What could be better than starting a movie marathon with the onset of the colder season? For me, Harry Potter must not be missing. And what else belongs to the pre-Christmas time? Of course, delicious food. But one detail will now always spoil my appetite when it comes to ‘Philosopher’s Stone’.
This is Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone:
The first film in the Harry Potter series was released in November 2001.
Directed by the American film producer Chris Columbus, who worked on the films until the third part.
The film delights especially with its charm and great sets and received three Oscar nominations for production design, costume design, and film score at that time.
Here you can see the trailer for the mobile game Harry Potter: Magic Awakened
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Harry Potter: Magic Awakened – Official Gameplay Trailer
Who doesn’t love them? The scenes in the impressive Great Hall, where everyone sits happily together and is served the tastiest dishes.
Fans of the books may still remember the detailed descriptions of the many different dishes. To reflect this in the film, director Chris Columbus insisted on using real food.
Roast beef, ham, turkey, and everything that goes with it was actually prepared and served.
“You could smell the Great Hall before you entered”
As one can imagine, such a scene isn’t necessarily shot in a day.
“There were a few big feasts there. You film something like that for three or four days. On the first day, you arrived and got trays full of lots of meat, vegetables, and roasted potatoes, and could eat everything,” said actor Warwick Davis, who played Professor Flitwick and the goblin Griphook in an interview (via Mirror).
However, this happiness didn’t last long. Filming under the hot stage lights for several hours in a row quickly led to the food developing an unpleasant smell.
“The next day they said: Don’t eat any of the food… you’re just pretending now, it has been there all night. On the fourth day, you could smell the Great Hall before you entered. The food was still the same and had a rather… interesting smell,” recalled Davis.
How was the problem solved? It is almost a miracle that none of the young actors actually tried the food. In later installments, the food was frozen to make molds and replicate the dishes in resin.
Thus, not only was food waste prevented, which otherwise would have to be replaced every few days, but it certainly made the work on set more pleasant for everyone involved.
I will never again be able to see the food in ‘Philosopher’s Stone’ with the same eyes as before.
Almost as much as the actors must have been disgusted by the food, many fans have an aversion to Harry’s spoiled cousin Dudley Dursley, portrayed by Harry Melling. Actors of such prominent roles often have a hard time not being solely associated with that one role.
But Melling achieved a fresh start through Netflix.
In 2024, a new series of the cult anime will be released with Dragon Ball DAIMA. It’s a good reason to recall a few facts about Son Goku and his friends.
Dragon Ball is a manga and anime series that began in 1984 in the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine. The franchise is still very popular, which is why we have compiled 5 facts about Son Goku and Co. that you might not know yet.
Fans can already look forward to the new series, Dragon Ball DAIMA:
Start video
In Dragon Ball DAIMA, Son Goku and his friends shrink
1. May 9th is Goku Day
Dragon Ball has such a cult status in Japan that it is honored with a special day. Toei Animation had May 9th registered and certified by the Japanese Anniversary Association.
The date was chosen because the number 5 can be read as “Go” and the 9 as “Ku” in Japanese. Since in Japan, the date is written the other way around, as 5/9, it had to be this day for the perfect pun (via Dragon Ball Official).
There is probably no better occasion to celebrate Dragon Ball than with a pun. After all, the creator of the series, Akira Toriyama, has named many of his characters after vegetables or even underwear.
2. Goku has officially died only twice
Dragon Ball is famous for characters passing away, only to be brought back to life. Especially in the case of Goku’s friend Krillin, his repeated deaths have become somewhat of a running gag.
Given the 187 battles that took place from Dragon Ball up to the end of Dragon Ball Z, one might easily assume that Son Goku himself must have died more frequently. Canonically, however, the hero has only been transported to the afterlife twice.
Once in a fight against his brother Raditz
And a second time in a fight against the android Cell
In both cases, Goku sacrificed himself. Thus, no opponent has managed to kill him. Additionally, there are moments in the anime adaptations where Son Goku can be considered temporarily dead. However, these do not occur in the manga (via We Got This Covered).
3. Akira Toriyama forgot one or two things
With Dragon Ball, Akira Toriyama created a vast universe inhabited by numerous characters, who also receive new abilities. It can happen that something is introduced and then simply forgotten.
This fate befell the character Launch, for example. She appeared in the original Dragon Ball but did not appear in Dragon Ball Z anymore. Toriyama temporarily forgot that she existed. When he remembered the character, he felt she resembled the overpowering Super Saiyan too much, and she was written out (via Comicbook).
Even the second level of Super Saiyan later played no major role anymore, as Toriyama simply seems to have forgotten about it.
4. A voice actor lost consciousness when he became Super Saiyan
When characters in Dragon Ball undergo the transformation into a Super Saiyan, they usually get a spiky blond hairstyle and increase their fighting power many times over.
This process often involves a lot of shouting. Sean Schimmel, the English voice of Son Goku at Funimation, once ran out of breath during this. In an interview in 2013, he admitted to fainting during a transformation in Dragon Ball GT.
He said he had been working non-stop and was very tired, Schimmel reported. During the recordings, he underestimated how much air he would need for the scene and ultimately lost consciousness (via CBR).
5. “It’s over 9,000” is actually 8,000
Besides Krillin’s death, probably the most iconic meme that Dragon Ball has produced is a legendary quote from Vegeta: “It’s over 9,000!” The statement referred to Son Goku’s fighting power after he returned to face Vegeta and Nappa.
In the manga, Son Goku’s fighting power was only a comparatively meager 8,000. This detail was changed for the English localization. In German, however, the original 8,000 can be heard (via YouTube).
In the upcoming series Dragon Ball DAIMA, Son Goku and his friends turn into smaller versions of themselves through a wish. This transformation could mean that DAIMA is aimed more at children. You can read more about it here:
Blizzard has released new skin packs for Diablo 4 with Season 2. A bundle for the Hunter has sparked discussions because it is considered too expensive for so little content.
What kind of skin is this? Diablo 4 has released a new skin pack for the Hunter class with Season 2, named ‘Beauty in Sin,’ which is only available in the game for a limited time.
The bundle costs 2,800 Platinum (about 25 Euros) and includes an outfit that envelops both male and female Hunters in tight leather.
However, the skin will not provide much protection against demons or vampires, as it reveals a lot of skin of your character and somewhat resembles the clothing of some adult catalogs in design.
Fortunately, cosmetics for your equipment are not important, so you can continue to use the strongest items even if you want to wear the skin.
Start video
Diablo 4 presents new Season 2, coming this fall – Blood & Vampires
What does the bundle include? The ‘Beauty in Sin’ package includes six different items:
Headgear: Irresistible Circlet
Chest piece: Stunning Armor
Gloves: Tempting Ankles
Leg armor: Seductive Leather
Boots: Enchanting Footwear
Body paint: Sign of Corruption
You cannot purchase the contents of the bundle individually, only as a package for 2,800 Platinum.
What is the discussion? The main criticism of the bundle is the price. One player finds the skin bundle particularly expensive in light of the 70€ purchase price of the hack ‘n’ slash (via Reddit).
Another player criticizes that the outfit costs nearly 25 US dollars, despite it being merely ‘underwear,’ which they believe should be the standard skin for most characters (via Reddit). However, a user counters that women’s underwear is also very expensive in real life, and thus the price is appropriate.
