship: 5,000 XP
  • Make 2 new friendships: 5,000 XP
  • Make 3 new friendships: 5,000 XP
  • Completion of the challenge: 25 Ultra Balls, 2,500 Stardust, 5,000 XP

You can easily earn 20,000 XP here. But you need 3 new friendships for that. Here we summarize how you can do this quickly.

The event belongs to the current season “Timeless Travels”:

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

How to quickly get new friends in Pokémon GO

Option 1 – Use the same friend three times: This is a trick that some trainers recommend in the subreddit “TheSilphRoad” for Pokémon GO. If you have a new friend you can contact, add each other and then remove each other. Do this three times – and it should count three times for the research.

Caution: It’s better not to do this with old friends with whom you have already built high friendship levels – they will be lost.

Option 2 – Use remote raids with Campfire or PokeGenie: You can go to a raid and then host it in apps like PokeGenie or Campfire. Then other trainers will send you friend requests that you must accept to invite them to raids. Here you have the advantage that you receive requests immediately and quickly.

Conversely, you can also join a remote raid through these apps, but you need to use a remote raid pass and will only gain one friendship yourself.

Option 3 – Use groups where friend codes are shared: There are various sites and groups where trainers share their friend codes. Here you will find many codes to which you can send requests. The advantage is that you have a large selection. However, it may happen that you have to wait a bit for a response.

Good options are:

Just check there to send out some requests. Then you can quickly get the necessary friendships.

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Team Rocket returns with a powerful legendary Crypto monster and new Shiny in Pokémon GO
von Paul Kutzner
Pokémon GO brings rare Shiny and also a new monster
von Paul Kutzner
Mimikyu in Pokémon GO would be brutally strong but is not allowed to fight: What does Niantic say about it?
von Max Handwerk

Overall, building friendships in Pokémon GO is a good thing because you can also receive and send gifts that can provide you with various items. Additionally, you can exchange postcards with players from other regions to obtain different Vivillon forms.

You can find out more about Vivillon and its forms in Pokémon GO here.

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

One of the biggest strategy games on Steam has such a huge hassle that the developers are refunding buyers 20 €

Benedict Grothaus Benedict Grothaus Reading time 2 minutes

Pharaoh is the latest installment in the popular “Total War” series. Following the great success of Total War: Warhammer 3, fans wanted another historical title. Unfortunately, it was received poorly – so poorly that the developers are now lowering the price. In retrospect: those who purchased the game will receive a partial refund.

What kind of game is this?

This is how Total War: Pharaoh was received: The problem with Pharaoh, according to GameStar and reviews on Steam, is that the game has a map that is tiny by Total War standards, some mechanics do not work, and the variety of units is extremely limited.

That, combined with the AAA price of €60 at release, led to mixed reviews. On Steam, Total War: Pharaoh currently has a “mixed” rating with 55% positive reviews. The setting is great, but the mechanics simply do not work.

The criticism has apparently reached the developers. They promise in a statement a price reduction that also works retroactively.

Start video
Total War Pharaoh: Trailer shows epic battles in ancient Egypt – “That made my day sweeter”

“We made mistakes in our relationship with you”

In an open letter from the developers dated December 14, Creative Assembly now addresses the players directly. It states:

It has been a few difficult months, and we recognize that we made mistakes in our relationship with all of you. We have had ongoing discussions about how we can get back on solid ground. What’s clear is: this won’t be easy and it will take time and effort.

The statement refers both to the mixed reviews for Pharaoh, as well as the major outrage over the “overpriced” DLC for Warhammer 3. Fans have been saying for some time: the studio is charging too much money for too little content.

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One of the best Warhammer games on Steam crashes because a DLC costs too much, but is it really that bad?
von Benedict Grothaus
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Yesterday Stormgate was still the great hope of strategy fans, but after the latest trailer, the mood has shifted
von Cedric Holmeier
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5 great strategy games you can play in multiplayer against your friends
von Linda Knabe

Creative Assembly is now responding and lowering the price of Total War: Pharaoh by €20, to €39.99. And this is retroactive. This means that everyone who purchased the game will receive a “partial refund” directly to their Steam account. It should work automatically.

Even purchasers of the DLC “Shadows of Change” for Warhammer 3 will receive something: a large, free update is expected to follow roughly in February 2024, which will essentially deliver the “missing content” that fans have been expecting. Anyone who buys the DLC afterward will have everything included.

In the future, they want to invest more in communication with the players and allow individual members of their team to speak up to explain decisions.

A major game for Warhammer on Steam was considered a milestone – But a dispute between developers and fans is currently escalating

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

Good Omens gets season 3 on Amazon Prime, like Supernatural meets Sandman

Sophia Weiss Sophia Weiss Reading time 3 minutes

Amazon Prime Video does what Netflix seems to struggle with lately: They renew good series for additional seasons. Specifically, the streaming giant is giving the acclaimed supernatural series Good Omens by author Neil Gaiman a third and final season.

