„WoW is in an Identity Crisis“ – Talents and Tier Sets serve no purpose

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 3 minutes

World of Warcraft is under criticism – as the new talent system reveals more and more flaws and has missed what it was supposed to achieve.

World of Warcraft is doing better than it has in a long time. The gearing system is praised, the overall gameplay is great, and the new raid is a lot of fun. However, there are still points of criticism and some contradictions in the game that become clearer week by week.

This topic has now also been addressed in the Subreddit of WoW. In the post “Meaningful talent choice shouldn’t mean choosing between good single-target damage and good AoE damage,” the topic is discussed lively.

The thread starter pentarion explains his view on this:

When people ask how a particular specialization is performing, many say ‘It’s okay, but right now, the talents force you to either do good single-target damage or good AoE damage, but not both at the same time.’

This seems like such a fundamental issue that Blizzard shouldn’t have allowed it when they created the talent trees. (…)

It’s not fun to choose to be good in one aspect but bad in another. The choice should change how a specialization feels and plays or which types of utility you prefer and not directly determine if you are good or bad in certain content.

MoiraDoodle adds to that:

It feels even worse when your ONLY AoE is a talent, which means you’re effectively losing a talent point that you could have spent on something fun instead of something necessary.

Amelaclya1 further adds to the argument:

That’s what bothers me most about the talent trees. I believe talents should have been limited to cooldowns, buffs, or new interactions between abilities. It just feels bad that absolute core abilities are now also “talents.” That’s just the illusion of choice. Or can you imagine a beast mastery hunter not choosing Wrath of the Wild?

Moregaze writes about this:

WoW is having an identity crisis. On one hand, there is a cry for “meaningful decisions,” and on the other hand, there is a desire for a competitive game that actually tries to make everything competitive. These two things directly contradict each other.

WoW Shadow Priest Talent System
The choice of talents is often predetermined – otherwise you are simply useless.

Tier sets make everything even worse

This problem is further amplified by another major aspect of the game: the tier sets. These sets have been extremely popular since the Vanilla version of World of Warcraft. When Blizzard temporarily removed them from the game, the outcry was huge – tier sets are just part of the game, and after some criticism, they returned at the end of Shadowlands and are still an integral part of the game.

But tier sets only exacerbate this identity crisis. Because these equipment sets are practically mandatory in each season. Almost everyone is focused on obtaining the 2-piece and 4-piece bonuses of the sets as quickly as possible, as these mean a significant performance boost.

However, the sets achieve this by enhancing certain abilities of a class. While the ability “The Hunt” is enhanced for a Havoc Demon Hunter, Shadow Priests receive an enhancement for “Shadow Word: Death.” One can really get worked up about that.

This, however, completely undermines the intended freedom in talent selection. Because when specific abilities are enhanced by a tier set, those abilities and all associated talents become mandatory.

The tier set therefore directly dictates which talents one must take to be efficient.

More about WoW:
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von Cortyn

All this leads to a strange situation in World of Warcraft’s talent selection. On one hand, Blizzard wants to grant players maximum freedom while simultaneously wanting them to make a meaningful choice. However, that is simply not possible when absolute core abilities of a class are part of the talent tree and other talents become so significant due to tier sets that they become mandatory.

Even though the current talent system is fundamentally a good idea, it still needs significantly more overhaul and a change in the tier set and talent philosophy for the system to realize its full potential and be as the developers intended.

Or how do you see it?

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

Players are not happy on Steam about The Finals – the developers themselves do not know what is going on

Sophia Weiss Sophia Weiss Reading time 3 minutes

The PvP shooter The Finals was surprisingly released on December 8th. Just shortly after that, the game is now facing mixed reviews on Steam, which the developers, according to Discord, cannot comprehend. We have the details for you.

What is The Finals? The Finals is a first-person PvP shooter by Embark Studios. In it, you fight in teams of three for victory in a game show. The setting is a virtual arena.

There are a total of three modes:

  • Tournament & Tournament Ranked
  • Quick Cash
  • Bank it

You can compete with three different classes, called candidates:

  • The Light Build
  • The Medium Build
  • The Heavy Build

Each class has its own gear and can be customized to your desired play style. You can read more about the game here:

More on the topic
The Finals: The most exciting shooter of 2023 is now out, starts Season 1 with new content
von Dariusz Müller

Players on Steam are not happy about The Finals

Why are the reviews on Steam only mixed? Although the game was the most wanted game on Steam at the beginning of November, the reviews shortly after release are now only mixed.

On one hand, players criticize that feedback from the open beta regarding the Heavy class was not accepted by the devs. It also comes up occasionally that AI was used for the voice-overs. Another point of criticism is the balancing. However, the bigger issue is that many players perceive the movement speed of their character as slowed down.

Here are some voices from the Steam reviews:

  • Whygena Draws: “The movement speed was significantly reduced after the open beta, and the light class is far too sluggish to be even remotely survivable. The balance disparity between heavy and medium/light is glaringly obvious, and everyone hoped it would be fixed, but instead, it has worsened significantly.”
  • Foxsnow: I played the beta version for about 60 hours. How can you make the game worse than the beta? Everything is much slower. FPS is much worse.
  • Lazirhays21: Where is the speed?

On reddit, the community discusses the problem as well. However, most users apparently cannot comprehend it.

What do the developers say? The developer team behind The Finals spoke up on the game’s Discord server:

You can join the Discord server yourself through this link: discord.com/invite/thefinals. The post can be found in the channel game-announcements.

The developers write that they themselves did not revise the movement speed between the beta and the release version. In fact, they suspect a combination of minor adjustments to the animations, sound, and settings as the background for the problem.

Currently, they are working on a solution and hope for increased player feedback.

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von Dariusz Müller

How can you solve the problem? In fact, some players have already found a solution that seems to work: With the release of the release version, the field of view has been set to a default of 71. In the beta, it was apparently higher.

If the movement speed seems too slow for you as well, taking a look into your settings might help. However, we cannot currently confirm if this is the entire solution.

Have you tried The Finals yet? How do you like it at the moment? Let us know your comments.

Editorial Note: In an earlier version of the article, we mistakenly wrote that the field of view in the release version had been reset to 60. In fact, it was reset to 71.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Steam
  2. Game Pressure

Blizzard is discontinuing the authenticator – this is what you need to do to keep your WoW account safe

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

Blizzard is discontinuing an app that has protected your account. What you need to do now will be revealed in this article.

The security of your account is an important matter. Many players have already experienced having their account hacked or otherwise used by strangers – in such cases, you might lose all your gold in World of Warcraft or even full access to your beloved games.

To make these accesses by strangers more difficult, there has been an app for years, the “Blizzard Authenticator.” However, this app will be discontinued in less than a month.

We will tell you what you need to do now.

What is changing at Blizzard? The existing “Battle.net Authenticator App” will be discontinued. Most of you may have already received a warning, but now it’s getting serious. The app will be completely discontinued on January 5th.

Until then, you have time to transfer your authenticator – you will find it in the “Battle.net Mobile App,” where you can also view your friends lists.

How does the transfer work? To do this, you simply need to download and launch the “Battle.net Mobile App” on your smartphone. You can find the app in the respective store of your provider, either the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.

After logging in with your Battle.net account, you should immediately receive a prompt to activate the authenticator here and allow notifications from the app.

You will then receive a security code for confirmation, which you need to type in once – done.

