The 5 Best MMORPGs on PS4, PS5, and Xbox that you can play in 2026

Alexander Leitsch Alexander Leitsch Reading time 11 minutes

MMORPGs were initially primarily PC games, but they have long since made their way to consoles. Many titles can also be played on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series. We reveal the best MMORPGs for consoles in this list.

What is this list based on? In this list, we present five MMORPGs that you can play on the consoles from Sony and Microsoft. The article was originally created by Alexander Leitsch, and our genre expert Karsten Scholz is now responsible for regular updates. For those who are also active on PC, here is a selection of the best games: The 10 best MMOs and MMORPGs.

Update from January 6, 2026: We have updated the article for 2026.

[toc]

New World Aeternum

Developer: Amazon Games | Platform: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series | Release Date: September 28, 2021 (Console release on October 15, 2024) | Model: Buy2Play | Combat System: Action

Pro
  • Beautiful and unique game world
  • Excellent sound and animation design when collecting
  • The current Season 10 makes New World better than ever
  • Endgame has received comprehensive improvements
  • Fair payment model
Contra
  • Still generic quests
  • Not everyone likes the combat system; it doesn’t always feel right
  • The UI is partly a disaster, for example in the warehouses or seasonal activities
  • The end is foreseeable (probably from 2027)

What kind of game is this? New World was originally supposed to be a survival PvP MMO but was instead transformed into a full-fledged MMORPG with a PvE focus before its release. One highlight of the game is the beautiful game world Aeternum, which shines with impressive lighting conditions and is modeled after a fictional 17th century.

The second major highlight is the gathering system. You can harvest almost all trees, plants, and stones, and the sound and animations leave a lasting impression. Additionally, the special crafting system of New World ensures that even basic materials remain relevant in the late game.

The MMORPG completely forgoes classes and instead relies on a variety of different weapons. Some are better suited for tanking, while others deal damage. The life staff can also be used to heal teammates. Thus, a holy trinity is present.

Start video
4 Reasons Why You Should Play New World: Aeternum

This is also important in the endgame, where you either can take on dungeons with increased difficulties – the mutations. Otherwise, New World offers you dozens of quests, daily tasks in the form of faction missions, and gypsum to level up equipment, raids, PvP arenas, and wars for territories.

A guild can bring a city under its control, generating taxes from sales in the trading post and from renting houses to other players. The housing in New World is not as detailed and special as in FFXIV or ESO, but it offers smaller benefits for combat in dungeons and for luck in crafting due to the trophies.

The combat system is somewhat unconventional. New World relies on an action combat system where you must target enemies and dodge attacks. However, each weapon only has three abilities and comes with long attack animations. With the Aeternum launch this year, the fights feel more action-packed than before.

How well does New World play on console? New World is wonderfully controlled with the consoles’ controllers. The low number of skills combined with the action-oriented approach is perfect for the analog sticks and action buttons.

The performance on consoles is also really good. On PS5, there are no noticeable stutters or drops in frames per second. You can choose between graphics and performance mode. The latter option allows New World to maintain a constant 60 FPS in beta.

Crossplay is enabled on the only EU server currently available. This means you will be playing together with the PC community. A dedicated PlayStation server is now only available for the US East region.

More about New World:
The most successful MMORPG from Germany since Tibia is not only becoming more beautiful but also conquering new platforms
von Karsten Scholz
Die Macher von Rust wollen New World immer noch kaufen, Ex-Entwickler von Amazon erklärt, was dafür nötig ist
von Cedric Holmeier

Who is New World interesting for? New World is a western MMORPG that takes some unusual paths. You must have a knack for grind, the weapons and combat system, and collaborating with other players to have fun.

But then it offers enough tasks with the combat system, the mutations, and the wars for territories to log in every day for weeks. Continuous improvements also come, such as to the story or through new content.

For solo players, the crafting system has a lot of depth, as you can usually farm the materials yourself and thus create the best gear in the game and even sell it in the trading post. Visiting dungeons is not strictly necessary, but it accelerates all processes.

Thanks to the Aeternum version and Season 10 content, New World has been more fun than ever for some time now. It’s also great that the Rise of the Angry Earth expansion is now available to all owners of the main game on PC, and that you can play New World via PS Plus. Not so great: there are no plans for further content, New World is in maintenance mode and is set to go offline sometime after 2026.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5

New co-op game on Steam looks like a mix of Helldivers and Satisfactory, players ask: “Where do I sign?”

Ody Ody Reading time 2 minutes

On Steam a new coop game starts today. It looks like someone has let the bugs out of Helldivers into Satisfactory.

Which game is being talked about? The game in question is StarRupture: A survival coop game by developer Creepy Jar, the creators of Green Hell. The game launches in Early Access on January 6, 2026, on Steam. A regular release is set to follow in about a year.

StarRupture takes place in a sci-fi world with a satirical undertone. The Claywood Corporation is so kind as to let you serve your life sentence on an alien planet. There, you will exploit, process, and send local resources to the corporation.

The humor of the game is also highlighted in the latest trailer. In this “special message,” the Claywood Corporation addresses its “employees”:

Start video
StarRupture: Trailer for the co-op mix of Helldivers and Satisfactory on Steam

Satisfactory with Swarms of Bugs like in Helldivers

Like a mix of Helldivers and Satisfactory: So far, this all sounds very much like Satisfactory – albeit with less slapstick humor, based on the trailer. There is a significant difference, however, which gives the game its Helldivers DNA.

In StarRapture, your factory is repeatedly threatened, including by nasty alien bugs. These resemble the bugs from Helldivers and attack your factory in hordes to gnaw on the technology. Then it’s time to grab your weapons and play exterminator. There are also natural disasters like massive fire storms.

This is how players react: The trailers make the game already look good, and the demo has generated excitement among some players. A user comments under the trailer on YouTube: “I played the demo and I can’t wait to play this game on release.”

The humor is also received well. When the Claywood Corporation promotes the “benefits” of the planet, GDPDuncan immediately responds on YouTube: “You had me at ‘Affordable housing’. Where do I sign?” Meanwhile, RhoDawg51817 is amazed by the beauty of the planet: “Sign me up! Looks like a permanent vacation!”

More on the topic
Steam could soon receive one of the most useful features ever, so you won’t waste money on poorly performing games
von Dariusz Müller
A strategy game just won’t die even after 27 years, has over 27,000 players on Steam and tournaments with big prize money
von Ody
He created such a complex simulation that it keeps players occupied for hundreds of hours, revealing which game he himself spends the most time on
von Lydia

Starting at 3 PM CET: Then you can buy and download StarRupture on Steam. There is also a small discount at launch; the game will cost only €15.99. After this promotion ends, StarRupture will return to its regular price of €19.99.

A game that will soon leave Early Access on Steam is Project: Gorgon. This MMORPG is one of the best-rated on the platform, although it has relatively few players. You can read more about it in our article on MeinMMO: One of the best-rated MMORPGs on Steam is hardly known and will soon leave Early Access

 

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

A robot will cook and do laundry for you in the future – as long as you don’t have stairs

Claudio Niggenkemper Claudio Niggenkemper Reading time 2 minutes

At the CES 2026 technology fair in Las Vegas, LG unveiled a household robot designed to take over your everyday tasks at home – but it is only truly operational in barrier-free apartments.

What is LG’s CLOiD household robot and how does it work? With the CLOiD Home Robot, LG presents an AI-driven household robot that is part of the vision “Zero Labor Home”, meaning a home without tedious everyday chores.

The new robot combines AI, visual recognition, and smart cloud integration to take over typical daily tasks such as cooking, preparing breakfast, loading the washing machine, or hanging and folding laundry (via LG Newsroom).

The predecessor model was primarily designed for service tasks, such as delivering and clearing dishes (via LG GLOBAL).

Select a MMO video…

In the fair demonstrations, CLOiD explained and showed how the helper can, for example, place croissants in the oven, load laundry into the machine, or bring a water bottle – although very slowly and still quite experimental (via The Verge).

