Lethal Company has quickly become the new co-op hit on Steam. Now, after only five weeks, it surpasses all other games to reach the top of the Steam charts.
Lethal Company reaches the top: After just 5 weeks, the cooperative horror game Lethal Company reaches the top of the Steam charts. With its sales figures, it even surpasses major titles like EA SPORTS FC 24, Counter-Strike 2, Cyberpunk 2077, and Red Dead Redemption 2.
These have been in the Steam charts for over 20 weeks, with Counter-Strike 2 boasting a proud 590 weeks on the list.
In the context of the Steam Sale, FC 24, Cyberpunk 2077, and Red Dead Redemption 2 are currently available at much lower prices, but they still lag behind the new indie hit in terms of sales.
That Lethal Company, as a game by a single developer, has quickly reached the top of the Steam charts this year is quite surprising at first glance. After all, the year 2023 has already produced major titles like Diablo IV, Starfield, and Baldur’s Gate 3.
A similar phenomenon could be observed a few years ago with other horror games like Phasmophobia and Dead by Daylight. Whether Lethal Company will experience a similarly long hype as these two predecessors remains to be seen.
With nearly 184k simultaneous players last month, it has already surpassed its predecessors by 80k in player numbers.
The co-op hit is not only found at the top of the Steam charts
Lethal Company seems to hit the taste of players and incorporates many features that are currently popular among gamers. As a cooperative horror game with retro graphics and its own charm, it captures the essence of the moment.
Additionally, the fact that the game became a hit especially among streamers and YouTubers, and is virtually found on every platform, has certainly supported the rapid increase in sales numbers.
Whether the timing of the release played a role in the great success can only be speculated. However, it might be likely that during the cold season, many players utilize co-op games to maintain their social connections.
The Season of the Witch in Destiny 2 ends on November 28, 2023, at 6:00 PM. After that, the Season of the Wish will begin immediately. However, there will be a server downtime first. MeinMMO has gathered all the important info for you, including a reminder of what you shouldn’t forget today.
What you need to know today: Season 23 in Destiny 2 starts today. So this marks the beginning of new adventures.
The last Season of Lightfall demands players to fulfill one last wish.
6:15 PM: Finally, the long-awaited update is here. You need to download 4.8 GB for PC and can then start the game immediately.
6:00 PM: It will be tight with the schedule until then. No update is ready for download yet and the Destiny 2 servers are still unavailable.
5:37 PM: For those who want to know what lies ahead, Bungie has now published the patch notes. The list is long but worth a look. You will find it at the end of the article. If everything else goes according to plan, you can start playing in less than 30 minutes.
4:00 PM: The new season trailer is here. Check out what the 15th wish is and why you need to fulfill it. You will find it further down in the article or on our Destiny 2 hub page.
3:15 PM: The Destiny 2 servers are now offline and the path to the last season of Lightfall has begun. Right at 4:00 PM, the first trailer will be waiting for you. So check back if you want to know what’s coming.
Some guardians may have noticed that there have been no offline times due to updates in the last 2 weeks. However, that is not possible today, and you cannot avoid downtime. During that time, Bungie will switch the world of Destiny 2 to the upcoming Season 23.
MeinMMO will accompany you through the season start and also has a few useful tips to ensure you are well prepared. So don’t miss our updates in this article during the downtime, including the patch notes that describe the upcoming changes in detail.
What to expect precisely in Season 23. The question is whether one should trust a dead wish dragon…
Start video
Destiny 2: Season 23 sends the Guardians for a Last Wish to the Dragon’s Lair
Last-minute tips for the start before Season 23
So you don’t lose anything: Bungie has already pointed out in advance that you should redeem all engrams and other rewards before the start of the new Season 23.
Claim your engrams: All unclaimed rewards from non-seasonal vendors will be removed at the start of Season 23.
Clear the current Season 21 pass: The annual pass for Season 21 will be reset this evening. So don’t forget to claim your unlocked rewards from it and secure the Exo-season weapon, cosmetics, and resources before it is replaced by the Season 22 pass.
Don’t forget the old season pass: You can still access the Season 21 pass via the Bungie website. However, this is only possible for one season in retrospect. If you have forgotten or left any items there, you should collect them before the reset this evening as well.
To do this, go to bungie.net and log in. Then click on your profile picture in the top right and then on season progress. There you will see the current pass displayed, and top left, you can also access Season 21.
Should you hoard bounties? Not really. The new maximum gear level is likely to remain at 1,810 in Season 23. So you don’t need to do that for power level. But your artifact will benefit from it because you can unlock and use all seasonal mods faster.
At Master Rahool 5, you can exchange upgrade cores for 30 legendary shards per day, or 3 upgrade prisms or 1 ascendant alloy per week for 400 legendary shards. You can also get a few 100 stacks of raid banners from Hawthorne.
On the moon, you can also get rid of shards. 1 Illusory Fragment will cost you 10 legendary shards there. After the start of Season 23, you can exchange 10 Illusory Fragments for 10,000 Glimmer.
Keep in mind: You will still need legendary shards in Season 23 – so you should still keep a few.
Clear space in your vault: Arguably the worst task for some guardians is cleaning their vault because they need space again. Destiny 2 brings an average of 40 fresh weapons into the game per season, which in Season 23 also includes the rocket launcher Dragon’s Breath.
With the handy tool from DestinyRecipes, you can clean your vault in less than 5 minutes. The tool can lock gear to keep it or unlock it to remove it.
Prepare your character: Since some third-party apps may not be immediately accessible correctly, it is advisable to prepare your character in advance. So put your weapons and armor on the character you want to start with in Season 23.
By when should you be done? With that preparation, the new Season 23 can start without any issues. However, please note that you only have time until 3:15 PM today. After that, the servers will go offline.
Maintenance on November 28 – All times for server downtime
If it doesn’t work, all buttons will be pressed.
These times are important today: Bungie informs its players via Twitter/X about the planned downtimes. At the start of the new Season 23, some players hope that everything goes smoothly again and that errors can be avoided. Additionally, Bungie has not planned for a long downtime.
Here’s the exact schedule for maintenance:
At 2:00 PM, background maintenance starts on all platforms.
At around 3:15 PM, the servers go offline. Players will be automatically kicked out of the game.
At around 4:00 PM, the brand new season trailer will start on YouTube, giving you a first glimpse of the new content. The servers will still be offline then.
During the downtime, Bungie will gradually roll out Update 7.3.0, so players on all platforms can download and install it.
At 6:00 PM, the shooter should be back online and you can explore the new content.
Maintenance will continue in the background until 8:00 PM.
Third-party apps are also offline: As long as background maintenance is running, there may be connectivity issues in the game. Additionally, due to the update and the start of the new Season 23, there may be longer login times today. You may need to count on queues when logging in.
Keep in mind that third-party applications and the official companion app may not be accessible properly, so you may not be able to use them. We therefore recommend preparing the character you want to start with in Season 23 before the downtime.
What changes with Update 7.3.0 in Season 23
Will Season 23 perhaps feature a mini-Ahamkara?
This is what the update brings 7.3.0today: Alongside the content updates, the update will also include technical changes. Bungie will rebalance the meta and slightly tone down some popular abilities.