Basically, nothing can go wrong here, and the whole thing is done in 3 minutes.

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What happens if you do not transfer? If you do not activate and transfer the authenticator in your Battle.net Mobile App, the connection with the authenticator will simply be removed, and this protective measure will cease until you set it up again.

This may also lead to the loss of some game content. Because using the authenticator rewards, for example, in World of Warcraft with additional bag slots or an exclusive pet. If the authenticator is removed, these bonuses will also disappear from your account until you set up the authenticator again.

To avoid any issues during the transfer, you should already do this now so you don’t find out on January 5, 2024, that some game content is no longer available or your account has lost security.

At least Windwalker monks might consider not making the transfer – because they are currently dying out.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. eu.battle.net/support/

LEGO-Fortnite breaks the mark of 2.4 million players – more than all other modes combined

Sophia Weiss Sophia Weiss Reading time 3 minutes

Just two days ago, the new LEGO mode launched in Fortnite, already breaking records. The mix of survival and sandbox modes attracted almost 1 million players in the first hour. By now, the mode has surpassed the 2.3 million player mark.

What is the LEGO mode in Fortnite? LEGO-Fortnite is a new mode for the popular battle royale game, created in collaboration with the toy brand LEGO. In this mode, you do not fight against each other as in all other available modes, but collaborate with up to seven other players in a Minecraft-like setting:

You can choose between a survival mode and a sandbox mode. In survival, it is like in traditional Minecraft gameplay, about surviving. In sandbox mode, however, you can build and craft without limits, just like in creative mode.

Read all the details about the new mode here:
LEGO Fortnite is here, has more players than all “Battle Royale” modes combined – Mixing Fortnite with Minecraft

LEGO Fortnite breaks the 2.4 million player mark in just two days

What is the current player record? Already in the first hour, 921,000 players played the new LEGO mode. At this time, it already surpassed the 896,000 players of the other available modes.

On December 7, 2023, between 8:00 PM and 4:00 AM the following morning, the mode set a new absolute record: 2,432,569 players played LEGO-Fortnite at the same time.

In the other modes, a total of only about 1,912,000 players were playing. Here’s how they divided:

  • Battle Royale: 726,000 players
  • Battle Royale Ranked: 617,000 players
  • Zero Build: 484,000 players
  • Zero Build Ranked: 83,000 players

With that, LEGO-Fortnite outperformed all other modes by about 520,000 gamers and has nearly broken all all-time peaks. Only the normal battle royale mode with 3.1 million players is still above LEGO.

The figures come from Fortnite.gg. This is what the graph looked like at the release of the news:

At the time of this news (Saturday, December 9, 2023, around 1:00 PM), over 1.4 million players are active in this mode again. In the other modes, it looks like this:

  • Battle Royale: 547,000 players
  • Battle Royale Ranked: 477,000 players
  • Zero Build: 219,000 players
  • Zero Build Ranked: 44,000 players

In early November, it was also made known that Fortnite, 6 years after release, broke its own record with over 44 million players in a day. If LEGO-Fortnite continues to perform this well, this record will probably be exceeded very soon again.

What’s next for Fortnite? One might think that Fortnite would take a break after the successes with OG Fortnite and now LEGO Fortnite. In fact, however, Epic Games still has a lot in store.

Yesterday, Fortnite Rocket Racing launched: Like LEGO-Fortnite, a collaboration, but with the game Rocket League. In the original, you control a vehicle and play auto soccer in two teams of three. At the time of this news, 315,000 players are already enjoying the ranked mode, while 307,000 are in the normal one.

We have gathered more about Fortnite Rocket Racing here for you:

More on the topic
Fortnite: Today Rocket Racing is Coming – All About the Release, Trailer, and Rewards of the New Racing Mode
von Christos Tsogos

Additionally, the Fortnite Festival has started today. This is a karaoke mode with a music rhythm game. You can perform a selection of songs alone or with friends. Our colleagues from GamePro have compiled all the details for you.

At this year’s Game Awards, Fortnite came up empty and was not awarded best ongoing game. However, with LEGO-Fortnite, OG Fortnite, and the other two new modes, Epic Games has delivered some really good content for their players.

If you want to know more about the discussion regarding Cyberpunk 2077 winning best ongoing game, you can read our news on it:
Cyberpunk 2077 becomes the best ongoing game, although it has just received its final patch – What is going on?

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

“When you play, it will really look like this” – ex-Rockstar dev claims GTA 6 will look just like the trailer

Sophia Weiss Sophia Weiss Reading time 3 minutes

On the Youtube channel York Reacts, a former developer from Rockstar Games discusses the first trailer for GTA 6. He claims that the game will really look like it does in the trailer at release. We watched the video.

Who is York Reacts? The Youtube channel York Reacts belongs to Mike York, a former developer at Rockstar Games. His previous projects at Rockstar included GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2. According to his Linkedin profile, York started his career as a character animator in 2006 and has also worked on God of War Ragnarok, Callisto Protocol, and Mortal Kombat 11.

On his Youtube channel York Reacts, he reacts to current developments in the gaming industry. Recently, he has been covering more trailers from the Game Awards 2023. York also deals with in-game cutscenes and shares knowledge about video games.

Start video
Rockstar Games shows GTA 6 for the first time in the trailer

That’s why the former Rockstar dev says, “When you play, it will really look like this”

What does York Reacts say about the trailer? Mike York analyzes the GTA 6 trailer in a total of 12-minute video. In it, he talks about his past at Rockstar Games and his work on GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2.

Specifically, York says about the trailer:

This is an in-game cutscene. Many games that you see are made with cinematics, and they cut to a scene that is not entirely in the game. It is, so to speak, pre-rendered, and then you see it. But everything you see in a GTA game is always done in-game. Every single cutscene, everything that runs. If you see the building way back there, you can go to that building, climb it, jump off it. Right? This game is very elaborate, that’s why it takes so long.

Mike York via York Reacts, 05.12.2023

He further points out that every visible character in the game has its own body shape. No outfit is reused. He also emphasizes that the world feels very alive because NPCs do not constantly repeat animations, and each character has its own animations.

While the trailer scenes in the nightclub are playing, he adds:

You often see a film sequence [in video games]. This is not it. When you play this game, it will really look like this. It will look exactly like this. It will be incredible. I can’t wait. Because the artists there really know how to push the consoles and the hardware to their limits with their attention to detail.

Mike York via York Reacts, 05.12.2023

When the balcony scene with the woman in the GTA version of a Louis Vuitton bikini is finally shown, York again has only praise: the lady is just a pure NPC in the game, not even a main character, and yet she is very detailed and animated – she is very realistic.

Mike York also worked on animations for GTA 5 – in this video you can see the comparison of the games:

Start video
The graphic comparison of GTA 6 and GTA 5 in the video

What is the truth behind the claims? First of all: We can only know for sure how GTA 6 will finally look when the game finally starts on our home consoles. And even then, it depends on the respective console and the screen used.

Basically, it is necessary to distinguish between cutscenes and gameplay: gameplay is how the game actually looks when you have the controller in hand and you drive through the streets of Vice City. Cutscenes are the cinematic story parts where you don’t do much except follow dialogues and possibly select dialogue options.

A good example of gameplay vs cutscene is Baldur’s Gate 3. Here you play from a top-down perspective. The cutscenes, on the other hand, pull you into an almost first-person-like third-person perspective.