The in-game shop of Diablo 4 has already been criticized by players for quite some time. Even before the release, users expressed little enthusiasm about a package costing 25 Euros:
This week, the Festival of the Lost in Destiny 2 enters its second week. New opportunities await for the coolest weapon memento. Players can also expect the last voiceline of the Season 22 story, and Bungie has already hinted that there could still be a surprise waiting.
This is happening this week: The story of Season 22 currently feels complete. The Guardians have resurrected Savathûn, the Witch Queen, and Eris Morn was for a brief time the strongest Hive entity to ever exist. This seemed to make sense as an ending. However, Bungie revealed on October 13, after the “official” ending, that “the season of the witch is not over yet”.
In week 10, the final voiceline of the Season of the Witch could come, and the Guardians are eager to see if there will be an unexpected twist. At least one secret triumph still awaits its reveal.
What that could be remains speculation.
Some players believe that Eris might still succumb to her dark side.
Others believe that the Imbaru engine of Savathûn’s pillar still holds secrets, especially since secret areas were recently discovered there.
Yet others believe that Immaru, Savathûn’s cheeky ghost, could play an even bigger role. He seems to have already betrayed himself when he hinted that Savathûn’s plan is bigger than we know so far.
So it remains exciting, and since Season 22 with its Hive theme has been well received by many, there is hope for an unexpected twist that sheds new light on the Witch Queen’s plans and the hunt for the Witness.
Let’s first take a look at what is happening this week in the ritual playlists and what to expect.
For everyone who missed the “Grande Finale” – see the best scene in the video here:
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Destiny 2: Witch Queen Season creates the strongest Hive member there has ever been
The most important info on activities from 24th to 31st October.
[toc]
Dusk
Heist Battleground: Europa
A fierce test of your powers, as you must complete the heist battleground on Europa. You will battle against the Eye of Xivu Arath. Additionally, many deadly lasers, traps, and a lot of Hive await you.
Earn this week this dusk weapon: The Swarm, Arc Machine Gun. Please note: This is the last opportunity to obtain this weapon in its master version. In Season 23, it will be removed from the dusk rotation to make room for new content.
Crucible – This is the rotating PvP activity
The two modes Conflict as well as Team Scorched are active this week in PvP.
Endgame: Raid Challenges and Dungeon Rotation
Farmable endgame on a weekly rotation: As the endgame progresses, the legacy rotations await.
Both the rotation raid, the rotation dungeon, and the exotic rotation missions are farmable. This means you can repeatedly complete the individual encounters to receive various items and complete your collection, including potential exotics available in these contents.
The weekly legacy raid is “The Deep Stone Crypt” with the weapon exotic “Eyes of Tomorrow”
Additionally, there is extra loot in the dungeon “The Broken Throne” and the currently best exotic bow in the game, the “Wishender”.
The weekly exotic mission is “Precursor” with the scout exotic Tale of the Dead.
Weekly Activities
These are the ritual activities: Season 22 offers the Guardians new challenges and a card deck that supports them on their missions with buffs as well as benefits, provided they unlock everything and assemble their deck appropriately.
Altars of Summoning: Offer sacrifices in the Witch Queen’s outworldly prison to summon horrific enemies, defeat them, and gain their power.
There are three difficulty levels you can activate. So anyone activating “Mighty”, the highest difficulty with three swords, will also sweat heavily.
However, expanding your deck makes it increasingly easier.
Savathûn’s Pillar: Activate the pillar, defeat its overseers, and gain access to the altars of summoning.
Void Crystals have a barrier around them that protects nearby enemies. The barrier must be entered, and the crystal destroyed from within.
Solar Crystals burn upon pickup and must be transported to a separate part of the arena.
Arc Crystals give the charge buff “Crystalline Charge” in melee. Inactive Arc Crystals must be awakened with a “Transfer Melee”.
This event is currently active: Guardians can celebrate the Festival of the Lost for another 2 weeks starting today. It offers candies that you can exchange for weapons or exotics. Or you can complete bounty quests to replenish your glimmer supply. The coolest memento is currently also available for earning through the festival.
The Guardians must go deep underground in Lightfall to reach the “Veil”. They will receive support from Caiatl’s troops in an epic battle at the gates of the Ishtar facility.
Ascendant Challenge – Dreaming City
If you still need triumphs from the Dreaming City: Corruption reveals new accesses with a sip of “Queen’s Leaf Tincture”, so you can find these.
Petra Venj is at the top of the pavilion in the area “The Shore” in the Dreaming City. The curse cycle starts anew and Curse Week 1 is active. The 5th Ascendant Challenge is also active.
All sources for top loot in Season 22 of Destiny 2
In Season 22, Cayde’s Colonel showed what he thinks of cheeky ghosts like Immaru.
More power level comes completely automatically: The power level is also suspended in Season 22, meaning the hard power level cap in Destiny 2 remains unchanged at 1,810. Thus, no player is forced to perform at their peak every week but levels up the artifact level automatically in all activities.
Hard challenges still exist, even without an increase in power levels. For example, in Grandmaster Raids, pinnacle Dungeons, Grandmaster Lost Sectors, or the Trials of Osiris. Here a high artifact level is advantageous and necessary.
If you are currently not at the hard cap of 1,810, we have listed here the best sources for top loot for you.
This top loot will bring your power level to 1,810:
What do you think? Will this Season 22 contain another highlight? Or do you think that’s it and nothing more will come? Feel free to let us know in the comments.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Since Season 2, players can equip Vampiric Powers to enhance their heroes. No matter how evil the powers may be, they provide strong bonuses that you should take advantage of. We show you which are the best, how to unlock them, and what to consider.
What are Vampiric Powers? Vampiric Powers are the new season mechanic in Season 2. With it, you can improve your hero to benefit from even more powerful bonuses.
They function differently than the hearts players could farm in Season 1. In our overview, we now show you some of the generally best powers for your hero, so you can decide which power you want to use.
Did you miss the Season 2 trailer? Then we have just the thing for you:
Start video
Diablo 4 presents new Season 2, coming this fall – Blood & Vampires
Tier List of Vampiric Powers – These are the ones you should hunt
Which are the best powers? We compared various sources and considered the meta to achieve the best possible result for our list. We rank all powers from S (very good) to C (mediocre) so you know which are the best options for your heroes.
Fangs of the Circle, Feed of the Circle, Shield Wall,
Call Familiar
Note that the powers you need may change depending on your build – it is therefore difficult to draw a general conclusion for all classes and builds. However, the options we have listed are strong powers that you can use for almost any purpose.
How do I unlock Vampiric Powers? To unlock Vampiric Powers, you have three options:
You use Powerful Blood and can snag a random power
You complete the seasonal quest and receive a power depending on the mission
You level up on the Hunter Fame Board and gain new powers depending on your level
However, it is important that you first complete some missions of the seasonal story to unlock and use the power menu.
Can I improve the powers? When you have unlocked the powers you need, you only need to improve them. You can do this with enough “Powerful Blood” in the powers menu. However, it is important to have the necessary pacts on your armor to be able to equip your powers. If you do not have these, you cannot equip them.
There are three pacts:
Divinity
Wildness
Eternity
So if you only have 5 Divinity but you need 6 Divinity, you would not be able to activate the power “Cursed Touch” in your build.
In the world of Destiny 2, the servers are shut down almost every week. The Guardians have known this routine for a long time. Today, it’s that time again, and MeinMMO informs you about when the planned downtime takes place and what changes.