Your survivability skills like “Banner of War” or “Restoration” will be weakened because you just can’t be killed.
Titans will receive nasty restrictions that will dampen their most popular kill tactics of sliding, shooting, and killing. But the other two classes will also be affected, as Howling Storm, anointing, arrow barrage, lightning wave, and storm strike will also be restricted.
Furthermore, Bungie has announced initial steps for adjustments to “Well of Radiance,” “Dusk Shield” (Bubble), and the neglected Stasis abilities.
What’s in the patch notes? As always, the patch list at the start of the new Season 23 will be long. Bungie will publish all changes for Update 7.3.0 in the form of patch notes. A full overview of all fixed issues and improvements will be provided to you this evening.
Once these are published, we will update our article for you and link to the patch notes, as they may still change or be corrected afterward.
What are your expectations for the new Season 23 in Destiny 2? What secrets do you hope to uncover, and which character do you plan to use for the start of the Season of the Wish? Feel free to let us know in the comments.
A series based on the video game series Fallout is in the works. Now the entertainment website Vanity Fair has provided the first exclusive images of the upcoming video game adaptation.
The Fallout video game franchise has captivated gamers for many years, most recently with Fallout 4 and Fallout 76 from Bethesda. Next year, the well-known series is set to expand with a series. The project is being implemented by Westworld creators Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan.
Now there are first images on Vanity Fair, offering a first glimpse of the series featuring weapons of the Steel Brotherhood and characters from the adaptation.
Here you can watch the announcement teaser for the Fallout series:
Start video
English announcement teaser for the Fallout series
What will the Fallout series be about? The series is set in a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles in 2077 and will explore a new storyline—while also incorporating familiar elements from the games.
The setting of the series is Vault 33 in Los Angeles, a location not previously featured in the games. The plot revolves around a young woman named Lucy who lives in an underground vault.
Here you can see the first exclusive images from Vanity Fair for the upcoming series:
But one day she is forced to venture to the surface and finds a dangerous post-apocalyptic world. For instance, she has to watch out for giant insects and mutated animals.
The events of the series will also be regarded as canon for the video game series, as Bethesda director Todd Howard revealed.
We directly asked our Fallout expert in the MeinMMO editorial team what he thinks of the images. He expresses optimism:
The first images look incredibly promising. As a Fallout fan, I am especially excited about the power armors and weapons of the Steel Brotherhood, although the costume of the shown ghoul also strongly resembles what one knows from Fallout 4 and Fallout 76.
The only criticisms I see are the perhaps slightly too futuristic flying buildings and the lack of dirt, especially on the vault jumpers of the actors. But you really have to look hard to find something to complain about.
MeinMMO editor and Fallout fan Benedict Grothaus
The cast of the series includes Walton Goggins, Ella Purnell, Kyle MacLachlan, Mike Doyle, Moises Arias, and Johnny Pemberton.
When will the Fallout series be released? Starting from April 12, 2024, the Fallout series will be available on Amazon Prime.
What do you think of the first images from the series? Are you already excited about the Fallout adaptation, or are you skeptical? Feel free to let us know in the comments.
The Twitch streamer xQc and Sodapoppin continually outbid each other to win a coveted item from WoW Classic. MeinMMO reveals what it’s all about.
The famous Twitch streamer xQc attracted attention this time with an auction battle in WoW Classic. In a true spectacle, he outbid his fellow streamer Sodapoppin for an absurd sum for a sword that was by no means worth what xQc was willing to pay.
Start video
WoW: Announcement Trailer for Cataclysm Classic
xQc vs. Sodapoppin
What a battle it was and what sword was at stake? The battle between the two streamers revolved around the Warblade of the Hakkari, a sword that drops in the raid Zul’Gurub and is usually sold for 5,000 gold. In a recent stream, after a GDKP run, there was an auction for the sword that both Sodapoppin and xQc bid on.
Initially, Sodapoppin led the battle for the coveted sword, but xQc didn’t back down, and they continued to bid. The tension peaked when the price soared to an incredible 10,000 gold, already double the original value.
By the way, it can be easily converted into real money:
You can watch the clip from the stream here:
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xQc ultimately won with a bid of 12,500 gold, but gave away the sword afterwards
Nonetheless, the two continued their competition until finally, at an astounding 12,500 gold, Sodapoppin gave in, and xQc won with his insane amount. Normally, it’s incredibly time-consuming and difficult to accumulate so much gold in WoW Classic.
The gold can also be converted into real money. While there is no WoW token in WoW Hardcore like in Wrath of the Lich King, there are third-party offers, which are, however, not allowed. For the server and faction of Sodapoppin and xQc, 12,500 gold equals a value of approximately 1,150 to 1,500 euros, depending on the provider.
Even though Sodapoppin ultimately lost the bidding, xQc generously decided to gift him the Warblade of the Hakkari. However, through the auction, the two have definitely managed to create a memorable moment – one of the most expensive yet entertaining confrontations in WoW Classic.
The WoW Classic Hardcore community experienced a massive revival on Twitch after OTK member Sodapoppin founded the guild OnlyFangs to unite various streamers.
In December 2023, the Community Day will take place for Pokémon GO over 2 days. We will show you all Pokémon, attacks, bonuses, and times of the big event.
What was revealed? Niantic has now given details for the Community Day in December 2023. As you may know from the previous C-Days this year, all Pokémon featured throughout the year at these events will be highlighted again. The special attacks can also be learned again.
We will provide an overview here of everything you can expect from the C-Day to end the year.
Community Day December 2023
When is the date? The Community Day will take place over two days:
December 16 (Saturday) from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM local time
December 17 (Sunday) from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM local time
What bonuses are there?
Double catch XP
Double stardust for catching Pokémon
Double candies for catching Pokémon
Double chance for XL candies when catching (from level 31)
Hatched distance halved for eggs placed in incubators during the event
Lure modules last for 3 hours
Smoke lasts for 3 hours (Adventure smoke does not)
The following two trade bonuses last from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM local time on both days:
Two special trades per day
Trade costs reduced by 50%
Which Pokémon will appear? All event Pokémon will appear more frequently in the wild on both days between 9:00 AM and 9:00 PM. During the time from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, the chances of encountering Shinies will be increased. The odds will be as high as during the original C-Days of the Pokémon.
Saturday, December 16
Sunday, December 17
Psychock
Quaputzi
Galar-Psychock
Felino
Togetic
Paldea-Felino
Igamaro
Praktibalk
Fynx
Milza
eF-eM
Froxy
Mabula
All Pokémon can be encountered as Shiny with luck.
On both days, Charmander, Squirtle, Mareep, Silicobra, and Larvitar will also appear more frequently.
Raids and 2-km eggs: In level 1 raids and from 2-km eggs (received during the event), you’ll encounter Sandan, Alolan Sandan, Alolan Kleinstein, Hoppspross, Teddiursa, Galar-Zigzachs, Seemops, Staralili, Kiesling, Lichtel, Kapuno, and Velursi.
Special research: Those who want can purchase a ticket for a special research appropriate to the C-Day for $1. You are already familiar with this optional purchase from these events.