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Presumably, the scenes shown in the GTA 6 trailer are in-game cutscenes. This type of interlude is generated purely through programmed processes in the game engine – games like Horizon Forbidden West or Final Fantasy 14 have similar cutscenes. For these cutscenes, the actual graphics is usually polished again to ensure everything looks really good.

In contrast to the engine cutscenes are the polished and pre-produced cinematic cutscenes: in games like World of Warcraft, these are produced in advance and then only played as videos.

Presumably, York is right to some extent due to his experience with the working methods of Rockstar Games: the scenes shown in the trailer are most likely in-engine rendered and programmed in-game cutscenes, and not cinematics as used by many other games for their announcements.

However, as already mentioned, we will only know for sure when we hold GTA 6 in our hands.

Are you already hyped for GTA 6? What must be in the game for you? We look forward to your comments.

More about GTA 6: GTA 6: Publisher explains what video games would theoretically cost

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

Cyberpunk 2077 is the “Best Ongoing Game”; but it is now completed – What is going on?

Sophia Weiss Sophia Weiss Reading time 3 minutes

At the Game Awards 2023, a lot happened that was anticipated, but there were also some surprises. The award for Best Ongoing Game this year went to Cyberpunk 2077 despite strong competition. While this brings much joy to the community, it also causes confusion.

In which category did Cyberpunk 2077 win? At the Game Awards 2023, Cyberpunk 2077 was honored as Best Ongoing Game. In this category, the game from CD Projekt Red competed against the following opponents:

What are the requirements for Best Ongoing Game? Best Ongoing is one of a total of 32 categories at the Game Awards 2023. On the award’s homepage, the category is described as follows:

Awarded to a game for the outstanding development of ongoing content that evolves the player experience over time.

This usually refers to games that are consistently developed and supplied with fresh content over the years. These are typically long-term supported games with regular patches. In recent years, games like Final Fantasy 14 (2021 and 2022), No Man’s Sky, and Fortnite have won.

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Why was Cyberpunk 2077 awarded Best Ongoing Game when it is already finished?

Is Cyberpunk 2077 an ongoing game? In fact, Cyberpunk 2077 is not an ongoing game like Final Fantasy 14 or Fortnite. The AAA game was released in December 2020. Since then, it has consistently received patches, but these have primarily focused on bug fixes, quality-of-life features, and promised but missing content at launch.

However, CD Projekt Red has kept at it: Patch 1.5 last year ironed out the worst problems. With Version 2.0, Cyberpunk 2077 ultimately became the game that players had been looking forward to since the announcement. With the now newly released and officially final patch 2.1, the developer even implemented a subway.

Start video
Update 2.1 in Cyberpunk 2077 shows subway and car racing in the trailer

The release of the DLC Phantom Liberty is more of the ongoing content needed for a nomination in the category. This, combined with patches 2.0 and 2.1, was the reason for the nomination.

Does Cyberpunk 2077 deserve an award? In short: Yes. Cyberpunk 2077 is an excellent game today that offers many high-quality gaming hours.

Although Cyberpunk 2077 did not meet expectations at launch, CD Projekt Red has really put in the effort over the past two years. Most of the criticisms have been addressed, many bugs have been resolved, and missing content has been added.

Personally, I still miss a multiplayer mode in Night City, but I am very happy with what Cyberpunk 2077 is now without it.

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Both the game and the studio definitely deserve an award for all their efforts. Probably, the organizers of the Game Awards thought so too.

Unfortunately, there is no category for Best Comeback, which is a good thing – we wish all games to be perfect at launch. In this regard, Best Ongoing Game was probably the most fitting nomination possibility, considering the inclusion of Phantom Liberty and the recent patches.

The reactions of the communities of the other games are mixed

What does the Fortnite community say? In a thread on reddit about Fortnite, where exactly this is lamented, the most upvoted comment from user BloodyTears92 (via reddit) states that Cyberpunk deserves it and Final Fantasy 14 probably would have won otherwise.

Many users agree: MrTripl3M (via reddit) writes that one could definitely congratulate CD Projekt Red for their hard work, but Cyberpunk 2077 is simply not a classic ongoing game. BayleefMaser123 (via reddit) points out that Final Fantasy 14 has won two times recently and users have been upset regardless. Others discuss whether Fortnite delivered enough good content in 2023.

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What do the Genshin Impact players say? In a similar thread from the Genshin Impact community (via reddit), users celebrate the strong competition. Although Genshin has had a great year, Baldur’s Gate 3 has absolutely deserved to win Game of the Year. In the post, the great performance of the direct competitor Fortnite is also praised.

The comments below are, however, clear: Players are not frustrated because their favorite lost. They are frustrated because they lost to Cyberpunk 2077. Others, however, join in the praise for Baldur’s Gate 3.

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In the communities of Final Fantasy 14 and Apex Legends, things are relatively quiet. The latter is currently mainly discussing the announced collaboration with Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.

How about you: Do you think Cyberpunk 2077 deserves the award? Who was your favorite? Let us know in the comments.

More about the Game Awards 2023: Game Awards 2023: Time for Muppets, advertisements, and Hollywood, but no time for the most important people of the show

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

Baldur’s Gate 3 has dialogues that only 0.5% of all players have seen – but you really have to be antisocial for that

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

Baldur’s Gate 3 has special dialogues. However, you will only see them if you reject all companions – and never take them into your group.

In Baldur’s Gate 3, players enjoy nearly complete freedom. While there are a few minor things that must happen and where you have no choice, the vast majority of the game is shaped by the decisions you make during your journey.

However, the larger this selection is, the more cases you have to consider – even seemingly completely unrealistic situations. For example, when you never recruit an ally.

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

What was said? In an interview with GQ Magazine, Lead Systems Designer Nick Pechenin spoke about the need to appreciate this freedom in all areas – no matter how absurd it may seem.

We pursue the feeling of absolute freedom. I received the numbers today that only half a percent of all players reach the final battle without ever recruiting a companion. There is no achievement for that. The game never suggests to you that it is a good idea, but our dialogues still have to support that.

What kind of dialogues are these? If you have no other companions, then the main story of the game remains unchanged, but some events unfold a bit differently. Instead of consulting with the companions, you only hear the narrator recounting the hero’s inner monologue.

At the same time, there are also some NPCs that you can only see this way. Since you can kill just about everything and everyone in Baldur’s Gate 3, important characters often die before they have introduced players to the main plot points. Adam Smith, the Writing Director, said about this:

The hardest part is to ensure that our players always understand what is happening in the main story. Because we don’t want to slow them down and say: “Here, let me catch you up.” But sometimes we do have to do that and have a character ask: “Do you understand that?” But even then, it’s a Larian game and you can just kill him and move on if you want.

More about Baldur’s Gate 3:
Baldur’s Gate 3: Astarion Romance Guide – how to easily win his heart
von Sophia Weiss
Astarion’s actor had so much fun with Baldur’s Gate 3 that it damaged his health, his conclusion today: “It’s stupid”
von Johanna
Baldur’s Gate 3: Decipher the ancient book – How to find and open the necromancy of Thay
von Fabienne Kissel

Is it even fun? For many, companions are a significant appeal of the game. Completely forgoing the stories of Shadowheart, Lae’zel, or Gale is not very enticing for many. However, there are also RPG fans who want to work their way through Baldur’s Gate alone – either as a challenge or a character idea. This “Solo Tactician” challenge was particularly popular among many streamers.