Update history for Update 7.2.5.1:
19:08: Bungie gives the command back. Destiny has apparently changed its mind. Update 7.2.5.1 is now available and is rolling out. On PC, it is 134.4 MB in size. We’ve linked the patch notes further down in the article.
18:55: A routine maintenance has quickly turned into an extended downtime. Bungie just announced via Twitter/X that the downtime has been extended by 1 hour. New information is expected to be released in about an hour.
16:18: The servers of Destiny 2 are now offline until the weekly reset. We will keep you updated during the downtime. So keep an eye on updates to this article.
What you need to know today: After the big midseason update from last week, it will be quieter again today. Only a standard update is on the agenda for Destiny 2. But even for that, the servers will be shut down for a short time so Bungie can work in peace.
Last week, the emblem of the contest mode from Crota’s End was fixed, allowing players to finally claim their triumph “There Can Be Only One”.
Additionally, Bungie has already fixed the issues with the Festival of the Lost, the Halloween event in Destiny 2.
More festival mementos now drop from the creepy engrams.
The event challenge “Heads Will Roll” can now be completed in both normal and legendary haunted sectors.
Today’s plans only cover problem-solving. Therefore, there are not expected to be any longer wait times. Nevertheless, MeinMMO will keep you informed in this article, as surprises are always possible.
Did you know that the Hunter will soon receive a huge dagger? Check out the video here:
Start video
Destiny 2 gives the Hunter in the DLC “The Final Form” a dagger with which he becomes the Arc-Strike in the darkness
Maintenance on 24.10. – All times for server down
These times are important today: Bungie continues to inform players via Twitter/X about the planned downtime. MeinMMO brings you this info with the downtime for Germany, so you can better plan your personal gaming night. Today, the downtime is again 2 hours and 45 minutes.
Here is the exact schedule for the maintenance:
At 16:00 the background maintenance will start on all platforms.
At approximately 16:15 the servers will go offline. Players will be automatically kicked from the game.
During the downtime, Bungie will release Update 7.2.5.1. It will be rolled out gradually, allowing players on all platforms to download it.
At 19:00 everything should be back online and you can try to log in again.
The maintenance will continue in the background until 21:00.
Important: As long as the background maintenance is ongoing, there may be connection issues in the game. Additionally, maintenance may sometimes create queues at login, as Bungie is gradually opening access to the servers to avoid issues from excessive server load. Therefore, you may have to wait longer before you are back in the game.
The cut that Eris Morn inflicted on Savathûn in Season 22 had to be.
This will be included in Update 7.2.5.1: As always, Bungie publishes its current to-do list of things that are not currently functioning properly in the game. This is also actively influenced by players reporting bugs in the Bungie forum.
The following bugs are currently on this list:
The Thought-Walker’s pursuit no longer glows when it deals damage.
When automatic melee settings are activated, glaives accidentally perform double melee attacks.
The “Pssst!” gesture no longer shows the intended holographic boss.
The “Solo Legendary Lost Sector” Guardian rank objective can be completed on both available difficulty levels of the Lost Sectors.
The Legendary card “Ascension – Major Arcana” does not deal fire damage to fighters.
The bayonet stab of the Exo weapon Monte Carlo does not trigger gamepad rumble.
The game does not grant players a raid completion when Crota is killed while his wipe timer is running out.
Players report that they still cannot grant commendations in the Trials of Osiris.
Players can die when executing a finisher and the enemy dies before the finisher animation is completed.
The resilience status gives the damage resistance of the previous level at a multiple of 10. However, 100 resilience correctly provides the intended benefit.
Not to forget: Player name changes are not endlessly adjustable on bungie.net. Several “Number Guardians” are still waiting for the option to change their player name again instead of receiving the message “You have no name changes available.”
If you know any other bugs in the game that are not listed here but have caught your attention, feel free to let us know in the comments section.
What is in the patch notes? Bungie publishes the list of all changes for Update 7.2.5.1 in the form of patch notes. However, a complete overview of all fixed problems and improvements will only be available online later today.
As soon as they are published, we will update our article for you and link to the patch notes, as things can still change after that.
What else is important? Maintenance phases are unfortunately an unavoidable part of a live-service game like Destiny 2, as they form the basis for a smooth and enjoyable gaming experience.
Although they may temporarily restrict access to the game, they are a necessary step to ensure that bugs do not remain in the game and that you can play as usual and without too much interference.
Keep an eye on this article to stay updated on the progress of the maintenance work, and look forward to the new weekly reset that awaits you right after the update is completed.
A fun experience can currently be had at the Halloween event in Destiny 2, even if not everyone is excited about it:
His iconic role as Jean-Luc Picard was by no means secure for Patrick Stewart at the time. To convince the creator of Star Trek, the actor even had a wig flown in from London.
From today’s perspective, it’s hard to imagine that anyone other than the great Sir Patrick Stewart could embody the commander of the USS Enterprise, Jean-Luc Picard. But that was by no means a given.
Stewart, already in his mid-40s at the time and with thinning hair, did not fit the image that Eugene “Gene” Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, had for his new protagonist.
Roddenberry presumably wanted a kind of young William Shatner, a daring adventurer like Indiana Jones, and not a “bald Englishman,” as producer Rick Berman revealed in a 2006 interview (via Television Academy Foundation).
Ultimately, Patrick Stewart had to audition four times to get the role – he actually had no desire for long filming days in the USA. The Englishman finally got the role because Berman advocated for him. However, the whole story is even more curious than that.
Start video
Star Trek: Picard Season 3 Trailer (German)
“Take the Englishman, but get rid of the wig!”
How did Patrick Stewart get the role? As Patrick Stewart reported in the Graham Norton Show, he received a call from his agent before his fourth and final audition. The agent asked if Stewart perhaps had a wig or hairpiece.
Apparently, the idea was that Gene Roddenberry would warm up to him as Picard more easily if he had hair. As an actor with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Stewart actually possessed a very high-quality hairpiece. However, it was located in London.
For the audition, the hairpiece was specially flown in from England, as Stewart recalled with a laugh: “Those were the days.” You can check out Stewart’s version of the story in this clip – it even features a picture of the actor with the hairpiece:
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How did the audition go? Patrick Stewart reports that he actually wore the hairpiece for the audition. On-site, he even had a stylist who properly styled the false hair. Back in his dressing room, she removed the hairpiece when suddenly there was a knock.
According to Patrick Stewart, the people from Paramount Pictures, who were to shoot on their lot, came in to thank him for his time “and all the nonsense,” as the actor put it.
At that point, it was clear for his stylist: She said that the producers must have come in because he had the role and they wanted to see him without the wig.
Indeed, Berman reports that Patrick Stewart and another actor auditioned before John Pike, the then-head of Paramount. Afterward, he said the relieving words: “Take the Englishman, but get rid of the wig!”
In Counter-Strike 2 grenades have the potential for brilliant plays. The professional player s1mple shows you what a perfect example looks like.
Who is it about?
The 26-year-old Ukrainian Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyljev is considered one of the best Counter-Strike players of all time and has played in his career for HellRaisers, FlipSid3 Tactics and Team Liquid.
s1mple reached the peak of his career at Natus Vincere (NaVi), for whose team he has played since 2016 and won several high-profile tournaments, such as the Intel Grand Slam in September 2021.
At NaVi, s1mple was also named the best player of the years 2018, 2021, and 2022 and was also a title contender in 2019 and 2020.
The smokes now react to their environment. Objects and walls keep the spread of the smoke contained, and shots even tear small holes in the cloud through which you can see your opponents. A highlight of the new grenades is also how the cloud reacts to the explosion of a grenade – it disappears briefly.