There’s also a time-limited research (free) and appropriate field research.
Special attacks: One highlight of the Community Days is that the Pokémon can learn a special attack by evolving. This is also the case for this event. If you evolve the event Pokémon between 9:00 AM on December 16 and 9:00 PM on December 17, they will learn the following attacks:
Evolution
Attack
Glutexo to Glurak
Fast Attack Fire Breath and Charged Attack Flame Cannonade
Schillock to Turtok
Charged Attack Water Cannon
Sandan to Sandamer
Charged Attack Night Slash
Alolan Sandan to Alolan Sandamer
Fast Attack Dark Claw
Alolan Georok to Alolan Geowaz
Fast Attack Waltz
Quaputzi to Quappo
Fast Attack Counter
Flegmon to Lahmus or Galar-Lahmus
Charged Attack Surf
Flegmon to Laschoking or Galar-Laschoking
Charged Attack Surf
Waaty to Ampharos
Charged Attack Dragon Pulse
Quaputzi to Quaxo
Charged Attack Ice Beam
Hubelupf to Papungha
Charged Attack Acrobatics
Felino to Morlord
Charged Attack Wet Tail
Pupitar to Despotar
Fast Attack Catapult
Seejong to Walraisa
Fast Attack Powder Snow and Charged Attack Ice Spear
Staravia to Staraptor
Fast Attack Wind Gust
Togetic to Togekiss
Charged Attack Aura Sphere
Keifel to Mamutel
Charged Attack Ancient Power
Sedimantur to Brockoloss
Charged Attack Meteor Beam
Strepoli to Meistagrif
Charged Attack Swirl
Laternecto to Skelabra
Charged Attack Poltergeist
Sharfax to Maxax
Charged Attack Dragon Pulse
Duodino to Trikephalo
Charged Attack Swirl
Igastarnish to Brigaron
Charged Attack Flora-Statue
Rutena to Fennexis
Charged Attack Flame Cannonade
Amphizel to Quajutsu
Charged Attack Water Cannon
eF-eM to UHaFnir
Charged Attack Supersonic Boom
Akkup to Donarion
Fast Attack Volt Swap
Velursi to Kosturso
Charged Attack Opponent Hit
Galar-Geradax to Barrikadax
Charged Attack Blocker
Paldea-Felino to Suelord
Charged Attack Many End
Special: Ursaluna
Evolve Ursaring to Full Moon, so your Ursaluna learns the Charged Attack “Horsepower”. The full moon will be in the sky of Pokémon GO from Saturday, December 16 at 2 PM to Sunday, December 17, 2023 at 6 AM and from Sunday, December 17 at 2 PM to Sunday, December 17, 2023 at 9 PM.
Are you looking forward to the special Community Day in December? This is your chance to collect the Pokémon you may not have had enough time for during their C-Day. Additionally, you can use the event period to receive strong attacks through evolutions.
Share your thoughts on the event here on MeinMMO in the comments and discuss with other trainers.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
WoW is currently experiencing a huge upswing on Twitch, and at the center is MMORPG streamer Chance “Sodapoppin” Morris (29) with his hardcore guild “OnlyFangs”. However, the 29-year-old does not want to share the reach he has gained so easily.
What kind of guild is this? MMORPG veteran Chance “Sodapoppin” Morris founded the streamer guild “OnlyFangs” in WoW Classic, uniting some of Twitch’s biggest names, including Pokimane and temporarily xQc, who was long regarded as the biggest streamer in the world.
As you might expect from a guild full of colorful personalities who are all used to being the main characters of their own shows, drama was not long in coming. xQc was already kicked out of the guild a few days ago. Sodapoppin even seemed positively surprised that they had managed to avoid a major clash for so long.
However, it seems that tensions are now running high, prompting the guild leader to make a strong statement during a recent stream: no reactions from non-guild members to the upcoming raid.
Start video
WoW: Announcement Trailer for Cataclysm Classic
Yes, this also applies to the great Asmongold
What does the guild leader say? In his stream on November 26, Sodapoppin announced a ban for his Twitch colleagues against restreaming or reacting to his guild’s highly anticipated hardcore raid.
The streaming veteran feels that content creators would rather react to the raid than participate themselves, siphoning off reach without any personal investment. He even mentioned two of his colleagues by name: “Yes, Asmongold is not allowed to react. No, not allowed. xQc, you are not in the guild, well, you will not watch the raid either.”
How does he plan to enforce the ban? Sodapoppin seems to rely on the fact that his word is law: “How will I prevent it? I mean, by saying ‘no’.” If they do it anyway, the streamer says it would be “pretty messed up.” After all, he is giving the warning in advance.
xQc can watch the raid afterward when everything is over, Sodapoppin said. So the ban apparently only applies while the raid is still ongoing.
WoW is currently huge on Twitch, also thanks to Sodapoppin
Why is this so important to him? The Twitch streamer is bothered that some of his colleagues prefer to focus on reactions rather than contributing to the guild themselves. Therefore, the ban specifically targets streamers who are not members themselves: “You will not benefit from this guild to which you contribute nothing.”
Unrest may also have to do with the fact that WoW is currently the biggest game on Twitch – only the chatting category “Just Chatting” has more viewers (via sullygnome). Sodapoppin and his guild members are among the most watched streamers in the game.
It is quite possible that the streamer does not want others to benefit from this reach without playing themselves.
Although this is a very special case, Sodapoppin’s announcement reflects the dissatisfaction that has long existed against so-called reaction streamers. Many content creators complain that they are merely using the content of others while contributing little themselves.
Especially with xQc, this is a point of contention that has already earned the streamer a rather unflattering parody.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The survival game Conan Exiles will soon receive a free update, the third in the “Age of War” series. What new features will be introduced and what does a colossus have to do with it? You will find out here.
What is Conan Exiles?
Conan Exiles is a survival game that you can play alone or together in PvE or PvP.
Since its release in 2018, developer “Funcom” has continuously provided players with updates.
The paid DLCs mostly brought cosmetic items but also introduced a new map with “Isle of Siptah.”
With the major free update series “Age of Sorcery,” Funcom recently added magic to the game.
You can check out the “Age of War” in the launch trailer:
Start video
Conan Exiles – Launch Trailer shows innovations of ‘Age of War’
Like “Age of Sorcery,” “Age of War” is a free update series that contains many new features and will be released in several parts.
Currently, chapters 1 and 2 have already been released. We can look forward to the third chapter on December 14.
As the name suggests, “Age of War” is about wars and epic battles. Highlights of the previous chapters included clan hideouts, a rework of the “Purge System,” and improved loot. But what can we expect in December?
It’s about the castle
The feature that is perhaps most anticipated is the new castle sieges. “That already exists,” you might think. In Conan Exiles, your buildings are regularly attacked by hostile NPCs.
But in “Age of War,” you’ll turn the tables. Now you are the besiegers!
In their fortress, the “Stygian” have amassed great wealth just waiting to be plundered. Gather your clan, break through the defenses, and fight your way to the heart of the fortress.
Support from a colossus? As PvP players will especially know, there is a possibility in Conan Exiles to summon so-called “Avatars.” These are gigantic beings that in a way express your religious passion.