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content
CLOiD Presentation CES 2026 (PCMag)

The hardware is based on a torso with two arms (with seven joint-like movement mechanisms) and 5-fingered hands that can perform movements roughly equivalent to those of human arms, plus an autonomous chassis for navigation in the living space (via LG Newsroom).

The Stairs as a Final Boss

Why does the robot currently only work for ground-level households? CLOiD is designed for flatness and open spaces: A barrier-free apartment without obstacles is a prerequisite because the robot currently cannot climb stairs and relies on assisted navigation in everyday life (via Forbes).

Ultimately, the small robot is also just a head, a body, two arms, and of course wheels. The latter currently prevent overcoming higher thresholds and stairs.

Additionally, the focus is primarily on everyday routine tasks in the smart home of a dedicated space. Developer LG shows scenarios in which CLOiD coordinates tasks throughout the day: It starts the washing machine, folds laundry after drying, and can even communicate with smart household appliances to autonomously coordinate processes in a timely manner.

It remains questionable how helpful this truly is given the current speed of the helper.

How realistic are robots in our household? In addition to LG, other companies are also working on household robots – for example, the Norwegian start-up 1X Technologies, which is financially supported by OpenAI (1x Technologies).

Their humanoid robot “NEO” is said to take on tasks such as tidying up or folding laundry, but at around 20,000 USD, it is currently far from being a true everyday helper. How large the gap between promises and reality is, and how many empty promises exist in today’s household robotics, was recently highlighted by content creator Dany Gonzalez.

More on the topic
More on the topic
An AI has defeated the protection against robots just so it can book a vacation
von Cedric Holmeier
More on the topic
Fraudsters deceive Taylor Swift fans, use AI for nasty scams, seize over 4 billion euros
von jan hartmayer

Nevertheless, tech companies are pushing development forward and working on smart machines that are supposed to relieve us in everyday life. LG’s ClOiD currently has neither a price nor a release date. By the way, how quickly something harmless can turn into something creepy, is clearly illustrated by another example: AI teddy bear aims to be the “perfect friend” for children, becomes a nightmare for parents

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

Players of ARC Raiders have a problem with matchmaking: their friends

Dariusz Müller Dariusz Müller Reading time 2 minutes

The matchmaking of ARC Raiders is keeping the community busy, as players suffer from their trigger-happy friends.

What is special about the matchmaking in ARC Raiders? Patrick Söderlund, one of the founders and current CEO of Embark Studios (ARC Raiders, The Finals), talked about the matchmaking of the extraction shooter in an interview with GamesBeat.

Söderlund confirmed what many players had long suspected: There is “aggression-based matchmaking” in ARC Raiders. He explained that if players prefer PvE, they will be matched with equally peaceful players in a lobby. Players who engage in PvP frequently will consequently meet other PvP fans.

Start video
ARC Raiders zeigt im Launch-Trailer, wie der Kampf Mensch gegen Maschine aussieht

Trigger-happy friends ruin solo matchmaking

What is the problem for the players? In a post on Reddit, a player reported that he ended up in aggressive lobbies during solo rounds after playing with trigger-happy friends. While he cannot prove this definitively, and there are currently no precise details from the developers regarding matchmaking, various users in the comments share this observation.

The problem for them now is that the measured aggression for solo and trio matches seems to be the same. Therefore, if a raider has trigger-happy friends, he will also end up in aggressive lobbies during his solo rounds.

The Reddit user hopes that the measured aggression will eventually be differentiated between played solo and trio rounds. The post received nearly 7,500 upvotes within 24 hours. Many comments agree with him.

There was a question of whether there are even peaceful trio lobbies. Some raiders argue that they themselves play much more cautiously in solo rounds, while they embrace PvP in trios. One user writes, for example: “I generally play much more passively and even occasionally rescue other raiders in solos. However, in trios, I enjoy PvP, and the sheer amount of it is great for getting better.”

More on the topic
More on the topic
A player finds a simple yet effective trick in ARC Raiders to keep Twitch streamers at bay
von Caroline Fuller
More on the topic
Twitch streamer screams for help in ARC Raiders loudly, forgets that his window is open, receives an unwelcome visit
von Dariusz Müller

What can you do if your friends are trigger-happy? Part of the community reports that there is a way back to peaceful lobbies. The most effective way is to play some raids without shooting at a single other player – not even for self-defense if necessary.

The users recommend playing naked or with a free loadout if you want to at least defend yourself against the ARCs. This way, you won’t lose any equipment on your way to peaceful lobbies.

However, CEO Patrick Söderlund did not only talk about matchmaking in the interview. It was also about the game’s release and looking at the competition. He said: The developers of ARC Raiders were so convinced that they didn’t care about Battlefield 6 – but one game scared them

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

“Jaw on the Floor” – Because fans were so disappointed with One-Punch Man, they’re now just doing it themselves on YouTube

Jasmin Beverungen Jasmin Beverungen Reading time 2 minutes

The 3rd season of the anime of One-Punch Man was not well received by fans. Now, an artist has attempted to recreate a scene from the manga – showing how good the series could be.

What criticism is there? Even beforehand, the director of season 3 lowered expectations and stated that the continuation would not be as good as in season 1. Due to the change of studios and directors, the quality of the animations declined so much that even season 2 suffered a bad reputation.

A legendary animator has meanwhile defended the work of the animators. He warned that if the criticism continues, the animators might leave the industry. However, for fans, season 3 is already a lost cause: On IMDb, the episodes of the season range from 1.5 to 6.4/10 stars.

Some artistically inclined viewers took the effort to create a short film that shows a scene from the One-Punch Man manga. This scene has not yet been seen in the anime itself. However, it already demonstrates how brilliantly the depicted fight could be animated.

Start video
One-Punch Man Staffel 1 ist eine der beliebtesten Anime-Serien aller Zeiten

Fans of One-Punch Man turn scene into visual spectacle

What is this video about? In the 14-minute video, the fight between Saitama and Cosmic Garou can be seen. For spoiler reasons, we won’t go further into the fight, but let’s just say: It’s likely to be very effect-heavy and spans multiple horizontal planes.

The creator of the video is OMARU Animations. Several artists and even English-speaking voice actors contributed to this project. The fight is adapted from still images of the manga, so it is not completely original content.

However, the video illustrates how impressive the animations could be if more frames per second and effects were utilized. You can watch the fight with a visual fireworks display on YouTube:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

What do fans say about it? In the comments section below the YouTube video, there is a storm of donations. Many users cannot believe that they watched the video for free, donating amounts of up to 100 euros. Some write that fans deserved such animations, referring to the quality of season 3.

User alejandrocastro2684 writes, for example, how much the anime means to him and thanks the creators of the video from the bottom of his heart – along with a small donation. Every second of the video shows how much passion and love for One-Punch Man is invested in it.

Also on X, the video is causing a stir. One user literally dropped his jaw to the floor because the animations are so good. 

More about anime
One Piece announces a new series with Lego, giving me a brief scare that luckily subsided
von Jasmin Beverungen
One Piece Anime Remake auf Netflix: Release, Trailer, and More in the Overview
von Jasmin Beverungen
Witch Hat Atelier: Episode 3 – Release Overview
von Jasmin Beverungen

And the suffering of the fans has not yet ended: The team behind the anime announced that season 3 will even get a second part. However, the teaser image has already stirred excitement among the viewers: The anime of One-Punch Man has “bad” news for all fans: season 3 gets a second part

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

Twitch streamer follows in the footsteps of Los Ratones in LoL, becomes professional in Regional League – But he is actually only Platinum

Niko Hernes Niko Hernes Reading time 3 minutes

Twitch streamers trying out in a professional league in League of Legends seem to be increasing. After Los Ratones and the German streamer NoWay, a new player follows in their footsteps and is entering a regional league.

Which streamer is it? Sebastian Fors, better known as Forsen, is a Swedish Twitch streamer who has previously gained competitive experience in Starcraft 2 and Hearthstone.

