Esports players repeatedly talk about their thousands of hours of gameplay in Counter-Strike 2. But cadiaN reveals that many of them are being dishonest.
Who is it about? Casper Alexander Ahm Møller (30), better known as CadiaN, has been playing Counter-Strike professionally for many years. He is currently playing for the team of the Danish eSports organization “OG,” which he joined in November 2025.
Previously, CadiaN had already worked for various teams, including Astralis, Team Liquid, and Heroic. With them, he was able to achieve some successes, such as winning the ESL Pro League Season 13 with Heroic, where he made history in the Pro League with a legendary 1v4 clutch in the deciding round (for those feeling nostalgic: YouTube).
Start video
Counter-Strike 2: Valve once again impresses with the launch trailer
Pros brag about false numbers
What exactly does CadiaN say? In a clip on OG’s social media channels, CadiaN shares that some pro players lie when they boast about their play hours (OG via X). He says:
“I’ve been bootcamping a lot with people as well, who, when they go to bed, they dont turn off the PC and they’re stilll in game. And at some point, they’re in an interview and they’re saying, ‘Oh, I have played 22,000 hours of Counter-Strike,’ and I just think: ‘Well, that’s not really true.'”
Then CadiaN explains that they want to impress not only their fans but also the team’s coaches: “Some players just want to show their coaches how hard they work and they are kind of trying to boost their hours in ways like this to pretend hardworking and stuff.”
What does CadiaN say about the false numbers? The Danish pro doesn’t think much of it. He prefers not to distort his play hours and instead see the real numbers. This way, he can better analyze if his playtime that week played a role in his fluctuating performance, whether he perhaps played too much or too little that week, and thus performed worse.
A player orders RAM and is soon confronted with a new bill. Naturally, he is quite angry and disappointed. The community considers such behavior to be illegal and urges the affected individual to contact consumer protection.
A player reports on Reddit that he intended to order RAM from a provider on December 31, 2025. According to the user, the original price was 446.99 Canadian dollars (approximately 275.80 euros). Specifically, it was a DDR5 kit from Kingston (2 x 16 GB), not the RAM depicted on the cover image.
He explained that although he had placed the order, the seller significantly delayed the shipping. He learned the reason for the delay a good week later, on January 7, 2026: A formal email from the seller informed him that the price for the RAM was being adjusted: Instead of 446.99, he now had to pay 507.99 Canadian dollars (approximately 315 euros). That’s a hefty increase of 13.65%.
The formal email states the reason for the price increase: Due to AI-induced shortages of components, manufacturers are no longer obligated to adhere to delivery dates or guarantee prices.
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Valve presents the Steam Machine in the new trailer
The price adjustment remains visible thanks to Google
The price adjustment can also be clearly traced on the website: Google still displays the old price of 446.99 Canadian dollars. However, when you click on the PC Canada website, you can already see the adjusted price that the user is now supposed to pay. We have included two images with the prices for you. This way, the price jump can be easily understood.
RAM PC Canada: New price for RAM, which is visible on the website.RAM PC Canada: old price, which is still visible through Google.
How does the community react? Many people from the community consider this approach illegal and point out that the affected user should definitely contact consumer protection. Adjusting prices after an order has been placed is not acceptable:
The real question is: Would they refund you if the price had dropped? The answer is clearly “No” … This is unethical and probably illegal.
Another user adds:
This is totally messed up, damn it. You already placed an order; price increases are the company’s problem, not yours. They have that coming when they sell RAM that they don’t even have yet.
While Rockstar is remaining tight-lipped about the work on GTA 6, an industry insider is now revealing the status of the game.
What does he say about the status of GTA 6? The industry expert Jason Schreier is always well-informed when it comes to the development of video games. In the podcast “Button Mash,” he has now talked about the status of GTA 6 and explained how far Rockstar Games is in the development.
According to him, the game is currently not “Content Complete”; the developers are still working on content for the game, such as missions. The game is really big, which is why they are currently making the final touches on the missions and levels and deciding what should still make it into the release version of the game and which content will not be completed.
Here you can watch the second trailer for GTA 6:
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Rockstar Games presents GTA 6 in the second trailer
Another delay is not excluded
What does he say about the release date? After GTA 6 has already been pushed back twice by the developers at Rockstar Games, this could happen again, says Schreier. He states that even Rockstar Games does not know 100% if they will meet the release date on November 19, 2026.
The release window is seen as more realistic internally by the developers of GTA 6 compared to the previous release dates of fall 2025 and May 2026. At the same time, the expert emphasizes the risk of an overly early release.
Jason Schreier says in the podcast: “The entire stock price of Take-Two rises and falls with this game.” According to him, the stock price would fall by 10% every time there is a new delay. In fact, the stock price jumped significantly upward upon the announcement of GTA 6 and has also fallen several times with the delays in the past, but then experienced another increase.
According to the expert’s assessment, the developers of GTA 6 will look towards October to see if the game is finished and, if in doubt, announce another delay. At the same time, he assumes that they still aim to release GTA 6 in the financial year 2026, which at Take-Two runs until March 2027.
How are fans reacting to the information? The expert’s assessment is causing unrest among fans. They are wondering why the developers announced GTA 6 at all in 2023 if they still do not have all the content in the game by 2026.
In the community on Reddit, there is significant dissatisfaction regarding the ongoing delays, paired with the information about the unfinished game. Players like Big_Homie_Kratos presumed on Reddit that Rockstar Games would have long been working on polishing and bug-fixing and that missions and levels were already finished.
Whether GTA 6 will have to postpone its release again or if the developers will indeed finish on time will likely only become clear in a few months. However, by November 19, it will be clear how things stand with GTA 6. How much MMO is actually in GTA 6 can be found out here: GTA 6 has some typical MMORPG features, it could easily become one, says an MMO developer
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Dune: Part Three continues the epic adaptation of Frank Herbert’s science fiction classic Dune. In the following article, you will find all the important information about the movie.
What is Dune 3? Dune 3, also known as Dune: Part Three, is the third installment of the Dune series by director Denis Villeneuve. After the first two films adapted the first book “Dune”, the sequel focuses on the second book titled “Dune Messiah”.
Is there a trailer for Dune 3? So far, no official trailer or teaser for the film has been released. As soon as that happens, we will update the article and show you the trailer. However, the announcement of Part 2 already gives a rough idea, for which you can find a review on MeinMMO:
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Dune: Part Two – German Trailer for the Continuation of the Sci-Fi Epic
Dune 3: Everything about the release and streaming
When is the release of Dune 3? The science fiction film already has a release date and will be in theaters on December 18, 2026.
Who is streaming Dune 3? The film will be released in theaters. Subsequently, it will likely land on one of the various streaming services. Where exactly is still unclear, but in the past, the predecessors were available on subscriptions like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video.
Dune 3: Cast and plot
Who is in the cast of Dune 3? As it is a sequel, many actors return to their roles. Leading the way is Timothée Chalamet, who reprises his role as protagonist Paul Atreides, now under a new name as Emperor Paul Muad’Dib. Alongside him, old and new faces will also appear.
What is the plot of Dune 3? The film continues the story of its predecessors, but only after a time jump of twelve years. Paul rules as Emperor and is particularly regarded as a Messiah by the Fremen. This position has allowed him to conquer foreign cultures, but at the same time, his influence is in danger of slipping away.
Compared to the predecessors, Dune 3 is likely to be somewhat less action-packed, as the story of the second book is generally more contemplative, philosophical, and sometimes even psychedelic. The success of the film will also determine whether and how the series will continue in theaters. An earlier attempt to adapt the book failed: The craziest Dune film was never made, yet it influenced many other sci-fi movies like Alien
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
About 2 years ago, a digital girl made her debut on Steam. Many users decorated their own profiles with her. However, she has not been seen on Steam for about a year, which is why many players miss her painfully.
What kind of girl is she? The girl with pink hair is often referred to as “Steam Delivery Girl” or “Steam Sale Girl”. She was drawn by the Chilean artist Nemupan, often wears a helmet with cat ears, and rides a moped. Always by her side: a small, plump cat.
For the first time, the Delivery Girl appeared during the Spring Sale 2024. Here, players could buy avatars with her in the point shop or purchase profile backgrounds and stickers for chat featuring the pink-haired girl.
During the Summer, Autumn, and Winter Sale 2024, the girl returned with her moped to the point shop. Valve usually commissions different artists each year to design the banners for the 4 major sales. However, the year 2024 was dominated by the same artist.
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Valve presents the Steam Machine in the new trailer
Players speculate about what the Delivery Girl might be delivering right now
What has become of the Delivery Girl? Since Valve wants to give other artists the chance to design the banners for the sales, the Delivery Girl will not be returning for the time being. About a year ago, after the Winter Sale 2024, the artist said goodbye to her fans on Instagram with a farewell letter:
I want to write a few final words to conclude the project and wrap up this fantastic year. I want to thank the community for all the nice messages, fan art, and memes. I have loved every bit of it.
The Steam Delivery Girl is still a part of the point shop.
On Instagram or X, you can still admire her art. But the official Delivery Girl remains missing. Fans on Reddit are therefore speculating about what she is currently delivering.
hg2c writes: “The reason the Steam Delivery Girl is missing is that she is currently delivering a large package, which is Half-Life 3.”
Yindy_ still enjoys her: “She is always there when I start my Steamdeck.”
Limp-Celebration-211 hopes for a soon return: “Maybe she will appear again with an animation of her delivering the Steam Machine.”
However, whether and when the Steam Delivery Girl will return is not known. This will only be revealed with future sales.
Valve recently announced the Steam Machine. It is a mini-PC. The manufacturers have so far revealed information piece by piece, but several questions remain unanswered. You can find all the information currently known about the small box on MeinMMO: Steam Machine: The important questions and answers
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A new event in Pokémon GO focuses on buddy monsters. In addition, you can catch a new Shiny.
What kind of event is this? On Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at 10:00 AM, the “Precious Pals” event in Pokémon GO will start. It will run until Sunday, January 25, 2026, at 8:00 PM.
As the name suggests, buddy Pokémon are the focus. Additionally, there is an increased shiny chance for one monster, as well as a Pokémon making its shiny debut.
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Pokémon GO shows its new season in the trailer
What to expect in “Precious Pals”
Which shiny monsters are available? In the event, you can obtain Fidough as shiny for the first time. The fairy monster comes from Generation 9 and can evolve into Dachsbun. You can find Fidough in the wild and in 2 km eggs during the event. The shiny chance for the monster is also increased in eggs.
Furthermore, there is an increased shiny chance for Goldeen. You can also encounter this monster both in the wild and in 2 km eggs.
Which monsters can be evolved more easily? During the event, there will be a reduced development requirement for three monsters.
Eevee can be evolved into Sylveon after earning 20 hearts with Eevee as a buddy.
Pancham can be evolved into Pangoro after catching 10 dark monsters with Pancham as a buddy.
Pawmo can be evolved into Pawmot after walking 5 km with Pawmo as a buddy.
What buddy bonuses are available? You can also earn more hearts with your buddy Pokémon during the event. The specifics of this bonus are not yet known. Additionally, you will receive more XL candies when exploring with your buddy Pokémon.
What monsters are available? During the event, there are other monsters you can encounter in the wild as well as in 2 km eggs.
In the wild:
Goldeen*
Zorua*
Wimpod*
Fidough*
Espurr* (rare)
In 2 km eggs:
Goldeen*
Togepi*
Happiny*
Riolu*
Fidough*
Additional Content: Event field research and collector challenges are also part of “Precious Pals.”
For $4.99 (about €5), you can also purchase a limited research that includes a Poffin, an event avatar pose, as well as encounters with monsters from the event. If you buy the ticket for the limited research in the Pokémon GO web store, you will also receive a premium battle pass.
January is once again packed with various events, spotlight hours, and more content. If you want an overview of when which content awaits you in the game, feel free to check our overview with all events in January 2026 in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The first streamer from team Sauercrowd has reached the maximum level 60 with his character in WoW Classic! On the hardcore servers, this is a remarkable achievement celebrated by many players.
Who did it first? Last night, Hahn became the first streamer from the Sauercrowd guild to reach level 60 in WoW Classic Hardcore. This is a remarkable achievement for several reasons.
On these special servers of World of Warcraft, every virtual death means the immediate end of the character. Many of Hahn’s fellow players have impressively demonstrated how quickly that can happen in recent days. Even seemingly harmless elevators can be deadly in Azeroth. Hahn did not die even once on his journey.
Moreover, one must be faster than the sometimes very experienced WoW competition. Four more members of Sauercrowd are still in the high 50s level range: riirex, dhalucard, sieglinde, and tolkin. Therefore, a big congratulations to Hahn from us!
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WoW Classic: The Hardcore Servers Are Here!
Tears in Goldshire
What was the moment like? Of course, Hahn’s last level-up was streamed live on Twitch. When the stream was about 3 hours and 50 minutes old, Hahn set off to Goldshire to collect the remaining experience points by completing a quest. There, many characters were already waiting for him to celebrate the moment together with the streamer.
The streamer was visibly moved by this. As he approached the quest giver, he could no longer hold back the tears of joy. Happy, he said: “Thank you so much for letting me be part of this project.” Then came a greeting to the Sauercrowd leadership, a click, and ding! Level 60.
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Who is Hahn? The streamer is only 24 years old but has been creating gaming content on Twitch since January 2015. He is one of the smaller content creators from Germany who is now gaining much more attention through the Sauercrowd project.
As Hahn stated himself on X in December 2025: “I have been stuck at ~26,000 to 28,000 followers for years, and there was never any movement. Now, after all these years, I’ve broken through the 30,000 followers on Twitch – I owe it all to #sauercrowd.” Now it’s even more than 41,270 followers.
Hahn reached a second milestone on January 2, 2026. On X, the streamer stated: “The first time in 11 years without a host hitting 1000 viewers. I had 20 three months ago. What the hell is going on????? THANK YOU HOLY SHIT #SAUERCROWD.”
An author examined how easy it is to set up Windows. However, as the operating system gets younger, it becomes more extensive.
Taras Buria, a writer at Neowin.net, has explored in an article how extensive the setup of a Windows operating system is: He tested all systems from Windows Vista to Windows 11.
The setup of the popular operating system has changed significantly in the past 20 years, and not for the better. Buria describes today’s experience “as having to fend off an annoying salesperson rather than quickly making basic settings before getting to the desktop.”
The Steam Machine from Valve, by the way, does without the Windows operating system.We have embedded the trailer here for you:
Start video
Valve presents the Steam Machine in the new trailer
Setting up Windows Vista took a few clicks, while Windows 11 is anything but user-friendly
How long does setup take? The very old systems Windows Vista and 7 can be set up relatively quickly and easily: You need no more than 5 or 6 clicks, apart from entering the username and password once. Windows Vista dates back to 2006, which is now nearly 20 years ago.
From Windows 8 onward, the number of pages and settings rises to 8, but most features can be disabled and/or rely on so-called opt-in: You must consciously decide to activate certain features. There is no obligation here.
From Windows 10 onward, Microsoft uses significantly sharper methods for setting up its operating system: There are fewer options than in Windows 8, but all features are enabled by default, which is not optimal in terms of privacy. However, you can still disable most settings.
What about Windows 11? Windows 11, on the other hand, significantly expands the scope of pages and advertisements: In total, there are 18 pages with many features, advertisements, and poorly placed buttons, making it possible for you to accept things you may not have wanted. The declination of certain features is also hidden behind additional pages.
As a bonus, the advertisements for certain Microsoft products in Windows 11 are ubiquitous after setup: You will find references to Game Pass, the Edge browser, and Microsoft 365 in many places in your system. Even useful features are reportedly undermined by advertisements, and a rejection is hidden behind several sub-pages.
What does the community say? Users in a Reddit thread, also draw a similar conclusion as the author, where the analysis is discussed. Many users recommend various tools to clean up Windows 11 and remove annoying notifications.
Recommendations include “Windows 11 Debloater” or “Chris Titus Tech’s Windows Utility,” with which one can free their Windows installation from a lot of clutter. Another alternative: replacing Windows with Linux, which, however, is not always the easiest way.
The developers of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 have posted new job openings, but the job description reveals a major change that could significantly alter all new titles.
What is this change? The developers at Warhorse Studios, who published the medieval RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 last year (2025), could soon switch from their current engine.
While the two “Kingdom Come” titles were still developed on the CryEngine, a job posting on tech-artists.org suggests that the developers are looking for new developers with knowledge of the Unreal Engine. According to a report by PCGamesN, tech ops lead Jakub Holik has been searching for a senior technical animator and a dev ops engineer.
Although Warhorse’s publisher Plaion does not want to comment on the rumors, the engine switch could bring significant changes.
Here you can watch the trailer for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2:
Start video
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 shows Royal Edition with all DLCs for the medieval role-playing game
The Strength of the CryEngine
What would a switch mean? The game engine is the development environment that composes every game. The Unreal Engine, in comparison, is the most commonly used engine for new titles, and many new developments are created with this engine.
The CryEngine, which is used at Warhorse Studios, has become rarer now, even though many titles, such as Aion, Hunt: Showdown, and Prey, were successful with it.
However, the decreasing prevalence of the engine is a problem, as finding employees with the necessary skills to work with the program is more difficult than with the more well-known Unreal Engine. Many studios work with Unreal Engine, and many developers can handle it.
Yet the CryEngine also has some advantages. It provides particularly good graphics, even with poor hardware. For instance, you can play Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 with the almost 10-year-old GTX 1060.
A switch to the Unreal Engine would mean that the next title from the studio would look visually different and would particularly make concessions in terms of flora and fauna. However, it could be easier for the developers to recruit new staff.
A Change with Consequences
MeinMMO author Cedric Holmeier says: I love wandering through virtual Bohemia and can hardly get enough of the beautiful landscapes. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has a great strength in its graphics. As a village child, I feel at home in the games, as the forests and fields look much more realistic than in most other titles.
Similarly, like many other MMORPG fans, I can almost tell that games are now using Unreal Engine 5, which, although not negative, has made me personally a bit oversaturated with games that have the same look.
The CryEngine, however, was simply a strength of the studio, delivering a game with good performance and good graphics due to its great capabilities. Now, while many people are searching for jobs due to economic reasons, conducting a potential engine switch just to find it easier to recruit employees does not make sense to me.
A switch to Unreal Engine 5 for a potential Kingdom Come: Deliverance 3 or another RPG sounds harsh, as the developers would give up a clear strength. However, nothing is set in stone yet, and there remains hope for more beautiful landscapes thanks to the CryEngine.
A crafter shocks Reddit with a photo. He has been tasked with cleaning a computer, and it is something else. Dirt, smoke, and grime from years of use have built up in masses.
What did the crafter post? The user enhanced_flower1 shares in his Reddit post from January 6, 2026 a PC picture of a customer. He explains that the customer was wondering why his device was so slow.
Opening the computer later shocked the Reddit user. He writes: “How can something like this even happen?”
The device was wrapped in thick layers of smoke from top to bottom. The CPU cooler, graphics card, and power supply fan were completely covered. Even the cables were already infested with brown soot deposits.
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The motherboard appears to be an Intel model from 2013, as the LGA 1150 socket is visible. This suggests that the PC is likely several years old and has probably never been cleaned before. Why this would have been a good idea is highlighted by another user, who cleans his PC for the first time after 8 years.
In the Reddit comments, the crafter posts a second picture of the device the same day after he had blown it out with compressed air. The difference is enormous. The smoke deposits have almost completely disappeared, but the insides are still heavily soiled.
If you don’t feel like cleaning a gaming PC, you can instead take a look at the contents of the Switch 2:
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The Nintendo Switch 2 in the unboxing video
Cigarettes harm not only your health
How harmful is smoking for your hardware? The short answer is: It is harmful. Not only can important air circulation be interrupted by the additional dirt, but your devices can also wear out faster.
In the crafter’s example, the cooling of the PC was likely severely affected, which in turn negatively impacts the performance of the device. Modern processors slow down due to lack of cooling to protect against overheating. As a result, you actively lose performance.
But not only lack of cooling is a problem for hardware. Stuck dirt can corrode electronics due to moisture. Parts of the electronics can be slowly attacked and decomposed by chemical reactions. In particular, high temperatures can indicate poor PC hygiene. One user was even surprised that you have to clean your computer at all.
From dirty PCs to advertising for research
What else does the user point out? Although the post is designed as a joke, the Reddit user also draws attention to a project by Stanford University. The so-called Folding. He added the website link to the project in a follow-up the same day.
It is software intended to loan the computing power of your computer to Stanford University’s research. This is aimed at advancing research on diseases such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, Huntington’s, and Parkinson’s.
According to the website, you do not have to provide sensitive data such as email or name, but you can for extra points within the application. You only need to install the software and choose how much power you want to lend and when.
Stranger Things has ended with 5 seasons of the mystery series released over 9 years. But which one is actually the best? MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes reveals it to you.
How was this list created? Since Stranger Things has ended with season 5, we are now ranking all 5 seasons of Stranger Things on this list. We include the entirety of individual seasons and show which episode of each season was rated the highest on IMDb.
The ranking is based on the author’s personal opinion and is purely subjective. If you have a different, personal ranking of the seasons, feel free to let us know in the comments.
[toc]
5. Season 2
Start video
Stranger Things shows in the trailer for Season 2 what happened to Will after he returned
Highest rated episode on IMDb: Episode 9 (Chapter nine: The Gate) with a rating of 9.3 out of 10 from over 46,800 ratings.
When I try to recall all the seasons of Stranger Things, I find it hardest with Season 2. After the fantastic first season, everything seemed a bit toned down. Many episodes are simply forgettable, and Will as such a central character didn’t always work for me.
Cool new characters like Max or Murray were introduced and the emotional moments around Bob worked as well. Unfortunately, the Mindflayer here falls short of its potential as a villain. Its design is really strong, but this ongoing threat from the being just doesn’t come across.
The season still has many good moments, but compared to the rest, it falls a bit short. Nevertheless, the season finale here is a spectacle.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In a long livestream, the developers of The Elder Scrolls Online presented their plans for 2026. There was hardly anything to see. However, all fans of the MMORPG can expect a flood of – partly surprising – innovations.
Back then, it was clear that 2025 would be a transitional year and that only in 2026 would the seasons and the promised experiments really kick off. The current livestream about the future of Elder Scrolls Online convincingly reinforced this. For almost 45 minutes, the developers bombarded the community on Twitch with a barrage of information bites. The key insights:
They want to continue bringing new content to Tamriel every quarter, but these should be more unpredictable and varied through the seasonal model than they have been in the past. 4 seasons per year, each lasting 3 months, are planned.
All future playable content for ESO (such as new quests, zones, features, dungeons, and so on) will be free for every owner of the ESO base game starting from the launch of “Season Zero” (this also applies to players via Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus). No new Content Pass is planned for 2026.
Old, previously paid add-ons will be gradually integrated into the base game. Starting in March with Update 49, the Thieves Guild, the Dark Brotherhood, and Orsinium will be included.
A Battle Pass system will serve as a new monetization source; ESO Plus will continue to exist at the usual price, with the known benefits and some new bonuses (such as for progress in the Battle Pass or the cap for Transmutation Crystals). Anyone who subscribes to ESO Plus for a total of 12 months will receive a token each time for the most expensive version of the Battle Pass.
From Update 49, all platforms will receive new content simultaneously. Console players will therefore no longer have to wait several weeks longer than their PC counterparts.
Among the planned experiments they want to conduct in 2026 is the introduction of world oceans, large ships, and ship battles. An event zone for groups that will be significantly tougher than other content from ESO is also planned.
Successful experiments may find their way into the game more frequently or permanently in the future.
Start video
The Elder Scrolls Online: Your World, Your Playstyle – Live Action Trailer Lures You to Tamriel
Historical Change
During the stream, the developers emphasized once again that a departure from the chapters was necessary to maintain the required flexibility for upcoming content. Each expansion tied up a large part of the team for around 18 months, with a release cycle of 12 months. There was never much time to respond to feedback from the community or to take risks.
The new direction is expected to feel historically significant for ESO in hindsight, similar to the launch of One Tamriel 10 years ago. Back then, the developers introduced flexible level scaling in the world and completely overhauled the endgame.
Part of this change includes involving players earlier in the development of new content. Through earlier availability, improved transparency, surveys, AMA rounds on Reddit, and clear responses on how feedback from the community has influenced content.
In addition, a new task force within the ESO team has been formed, which has only one job: to identify the most requested features and improvements from the community, assess their feasibility, and gradually bring the feasible wishes into the game. The first of these implementations will come with Update 49 (see below).
Tamriel is preparing for an exciting year in 2026.
The Roadmap for 2026
Here again are the known dates and innovations for 2026:
Season Zero and Updates 49 and 50 in Spring / Early Summer
Release of Update 49: March 9, 2026 on all platforms
Season: The first group event zone “The Night Market” with a very high difficulty level and a special reward (a playable house that can be upgraded through progress and has an integrated bank) – Start time: April 29, 2026, should be available until mid-June
Season: Introduction of Battle Pass system called “Tamriel Tomes” – with free and paid pages that can be unlocked through all kinds of gameplay points, which can then be exchanged for rewards
Season: New PvP progression system coming in June that aims to offer exclusive rewards for PvP fans
Season: New difficulty levels for open world (first version to be expanded in the future)
Season: Playable rewards through the new “Gold Coast Bazaar”, including formerly limited rewards that have not been available for a long time – the items available there will rotate and are paid for with the new currency “Trade Bars” (obtained through the Battle Pass (especially through the free path) and by playing the game)
Update 49: Visual overhaul and balance adjustment for Dragon Knight class and two-handed weapon skills
The Dragon Knight skills will be overhauled first.
Update 49: Thieves Guild, Dark Brotherhood and Orsinium will become part of the base game
Update 49: Account-wide outfit slots
Update 49: Free respec within the interface
Update 49: Return to the 30-day list of guild traders
Update 49: Faster horse training (3 stat upgrades at a time instead of just one)
Update 49: A new mount for gold is being added to the game. 16 other mounts will be removed from the Crown Store and also made available for gold in-game
Update 49: The cap for furnishings will be increased in many properties (the missing properties are to follow gradually because some property types still have technical limitations that need to be resolved)
Update 49: You can hide items like gloves, pants, chest armor, and shoes
Update 49: Items for vampires and werewolves will disappear from the Crown Store, instead, there will be new starter quests, and the cleansing costs 0 crowns
Update 49: The costs for bags and bank slots will be reduced, the UI for bags will be updated
Update 50: Visual overhaul and balance adjustments for werewolf class
Tamriel Tomes – the new Battle Pass of ESO The developers want to offer the “Tamriel Tomes” Battle Pass in 3 variants: – Free Tome for free – available only during the season, offering rewards like new armor, 8,000 seals of endeavor, alternative skill and weapon styles, furniture, new currency “Trade Bars” – Premium Tome for $14.99, can also be completed after the season ends, providing additional rewards – Premium + Bonuses for $29.99, with Premium benefits plus bonus cosmetics and faster progress in the Battle Pass
Season 1 and Update 51 in Summer / Fall
Season: Story content and quests around the Thieves Guild
Season: Feature “Sage’s Vault”, corresponding to the new Thieves Guild content
Season: Multi-phase events for groups in the open world
Season: Story content and quests around Sheogorath
Season: Trial “Crimson Veldt”
Update 51: Visual overhaul and balance adjustment for Warden class
Season 2 and Update 52 in Fall / Winter
Season: Event “High Seas of Tamriel”, which is likely to revolve around the planned ship battles.
Season: Solo dungeons “Moon Hunter Keep” and “March of Sacrifices” with multiple modes (including an easy story mode)
Season: Grand world event in Skyrim: “Dynamic Storms”
Update 52: Visual overhaul and balance adjustment for Sorcerer class
Update 52: Chapter Greymoor will become part of the base game
The developers also gave a preview of various improvements that are to follow throughout the year, for which there are yet to be update assignments, including guild housing, improvements for guild mails and the guild bank, crossplay, and much more. Many detail improvements are also planned for the PvP area.
League of Legends begins its first season of the year on January 8, 2026. In line with this, the creators of the MOBA have released a new cinematic trailer that can be watched even by users who have never had anything to do with the game.
What kind of video is it? The first season is all about the theme “For Demacia”. Accordingly, some characters associated with the region of Demacia make an appearance, including Quinn and Garen. Sona is also seen in the trailer with her musical instrument.
The video description states:
In the darkest hours, there is always a glimmer of hope. The first season of 2026, For Demacia, is dawning. Stand up, defend the light, and fight for good.
The characters defend themselves in the video against a dark threat, which is represented in the form of shadows or a frightening dragon. In the background of the video, the song Salvation, created in collaboration with Forts, plays.
Start video
League of Legends shows new trailer for Season 1 from 2026
Cinematics excite people who don’t play LoL
How is the video received? In the comments below the YouTube video and on Reddit, there are mixed reactions. It’s noticeable: There are many commenters who don’t play League of Legends, but still enjoy watching the videos. One user mentioned he has been following the cinematics since 2018 but has never played LoL.
This is also reflected in the top comment: The writer states that he finds it brave how Hatsune Miku defends the city. He means Sona, who indeed looks a bit like Hatsune Miku with her turquoise braids. This refers to a virtual anime girl, who even got her own movie.
On one hand, there are users who wish that such cinematics would never stop. Players are excited to see certain characters. The appearance of Quinn surprised many.
On the other hand, some users feel that the song could have a bit more punch. One user wrote on Reddit that he feels like he hears the same song every season. Additionally, the lyrics are hardly audible in the song.
On the other hand, some users feel that the song could have a bit more punch. One user wrote on Reddit that he feels like he hears the same song every season. Additionally, the lyrics are hardly audible in the song.
Not long now, and the servers of the MMO Anthem will be permanently shut down. While some players can no longer download the title, one user has taken the last few days to secure an important trophy.
What is the situation with Anthem? The MMO from publisher EA and developer BioWare was, in the eyes of many players, a bitter disappointment. Nevertheless, there are still fans of the title today. Recently, it was announced that the servers will go offline on January 12, 2026 – the final blow for a title designed for online play.
But even earlier, just a few days ago, users reported that they could no longer download and play the game. The problem apparently did not occur for all players. Those who were still able to connect to the servers are enjoying the last days and hours – including one user who accomplished a feat achieved by only 0.7% of all players.
Select a MMO video…
The Prayers of the Grandmaster
Which user is being referred to? On Reddit, the player KingExile96 spoke up and proudly showed in his post that he received the final and rarest trophy of Anthem on January 5, 2026.
This is called “Grandmaster” and is awarded only to those players who managed to grab all the other 46 achievements of the game. In the case of Anthem, only a fraction of all users managed to do this – namely 0.7%. The platinum trophy can no longer be achieved after Anthem shuts down, making it even more valuable.
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Under a screenshot that documents the achievement, the user expresses joy over his accomplishment and describes Anthem overall as “memorable.” He further expresses the wish that the developers would not shut the game down but rather hand it over to another company:
I want it to get another chance! It has potential. It was stressful to get the trophies, but it was also so much fun to roam around, fight bosses, and execute elemental combos… Man, I will miss this game so much. Anthem will remain in my heart.
In the comments under the post, other users join in the prayers that Anthem should please remain online. Another user, however, expresses little hope: “It’s EA, you might as well be talking to a wall.”
Even if the game will no longer be online soon, the player’s achievement remains. That he reached it at the last moment is remarkable. Are you among the 0.7% that can call themselves “Grandmaster” in Anthem? Feel free to share your experiences in the comments. One problem with the game could have been its genre: Former lead developer of Anthem explains why the looter-shooter genre destroyed the gaming experience
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A new shooter will soon be released on Steam, presenting an innovative concept: When you take hits, your framerate drops. You can counteract this with various tricks, some of which are far from honorable.
What kind of game is this? FPS Quest is an upcoming shooter by the developer Farlight Games Industries on Steam, whose name may not sound very creative at first glance. However, the game mechanics turn the classic shooter gameplay on its head and bring some exciting ideas to the genre.
The catch of the title: Your framerate, or FPS, corresponds to your health. When you get hit in the game, the frames per second drop, and the image gradually becomes choppier.
If you get hit too often, it quickly leads to a slideshow that primarily brings one thing: death. To prevent this, FPS Quest offers a range of tricks you can use against the game to keep your life and framerate up.