What is this series about? Good Omens is set in modern England and follows the schemes of the angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and the demon Crowley (David Tennant). They were supposed to be bitter enemies. In reality, they have been working together, albeit not very well, for thousands of years:

Since the dawn of time – about 6,000 years ago in the series – heaven and hell are feverishly working towards the start of the apocalypse. This should clarify once and for all which side is right. However, this would annihilate the Earth and all life on it. And that is something both Aziraphale and Crowley dislike.

You can get a first impression of the first season in the trailer:

Start video
German trailer for season 1 of the Amazon series Good Omens

Good Omens finally gets the deserved 3rd season

What is the series based on? Good Omens adapts a book by authors Neil Gaiman and the sadly deceased Terry Pratchett, who passed away in 2015. It was originally published in 1990 and was adapted into six episodes for Amazon Prime Video in collaboration with the BBC in 2019, with Gaiman’s help. In 2023, another six episodes were released.

Although season two is no longer based on the book, it is based on a manuscript that Gaiman and Pratchett wrote together – adaptations were already in discussion in 2002 and 2011. After a rather mean cliffhanger, it was unclear for a long time whether a third season would come.

However, Prime Video and Neil Gaiman have now announced that Good Omens will receive a third and final season. In a statement about the announcement, Gaiman expresses how happy he is and also provides some initial story teasers:

I am so glad that I can finally finish the story that Terry and I planned in 1989 and 2006. Terry was adamant that we could tell the story to the end if we produced Good Omens for television.

In the first season, it was about averting Armageddon, dangerous prophecies, and the end of the world. The second season was sweet and gentle, even if it may not have ended as joyously as a certain angel and demon had hoped. In the third season, we will again deal with the end of the world. The plans for Armageddon go awry. Only by working together can Crowley and Aziraphale set things right again. And they are not talking to each other.

Neil Gaiman via Variety, 14.12.2023

When will the 3rd season be available? It will probably take some time before Good Omens wraps up with the third season. Series productions usually take several months. Due to the necessary special effects in post-production and possible delays due to various actor obligations, we are expecting a release in 2024.

Where can you watch Good Omens? Good Omens is exclusively available on Amazon Prime Video. This means you can watch it for free if you have an Amazon Prime membership.

Amazon has also released both seasons on Blu-ray and DVD. You can purchase them online or at a relevant shop of your choice locally.

Good Omens is too good to end early – says MeinMMO editor Sophia

Why should you watch Good Omens? Good Omens is very personally an absolute feel-good series for me. The adventures of Aziraphale and Crowley are just fun: The series has humor, heart, good music, and a completely bizarre story. If you liked Supernatural, Sandman, or even the character relationships in Our Flag Means Death, this is the series for you.

Whether Aziraphale is happily drinking hot chocolate in his bookshop or Crowley is blasting Queen in a burning car while racing down the British motorway – I enjoy every second with them. Of course, the supporting cast is also excellently cast: Jon Hamm (Top Gun: Maverick) plays a wonderfully oblivious Gabriel, while Shelley Conn (Bridgerton and Generation V) and Anna Maxwell Martin (Motherland) depict a brilliantly tired Beelzebub in their respective seasons.

I would also like to cautiously point out the IMDb score of 8.0 with over 100,000 ratings in case my argument wasn’t convincing enough. Really – Good Omens is worth a look or even two.

By the way, MeinMMO editor Marie has also recommended the series: 7 series like Supernatural with strong reviews on IMDb

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

„Revolutionary MMO racing game“ disappears from Steam, enraging fans: „No longer playable even with disc“

Benedict Grothaus Benedict Grothaus Reading time 2 minutes

The Crew has been running since 2014 on Steam. However, in April 2024, it will come to an end: Ubisoft is shutting down the servers, and as of now, the purely online game is no longer available for purchase on Steam. Fans are angry, but they already have a solution: the offline mode is already in the game and just needs to be activated.

What kind of game is this?

  • The Crew was released on December 2, 2014, and is an MMO racing game. In a 5,000 km² world, you can speed around with your own cars and other players.
  • You can either race against others in street races or play as a cop on the side of the law.
  • Since 2018, there has been a successor, The Crew 2, which received mixed reviews.

This is now Ubisoft’s decision: In a message, Ubisoft announces that The Crew will no longer be sold starting now. It will disappear from all shops. The official Steam page of The Crew already has a notice regarding this since today.

As of March 31, 2024, The Crew will still be playable. After that, the servers will be shut down, and there will be no access to the game – even if you have purchased it. The end of The Crew is due to “upcoming server infrastructure” and “license restrictions […] unavoidable.”

Instead, they want to focus on continuing to develop The Crew 2 and The Crew Motorfest. Ubisoft consistently shows that their great strength lies in service games that are supported for years. The end of The Crew is therefore affecting many fans and causing frustration among gamers.

Start video
The Crew: The trailer for the racing game MMO

Another reason why online live service games NEVER work

The news about the end of The Crew quickly found its way on Reddit, where dozens of users are discussing. There, there are mainly complaints about the practice of taking away a purchased game from players.

This is primarily a problem for games that are 100% online – although, as in the case of The Crew, most can be played solo. Other games, at least, can still be played, even if they are no longer being sold.