As it has now become known, he will also face professional League of Legends in the upcoming Winter Split of the NLC. The NLC is a LoL league for Northern Europe. He will play in the new team 4 SWINES & A BUM. Although he does not have a high rank, his team consists of good players.

Start video
Das ist LoL – Einmal richtig ehrlich erklärt

An unusual jungler, a better team

Who is playing with him? Forsen himself is an unusual player when looking at his rank. On his EUW account (via op.gg) he currently only has the rank Platinum 3 in Solo/Duo with 513 matches (as of 06.01.2026). On his NA account (via op.gg) he is currently at least Emerald 1, although it should be noted that he has only played 58 matches (as of: 06.01.2026).

These are not low ranks; after all, only 9.5% of players are Emerald, but for a professional player, they are still quite low. Many pros are rather Master (0.52%), Grandmaster (0.018%), and Challenger (0.0076%) (via leagueofgraphs.com). His team looks significantly better:

  • Maksymilian Drututt Przychodzień is the top laner. He does not have much competitive experience but played, for example, at the NNO Cup 2 times. Drututt has, however, become a multiple Challenger, especially with off-meta champions.
  • Eugene Pobelter Park is the mid laner. He has been involved in e-sports since 2011 and has only played in the North American region. He has played for teams such as FlyQuest (between 2018 and 2019) and Team Liquid (2017 to 2018).
  • Jakob Jackspektra Gullvag Kepple plays on the bot lane. He has been playing in Europe since 2019 and is considered a strong ADC, who also worked as an analyst for the LEC in 2025.
  • Marius Veigar v2 Aune is the supporter. He was the coach of Cloud9 and currently has 1001 LP in Grandmaster (via op.gg). As Sheep Esports reports, Veigar v2 is, however, a controversial person who was fired by Fnatic in 2020 for toxic behavior.

What does his team think of his low rank? About his Platinum jungler, Drututt said only: He said that jungle is the easiest role in competition since he only has to clear camps […] Forsen is our captain. The NLC changed the rules so he could play.

What exactly is meant by the rule change is unclear. According to the official ERL Rulebook for 2026, every player of a team must have a rank peak of at least Diamond 3 in the last 3 splits. Since Forsen reached a maximum of only Platinum 2 on his EUW account in the last season, he shouldn’t be able to participate. Whether he needs to achieve a higher rank before the league starts, or what rule change has been established is still unclear.

More on the topic
More on the topic
Faker is honored for his performance by the President of Korea, becoming the first LoL player to receive the highest medal for athletes
von Niko Hernes
More on the topic
Faker is six-time world champion in LoL, loses to a fan, reacts shocked when he learns the rank
von Cedric Holmeier
More on the topic
Riot announces one of the largest updates in the history of LoL, plans extensive overhaul of the entire game
von Nico Scheibel

Not an impossible team

Can the team keep up at all? Even though 4 SWINES & A BUM looks weaker on paper than other teams, there is definitely potential to keep up. Los Ratones has already shown that one can win thanks to the Fearless Draft with unusual champions.

The players in 4 SWINES & A BUM are also quite unusual and have previously relied on off-meta champions. How exactly the team will perform can be seen starting January 8, 2026, when the Winter Split 2026 of the NLC begins. In 2023, Forsen already clashed with a big streamer, but in Minecraft: “You have to sell your soul” – Twitch streamer explains why the big xQc can’t keep up with him

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Leaguepedia
  2. Sheep Esports
  3. esports.gg
  4. Titelbildquelle: MADMONQ auf YouTube

A star from Game of Thrones talks about her return to the series, sets clear condition: “Show me the money”

Christoph Waldboth Christoph Waldboth Reading time 2 minutes

The original series of Game of Thrones is now legendary, as is its ending, which many fans and actors were not satisfied with. One actress, however, thinks differently and could even imagine a return under certain circumstances.

What are the plans for Game of Thrones? Fans of Westeros have received the prequel series House of the Dragon since the end of Game of Thrones, and on January 19, 2026, the next production will start: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which is a spin-off and tells its own story.

Besides that, writer George R.R. Martin recently revealed to Collider that several projects related to Game of Thrones are in the works at HBO. Specifically, he mentioned “five or six” pieces. Most are prequels, taking place before the events of the original series, but direct sequels would also be included.

This raises the question of whether some of the original characters will return and whether their actors would be willing to make another appearance. Sophie Turner, who portrayed Sansa Stark at the time, has a clear opinion on this.

The new spin-off series A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms must do without Sansa Stark but shines with its own characters – on MeinMMO you can read all the information about it.

Start video
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms shows in the final trailer that one can expect more humor than in Game of Thrones

Two aspects must be right

What does Sophie Turner say? In an interview with The Direct, the actress was asked how interested she would be in returning to Game of Thrones. In a sequel that takes place after the events of the main series, that would certainly be possible.

Without spoiling Sansa’s fate at the end of Game of Thrones – the character is in a good position to appear again. Sophie Turner’s first reaction to this question is likely to be understood with a wink: “Show me the money,” she replies, laughing. She then elaborates on her thoughts about a return:


I think it would be difficult but also great to return there. But I am very satisfied with how Sansa ended her story in “Game of Thrones”, and no one else was really happy with their ending. I feel like I got a good ending, and therefore I don’t know if I could return.

Sophie Turner

In fact, not only were many fans dissatisfied with the ending of Game of Thrones, but also some of the actors were The Tab reports, quite unhappy with the fate of their character.

In this regard, Turner thinks differently, but she knows that a return would come with certain risks:

Maybe it would be a great joy, or maybe it would be an attempt to hold on to something that was once magical but cannot be restored. I would need to see a script.

Sophie Turner

For every successful series begins with the script, the story, the characters, and their dialogues. This aspect ultimately displeased many fans with the finale and soured the ending of Game of Thrones for them.

More on the topic
More on the topic
Stranger Things does it better than Game of Thrones, delighting its fans with a heartwarming finale
von Alexander Mehrwald
More on the topic
Expert on the Middle Ages evaluates a battle from Game of Thrones, delivers a devastating judgment
von Christoph Waldboth
More on the topic
A terrible villain from Game of Thrones returns in the new series, but suddenly he is a cute baby
von Christoph Waldboth

How exactly HBO’s plans for the franchise look is currently unknown. Fans can, however, look forward to what happens next after the upcoming spin-off. Are you at all interested in much more Game of Thrones? You can read more about it on MeinMMO: A man who is only mentioned twice in Game of Thrones is now getting his own series

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. thedirect.com
  2. Titelbildquelle: GoT auf YouTube

One of the best-rated MMORPGs on Steam is little known, soon leaving Early Access

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 2 minutes

Although Project: Gorgon has been in Early Access for over 7 years on Steam and is one of the highest-rated MMORPGs on the platform, it only attracts a few players. Perhaps the upcoming release can change that.

What kind of MMORPG is this? Project: Gorgon is an indie MMORPG from the studio Elder Game, aiming to take you back to the times of EverQuest 1 and Asheron’s Call. The immersive experience in the world is at the forefront. There is no fixed class system. Instead, you decide which skills to learn, combine, and master.

Utilize alchemy for massive explosions or create a golem companion. Tame animals, train them, breed them, and use them in combat or sell them. Master necromancy and summon an army of the dead. Or find out how you can make life difficult for your opponents even as a transformed cow.

Start video
Project: Gorgon – Steam Release Trailer

“Offers everything I have missed in other games”

What else sets Project: Gorgon apart? The MMORPG also gives you a lot of freedom when exploring the world. For example, you can write your own texts or even entire books and present them to other players in the world – for instance, to make a name for yourself as a poet or author.

All items you sell to NPC merchants remain there, allowing other players to buy them. Those who turn their good items into gold in the starting area can easily support passing newcomers.

Although Project: Gorgon seems technically outdated and out of time, the MMORPG has always received very positive reviews for its Early Access version on Steam. Specifically, 86 percent of the 2,462 ratings so far are positive. This has secured a top spot in our ranking of the highest-rated MMORPGs on Steam (currently: 4th place) for years.