Those who manage to do it all the way to the end do not receive an achievement for it – but they can at least count themselves among the 0.5% who simply didn’t need anyone by their side and are at least recognized by the narrator for that.

All this effort has paid off for Larian – because Baldur’s Gate 3 was awarded Game of the Year at the Game Awards.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. gq-magazine.co.uk
  2. gamesradar.com

The creators of one of the most beautiful games on Steam could compete with Diablo 4 next

Lydia Lydia Reading time 2 minutes

With No Rest for the Wicked, the creators of Ori and the Blind Forest (Steam, Xbox, Switch) are taking a completely new direction and venturing into the ARPG genre like Diablo 4.

What kind of game is this? No Rest for the Wicked is an ARPG that was presented by the developers Moon Studios at the Game Awards with a trailer. They are known for Ori and the Blind Forest as well as its sequel Ori and the Will of the Wisps.

The games rank 3rd to 5th among the best Metroidvanias on Steam and impress not only with the gameplay but also with their visuals – “beautifully heartbreaking”, titled Mirco Kämpfer once in his review at GameStar.

However, working at Moon Studios is said not to be enjoyable. The colleagues from GameStar reported.

With No Rest for the Wicked, they are now taking a completely new direction and want to “reinvent the [action role-playing game]”, as stated on the brand new Steam page. The game will still be stunning with its hand-drawn world. See for yourself:

Start video
No Rest for the Wicked – the new ARPG from the makers of Ori in the trailer

Players fight as holy warriors in a torn land

What is known so far? On Steam, No Rest for the Wicked promises to be a “relentless, precise action role-playing game”. The tone is thus decidedly more mature and darker than the Ori games.

Players are to take on the role of so-called Cerim and fight against a pestilence called an unholy disease. But the pestilence is not the only issue plaguing the land; there is also a battle between rebels who oppose the government’s tyranny and their oppressors.

The focus of No Rest for the Wicked will be fully on brutal combat and the storyline. You should also be able to experience the world of the action RPG online in co-op with up to 3 friends.

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These are the first reactions: On YouTube, where the reveal trailer was published, the atmosphere is positive. Some users celebrate No Rest for the Wicked as the best game presented at the Game Awards.

Fans of the Ori games and the studio are especially curious about the unique twist the developers might have in store for the ARPG genre.

Those looking for more alternatives to Diablo 4 might find something here: Games like Diablo – Who needs Diablo 4? Here are 10 current alternatives

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

A specialization in WoW is dying out because Blizzard is completely neglecting it

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 3 minutes

In World of Warcraft one class suffers the most. Because monks are by far the least popular DPS characters – and there are many reasons for that.

Basically, World of Warcraft is doing quite well right now. The new season is successful, many players are diving into raids or dungeons, and generally most are quite satisfied with the gearing system or their classes. But aside from frustrated shadow priests (like me!), there is another specialization that has hardly received any attention since the launch of Dragonflight: the Windwalker monk, the probably least popular specialization in the game.

The trailer for the current patch:

Start video
WoW: Guardians of the Dream – Launch Trailer

How is the Windwalker doing? In “Mythic+” content, the monk is currently the DPS class with the lowest number of players. Only 2.6% of all DPS characters are monks (via raider.io). For comparison: Paladins are at 8.8%, demon hunters at 9.6%, and hunters (all specializations combined) even reach a good 14%.

Only shadow priests are doing similarly poorly, currently sitting at 2.9% – and that’s considering they were part of the “God Comp” last season.

Wow Monk Artwork
The monks are losing their smiles these days – at least as Windwalkers.

What is the problem with Windwalkers? To call this “a problem” would probably be an understatement, as there is currently a lot going wrong with Windwalkers.

A big problem is the contradiction of the Windwalker’s identity. Because actually, the monk is an extremely mobile class that can quickly change position and thus evade danger. On the other hand, the Windwalker has (almost necessarily required) talents, like “Feyline Stampede”, which makes it necessary for the monk and the enemies to move in a very small area – meaning they should ideally be static.

Currently, there are also many conflicts in the rotation of the Windwalker. Windwalkers must use strong AoE capabilities but still rely on single-target attacks. Conversely, to deal good single-target damage, they need to use AoE abilities again. A problem that is only exacerbated by the new tier set.

In addition, there are many other issues, such as boring tier sets and comparatively uninspired talents – at least as the community sees it.

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What does the community say? For months now, there has been a lot of constructive but also emotionally charged criticism in the official forums and on the WoW subreddit. Windwalker monks are becoming rarer, and the remaining players who have actually found their favorite class are becoming increasingly frustrated. Here are some excerpts:

Please, if anyone from class design at Blizzard is listening. Please acknowledge all these problems with the specialization at least. Say SOMETHING. There are dozens of feedback posts from Windwalker theorycrafters who are much smarter than I am and address all the details. Please change something about it. It’s my favorite specialization in the game and I’m tired of switching from my main character every season because the problems are being ignored for an entire expansion.

– |1sowski on WoW subreddit

I played Windwalker as my main in Warlords of Draenor. That was the most fun I had with the class, and since then, it hasn’t been fun at all.

-Dull-Ad-793 on WoW subreddit

There are currently no signs that Blizzard is reworking the Windwalker. However, if there is a specialization that desperately needs a rework, it is this one.

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

2 MMORPGs have been released this week, including 1 from Germany

Jasmin Beverungen Jasmin Beverungen Reading time 3 minutes

This week saw two major releases in the MMORPG sector. Firstly, The Wagadu Chronicles, an MMORPG from Germany, was released, and secondly, the long-awaited Throne and Liberty launched in South Korea. MeinMMO summarizes the most important news of the week for you.

The highlights of the week:

What else happened? Tarisland has published the statistics of the beta. The development team was especially surprised that the harpy was killed so often. The reason for this is that it appears in the starting area, where players test the different classes.

During the two-week beta, players spent around 142 years of gameplay in the MMORPG. The most frequently defeated boss was an ancient tree, the raid boss of the level 40 raid.

Tarisland also introduced a new class this week:

Start video
Tarisland Warriors Presentation Trailer

In the land of MMORPGs, many updates for SWTOR, Mortal Online 2, and other games are pouring in

What happened with the major MMORPGs:

  • In WoW, balance adjustments are being made. Both rogues and hunters as well as demon hunters have been hit hard. In contrast, death knights, summoners, and monks can look forward to a few buffs.
  • The Season of Discovery has started in WoW Classic, but players are facing a problem. Bots are threatening to ruin the economy of the realm. The bots have become so efficient that they make back the subscription costs before Blizzard can ban the accounts.
  • Black Desert Online has released new servers where player names are not displayed. Players do not see anyone opposite them except their own guild and party members. The development team aims to encourage players to treat all other adventurers as enemies (via MMORPG.org.pl).

What happened with the minor MMORPGs:

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von Cortyn

What happened with the MMORPGs in development:

Thus, we have summarized everything important that has happened this week in the world of MMORPGs.

What were you happy about this week? What annoyed you? Let us know in the comments at MeinMMO.

Another MMORPG from a Final Fantasy developer is currently in development:

Director left Final Fantasy and reveals why he prefers to develop an MMO

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

Pokémon GO: How to master today’s Catching Art Event

Paul Kutzner Paul Kutzner Reading time 2 minutes

In Pokémon GO, the catch art event is taking place on Saturday, December 9th. How to get the most out of the event, you can find out here.