With The Crew, that isn’t even possible anymore, even if you own a CD – simply because there are no more servers. Fans are now looking for alternatives and landing at Forza, Project CARS, and Burnout, although most of those titles are also several years old.

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In foresight, however, some users have already dealt with the “inevitable end” of The Crew (via Steam). They say: there is already an offline mode in the game code. You just need to figure out how to access it.

A small group of users is already working on cracking the mode and publishing it as a fan patch. Whether it will succeed before the servers shut down remains to be seen.

However, another game on Steam is currently facing significantly more problems:

The Day Before: “Fraud of the Year” on Steam? – Here is what a lawyer says

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

Pokémon GO: Events in December 2023 – All Dates and Bonuses

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 2 minutes

All events in December 2023 in Pokémon GO at a glance. We show you all dates, known details, and also tell you which ones are worth it the most.

What kind of dates are these? Every month, various themed events, spotlight hours, raids, and other dates are expected in Pokémon GO. At the beginning of each month, the dates of the events for the upcoming period are announced.

We show you all dates in our overview so you don’t miss any. We will update our article for you as soon as there is new information. This way, you are always well informed.

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

All events in December 2023 at a glance

What events are coming? In the coming weeks, a few themed events are expected. In December, these are: Raid Day with Hisui-Admurai, Along the Routes, Catching Art: Ice, Adamant Time, Winter Holidays Part 1 and 2, Raid Day with Damythir and the Winter Wonderland.

Niantic has not yet revealed further information about some events. As soon as there are details, you can read about it here on MeinMMO.

DateEvent
December 1 to March 1, 2024Research breakthrough with Lapras, Galar-Smogmog, Galar-Pantimos, Coiffwaff, Viscora and Miniras
December 1 to December 8PvP: Super League and Retro Cup Super League
December 1 to December 95-star raids with Reshiram
December 1 to December 9Mega raids with Mega-Scherox
December 3Raid Day with Hisui-Admurai
December 5 to December 8Event: ‘Along the Routes’
December 5Spotlight hour with Barschwa
December 6Raid hour with Reshiram
December 8 to December 15PvP: Hyper League and Retro Cup Super League
December 9 to December 165-star raids with Zekrom
December 9 to December 16Mega raids with Mega-Altaria
December 9Event: Catching Art: Ice
December 11 to December 15Event: Adamant Time
December 12Spotlight hour with Jurob
December 13Raid hour with Zekrom
December 15 to December 22PvP: Master League with 4x Stardust and Holiday Cup Super League with 4x Stardust
December 16 to December 235-star raids with Kyurem
December 16 to December 23Mega raids with Mega-Rexblisar
December 16 and December 17Community Day in December
December 18 to December 25Event: Winter Holidays Part 1
December 19Spotlight hour with Schneppke
December 20Raid hour with Kyurem
December 22 to December 29PvP: Super League, Hyper League and Master League with 4x Stardust
December 23 and December 24Event: Winter Wonderland
December 23 to January 1, 20245-star raids with Regigigas
December 23 to January 1, 2024Mega raids with Mega-Firnontor
December 23Raid Day with Damythir
December 25 to December 31Event: Winter Holidays Part 2
December 26Spotlight hour with Gelatini
December 27Raid hour with Regigigas
December 29 to January 5PvP: Super League and Holiday Cup Mini-Edition
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von Paul Kutzner

Which events are particularly worthwhile?

Pay attention to these events: Some of the announced events in December could be particularly worthwhile for you. Here we show you those for which we recommend participation:

  • Community Day (December 16 and 17): During the Community Day in December, you have another chance to encounter all the Pokémon that were the focus during the last period of the event. There is also the opportunity to relearn the special moves again. An event that can be worthwhile for many – additionally, there are more candies.
  • Winter Wonderland (December 23 and 24): In keeping with the Christmas event, many trainers expect special Pokémon or Shinys as “gifts”. We are eagerly awaiting more details.
  • Raid Days (December 3 and 23): On both Raid Days, new Pokémon will appear for you to catch. These are Hisui-Admurai and Damythir. Certainly exciting dates for those among you who are collectors.

How do you like the outlook on the events in December? Have you already spotted dates that you definitely don’t want to miss? Share your thoughts with us here on MeinMMO in the comments and discuss with other players.

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

LEGO Fortnite: Upgrade workbench – How to improve it to rare and epic

Nicole Wakulczyk Nicole Wakulczyk Reading time 3 minutes

The workbench in LEGO Fortnite can be upgraded three times, from uncommon to rare and then to epic. How to do this and what you need for it is revealed in the guide.

How do I upgrade my workbench? Aside from the standard model of the workbench, there are 3 additional upgrades – uncommon, rare, and epic. To bring the workbench to the “uncommon” level, you will need 8 planks and 3 armor.

You can obtain the planks by processing wood at your sawmill. Armor can be acquired by defeating the spherical, rolling enemies you find in the open world called “Rollers”.

This is how you upgrade your workbench to “rare”: To unlock the next level of the workbench, you now need 4 materials. You can find these both in caves and in the Drought Valley – a desert region in LEGO Fortnite. You can recognize it by the brown areas on your map.

