In an interview, the director of Assassin’s Creed Revelations and Unity, Alexandre Amancio, talked about game development. He believes that the future lies more with smaller development teams.
Who is the director? Alexandre Amancio is a former creative director of the Assassin’s Creed games. He was responsible for the parts Revelations and Unity. He is now Senior Vice President of World-Building at FunPlus. At the DevGAMM Lisbon in November 2025, Alexandre Amancio gave a talk about the future of AAA title development and shared his knowledge about the gaming industry.
Where does he see the problem? In a subsequent interview with gamesindustry.biz, Alexandre Amancio discussed the problems in developing large AAA titles. According to him, the problem with large game titles primarily lies in the fact that supposed conflicts need to be resolved with an increasing number of personnel.
He further explains that the dynamics of a process would change once more than 100 people are involved. Thus, even more people would need to be hired to coordinate the staff again.
If more people are added to the game developer teams, Alexandre Amancio states, the people who were already working on solving a problem would stagnate. Simply put: While more people are involved in solving a problem, they do not necessarily contribute more.
Start video
Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Der offizielle Trailer zur Open World in Japan
Alexandre Amancio sees the future in smaller teams
What does Alexandre Amancio suggest? Alexandre Amancio sees the solution more in forming small teams for the development of a video game. A small core team that may be supported by outsourcing certain tasks to other teams.
The former Assassin’s Creed director further states:
The film industry has developed into fixed core teams, where each person is responsible for assembling a team that supports them in this project. (…) I believe the future lies in learning from the film industry, where there are core teams that are supplemented as needed through outsourcing or co-development.
That a great game does not necessarily have to do with the size of the team was recently proven by the game Expedition 33. A small team of developers created a game that became very popular among players and won several awards at the Game Awards.
Fallout 3 was an important release for the franchise because it was the first installment in the series that was not turn-based. However, it implemented an iconic mechanic in gameplay that almost never existed.
What mechanic are we talking about? Fallout 3 by Bethesda was a milestone for the franchise in 2008. It transformed from the turn-based predecessors into a role-playing game that relied on active shooter or melee mechanics.
However, the turn-based origin is not completely gone. With the V.A.T.S. system, you could press a button to open a green interface that paused the combat. In the meantime, you could comfortably choose one of your opponent’s body parts and fire a shot that had a different likelihood of hitting depending on the distance and weapon.
The VATS system became an iconic mechanic that was also (with adjustments) implemented in the sequels. The lead artist of Fallout 3, Istvan Pely, revealed in an interview that the system was added just in time because they were unsure.
Fallout 76 also has a VATS system, but in the online title, it only works as aim assist:
Start video
Fallout 76 zeigt den Ghul aus der Serie im neuen Trailer zum Update Burning Springs
Will anyone even use this?
What does Istvan Pely say about VATS? In an interview with Edge magazine (via GamesRadar), Pely spoke about the implementation of the system and the thoughts behind it. He explains that with Fallout 3, they had to prove that they could develop something other than fantasy RPGs. They previously released The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion.
An important point in development was how to translate character skills and stats into the ability to shoot. They questioned whether it would be frustrating if you missed when shooting. They developed the VATS system, but there were several issues, as Pely explained: For a long time, we asked ourselves: “Is this even fun? Is it worth doing this? Will anyone even use this?”
A major problem, according to Pely, was the camera positioning during the slow-motion effect. According to GamesRadar, Bethesda even developed its own algorithm for this. Pely explains that they took so long to finalize the VATS system that they only managed to implement it just before the end of production.
What do you think of the VATS system? Do you use it in the various Fallout games, or do you prefer to actively rely on your weapons and aiming accuracy? Currently, season 2 of Fallout is running on Amazon Prime. MeinMMO author Christoph Waldboth revealed how good the first 6 episodes are: I was able to watch 6 episodes of Fallout Season 2 and I have good news and bad news for you
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Just a few days after Larian Studios announced their latest game at the Game Awards, a shitstorm arose due to the use of AI. On January 9, 2026, fans will now have a chance to talk about the game’s development in a Q&A.
What kind of Q&A is this? As announced by Larian Studios in an X post, there will be an AMA today, January 9, 2026, at 2:00 PM CEST on the r/Games subreddit. Already on December 18, 2025, it was announced on Discord that they wanted to host such a Q&A (via Reddit).
With Baldur’s Gate 3, Larian celebrated major successes in 2023:
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Baldur’s Gate 3 – Trailer Game Awards
What will this Q&A be like? In the Discord post, they explained that they want to enable fans to ask questions about the development of Divinity regarding various areas. In the post on X, they emphasize again that questions about the processes can be asked.
In such an AMA on Reddit, any user can ask something, and one or more employees from Larian can then answer these questions live in the thread. So if you have burning questions, you have the chance to get them out today starting at 2 PM CEST.
Some generations have a hard time understanding other age groups. It is clear that different age classes have different preferences, but at their core, they handle the same processes in various ways.
Why do older people get annoyed with young people? The so-called Boomers place great value on polite conversations or small talk. They assume that younger people have lost this ability. This annoys older groups when they interact with others.
Because the morning chat about the weather or the question about the kids is meant, according to lifestyle magazine msn, as a polite conversation opener. Among other things, Gen Z is said to prefer a more direct communication style, especially in the professional environment.
This can lead to misunderstandings, as older groups may perceive abrupt language as rude or disruptive. Gen Z also differs in its work ethic. After all, most admit to cheating during work.