Many players take advantage of this and let grenades explode in the smoke clouds to briefly see and shoot their opponents accurately. A clip of s1mple is now circulating on Reddit, where he shows a nearly perfect execution of this tactic.
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What makes s1mple’s execution so good? s1mple manages to get a kill in every situation shown in the clip. He succeeds primarily through communication with his team. He clearly announces every time when the smoke should be “broken” by an explosion, meaning blown away.
This allows both s1mple himself and his teammates to optimally react to the temporary disappearance of the smoke and surprise the opponents. He always takes angles from which he can see his opponents when the smoke disappears.
On the map “Mirage”, for example, he caught the rotating opponents when he broke the smoke in the window with a grenade that he dropped just a few meters away.
Just recently, s1mple gave an insight into the life of an e-sports player and revealed that he has over 23,000 hours in Counter-Strike:
With the Ybar+, Trust offers an affordable gaming mouse for 50 euros. MeinMMO editor Benedikt Schlotmann tested the gaming mouse and explains how it performs in everyday use.
Whether the mouse can keep its promise and compete with the good competition, you can read in my test.
Who tested it?
I currently own over 20 gaming mice and have tested over 15 keyboards. Privately, I also own over 10 sets of in-ear headphones. At MeinMMO, I have been testing hardware for our readers since 2019. In addition to the PC and PS5, I am also using the Steam Deck now.
The manufacturer Trust provided me with the Ybar+ for testing.
Benedikt Schlotmann Hardware Editor MeinMMO
Technical Details:
Sensor
Not specified further
Resolution
Up to 25,600 DPI
Switches
Not specified further
Buttons
6 buttons
Design
White or black mouse. RGB lighting at the manufacturer’s logo and at the bottom
Glides
2
Cable
1.8 m USB-A cable
Weight
85 grams
Price (RRP)
49.99 Euro
Contents, Design, and Construction
What does the package include? Besides the gaming mouse, there is only a manual in the box. The cable is permanently attached and not detachable.
How is the mouse built? You can buy the mouse in black or white, I am using the white model in the test.
On the top side of the mouse are the main buttons and between them the two-way scroll wheel. A small switch is located on the top before the scroll wheel, which allows you to switch DPI.
On the underside, there are two large mouse feet, one far in the front and one under the back of the mouse.
On the thumb side, there are two additional buttons that can be assigned freely.
Trust relies on gentle RGB lighting at the edge of the mouse and a lit logo. Overall, however, this is not very noticeable and does not stand out as much as with other manufacturers, like Roccat or Razer, who deliberately go for RGB.
Processing
The housing of the mouse is robustly constructed. During the obligatory shake test, you can only hear the scroll wheel clicking softly. The scroll wheel offers reasonable feedback and is pleasantly quiet. In everyday use, it is almost inaudible.
It is a pity that the cable of the mouse cannot be removed. The mouse cable is also quite stiff and does not really impress me.
Trust advertises its packaging with an eco-friendly design and that the mouse is made of 50% recycled plastic. However, I do not understand why they decided on a permanently installed mouse cable. Because in case of a defect, I can only throw the whole mouse away, which is not very environmentally conscious. Some manufacturers, like SteelSeries, also rely on detachable cables for wired mice.
Software
The Ybar+ uses the software suite “Ybar Series Software” from Trust. The software is slim and installs quickly, requiring very little storage space. With 25 megabytes in RAM, the software is very unobtrusive.
The “Ybar Series Software” itself offers only the barest options: adjust lighting, configure DPI, or set up macros. However, that’s all it needs.
I find it unfortunate that the software is entirely in English and there is no German language option. However, most points are also self-explanatory in English. Also annoying: On large displays (WQHD and larger), the text of the software appears slightly blurred. The interface probably does not scale correctly with Windows.
Not necessarily pretty, but practical and pleasantly compact.
On the next page, you will read everything about weight, ergonomics, and the final conclusion.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
At the end of the Final Fantasy XIV fan festival in London, the guests addressed some farewell words to the fans present. The legendary creator of the Final Fantasy series, Hironobu Sakaguchi, also had a message for Director and Producer Naoki Yoshida, which brought him to tears.
The stage program was completely streamed, except for the evening concerts and the closing speech, and can be replayed on Youtube. Those who secured one of the coveted tickets were offered a large selection of mini-games, merchandise, and entertainment on site.
Traditionally, Square Enix invites developers from the Final Fantasy XIV team as well as thematically appropriate guests related to the announced content. Always present is the now 50-year-old Final Fantasy XIV producer and director Naoki Yoshida, also known as Yoshi-P. This year, the father of the Final Fantasy game series, Hironobu Sakaguchi, was also present in London.
By the way, we were also on site and have a few impressions for you:
Start video
Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival London 2023
Who is Hironobu Sakaguchi? Hironobu Sakaguchi is the now 60-year-old creator of the Final Fantasy game series. For the first part released in Japan in 1987, he served as director and story author. For the first five games, he took on a leading role and supported the development of the games until he last served as executive producer in 2003.
What words did Sakaguchi direct to Naoki Yoshida? On Sunday evening after the The Primals concert, the developers, guests, and stage team bid farewell to the visitors. In this context, Producer and Director Naoki Yoshida thanked the fans, his team, but especially Sakaguchi:
Mr. Sakaguchi, thank you for creating Final Fantasy.
Naoki Yoshida to Hironobu Sakaguchi, Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival in London on 22.10.2023
Sakaguchi replied:
I have to thank you. Thank you for making Final Fantasy better than before.
Hironobu Sakaguchi to Naoki Yoshida, Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival in London on 22.10.2023
For the great praise, Yoshi-P bowed and shook hands with his idol – before quickly turning away from the audience: Tears came to the developer’s eyes on stage. The audience responded to the interaction with great applause, which Sakaguchi also joined in.
After a few minutes, a now smiling Yoshida informed the hall: I never thought that Mr. Sakaguchi would make me cry. Indeed, this is not the first time that Naoki Yoshida has broken down in tears publicly:
At the re-launch event of Final Fantasy XIV with A Realm Reborn, the then 40-year-old Yoshida thanked his team as well as the fans for their support. During the highly emotional speech, he struggled to find his words and visibly held back tears.
Another instance was the farewell to the digital fan fest 2021. During the farewell words, Final Fantasy XIV composer Masayoshi Soken revealed that he had suffered from a serious cancer illness the previous year. Not only Naoki Yoshida, but also the other developers present and the streaming viewers were brought to tears.
In Diablo 4 you can travel through various zones of Sanctuary, but some areas of the map are still inaccessible to players. Since October 13th, Blizzard’s hack-and-slash is also available on Steam. Recently, hints of two new zones have been found that have not been officially announced yet.
What are these zones? The Steam version of Diablo 4, released just under two weeks ago, contains names for the zones “Teganze Plains” and “Torajan Jungles”.
Torajan Jungles is located in the south of Sanctuary and borders the zone “Kehjistan” with its capital “Kurast,” which you probably know from Diablo 2.
Accordingly, “Teganze Plains” and “Torajan Jungles” complement the zones currently available in the game: Scosglen, Zersplitterte Gipfel (Fractured Peaks), Trockensteppe (Dry Steppes), Kehjistan, and Hawezar.
What do these names mean? These names are used to indicate a player’s position in the friends list. For example, there is also the name “Scosglen,” which tells your friends that you are currently somewhere in the Scosglen area.