Depending on your religion, you can summon different avatars, which you can then control for 60 seconds. A cool but also quite elaborate endeavor.
The avatars are especially useful in PvP, as they are extremely effective against walls and buildings. As a PvE player, I always found it quite unfortunate as it hardly pays off to summon the expensive avatars.
But now “Age of War” could finally provide relief. Because of course, you can also use the avatars in the new sieges to break through the fortress walls of the Stygian.
The impressive spectacle of a colossus unleashed on a castle like a siege weapon was also showcased in a video presentation reported by 3D-Juegos. And now I can hardly wait to take my avatar of Mitra into battle.
After the battle into your own tavern
What could be better than stopping by a tavern after a successful siege? “Age of War – Chapter 3” even allows you to open your own tavern.
With the new tavern furniture, not only does it look great, but it also offers gameplay advantages. Once you’ve freed a bartender, your tavern will gradually fill with NPCs who can then be hired. Finally, you no longer have to convince every companion through the “Wheel of Pain.”
In the tavern, you can hire mercenaries and celebrate your victories.
What else is there? In addition to these two major points, “Age of War – Chapter 3” brings many small innovations and adjustments.
Once there will be a new mount, the camel. It offers more storage space than the previously available horses and is thus perfect for transporting your looted treasures through the desert.
In addition, the control options for your NPC companions are expected to be improved. Previously, it was always difficult to place archers on walls for defense. Since the stubborn protectors liked to leave their posts as soon as an attack was in sight. This is now to be resolved.
And of course, with chapter 3, a new battle pass will also be released in which various cosmetic items can be unlocked.
Which innovation from “Age of War – Chapter 3” are you most looking forward to? Feel free to let us know in the comments.
Are you tired of the battle for survival in the desert and ready for new adventures? Here on MeinMMO, we introduce you to the best games in the survival genre.
Taika Waititi directed two Thor films, even though he originally had no interest in them at all – but the needed cash for his family growth was a compelling argument. In a podcast, he now reflects on that time.
In the podcast “SmartLess”, New Zealand director and screenwriter Taika Waititi looks back at his collaboration with Marvel. In the episode from November 27, 2023 on Spotify, which is named after the guest, he reveals that he originally had no interest in directing the Thor films.
Nevertheless, it turned out to be a promising financial opportunity because: He was poor and needed the money.
What convinced the director? In the podcast, Taika Waititi is approached about the Thor films he directed. He recalls the reasons that led him to accept the offer, even though he initially found the franchise uninteresting.
At around 30:30 minutes, he says:
You know what? I had no interest in making one of those movies. […] It wasn’t on my plan for my career […]. But I was poor and had just had my second child, and I thought, ‘You know what, that would be a great opportunity to feed these kids.’
And ‘Thor’, to be honest – it was probably the least popular franchise. I never read ‘Thor’ comics as a kid. That was the comic I would pick up and think, ‘Ugh.’
And then I did a bit of research on it. I read a ‘Thor’ comic, 18 pages or however long they are. I was still baffled by that character.
How successful were the films then? The first Thor film that Taika Waititi directed was Thor: Ragnarok. The film was released in German theaters in October 2017 and grossed $855 million worldwide (via IMDb). Waititi also directed Thor: Love and Thunder. This was released in German theaters in July 2022 and grossed $760 million worldwide (via IMDb).
A sequel to the films is already planned. However, the series is set to take a completely unexpected direction. You can find out more from our colleagues at Moviepilot.
Will he direct more Thor films? Taika Waititi has stated to Business Insider that he is sure he will not be involved in a new Thor adaptation. “I will focus on these other films that I have signed up for,” says the director.
He adds that he would never feel that Marvel is “betraying” him. He enjoys working with them. “We have an open relationship, and it’s like they want to go out with others, I’m happy about that.”
Instead of Taika Waititi, according to rumors, a director is planned for the continuation of the series about the God of Thunder, who most recently brought a sci-fi film to the screen without expensive frills. He is mainly known for Godzilla (2014) and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
The Twitch streamer Imane “Pokimane” Anys (27) faced criticism for selling overpriced cookies on Twitch that closely resemble an already established brand. The situation escalated when she referred to viewers as “broke boys,” meaning boys without money. This brought her a backlash, but she seems to be able to laugh about it now.
However, these cookies were criticized for closely resembling a brand of expensive cookies sold at the supermarket chain Costco.
Pokimane’s cookies were even more expensive.
Pokimane told a user in the Twitch chat who mentioned the price: he could just say he was broke. Anyone can spend their money on whatever they want.
Start video
Do you recognize these German Twitch streamers by their dubbing voices in video games?
Pokimane has been accused of insulting her own fans
What was the criticism of her? Her statement to the viewer that he must be broke if he is upset about the cookie prices, led to a lot of criticism online. A video by the YouTube channel penguinz0 reached over 5 million views. In the video, Pokimane was accused of losing touch with her community and reality.
Implying that her own viewers are poor is inappropriate since the viewers are the ones who helped her grow and provided her with the money that has now put her in this comfortable position.
Her cookies are simply an overpriced influencer product that only fans buy to support her. Insulting this target audience is unacceptable.
How did Pokimane react to this: The streamer apologized for the statement, saying it was meant as a joke and directed only at that one person who had been “rude”.
“No Broke Boys Black Friday Sale,” but there is a nice hat
This reignites the discussion: In a later Twitch stream on Friday, November 24th, Pokimane was asked how the cookies were selling.
Pokimane said they were selling very well. Additionally, they had a promotion running, but it was not a “Broke Boys Black Friday Sale,” rather there was now a stylish hat for everyone who orders cookies worth at least $56.
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What was the reaction? This statement also drew criticism. The repeated use of the “Broke Boys” comment particularly upset some people.
Her cookies are also mocked as “Copy&Paste cookies” (via twitter).
Demand for cookies is apparently relatively high in Germany
What is surprising? Pokimane seems to have many fans in Germany. In the Twitch chat, she is also asked in which countries her cookies will be available soon.
In addition to the “usual suspects” Canada and the UK, Pokimane also mentions South Africa and Germany as countries from which a lot of feedback has come, with people wanting her cookies there.
In World of Warcraft the first strong buffs of the new season are coming. Warlocks and shadow priests can be happy, but so can druids.
Season 3 of World of Warcraft Dragonflight has been running for a few weeks now, and it’s time for the first major adjustments. Blizzard has released a list of buffs that will become active during the upcoming maintenance on Wednesday. We’ll show you all the buffs – although there are also a few nerfs to an old tier set.
The trailer for the current patch:
Start video
WoW: Guardians of the Dream – Launch Trailer
All buffs in WoW for November 29, 2023
Death Knight
Frost
Aberrus Tier Set 2-piece bonus
The damage of your next Howling of the Frost Wyrm will be increased by 4% (previously 5%).
The effectiveness of Howling of the Frost Wyrm will be reduced to 25% (previously 30%).
The damage of Howling Gale has been reduced to 10% (previously 20%).
Amirdrassil Tier Set 4-piece bonus
Chain Frost will now skip 3 additional times (previously 2 times).
The chance for the effect to occur will be increased to 35% (previously 30%).