What kind of event is this? The catch art event takes place on Saturday, December 9, 2023, from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM. During the event, you will be rewarded for your accuracy with Poké Balls in the form of additional experience points and you may encounter Schneppke, Arktip, and Frigometri. Here you will find more information about the catch art event.

How can I collect a lot of experience points at the event? There will be double experience points for good, great, and excellent throws during the event.

Of the Pokémon that will appear more frequently in the wild during the event, Arktip is particularly easy to catch. This Pokémon has a large area for excellent throws and is therefore especially suitable.

Of course, you shouldn’t only catch Arktip. However, if you want to collect as many experience points as possible and see various Pokémon on your screen, it might pay off for you to favor Arktip. Perhaps you will combine it with one or the other route and meet Mateo along the way?

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von Max Handwerk
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von Max Handwerk
Pokémon GO: Mega Alakazam Counters – the 20 best attackers in the raid guide
von Patrick Freese

How to achieve excellent throws?

How can I achieve excellent throws? The most important thing to continuously achieve excellent throws is practice, above all. If you keep catching the same Pokémon, you will develop a sense of how to throw your Poké Balls best.

A good help for this can be to hold the Poké Ball a little “in hand” and give it a slight spin. Then wait for the right moment when the circle is just small enough for the excellent throw, and propel your Poké Ball towards the Pokémon using a Curved Ball. Or you can use this brilliant trick to make excellent throws easier.

Here you can find the trailer for the current Pokémon season

Select a MMO video…

Items for more experience points

With which items can I get even more experience points? If your item stock is good and you want to maximize the experience points in the event, you can increase the experience points further with items. First of all, the Lucky Egg should be mentioned, with which you can increase the experience points by 50% for an additional 30 minutes.

The use of Incense could also be useful. With its effect of spawning additional Pokémon, you will encounter more Pokémon. This gives you the opportunity to catch more Pokémon and grab additional experience points more often.

What about you? Are you actively collecting experience points, or is the level more unimportant to you? Will you be out and about at the catch art event? Or are you more interested in one of the other Pokémon GO events in December 2023?

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

Pokémon GO: Mega Altaria Counters – The 20 Best Attackers in the Raid Guide

Franzi Korittke Franzi Korittke Reading time 2 minutes

The 20 best counters against Mega Altaria in Pokémon GO have been summarized for you in this raid guide. To quickly defeat the raid boss, we show you the best moveset here on MeinMMO.

What kind of Pokémon is this? Mega Altaria is the temporary evolution of Altaria. The Pokémon is from Generation 3 and belongs to the Dragon and Flying types. However, by using the Mega Evolution, it changes to Dragon and Fairy types.

To evolve Altaria into Mega Altaria, you need to use the corresponding Mega Energy. You can obtain it, among other ways, by winning the respective Mega Raids. Due to the changes regarding Mega Evolutions, the evolution process has now been simplified.

When can you battle Mega Altaria? The Mega Evolution is available in Mega Raids from May 25, 2025, to June 3, 2025.

The best counters against Mega Altaria in the raid

  1. Necrozma (Dusk Mane) with Metal Claw and Steel Wing
  2. Crypto-Metagross with Bullet Punch and Meteor Mash
  3. Kyurem (White) with Ice Fang and Frost Breath
  4. Mega-Gardevoir with Charm and Dazzling Gleam
  5. Crypto-Dialga with Metal Claw and Iron Head
  6. Crypto-Stalobor with Metal Claw and Iron Head
  7. Mega-Gengar with Lick and Sludge Bomb
  8. Metagross with Bullet Punch and Meteor Mash
  9. Kyurem (Black) with Dark Claw and Ice Beam
  10. Mega-Bibor with Poison Jab and Sludge Bomb
  11. Crypto-Mamutel with Powder Snow and Avalanche
  12. Necrozma (Dawn Wings) with Metal Claw and Shadow Ball
  13. Anego with Poison Jab and Sludge Bomb
  14. Mega-Rayquaza with Air Slash and Hurricane
  15. Dialga with Metal Claw and Iron Head
  16. Crypto-Gengar with Lick and Sludge Bomb
  17. Crypto-Gardevoir with Charm and Dazzling Gleam
  18. Kapu-Fala with Play Rough and Nature’s Wrath
  19. Mega-Stolloss with Iron Tail and Tackle
  20. Kapu-Riki with Quick Attack and Nature’s Wrath

Weaknesses of Mega Altaria: Since Mega Altaria belongs to the Dragon and Fairy types, it is particularly weak against attacks from Poison, Steel, Ice, and Fairy types.

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von Max Handwerk
Pokémon GO: Raid Hours, Important Bosses and Counters in April 2026
von Max Handwerk
Pokémon GO: Mega Alakazam Counters – the 20 best attackers in the raid guide
von Patrick Freese

Can you catch Shiny Altaria? Yes, after the battle, you might encounter a shiny Altaria with some luck. You recognize it by its yellow body.

Normal Altaria (left) and Shiny (right)

How many trainers are needed? Trainers who use the best counters and have leveled them well can defeat Mega Altaria with just two or three. However, we recommend bringing a few more friends.

Also, make sure to ideally assemble your team before the raids. This saves you time and effort in the end and ensures that you always enter the battle with your best team: This way you keep an overview of your raid teams and save a lot of time.

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

A No Man’s Sky in a Fantasy Setting: This new open-world game fulfills a dream

Dariusz Müller Dariusz Müller Reading time 3 minutes

At the Game Awards, a new survival game with a large open world called Light No Fire was announced. MeinMMO editor Dariusz Müller finds this idea appealing and has long wished for a No Man’s Sky in a fantasy setting.

Light No Fire is an upcoming survival game from Hello Games, the studio behind No Man’s Sky. The difference is that it doesn’t take place in space: the multiplayer game aims to create a huge and immersive world full of fantasy creatures.

The game was presented at the Game Awards 2023 with a trailer. Subsequently, studio co-founder and CEO Sean Murray provided some insights into the title, which is set to be released on Steam (via X.com).

The basic principle of Light No Fire is based on genre-typical elements: exploring the game world, crafting items and buildings, and surviving despite various dangers. There should also be different biomes, resources, and enemies.

Here you can see the announcement trailer for Light No Fire:

Start video
Light No Fire – the new game by the creators of No Man’s Sky in the trailer

In the trailer, we can also catch glimpses of an underwater world and rabbit-people. Additionally, we see a player flying through the air on a dragon.

Generally, the world of Light No Fire will be a fantasy world with dragons and everything that comes with it, which roughly resembles open-world games like Skyrim – only as a survival game.

Light No Fire aims to stand out from other survival games

I’m not a blind “Hello Games” fan and I don’t have as many hours in No Man’s Sky as I would like. Therefore, I must emphasize that despite my respect for the studio, I wouldn’t be looking forward to a game if it didn’t pique my general interest. However, Light No Fire managed to convince me with its game idea.

The survival game wants to offer a huge open world where you can settle on a foreign, yet unexplored fictional planet. Okay, we know that from many other games as well. What’s special about Light No Fire is the scale. The game world is said to be the size of Earth.

On stage at the Game Awards, Sean Murray explained that there will be no typical video game mountains that can be easily climbed. Instead, there should be actual mountains that are as tall as Mount Everest or larger and provide the corresponding experience when reaching the summit.