The names were discovered on the website SteamDB, which extensively collects data on Steam and all games published on Steam and makes it publicly available. The collected information includes update and price history, achievements, and player counts.
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Diablo 4 presents new Season 2, coming this fall – Blood & Vampires
What’s the deal with the new zones? Both “Teganze Plains” and “Torajan Jungles” cannot currently be traveled to in Diablo 4 – even with the start of Season 2.
Instead, they could be regions added to the game with upcoming expansions.
When the first major expansion for Diablo 4 will be released is currently unknown, but an expert has looked closely at some rumors and made some initial speculations:
A new band celebrates its debut under Riot with a first own music video. The “League of Legends” boy band seems to be making a big impact. Watch the music video here on MeinMMO.
For League of Legends, music plays a big role. On YouTube you can find many music videos featuring the characters from the game. The fan community has also been thrilled with LoL bands like the girl group K/DA or True Damage.
Now the first LoL boy band also gets a chance:
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LoL Boyband Music Video HEARTSTEEL
Fans are excited about the music video, the singers, and the work behind it
HEARTSTEEL is the name of the band and consists of the champions: Kayn, Ezreal, Sett, Yone, K’Sante, and Aphelios.
These voices are lent by Beakhyun, tobi lou, ØZI, and Cal Scruby. Whether the voices fit the champions and are harmonically singing must be decided by each individual.
With their first song PARANOIA, the new boy band seems to be making quite an impact. At least the reactions (via YouTube) to the first music video and the performance of the singers are very positive:
stayarmys writes: That was incredible. Can we talk about the animations? Imagine the hard work involved.
doopoopod writes: The music video is crazy. The amount of crazy details and extraordinary choices is overwhelming. Riot artists and animators are unique.
baammbi writes: Maybe we have a love-hate relationship with Riot when it comes to LoL, but they never disappoint when it comes to music.
bambibam5009 writes: The song is simply incredible. […] Anyone who doesn’t like this has no taste
What do you think of the music video and the voices behind the new boy band? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments.
The 20-year-old Luxembourger “LetsHugo” has become one of the most well-known streamers on the German Twitch . However, he is not above the law – or in this case, above the rules of the streaming platform. The streamer received his first ban and now reveals the reasons.
What kind of ban was it? On the night of October 22, it was announced via the automated account “StreamerBans” on X, formerly Twitter, that LetsHugo was banned from Twitch. This was the first ban for the 20-year-old. Fortunately, he had already given up his 4-year streaming streak at that time.
Immediately, there was speculation about possible reasons for the ban: Did LetsHugo perhaps cheat during the Minecraft tournament of Magenta? At least that was claimed by an apparently joking post from Twitch streamer Rumathra on X, which some users seemed to believe.
In addition, there were the cryptic statements from streamer Stegi: The ban was already justified, but it was nothing serious and LetsHugo would return soon to clarify the situation (via X). Indeed, the 20-year-old was unbanned after just over a day.
In a stream on October 23, LetsHugo reveals the reasons for what he calls the “dumbest ban in the history of Twitch”.
Learn more about LetsHugo in our video:
Select a MMO video…
Streamer believes a viewer reported him
What did LetsHugo do? In a recent stream, LetsHugo used the website OmeTV, which allows users to video chat with randomly selected strangers. Such services are not allowed on Twitch according to the terms of use, as streamers have no control over the content their chat partners might display.
In the past, several streamers have received a ban for using Omegle during their streams. LetsHugo was well aware of this, as he reported after his return that he had taken precautions to avoid being caught.
LetsHugo uses forbidden software – Tries to cover it up, gets banned for exactly that
This is how the streamer tried to outsmart Twitch: LetsHugo explains that he deliberately shared only the part of his screen that showed himself and his chat partners. Thus, it should not be recognizable that the whole thing is taking place on OmeTV.
Moreover, he repeatedly emphasized that it was a video call via Discord.
However, the streamer suspects that a viewer tipped him off and reported him to Twitch. The responsible parties would have checked the stream and recognized what he was doing.
LetsHugo also reveals that he would have actually gotten away with a warning. However, due to his attempt to deceive, he ended up receiving the ban. You can watch the entire explanation, including the illustrations created by the streamer, here:
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Is the streamer contrite? At least he announced that he does not want to repeat his actions. LetsHugo keeps the option open to hold such streams on YouTube in the future, as the regulations there are not so strict.
It is not surprising that LetsHugo apparently wants to be good for now after his ban, since full-time streamers are excluded from their important source of income due to such a ban. Some content creators have long complained that bans come too suddenly and are communicated in an non-transparent manner:
Because players still have to patiently wait for The Elder Scrolls 6, they are doing increasingly absurd things in The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. One player has now taken on a ‘Food Challenge’ and eaten many foods at once. He proudly presents us with the result.
How did the player manage that? User amelix34 took 20,000 gold and bought all the foods and ingredients available for purchase in the larger cities in the shops. This includes, for example, bread, carrots, and apples.
In a clip, the player shows how he eats all that food and the ingredients at once. He opens the menu, clicks on all food items, and then exits the menu. Afterwards, the spectacular death of the character can be seen:
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After a white flash, the character collapses to the ground and lies there twitching. A little blood also spurts from his chest. So the food and ingredients did not sit well with the character as expected.
However, contrary to the assumption that the stomach simply burst from the volume of food, it was probably just one single ingredient that caused the player to die.
The world of Skyrim continues to fascinate many players even today. In the following trailer, you can see for yourself:
Select a MMO video…
Jarrin root causes severe stomach problems in Skyrim
What did the character ultimately die from? In the player’s inventory was a Jarrin root. This is a toxic ingredient that, according to the NPC Astrid, is supposed to lead to the player’s death.
We receive the root when we complete the quest ‘The End of an Empire’. Astrid gives us the root to poison Emperor Titus Mede II. The player probably forgot that he still had the root in his inventory, which is why he died.
In the comments, user LFNews explains that the root inflicts damage of 1,000. This leads to immediate death for many characters since their health points are not that high (via reddit.com).
For a possible follow-up experiment, a user suggests that the player should swallow the ingredients first, then the food next time. This way he can mitigate the damage caused by the root.
Other users mock the animation during the death or are reminded of a scene from the cartoon series SpongeBob SquarePants. One user summarizes what many think:
“God, we need a new Elder Scrolls game lmao”
Many players are eagerly awaiting a sequel to Skyrim and are therefore imposing increasingly crazed challenges on themselves. For example, one player took 11 years to reach level 100 in every skill:
New World was originally supposed to focus strongly on survival elements and especially on building your own fortresses. These were to be defended in wars against other players. Now the new MMORPG Havenhold (PC) has been introduced, which wants to combine the fortress aspect with action-packed gameplay.
What kind of game is this? In Havenhold, you represent a hero from a bygone era and explore a world that has been completely destroyed. Together with other players, you should rebuild it and defend your conquered areas against other guilds.
You collect experience points to improve your character. There will also be special quests to level up your skills.
You can fight powerful bosses in special instances. The developers also mention puzzles and riddles that need to be solved.
The combat system is supposed to be action-packed, with blocking playing an important role. There will also be combos with other players.
Crafting potions and items will include mini-games. For example, you will have to stomp on the materials at the right moment – a bit like in Guitar Hero – to crush them.