The damage of Chain Frost is increased by 10%.
The damage of Eradicate is increased by 8%.
Continuous Frost will now skip with a 25% chance (previously 20%).
The damage of Penetrating Frost will be increased to 12% (previously 10%).
Druid
Restoration
All healing done is increased by 3%.
Priest
Shadow
All damage dealt is increased by 5%. (Blessed be the Void.)
Warlock
Affliction
All damage of the Warlock and its companion is increased by 6%.
Destruction
All damage of the Warlock and its companion is increased by 6%.
Why are the buffs only coming now? Blizzard usually takes some time at the start of a season to analyze enough data. At the same time, however, the developers refrain from making particularly drastic class changes during the “World First” race – that could ultimately benefit one of the professional guilds and distort the popular community event.
Now the race is over, which is why Blizzard can now implement balance changes faster and more frequently. Here, the developers especially want to address major issues in the coming weeks and then release fewer hotfixes later in the season.
Is there more to come? Yes. Blizzard has already announced that there will be further adjustments next week – on December 6, 2023. They speak of “some buffs and nerfs.” This sounds like the currently best classes in the damage meter should prepare for some nerfs.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Pokémon GO you can defeat most Rocket Grunts quite easily. However, one female villain proves to be a surprisingly powerful enemy.
What kind of battle is this? The Rocket battles can essentially be divided into two variants:
The Rocket bosses Cliff, Arlo, Sierraand Giovanni, who approach battles a bit more cunningly by using shields.
And the Rocket Grunts, who do not use shields and are therefore significantly easier to defeat.
Most grunts are thus not a problem; the minions of Team GO Rocket are usually not great fighters. However, one female villain among them can certainly provide a tough duel.
Start video
Pokémon GO: Finding Rocket Bosses – How to Collect the Rocket Radar and Track Them Down
This is the strong Rocket villain – What monsters does she use?
How to recognize the villain: You can recognize the different Rocket types by their sayings. The strong female villain says, for example, the following sentences:
Winning is for winners
Don’t even try – victory belongs to me
Prepare yourself for a defeat
There is also a male grunt who says these sentences, but he is noticeably easier to defeat. Because the villain uses monsters that are not easy to crack even without the use of shields.
First, she always uses Crypto-Snorlax
Second, she brings Crypto-Quagsire, Crypto-Snorlax, or Crypto-Gardevoir
Pokémon number 3 is then Crypto-Gyarados, Crypto-Snorlax, or Crypto-Dragonite
Just by the names, you can see: These monsters are not easy to crack. If you go into the battle unprepared, because you are used to easily defeating the other Rockets, she can catch you off guard.
A good approach is to definitely have a strong fighting Pokémon with you to be able to stand up against Snorlax. After that, you should look for suitable types against the other monsters.
Trainers say about the difficult battle: In the Pokémon GO community on reddit, the villain has already built a reputation as a tough opponent. Some comment there, for example, that Triple-Snorlax is a really tough duel if you have the wrong monsters with you. A Dragonite after two Snorlax can also finish you off quite quickly.
At the same time, some comment that they find these difficult battles exciting and enjoy the challenge.
What do you think? Tell us your opinion on the Rocket battles in the comments!
In the ninth episode of 7 vs. Wild Season 3, stomach issues and circulatory problems plague the teams. A star experiences blackouts. At the end of the episode, the phone rings in the base camp.
Attention this article contains spoilers for Episode 1-9 of 7 vs. Wild Season 3
Why are the teams doing so poorly? In the previous episodes of 7 vs. Wild Season 3, the participating stars have struggled with hunger. Many teams prepared for a different flora and fauna. However, in Canada, there is little food available for the candidates.
The only food source that has been available to all teams so far is the so-called Salal berry. The Salal berry is a berry that resembles a blueberry in appearance and taste. 100 grams of berries contain about 63 calories.
Since the participants are not very familiar with this berry, many obviously find it difficult to determine the ripeness of the berries. In the series, entire bushes are often picked and eaten. This can lead to stomach issues. Several teams are suffering from diarrhea in the current episode.
How is the water supply? Water is also essential for humans. The participating teams have agreed on various solutions for drinking water purification in their preparation for the survival series. Some teams have therefore lost the ability to purify their drinking water in Episode 9 of 7 vs. Wild Season 3, as the respective tools have become unusable. The mystery of the contents of the participants’ bottles has now been solved.
One of the participants in Season 3 is Twitch streamer Jens “Knossi” Knossalla. You can see more about him in our video.
Start video
From the Witness Stand with Barbara Salesch to the King of Twitch – Career and Life of Knossi
Gerrit from the Naturensöhne becomes black before his eyes
What is going on with the Naturensöhne team? The Naturensöhne team, consisting of Gerrit Rösel and Andreas “Andy” Schulze, is mainly known for their skills in bushcrafting. The two have repeatedly showcased their impressive abilities in the past episodes and are considered the builders of Season 3.
In the current episode, Gerrit is not doing well at all. On a tour through the forest, the 7 vs. Wild participant has to lean on a branch while blacking out. Throughout the episode, the candidate does not feel any better. Although he remains in good spirits, he finds it difficult to work in the team’s camp and can only rest while his survival partner Andy does the work.
How does the episode end? At the end of the episode, we see the phone ringing in the 7 vs. Wild base camp. That is where the organizing team is located, responsible for the safety of the candidates. The ringing phone always indicates that in the next episode a team will leave the show. Several teams are simultaneously suffering from illnesses, making it difficult to predict which team will leave 7 vs. Wild Season 3 next.
Recently, the 7 vs. Wild founder Fritz Meinecke addressed the new production and mentioned that the day before the suspension was a significant burden for the teams. Whether this will also affect the duration of their stay in Canada remains to be seen.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Yesterday, fans of Destiny 2 received the official confirmation that Bungie will be postponing the release of the DLC “The Final Shape”. Now, there are 7 long months ahead of the players, who initially promise little content. However, Bungie has a plan to prevent its players from completely abandoning the live service game during this time.
Why is the DLC “The Final Shape” being postponed? Bungie’s loot shooter is currently going through a difficult time. The current DLC “Lightfall” has not been well received by players, and the seasonal content is increasingly struggling to excite players. As a result, the developer studio has faced a decline, and the popularity of the loot shooter has dropped rapidly. At the end of October, consequences followed:
Due to poor sales forecasts, Bungie had to conduct mass layoffs. But it got worse.
Many players were frustrated not only with the development of the game but also with the manner of the layoffs, so they retroactively canceled their last accolades for Bungie – their pre-orders of “The Final Shape”.
So, a lot is at stake for Destiny 2, especially concerning the future. Bungie still wants to surprise players with Destiny and invite them on a journey into a vast multiplayer universe. However, as the developer has already admitted, this has not been satisfactorily achieved lately. So something urgently needs to change, but that requires more time, even if it means that the coming months in Destiny 2 will be difficult.
MeinMMO tells you what Bungie has planned so that you do not drown completely in the content desert.
The destination that awaits the Guardians in June 2024 has already been determined. It is finally going to the interior of the Traveler, and there is much to see:
Select a MMO video…
What to expect in the long-term Season 23
This is how they plan to entertain you until June 2024: Developers of live service games are constantly under content pressure. This applies to both seasonal content and major releases with DLCs. This guarantees that players are satisfied and want to stay in the game.
With the postponement of the upcoming DLC “The Final Shape” from February to June 2024, Bungie now faces the challenge of still exciting players and keeping them engaged.
In response, Bungie has presented a new content replacement plan on bungie.net.
Today at 6:00 PM, the new “Season of Wish” (S23) in Destiny 2 will begin as planned. The season will last unchanged from the end of November to February. We currently assume that the contents of the season will still remain in the game until June 2024, even if the story is already completed by then.
In February, new weekly quests will be introduced, based on your progress and called “Wishes”.
In March 2024, the free event “Guardian Games” will start, which Bungie usually holds in May.
In April 2024, the content update “Into the Light” will be released. It is supposed to prepare “all players for their Guardian’s journey to the Traveler,” which sounds as if Bungie wants to bring both new and active players up to speed before the finale.
PvP players can finally look forward to new maps. Bungie has created three maps that will go live in May 2024. The locations planned are Neomuna, Europa, and a terraformed pyramid.
This update will also further revise the PvP modes to improve the player-versus-player experience.
“Now they have to deliver!”: Whether all this is enough to keep the Destiny Guardians in the game remains to be seen. Most of this content is already known, and it may be too little without changes to maintain player numbers at a healthy level until the Final Shape.
Additionally, the reactions of the Destiny 2 community to the extended season are also mixed. Nevertheless, many players see it as an opportunity for Bungie to deliver a good DLC once again. Some want to take the time to play other games they have been putting off for too long. Others want to complete some unfinished long-term goals in Destiny 2.
In one thing, the community seems to agree for once: What is really expected from Destiny 2 after 10 years is an impressive, surprising, and satisfying conclusion to the first major saga of light and darkness.
What expectations do you have for the upcoming content and events in this long season? And do you have hopes and speculations regarding the content update “Into the Light” in April 2024? Do you believe that this update will have a significant impact on the overall story of Destiny 2? We look forward to your opinions and speculations in the comments.
Fortnite will soon be visited by one of the biggest rappers there is: Eminem. Many fans celebrate the collaboration between the artist and Epic Games, but one thing really stinks to the players.
What can players expect? In Season: OG, a major collaboration with the well-known rapper “Eminem” will start soon. He has created a series of skins in collaboration with Fortnite that players can purchase in the Item Shop in the coming days.
So this is a major collaboration, and although players are excited, many are skeptical about the skins. Some fans even speak of greed that Epic Games has fallen into.
Start video
Fortnite: Gameplay Trailer for Chapter 4 Season 5 – Back to OG
Eminem is said to appear with three skins of himself
What annoys the players about it? In a blog post by Epic Games, the developer is already promoting three upcoming skins for Eminem (via fortnite.com). They are as follows:
In contrast, according to the post, there are supposed to be 3 skins for Eminem that can be purchased separately. This annoys the players because it seems much more like a nasty trick to get money out of their pockets with the “same” star. On Reddit, user “gingerchrs” complains that it is very greedy of Epic to exploit Eminem like this and charge money for it.
What do the players say? Fans are still unsure how to interpret the blog post. Many hope that this is only about additional styles of Eminem and that only 1 skin needs to be purchased, while others see a nasty trick by Epic to make money. The following comments can be heard:
“From what I’ve seen from iFireMonkey on Twitter, these are three different skins. Absolutely crazy if it comes to that.” – cozypan
“No, I’ll just buy Slim Shady and call it a day. This is just ridiculous.” – Yusuke-
“The solution would be to vote with your wallet. I find it bad and also very greedy.” – Leo9991
“In the end, they are just a company that wants our money.” – TheVampireArmand
What do you think of the collaboration and the three possible skins that will soon be offered in the Item Shop? Will you buy one or would you rather pass and save your money for Christmas presents? Let us know in the comments!
Battle passes are a controversial topic in gaming. Many major games, whether F2P or not, have one, and they seem to be successful despite the negative connotation. League of Legends regularly offers players a battle pass. However, it is set to be downgraded in the next event, which players are not pleased about.
The LoL battle pass always thematically adapts to an event or a new skin line, currently, the Worlds-2023 pass is running out.
The event passes always cost 1650 RP, which is approximately 15 €
In addition, there are larger packages that grant you a new skin on top
In the pass itself, you can unlock a token currency, resources such as blue and orange essences, and all sorts of cosmetic items and loot boxes
With the tokens, you can buy various loot boxes, keys, resources, or mythical essences and special prestige skins
In previous event passes, there were also 2 grab bags, which you could also get from the event loot boxes with some luck. These bags contain 3 skin shards and possibly additional items. You can activate the skin shards with orange essences or simply sacrifice 3 to get a random permanent skin.
These grab bags are, alongside the mythical essences, one of the most valuable prizes from the event pass. However, in the upcoming pass, 1 grab bag and 625 orange essences have been removed, which players are not happy about. On the Twitter account of SkinSpotlights, you can see the upcoming contents of the event pass.
Start video
LoL: The new champion Hwei fights with a brush -Trailer
PaleHeart52: A banner is fine to celebrate the event, but three versions of it? Waste of space. And losing a grab bag for a banner is a big nerf.
JesusEm14: Classic Riot move. Disgusting.
RommelTheCat: Biggest budget, new $200 FOMO gacha skin, and yet they nerf the pass for which you pay after every event.
Especially the replacement with banners is not seen as equivalent by most. The banners are a cosmetic item that beautifies your profile a bit. Players do not see a banner for the Winterblessed event as problematic, but getting 3 as a replacement for 3 skin shards and 625 orange essences is seen by many as a nerf.
The TFT pass is also criticized by user RedFoxMusic. They believe this pass has also gotten worse.
Despite the huge hype of Worlds 2023 and the positively received simple champions that have been released this year, Riot is moving in a monetization direction that many players do not like. Aside from that, Riot plans to change a lot in the new season gameplay-wise. You can see all that is included here:
Gangs of Sherwood is a new cooperative game that is releasing this month on platforms including Steam. A launch trailer now brings you closer to the new interpretation of the story in a musical way.
What kind of game is this? Gangs of Sherwood is a cooperative action-adventure that will be available on November 30, 2023, on Steam, PS5, and Xbox.
In this new version of the tales surrounding the famous band of robbers, you take on the roles of Robin Hood, Maid Marian, Brother Tuck, or Little John with up to four players. Together, you fight against the wicked Sheriff of Nottingham and his soldiers to free the people from his tyranny.
We have embedded the launch trailer for the game here for you:
Start video
Gangs of Sherwood Launch Trailer
What does the trailer show? The trailer summarizes the story of the game for you one more time. All in a very musical way.
Because fitting to the medieval setting, a minstrel sings about the dire events in Nottingham and the heroic deeds of the band of robbers.
You also get a good impression of the world created for Gangs of Sherwood. The mix of medieval and modern technology appears very well coordinated. You get a sense that it is a world full of mysteries, wonders, but also dangers.