Overall, it is supposed to be an open world without boundaries. While No Man’s Sky offered a whole universe with relatively small planets, Light No Fire focuses on one single huge planet.

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Why do I trust the developers so much?

No Man’s Sky didn’t have the best release, but Hello Games never gave up on the game. Countless patches and content updates later, we now have – in my opinion – one of the best and most innovative survival games of all time.

I mean, how many players were disappointed by the exploration in Bethesda’s mega-RPG Starfield and its travel options because they expected the system from No Man’s Sky? I believe that speaks to the quality of the game – even though such a system was never promised for Starfield.

Who is writing here? Dariusz Müller is a big fan of survival games. Whether it’s ARK: Survival Evolved, Icarus, or Sons of the Forest, he simply enjoys the genre and can spend hundreds of hours fighting for survival in the games. Only competitive shooters and Pokémon excite him even more.

Now, one might say that it’s the developers’ job to improve a game with bugs, but Hello Games continues to provide free updates for the sci-fi game even years after No Man’s Sky became a really good title.

Free updates are generally appreciated by the immense miser in me, but the quality of the new content is also simply right. They really are a cool expansion every time and provide actual value.

I am simply convinced that Hello Games has learned from the problems of No Man’s Sky’s release and wants to do it better this time from the start. With the commendable development of No Man’s Sky in mind, I am immediately eager to check out the new title.

Light No Fire aims to create a complete planet as a game world. Something similar is also planned by another developer studio: The creator of PUBG revolutionized gaming – their next game is set to depict the entire world

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

EA FC 24: New Dynasties Event is live – All info in the overview

Thomas Dummer Thomas Dummer Reading time 2 minutes

In EA FC 24 has already seen several event premieres. On Friday, EA Sports introduced a new promo called “Dynasties” for Ultimate Team. We provide you with all the information.

What does the Dynasties event include? The new format “Dynasties” features famous family dynasties that are currently influencing the world of football or have influenced it in the past. Prominent father-son, sibling, or cousin pairs are in the spotlight.

Currently, the official tweet from EA is live, introducing all the Dynasties cards:

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All Dynasties cards at a glance

What Dynasties cards are there? The official Dynasties cards are live, confirming the leaks that had previously existed. Additionally, EA Sports has reintroduced the twin card system, which was introduced in FIFA 23, for some Dynasties icons. This means you can pull a stronger and weaker version of the legends.

But let’s now take a look at all the available cards:

All Dynasties pairs at a glance:

  • Zinédine and Luca Zidane
  • Paolo and Daniel (available as an Objective) Maldini
  • Juan Sebastián and Deian Verón
  • Rivaldo and Rivaldinho
  • Gheorge and Ianis Hagi
  • Patrick and Justin (as SBC) Kluivert
  • Henrik and Jordan Larsson
  • Lena and Tim Oberdorf
  • Jurriën and Quentin Timber
  • Erling Haaland and Jonatan Braut-Brunes
  • Nico and Keven Schlotterbeck
  • Marcus and Khéphren Thuram
  • Rasmus and Oscar Højlund
  • Leroy and Sidi Sané
  • Ferland and Édouard Mendy
  • Reece and Lauren James
  • Theo and Lucas Hernández
  • Florian and Juliane Wirtz
  • Iñaki and Nico (most likely as SBC) Williams
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What else does the Dynasties event offer? In addition to the promo cards listed above that you can pull from packs, there is a high probability that there will again be playable event players as Objectives. This time, because of the family connections, you could even have the chance to unlock two special cards from the tasks.

To ensure that you can pull plenty of players, you are allowed to complete a Mega Pack worth 35,000 coins in the SBCs every day. The daily Advent calendar challenge also provides you with additional rewards.

Additionally, due to the new holiday patch, a variety of new players have been added to the game, including fan-favorite Adama Traoré from recent years. He has received a Flashback card. Other veteran players like Sergio Ramos or Mario Balotelli are also new to the game and always exciting candidates for a Flashback card.

So it remains to be seen whether EA Sports has a few Christmas surprises up its sleeve.

This Monday (December 11), the next match day in the Pro Open League will take place. There, professionals can give the next upgrades to their partnered Pro Live cards. Our Pro Live Tracker provides you with all updates, progress, and important dates.

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

Destiny 2: Xur today – Location and offer on 08.12.

Britta ♤ BeAngel Britta ♤ BeAngel Reading time 4 minutes

Even in the Iron Banner week, Xur is present in Destiny 2. MeinMMO tells you what his offer looks like, where to find him, and whether it is worth it.

What happened this week in Destiny? Amid the turmoil at Bungie, where concerns over a takeover and internal tensions are brewing, Destiny 2 is additionally grappling with the plague of cheaters in PvP.

For the Guardians, this week also raised the question of what a full takeover by Sony would mean for the loot shooter? Salvation or exodus? Here are 3 possible scenarios that might occur.

However, those who do not want to think about or speculate on this fateful change might be looking forward to the Dawning event next week or found comfort in the good old hunt for cute star kitties: Destiny 2: How to discover all 14 star kitty locations in Season 23

Have you already been to the new dungeon? If not, take a first look here:

Start video
Destiny 2: Dungeon “Ruins of the Warlord” holds a brittle secret

All information about Xur on December 8, 2023 – PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S

When does Xur come? He appears in Destiny 2 weekly on Fridays at 6:00 PM and remains present in the game world until the following Tuesday at 6:00 PM. During this time, guardians from around the world can visit his store and purchase exotic items.

Where is Xur? This is his camp for the weekend

Xur’s position: After the reset at 6:00 PM, the search begins, and players fly to Xur’s possible locations. The MeinMMO editorial team is there and will tell you where to search.

Here is where Xur is located: Fly to the European Dead Zone, Twisted Cove
d2-xur-gewundene-bucht-etz-destiny2
Here Xur is hiding this week

Xur’s inventory from December 8 – 12 – All exotics at a glance

What does Xur have on offer? Xur offers a wide selection of exotic equipment and weapons on behalf of the Nine, which he still sells for legendary shards in Season 22 to all guardians.

His inventory changes weekly, providing especially new players the opportunity to enhance their skills by using exotics and preparing more quickly for the challenges in Destiny 2.

This is Xur’s offer

Xur’s inventory from December 8 – 12.

Weapon: The Jade Rabbit – Scout Rifle for 29 Legendary Shards

Hunter: Ophidia Spathe – Chest Armor for 23 Legendary Shards

  • Mobility: +14
  • Resilience: +14
  • Recovery: +8
  • Discipline: +9
  • Intellect: +9
  • Strength: +11
  • Total: 65

Titan: An Unyielding Skullfort – Head Armor for 23 Legendary Shards

  • Mobility: +6
  • Resilience: +21
  • Recovery: +8
  • Discipline: +6
  • Intellect: +7
  • Strength: +16
  • Total: 64

Warlock: Skull of the Great Ahamkara – Head Armor for 23 Legendary Shards

  • Mobility: +18
  • Resilience: +7
  • Recovery: +7
  • Discipline: +12
  • Intellect: +18
  • Strength: +2
  • Total: 64

Legendary Armor Set: “Monarch” Set

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In addition to the regular offer, Xur sells unique rolls for exotics from no longer available exotic missions from past DLCs. However, you can only purchase these weapons from Xur if you also own the relevant expansion.

Currently, he has one weapon on offer:

  • The exotic hand cannon “Fatebringer” (Beyond Light DLC) with a fixed draw.