  • Gerugon has almost 400 hours logged and celebrates on Steam: “Yes, it’s not graphically stunning, but it reminds me of the online games of the 90s and has a great atmosphere. […] Overall, I can only recommend the game so far, especially for people who don’t follow the mainstream.”
  • Rei Ayanami praises on Steam after almost 170 hours: “The game has special features that are rare in MMOs. I think the game is very good. It cannot be denied that it needs some polishing. Nevertheless, I enjoy it more than modern MMOs, where everything has to be ‘quick and fast.'”
  • jujan goes even further in his review on Steam after 150 hours: “I’ll keep it brief, it’s the best MMORPG I have ever played. It offers everything I have missed in other games. I’ve been searching for a game like this for years.”

The small number of reviews and the statistics on steamdb.info show, however, that hardly anyone has tried Project: Gorgon so far. Fewer than 300 people are online at the same time on the servers. At its peak over 7 years ago, there were only 677.

Perhaps that will change when the game leaves Early Access on January 28, 2026, and celebrates its final release. The developers announced the date on Steam. Whether the current purchase price of 24.50 Euros will increase, as hinted in the FAQ from Early Access, is unclear.

More about MMORPGs:
Over 10,000 players engage in the largest battle ever in EVE Online, destroying over 40,000 € in 24 hours
von Cedric Holmeier
New MMORPG transforms your gaming room into one of the greatest animes of all time, even makes the best players sweat
von Cedric Holmeier

In addition to Project: Gorgon, many other multiplayer games are also celebrating their release in 2026. We have compiled an overview of all known releases so far. Whether coop, competitive, MMO, or MMORPG, you will find what you’re looking for here: New MMOs and multiplayer games 2026: Look forward to these releases

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

New event in Pokémon GO sounds like a lot of running, but brings new Pokémon

Max Handwerk Max Handwerk Reading time 2 minutes

In Pokémon GO the “High Zaptitude” event is starting soon. The new bird Voltrel will be there, but not from the beginning.

When does High Zaptitude start? High Zaptitude is scheduled for January 13th at 10:00 AM. It ends on January 18th at 8:00 PM.

What is the highlight? The event essentially brings two highlights that you should take advantage of.

  • On one hand, Blipp will appear with an increased chance of being shiny when you hatch it.
  • On the other hand, Voltrel makes its debut in Pokémon GO – but only after completing a global challenge.

In addition, there will be some more content. We summarize it for you here.

Start video
Pokémon GO shows its new season in the trailer

An event for runners, but with exciting rewards

Overall, High Zaptitude seems to be an event where you are expected to collect a lot of kilometers.

  • The global challenge revolves around completing “exploration tasks” together with all trainers in the world. The exploration missions in Pokémon GO usually mean walking kilometers.
  • The challenge has three stages that must be completed.
    • Stage 1 brings double catch XP
    • Stage 2 brings the debut of Voltrel, which then appears in the wild and in field research
    • Stage 3 brings double hatch XP and double hatch Stardust
  • Furthermore, another focus of the event is on eggs. You can hatch them to get exciting Pokémon.
Pokémon GO Voltrel Blipp
Blipp and Voltrel in the official event graphic (Image source: pokemongo.com)

In 2 km eggs, you can hatch Pichu, Elekid, Toxel, and Blipp – all of which can also be shiny. Especially Toxel and Blipp are interesting. Toxel simply because it is still a comparatively new Pokémon. And Blipp because it brings the increased shiny chance when hatching.

Otherwise, the event also offers electric Pokémon in the wild. Lampi, Eguana, Blipp, and Sheinux are on the move and can also be caught as shiny.

Lastly, the shop will also offer a paid, limited-time research. It is expected to cost $1.99 (comparable in euros) and includes items like incubators and half the hatch distance for eggs.

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

What’s next in Pokémon GO? January is running in Pokémon GO. And even though it is cold outside, there are one or two dates that make a Pokémon GO walk worthwhile. The new electric event with shiny Blipp and Voltrel is likely to be one of them, but there are also others on the calendar. You can read about them here: All events in January 2026 in Pokémon GO.

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

A new machine is so powerful that it can ‘compress time’, producing 1,900 times the Earth’s gravity

Claudio Niggenkemper Claudio Niggenkemper Reading time 2 minutes

China has introduced the world’s most powerful centrifuge, the CHIEF1900, at the end of 2025. The machine generates up to 1,900 times the Earth’s gravity and is expected to allow researchers to simulate extreme physical conditions and disasters.

What exactly is the CHIEF1900? The CHIEF1900 centrifuge, developed by the Shanghai Electric Nuclear Power Group, is part of a comprehensive national research project and has been installed in a 15-meter-deep underground laboratory. It can generate forces equivalent to 1,900 times the Earth’s gravity (Xataka).

Thus, it surpasses all previous centrifuges – including the predecessor model CHIEF1300 and comparable research facilities from the United States (South China Morning Post).

Select a MMO video…

The machine allows for a so-called “hypergravity,” where gravity-related processes can be studied in a highly accelerated time frame.

By the way, the name CHIEF is derived from the initial letters of the research institution Centrifugal Hypergravity and Interdisciplinary Experimental Facility (German: Zentrifugale Hypergravitation und interdisziplinäre Versuchsanlage).

The Shift of Time

How can a machine influence time and space? Generally, the centrifuge does not literally compress space and time. It means that processes that would take years or centuries in nature can be simulated in the laboratory within a few hours.

The main area of application is the simulation of extreme scenarios and the verification of structures. For example, a three-meter high dam model can rotate at 100g to generate the forces that act on a 300-meter high dam in reality. Risks such as dam failures or earthquake damage can be analyzed in advance (via winfuture).

Who is allowed to research with the machine? Although the CHIEF1900 was developed in China, the research facility is not only accessible to Chinese scientists. According to official information, the laboratory is also open for international research collaborations. With a budget of about 285 million USD, the facility is among the most modern of its kind worldwide (via Techspot).

The CHIEF1900 is used in several disciplines: In materials research, for example, construction materials are tested under extreme stress, in geoscience the facility simulates the spread of pollutants in the soil, and in biology it examines how cells and organisms respond to increased gravity — with a view to possible living conditions on other planets.

More on the topic
More on the topic
China sold cheap batteries for years – Now the price is rising, and no one has an alternative
von jan hartmayer
More on the topic
China burns so much waste that people are already digging up old rubbish to sell it
von Claudio Niggenkemper
More on the topic
China has changed the Earth’s rotation with a huge construction, but now an even bigger project is to follow
von Benedikt Schlotmann

With the CHIEF1900 centrifuge, China underscores its claim to play a leading role in international natural science. In addition to immense research investments and ambitions, China is also working on the transformation of transport and urban planning of metropolises: Metro stations are being built in China before the city is even constructed.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Titelbild via China Focus (staatlich kontrolliertes Medium)
  2. IndiaToday

German Twitch streamer imitates OnlyFangs, lets group down in WoW Hardcore, must face the Sauercrowd court

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 3 minutes

The German Twitch streamer Chefstrobel was taken to court. The reason: He had abandoned his team from the Sauercrowd guild in a dungeon from WoW Classic Hardcore.

What happened? On January 3, 2026, some members of the German content guild Sauercrowd ventured into the 5-player dungeon Zul’Farrak in WoW Classic Hardcore. During the boss Antu’sul and his summoned basilisks or bats, the situation escalated.

In this fight, it is important to interrupt certain spells, avoid unwanted aggro from the adds, and destroy the totems in a timely manner. The problem: Chefstrobel’s rogue was only level 42. The boss, however, is level 48. A difference of 6 levels causes many attacks and abilities to miss. There was a lack of damage. The totems stood for too long. Spells went through.

The result: The mana-users eventually ran out of mana. The players’ health points kept dropping. However, some of the adds were still alive. Those who had aggro tried to kite the mobs through the dungeon. It didn’t help. Several characters in their 40s met their end.

Start video
WoW Classic: The Hardcore Servers Are Here!