However, the main feature will be PvP. The world is divided into different zones that can be conquered. In the core of the zone is a construction area where you can build your own fortress. You determine the layout of castle walls, can set up towers and other weapons for defense, and set traps to make it more difficult for your enemies to attack.
The battles for the fortresses take place in the open world, but only at times set by the defender. However, such battles can last several hours until one side has won.
You can watch the latest teaser for Havenhold here:
Select a MMO video…
The Alpha 0 is already over, larger tests are set to begin soon
Who is behind the game? The studio is called Wolfpack Games and consists, according to their own statements, mainly of developers who have a lot of experience in MMOs and place great value on social interaction.
Behind the game are three co-founders from China who established the studio in 2021:
Sheldon Wang previously worked at Leyou Technologies, which owns Digital Extremes (Warframe), among others.
Footman Liu was a developer at Dragon Oath, a Chinese MMORPG that had a peak of 2 million active players per day.
Stephen Wang, who has primarily worked as a banker and analyst.
The studio itself is also located in Beijing, and the team was also at Gamescom this year and is proficient in English.
Where does the MMORPG stand currently? Havenhold launched Alpha 0 in October, allowing friends and acquaintances to test the game. In the coming weeks, a larger test is planned, which is why the studio is now presenting itself more strongly.
To participate in the test, you can register on the official website.
When will the game be released? Havenhold is supposed to be released only for PC and on Steam. There is currently no official release timeframe. It is also unclear how the MMORPG plans to finance itself in the long term. Most developers come from free-to-play games.
New World allowed players to build fortresses themselves
Why does the game remind me of old New World? In the original version of New World, players were supposed to claim smaller areas and build their own fortress at the settlement point.
The screenshot of the map immediately reminded me of Amazon’s MMORPG:
The focus in the original New World was on building your own walls, siege weapons, and setting traps. Furthermore, battles were to be fought in the open world and not, as they are now, instantiated.
However, exactly this aspect was removed over time.
In our video from February 2019, you can still see the building feature at minute 5:
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The year 2023 is coming to an end, and it’s time to take a look at the new games of the year. In this list, you’ll find five games that might even make it to Game of the Year with their Metacritic score.
On December 7, 2023, we will learn which title has made it to the Game of the Year 2023. The candidates are not yet known, but we have looked at the current ratings on Metacritic (via metacritic.com) and present to you in this list five games that could at least make it as contenders with their scores.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Genre: Open-world action-adventure | Developer: Nintendo | Platform: Nintendo Switch | Release Date: May 12, 2023 | Metacritic: 96
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Trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom shows what to expect in the game
Unlike its predecessor, in Tears of the Kingdom, you not only explore the surface of Hyrule but also an ancient civilization in the sky and the mysterious underground. You embark on a mission to uncover the truth about the catastrophe that plunged the kingdom into chaos.
With a Metacritic score of 96 and a large fanbase, the game definitely has a chance to become a strong contender for Game of the Year 2023.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Genre: Role-playing game | Developer: Larian Studios | Platform: PC, PS5, Xbox | Release Date: August 3, 2023 | Metacritic: 96
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Baldur’s Gate 3: The release teaser for the new role-playing game for PS5 and Steam
That Baldur’s Gate 3 is also a very strong contender for Game of the Year comes as no surprise, even without considering the Metacritic score of 96.
The role-playing game has been everywhere since its release in August, captivating players not only with its concept but also with the possibilities it offers.
Especially the interactions with NPCs and romances with your companions, as well as the decision-making options and the overall charm of the game, make this title a major hit.
In Baldur’s Gate 3, you assemble your party to experience your own story. You face the battle, resist a mind flayer parasite in your head, or you succumb to the power and corruption and become ultimate evil.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Genre: Platformer | Developer: Nintendo | Platform: Nintendo Switch | Release Date: October 20, 2023 | Metacritic: 93
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder will be released in October for Nintendo Switch
Super Mario Bros. Wonder has not been on the market for long, but with a Metacritic score of 93, it could definitely be considered a contender for Game of the Year 2023.
That a game featuring Mario and his friends is doing so well is hardly surprising. After all, the cheerful plumber has been delighting the gaming community and several generations for years in various adventures.
However, fans had to wait a full 11 years for a truly new 2D installment of the platforming series. Perhaps this explains why Super Mario Bros. Wonder has such a high Metacritic score just four days after its release.
This title, however, also features some new power-ups, such as the elephant fruit, the bubble flower, or the drill mushrooms, making the game a new experience even for long-time fans.
Genre: Action-adventure, Horror | Developer: Capcom | Platform: PC, PS5/PS4, Xbox | Release Date: March 23, 2023 | Metacritic: 93
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Resident Evil 4 Trailer
The remake of Resident Evil 4 has also made it onto this list with a Metacritic score of 93 and the potential to be a contender for Game of the Year.
The original title, which was released in 2005, proved itself among other games in the series and is considered a legendary part by many fans. Therefore, it’s not surprising that the remake has been well received.
Of course, the game has been graphically enhanced, but the story does not differ from the original title. However, more elaborate dialogues, more readable background information and contexts provide a more intense gaming experience than nearly 20 years ago.
Street Fighter 6
Genre: Fighting game | Developer: Capcom, BANDAI NAMCO | Platform: PC, PS5/PS4, Xbox | Release Date: June 2, 2023 | Metacritic: 92
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Street Fighter 6 Launch Trailer
Street Fighter 6 has a Metacritic score of 92 and stands just behind the previous games on the list, but whether a fighting game can hold its own as Game of the Year is still questionable.
Nevertheless, it should not be overlooked. Because it is already quite a high score for a fighting game. The game also celebrated a very successful release with over 2 million players.
Street Fighter 6 is the latest installment in a well-known and beloved series and aims to offer you an advanced combat system with three different control types (Classic, Modern, and Dynamic). Additionally, you now receive real-time commentary during your fights that is meant to provide a feeling of a live broadcast.
Which games do you see as contenders for Game of the Year 2023? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments.
MyMMO editor Benedict Grothaus keeps playing Against the Storm on Steam. This roguelite city-building game combines the feeling of achievement with the challenge of constantly overcoming problems. And a round fits perfectly into any evening.
The MyMMO editorial team wants to introduce you to games that our authors are currently engaging with on Steam over the next few days. The idea behind this series is not to present you with our “favorite games,” but rather what is currently consuming our time.
After completing Baldur’s Gate 3 in my first playthrough and also successfully finishing the extremely difficult Lies of P, I am currently drawn back to city-building games – a little relaxation after dramatic stories and tough boss battles.
On Steam, the game has a rating of 95% and is therefore “extremely positive.” And I can fully understand why that is.
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Against the Storm: The trailer for the release on Steam
The fight against windmills – uh, the storm
Against the Storm combines two genres: city-building and roguelite. This has become a popular combination, especially in the indie scene: You build a city, earn points for it, and in the end, it gets destroyed somehow.
The premise resembles a fantasy novel: The banished queen is to reclaim the wilderness. The smoldering city serves as her main base, the last bastion in a world destroyed by a storm.
As the viceroy, I now set out, repeatedly founding new settlements and defying the storm to extract what the city needs to survive from the wilderness. The special thing about it is that I play in cycles.
It rains constantly. Instead of seasons, there is drizzle, summer rain, and storm. During the storm, the whole world becomes more hostile, everything more dangerous. Villagers can die, a corruption can destroy my buildings.
But that’s not enough: After a certain time, all my constructed settlements are destroyed again, and I have to start from scratch. Almost, at least, because each time there are rewards that allow me to unlock permanent upgrades.