Lord Saladin is offering Iron Banner Control again

destiny-saladin

Tribute was not well received: The latest Iron Banner mode “Tribute” lasted only 2 days. Bungie actually wanted to excite the guardians with a mix of the modes “Relic” and “Fortress” for a new kind of Iron Banner. But that backfired.

For most guardians, Tribute in the Iron Banner was just Gambit in new packaging. They wanted to play Control as it has always been.

Bungie recognized this and replaced the mode after the first feedback from players. However, it has not been completely abandoned as they will consider how to make the experience entertaining again.

  • You have the opportunity in Season 23 to earn the trendy Strand Auto Rifle “Deadly Abundance” with penetrating casing in the Iron Banner.
  • A “Banana” emblem, an Iron Banner shader, and through engrams also the “Iron Symmachy” armors from Destiny 1.
  • Real iron wolves can also crown themselves with a title gilding.
Iron Banner badge Season 23 - Banana
This is the Iron Banner badge in Season 23

If you wanted to score big in the Iron Banner, then pack the hand cannon Thorn – preferably with its catalyst: Most toxic weapon in Destiny 2 finally gets what players have been begging for for years

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

No one understands what is happening in the trailer for Hideo Kojima’s new game, but that is exactly what makes it so good

Marie Friske Marie Friske Reading time 3 minutes

Hideo Kojima presented a teaser trailer for his new game OD at the Game Awards 2023. Even though fans have absolutely no idea what is actually going on, they are excited and already speculating about what could be behind the ominous trailer.

What does the trailer for OD show? At the beginning, you hear the crackling sound of a Geiger counter. Then it sounds like a door is being kicked in.

Next, we see the faces of three people in close-up. They all say the same cryptic sentence in different emotional states: “The hungry purple dinosaur ate the kind zingy fox, the jabbering crab, and the mad whale started vending and quacking“.

In English, this means: The hungry purple dinosaur ate the friendly fox, the jabbering crab, and the mad whale began to sell and quack.

One of the characters is then shown again, this time full of fear. In her eyes, a door that is opening is reflected: The woman screams. Then the logo appears, and the trailer ends.

You can watch the trailer for Kojima’s new game OD here:

Start video
The new game ‘OD’ by Hideo Kojima in the teaser trailer

How does the community react to the trailer? Fans are thrilled – even though they have absolutely no idea what is actually going on.

User Frankenmuppet sums it up perfectly under the teaser on YouTube: “As always, when a Kojima production is teased, I have no idea what’s going on… And I am 100% in.“

Not understanding Kojima’s trailers is more the rule than the exception. Even with the teaser for Death Stranding, viewers were shown surreal elements without having the contextual framework, leaving them wondering: What the hell did I just see?

While you still have absolutely no idea what the game is actually about after watching Kojima’s teasers, the trailer does something very important: It conveys a feeling.

In the case of OD, it is a slowly emerging unease that begins with the crackling of the Geiger counter and reaches its peak with the woman’s scream.

Moreover, this ignorance provides plenty of material for speculation. Just like in the games, the devil is often hidden in the details in Kojima’s trailers.

This is also true here in OD, where the reflections in the eyes reveal additional information and show how the door opens at the end and a shadowy figure becomes visible.

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What could the trailer mean? Under the trailer on YouTube, initial speculations are already circulating about what Kojima wants to show us in his trailer.

User Sleazy Shell explains that the phrase used in the teaser is a phonetic pangram, meaning a sentence that contains all the letters of the alphabet. He goes on to explain:

[…] This could mean that one can create a voiceprint. If you have a sample of these people’s voices with every possible sound, you could create a profile of how each word would sound when they say it. With that, you might be able to copy or identify people’s voices.

Together with the chaotically overlapping voices in the background, it seems that voice and sound are a central theme.

Below, another user speculates whether the woman at the end maybe sees a different version of herself and screams because of that.

What do you think of Hideo Kojima’s mysterious trailer, and do you have any ideas about what might be behind the clip? Feel free to let us know in the comments.

If you are looking for a good series on Netflix, take a look at this personal recommendation from the game maker:

Creator of Metal Gear Solid raves about a new Netflix series: ‘Undoubtedly the best anime of the year’

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

Honkai: Star Rail showed the world Penacony and new characters – Get 1,600 free Stellare now

Marie Friske Marie Friske Reading time 2 minutes

Last night, the Game Awards 2023 took place. Honkai: Star Rail won in the category “Best Mobile Game” and delivered a first sneak peek at the upcoming world Penacony in a new trailer. Additionally, players will soon receive heaps of Stellar Jade to celebrate the game’s win at the awards.

At the Game Awards 2023, the big space fantasy RPG from the creators of Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, took home the title of “Best Mobile Game”.

In a trailer, the game looks back on its journey so far, but also glances into the future and gives a taste of the upcoming content. Furthermore, players are greeted with a thank you in the form of Stellar Jade.

Here you can see the Game Awards 2023 trailer of Honkai: Star Rail:

Start video
TGA Candidacy Video: A Story That Never Grows Dull – Honkai: Star Rail

Next Stop of the Astral Express: Penacony!

The next world will be called Penacony. It is under Xipe, the Aeon of Harmony. The trailer shows a futuristic city adorned with numerous ornaments.

After the Herta Space Station, Jarilo-VI, and Xianzhou Luofu, Penacony will be the fourth world the Astral Express travels to.

Besides the sneak peek at the new world, the trailer also introduces two new characters. On one hand, Black Swan, a mysterious guardian of memories in the Garden of Memories.

On the other hand, we get our first look at Acheron. She belongs to the Galaxy Rangers and bears a striking resemblance to Raiden Mei from Honkai Impact 3rd.

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Genshin Impact: All Codes You Can Redeem in December 2024
von Marie Friske

How to get the reward? Via X.com/Twitter there was good news for players. To celebrate the game’s award success and as a thank you for the players’ support, there are 1,600 Stellar Jade as a reward. All Trailblazers at level 4 and above can claim the Stellar Jade.

This will automatically be sent to each player via in-game mail on December 9, 2023, at 00:00 (server time). You need to claim the reward before version 1.5 ends.

Honkai: Star Rail – All codes you can redeem in December 2023

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

Twitch bans German streamer KuchenTV after the situation with Gamer of the Year Shurjoka escalates

MeinMMO MeinMMO Reading time 3 minutes

The conflict between Pia “Shurjoka” Scholz and the content creators around Tim “KuchenTV” Heldt has flared up. Now Twitch intervenes and bans the opinion blogger.

What kind of ban is this? The German opinion blogger Tim “KuchenTV” Heldt publishes videos on YouTube in a news format. Additionally, he goes live on Twitch with reaction content. As he announced on December 8, 2023 on X, formerly Twitter, the streaming platform has now banned him.

In a screenshot shared by KuchenTV, the decision is justified with “harassment of others due to a personal trauma.” According to the affiliated content creator Theo “Scurrows” Bottländer, this is said to be a permanent ban (via X).

The ban followed a conflict that had been simmering for months

What is behind this? In May 2023, the Twitch streamer Pia “Shurjoka” Scholz was awarded “Gamer of the Year”. KuchenTV had already criticized her at the beginning of the year for her stance on the “Harry Potter” game Hogwarts Legacy.

The opinion blogger subsequently considered the award ceremony a scandal in a video, with Marcel “MontanaBlack” Eris agreeing, one of Germany’s largest Twitch streamers.