  • 12 Gnarled Root Sticks (Processing gnarled roots at the sawmill)
  • 15 Marble Plates (Processing marble in the stone crusher)
  • 6 Sand Claws (you get them from the wolves in the Drought Valley)
  • 3 Sand Armor (you get them from the “Rollers” in the Drought Valley)
lego-fortnite-werkbank-selten
lego fortnite map

This is how you upgrade your workbench to “epic”: For the third and epic upgrade of your workbench, you will need 3 materials that require more effort. For this, you need to upgrade your tool to “rare” and venture into lava caves.

  • 15 Copper Bars (Processing copper and brightcore from lava caves in the metal smelter)
  • 25 Obsidian Plates (Processing obsidian from lava caves in the stone grinder)
  • 1 Monster Scale (you get it from the golem in the grassland when you kill it)
lego fortnite workbench epic
lego-fortnite-copper-bar

Why should I upgrade my workbench? It is quite reasonable to upgrade the workbench in LEGO Fortnite, as this is the only way to obtain better equipment. For some materials in the world, you need tools that require a higher level. Furthermore, tools break less frequently the better they are.

But be careful: if you build multiple workbenches in the world, for example, to also craft tools and weapons on the go, you will have to upgrade each one individually. The upgrade of your first workbench does not apply to further workbenches.

In LEGO Fortnite, it can sometimes be annoying when you want to build or farm materials and night falls. You cannot skip it by sleeping – but with another little trick:

LEGO Fortnite: Skip the night? So far only with a trick

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

One Piece: A Straw Hat Pirate Has 2 Different Names – Fans Clarify What He Is Really Called

Jasmin Beverungen Jasmin Beverungen Reading time 2 minutes

The Straw Hat crew from One Piece now consists of a considerable number of members. But one name is causing fans headaches – especially since it was written differently twice within a few seconds in the anime.

Who is it about? A viewer noticed that Fishman Jinbe – or Jimbei? – was written in two different ways within a few seconds in episode 1086 (via reddit.com). Above his bounty, he is referred to as Jinbe, and in the Japanese version, it is pronounced that way too, but in the subtitles, he is referred to as Jimbei.

The fan is puzzled about which is the correct spelling. He even jokes that he has been watching One Piece for 20 years but still doesn’t know the name of this Fishman. He even accuses the animators of not knowing the name themselves.

The Fishman is the newest member of the Straw Hat crew. Their adventures now lead them to Egghead Island:

Start video
One Piece: New trailer shows first images from the Egghead Island arc

Jinbe or Jimbei? Fans answer the question

What is his real name now? A user clarifies that the Fishman is spelled differently depending on the country. In the Japanese original, he is Jinbe, in English, he is Jimbei. The English team responsible for localization did not have the time to correct the name on the wanted poster. By the way, in Germany, he is also called Jimbei.

The same phenomenon occurs with other characters from the crew:

  • Lysop’s real name is actually Usopp. His actual name is used in both Japanese and English. Only in Germany did he receive the name change.
  • Even the main character Luffy isn’t actually called that. In Japanese and English, his name is Luffy.

What is the reason for this? The corresponding Katakana character is pronounced differently in Japanese depending on the situation. Sometimes it sounds more like an N, sometimes more like an M. The same applies to the letters L and R.

The -ei at the end of Jimbei is not fully pronounced, but rather like a long E. Therefore, Jimbei is actually written Jinbei in Japanese Katakana. Although the wanted poster states Jinbe.

According to user Below_Left, the English translators chose the name variant that sounded the smoothest to them. So if you want to use the German name, you call him Jimbei. If you prefer to stick with the original, his name is Jinbe (with a long E).

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One Piece Anime Remake auf Netflix: Release, Trailer, and More in the Overview
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Where does the name actually come from? Jimbei comes from the Japanese Jinbeizame. This translates to “whale shark,” from whose appearance creator Eiichiro Oda was inspired.

To completely confuse you: The whale was named in Japanese after the traditional Jimbei clothing, which was originally worn at home as comfortable clothing. The spelling of the whale shark and the clothing is the same, but the pronunciation is different for both due to the N/M debacle.

How Jimbei would fare in a fight against the other Straw Hats, you can read in the following MeinMMO ranking:

One Piece: The members of the Straw Hat crew ranked – How Ruffy, Franky, and the others perform

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

The Day Before: “Fraud of the Year” on Steam? – This is what a lawyer says

Lydia Lydia Reading time 3 minutes

The Day Before was the survival hope on Steam turned into a big disappointment. Many players feel cheated, but can we speak of fraud? And what rights do buyers have? GameStar Talk speaks with a lawyer.

What is the current situation regarding The Day Before? After a long wait, several delays, and a legal dispute, the former most-wanted game finally went into Early Access on December 7, 2023. However, what skeptics had long foreseen came true: The Day Before was not the game it claimed to be.

MeinMMO editor Britta was there at the release and reported on her burst survival hopes.

Many players felt cheated: In numerous videos on YouTube, discussions on Reddit, or the comments under the X-posts of the developers Fntastic, the term “scam” is mentioned. In a video with almost 140,000 views, The Day Before is even referred to as the “biggest scam of the year” (via YouTube).