Especially, the disaster brought by the sheriff and his troops over the city and its inhabitants is vividly portrayed.
Accompanied by some gameplay snippets, the minstrel makes it clear how Robin Hood and his friends fight against the new enemies.
You see Robin Hood as a perfect archer, Marian as a fearless assassin, Little John as a powerful bruiser. Brother Tuck brings down all enemies with a huge hammer.
Trailer primarily impresses with one thing and that is not even the game itself
What are the reactions? In the comments (via YouTube), many players praise especially the actor and singer of the minstrel. He seems to create just the right atmosphere with his short song.
Even if some users don’t find the game itself particularly interesting, they cannot help but recognize the quality of the trailer.
But especially the singing and the way the actor performs seem to have captivated the people:
drgonzo123 writes: ‘The actor they chose to promote singing and playing is on another level. Give him a game.’
clover4925 writes: ‘I hope the game hits as well as the trailer song did.’
ocarina2695 writes: ‘… That’s enough. I’m getting the game and if it’s the last thing I do. That’s how you make a trailer.’
SavannahRoseGnome writes: ‘The minstrel who sang was simply incredible. I could listen to his singing all night. He is perfect for introducing the game to the world.’
What do you think of the launch trailer? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments.
In EA FC 24 the Thunderstruck event has brought a number of dynamic cards to Ultimate Team. These cards can become stronger over time. We present the conditions for the upgrades and show you which players have already made progress.
How do the upgrades work? The progress depends on the performance of the clubs where the Thunderstruck players are currently under contract. For the Thunderstruck Icons, the upgrades refer to selected clubs where they have had a successful time in their careers.
Update from December 22, 2023 (1:00 PM): All Thunderstruck cards have received their final upgrades. You can view these in the tables below. At this point, we continue with the original article.
With the launch of the Thunderstruck promo, teams have four games in their home league to give the special cards one or more upgrades. The enhancements for Icons differ from the upgrades of the normal players. This is evident from the following image.
Thunderstruck upgrade system (left Icons, right normal players)
While regular Thunderstruck players can collect up to 2 Inform upgrades and two additional playstyles, the already strong Thunderstruck Icons can receive one additional playstyle and an Inform upgrade at best.
Thunderstruck Tracker shows you all upgrades and progress
What is behind the Thunderstruck Tracker? Here we present a table of all Thunderstruck cards and show how many victories they have already achieved.
Players who have already been changed by an upgrade have been updated here. A new rating through an InForm upgrade (IF upgrade) is bold highlighted, playstyle upgrades (PS) are marked with an asterisk (*). In the last column, you can see in more detail which improvement the card has received.
The additional playstyles of the latest upgrades will be added when they are known.
Upgrades and progress of all Thunderstruck players
Players
Victories
Remaining Matches
Upgrade (IF, PS)
Bernardo Silva (91) – Manchester City
1/3
/
IF upgrade
Neymar (92)* – Al-Hilal
3/3
/
2x IF upgrade, Tiki Taka + Chip
Katoto (92)* – Paris Saint-Germain
3/3
/
2x IF upgrade, First Touch + Flair
Diani (92)* – Olympique Lyon
3/3
/
2x IF upgrade, Curled Shot + Decisive Pass
Vinícius Júnior (92)* – Real Madrid
3/3
/
2x IF upgrade, Tiki Taka + Unyielding
de Jong (89) – FC Barcelona
1/3
/
IF upgrade
Little (90)* – FC Arsenal
3/3
/
2x IF upgrade, Power Shot + Decisive Pass
Hemp (90)* – Manchester City
3/3
/
2x IF upgrade, Tiki Taka + Flair
Varane (88)* – Manchester United
2/3
/
IF upgrade, Kante + Tackle
Lukaku (88)* – FC Roma
2/3
/
IF upgrade, First Touch + Chip
Depay (88)* – Atlético Madrid
2/3
/
IF upgrade, Chip + Controlled Ball
Romero (88)* – Tottenham Hotspurs
2/3
/
IF upgrade,
Davies (88)* – FC Bayern München
3/3
/
2x IF upgrade, Hard Pass + Intercept
Frimpong (87)* – Bayer Leverkusen
2/3
/
IF upgrade, Shove + First Touch
Fekir (87) – Real Betis
1/3
/
IF upgrade
Loftus-Cheek (88)* – AC Milan
3/3
/
2x IF upgrade, Tiki Taka + Hard Pass
Gabriel Jesus (88)* – FC Arsenal
3/3
/
2x IF upgrade, Power Shot + Trivela
Can (87) – Borussia Dortmund
1/3
/
IF upgrade
Ansu Fati (87)* – Brighton & Hove Albion
2/3
/
IF upgrade, Power Shot + Technique
Joelinton (87)* – Newcastle United
2/3
/
IF upgrade, Technique + Further Pass
Tierney (86)* – Real Sociedad
2/3
/
IF upgrade, Decisive Pass + Intercept
Umtiti (86)* – OSC Lille
2/3
/
IF upgrade, Power Header + In the Air
Bremer (87)* – Juventus Turin
2/3
/
IF upgrade, Tackle + Intercept
Gomez (87)* – FC Liverpool
3/3
/
2x IF upgrade, Through Pass, Tackle
Tsygankov (87)* – FC Girona
3/3
/
2x IF upgrade, Curled Shot + Through Pass
Klostermann (88)* – RB Leipzig
3/3
/
2x IF upgrade, Tackle + Block
Cuadrado (87)* – Inter Milan
3/3
/
2x IF upgrade, Tricks + Power Shot
Thierry Correia (86) – FC Valencia
1/3
/
IF upgrade
When do the upgrades appear in the game? We expect that the upgrades will be visible in the game by every Wednesday evening at the latest, with the release of a new Team of the Week.
The South Korean gaming publisher Nexon is one of the most successful providers in the MMORPG sector. CEO Owen Mahoney is stepping down after 13 years. In an interview, he provides insights into the business with MMOs and MMORPGs. He resists games that cost $200 million and employ 1,000 people. The outgoing CEO raves about “The Finals,” which is being developed by fewer than 100 people.
Which 5 games is Nexon mainly known for? The publisher Nexon is one of the most successful providers of online games in the world. However, many of their players are particularly known in Asia:
The MMORPG “Maple Story” has been running for 20 years
In The Finals you can live out your destruction rage – Trailer for the Open Beta
Who is this? Owen Mahoney has been in the rare position of leading a studio based in Japan with most developers in South Korea as CEO from the West.
He is stepping down after 13 years at Nexon, 10 of which as CEO, and will take on an advisory role in the company.
“Best pipeline of all time”
Why is the CEO leaving? In an interview with GamesBeat, Mahoney says they are planning a leadership change because things are going so well right now, and it is important to arrange for succession in the long term.
Mahoney emphasizes that Nexon currently has “the best pipeline of all time,” and The Finals had a fantastic beta.
The company is in shape, firing on all cylinders. It’s a great time to step down. A new leadership is now in a position to succeed rather than immediately grapple with challenges.
One should note in the interview that Mahoney, the CEO of a publicly traded company, repeatedly addresses shareholders and clarifies the benefits of investing in his company. In the interview, he talks about how to minimize risks, optimize profits, and guarantee long-term revenue: all things investors like to hear.