Dozens of upgrades help.The map is huge.After every victory (and defeat), there are rewards.A city needs planning.
Beavers and foxes are my secret weapon
The game starts with basic cornerstones for a village: houses, buildings for food production, wood, and more. Everything a city-building game needs. Additionally, there are different types of inhabitants with special abilities:
Humans are particularly good at planting and harvesting plants
Lizards are skilled in handling meat and leather, and also very religious
Beavers are better than anyone else at handling wood and chopping down trees
Later, harpies join as experts in fabrics and herbs, as well as foxes with their discovery instinct. Personally, foxes are a top choice for me. Although I need to pay close attention to their needs, they can better solve special events in the forest than anyone else.
Such things are important because new resources, rewards, and challenges await in the clearings in the forests that I conquer. A combination of beavers and foxes is therefore always welcome to explore a forest.
This suddenly makes it important to see what inhabitants I have and where I assign them. Because what is available to me varies with each settlement. Depending on the map and requirements, different inhabitants may be more or less suitable.
Replay potential through increasingly greater challenges
Additionally, the game gets harder. Or more precisely: it can get harder. Through difficulty settings, you can set further hurdles, for example, that residents leave faster when they are dissatisfied. There are also greater rewards for that.
The goal of the game is ultimately to venture as far as possible into the wilderness to obtain seal stones that can protect the smoldering city. I haven’t reached an “end” yet, despite almost 100 hours of playtime. At some point, it simply becomes really tough.
I choose my path through the wilderness myself. The world map features different biomes or types of forests with advantages and disadvantages, as well as special events, such as wandering traders. After each cycle, the map is reshuffled.
For me, Against the Storm is so exciting because it can be played perfectly in between. It usually takes 20–30 minutes to complete a settlement. On the expensive gaming laptop on the train, I can easily fit in a round when I’m out and about.
You can get Against the Storm on Steam for €29.99 and currently, you can even test it as a free demo. It should also run on the Steam Deck. By the way, the game only narrowly beat out others for my time, as there are indeed other Steam games consuming my time:
Baldur’s Gate 3, with which I’ve already completed, but I am still planning the next run
The city-building game Against the Storm is probably not for everyone with its fantasy comic graphics. However, anyone who enjoys city-building and roguelite should definitely take a look at the game. Against the Storm has been in Early Access since November 2022 and receives a hotfix or even an update with new features every two weeks.
A selection of games for the tight budget can be found here:
Thanks to ChatGPT and other systems, artificial intelligence is a major topic. A company has presented a special project: they are connecting real brain cells with a computer. They plan to present advancements in San Francisco now.
Artificial intelligence is now used in many areas, but the foundation is often graphics cards or servers that are responsible for the calculations. One company wants to take “artificial intelligence” to a whole new level by combining human cells with a chip.
Human brain cells are said to already be able to play successfully
What kind of company is this? Cortical Labs is an Australian startup. The company grows human brain cells in the lab and wants to combine them with computer chips. A few months ago, the company based in Melbourne received a hefty financial boost for its cultivated brain cells (via forbes.com).
What exactly is the company researching? The company itself wants to market biological computer chips, which it refers to as “DishBrain”: these are human brain cells derived from stem cells and grown on microelectrode arrays. Cortical Labs claims it is capable of performing targeted tasks.
Cortical Labs connected DishBrain to a computer that then sent electrical signals to the cells, which indicated where the bouncing ball was located and how far away it was from the paddle. DishBrain made its own decisions about how to move and learned to improve its performance through feedback from the electrical signals.
What comes next? On Twitter, Robert Scoble, a well-known author of science books, posted a short video of the computer with brain cells. Further insights are to be presented at the Brain Conference in San Francisco:
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The computer looks more like an elongated bowl where the cells have been integrated into the chip. The model therefore bears little resemblance to the appearance of a real brain, like the brain companion from Baldur’s Gate 3, which adorns our title image.
A similar experiment with brain cells has now also been presented by other researchers: Researchers from the University of Illinois have used tens of thousands of living brain cells from mice to build a computer that can recognize light and electrical patterns:
As part of the Trailblazers event in EA FC 24, new evolutions have emerged in the game. We will show you the requirements, tasks, and give you a selection of players who are particularly suitable for the new upgrades.
How did we make our selection? For the decision-making, we also consider the previous values and playstyles as well as the league, the club, and the nation of the potential candidates.
New Evolutions: Upgrades for Left Backs and Defensive Midfielders
Which players can receive upgrades in the new evolutions? The new evolutions are intended for a left back and a central defensive midfielder.
With the new evolution upgrades, players receive improved values everywhere, except for shot stats. Let’s first take a look at the Tackling Trailblazers evolution for a left back. The main focus of this development is, as the name suggests, on a new playstyle that makes your tackles even more effective.
The Dortmund player becomes significantly more stable in defense after the evolution. In addition to his important defensive values in defense and physical, he possesses over 82 speed and dribbling after the complete evolution. This makes him either a defensively-oriented full-back or an offensively gifted center-back. The Algerian can fill both positions.
Moreover, his club Dortmund provides good links for a Bundesliga team. Bensebaini also earns another plus for being a useful defender through his two other playstyles Block and Aerial, which give him a greater range in defending against shots and more determination in aerial duels.
Pervis Estupiñán/ Brighton & Hove Albion (after the evolution from 80 to 84)
Despite his not very high speed, the Ecuadorian is fast on the road thanks to the playstyle Frenzy and promises more offensive output than Bensebaini. The stats are otherwise very similar compared to the Dortmund player, if you ignore the shot value.
In the Premier League, there aren’t really strong left backs besides the Trailblazers card of Andrew Robertson so far. Therefore, Estupiñan could be a very decent alternative for the left-back position in a Premier League team.
Alex Telles/ Al Nassr (after the evolution from 79 to 83)
The former left-back of Porto and Manchester United has moved to Saudi Arabia like many other stars. There, Telles can be linked as a left-back with other Brazilians in the local Saudi Pro League. Notable examples include Neymar, Talisca, or the winger evolution card of Malcolm, which we had previously introduced in another article.
However, Telles is worth considering not only because of his good links. He impresses with very solid all-round values and due to this versatility can also help you further in the midfield.
Now you have our three recommendations for the Tackling Trailblazers evolution.
Below you can read which cards we recommend for the Intercepting Trailblazers. This evolution does have costs associated with it, but in the end you can get players with an overall rating of 86. This thus offers the best upgrade opportunity of the new feature in EA FC 24.
The second new Trailblazers evolution comes with a total of 4 levels. However, your gold card can gain up to eight points in the overall rating. To unlock the evolutions, you need to pay 75,000 coins or 1,500 FC Points.
Intercepting Trailblazers: Requirements, Challenges, and Upgrades
Player requirements:
Overall rating: max. 78
Speed: max. 78
Dribbling: max. 78
Defense: max. 75
Physical: max. 80
Position: CDM
Playstyle+: 0
Level 1 Challenges:
Win 3 games in Squad Battles (min. semi-pro) or in Rivals/Champions while your Evo player is in your team.
Prepare 3 goals in Squad Battles (min. semi-pro) or in Rivals/Champions while your Evo player is in your team.
Upgrades after Level 1:
Overall rating: +2
Speed: +5
Defensive workrates: High
Ball control: +6
Dribbling: +6
Reaction: +10
Level 2 Challenges:
Win 2 games with at least 2 goals ahead in Squad Battles (min. semi-pro) or in Rivals/Champions while your Evo player is in your team.