But what does it look like legally and what options do disappointed buyers have?

Who is speaking? The colleagues from GameStar Talk spoke with lawyer Kai Bodensiek. He specializes in advising publishers and developers of computer games on contract and licensing law, copyright and competition law, and corporate law and has been a guest on GameStar Talk several times.

You can find the whole talk on the GameStar Talk YouTube channel or here in the video:

Start video
The Day Before: Between Fraud and Incompetence

Is The Day Before officially a fraud?

What does the lawyer say? With the term “fraud,” Bodensiek is cautious because, in legal terms, this is a criminal offense. Whether the developers Fntastic have committed a criminal act would need to be examined first. To fulfill this criminal offense, intentional deception of consumers and intended financial damage would need to be proven.

The studio itself states on X that they overestimated their own capabilities: “That was our first major project. Poorly done.”

Instead, the lawyer speaks of “misleading advertising.” While it is indeed legitimate to exaggerate something in advertising, once concrete promises are made, these must also be kept.

If a survival MMO promises an open world, the buyer is entitled to expect that they can move with many other players in a large, open world. If this is not the case, according to Bodensiek, it can be described as a defect, which can also be addressed by consumer protection agencies.

Even the Early Access status does not protect against fulfilling given promises. It must be clearly communicated that some planned features are not included in this version.

A written summary can also be found with the colleagues at GameStar.

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Steam seems to make an exception for The Day Before

Will players get their money back? In principle, players have several options to get their money back on Steam. Those who have not yet played for two hours can usually return games within 2 weeks without any issues.

In the case of The Day Before, however, even players with more playtime have a good chance of getting their money back. This is also promised by the developers Fntastic on X. Accordingly, all buyers are supposed to get their money back, regardless of playtime.

Those who decide to return the game in light of the recent developments regarding the alleged closure of the studio behind The Day Before can justify this well according to Bodensiek:

  • The Day Before was advertised before release as an open-world MMO, but in its current state resembles a survival shooter. Here, players should be able to assert a warranty claim.
  • According to German law, purchased software must be provided with updates for “an expected period.” This is no longer guaranteed due to the closure of Fntastic.

The lawyer even suspects that Steam itself could take action to refund players. In fact, many gamers are said to have successfully returned the game already.

You can find another exciting GameStar Talk with our editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski here: Middle finger to the AAA industry: Baldur’s Gate 3 was no coincidence

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

EA FC 24: New UCL event with strong heroes is live – All players and information at a glance

Thomas Dummer Thomas Dummer Reading time 2 minutes

In EA FC 24 a new event has been released on Friday (December 15) at 7:00 PM. The Team-of-the-Groupstage (TOTGS) is not coming alone, but also brings new Champions League heroes with it. Here you will find all the information and players at a glance.

What are the UEFA Champions League Heroes? Heroes are primarily former successful players who have made a mark during their careers with strong performances.

The new UCL heroes were announced long before the official release, as they were part of a special pre-order promotion. With the UCL versions, EA Sports celebrates the strong performances of all Hero cards on the European stage.

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TOTGS event with Mbappé, Saka and Bellingham

What is the TOTGS about? The TOTGS is a fixed institution and has been one of the regularly held events for years. In this promotion, the focus is on the players who delivered consistently strong performances during the group stage of the major European international competitions. These include the following tournaments:

  • UEFA Champions League
  • UEFA Women’s Champions League
  • UEFA Europa League
  • UEFA Conference League

All TOTGS players at a glance

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  • Mbappé (PSG)
  • Kane (FC Bayern as SBC)
  • Musiala (FC Bayern)
  • Griezmann (Atlético Madrid)
  • Cancelo (FC Barcelona)
  • Bellingham (Real Madrid)
  • Julián Álvarez (Manchester City)
  • Foden (Manchester City)
  • Luis Alberto (Lazio Rome obtainable as Objective)
  • Hummels (Borussia Dortmund)
  • Morata (Atlético Madrid)
  • Pope (Newcastle United)
  • Brais Méndez (Real Sociedad)
  • Çalhanoğlu (Inter Milan)
  • Rafael Leão (AC Milan)
  • Xavi Simons (RB Leipzig)
  • Taremi (FC Porto)
  • Clauss (Olympique Marseille)
  • Grifo (SC Freiburg)
  • Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen)
  • Gravenberch (Liverpool FC)
  • Orban (KAA Gent)
  • Ranieri (AC Florence)
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What else could you expect during the TOTGS? In addition, there are new thematic shop packs available that guarantee you TOTGS players and include a certain number of players with a minimum rating.

Moreover, you can look forward to new evolutions, thematic player and upgrade SBCs, as well as a new cup for unlockable packs and/or players that has been available to you since Sunday in the friendly game mode.

Additionally, a new TOTGS player, Luis Alberto, has appeared as an objective that you can unlock by completing various tasks.

There may also be one or more Flashback SBCs that revive former international stars with a strong upgrade.