“That is surely the worst rogue from OnlyFangs … uh … Sauercrowd”

Why is Chefstrobel being criticized? The streamer’s rogue survived the “wipe” with full health because he could vanish from the fight and secure himself. He defended his action on X: He wouldn’t have been able to deal much damage or help in any way at level 42.

When chaos broke out, he wanted to buy the others some time with his dummy. However, it only lived for a second. Then he called “Run”. Chefstrobel tried to deal damage, but almost all attacks missed. He only used “Vanishing” when no other player was alive in the dungeon anymore.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the Twitter content

Pikaboo, who played the rogue at the highest level in WoW for many years, sees it differently on Twitch. In disbelief, he asks: “Where has this rogue been the whole time? Is he even attacking anyone?” In the critical phase, as Bleeshh and Treelover fall, Chefstrobel walks at a safe distance from the mobs toward the exit.

Pikaboo’s devastating verdict: “That is surely the worst rogue from OnlyFangs … uh … Sauercrowd.” In his opinion, Chefstrobel could have saved the situation if he had consistently attacked the mob with the lowest health points.

Hänno sees the mistake quite differently. On YouTube, he explains that the level difference was simply too great for a hardcore run. They should have skipped this boss with all his abilities.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

What happened next? The scene and the discussions around Chefstrobel’s behavior remind one of a certain content creator named Jason Thor “PirateSoftware” Hall, who did something similar during the OnlyFangs project. That caused a lot of drama in the streaming world.

The leaders of Sauercrowd handled the situation differently: Chefstrobel had to go to court. You can watch the entire trial from January 5, 2025, on Twitch, starting at 4:11:00. There, it should be settled forever whether the streamer is indeed the worst WoW rogue of all time and whether he is liable for his guildmates’ deaths.

At the court hearing, a seasoned international WoW player named Xaryu was also present, who has long dominated arenas and battlegrounds alongside Pikaboo. His assessment was not quite as harsh:

“He actually plays okay […], better than one would expect from a rogue who is new to WoW. […] Later, he doesn’t play as well. Surely he could have helped the paladin or the hunter, and then maybe they wouldn’t have died. […] If it were Pikaboo, I would tear him apart for being such a noob. But he is a professional.”

Like Hänno, Xaryu sees the main problem in attempting the dungeon at this low level. That was reckless and risky, and the entire group bears the responsibility for it.

How did the court decide? After about 2 hours of hearing, a vote was taken on whether Chefstrobel should be punished. In the end, it was close: 54 votes against 50 votes: Not guilty! You can also watch the scene here on Twitch.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the Twitter content

Chefstrobel was still given a reprimand: The streamer must duel one of the guild leaders within a week. If he loses, Chefstrobel has to pay 1 gold piece to the guild. He chooses Papaplatte.

This punishment should be totally fine for the defendant. After all, he was recently punished harder for another incident (logging out of WoW outside of the stream): With every level-up, Chefstrobel currently has to do jumping jacks and say “Trymacs” each time, like here on Twitch.

More about WoW:
WoW: A NPC in Midnight remembers you and you surely hate him
von Cortyn
WoW: World First! Team Liquid takes the victory, this time really
von Cortyn

While Chefstrobel survived his entire dungeon group, other streamers from Sauercrowd are struggling not to turn themselves into spirit healers. LostKittn unfortunately lost this battle. An elevator was to blame: Sauercrowd streamer learns one of the nastiest traps in WoW history – “The outcry, then the silence …”

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

“I paid $60 for this”: Players want to play the last round in Anthem, but EA silently kills the shooter too early

Jasmin Beverungen Jasmin Beverungen Reading time 2 minutes

As the servers of Anthem are about to go offline, some players wanted to take another look at the MMO. However, that may no longer be possible, as EA acted too soon.

When should the final blow come? Actually, Anthem was supposed to shut down on January 12, 2026, so about a week from today. Since the title was designed as a purely online game, it will no longer be playable after the servers shut down on that day.

For many months now, it has no longer been possible to purchase the premium currency in the shop. Anthem was also removed from the list of EA Play titles back in August 2025.

However, more and more players are now making themselves known who can no longer play Anthem at all. The issue is not with the servers, but with a prior step.

Start video
„Wusste immer, dass es irgendwann endet“ – Chef-Entwickler von Anthem spricht über die letzte Hoffnung für den Shooter

Anthem servers gone a week too soon, but not for everyone

What is the problem? On X, several users like DansGaming and LukeStephens point out that they can no longer find Anthem in the app. EA is preventing them from downloading Anthem, even though there is still a week until the server shutdown.

We asked EA about the missing download issue. As soon as we have a response, we will update this article.

We also looked in the EA App and cannot find the game through search. However, there seem to be exceptions: User LatinLegacy can still download the game. He suspects it might be because he purchased the title as a preorder. 

Stephens writes that he finds it crazy to buy a game and then not be able to download it, even though it is still “alive.” A user sums it up well:

I paid 60 dollars for a game license that I can’t access and that will soon be taken offline? Sounds like the future of gaming.

Because players are no longer buying the game itself digitally but only the license to be allowed to use it. This brings the issue that buyers can no longer determine how long they have access to a title. That depends on the publisher or developer.

That’s why YouTuber Ross Scott started a petition called “Stop Killing Games”, which is also mentioned in the comments on X. It advocates against the shutdown of game servers, as Anthem is not an isolated case. The Crew has been affected in the past.

However, whether this can actually prevent the shutdown of servers remains to be seen in the future.

More about Anthem
Anthem is now definitely dead, fans don’t want to accept that, working on a revival
von Ody
A fan manages to revive Anthem, praised by the community: “This gives me hope”
von Christoph Waldboth
„I’ve seen the final hours of Anthem and it was disturbing“
von MeinMMO

A 30-year-old MMORPG experienced something similar. Its servers were shut down in June 2023. However, the game was revived by a new buyer. Such a thing seems less conceivable for Anthem: Ancient MMORPG was shut down after 27 years, returns now after 5 months

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

Is Pokémon GO’s first Spotlight Hour 2026 worth it today?

Max Handwerk Max Handwerk Reading time 2 minutes

In Pokémon GO the first spotlight hour of the year is waiting for you. What it contains, you can read here.

When does the spotlight hour start? The spotlight hour starts on January 6, 2026, at 6:00 PM. As usual, a specific Pokémon will be in the spotlight and will appear everywhere. At 7:00 PM, it will be over and the Pokémon from the current event “The Right Trick” will appear again.

Which Pokémon is in the spotlight? Schmerbe is the first spotlight Pokémon on January 6. It originally comes from the Ruby and Sapphire games. The Water and Ground-type Pokémon has an evolution, Welsar.

What bonus is active? Starting at 6:00 PM today, you will receive double XP for every catch you make for one hour.

Is there a Shiny Schmerbe? Yes, you can catch Schmerbe as a Shiny as well. However, the chance of it appearing is not increased, so you will need a lot of luck.

Start video
Pokémon GO shows its new season in the trailer

How strong is Schmerbe and the bonus?

This is how strong Schmerbe is: Unfortunately, not very strong. The Pokémon is not even close to making it onto the list of the strongest monsters in Pokémon GO. And its evolution Welsar also doesn’t do much in terms of combat. This applies to both Raids and Gyms as well as PvP.

In the Super League, Welsar can be used, and it can win some matches there, but there are many other Pokémon that currently outperform it.

Is the bonus worth it? Double XP is always helpful when you are still on the way to level 80. The bonus also applies to all Pokémon you catch during the event today, not just Schmerbe. So, for example, you can also get more XP from Raids.

What you should consider: There might even be more XP on top of that today, as the event “The Right Trick” also brings double XP as a bonus. It is currently unclear whether the XP bonuses will stack during the spotlight hour. If they do, you would actually get four times the XP per catch. However, this remains to be seen.

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

What’s next in Pokémon GO? It is cold outside, and walks need to be well planned if you want to catch Pokémon. To let you know when it’s worth going out, we have summarized all the events of the current month for you. You can find our list with all dates here: All events in January 2026 in Pokémon GO.