Since then, dozens of videos have been published showing Shurjoka prominently in the thumbnail or carrying her name in the title. MontanaBlack publicly stated that he could earn a lot of money with the content against the streamer.

KuchenTV-Shurjoka-Videos
A screenshot from August shows the flood of videos

Scurrows also got involved in the summer. He claimed that Shurjoka had accused him of sexual harassment, which would be a crime. However, the streamer stated that she only spoke of harassment, which would be a personal perception. This relates to a situation from gamescom 2017, where he allegedly filmed her on her cleavage.

Shurjoka subsequently withdrew from Twitter, or X, temporarily and ceased to address the discussion widely in her streams.

KuchenTV thought Twitch “didn’t give a shit” about Shurjoka’s allegations

What was the reason for the ban now? On December 5, 2023, tensions boiled over again when KuchenTV released a video on Shurjoka’s criticism of the opinion YouTuber Alicia Joe. The streamer spoke about the situation on Twitch, which again led to reactions from KuchenTV.

On December 6, Shurjoka then used the platform X to process and clarify topics of the past months, particularly the alleged accusations of sexual harassment, from her perspective.

Additionally, she released excerpts from KuchenTV’s streams in which he made a drinking game out of her statements and stated that her tears were for him “like lubricant.” The streamer repeatedly called on Twitch support to take action.

In his last stream from December 6, 2023, KuchenTV claimed that Twitch support “didn’t give a shit” about Shurjoka. The original clip is no longer available due to the ban, but can still be accessed via X:

https://twitter.com/Shurjoka/status/1732800999830573442?s=20

Almost two full days after the 7-hour stream, Twitch has now finally reacted. KuchenTV’s channel can no longer be accessed, which also means that the streams are no longer viewable, so no new reactions can arise from it.

What happens next? KuchenTV has already announced plans to take legal action against Twitch’s decision. On X, he also started a poll about where he should shift his streaming content, whether to YouTube or the controversial platform Kick.

Shurjoka is in turn urging YouTube not to give the content creator a platform for further similar content there (via X).

MeinMMO has already dealt with the topic in August 2023:

Shurjoka in the crosshairs: How a 25-year-old activist became a hate figure on the internet

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

Genshin Impact 4.3: Here are the new banners and characters

Marie Friske Marie Friske Reading time 3 minutes

The special program for version 4.3 in Genshin Impact took place today, on December 8, 2023, as a livestream. Players received information about the upcoming banners and the characters that will soon be available.

On December 8, 2023, there was a major livestream in Genshin Impact with a preview of the upcoming game content.

The new version 4.3 is titled “Roses and Muskets”. Starting December 20, 2023, it will be available in Genshin Impact.

In the new version 4.3, players can expect:

  • 2 new playable characters
  • 3 rerun banners
  • 1 new story quest
  • 2 new artifact sets
  • and more

Here you can see the trailer for the new version 4.3 in Genshin Impact:

Start video
Genshin Impact: Version 4.3 “Roses and Muskets” Trailer

These are the new banners in version 4.3 with Navia and Chevreuse

Who are the new characters? We already know Navia from the Fontaine quest series. She is the president of the Spina di Rosula and will be a 5-star character. Navia belongs to the Geo element and wields her deadly umbrella as a claymore weapon.

In addition, Chevreuse will also be added to the game. She is the troop leader of the special patrol in Fontaine. Chevreuse is a 4-star character who uses the Pyro element and fights with a polearm.

The banners in version 4.3, source: X.com/Twitter

What banners will there be in version 4.3? As usual, the banner phases are divided into 2 phases.

In the first phase, the banners for these 5-star characters will run:

  • Navia (Geo and claymore)
  • Kamisato Ayaka (Cryo and sword)

In the second phase, these two special banners will follow:

  • Raiden Shougun (Electro and polearm)
  • Yoimiya (Pyro and bow)

With the banners of the 2nd phase, you can also obtain the new character Chevreuse (Pyro and polearm) as a 4-star character.

During the livestream, 3 new promo codes were released again – but they are only valid for a short time:

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What else will there be in version 4.3? In addition to the new characters and banners, the upcoming version will feature a story quest with Navia, as well as 2 new artifact sets.

There will once again be several events, such as a film festival in Fontaine, where you can obtain Primogems, the claymore “Ultimate Overlord’s Mega Magic Sword”, and the companion Mini-Seelie.

The card game Genius Invokation TCG and the Cup of Eternity will be enhanced with Fontaine characters and elements.

The game system will also be revised. In the future, there will be a feature that allows you to collect expedition rewards and prepared ingredients with a single click.

Artifact management will also become easier, allowing you to filter items better. Additionally, there will be artifact recommendations for the different characters.

A small note: Due to the nomination of Genshin Impact at the Game Awards 2023, all players starting from adventure level 4 will receive a total of 800x Primogems. These will be sent to you via in-game mail between December 9 and December 12.

Here you can find an overview of all promo codes that you can currently redeem.

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

EA FC 24: New leak makes a strong striker so coveted that he is no longer available for purchase

Thomas Dummer Thomas Dummer Reading time 2 minutes

In EA FC 24 a new leak has led to a player completely disappearing from the transfer market. We clarify which player it is and why he is currently so sought after.

Which player is it about? Marcus Rashford from Manchester has been one of the most coveted cards for several years, especially at the start. He consistently shows strong values for his relatively low rating, making him a very playable but also expensive card.

It is unusual that more than two months after the official release, a player suddenly disappears from the transfer market and when one is lucky enough to find him, he can only be purchased for the maximum price of 50,000 coins.

EA FC 24 Rashford extinct
The price “0” means that the card is not traded on the transfer market.

Meanwhile, there are many players who surpass the values of the English winger, yet this card is currently hardly found on the transfer market. What is the reason for this?

Leak announces suitable evolution upgrade for Rashford

Why is Rashford currently not on the transfer market? The famous and trusted leaker futdonk (here’s the link to the X- formerly Twitter account) announced a new evolution for the left midfield position on his Instagram account. The published requirements allow for a wide range of players, making it seem like even a higher rated card like Rashford fits the requirements of the new evolution.

Rashford already has a special card that he received for the Centurion event. It once had a value of over 2 million coins, and around 1 1/2 months after the release, it is still priced at almost 900,000 coins.

This is likely also the reason for his current desirability. Fans may expect to receive a similarly strong card for significantly less money with the new evolution. When the leaked evolution will appear, whether the requirements will actually allow an evolution upgrade for Rashford, and what improvements that will entail, is still open at the moment.

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What makes Rashford so strong? He is fast, has good dribbling skills, can hold his own in tackles with his physical presence, and has a very solid finishing ability. Moreover, he has perfect work rates for a striker, as he possesses a low defensive work rate and a high offensive work rate. This means he works little defensively but provides many runs offensively.

Additionally, Rashford has 5-star skills, making him unpredictable in dribbling, as he can outsmart his opponents with the best special moves. Despite all these positive aspects, Rashford can be perfectly integrated into any team and easily linked due to his nationality, league, club, and positional alternatives.

It could be that Rashford remains an absolute rarity on the transfer market until the release of the leaked evolution, and even beyond.

However, other cards have already received strong upgrades and may receive more next Monday. The next match day in the EA FC 24 Pro Open is coming up. With our Pro Live Tracker, you won’t miss any dates, progress, or upgrades.

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