As part of the new event, new dynamic Road-to-the-Knockout cards have also been released. Check out our RTTK live tracker regularly to not miss any upgrades.

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

The 10 MMORPGs with the most players on Steam in December 2023

Jasmin Beverungen Jasmin Beverungen Reading time 6 minutes

MMORPGs thrive on having enough active players. Without them, the MM part of MMORPGs would fall away. MeinMMO lists the 10 titles with the most players at the end of the year on Steam, where the MM is still capitalized.

Extinct markets, empty cities, and no interactions – without a sufficient number of active players, most MMORPGs would be extinct. This genre thrives on many players bustling around on the servers. MeinMMO has listed the MMORPGs with the most players in December 2023.

How was the list created? For the top 10, the games that had the most active players on Steam in the last 30 days were taken into account. The number is calculated based on how many players were logged in at the same time on average.

The source used was Steam Charts, which provides data for the last 30 days. It is unknown how many bots are among the active players. Since we do not know the percentage distribution precisely, we have counted all active players as if they were real players.

This list does not take into account players who log in outside the Steam client. The player numbers are actually higher. So it is possible that the ranking would change if proprietary launchers were taken into account.

[toc]

Rank 10: Legends of Idleon MMO

Active players: 6,040 | Developer: Lavaflame2 | Release date: April 2, 2021 (Early Access) | Business model: Free2Play

Start video
Trailer for Legends of Idleon introduces the game

What kind of game is this? IdleOn – The Idle-MMO is the only game in this ranking that is still in Early Access. The title is developed by a single person and offers the ability to create multiple characters that can work together and form their own guild.

Character development is supposed to be diverse and free. A barbaric fisherman, for example, gathers resources for a druidic alchemist who brews potions for an assassin. A core element of the game is Autoplay, which even works offline.

Who is it worth it for? Legends of IdleOn is suitable for players who…

  • Have always wanted to have a guild in which they are the only member
  • Do not want to deal with annoying grinding
  • Like pixel graphics

Rank 9: MapleStory

Active players: 6,330 | Developer: Nexon | Release date: August 9, 2012 | Business model: Free2Play

Start video
MapleStory introduces Arteria, the Moving Fortress

What kind of game is this? MapleStory impresses with its cute 2D pixel anime style. But the optics are deceiving: Behind the seemingly cute game hides a complex MMORPG. The MMORPG from South Korea was released in 2003 but only came to Steam in 2012. However, over the years, the game has changed according to the fans.

Although many players play the title, it is currently struggling with mostly negative reviews on Steam. Many players complain that it is too Pay2Win. For example, the spawn rate of monsters depends on whether a player has invested money in the MMORPG.

Who is it worth it for? MapleStory is suitable for players who…

  • Like the pixel anime look
  • Enjoy complex class systems
  • Do not mind spending some money in the in-game shop

Rank 8: Fallout 76

Active players: 7,330 | Developer: Bethesda Game Studios | Release date: April 14, 2020 | Business model: Buy2Play

Start video
Fallout 76: Trailer for the new update – “When the stars are in favor”

What kind of game is this? Anyone familiar with the Fallout series knows what kind of dark setting awaits in this MMORPG. Our character is in a world marred by nuclear war. The survivors have saved themselves in so-called Vaults.

The world is one of the best features and has a lot to offer if players just look around. This way, especially single players with a desire to explore will get their money’s worth, but exploring with other players is also fun. After a rocky start, the number of players in the MMORPG can now be seen.

Who is it worth it for? Fallout 76 is suitable for players who…

  • Want a dystopian, lovingly crafted world
  • Enjoy the quirky humor of the game
  • Have fun with equipment modifications and perks for character customization

Rank 7: Albion Online

Active players: 8,188 | Developer: Sandbox Interactive GmbH | Release date: July 17, 2017 | Business model: Free2Play with optional subscription

Start video
Albion Online – Tracking

What kind of game is this? Albion Online offers a sandbox world full of freedoms, which still enjoys great popularity today. We create our own character without being tied to a fixed class. In an iso perspective, we explore the world.

Both crafting and PvP play a larger role in the MMORPG. While crafting is an important part from the beginning, PvP is only available in the endgame. In the event of a death against another player, it can even happen that you lose your equipment.

Who is it worth it for? Albion Online is suitable for players who…

  • Are fans of PvP and sandbox games
  • Enjoy playing games in iso perspective
  • Want to enjoy many freedoms through crafting

Rank 6: The Elder Scrolls Online

Start video
The Elder Scrolls Online – Endless Archive Presentation

Active players: 11,974 | Developer: ZeniMax Online Studios | Release date: April 4, 2014 | Business model: Buy2Play with optional subscription

What kind of game is this? If you are familiar with the universe of The Elder Scrolls, you will feel at home in TESO. In this MMORPG, it is not the cooperation with others that is in the foreground, but the story.

Nevertheless, there are numerous dungeons, raids, or the PvP mode. Here players engage in large battles in which three playable factions fight for fortresses. TESO is one of the older MMORPGs on this list, which is why there are already numerous expansions.