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

China sold cheap batteries for years – Now the price is rising, and no one has an alternative

jan hartmayer jan hartmayer Reading time 2 minutes

Since China has been covering almost the entire global energy storage demand for years, both demand and price are now rising together. This reveals, among other things, how dependent many countries are. 

Why is the demand for batteries rising? Most of today’s energy storage is made from so-called lithium batteries. The majority of these are produced at bargain prices in the Chinese region. 

Germany alone is expected to import batteries from China worth over ten billion US dollars, around 8.5 billion euros (as of January 5, 2026), according to the news agency Reuters in 2025.

The reason for the increased energy demand is also attributed to the heightened production of electric cars in China (via tradingeconomics.com), the current AI boom, and government interventions by the Chinese state (via reuters.com). The rise of AI can also be explained by the increased usage by consumers. It’s gone so far that companies bought aircraft turbines to cool their data centers. 

Start video
Students spy on passersby with hidden cameras and AI, find name and address in seconds

Energy storage is likely to become more expensive in the long run 

How is the price of lithium developing? As AI companies require large amounts of energy storage, they, together with electric cars, are increasing the demand. 

Additionally, the fact that 27 licenses for lithium mines in China’s Jiangxi province are set to be canceled by early 2026 may affect the price of batteries in the long term (via tradingeconomics.com).

Since mid-last year, lithium as a resource has become increasingly sought after and expensive. According to the financial platform tradingeconomics, the price of the material rose by about 58 percent in 2025. 

Why is it problematic if there is only one producer? Because China controls almost all battery production, from raw material extraction to manufacturing (via ffb.fraunhofer.de), it puts many countries in a state of dependency. 

Without the export of Chinese energy storage, many production lines would come to a halt and products relying on the energy cells could no longer be sold. 

More on the topic
A transitional solution was so good that it is still found on many of your laptops 32 years later
von Claudio Niggenkemper
Tech YouTuber wants to know how much distance the gaming PC should really have from the wall, gets help from NASA
von jan hartmayer
User finds a rare AMD graphics card for 15 euros in the thrift store, connects it at home and it actually works
von Claudio Niggenkemper

The Handelsblatt reports, for example, that the company Tesla is investing in battery manufacturing in Germany. This would somewhat reduce the dependency on Chinese exports. But not only countries are worried about the production and storage of energy. Even the founder of Microsoft is concerned about renewable energies and their use: Bill Gates already knows the energy source of the future, focusing on a special metal

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. xataka
  2. Reuters
  3. tradingeconomics
  4. ffb.fraunhofer

Unfortunately, we are still waiting quite a while for ARK 2 – But for those who are excited about it, a new game on Steam will make them happy

Ody Ody Reading time 2 minutes

ARK 2 has a new release date, but it’s much later than expected. A new survival game on Steam could be just right for you.

What game would that be? Echoes of Extinction is a new survival game from Burning Rock Studios. The game is still in development and is currently raising funds to finance the project. A corresponding Kickstarter campaign is currently ongoing.

In contrast to ARK 2, which now won’t be released until 2028, you can play Echoes of Extinction right now – although for now only in the form of a tech demo that is freely available on Steam.

Here you can see a trailer for the new demo of Echoes of Extinction:

Start video
Echoes of Extinction: Neues Survival-Spiel auf Steam mit Dinos beginnt Kickstarter-Kampagne

Two survival games in one

What kind of game is this? Echoes of Extinction strongly resembles the previous ARK games at first glance. You find yourself naked on a wild island where you gather resources, craft primitive tools, build a base, and fight for survival. This island is also home to prehistoric dinosaurs.

The first major difference becomes apparent with the dinosaurs. While in ARK they are all controlled by AI, in Echoes of Extinction you can also play as them.

So you get two survival games in one:

  • As a human, you experience a classic survival experience with gathering resources, crafting, and building bases – similar to ARK.
  • From the other perspective, the game plays more like The Isle: You start with a vulnerable juvenile and grow into a defensive dinosaur over time.

Some of the screenshots on the Steam page of the game show not only battles but also cooperation between humans and dinosaurs. So, like in ARK, you will be able to tame dinosaurs.

More on the topic
More on the topic
ARK 2: Release, Trailer, Gameplay – What we know so far
von Dariusz Müller
More on the topic
“The Jurassic Park game I always wanted as a child”: New Dino game on Steam lets you escape with friends from dinosaurs
von Jasmin Beverungen
More on the topic
von Ody

What does the current tech demo include? In the current demo, you can already try out the different gameplay of the “Tribals” (i.e., humans) and the dinosaurs. 

For the dinosaurs, the tech demo offers two rather unknown species: the herbivorous Ouranosaurus and the carnivorous Eocarcharia. In the wild, you will also encounter small, AI-controlled Dryosaurs that you can hunt.

Have you tried Echoes of Extinction yet? Feel free to let us know in the comments if you see potential in it. MeinMMO author Ody is currently totally into dinosaurs and has a special recommendation for anyone who likes park builders: A small building game on Steam is going up against my Game of the Year 2025 – a later update may have even won

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

Pokémon GO: All Spotlight Hours in January 2026 – Pokémon & Bonuses

Max Handwerk Max Handwerk Reading time 3 minutes

The Spotlight Hour returns in January 2026 to Pokémon GO. Which monsters will appear?

What is the Spotlight Hour? This event always takes place on Tuesday evenings in Pokémon GO.

  • It starts at 6:00 PM.
  • A specific Pokémon appears all over the wild.
  • On top of that, there’s a special bonus.
  • It ends again at 7:00 PM.

The event is always a great opportunity to catch a lot of candies and specimens of Pokémon that you might still be missing.

Which Pokémon will appear in January? The Spotlight Hours are scheduled as follows:

DateSpotlight Hour
January 6Schmerbe* & double catch XP
January 13Voltilamm* & double evolution XP
January 20Brimova* & double sent candies
January 27Tarnpignon* & double stardust bonus

Below we will show you in detail which dates are worth it and what content you can expect.

Start video
Pokémon GO shows its new season in the trailer

Spotlight Hour on January 6, 2026

Pokémon GO Schmerbe Spotlight Hour

Which Pokémon will appear? Schmerbe is the Pokémon of the Spotlight Hour.

Which bonus is active? You will receive double XP for every catch.

Is the event worth it? Schmerbe itself is not particularly useful. Its evolution Welsar had some chances in the PvP league, but it has been overtaken by other monsters. The bonus applies to all catches, so you can also receive more XP from raids, for example.

Is there Shiny Schmerbe? Yes, Schmerbe can also be caught shiny in Pokémon GO.

Spotlight Hour on January 13, 2026

Pokémon GO Voltilamm Spotlight Hour

Which Pokémon will appear? Voltilamm, the Electric Pokémon, is active.

Which bonus is active? You will receive double the amount of XP for each evolution.

Is the event worth it? Voltilamm, Waaty, and Ampharos are not particularly useful regarding PvP or raids. However, Mega-Ampharos is one of the best Electric attackers. So if you have one, you can collect candies here to upgrade it.

Is there Shiny Voltilamm? Yes, the sheep is also available as shiny in Pokémon GO.

Spotlight Hour on January 20, 2026

Pokémon GO Brimova Spotlight Hour

Which Pokémon will appear? Brimova is your Pokémon of the day.

Which bonus is active? Every sent Pokémon will earn you additional candies.

Is the event worth it? Brimova, Brimano, and Silembrim are not particularly helpful attackers. Gigantamax-Silembrim, however, offers a good option as a Dynamax monster. If you have that, you can collect candies for it today. You can of course use the bonus to get double candies for Pokémon in your collection.

Is there Shiny Brimova? Yes, you can also catch Brimova shiny.

Spotlight Hour on January 27, 2026

Pokémon GO Tarnpignon Spotlight Hour

Which Pokémon will appear? Tarnpignon is in the spotlight.

Which bonus is active? You will receive double catch stardust.

Is the event worth it? Neither Tarnpignon nor its evolution Hutsassa are particularly strong attackers. But there is double stardust, and that’s always a good bonus.

Is there Shiny? Yes, Tarnpignon can also be caught shiny.

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

In addition to the Spotlight Hours, there are plenty of other dates this month that you should take advantage of. These include raid hours, but also various themed events that can bring you new Pokémon or bonuses. Which ones, we show you here: All events in January 2026 in Pokémon GO.

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

Steam starts in 2026 in the best way, already breaking a record after 4 days

Lydia Lydia Reading time 2 minutes

Steam started the new year with a new player record. 4 days after New Year’s Eve, the corks must have been popping at Valve again.

What has Steam achieved? On January 4, 2026, Valve’s platform broke its own record with 41,916,052 simultaneously logged-in users. This was accompanied by the highest recorded number of players actually in-game on SteamDB, with 13,399,958 gamers playing at the peak on Steam, about 32% of the logged-in users.

Those who weren’t gaming were probably busy snatching up last-minute bargains during the current winter sale. Currently, the game of the year on Steam is available for under 16 euros.

One of the games that significantly contributed to the player numbers on Steam over the holidays was ARC Raiders:

Start video
ARC Raiders zeigt im Launch-Trailer, wie der Kampf Mensch gegen Maschine aussieht

Steam has been growing steadily for years

What’s so exciting about it? During Christmas and New Year, many people had time off, so there was plenty of time to game and shop on Steam. Therefore, the new user record is probably not too surprising. However, the data from SteamDB shows that the platform’s success is not just a one-time exception.

Graph showing the growth of Steam over the years.
Source: SteamDB, as of 01/05/2025, 13:05

In fact, the number of simultaneous users on Steam has been steadily increasing since around 2008, and it is growing faster and faster. In March 2020, when the WHO declared the COVID-19 pandemic, the platform recorded a sudden increase, with 23.5 million users logged in simultaneously. In April, the number even climbed to 24.5 million.

To reach this point, the platform needed almost 17 years. However, in the past nearly 6 years, the peak number of simultaneous active users has almost doubled again. In March 2025, precisely 5 years after the COVID peak, Steam broke the 40 million threshold of simultaneous users for the first time.

This is remarkable, considering that gaming has actually been in a severe crisis for years.

More on the topic
You have a single developer to thank for the smooth performance of your games on the Steam Deck
von Benedikt Schlotmann
Persona 5: The Phantom X – All valid codes in April 2026
von Alexander Mehrwald
Steam could soon receive one of the most useful features ever, so you won’t waste money on poorly performing games
von Dariusz Müller

How successful Steam is compared to other platforms is hard to say, as comparable stores do not have such data available. The closest contender is actually Roblox, which, with a peak of 47.3 million simultaneous players, even surpasses Steam. The platform is extremely popular among children, but also controversial: Russian children want to leave their country because they are no longer allowed to play Roblox

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. 3D Juegos

The secret number 1 on Twitch can’t believe that he is overtaken by an anime girl

Johanna Johanna Reading time 2 minutes

On Twitch, the biggest streamers take turns to see who has the most subscribed channel. For a long time, it was Nicholas “Jynxzi” Stewart, who has now been replaced in the new year 2026. The new, secret number 1 is an AI-powered anime girl.

Who is the secret number 1? On Twitch, you can not only follow a streamer but also support him or her with a subscription. Until now, the streamer Jynxzi had the most paid subscriptions on the platform, with approximately 76,000, leading the corresponding statistics on Twitchtracker.com.

In Jynxzi’s streams, you can find a diverse range of gaming content. In the last 30 days, the streamer mainly played Tom Clancy’s Six Siege X, Clash Royale, and Geometry Dash (source: SullyGnome.com).

Who has overtaken Jynxzi? Since January 2, 2026, the tide has turned. The most subscribed Twitch channel is called Vedal987. As of now, she has over 167,000 active subscriptions on Twitch (source: Twitchtracker.com).

In the stream, you see an anime girl speaking in a sweet voice. The appearance is initially nothing surprising, as she is a VTuber. So, an anime character behind which a real person is hiding. The Twitch streamer Ironmouse is, for example, a VTuber.

But behind Vedal987 is not a human, but an artificial intelligence capable of entertaining an entire Twitch stream by itself. In the last 30 days, Vedal987 had an average of 10,143 viewers in her streams and generated a watch time of 4,699,065 hours (source: SullyGnome.com). The three games she played the most are Minecraft, Cyberpunk 2077, and Pokémon Platinum.

Start video
VTubers – what are they & where do they come from?

“This is the future of streaming”

How does Jynxzi react to the competition? In one of his streams, Jynxzi reacted to the new number 1 on Twitch. He seemed incredulous and said: “What!? I’ve never heard of that. Chat, this is the future of streaming. […] I’m totally confused. […] I don’t know if anyone will ever overtake this without a Subathon.”

What is behind Vedal987? The AI Twitch streamer was created by a programmer named Vedal and named Neuro-sama. Neuro-sama has been developed since 2019 and has been around on Twitch for a while. She can sing, play games, react to videos, and talk to the Twitch chat in real-time.

In the past, Neuro-sama has already caused a stir:

More on Twitch
2 years ago, 2.50 € plunged German Twitch into chaos, now the chairs are flying
von MeinMMO
“I shouldn’t have opened my mouth” – Twitch streamer dared to criticize her colleagues, now says what consequences it has for her
von Johanna
MrBeast lets 50 streamers compete for 1 million dollars, winner distributes the money to his fans on Twitch and cashes in on it
von Lydia

The number of most subscriptions on Twitch is not the only number the AI anime girl can boast. Exactly one year ago, in January 2025, Neuro-sama broke the record for the largest hype train on the platform: Viewers donate cheeky AI on Twitch over €215,000, breaking the record for the largest hype train

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Dexerto
  2. Reddit
  3. Bloomberg

5 MMORPGs that you can play in 2026 even if you have little time

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 6 minutes

Actually, online role-playing games are a time-consuming hobby, especially if you want to be among the best of the best. However, if you are satisfied with smaller goals, you will now find many modern MMORPGs that casual players can enjoy a lot.

When I discovered my love for MMORPGs with World of Warcraft in 2005, my daily routine changed for years. Suddenly, I wanted to spend almost every free minute in Azeroth. So I turned on the PC as soon as I got home from training and regularly scheduled WoW for whole weekends.

I did this voluntarily, but in a way, it was also a requirement for me to be an important part of a successful PvP core group and an ambitious raid guild. We often spent 5 nights a week in the current raid instances. I could achieve PvP rank 11 only through frequent and regular visits to the battlegrounds.

Who is writing here? Karsten Scholz is the MMORPG expert at MeinMMO. He has been dealing with the best genre in the world almost daily for 16 years. The private first contact was in 2005. Since then, he has accumulated several years of playtime in various online role-playing games and has played almost every relevant genre representative of the past nearly two decades at least for a while.

Update from January 5, 2026: We have updated the article for the new year.
Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

Today, with family and a job, all of this wouldn’t be possible. However, not only has my life changed over the years, but also the lives of many other genre fans – and thus the direction of modern MMORPGs that still want to appeal to this target group.

In this list, I will introduce you to my top 5 best online role-playing games that can be a lot of fun even if you don’t have much time. The following factors are especially important to me:

  • How much focus is there on mandatory cooperation in the content, and how many contents can be approached solo or without a fixed group?
  • How long does it take for newcomers to reach the current content? Can this be done in a relatively short time frame, even if you can’t play every day?
  • How many contents are completely inaccessible to casual players? Do the developers offer different difficulty levels, so that one can experience as much content as possible even with relatively little time?

If you have further recommendations that are very casual-player friendly concerning these factors, feel free to share them in the comments!

Guild Wars 2

Developer: ArenaNet | Platform: PC | Release Date: August 28, 2012 | Payment Model: Free2Play

Guild Wars 2 is not only one of the currently most popular MMORPGs that you can still play today, it has also earned the reputation of being the perfect game for casual players, MMORPG enthusiasts with little time, solo players, and collectors.