It is not only during work that some young students take it a step further:
Start video
Students spy on passersby with hidden cameras and AI, find name and address in seconds
Language evolves and so does the question about the weather
Why do younger generations prefer not to engage in small talk? According to an article from msn, young people are said to prefer targeted conversations instead of discussions that begin with lengthy introductions about the weather, although a brief inquiry about well-being should not be a problem.
Surveys on the subject show a different picture. The market research and data analysis company YouGov published on its own website on October 27, 2025, a study in which over 16,000 people were asked: “How much, if at all, do you like small talk?”
The result shows that young people aged 18 to 34 prefer small talk about 33 to 40 percent of the time. People aged 50 and up enjoy small talk about 33 percent of the time.
How does the small talk of different age groups differ? Young people often avoid trivial topics and usually want to get straight to the point. Sometimes they respond with an emoji or picture instead of text.
According to a quote from psychotherapist Daren Banarsë, this may be unusual for Boomers, who did not grow up with modern communication methods such as email, SMS, and social media. Moreover, conversational methods are said to be evolving faster than ever before. Generations can learn from each other.
Psychologist Carolina Estevez explains in a quote on the Huffpost page that older people can learn from Gen Z to ignore formalities and show more authenticity in conversations.
In a new trailer, the developers of Warhammer 40,000 Dawn of War 4 showcased their new faction. In addition to a lot of action, there is also plenty to laugh about.
What kind of faction is this? The Ork faction of Warhammer 40,000 Dawn of War 4 was recently presented by the developers in a CGI trailer. Along with this, there is initial information about the faction and how the scenes of the trailer came to be.
The Ork faction is particularly notable not only for its high degree of brutality and stupidity but also because the Orks deal mercilessly with their enemies and allies. In the trailer, for example, you can see how they fight against the Space Marines without any cover, using a large number of troops and firepower.
Here you can watch the new trailer for the faction:
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What do the Orks have to do with the story? The Ork campaign is the first of four campaigns in the game and starts the explosive return to the planet Kronus, as the developers revealed to IGN. Thus, the story begins with an attack by the Orks on one of the last battle ships of the Space Marine Chapter “Blood Ravens.”
The Blood Ravens are cornered in the 42nd millennium: their chapter is nearly annihilated. But their arrival on Kronus calls an old enemy to action. Waaaghboss Gorgutz, monstrous and brutal as never before, stands directly in their way. He demonstrates his immense power by effortlessly tearing apart a Primaris Marine in his Mega Armor.
While veterans Cyrus and Jonah Orion lead the evacuation of the Blood Ravens, Gorgutz sets out to pursue: he sends his massive Ork Rok asteroid crashing down directly onto Kronus to continue hunting the “Beakies” on the ground. However, the Ork campaign holds conflict potential, as a resident warboss refuses Gorgutz’s allegiance.
Here is the story trailer for Dawn of War 4:
Start video
Suddenly, the strongest Primarch from Warhammer 40,000 appears in the new story trailer for Dawn of War 4
How do fans react to the trailer? The action shown in the trailer excites the fans of the Orks. For them, the Orks are really “orky”, which presumably means that the right mix of brutality and stupidity has been achieved.
Especially the final scene of the trailer makes some fans laugh. The trailer ends with the pursuit of the fleeing Space Marines. However, one Ork thinks this chase is not fast enough, which is why he commands: “Crash faster”, while banging on a big red button.
Such Orkish behavior spurs many comments under the video on YouTube, praising the staging and receiving thousands of thumbs up.
If you are looking for new entertainment after the finale of Stranger Things, an action RPG on Steammight be just right for you.
Which game is being talked about? Kingdom of Night is an action RPG that takes you to a small town in the USA of the 80s. In a mix of Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons, you embark on a mission to save your town from demons from hell.
The action RPG, which you can also play in split-screen co-op, was released on December 2, 2025, on Steam. The game costs €19.50 as a standard price.
Here you can see a trailer for Kingdom of Night:
Start video
Kingdom of Night: New action RPG looks like the perfect game for fans of Stranger Things
What is the game about? Kingdom of Night takes place in the small town of Miami, Arizona (not to be confused with the much more famous Miami in Florida). It is the year 1987, and a satanic cult accidentally summons an ancient evil that throws the town into chaos.
You play as the young John, who ventures into the night to fight against a demon invasion and save his friends. You explore the town from an isometric camera perspective (i.e., angled from above) and battle through the demonic enemies in real-time combat.
The role-playing aspect is particularly evident in the classes: here you choose between Barbarian, Knight, Rogue, Necromancer, and Wizard. The class you choose influences your combat style, which you further customize through new skills in the skill tree.
On your journey, you will not only fight against demons but also meet and interact with numerous NPCs. The developers themselves describe Kingdom of Night as a mix of coming-of-age drama and cosmic horror.
Second helping for fans of Stranger Things
A game for fans of Stranger Things? Thanks to the 80s flair, Kingdom of Night is often compared to Stranger Things. And since the popular mystery series on Netflix received its fifth and final season earlier this year, some fans might be currently looking for alternatives.
When you sift through the Steam reviews, Kingdom of Night seems to be quite a good alternative:
“Imagine Stranger Things – with a cult in a small town in Arizona in the 80s, plus excellent pixel art, music, and storytelling,” writes MonkDave666 in his Steam review
“I’ve been totally obsessed with Stranger Things lately because of the final season,” says Emmy in her Steam review. “Premise, setting, characters, and vibe – everything – hits that Stranger Things feeling perfectly in game form.”