Start video
In the shooter FPS Quest, each hit lowers your framerate – Watch the trailer here
A shooter that wants to be optimized
What tricks are there? What do you usually do when your PC is too weak for a consistently high framerate? Exactly, head into the game settings and adjust certain graphics options until the gameplay runs smoothly. A developer has revealed what the secret of good performance is.
Such tricks can help in FPS Quest. However, in addition to simple adjustments to textures, shadows, or effects, you can also remove elements of the levels, including pillars, doors, or floors.
This may boost your FPS, but at the same time, the level sections, which are generated anew each run, become increasingly dangerous. If you remove too many important elements, you may find yourself running around completely disoriented – but enjoying a pleasantly fluid gaming experience.
Defeated enemies also grant you some frames per second. More effectively, there are the cheats that the game provides. With these, you can speed up or slow down the shooter, allowing you to fight in slow motion.
You’ll receive additional help, but also resistance, throughout the game from various factions, some of which will support you in your runs, while others aim to stop you. Above all, there is the so-called Dungeon Lord, a crazy AI that interferes with the level structure and causes considerable chaos.
How exactly you approach FPS Quest and which tricks you ultimately use is entirely up to you. The developers emphasize on the official Steam page that you need not fear headaches from low framerates: The low-FPS world is only simulated, and your actual hardware remains unaffected by the settings in the game.
Is there already a release date? Unfortunately, not yet. However, you can already add FPS Quest to your wishlist on Steam, so you won’t miss anything about the game. Besides the exciting game concept, FPS is also a significant technical aspect in other titles. Tools can help to increase it: Popular app on Steam promises more FPS for 7 euros – MeinMMO has tested it in several MMORPGs
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Ubisoft closes the Halifax studio in Canada, where around 71 employees are employed. And this only a few weeks after a union was formed by the employees.
Why is there a closure? In a statement obtained by VGC, a spokesperson for Ubisoft writes that the company has been implementing measures for “streamlining processes, improving efficiency, and reducing costs” for 2 years. Years ago, the CEO called on his employees to increase their work commitment and cost awareness.
As a result, Ubisoft Halifax must now close. The closure affects 71 jobs, who now have to hope to find other positions within Ubisoft – or alternatively must start job searching. Ubisoft aims to support them:
We are committed to supporting all affected team members during this transition phase with resources, including comprehensive severance packages and additional career counseling.
The measures are said to have occurred shortly after the corona pandemic. As part of this, Ubisoft Massive has already been reshaped, both in resources and in the team. Halifax is therefore not the only affected studio.
Start video
Rainbow Six Mobile: First gameplay shows what the tactical shooter looks like on mobile
Closure comes after union formation
Why is Halifax so critical? The closure comes just days after the report that the employees of Halifax have formed their own union. The process is said to have started in June 2025.
With the voluntary association of employees, they would have represented common interests towards the employer. This could include better working conditions and higher wages.
Ubisoft claims that the closure was decided long before the union was founded and that they had full respect for the formation.
What is Halifax known for? The studio has focused mainly on the mobile games sector. Two well-known titles from the studio are Rainbow Six Mobile and Assassin’s Creed Rebellion. Both are free-to-play titles that should be financed by in-game purchases.
Presumably, the live operation of the two titles will be discontinued due to a continuous decline in game revenues. However, there was no explicit statement about it.
The new season of League of Legends starts on January 8, 2026, ringing in the new year for the MOBA. Many changes will be made, and a controversial monster will be completely removed.
What will change in the new season of LoL? The complete patch notes for the new season have not yet been published, but Riot has already given a preview for the first season of 2026. Not only will the controversial monster Atakhan be leaving, but many other changes will also be introduced (leagueoflegends.com).
Riot has taken the criticism to heart and is removing the short-lived monster with the new season. They cite the overwhelming number of objectives on the map as the reason. With Atakhan, the Blood Roses will also be removed.
The “Feat of Strength” will also be removed
The “Feat of Strength” were introduced to League of Legends in 2025, just like Atakhan. This mechanic will also be removed to reduce objectives on the map.
By completing certain tasks, such as the first three kills of champions or destroying the first turret, a team could finish the “Feats of Strength” challenge and unlock an upgrade for their shoes.
With this mechanic’s removal, there will be more gold available for the first kill in the game and for the first turret destroyed.
Quests for each role
The roles Jungle and Support already have a role-specific quest for important upgrades. With the new season of 2026, Toplane, Midlane, and Botlane will also have theirs, provided they complete their quest:
The Toplaner receives increased experience, a new level cap, and a free teleport (like the summoner spell, but with a longer cooldown).
The Midlane receives the shoe upgrade from the “Feats of Strength.” Additionally, they will be able to teleport back to base faster, albeit with a cooldown.
The Botlaner receives a gold reward upon completing the quest and earns more gold for each minion or champion defeated. With all that gold, they can finally buy a seventh item to scale even stronger.
Although the Jungler and the Support already have a quest, they will also receive some minor updates:
The Jungler gains increased movement speed in their territory, as well as more gold for slain monsters.
As a Support, they receive additional passive gold income and a special item slot for Wards.
The Wards that provide you with more visibility in League of Legends to see early enemy rotations will receive a new mechanic. The Faelights are pre-determined locations that exist at the start of a round and grant the ward placed there increased sight range.
At later points in time, such as when the map changes due to in-game events, there will be additional Faelights. With this mechanic, Riot aims to simplify learning how to effectively enhance visibility on the map.
Pushing is easier and more rewarding
In League of Legends, lanes must be pushed to destroy towers and ultimately the Nexus to win the game. The new mechanic “Crystalline Growth” affects the towers and is consumed on hit, dealing additional damage.
The tower armor, which only applied to the first towers and was removed at minute 14, is now permanently active. Additionally, the inner towers and those before the inhibitors will also have tower armor. For each armor destroyed, you will receive gold and this is designed to reward aggressive pushing should the tower not be fully destroyed.
Nine new items and two old acquaintances
With the new season, new items will also be introduced to Summoner’s Rift. There will be a total of nine items and they are intended to provide each class (like Tank, Assassin, or Mage) with new opportunities. Additionally, the items “Hextech Gunblade” and “Stormrazor” will be brought back.
Riot states that they have closely examined which classes haven’t received enough support from previous items and will fill that gap with the new items.
Rounds now start faster
Previously, the first minions appeared at the 65-second mark of a round. With the new season, the little helpers will spawn as early as the 30-second mark. Jungle monsters will also have a faster spawn accordingly.
Riot assures that invading the enemy jungle is still possible, players just need to decide faster whether they want to take that risk.
Path of Exile 2 offers decent challenges for its players. But the best player of the ARPG shows how easy it can be.
Who is it about? The “Path of Exile 2” speedrunner Angormus was recently a guest at the charity event “Awesome Games Done Quick”, where speedrunners showcase their skills and raise donations. The donations go to the Prevent Cancer Foundation, which deals with cancer prevention and early detection.
Speedrunner Angormus is likely the best player when it comes to speedruns in Path of Exile 2. Out of the nine official races held by the developers, he won six and remains undefeated when playing a warrior character. This time, he also demonstrated how skilled he is.
Here you can watch the trailer for the current season of Path of Exile 2:
Start video
Trailer zu Path of Exile 2: Fate of the Vaal zeigt die Königin der Vaal
Finished in less than 3 hours
How did the speedrunner perform? During the charity event, speedrunner Angormus played his favorite class, the warrior. While others typically take a weekend to play through Path of Exile 2 at the start of the season, the player showed that it can be done much faster.
Without help from other players and without trading, the speedrunner defeated Path of Exile 2 in just 2 hours and 55 minutes. He played his character from the start in Act 1 to the new Tavakai end boss in Act 4.
During the nearly three-hour run, the speedrunner died seven times and nearly an eighth time against the end boss, as the boss threw several of the most challenging attacks at him due to bad luck. However, Angormus also showed in the final battle why he is the best player of the ARPG and survived that encounter as well.
You can watch the entire video here on YouTube:
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How does the community react to the speedrun? The community of Path of Exile 2 finds the performance of the speedrunner incredible. Many viewers comment that they could watch the video on YouTube several times in a row and still not be done with the campaign.
Other players are simply happy to see Path of Exile 2 at Awesome Games Done Quick and that donations for a good cause could be collected with the ARPG.
January 2026 also brings several raids in Pokémon GO. What they are has been summarized for you by MeinMMO.
As every month, there are not only various events and spotlight hours in Pokémon GO, but also several raids and raid hours for you.
We have created an overview with all raid bosses and raid hours in January 2026 for you. Monsters that can also be obtained here as shiny are marked with an *.
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Pokémon GO shows its new season in the trailer
Raid hours in January 2026 in Pokémon GO
Every Wednesday at 6:00 PM, the so-called raid hour takes place in Pokémon GO. During this time, the raid boss that is highlighted in the event appears very frequently and in many arenas in the game.
Date
Raid Hour
January 7
Genesect (Flame Module)* and Genesect (Freeze Module)*
January 14
Genesect (Flame Module)* and Genesect (Freeze Module)*
January 21
Voltolos (Incarnate Form)*
January 28
Boreos (Incarnate Form)*
Level 5 Raids and Mega Raids: Bosses in January 2026
In addition to the raid hours, there will also be rotating level 5 and mega raids waiting for you. What they are has been summarized for you. We have also linked suitable counter guides directly for you.
Which monsters are especially worth it? Generally, all bosses in January 2026 are solid attackers. However, Mega-Lohgock and Mega-Gewaldro stand out here. While the mega version of Lohgock belongs to the absolute top of the best fire-type attackers in Pokémon GO, Mega-Gewaldro is a very strong grass-type attacker.
In addition to the raids, there are also various spotlight hours and events that await you this month. If you want to know when they take place and what content awaits you there, take a look at our overview with all events in January 2026 in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Twitch streamer Tolkin is now the president of a new team in League of Legends. Together, they want to conquer the German Prime League and become champions.
What is this new LoL team? The multiple winners of the European Regional League of League of Legends, G2 Esports, has created a new roster in collaboration with the Scandinavian team NORD. The resulting team is called G2 NORD and aims to shake up the German pro scene.
What is Tolkin’s role in the team? The Twitch streamer and former LoL professional Tolkin has been announced as the president of G2 NORD. According to the blog post from G2 Esports, Tolkin is meant to drive the project’s vision forward and act as a bridge between competition, content, and the community (g2esports.com).
Start video
The trailer of the new champion of League of Legends showcases his abilities in action
G2 NORD has high ambitions in the LoL pro scene
What does the new team want to achieve? G2 NORD has several goals within the LoL scene. The team wants to conquer the German Regional League Prime League and become German champions. The blog post also states that they want to become the strongest team in Germany.
According to the CEO of G2, the organization has given little love and attention to the most loyal fans, especially from Germany. The CEO further states: “This project is supposed to bring us closer together again, make us listen more closely, and build something that German fans can truly call their own.”
Additionally, new talents should be promoted, making it easier for players to transition to professional status.