The next expansion of Guild Wars 2 is already on the way:

Start video
Guild Wars 2 sets sail for a new adventure in the announcement trailer for ‘Visions of Eternity’

While many other MMORPGs primarily focus on increasing character strength through progression systems and better gear (vertical progression), Guild Wars 2 has taken a different, horizontal path from day one.

As many contents as possible should be accessible to as many players as possible – and this applies to every expansion and all updates. The focus is on experiencing the story, exploring the game world of Tyria, and collecting achievements.

Many group contents, such as major world bosses or events in the open world, can be done spontaneously with the players you meet on-site. The dungeon and raid area is rather optional but can also be completed quite unorganized if desired.

More about Guild Wars 2:
“This real or April Fools’? – Yes”: MMORPG classic looks 20 years older thanks to new update, fans love it
von Ody
The 16 MMORPGs with the most players according to official numbers from the developers
von Karsten Scholz

Due to the fair Free2Play model, you also don’t have any financial pressure to play a lot to justify any investments. If you want to give it a try, check it out here: Guild Wars 2 Beginner’s Guide

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5

New MMOs and Multiplayer Games 2025: This has been published

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 3 minutes

MeinMMO provides you with an overview of all online games released in 2025 that are relevant to us. These include co-op titles, competitive multiplayer games, MMOs, and MMORPGs. It doesn’t matter whether these games were released for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, or Switch.

What games can be found in the list? The list includes only MMOs and multiplayer games that are actually scheduled to be released in a final or at least an early access version in 2025. We have also included major expansions that are particularly relevant for MMORPGs.

Update from January 5, 2026: At the turn of the year, we take stock – which MMOs and multiplayer games were actually released last year?
SpielGenreReleasePlattform
The QuinfallMMORPG24. January 2025 (Early Access)PC (Steam)
Orcs must Die! DeathtrapCoop-Action28. January 2025PC (Steam), Xbox
Cid Meier’s Civilization VII4X-Strategie11. February 2025PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch
Monster Hunter WildsCoop-Action28. February 2025PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series
Undercover FoolsCoop-Action5. March 2025PC (Steam)
FragPunkPvP-Shooter6. March 2025PC (Steam), PlayStation, Xbox
Split FictionCoop-Action6. March2025PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series
WWE 2K25Sport14. March 2025PC, Xbox, PlayStation
33 ImmortalsCoop-Action18. March 2025PC (Epic Games), Xbox Series
Steel HuntersPvPvE-Shooter2. April 2025 (Early Access)PC (Steam)
Cursed DawnSurvival-Shooter with Online-Koop7. April 2025PC (Steam)
DefianceMMORPG18. April 2025 (Open-Beta)PC
Tempest RisingReal-Time-Strategy24. April 2025PC (Steam)
ODIN: Valhalla RisingMMORPG29. April 2025PC, Mobile
Embers AdriftPvE-MMO29. April 2025PC (Steam)
Project: MistCoop-Horror3. Quarter2025PC (Steam)
Splitgate 2Online-Shooter22. Mai 2025PC (Steam), PlayStation, Xbox
Crystal of AtlanAction-MMO28. Mai 2025Mobile, PC
Elden Ring: NightReignOnline-Soulslike30. Mai 2025PC (Steam), PlayStation, Xbox
Dune: AwakeningSurvival-MMO5. June 2025PC (Steam)
Mario Kart WorldFun-Racer5. June 2025Nintendo Switch 2
FBC: FirebreakCoop-Shooter17. June 2025PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series
REMATCHOnline-Sports-Game19. June 2025PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Steam) 
BitCraft OnlineMMORPG21. June 2025 (Early Access)PC (Steam)
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4Online-Sports-Game11. July 2025PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, Switch 2, PC (Steam)
Killing Floor 3Coop-Shooter24. July 2025PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series
Super Mario Party Jamboree + Jamboree TVParty-Spiel24. July 2025Nintendo Switch 2
Grounded 2Survival-Game with Coop29. July 2025Xbox Series X|S, PC (Steam)
Grim PasturesParty-Spiel1. August 2025PC (Steam)
Fate WarOnline-Strategy with PvP5. August 2025PC (Steam)
Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles 23D-Fighter with Online-PvP5. August 2025PC (Steam), PS5, PS4
GUNTOUCHABLESOnline-Coop-Roguelite7. August 2025PC (Steam)
Stretcher TogetherCoop-Plattformer7. August 2025PC (Steam)
AbyssusOnline-Shooter12. August 2025PC (Steam)
Madden NFL 26Sport-Simulation14. August 2025PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2, PC
Monster Mop UpOnline-Coop-Simulation14. August 2025PC (Steam)
Lost Twins 2Puzzle-Plattformer with Coop14. August 2025PC (Steam), PlayStation, Xbox
Dying Light: The BeastCoop-Action22. August 2025PC (Steam), PlayStation, Xbox
Gears of War: ReloadedThird-Person-Shooter with Multiplayer26. Aug. 2025PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Steam)
Destiny: RisingOnline-Shooter28. Aug. 2025iOS, Android
NBA 2K26Sport-Simulation5. September 2025PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, Switch 2, PC
Borderlands 4Coop-Shooter12. September 2025PC (Steam), PlayStation, Xbox – Switch 2: 3. October
NHL 26Sport-Simulation12. September 2025PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
LEGO VoyagersCoop-Adventure15. September 2025PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Steam)
SkateOnline-Fun-Sports-Game16. September 2025 (Early Access)PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC
Arena Breakout: InfiniteExtraction-Shooter16. September 2025PC (Steam)
Wobbly LifeMultiplayer-Simulation18. September 2025 (leaves Early Access)PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC (Steam)
Jump SpaceCoop-PvE-FPS19. September 2025PC (Steam)
Warborne Above AshesPvP-MMO19. September 2025PC (Steam)
Ship of HeroesSuperheroes-MMORPG22. September 2025PC (Steam)
Sonic Racing: CrossWorldsFun-Racer25. September 2025PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC (Steam)
EA Sports FC 26Sport-Simulation26. September 2025PlayStation5, PlayStation4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 und PC
Lego PartyParty-Spiel30. September 2025PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC (Steam)
Battlefield 6Ego-Shooter with Fokus on Multiplayer10. October 2025PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Little Nightmares IIIHorror-Adventure with 2-Player-Coop10. October 2025PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch 1 + 2, PC
Pax DeiMMORPG16. October 2025 (EA, final Launch)PC (Steam)
FellowshipMultiplayer-Dungeon-Adventure16. Oktober 2025 (Early Access)PC (Steam)
WASTED BloodlineOnline-Shooter with PvP and Coop29. October 2025 (Early Access)PC (Steam)
Arc RaidersExtraction-Shooter30. October 2025PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series
Call of Duty – Black Ops 7Shooter14. November 2025PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC (Battle.net, Steam), Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass
Where Winds MeetAction-RPG14. November 2025PC (Steam), PS5
Escape from TarkovExtraction-Shooter15. November 2025PC (Steam)
Kirby Air RidersRacer20. November 2025Nintendo Switch 2
Reign of GuildsMMORPG26. November 2025PC (Steam)
Ashes of CreationMMORPG11. Dezember 2025 (nur Early Access)PC (Steam)
Aion 2MMORPG19. November 2025 (just in Asia, global Launch in 2026)PC, Mobile
PionerMMO-ShooterDezember 2025PC (Steam), PlayStation, Xbox

How did you like the past gaming year? Which games were your highlights? Which titles disappointed you? Here are two assessments from MeinMMO editor Karsten Scholz on MMORPGs and role-playing games in 2025:

More on the topic
More on the topic
The best MMORPGs of all time for PC and consoles: The MeinMMO community has voted
von Karsten Scholz
More on the topic
Which MMOs rock in 2025? I particularly look forward to 6 games
von Karsten Scholz

Which new release from the coming year excites you the most? Which already announced MMO or multiplayer game are you looking forward to? Or do you prefer single-player games? Let us know in the comments! Below, for your interest, you can find the list of MMOs and multiplayer games that were released in 2024.

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