The Steam user anoknusa argues that the game should not be reduced to its similarities with the series: “This is the high school kid RPG – no pandering fan service for Stranger Things fans.” (on Steam)
007: First Light has revealed its system requirements. These are not only surprisingly high in some aspects but also require hardware that you can’t actually buy. Currently, it remains unclear how these errors occurred.
What are the requirements? The new action game about James Bond, 007: First Light, has introduced its system requirements for PC. These have already caused a stir, because the high RAM requirements of 007: First Light are causing frustration among fans at a time when RAM is very expensive.
At the same time, the requirements presented for the new action game about James Bond come with another surprise: The game requires hardware that officially does not exist.
Start video
007 First Light – Announcement Trailer of the new game by the Hitman developers
System Requirements with incorrect processor and strange VRAM specification
Which hardware does not exist? Specifically, 007: First Light requires an Intel i5 9500K or a Ryzen 5 3500 as a minimum. The problem is that the i5 9500K does not actually exist: According to Intel’s official site, there is only the i5 9500 without a K and the i5 9600K.
Another inconsistency that has also been noticed by some: First Light recommends 12 GB of video memory and mentions the RTX 3060 Ti and RX 6700 XT as graphics cards from Nvidia and AMD, respectively. However, the RTX 3060 Ti does not have 12 GB, but only 8 GB of VRAM. In contrast, the slower RTX 3060 without Ti offers 12 GB of VRAM. VRAM is a particularly fast memory that is permanently mounted on the graphics card’s circuit board.
Where do the errors come from? There has not yet been an official statement from the developers, so it is unclear how the errors may have occurred. On X.com, a user accuses the developers of either having no idea about PC hardware or having used AI to create the list of system requirements.
The new season of League of Legends starts on January 8, 2026. Riot has now released the patch notes, and one of the champs particularly benefits from it.
The “Strength of Actions” challenge, which unlocked an upgrade for shoes, has also been removed
Fairy Lights are a new mechanic to get more vision through the important wards
Pushing is now more rewarding
Rounds now start faster
There are nine new items and two returning items
In addition to the aforementioned innovations and changes, many champions and items have been adjusted, nerfed, or buffed. Additionally, the game modes Arena, Swiftplay, and ARAM Mayhem have also received adjustments.
Here you can see the trailer for the first season of 2026 in League of Legends:
Start video
League of Legends shows new trailer for Season 1 from 2026
17 in one go – Riot addresses buggy champion
Which champ benefits especially from the patch notes? The champion Rengar has received several bug fixes and a total of 17 bugs have been resolved. A Riot employee assured a Reddit user that this is just the public count and there may have been even more.
Many of the fixed bugs were so severe that a skill was sometimes not executed correctly or Rengar could not use his specific mechanics properly due to the bugs. All this was not intended and has been resolved with the new season.
Riot gifts players a new minigame
What kind of minigame is this? It is called “Demacia Rising.” You play the champion Lux and must build the kingdom of Demacia. Additionally, you can manage resources, train armies, and unlock upgrades for the kingdom.
To build the kingdom of Demacia, you need the so-called “Silver Shields.” This is a type of currency that can be earned during a round of League of Legends or Team Fight Tactics through missions.
How long is Demacia Rising available? The mode will be available throughout Season 1 of 2026. Riot also writes in the patch notes that it will receive several updates.
A part of the community is currently facing a major issue with ARC Raiders. Twitch streamer shroud even plans to take a break because of this.
Why is shroud complaining? In ARC Raiders, cheaters have become a big problem over the holidays. shroud is therefore frustrated and announced during a livestream that he would take a longer break from the extraction shooter: “This could be my last day playing for a long time. At least for a few weeks.” (Source: Jake Lucky via X)
He demands that the situation improves quickly and calls the current state of the game a waste of time. “Embark currently has zero control over the game,” judges the 31-year-old streamer.
Start video
ARC Raiders zeigt im Launch-Trailer, wie der Kampf Mensch gegen Maschine aussieht
Other players, including streamer “Nadeshot”, echo a similar sentiment. He writes on X that the extent of cheaters could currently be worse than in Call of Duty.
No solution, but a Discord bot
This is the studio’s response: On Discord, a user asked if the studio had any plans to address the current issues with cheaters, such as adding the anti-cheat system from The Finals, the studio’s other shooter.
“Birdie,” a community manager from Embark, responded to the player’s question and explained on Discord: “All reports in the game are being reviewed, but this can take some time.” However, he did not disclose whether Embark has further plans in the fight against cheaters.
If one wants to expedite the reporting process, according to Birdie, one can send a message to ScrappyMail on Discord. This is a Discord bot that the team provides for submitting feedback for players. The team can then forward the data to those who can take action against cheaters.
What to do while cheaters wreak havoc? You don’t have many options. If you can’t accept the problem or switch to another game, you could, however, use the aggression-based matchmaking to your advantage. The matchmaking of the shooter ensures that peaceful players are matched in lobbies with other peaceful players.
As RAM and SSDs continue to get more expensive, graphics cards are now back on the chopping block. This makes PC gaming increasingly unattractive for many users. In an interview, the CEO of NVIDIA gives reason for hope.
What did the CEO say? At the CES technology fair 2026 in Las Vegas, the computer magazine tomshardware asked NVIDIA’s boss, Jensen Huang, about the current graphics card prices. In a Q&A section, the magazine proposed an idea to counter the rising trend:
“New GPUs are going to be very expensive due to supply restrictions, let’s assume. Do you think it would be possible to resume production of older graphics card generations? Maybe for models that require less DRAM? Would that help?”
Jensen responded that it is definitely possible. He also explained that depending on the generation, new AI features could be added. It would require some engineering effort but would be feasible.
In conclusion, he told the magazine: “I will take a closer look at that, it’s a good idea.” This reaction is not unusual for him, as the CEO is always open to suggestions and works around the clock. Work-life balance is a foreign concept to him.
If you want to hold off a bit and the pricing situation in PC gaming is too precarious, you can take a look at the upcoming Steam Machine:
Start video
Valve presents the Steam Machine in the new trailer
Old hardware should make gaming affordable again
How could older graphics cards help? Currently, prices for GPUs are rising. This means it is becoming harder to get a good price for a gaming PC. Furthermore, the fact that RAM has become so expensive, that some users are already calling for a boycott. Older, more affordable GPU generations, especially in the budget segment, would help.
An ASUS variant of the RTX 5070 TI, for example, has become nearly 100 euros more expensive since 07.12.2025 until today, 08.01.2026, and the trend is rising (via Geizhals).
The flagship model from NVIDIA, the RTX 5090, is not exempt from price increases either. From 09.12.2025 to 08.01.2026, its price has risen from 2,599 euros to 3,289 euros (via Geizhals), an increase of nearly 700 euros.
If NVIDIA were to flood the market with older, affordable graphics cards, buying a gaming PC would once again be cost-effective.
NVIDIA could give older graphics cards the necessary boost with AI
Which features would help gamers? Older graphics cards typically deliver less performance compared to newer generations and are not always sufficient to run new games at the highest graphics settings smoothly. However, this is where Jensen’s idea comes into play.
If NVIDIA can bring features like frame generation to 30 series GPUs or multi-frame generation to the 40 series, they will gain a performance boost that would make those hardware generations more attractive.
The Sunshine Cup is currently taking place in Pokémon GO. Which monsters are particularly strong here is shown to you by MeinMMO.
What kind of cup is this? In the Sunshine Cup, only monsters of the Normal, Fire, Grass, or Ground types are allowed. They may also have a second type, but must show at least one of the mentioned types. Furthermore, Charizard is not allowed to be used in this competition.
As the Sunshine Cup is currently taking place in the Super League edition, monsters may not exceed 1,500 CP.
When does the competition run? The Sunshine Cup runs from January 6, 2026, at 10:00 PM to January 13, 2026, at 10:00 PM.
[toc]
Start video
Pokémon GO shows its new season in the trailer
The strongest monsters for the Sunshine Cup
Gligar
What kind of monster is this? Gligar comes from the 2nd generation and has the types Ground and Flying. It can evolve into Gliscor.
Gligar
Which attacks are optimal? Fury Cutter as a fast attack, Night Slash and Dig as charge attacks.
What IV values are the best? 0/15/12.
What is this Pokémon good for? Gligar not only has good durability but can also quickly use charge attacks. With its charge attacks, it can hit a wide range of enemy types. However, Gligar is susceptible to attacks against which it has a weakness.
Cradily
What kind of monster is this? Cradily, the Rock-Grass monster, comes from the 3rd generation. It is the evolution of Lileep.
Cradily
Which attacks are optimal? You should use Cradily with the fast attack Acid and the charge attacks Rock Tomb and Grass Knot.
What IV values are the best? 0/15/15 are the optimal IV values for this monster.
What is this Pokémon good for? Cradily is a monster that can take a lot of damage and receives only little damage from many types.
(Shadow-)Toucannon
What kind of monster is this? The Normal-Flying monster comes from the 7th generation. It is the final evolution of Pikipek. You should ideally use the shadow variant of this monster.
Toucannon
Which attacks are optimal? Peck, Beak Blast, and Drill Peck. To learn Beak Blast, you need to use an Elite Charge TM on Toucannon.
What IV values are the best? If you have a Toucannon with the values 0/14/13, then you have the perfect specimen.
What is this Pokémon good for? Toucannon can deal good damage with its fast attack. Additionally, it can quickly charge up its charge attacks, forcing the opponent to use their shields.
However, it does not sustain a lot of damage and should ideally be protected with shields.
Furret
What kind of monster is this? If you evolve Sentret, you will receive Furret. This monster comes from the 2nd generation and is of the Normal type.
Furret
Which attacks are optimal? Use Sucker Punch as a fast attack and Swift and Trailblaze as charge attacks.
What IV values are the best? 1/15/14.
What is this Pokémon good for? Furret can quickly charge its charge attacks and pressure the opponent with them.
What kind of monster is this? The Normal monster Miltank comes from the 2nd generation. It has no pre-evolutions or evolutions.
Miltank
Which attacks are optimal? The attack combination Rollout, Body Slam, and Ice Beam works exceptionally well for Miltank.
What IV values are the best? 0/14/14 are the IV values you need to get a perfect Miltank for the battle league.
What is this Pokémon good for? Miltank can not only quickly charge its charge attacks but also withstand a good amount of damage.
Coalossal
What kind of monster is this? Since the 2nd part of the Winter Holidays 2025, you can obtain Coalossal in Pokémon GO. This is the final evolution of Rolycoly. Coalossal has the types Rock and Fire.
Which attacks are optimal? Fire Spin, Rock Slide and Flame Charge.
What IV values are the best? 1/15/14.
What is this Pokémon good for? If Coalossal does not encounter attacks against which it is weak, it can withstand a lot of damage. Additionally, it can increase its attack with Flame Charge.
Dodrio
What kind of monster is this? Dodrio is the evolution of Doduo. The monster comes from the 1st generation and has the types Normal and Flying.
Dodrio
Which attacks are optimal? The best attacks for Dodrio are Peck, Drill Peck, and Brave Bird.
What IV values are the best? 0/12/15.
What is this Pokémon good for? Dodrio does not have high durability and may suffer against some types. However, it charges its charge attacks quickly, deals high damage with its fast attack, and can thus force the opponent to react and use their shields.
Tips and other strong monsters
What should I pay attention to when assembling a team? When assembling your team for the competition, pay attention to a balanced team so that not all have the same type weaknesses. You should also not only include monsters that cause a lot of damage but also those that can take a hit.
What should I pay attention to in battle? After you have fought some matches with your Pokémon, you should develop a feel for which of your monsters are good against which opposing monsters and when to switch them out.
Furthermore, you need to learn which attacks you must absolutely use shields against and which attacks deal you little damage. Not every enemy charge attack requires the use of a shield, and a shield later in the match can greatly influence the course of the battle.
Other good monsters: The monsters mentioned above are among the strongest monsters in the Sunshine Cup. In the following table, we have put together some alternatives for you that are harder to acquire or more expensive to level up.
Pokémon
Attacks
IV
Note
Diggersby
Quick Attack, Fire Punch, and Scorching Sands
0/15/13
requires XL candy
Drampa
Dragon Breath, Swift, and Dragon Pulse
2/15/15
rare to acquire
Gliscor
Fury Cutter, Earthquake, and Night Slash
1/15/14
weaker than Skorgla
Trumbeak
Peck, Brave Bird, Fly
0/15/15
requires XL candy
Beyond the Sunshine Cup, there are many other contents currently waiting for you in Pokémon GO. These include not only events but also spotlight hours or various raids. If you want to know what is currently upcoming, feel free to take a look at our overview with all events in January 2026 in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In an interview with the Game Producer of Chrono Odyssey, Yoon Sang-tae, he revealed new information about the upcoming MMORPG. Performance was a major topic.
There were significant issues with the light and shadow effects in the game, graphics bugs, and above all, the poor performance was a major problem recently. In the interview, the head confirmed this feedback again and explained how they are currently working on it.
Chrono Odyssey is set to be released in 2026, and you can see the trailer for the MMORPG here:
Start video
Chrono Odyssey: Trailer from Summer Game Fest 2025 shows action-packed battles and a dark world
Improvements where needed
What did the head reveal? In an interview with the Korean site gamevu.co.kr, the head revealed the problems and features the developers are currently working on and what new goals they have. The most important point of focus is performance, which they want to improve significantly.
The developers have set a goal that Chrono Odyssey should still be playable even with a Nvidia GTX 1060 from 2019, while they are aiming for performance on the RTX 2070. Particularly in terms of combat, they want to create a direct gameplay feeling.
How does it look in terms of fighting? Here, the developers want to stick to the motto “Easy to learn, hard to master”. They have added new hit reactions and specific knockback effects to make the impact of attacks clearer.
One of the strengths of Chrono Odyssey needs to be reworked again. The 1-vs-1 challenges “Chrono-Gates” are intended to give players a challenge that requires them to equip and upgrade their character independently before entering battle. Players are expected to fail at first simply because the challenges are really tough.
The developers want to add a selectable difficulty level so that players do not get stuck for too long on an insurmountable challenge.
By the way, there is a new roadmap and fresh content for Where Winds Meet. We will present what exactly is included in Patch 1.2 on the MeinMMO YouTube channel.
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What is happening at the theme park? Besides the fights, the developers of Chrono Odyssey are also using the delay to expand their theme park. The head explained in the interview that players can level up not only through combat but also through collecting and crafting.
Creative ideas from players, such as carrying bombs from other regions to bosses for easier completion, are also to be retained, as long as they are not used just for trolling.
The developers of Elder Scrolls Online have announced major changes for the MMORPG in 2026. MeinMMO summarizes how the plans are received by the community.
What has been announced? During a livestream, the developers of Elder Scrolls Online revealed the plans for 2026 on January 7, 2026. Some of the key announcements include:
The MMORPG is transitioning to a fixed seasonal model with 4 seasons per year, each lasting 3 months.
All future playable content for ESO will be free for everyone with access to ESO starting from the launch of “Season Zero”. The Content Pass from 2025 is history. Instead, there will be a new Battle Pass system.
With the upcoming seasons as well as updates, many community requests will be implemented, and experiments will be undertaken (such as the introduction of ship battles on the high seas).
The Elder Scrolls Online: Your World, Your Playstyle – Live Action Trailer Lures You to Tamriel
Some anger, but also a lot of praise
How is the community reacting to the announcements? At first glance, quite mixed. This is mainly because many players criticize the new payment model. Curious-Tome writes on Reddit: “Monthly subscription plus paid Battle Pass plus paid Premium Battle Pass plus loot boxes… that’s just crazy.”
Other players agree with the criticism:
InBlurFather explains on Reddit: “It’s ridiculous to have two paid Battle Passes in addition to ESO+. I would have given them a chance if they had announced that ESO+ would be canceled and all previous DLCs/expansions would be granted to all players + a crafting bag with two tiered Battle Passes. But the Premium Battle Pass + ESO+ is crazy.”
NJH_in_LDN adds on Reddit: “I think ESO has the worst of everything in terms of monetization. There’s a purchase price for the game, a subscription that provides most content (but not all), and now also Battle Passes?”
Karzak85 criticizes this on Reddit: “So ESO+ and Crown Store AND Battle Pass? Now they just need P2W items and they’ve gold-plated everything.”
Among all the critical comments, there are also players defending the new payment model. The main reason: all upcoming gameplay-related content will be free. Various previously paid content will be gradually integrated into the base game.
ITrageGuy writes on Reddit: “What am I missing here? This sounds great. The only paid addition is the paid Battle Passes, everything else is free. Are we just hating for the sake of hating?”
The roadmap of ESO for 2026
“These are all great changes”
What is being praised? Indeed, while scanning the countless comments on Reddit and the official forum, we got the impression that the plans for 2026 are receiving widespread praise apart from the new monetization.
Cooperharley celebrates on elderscrollsonline.com: “10 out of 10, I’m excited. Great victory.”
LunaFlora agrees in the forum: “Thank you so much. I’m really looking forward to 2026. I especially love that we can hide all outfit pieces. The visual refresh of the Dragonknight looks so epic, I’m also really looking forward to the Warden.”
DedlyX7 praises another thing on Reddit: “That the DLCs and Greymoor are landing in the base game is great news for all non-subscribers.”
Kestrel_Five evaluates the quality of life improvements on Reddit: “These are all great changes that I believe improve quality of life and reduce the grind.”
Brickthedummydog emphasizes that on Reddit: “It’s nice to see. These are a series of small quality of life improvements that have been demanded for ages!”
The list of planned quality of life improvements.
How does MeinMMO editor Karsten Scholz evaluate the announcement? Over the past years, former Game Director Rich Lambert always explained to me that certain things are either impossible or difficult to implement in the now rather outdated engine of Elder Scrolls Online.
I am thus all the more surprised now that experiments like ship battles on the high seas or the often-requested increase in the number of furniture for certain home sizes are to come.
Also cool: The developers are finally addressing the long-standing criticism regarding the low difficulty level of Elder Scrolls Online: with the selectable difficulty levels for the open world and the apparently very challenging event zone that is to come with Season 0.
I can understand the criticism of the seasonal model and the new Battle Pass. I am not a fan of this type of service and monetization, regardless of the genre. The Content Pass 2025 from last year was even worse because it was expensive and mandatory for anyone wanting the new content.
I therefore find it also very good that in the future, new classes, dungeons, raids, quest content, and zones will simply be received through free updates (if they are good and fun) and that the great content from, for example, Greymoor and Orsinium is to land in the base game.
Some of the comments to the stream also show that many players who currently avoid Elder Scrolls Online are not attracted by the announced improvements. Partly because the crafting bag, which is essential for crafting, still belongs to the paid ESO+ subscription, and partly because many find fighting unenjoyable.
While the developers are planning comprehensive adjustments for all classes, it is likely that the basic combat experience will not change significantly. This keeps many players actually interested in Tamriel at bay. You can learn more about this in the following article: In Elder Scrolls Online, all classes are in for a revamp, player asks: “Are you crazy?”
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A Pokémon fan wants to secure his pocket monsters for future generations. To do this, he has purchased the necessary equipment and is even thinking of cables and batteries.
How did the player manage that? On Reddit, a user proudly shows how he has stored all his Pokémon games and consoles in a protective case. The pictures show foam layers with cutouts specifically for the games, Poké Balls, and consoles.
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The pictures show that he even thought of batteries that need to be used for the Game Boys. Additionally, he packed charging and link cables that are supposed to be in the Poké Balls.
The project took a total of 3 weeks. He contacted the manufacturer of the protective case and negotiated this Pokémon project as a collaboration with them. In the comments, one of the employees who seems to have worked on the case even appears. He is happy to see what has become of this project by chance.
Start video
Why can Mauzi actually speak in the Pokémon series?
Pokémon should not only have multiple generations but also survive them
Why did he do that? As the Pokémon fan writes, he wants to ensure that Pokémon would survive an apocalypse. He still has every single pocket monster he has ever caught. Therefore, he really wants to keep the spirit of Pokémon alive.
On the manufacturer’s page of the protective case, it states that such a case would withstand extreme pressure changes and impacts. Moreover, it would be waterproof. These are already good prerequisites for the case to withstand natural disasters.
What do others say about it? In the comments, there are other users who had a similar idea. A Dragon Ball fan, for example, created a case containing the 7 Dragon Balls. Another user, on the other hand, had a case constructed for all of his portable Nintendo consoles.
A user brings up what some might be thinking: What would the player do when new Pokémon games are released? But the Pokémon fan also has a fitting answer for that:
I already mentioned that I will store new games accordingly, as they can be digital. Ending with Z-A as a cartridge seemed sensible to me.
The top comment, however, notes how expensive such a hobby is and that he can only afford it if he wins the lottery. The case actually costs over 667 € in the shop, and other manufacturers like AUER Packing charge triple-digit prices for such dimensions.
Esports players repeatedly talk about their thousands of hours of gameplay in Counter-Strike 2. But cadiaN reveals that many of them are being dishonest.
Who is it about? Casper Alexander Ahm Møller (30), better known as CadiaN, has been playing Counter-Strike professionally for many years. He is currently playing for the team of the Danish eSports organization “OG,” which he joined in November 2025.
Previously, CadiaN had already worked for various teams, including Astralis, Team Liquid, and Heroic. With them, he was able to achieve some successes, such as winning the ESL Pro League Season 13 with Heroic, where he made history in the Pro League with a legendary 1v4 clutch in the deciding round (for those feeling nostalgic: YouTube).
Start video
Counter-Strike 2: Valve once again impresses with the launch trailer
Pros brag about false numbers
What exactly does CadiaN say? In a clip on OG’s social media channels, CadiaN shares that some pro players lie when they boast about their play hours (OG via X). He says:
“I’ve been bootcamping a lot with people as well, who, when they go to bed, they dont turn off the PC and they’re stilll in game. And at some point, they’re in an interview and they’re saying, ‘Oh, I have played 22,000 hours of Counter-Strike,’ and I just think: ‘Well, that’s not really true.'”
Then CadiaN explains that they want to impress not only their fans but also the team’s coaches: “Some players just want to show their coaches how hard they work and they are kind of trying to boost their hours in ways like this to pretend hardworking and stuff.”
What does CadiaN say about the false numbers? The Danish pro doesn’t think much of it. He prefers not to distort his play hours and instead see the real numbers. This way, he can better analyze if his playtime that week played a role in his fluctuating performance, whether he perhaps played too much or too little that week, and thus performed worse.
A player orders RAM and is soon confronted with a new bill. Naturally, he is quite angry and disappointed. The community considers such behavior to be illegal and urges the affected individual to contact consumer protection.
A player reports on Reddit that he intended to order RAM from a provider on December 31, 2025. According to the user, the original price was 446.99 Canadian dollars (approximately 275.80 euros). Specifically, it was a DDR5 kit from Kingston (2 x 16 GB), not the RAM depicted on the cover image.
He explained that although he had placed the order, the seller significantly delayed the shipping. He learned the reason for the delay a good week later, on January 7, 2026: A formal email from the seller informed him that the price for the RAM was being adjusted: Instead of 446.99, he now had to pay 507.99 Canadian dollars (approximately 315 euros). That’s a hefty increase of 13.65%.
The formal email states the reason for the price increase: Due to AI-induced shortages of components, manufacturers are no longer obligated to adhere to delivery dates or guarantee prices.
Start video
Valve presents the Steam Machine in the new trailer
The price adjustment remains visible thanks to Google
The price adjustment can also be clearly traced on the website: Google still displays the old price of 446.99 Canadian dollars. However, when you click on the PC Canada website, you can already see the adjusted price that the user is now supposed to pay. We have included two images with the prices for you. This way, the price jump can be easily understood.
RAM PC Canada: New price for RAM, which is visible on the website.RAM PC Canada: old price, which is still visible through Google.
How does the community react? Many people from the community consider this approach illegal and point out that the affected user should definitely contact consumer protection. Adjusting prices after an order has been placed is not acceptable:
The real question is: Would they refund you if the price had dropped? The answer is clearly “No” … This is unethical and probably illegal.
Another user adds:
This is totally messed up, damn it. You already placed an order; price increases are the company’s problem, not yours. They have that coming when they sell RAM that they don’t even have yet.
While Rockstar is remaining tight-lipped about the work on GTA 6, an industry insider is now revealing the status of the game.
What does he say about the status of GTA 6? The industry expert Jason Schreier is always well-informed when it comes to the development of video games. In the podcast “Button Mash,” he has now talked about the status of GTA 6 and explained how far Rockstar Games is in the development.
According to him, the game is currently not “Content Complete”; the developers are still working on content for the game, such as missions. The game is really big, which is why they are currently making the final touches on the missions and levels and deciding what should still make it into the release version of the game and which content will not be completed.
Here you can watch the second trailer for GTA 6:
Start video
Rockstar Games presents GTA 6 in the second trailer
Another delay is not excluded
What does he say about the release date? After GTA 6 has already been pushed back twice by the developers at Rockstar Games, this could happen again, says Schreier. He states that even Rockstar Games does not know 100% if they will meet the release date on November 19, 2026.
The release window is seen as more realistic internally by the developers of GTA 6 compared to the previous release dates of fall 2025 and May 2026. At the same time, the expert emphasizes the risk of an overly early release.
Jason Schreier says in the podcast: “The entire stock price of Take-Two rises and falls with this game.” According to him, the stock price would fall by 10% every time there is a new delay. In fact, the stock price jumped significantly upward upon the announcement of GTA 6 and has also fallen several times with the delays in the past, but then experienced another increase.
According to the expert’s assessment, the developers of GTA 6 will look towards October to see if the game is finished and, if in doubt, announce another delay. At the same time, he assumes that they still aim to release GTA 6 in the financial year 2026, which at Take-Two runs until March 2027.
How are fans reacting to the information? The expert’s assessment is causing unrest among fans. They are wondering why the developers announced GTA 6 at all in 2023 if they still do not have all the content in the game by 2026.
In the community on Reddit, there is significant dissatisfaction regarding the ongoing delays, paired with the information about the unfinished game. Players like Big_Homie_Kratos presumed on Reddit that Rockstar Games would have long been working on polishing and bug-fixing and that missions and levels were already finished.
Whether GTA 6 will have to postpone its release again or if the developers will indeed finish on time will likely only become clear in a few months. However, by November 19, it will be clear how things stand with GTA 6. How much MMO is actually in GTA 6 can be found out here: GTA 6 has some typical MMORPG features, it could easily become one, says an MMO developer
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Dune: Part Three continues the epic adaptation of Frank Herbert’s science fiction classic Dune. In the following article, you will find all the important information about the movie.
What is Dune 3? Dune 3, also known as Dune: Part Three, is the third installment of the Dune series by director Denis Villeneuve. After the first two films adapted the first book “Dune”, the sequel focuses on the second book titled “Dune Messiah”.
Is there a trailer for Dune 3? So far, no official trailer or teaser for the film has been released. As soon as that happens, we will update the article and show you the trailer. However, the announcement of Part 2 already gives a rough idea, for which you can find a review on MeinMMO:
Start video
Dune: Part Two – German Trailer for the Continuation of the Sci-Fi Epic
Dune 3: Everything about the release and streaming
When is the release of Dune 3? The science fiction film already has a release date and will be in theaters on December 18, 2026.
Who is streaming Dune 3? The film will be released in theaters. Subsequently, it will likely land on one of the various streaming services. Where exactly is still unclear, but in the past, the predecessors were available on subscriptions like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video.
Dune 3: Cast and plot
Who is in the cast of Dune 3? As it is a sequel, many actors return to their roles. Leading the way is Timothée Chalamet, who reprises his role as protagonist Paul Atreides, now under a new name as Emperor Paul Muad’Dib. Alongside him, old and new faces will also appear.
What is the plot of Dune 3? The film continues the story of its predecessors, but only after a time jump of twelve years. Paul rules as Emperor and is particularly regarded as a Messiah by the Fremen. This position has allowed him to conquer foreign cultures, but at the same time, his influence is in danger of slipping away.
Compared to the predecessors, Dune 3 is likely to be somewhat less action-packed, as the story of the second book is generally more contemplative, philosophical, and sometimes even psychedelic. The success of the film will also determine whether and how the series will continue in theaters. An earlier attempt to adapt the book failed: The craziest Dune film was never made, yet it influenced many other sci-fi movies like Alien
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
About 2 years ago, a digital girl made her debut on Steam. Many users decorated their own profiles with her. However, she has not been seen on Steam for about a year, which is why many players miss her painfully.
What kind of girl is she? The girl with pink hair is often referred to as “Steam Delivery Girl” or “Steam Sale Girl”. She was drawn by the Chilean artist Nemupan, often wears a helmet with cat ears, and rides a moped. Always by her side: a small, plump cat.
For the first time, the Delivery Girl appeared during the Spring Sale 2024. Here, players could buy avatars with her in the point shop or purchase profile backgrounds and stickers for chat featuring the pink-haired girl.
During the Summer, Autumn, and Winter Sale 2024, the girl returned with her moped to the point shop. Valve usually commissions different artists each year to design the banners for the 4 major sales. However, the year 2024 was dominated by the same artist.
Start video
Valve presents the Steam Machine in the new trailer
Players speculate about what the Delivery Girl might be delivering right now
What has become of the Delivery Girl? Since Valve wants to give other artists the chance to design the banners for the sales, the Delivery Girl will not be returning for the time being. About a year ago, after the Winter Sale 2024, the artist said goodbye to her fans on Instagram with a farewell letter:
I want to write a few final words to conclude the project and wrap up this fantastic year. I want to thank the community for all the nice messages, fan art, and memes. I have loved every bit of it.
The Steam Delivery Girl is still a part of the point shop.
On Instagram or X, you can still admire her art. But the official Delivery Girl remains missing. Fans on Reddit are therefore speculating about what she is currently delivering.
hg2c writes: “The reason the Steam Delivery Girl is missing is that she is currently delivering a large package, which is Half-Life 3.”
Yindy_ still enjoys her: “She is always there when I start my Steamdeck.”
Limp-Celebration-211 hopes for a soon return: “Maybe she will appear again with an animation of her delivering the Steam Machine.”
However, whether and when the Steam Delivery Girl will return is not known. This will only be revealed with future sales.
Valve recently announced the Steam Machine. It is a mini-PC. The manufacturers have so far revealed information piece by piece, but several questions remain unanswered. You can find all the information currently known about the small box on MeinMMO: Steam Machine: The important questions and answers
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A new event in Pokémon GO focuses on buddy monsters. In addition, you can catch a new Shiny.
What kind of event is this? On Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at 10:00 AM, the “Precious Pals” event in Pokémon GO will start. It will run until Sunday, January 25, 2026, at 8:00 PM.
As the name suggests, buddy Pokémon are the focus. Additionally, there is an increased shiny chance for one monster, as well as a Pokémon making its shiny debut.
Start video
Pokémon GO shows its new season in the trailer
What to expect in “Precious Pals”
Which shiny monsters are available? In the event, you can obtain Fidough as shiny for the first time. The fairy monster comes from Generation 9 and can evolve into Dachsbun. You can find Fidough in the wild and in 2 km eggs during the event. The shiny chance for the monster is also increased in eggs.
Furthermore, there is an increased shiny chance for Goldeen. You can also encounter this monster both in the wild and in 2 km eggs.
Which monsters can be evolved more easily? During the event, there will be a reduced development requirement for three monsters.
Eevee can be evolved into Sylveon after earning 20 hearts with Eevee as a buddy.
Pancham can be evolved into Pangoro after catching 10 dark monsters with Pancham as a buddy.
Pawmo can be evolved into Pawmot after walking 5 km with Pawmo as a buddy.
What buddy bonuses are available? You can also earn more hearts with your buddy Pokémon during the event. The specifics of this bonus are not yet known. Additionally, you will receive more XL candies when exploring with your buddy Pokémon.
What monsters are available? During the event, there are other monsters you can encounter in the wild as well as in 2 km eggs.
In the wild:
Goldeen*
Zorua*
Wimpod*
Fidough*
Espurr* (rare)
In 2 km eggs:
Goldeen*
Togepi*
Happiny*
Riolu*
Fidough*
Additional Content: Event field research and collector challenges are also part of “Precious Pals.”
For $4.99 (about €5), you can also purchase a limited research that includes a Poffin, an event avatar pose, as well as encounters with monsters from the event. If you buy the ticket for the limited research in the Pokémon GO web store, you will also receive a premium battle pass.
January is once again packed with various events, spotlight hours, and more content. If you want an overview of when which content awaits you in the game, feel free to check our overview with all events in January 2026 in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