Who is it worth it for? The Elder Scrolls Online is suitable for players who…

  • Yearn for well-voiced stories in MMORPGs
  • Prefer to roam the world as a solo player
  • Enjoy the world of The Elder Scrolls
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
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„Why wait?“ – After an exhausting day at 7 vs. Wild, Twitch streamer Trymacs realizes what is really important to him

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 2 minutes

Finally, we know how the marriage proposal from Twitch streamer and 7 vs. Wild season 3 participant Maximilian “Trymacs” Stemmler (29) came about. In the current episode, the influencer shares more about his thoughts and his love for his girlfriend Celina.

Attention, this article contains small spoilers for Episode 13 of 7 vs. Wild Season 3

What is Trymacs really important? During the survival challenge in Canada, the streamer probably realized what is truly important to him: his girlfriend Celina. Initially, Trymacs planned to propose to his girlfriend next year, instead he asked the crucial question immediately after returning from the wilderness.

In the current episode of 7 vs. Wild Season 3, we learn how Trymacs reached this decision. The influencer reveals to the audience that the two had already been together for 8.5 years at the time of filming.

According to him, they have a very happy relationship. At 29 years old, the Twitch streamer feels ready to take the next step and propose to his girlfriend.

Who is Trymacs’ girlfriend? The blogger Celina Marie Springhorn (26) lives with Trymacs in Hamburg and is said to work behind the scenes with her fiancé. The 26-year-old studied business administration and business management and already has experience in influencer management.

One of the participants of Season 3 is the Twitch streamer Jens “Knossi” Knossalla. You can see more about him in our video.

Start video
From the Witness Stand with Barbara Salesch to the King of Twitch – Career and Life of Knossi

Kidney pain, chess, and sunshine lead to Trymacs’ marriage proposal

What was going on with Trymacs? The influencer, who forms a team with his streamer colleague Wieland “Rumathra” Welte (27) at 7 vs. Wild Season 3, experiences one of his hardest days on day 10 of the survival YouTube show. One day after his 29th birthday and still exhausted from the previous day’s hike, the survival novice complains of severe kidney pain. 

The team has hardly any opportunity to take care of purifying their drinking water. The two stranded individuals have been using stones to heat them and then placing them in water containers to boil the water over the last days of the series.

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Why did Trymacs make the decision now? After Trymacs was somewhat fit again due to taking painkillers, he played a game of chess with his teammate Rumathra to conclude the day. After losing the match, he took the camera and sat in the sunshine on the small cliffs in front of their shelter to have a direct conversation with the viewer. You can read here what else happened in the episode.

After mentioning that he actually wanted to propose next year, the streamer explains that he had a lot of time to think in Canada. That did him a lot of good.

“Here it became clear to me, why wait? There are few things I want from life, and I would have even thought it was cool if it had happened before this trip.”

Maximilian “Trymacs” Stemmler in 7 vs. Wild Season 3 Episode 13

After this exhausting day for the participant, it probably became clear to him through lengthy contemplation what is truly important to him. Pictures have already revealed a wooden ring; it remains unknown whether the YouTuber carved it during the series.

Not every proposal goes like this: A man proposes to his girlfriend on Twitch, thousands watch as he gets rejected

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

Baldur’s Gate 3: „I must cry soon“ chef releases the speech that was too short at the Game Awards, touches fans

Sophia Weiss Sophia Weiss Reading time 5 minutes

Baldur’s Gate 3 won Game of the Year 2023 at this year’s Game Awards. However, the speech by chief Swen Vincke was cut short. He has now returned to X.com with his detailed words of thanks and moved the players.

The Game Awards 2023 are currently under criticism for not giving enough space between commercials and promotions to the true stars of the show – the winning developers. MeinMMO editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski also wrote a few words about this:
Game Awards 2023: Time for Muppets, ads and Hollywood, but no time for the most important people of the show

The chief of Baldur’s Gate 3 also only got about 30 seconds to thank for the important award for Game of the Year 2023. He did it in a very special way that thrilled the fans.

Vincke has now published his full planned words on X.com.

Start video
Baldur’s Gate 3 is coming to PS5 – Trailer prepares for console release

The chief of Baldur’s Gate 3 moves the fans and criticizes the industry

What does Swen Vincke write? In his speech, Swen Vincke thanks the players and praises the nominees: Every one of them deserved to win the award, according to the game director.

Furthermore, he expresses gratitude towards the Game Awards and their organizers. He talks about his armor, which had already excited the players during the show. He also completes his thanks to his developer colleagues as well as the unfortunately departed individuals during development – including now his father, who passed away just before the Early Access.

Does he also criticize? But Vincke’s words to Wizards of the Coast are also exciting: Here he thanks them for their support, but also laments the recent wave of layoffs. Many of the people they had planned for Baldur’s Gate 3 are no longer employed at Wizards of the Coast.

Indeed, it was only announced on December 11 by Hasbro, the parent company of Wizards of the Coast, that they would lay off 1,100 employees. Many, but not all, were originally employed by Wizards of the Coast. Earlier this year, Hasbro already laid off 800 employees. Colleagues from Forbes Magazine suspect cost-cutting measures as the trigger.

Wizards of the Coast owns the rights to Dungeons & Dragons, the pen & paper on which Baldur’s Gate 3 is largely based.

Swen Vincke concludes his speech with an anecdote:

I want to end with a story from a conversation I had a long time ago with a publisher. He told me that luckily for them, games are driven by idealism. He meant that in an exploitative way, but he was right.

Games are a unique art form, as important as books, music, or films. Many developers, including myself, make games because they love to see how others engage with their creation in a way that only games can provide.

Swen Vincke via X.com, 14.12.2023

Vincke turns the frightening but not surprising anecdote into a positive note, offering a deep insight into the relationship between publishers and developers. Larian Studios itself does not have a publisher and publishes their games, just like Baldur’s Gate 3, independently.

You can read Swen Vincke’s complete words in English on X.com, but we also bring you a machine translation here:

Vincke’s speech in German – translated with DeepL

Winning Game of the Year is a great honor, and I want to start by thanking everyone who voted for us, and I want to congratulate all the other nominees. This has been an incredibly competitive year, and each of you deserved to win this award: Capcom, Remedy Games, Insomniac Games, Nintendo.

I want to thank Geoff Keighley and the people who organized the Game Awards for putting together an awards show that is so impressive it gets mainstream attention. 30 seconds may be a bit short, but there is nothing comparable to the Game Awards, and that is an incredible achievement.

I wore armor at the Game Awards because Baldur’s Gate 3 is a game that could not exist without our player community, and I wanted to honor how important they were to development. You rock, Community BG3.

Developing a game like this only works with an incredible, passionate, and talented team, and in that respect, I am incredibly lucky with Larian Studios – they are among the best and did a really great job.

Over 2000 people are credited, and since I can’t name them all, I want to focus on a group of people who do not always get the recognition they deserve.
The QA team, the localization team, the customer support team, the operations team, the publishing team, the play testers, and every other developer at Larian, Baldur’s Gate 3 would not exist without you, and you all deserve to be very proud of this award.

I want to dedicate this award to the friends and family members we lost during development, including Jim, our lead animator, who passed away last month, and personally to my father, who died a week before the launch of our Early Access campaign.

You cannot create something like Baldur’s Gate 3 without the support of the people around you. I personally want to thank 5 special people, a crazy dog, and a one-eyed cat for sticking by me.

A big shoutout also goes to our localization partners and PitStop Productions, who had to utilize every corner of their building to record and deliver a crazy amount of lines.
To our actors – you did a fantastic job. I hope our paths will cross again in the future and that your agents will remain reasonable as usual.

I also want to thank Wizards of the Coast and especially the Dungeons & Dragons team for issuing us a free pass. I’m truly sorry to hear so many of you have been laid off. It’s sad to see that almost none of the people who were in the original meeting room are still around. I hope you all are doing well.

There are many other partners I want to thank. We have asked a lot of you all, but you delivered, and without your efforts, BG3 would not be what it is.

I want to end with a story from a conversation I had a long time ago with a publisher. He told me that luckily for them, games are driven by idealism. He meant that in an exploitative way, but he was right.

Games are a unique art form, as important as books, music, or films. Many developers, including myself, make games because they love to see how others engage with their creation in a way that only games can provide.

The money they deserve is not that important to them, except that it is the fuel they need to develop new and better games. It is worth reminding everyone that fuel is just a means, not the goal. It’s about where and how we travel and what we remember.

Thank you.

Additionally, Baldur’s Gate 3 is now also available for Xbox.

Swen Vincke via X.com, 14.12.2023

The community celebrates Vincke: Take your time, my king

How does the community respond to the thread? On reddit and under Swen Vincke’s X.com thread, the community celebrates the chief of Baldur’s Gate 3 for posthumously publishing the speech. Here are a few voices:

  • @arcboo_ via X.com: I must cry right now, honestly. So many losses and still a great year and a great game. You guys rock and deserve to say all this on stage.
  • theTinyRogue via reddit: […]I am incredibly happy that Larian brought home the GOTY victory and I hope they continue to develop great video games for all of us 🙂 Swen is such a cool, down-to-earth guy! Hats off to him and the entire studio!
  • @dreamyduca via X.com: Take your time, my king
  • GrossWeather_ via reddit: I think it’s great that he took the time to write all this down – Swen seems to be such a great, down-to-earth person. The guy deserves the time to say all this live.
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However, many users also express their anger about the Game Awards. On reddit, for example, the longest comment thread revolves around the segment with Hideo Kojima, who teased his new game OD. User Deep–Waters even angrily calls Kojima the most overrated person in video games.

Swen Vincke’s remarks on the layoffs at Wizards of the Coast and the anecdote with a publisher also generate a lot of frustration about the industry, but they also receive praise. The latter is mainly directed at Vincke himself, who cleverly packaged both topics positively in his remarks.

What do you think of Swen Vincke’s speech? Would you have wished he could deliver it in full?

By the way, during the Game Awards, the team from Larian Studios dropped Hotfix #13 for the game and has now also patched a very special reward for players in Baldur’s Gate 3.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Forbes Magazine
  2. X.com
  3. reddit