MMORPG running for 20 years, grows by 46% in the last quarter
How does he view MMOs? For Mahoney, MMORPGs are a valuable, long-term investment. He speaks of “living virtual worlds” and “longevity.” He cites MapleStory as an example, which grew by 42% in the last quarter.
There has never been such a game that has grown and thrived for over 20 years. It is unique in gaming history; no one expected anything like this.
AAA games with a $200 million budget and 1,000 developers do not work
He sees this as a problem: Mahoney talks about how to keep game costs low. The future in AAA gaming cannot be having 1,000 people working on a game:
“If you are a game developer and have to manage a team of 500 or 1,000 people, you are no longer a creative person. You are a personnel manager. And that is not why you got into gaming.”
Mahoney says that by developing the right tools and working on the workflow, you can make game developers game developers again. You cannot solve problems by throwing more and more people at the problem:
Customers are dissatisfied because the industry too often makes the same product.
Game developers are dissatisfied because they work hard but are doing assembly line work.
Moreover, investors are also unhappy because people like Mahoney approve $200 million projects, and when such projects flop once or twice, people ask for his head.
According to Mahoney, the development of AAA titles, which are getting increasingly expensive, is simply not sustainable. This is not the business Nexon wants to be in.
“The Finals” as a counter-model – Fewer than 100 employees
What is his alternative? For Nexon, it pays off to maintain lively virtual worlds that run for a long time:
“The games fluctuate a bit, quarter by quarter, but essentially they grow very steadily over a period of years or decades. This gives us enormous stability. We don’t have to replace old, lost revenue with new ones. We can build on them.”
Moreover, Nexon’s products stand out from others through this approach. Instead of throwing people at a problem, they prefer to work on good software solutions.
The team working on The Finals has fewer than 100 employees – nevertheless, The Finals is an AAA game.
In this way, you can develop multiple games in parallel with the same number of people that other studios use to work on a large title, and thus have several irons in the fire.
What kind of software does he mean? Mahoney has high hopes for artificial intelligence. Currently, people are “painting virtual leaves on virtual trees in Photoshop” and being treated like factory workers. Creative work is not demanded of them.
Mahoney hints: If AI takes over such tasks and creatives can work creatively again, more exciting games could emerge. Then the industry could continue to grow.
What it’s about: This is a purely business perspective on gaming and MMOs, where there is not a word about design or game ideas, but purely about costs, manpower, body count, and software tools.
The interview shows why so many developers are afraid of AI, which rationalizes their jobs in the name of efficiency and shareholder value. Mahoney suggests that this will release creative energy. However, the question is whether the person who previously “painted virtual leaves on virtual trees” suddenly steps out and develops brilliant gaming ideas or is rather pushed out of the industry.
In BitCraft, players are actually supposed to collaboratively build entire cities and trading centers. However, the first game tests have shown that fans want a completely different feature. The Californian development studio Clockwork Labs now wants to meet the players’ desires.
What kind of game is BitCraft?
You play a being that has been imbued with a mystical power. You have no skills and essentially start from scratch.
The visuals are reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The characters have been created with cel-shading, and the vast nature, which is said to be full of resources, recalls the wide meadows of Hyrule.
The focus is on PvE; accordingly, there are skills like farming, fishing, mining, and forestry.
The alpha starts in early 2024. To participate, you can register on the official site.
The development team initially envisioned that players would work together in building their cities. However, the first prototypes and playtests have shown that most players embark on the journey alone.
There are hardly any interactions with other players. Accordingly, the team has come up with something to please the players (via Clockwork Labs).
To convince you of how much BitCraft resembles the Zelda title, you can watch the following trailer:
Start video
BitCraft – Announcement Trailer
Players will receive a housing feature in BitCraft
What has the team come up with? The team suspects that players prefer to go solo because they first need to establish trust with strangers on the server.
In the playtests, there were occasionally groups consisting of 2-6 people. They built small settlements, but the development team had actually expected groups of hundreds of players. Therefore, they have now announced a feature that many players are likely to enjoy.
The MMORPG will have a housing feature where players can build their own homes.
This way, players would have their own private space while simultaneously constructing a settlement with strangers.
Clockwork Labs hopes that this will help players shed their inhibitions about building a city with strangers. Players can decide for themselves whom they give access to their own house.
However, the team sees a problem: If too many players leave the server over time, their houses will remain as ruins. This would create ghost towns.
To prevent this, the houses should be set up similarly to the tents in Animal Crossing. The houses should only take up a small space in the world and reveal their true size only when entering the building.
Diablo 4 has introduced some new skins that players can purchase with real money in Season 2. The community is now discussing who is to blame for the expensive skins.
What is the discussion? A heated debate has been sparked within the Diablo 4 community focusing on the expensive skins in the shop. It revolves around the question of who is responsible for the high-priced skins. Skins for real money often cause trouble among players. For example, players are complaining about a new bundle being too expensive for so little content.
The discussion regarding the question of blame was triggered by a post on reddit that began with the title: Imagine a world where you can get such sets through loot and don’t have to pay with a credit card.
Here you can see the post:
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Under the title, he shows images of skin sets available in the shop, including the Bloodholy Circle equipment, Nightmarish Spirit, Bloodred Duelist, and Father’s Complacency – each set priced approximately at 2,500 platinum, roughly 25 euros. The post has received significant attention and already has over 950 comments.
A player named MongooseOne spoke up and emphasized:
Imagine a world where people look for blame where it belongs, instead of blaming Blizzard or another company.
He emphasized that the surplus of microtransactions exists because it is so damn profitable. He held the buyers of such shop items responsible and referred to them as idiots. He explained that consumers are equally to blame and carry the responsibility. The comment has since garnered over 660 upvotes.
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We asked the heads of Diablo 4 about the new class and they answered
What do other players say? Subsequently, many more players expressed their opinions in the comments on reddit. We’ve summarized a few for you:
User NoChanceNoProblem responded that he wouldn’t call those who pay for cosmetic items idiots. In his opinion, paying for cosmetics is a legitimate part of human nature. I praise them because the more stuff they buy, the more content I get.
WhyAmIToxic believes: […] In Diablo 4, you can find most of the free transmogs within a few hours, and the rest is locked in the cash shop. It’s really depressing that in a game that should be about grinding, you have to buy the coolest cosmetics with real money.[…]
SnowDay111 emphasizes that Blizzard has a greater incentive [in Diablo] to provide resources to continue releasing seasonal content and improve the game as this is tied to financial gain. According to him, in a way, everyone wins. He added: You can look at other Blizzard games that do not generate ongoing revenue to see how much attention Blizzard pays to those games. I name one game – Starcraft2 – which is currently most carried by the community.
Unlucky-Solution3899 writes: People will complain about everything. When the paid sets were bad, people complained; now that some are better, they are complaining again. He emphasizes that no one would force anyone to buy one of these sets. The stuff in the game would mostly look great or at least usable.
What do you think of the prices for the cosmetics? Do you think there are enough sets available through loot that also look cool? Who do you think is responsible for the expensive skins? Feel free to write us in the comments.