Play 2 matches in the Live Friendlies Evo Lounge while your Evo player is in your team.
Prepare 5 goals in Squad Battles (min. semi-pro) or in Rivals/Champions while your Evo player is in your team.
Upgrades after Level 2:
Overall rating: +2
Passing: +4
Intercepting: +8
Tackles: +8
Calmness: +6
Level 3 Challenges:
Win 3 matches in Squad Battles (min. semi-pro) or in Rivals/Champions with at least 2 goals ahead while your Evo player is in your team.
Win 2 matches in the Live Friendlies Evo Lounge while your Evo player is in your team.
Prepare 5 goals in Squad Battles (min. semi-pro) or in Rivals/Champions while your Evo player is in your team.
Upgrades after Level 3:
Overall rating: +2
Physical: +7
Heading accuracy: +8
Intercepting: +8
Defensive awareness: +8
Tackling: +8
Level 4 Challenges:
Win 3 matches in Squad Battles (min. semi-pro) or in Rivals/Champions with at least 2 goals ahead while your Evo player is in your team.
Win 2 matches in the Live Friendlies Evo Lounge while your Evo player is in your team.
Prepare 7 goals in Squad Battles (min. semi-pro) or in Rivals/Champions while your Evo player is in your team.
Upgrades after Level 4:
Overall rating: +2
Agility: +12
Balance: +12
Playstyle+: Intercepting
Our 3 recommendations for the Intercepting Trailblazers evolution:
Joey Veerman/ PSV Eindhoven (after the evolution from 78 to 86)
The midfield engine from Eindhoven is an exciting candidate for the Intercepting evolution in many ways. Veerman already has seven playstyles before the evolution and gains his eighth with the Intercepting playstyle+ after the evolution.
Additionally, the Dutchman is usable in all central midfield positions, making him very flexible for team building. Don’t let the 65 speed rating deter you, as with the playstyle Technique, he possesses the playstyle that allows your players to become faster with the new OP R1 Dribbling.
Ella Palis/ Juventus Turin (after the evolution from 78 to 86)
Good club, very good nation, and owner of one of the 5 best playstyles in EA FC 24 ever, we present you Ella Palis. The central midfielder becomes an absolute asset in defense after the upgrade. The combination of the playstyles Anticipation and Intercepting makes her the perfect sweeper in front of the defense.
The Argentinian is the only rare gold card among our three recommendations. Domínguez also has the highest speed of our three candidates. With his stamina rating of 97 combined with his playstyle Unyielding, you can sprint for 90 minutes without tiring.
With his nation and his league, Nicolás Domínguez can also easily fit into any team. In addition, he has 5-star accuracy with his weak foot, allowing you to pass or shoot from any position.
This concludes our recommendations. Both evolutions will run for about 2 more weeks until November 8th.
In League of Legends the first 3 matches in the main round of Worlds 2023 have been played and the first teams are eliminated. The US team “Team Liquid” has already been affected. Fans are now looking for a scapegoat and find the South Korean Pyosik, who was the world champion in LoL as a jungler in 2022, but is now allegedly disappointing.
How is it going for the US teams at Worlds? Mixed.
Cloud 9 (1-2) and NRG (2-1) are still fighting for their place in the Worlds.
The highly decorated Team Liquid has just been eliminated from the Worlds with a 0-3 defeat. Team Liquid lost to the overpowering T1. Also against NRG and – embarrassment – against GAM Esports, a team from Vietnam, they suffered losses.
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LoL: „GODS“ ft. NewJeans (Official Music Video) | World Cup Anthem 2023
How did they lose? Team Liquid lost 1-2 against GAM Esports. The jungler Levi was a decisive factor for the Vietnamese with 6-1-11. On Team Liquid, top laner Summit played a 0-5-1, Pyosik ended rather mediocre with 2-4-1.
After the defeat, there were nasty comments on reddit : Team Liquid would field a purely Vietnamese roster in 2024. The team is accused of constantly changing its strategy: sometimes betting on Europeans, sometimes on Koreans: The team is currently also called “TLCK” because they rely on so many players from South Korea or with South Korean roots.
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US team bought 2 stars from South Korea, including a newly crowned world champion
How was Team Liquid set up? Team Liquid had only one core player from previous seasons, the South Korean supporter CoreJJ (29), who has been playing for their team since 2018.
The rest of the team joined Team Liquid fresh: the Americans APA and Yoaon. They also brought in two South Korean import players, Summit (top lane) and Pyosik (jungler).
Why do the best foreign players fail as soon as they are in the USA?
This is how the mood among fans is right now: Especially the defeats against the team from Vietnam seem to frustrate US fans immensely. Because with that, Team Liquid is eliminated against a team from a “small region” – that shouldn’t happen.
In a reddit thread, US fans are now discussing why the foreign players, who are bought for a lot of money and brought to North America, never succeed.
Pyosik, Huni, Perkz, Piglet, Swordart, Maple all cost a lot of money and were bought with the expectation of winning championships. But only CoreJJ truly plays well.
“If other regions are so much better than we are, why do some of their best players fail when they come to North America?” they question.
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These are the responses: The responses on reddit are mixed:
The “bad” view is: The LCS is like Saudi Arabia in football. People actually only come to the USA to cash their paycheck and take it easy.
But another disagrees: If one looks at how downcast Pyosik has been, one cannot say that. The boy is incredibly sad. The reasons for the poor performance of the stars lie in the environment, where good training is not possible. There is also a lack of meaningful routines.
What’s behind it: One cannot say that overseas players always disappoint in the USA. One must consider the individual case.
Team Liquid has bought Pyosik: He is a 23-year-old jungler who was considered the “worst pro jungler of the LCK” in South Korea before unexpectedly becoming world champion with DRX in 2022.
They bought him at the peak of his success, when he had actually crowned his career. Then they let him play against much weaker competition in the US league for a year and then threw him back into the Worlds.
One can hardly blame him for not leading Team Liquid to the championship.
There are certainly examples where players let their fame earned in other regions “fade”: These are mainly players who have already achieved a lot in their region of origin.
But some young players, like Bjergsen or Jensen, moved to the USA after just a few years in Europe to pursue their careers there. They are now considered some of the most important players in the LCS.
The exemplary legionnaire in the USA: Bjergsen.
In LoL you can’t buy success – players are extremely inconsistent
The problem in League of Legends is that the game does not work like football. Rather, LoL is fast-paced and changes from patch to patch: There is hardly any consistency in performance.
A world championship title in one year counts for little in the next year:
FunPlus Phoenix with Doinb and Tian became world champions in 2019, regarded as an absolute exception team, the players were seen as geniuses. In the 4 years thereafter, neither players nor team achieved anything significant.
DAMWON KIA with Showmaker and Canyon were considered the outstanding team in the world in 2020. It was thought they would dominate LoL for years. However, they too have disappointed in the years after their Worlds title in 2020 and vice-world championship in 2021 and are again facing early elimination at the Worlds.
In Europe, G2 was long the big power, but also there the core squad declined from 2020 and the players have not been able to convince at their new clubs after leaving G2.
The time when Faker and T1 were the clear power in LoL and no one could shake their dominance is now already 6 years ago.
However, there are a handful of exceptional players who contradict this thesis. This includes Impact, who is a “model case” for a legionnaire from South Korea, who found the league there too harsh and dominated in the USA for years:
