South Park has been immortalized once again in World of Warcraft. This time, however, more distinctly than ever before – and extremely creatively.
There are combinations of words that immediately bring something very specific to mind. For WoW fans, “Mama, Schüssel!” or “Mom, Bathroom!” would immediately evoke a vivid image of Cartman from South Park. It refers to an episode that aired almost 20 years ago and is still well-known today. For a player, this was evidently reason enough to place the characters from South Park in their own house – and with astonishing detail accuracy.
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WoW: Early access to housing has started
Rugs are created by Cartman, Kyle, and Co in WoW
How were the characters recreated? Anyone looking at the image from the player Atlaslock for a while will immediately recognize how he must have gone about creating it. The advantage of the characters is that they are mostly made up of many round individual parts – and these can be represented with the rug, which can be dyed. The rug is one of the most powerful housing items anyway.
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Smaller details, like Cartman’s chin or the eyebrows, were apparently recreated with cobblestones, and the eyes are night elven lamps, which also bring a lovely glow to the room.
What is the image referring to? South Park has essentially been making fun of all sorts of topics that are somehow relevant in society “forever”. This has also been the case with World of Warcraft. Because back in 2006 (Season 10, Episode 8), the episode titled “Make Love, Not Warcraft” aired. The episode was a mix of typical South Park style and machinima in World of Warcraft, where boys try to enjoy WoW while simultaneously having to defeat someone who is infinitely strong because he “has no life”.
The episode, like all others from South Park, is available for free on the South Park website.
The community shows a lot of creativity in housing: Since housing started about a month ago, the player base has been extremely creative. Although only a small part of the housing features has been unlocked and many more furniture, decorations, and house levels are yet to come, we’ve already seen some masterpieces. One of our highlights was, for instance, the house from player Ticks, who has invested many creative ideas into his home.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
When Steven Spielberg first heard the film score for one of his movies 50 years ago, he didn’t immediately understand how brilliant it was.
What did Spielberg not understand? Steven Spielberg is considered one of the greatest and best film directors of all time, but when he first heard the score for “Jaws” 50 years ago, he thought it was a joke.
The soundtrack of the horror film was composed by American composer John Williams and features two repeating notes (E and F) that change in volume and intensity to announce the approach of the dangerous great white shark.
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Trailer for the animal horror movie ‘Jaws’ by Steven Spielberg
What exactly does Spielberg say about the music? In the documentary “The Music by John Williams,” which focuses on the composer’s life work, Spielberg plays a significant role since the two collaborated on 29 films. There, the award-winning director also shares how his initial, very honest thoughts about the music of “Jaws” were:
“At first, I thought he was joking. […] I just thought: ‘Oh my God, we won’t have an orchestra. We’ll only have a piano, and Johnny will just play a few things in the lower registers.'”
Yet despite Spielberg’s initial concerns, Williams’ musical proposal made it into the film and became a legendary soundtrack that every film lover knows.
Why did Spielberg still use the music? Spielberg explained in the documentary that Williams kept saying he should listen to the film’s music again – and he did. At some point, the spark then jumped over, the director reports: “Then I started to understand the genius of what you had created.”
Williams himself explains the thought behind the soundtrack in the documentary with these words: “Imagine you are completely alone in a dark place where you can hardly see anything. It is absolutely silent. And the first thing you hear is [imitates the theme from ‘Jaws’]. You feel that something dangerous is coming towards you. Just through those deep tones in an atmosphere that they actually don’t belong in at all.”
The LoL professional Faker is considered by many to be the best player of the MOBA. However, the Korean professional recently had to admit defeat, and that was against a fan.
What was that event? At a Red Bull branded event, the Korean professionals from T1 faced various opponents. Among them were some streamers, but also fans who got to compete with the professional team in different modes.
As part of the event, fans were allowed to show their skills in a duel with the LoL legend Faker. One player demonstrated that rank really does not matter.
Learn more about Faker here:
Select a MMO video…
Faker loses to a “noob”
What was that duel like? The fans who were allowed to face Faker did not play a whole match against each other. Instead, the 1-on-1 duel took place as a skillshot duel in “Dr. Mundo Dodgeball”.
Both players played the character “Doctor Mundo” and threw the unchanneled ability “Infected Bone Saw (Q)” at each other. Due to the short distance separating the two opponents, the duel was mainly focused on reaction speed and precision.
For example, one had to predict where the opponent would run next and when to dodge oneself.
How did Faker lose? The duel was extremely chaotic. Both the fan and Faker missed their abilities multiple times and did not hit each other. In the end, the fan barely survived after Faker had misused his ability.
The player facing Faker was by no means a professional; on the contrary: before the match, he stated that he was “Unranked” and therefore had no rank in the competitive mode of League of Legends. Faker was shocked as well when he learned his opponent’s rank, as can be seen at around minute 01:01:30 on sooplive.co.kr.
This could also be the reason for Faker’s defeat. The player moved in an unpredictable manner, causing difficulties for Faker. At the same time, the fan missed several shots and also felt nervous when the supposedly best player in LoL was just barely hanging on to life. In the end, it was not a glorious duel.
For Faker to lose is rather atypical, as the T1 midlaner usually belongs to the winning team, no matter how strong and experienced the opponents are. Faker’s performance in the duel is being mocked in the community. There are already many stories around his persona: Faker often seems cold and distant, but fans say he is a huge troll
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 conquered the hearts of many in 2025, leaving players wanting more. This desire could be fulfilled by an upcoming role-playing game, though it may not be in the way fans envisioned.
What is the Void all about? Few could pass by Clair Obscur in spring 2025. The combination of turn-based combat with real-time elements in realistic UE5 graphics provided precisely the fresh breeze the genre needed. Combined with a captivating story and a great soundtrack, it created a role-playing experience that rightfully received award after award.
An upcoming role-playing game shows strong parallels to Clair Obscur, but it remains to be seen whether it can truly fill the gap left by the surprise hit.
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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 hinterlässt bei den Spielern eine Leere
Cheap knockoff or the beginning of a new sub-genre?
Which game is it about? The Legend of Sword and Fairy, also known as Sword and Fairy, is a Chinese role-playing series, now with 9 mainline games and countless spin-offs, including several comics and adaptations.
On December 29, the trailer for the official remake of Sword and Fairy 4 was released. And it bears a strong resemblance to the role-playing hit of 2025. Some players already believe a new era of “Ex33-Likes” has begun, while others cynically refer to it as “Parry-Slop” – essentially, “trash, but with parrying.”
Here you can make your own picture of the trailer in the original Chinese:
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Can the game fill the gap? Fans currently don’t seem to believe that. In the comments on YouTube, Sword and Fairy 4 is dismissed as a “cheap copy” rather than a worthy alternative.
They claim that camera angles, combat menus, and the entire user interface have been basically taken 1 to 1 from the role-playing hit. It also appears in the trailer that characters could parry enemy attacks in real-time – something not present in the original from 2007. Some believe that the parry system was forced into the existing turn-based combat to capitalize on the success of Clair Obscur.
Other users point out, however, that the hit role-playing game didn’t invent the wheel anew either, and was strongly inspired by JRPGs like Persona – and indeed Super Mario.
It remains to be seen whether the remake can distinguish itself with enough original ideas from Clair Obscur, without straying too far from its own original, and alienating the old fans. So far, little is known about the game, except that it is supposed to be released for PC. There is no release date yet.
Given the immense success of Clair Obscur, it is indeed probably just a matter of time before the first “Ex33-Likes” try to get a piece of the pie.
Even if there probably won’t be another game like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 anytime soon, we have put together 5 strong alternatives for you to somewhat satisfy your craving. And who knows, maybe the first truly good Ex33-Like will surprise us sooner than expected.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Starfield has received a free mod that fundamentally changes the game. However, it may be that you cannot play it.
In September 2023, Bethesda released Starfield, their latest role-playing game. Player expectations were high beforehand, but bugs, mixed performance, numerous loading screens, long running times and other criticisms disappointed the first testers – although the game is also enjoyable for many gamers.
Around 1 year after release, the first major DLC for Starfield was released, and despite weak reviews on Steam, some players consider Shattered Space to be the best Bethesda DLC. Now, in 2025, a comprehensive mod for the role-playing game has been released that fundamentally changes the game, making it something that fans have always desired.
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Starfield Reveals Its First Story Expansion Shattered Space in Launch Trailer
Mod turns Starfield into a Star Wars game
What kind of mod is this? The free mod is a so-called “Total Conversion Project”, in which the respective game, in this case Starfield, is fundamentally changed. Bethesda’s role-playing game serves as merely a foundation; Starfield is transformed into “Star Wars Genesis”.
In Star Wars Genesis, not only are assets from Starfield replaced with new assets in Star Wars style and repainted, but entirely new content is also added, including new weapons, armor, and planets like Tatooine and Mos Eisley, cities like Kestro City, a new main story, and faction quests. There are also new enemies.
Because it would exceed the scope to list all changes and new features of the mod, we link you here to the overview on the mod’s website at genesismodlist.com
In addition to the new content and gameplay elements, the mod also addresses various issues of the base game, fixing bugs and improving certain aspects of the base game, including loading screens.
On YouTube, you can get an overview of Star Wars Genesis:
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What the community says about the mod: For some players, Star Wars Genesis fulfills a great wish. Not only because the project delivers new content for Starfield and addresses some problems of the role-playing game, but primarily because it creates an almost unparalleled Star Wars experience. One player raves on Reddit: “This is the Star Wars game I have always wanted.”
Another user writes on Reddit: “Starfield with Star Wars Genesis mods is the Star Wars game we all deserve.” He then explains that he is having a lot of fun with the project.
Why can’t everyone play the mod? Star Wars Genesis has 2 limiting factors: On the one hand, the mod is only available on PC and not for the console versions of Starfield. Furthermore, the Steam version is required on PC.
The other, highly limiting factor is the required hardware. Star Wars Genesis has relatively high minimum requirements. The developers recommend, for example, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060Ti with 16 GB VRAM and 32 GB of RAM. You also need to free up sufficient storage space on your hard drive, as at least 250 GB is required, with the HD overhaul even 350 GB (the installation of the base game is already included with 140 GB).
As with Starfield, an SSD is also recommended for the installation of Star Wars Genesis. Already at the release of the role-playing game in 2023, a YouTuber demonstrated why this recommendation is sensible and you should adhere to it:Starfield recommends using an SSD – YouTuber shows why
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The “Sauercrowd” event is currently captivating all of Twitch Germany. But even before the start, Papaplatte wanted to cheat at his own event in WoW Classic and dug up a relic from his school days.
What kind of event is this? The “Sauercrowd” event in WoW Classic is currently the highlight on Twitch. Hundreds of major streamers are simultaneously exploring World of Warcraft Classic to reach the endgame without dying.
However, a death meaning the end of one’s character is not the only rule of the project. Streamers are not allowed to consciously interact with non-streamers or receive help from viewers. This already caused disputes on day 1.
It is also prohibited to rely on optimized leveling routes. Addons like “RestedXP” and “Guidelime” are explicitly banned in the rules. However, the interpretation of the rules was already put to the test before the event.
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This is how challenges for Papaplatte became a livelihood
Bypassing the rules with an overhead projector
How were the rules circumvented? In a clip on YouTube, Papaplatte is seen alongside streamer Rumathra. The two explain how they plan to trick the rules.
While addons and leveling routes are actually prohibited, the two want to project their own leveling route onto the wall using an overhead projector. The device, which is probably only known from school, was not explicitly banned in the rules.
Following the motto: “What is not forbidden is allowed,” the two attempted to take advantage of this creative interpretation of the rules to gain an advantage in leveling. However, the other organizers were not pleased.
Here you can see the clip:
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What do the other organizers say? The other organizers of the Sauercrowd project were not happy about the creative interpretation of the rules. In a clip on Twitch, you can see the reaction of HandOfBlood and Metashi12, the other two organizers of the event.
In the video, they explain to Papaplatte that even an overhead projector with a leveling route is still an optimized leveling route, which is prohibited by the rules. Furthermore, they believe that as guild leadership, one should ideally set a good example.
As a penalty for the action, HandOfBlood proposes in the video a time penalty of 10 minutes, which Papaplatte would have to start later into the event. However, the penalty was not enforced, and everyone started the event at the same time. Thus, the streamer got away without a penalty, but he was not allowed to use his overhead projector cheat.
Actually, MeinMMO editor Jasmin just wanted to give her mother-in-law a nice gift. However, the package containing the Nintendo Switch Lite, which arrived at her, was not the gift she had hoped for.
Note: My experience should not serve as a guide to falsely report buyers. It does not apply to all purchases you make on eBay. Please check beforehand when buyer protection applies on eBay.
Since I wanted to lure my mother-in-law back into gaming, I thought about giving her a Nintendo Switch Lite as a gift along with my partner. As a mobile gamer, the Switch Lite is the perfect alternative for her:
The console is smaller and can be taken anywhere due to its lighter weight.
The console comes in beautiful, vibrant colors.
The operation is easier than with other handhelds.
Since she never has to detach the Joy-Cons, she saves herself the hassle of fiddling and wiggling with the controllers on the Lite.
Therefore, I was even more pleased when I could bid on a Nintendo Switch Lite along with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the sales platform eBay. The package only cost me 120 €, which is a great bargain for the console plus a price-stable first-party title.
But as soon as I saw the shoebox in which the console was delivered, I had a bad feeling about the purchase.
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The Nintendo Switch 2 in the unboxing video
The auctioned Switch had more flaws than expected
Perhaps you have experienced that there can be a certain discrepancy between “like new” and “used” with the seller. In my case, the Switch itself was fine. There were no major scratches or flaws on the case itself.
However, I noticed immediately that the screen was slowly detaching from the console at one corner. This created an air bubble at the edge that could even be seen when the console was turned on. The product description on eBay did not mention the air bubble.
I could have lived with just that. With a little glue and pressing, the air bubble could be minimized to a small spot on the edge. The mini-air bubble was then no longer in the line of sight of the screen.
The top left corner doesn’t look good, but at least the Switch still works.
Much worse, however, was: The shoebox did not leave much space next to the console for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. I thought that the module might already be inserted into the console or that the seller had made a mistake and that the game needed to be installed digitally or downloaded from the eShop. No such luck.
Thus, the Switch Lite for 120 € was no longer such a great bargain as it had initially seemed. The seller first responded to my messages with “It never said that Mario Kart was included,” and then eventually stopped responding altogether. Therefore, I had no choice but to find a way to turn the situation around.
eBay buyer protection was the best solution
The eBay buyer protection applies in cases where the item is damaged or does not match the description. In my case, both applied, as the screen was damaged and Mario Kart was completely missing.
Furthermore, the seller had not contacted me again. Therefore, I wrote to buyer protection and asked how the problem could be solved. At that time, I was really annoyed and hoped that eBay would somehow find a solution to the problem.
Of course, things could have been worse for me. After all, there are stories of people who received completely different items. But especially because this was supposed to be a gift for someone close, I was therefore frustrated.
And in fact, I received a better solution than I could have ever imagined. eBay simply refunded me the entire purchase price in this case. The problem with the damaged Switch Lite was not resolved, but as mentioned, we could solve it with a little glue and pressing.
Additionally, we were able to use the money received to buy a fresh version of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Ultimately, this horror purchase turned out to be a fortunate coincidence after all.
What are your worst experiences on sales platforms? Have you ever been scammed like I was? Feel free to write it in the comments!
On December 30, the last Spotlight Hour of the year kicks off in Pokémon GO. What is in store?
When does the Spotlight Hour start? The Spotlight Hour begins on December 30 at 6:00 PM. From then on, you have until 7:00 PM to secure the Pokémon of the day.
Which Pokémon will appear? The featured Pokémon is Botogel. The Messenger Bird is an Ice and Flying type and does not have an evolution.
What bonus does the hour bring? You receive double Stardust for each Pokémon you catch.
Can Botogel be shiny? Yes, there is also a shiny Botogel. However, the rate for that is not increased.
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Pokémon GO shows its new season in the trailer
Is Botogel worth it during the Spotlight Hour?
How strong is Botogel? Unfortunately, not strong at all. The little bird loves to give gifts, but regrettably, it also does so in battle. You shouldn’t rely on Botogel as an attacker, neither in the PvP League nor in Raids or Gyms. There are much better candidates in the list of strongest Pokémon in Pokémon GO.
Is it worth it anyway? For shiny hunters, Botogel might still be interesting, as it has a very striking color pattern as a shiny Pokémon. The shiny rate is not increased, but many Botogel will appear – maybe you will get lucky!
Botogel and its shiny
Is the bonus worth it? The Stardust bonus per catch is always useful, as you can always use this resource in Pokémon GO, whether for leveling or learning moves. If you use a Star Piece, you get an additional half of the Stardust on top.
What’s next in Pokémon GO? December is coming to an end, and there is really only one more event this month: the New Year’s Event. What awaits you there can be read here. Otherwise, it’s time to wait for January and start the year 2026 with new events! Here you can find all events in January 2026 in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In WoW HC, you can lose your character in many ways – heroically in battle or stupidly distracted while afk. The latter is particularly amusing.
Part of a HC event in WoW Classic also always includes a little bit of schadenfreude. When a guildmate’s character dies, it’s always the right moment to make a nasty comment and analyze what the person could have done better. It’s just unfortunate when you do that while your own character is being cluelessly beaten up.
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WoW Classic: The Hardcore Servers Are Here!
What happened? The streamer KubaFPS is currently watching the stream of Niekbeats. Niek was fighting in the woods of Elwynn with his priestess and suddenly found himself facing two wolves at the same time. A situation that could already mean the end – and it did lead to the character’s death. As Niek’s character fell, Kuba commented:
He needs to heal. […] But dude, he just has shield absorb and everything. Bro… He died at level 8, Chat. Wow, that’s pain.
However, the slight smile fades from KubaFPS when he closes the stream, bringing his own WoW back to the forefront – because the news there looks quite similar: His character has died while he was watching a stream:
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Thus, he violated one fundamental rule of WoW Classic Hardcore: Always log out when you’re not playing and never go afk in dangerous areas.
Because while he was watching his colleague’s stream, the troggs in the Gol’bolar quarry respawned and quickly sent Kuba’s character to the great beyond – at level 10.
How many deaths have there been so far? Although the Sauercrowd event has only been running for about 2 days, many WoW characters have already bitten the digital dust. Several streamers have had to start over multiple times. So far, there have already been over 100 deaths and most of them can be viewed again directly on the Sauercrowd website.
Sauercrowd works similarly to the American model of “OnlyFangs” and seems to be developing a very similar dynamic. However, Sauercrowd has a significant advantage – a massive wave of nostalgia, especially in Germany, fueled in part by songs by Jan Hegenberg, whose music many may remember from their early days in World of Warcraft.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The developers of Path of Exile 2 are also enjoying their winter holidays, and it’s for the benefit of players who can really rake it in with a new method.
Why are players locking themselves in the campaign? Players of Path of Exile 2 have been able to enjoy a new season system since the last expansion “The Last of the Druids.” Here, players can build their own temples in a “Build your Dungeon” style, which can then be very lucrative for their characters when properly placed.
However, even though the developers have recently buffed the season mechanics, there is a bottleneck that is supposed to prevent players from progressing too quickly. The individual map pieces of the temples are rather sparsely distributed. It is intended that it takes some time for players to fully build their temples.
A new method, however, bypasses this bottleneck. Players lock themselves in a certain part of the campaign that guarantees a map piece for the temple to drop. They specifically farm a low-level area to get the temple pieces, but this does not come without costs.
You can watch the trailer for the temple mechanics here:
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Trailer zu Path of Exile 2: Fate of the Vaal zeigt die Königin der Vaal
No method for OP characters
What are the costs? To obtain loot in the low-level area of the Path of Exile 2 campaign, players must also have a low character level. For most players, this means: a second character is needed. This character is specifically adjusted to farm the corresponding map.
Furthermore, the new character should stay in the required level range for as long as possible. If he levels up too much from farming, there will also come a time when there is no more loot, which will require a new character.
How good is the method? Players circumvent the bottleneck intentionally implemented by the developers with this trick, and thus quickly acquire built temples and consequently much loot. Therefore, the method is indeed very good.
The players are also quite lucky that it is currently winter vacation for the developers of Path of Exile 2. So, while there have been some important hotfixes, the method for quick temple building has not yet been fixed.
Deadlock is currently in a testing phase. The new game from Valve on Steam has excited MeinMMO author Nico so much that he has already played over 1,000 hours before release. Now he wants to show you why Deadlock will be a masterpiece.
What is Deadlock anyway? Deadlock is a new MOBA from Valve and mixes well-known representatives of the genre like Dota 2 or LoL with hero shooters like Overwatch or Marvel Rivals.
In the streets of New York, you fight for your life in a ritual. Six heroes or mystics, as they are called in Deadlock, battle each other and must destroy the main building, the Patron, to win the round.
Who is writing here? 13 years ago, MeinMMO author Nico stepped into the world of MOBAs for the first time. His career started with Dota 2, and since then he has accumulated over 10,000 hours in various representatives of the genre.
Start video
This is Deadlock – The new MOBA shooter from Valve
A new MOBA from Valve – can it become something?
When I first heard about Deadlock, I doubted whether it could actually become something. Can a MOBA establish itself among the big competitors nowadays, and will Valve stick with it? In the past, Valve has shown that they can quickly shelve a project, as happened with the card game “Artifact” or “Dota Underlords”.
However, the first information about Deadlock had a special feature: “Icefrog” is one of the main developers. This name is very meaningful for many players, and especially for me. Because Icefrog is one of the original developers of Dota and was later hired by Valve to create Dota 2.
After this info, my interest was awakened. When the day of my invitation to Deadlock finally came, I played my first rounds and realized that this game is something special. In the directory, there is a small overview of the key points why I say that Deadlock will be a masterpiece:
[toc]
The incredible depth of MOBAs and fun action of hero shooters combined
Games like Dota 2 or League of Legends are so popular because they offer incredible complexity and are regularly updated. Each character has different abilities that you can level up, and from a huge selection of items, you buy the best for your heroes.
Hero shooters like Overwatch or Marvel Rivals, on the other hand, have relatively less complexity. There are no items to buy and your character cannot level up, but the fast shooter gameplay is really fun and the abilities of the heroes provide a certain learning curve.
Deadlock combines both strengths of the genres – and that’s precisely one of the main reasons why it is so much fun.
After the download was finished, I excitedly started my first round. After about 40 minutes, I was thrilled with Deadlock and found many parallels to Dota 2. The handwriting of developer Icefrog was clearly noticeable. Familiar items, abilities, or game elements made me feel immediately at home.
However, the mentioned things are by no means an easy copy. They have been perfectly adapted to the gameplay of a hero shooter. Since I enjoyed playing Overwatch very much, but missed the complexity there, Deadlock just felt right to me and I knew this game would be something special.
In the first rounds, I immediately noticed the movement in Deadlock, with which the heroes navigate through New York. This is not just WASD, jumping, and dodging, but has a steep learning curve.
New York is a parkour for the characters
Besides the major mechanics of MOBAs and hero shooters, Deadlock introduces a novelty that I have not experienced in any other game of this genre. The movement mechanics are so complex that even after many hundreds of hours, I am still learning new tricks to navigate faster through the streets of New York.
In addition to simple dodging and a double jump, there are many other means to traverse the map. The gondola, which characters use to move to the lanes, can be used with the right timing for a quick speed boost. Then you fly a few meters through the air, execute a wall jump, and use the double jump to cover the last meters to the skyscraper.
This route normally takes many important seconds but can be crossed in a fraction of the time with some training. Learning the movement in Deadlock is incredibly fun and rewards you regularly the better you get at it. Here is an example of what the movement in Deadlock looks like with some training.
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In Deadlock, many items are not just stats for your hero or a passive ability that hardly matters. They determine how your character is played in a round, and at the same time, you can stretch the limits of the heroes.
The items are classified into three categories – weapon, magic, and vitality. Each category has its own density of items. Besides those that merely increase the fire rate or health, there are also many special features to discover.
There are items to extend the range, duration, or number of charges of your abilities. Additionally, you can choose from interesting support items, such as a rescue beam that can pull your teammates out of tricky situations.
Through upgrades and items, your abilities can take on new dimensions
That was just a very small selection of examples with which the heroes can be expanded beyond their abilities. Additionally, there are flying carpets, an anvil that falls on your opponents, and the ability to bounce your shots off multiple enemies.
The item system of Deadlock is probably the best and most interesting I have seen in a MOBA and often drives me to try different and fun builds.
Many characters have multiple playstyles
In Deadlock, there are no officially defined roles, such as support or carry. However, some heroes have strong support abilities or are more intended to use their weapon. In the end, the items determine which role you take in the team, and thus most heroes have multiple playstyles that differ significantly.
One of my favorite heroes is Paradox. Paradox has a pulsating bomb that becomes huge with the right build and can be used a second time with a special item. Additionally, the item alchemist fire is placed, and you have a strong team fighter who can control large areas.
Another ability is to charge her weapon to fire a devastating shot that briefly freezes the affected enemies in time. With the right items, this shot becomes deadly and often wipes out a large chunk of health bar. This build focuses on the weapon and the chargeable shot, allowing Paradox to transform from a strong team fighter to a deadly hunter.
The huge bombs (left) and the devastating shot (right) from Paradox with various item builds
Finally, let’s look at her ultimate. Paradox throws a projectile and swaps positions with the affected opponent. If you build around this ability, Paradox becomes a support who prepares important kills and generally supports the team strongly.
Valve puts an incredible amount of love into Deadlock
During my time in Deadlock, I have repeatedly noticed the quality of the game. Of course, there are many things that are not finished, and some models still come from an early version of Deadlock called Neon-Prime. Nevertheless, Valve puts a lot of love into their new project.
The sound design of Deadlock is phenomenal. Each character has unique sound effects for their abilities and the items also come with their own sounds. Particularly in heated battles, where 12 characters shoot around with weapons and abilities, I recognize the quality of the game and know exactly when something happens as soon as I hear a certain sound.
Speaking of sound, let’s talk about the voice acting. In Deadlock, every character has multiple voicelines that adapt to the gameplay. If two heroes go to a lane together at the beginning of the round, they talk to each other along the way if their characters are lore connected. Entire conversations are also held between some heroes and contribute to an immersive world.
In addition to the many voicelines that refer to one’s own money, items, killstreaks, and killing specific enemies, the excellent ping system comes into play. By holding the mouse wheel, a chat wheel is called up where you can choose from pre-prepared commands. These are classic such as “Retreat”, “Yes”, or “No”, but have different ways in which your character says them.
This has led to many conversations being conducted entirely via the chat wheel, which has greatly improved the often dull communication in other games.
Deadlock has the most interesting characters of all MOBAs
The 32 characters of Deadlock are a delightful change after many thousands of hours in MOBAs and offer many interesting ideas. The vertical gameplay principle of Deadlock also helps to create unique and iconic heroes.
The characters of Deadlock in the selection screen
In Deadlock, a robot with a huge laser, a hotel staff member with doors like a portal gun, or a wrestler who rushes down on you from the air at almost light speed is just part of the daily routine.
Admittedly, it took me some time to warm up to the characters, as many are simple in theory but require a certain training. The more rounds I played with a character, the more interesting it became for me. At the same time, it was also increasingly fun to test various builds.
After over 300 characters that I got to know in Dota 2 and League of Legends, Deadlock has by far the most unique heroes for me.
The next update was supposed to come in December and before Christmas. However, Valve developer Yoshi announced in the official Discord that it will very likely be released in January 2026.
For the holidays, there is instead a Holiday Challenge. If you win a round with one of the 32 heroes, a Christmas ornament will be placed on the tree in the hideout. Additionally, there is a new snowball ability that improves with each decoration hung.
The Christmas tree in the cozy hideout
Final words on one of the best competitive games that has not yet been released
Deadlock has quickly become one of, if not the best competitive game for me. The unique characters, the item system, the setting, the map, and the quality of Deadlock are already excellent and improve with every update. The last time I was this excited about a game was when I discovered Dota 2 13 years ago.
Every update of Deadlock feels like Christmas to me and I am extremely excited to see what else Valve will come up with. Of course, there is the classic entry hurdle of a MOBA, but Deadlock rewards the player with an unforgettable competitive experience.
If you want to try Deadlock yourself, don’t be discouraged as it has a very steep learning curve and can often be overwhelming at first. With each round and each item bought, you will improve and learn. We have already put together some beginner tips to help you find a better start in Deadlock: Deadlock Beginner’s Guide: 9 tips to make you better right away
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
MeinMMO editor and MMORPG expert Karsten Scholz continued a beloved tradition at the beginning of 2025 and took a look at the online role-playing games that will not experience the end of the year live.Now … his hit rate is as high as that of a level 10 rogue with two one-handed weapons.
I’ll keep it brief: None of my 5 predictions hit the mark. I only earned at least half a point on one title because it is currently unplayable. Let’s briefly go through the 5 MMORPGs. After that, we will take a look at the games that were actually affected. You can jump directly to the games that interest you through our table of contents:
[toc]
One of the gameplay trailers for Corepunk:
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Corepunk – 15 Minutes Gameplay
What is happening with Corepunk?
Corepunk is still in an early access phase despite serious problems in the past and is receiving regular updates, which are mainly communicated via the official Discord channel (the last message was on November 10 and concerned adjustments to the MMORPG’s technical infrastructure, via Discord).
Considering that the official FAQ on corepunk.com still speaks of an end to Early Access by the end of 2025, it is surprisingly quiet around the game. Looking at the calendar, I predict that the developers will have to postpone this plan.
The servers are offline, I was right! At least halfway. The MMORPG is supposed to be returning. The new owner wants to perform a sort of “A Realm Reborn” trick like in Final Fantasy XIV. The relaunch is supposed to take place in the first quarter of 2026. A concrete roadmap is planned for December.
Will the plan work and can Fractured Online ultimately be a significantly better online role-playing game? Time will tell. It is also possible that the game stays offline. A game called Crowfall did exactly that in 2022, with similar promises. Maybe I’ll earn a full point here after all.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Gabe Newell suggested to a developer that his shooter be among the first games on Steam – but nothing came of it.
Which game is it? As the Polish developer Adrian Chmielarz recounts in an interview with PCGamesN, he once received an email from Gabe Newell, even before he launched Steam.
Chmielarz is the creator of the first-person shooter Painkiller, which was released in 2004 and has since gained cult status among many gamers.
The gameplay of Painkiller follows the premise of titles like Doom and Serious Sam: You slaughter your way through the armies of Lucifer as a solo fighter in purgatory to stop the ruler of Hell from advancing to Heaven and to gain entry to Heaven to reunite with your deceased partner.
Throughout the game, you complete several levels per chapter, with a boss battle against one of Lucifer’s generals waiting at the end of each chapter.
Painkiller also featured a multiplayer mode with modes like Deathmatch and Capture-The-Flag, which closely resembled Quake and even had its own e-sports scene.
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Valve presents the Steam Machine in the new trailer
That was Newell’s request: According to Chmielarz, Newell suggested in an email at the time to offer Painkiller as one of the first games on Steam:
“I remember receiving an email from Gabe [Newell] – I don’t remember exactly when, but it was before the launch of Steam. He wrote: ‘Hey guys! We’re going to start this really small shop and we’d like to offer some games there, and we are fans of Painkiller. What do you think? Do you want to join us?'”
However, Chmielarz was not very convinced about the idea at the time, as he explains: “I thought to myself: ‘Uh, I don’t know…'”
That’s why Painkiller didn’t end up on Steam: The developer reports that he didn’t even have the decision-making power, even though he was unsure about it:
“Imagine: We had the opportunity to be among the very first games [on Steam], but we didn’t have the rights to Painkiller, so that was out of the question anyway. But I remember my honest reaction was something like ‘haha’. I was really indecisive!”
The rights to Painkiller were not with Chmielarz and the developer studio “People Can Fly” at the time of the shooter’s release, but with the publisher “DreamCatcher Interactive.” Since then, the rights to the brand have changed hands multiple times.
Aside from video games, drawing and Dungeons & Dragons, MeinMMO editor Caro came across a new hobby that combined all her preferences. What initially seems a bit intimidating is actually very beginner-friendly, as she found out herself – and now she wants to convince you too.
Have you ever thought about starting to paint miniatures? But are you still unsure if this hobby is for you? Then please give me 10 minutes of your time to tell you how self-painted little colorful plastic figures can enrich your life.
When I started to become interested in D&D and our first campaign came about (shoutout to the Barden Bellas), I crafted our first homemade minis from cardboard. However, I slowly began to take an interest in how to make our heroes look even cooler.
One thing led to another and before I knew it, I was looking at a bunch of small gray plastic figures in my local tabletop and role-playing game store. I knew: Damn, this is going to be my new personality.
I could see the employee’s face light up when I told him that I was a newbie and needed help. And I want to be that enthusiastic helper for you now.
Here are my tips for other beginners who need that last push to start with this truly wonderful hobby.
In the trailer for the fourth campaign of Critical Role, you can see some miniatures of the heroes:
Start video
The 4th Campaign of Critical Role starts now and is bigger than ever
What do you need to get started?
To get into the hobby, you need a few things to get started:
Miniatures: whether from WizKidz, Warhammer or Etsy, whether adventurers or monsters, you can have fun here.
Paints: There are different types you will need, including:
a primer as a base so that the paint adheres to the miniature
colorful paint for coloring (there are also metallic paints that are great for armor and weapons)
effect paints as a nice nice-to-have
washes for more details, shadows, depth, and wear
A top-coat to better seal the paint (available in matte or glossy)
Brushes: If you want to use different techniques, it makes sense to have different brushes. I personally use a pretty cheap set that includes everything I need and has served me well to this day. It doesn’t have to be high-end or expensive right away.
Household items like a cup of water, paper towels to dry the brushes, and a palette for paints (it can also be cardboard or a box)
Further nice-to-haves, but really not urgently needed:
Mat like a cutting mat, a newspaper, or something similar will do just fine
Plastic glue, if you need to glue larger miniatures together
wet palette, which prevents your paint drops from drying out too quickly
miniature holder where you can clamp the base of your miniature
Some of the products you buy once and can use for years or, with good care, forever. Other items like paints will be used up after a while. However, the minis that you generally paint are so small that you can be very sparing with the paints.
My painting space
Probably the most important tip: There is a huge community – use it!
I quickly realized: Those who speak up can be helped. And it doesn’t have to be an employee at a tabletop store. You can also find a lot of artists online who share their tips and tricks, including Bubblegum Angels, whom I already interviewed for MeinMMO.
In the store, I was directly informed that you don’t need to invest so much money at the start. I was recommended a “Warpaints Fanatic” starter set from The Army Painter for about 30 euros. It provided everything for the first miniature to find out if I enjoy it. The set included a few paints, a primer, the wash, a brush, and of course a small miniature.
I still use the contents of this starter set today and therefore use products from the same company because I am A) simply satisfied and B) can buy the paints in the local store. Of course, a wide range of brands is available to you, perhaps even higher-quality paints. However, I just stuck with the products I started with and get along well.
You can also get started with Citadel paints, which are mainly associated with Warhammer, through a starter set at a similar price. But I am very satisfied with the paints I was recommended so far.
Since the first starter set, my hobby box has become significantly fuller. This also applies to my selection of miniatures, which are still eagerly waiting to be painted, while I have already ordered the next ones.
How does a gray figure become a stylish hero or a nasty monster?
When you buy miniatures they are usually not primed or painted.
First, there is an important note: I am absolutely still not a professional and have only just started less than a year ago, but with my methods I have already been able to achieve some nice results. There are different types and ways to paint minis. Speedpainting, for example, which produces appealing results particularly quickly.
This is how I learned to paint minis:
Priming
With a primer, you create a base on your miniature so that the paints adhere better to the figure. Therefore, the primer must cover the entire figure – or at least everything you want to paint.
You can either spray it on or apply it with a brush. I use the brush as I don’t have a hobby room and don’t want to ruin my kitchen. If you want to use spray primer, it is best to do this outside in the air.
A tip: If you apply the primer with a brush, it’s better to use thinner layers rather than a fat load of primer. If you prime too much, small details could get lost under the layer.
Base colors
When your primed (and dried!) miniature is ready, you can apply the first colors. It is also advisable to work with several thin layers here. Even if it doesn’t cover immediately and takes longer with more layers, this way you will retain more details. The result will also be more even.
You can dilute your paints with a drop of water and mix several colors, or make them lighter and darker if you’re missing a certain shade.
First, paint the areas that are the hardest to reach. Here you can be a bit “messier” as the next colors will cover these areas. This way, you work your way until the entire miniature is painted.
Here I want to point out how to handle your brushes to avoid ruining them on the first try, because: Dried paints ruin your brushes!
Clean your brushes after each use and with each color change in a cup of cold water, but do not soak the bristles too long. You clean them, wipe the tip on your paper towel, and let them drain or dry there.
Another tip from me: Choose slightly lighter colors than what you want to see on your miniature at the end. With the next step, the washes, they will look a bit “fuller” and also perceive as a bit darker.
Here you can see how the different steps influence the miniature.
Washes
Here I had my first “Oh … okay, it’s all coming together” moment when I could see how much depth the initially somewhat bland-looking miniature could get.
Washes are very thin paints that bring a lot of life to a miniature. They bring out detail, create shadows, and make your heroes, armors, and weapons look like they are really alive:
You dip the brush in the colored liquid and apply it to your miniature. The watery paint then collects in the deeper crevices and corners, making details pop out, creating shadows and “controlled imperfections”.
If you don’t have much experience with washes, you can simply apply them to the entire miniature and still achieve a solid result. However, with some practice, you’ll find you can also control the liquid. Depending on where you place your brush, the most liquid will stay, and the effect will be stronger. However, this is best discovered through your own experimentation.
And if you made a mistake? Then that’s no problem at all. As long as the wash paint isn’t dry, you can simply “suck it up” with a brush as well.
Highlights and details
If you are already satisfied with the current state of your miniature but want to add a little “flair” and light accents, now is the right time.
Especially in the areas where most light should hit (head, shoulders, generally the places facing the sky) you can create an even nicer result with bright details.
You can add highlights with your brush by mixing your waiting color with a little water and carefully applying the diluted color. This creates beautiful accents and a painterly style.
However, there is another method to create a similar effect while emphasizing small details: the so-called dry brushing. This is a bit faster, a bit less intentional, but very effective with a little practice!
For this, you take a dry brush. It is much coarser and rounder, as it will only gently touch the surface of your miniature.
You apply only a little light color to the bristles and wipe most of it directly on a cloth until just a hint remains. This hint of color is gently brushed along the miniature, more as if you were dusting it off rather than painting it. Go especially along the edges and areas you want to highlight. The color will only be visible at the highest points of the desired area. Feel free to use a lighter tone of the base color for this.
The finishing touch
At this point, you should now have a fully painted miniature, Let’s go! I recommend using a top coat at the end so that you can enjoy your miniature for longer. There are matte and glossy effects available. The latter is particularly fitting for shiny armors, as well as moist maws or tentacle-like creatures.
My tiefling is ready for adventure
My personal tips – from one beginner to another
In the months I have been painting minis, I have noticed a few things for myself and received tips from others that have helped me a lot. Even if I don’t implement them perfectly yet, I don’t want to withhold them from you:
Don’t be held back by your level of practice and dare to take on the little detail. Even if your little figures aren’t perfect, they still look great when you take on details like rivets, highlights, and maybe even faces. They don’t have to be perfect to make your minis look more impressive.
Even millimeters of a figure make a big difference! When ordering on Etsy, a really helpful seller explained to me that even the minimal difference between a 28mm miniature and a 32mm one makes a significant difference in detail and painting. I quickly noticed this myself. And don’t worry, the size difference is visible, but it can be easily used in the game due to the base.
You don’t start as an absolute pro. This applies to many hobbies, but I want to emphasize it again. Your first minis will not be perfect, mine were and still are not. But being able to observe your progress is not only motivating but also rewarding.
I hope that I have been able to give those interested in the hobby the final push to give it a chance. If you have already started or have been hovering over your miniatures for years (hopefully with perfect posture), I would very much appreciate further tips and suggestions in the comments!
The streamer NoWay4U wanted to prove to everyone at WoW Classic that he has what it takes. Now he is already cheating on day 1.
German fans of World of Warcraft are likely experiencing a true highlight, as the WoW-streaming event “Sauercrowd” attracts many viewers and brings numerous interesting stories from the streamers. In World of Warcraft Classic in the “Hardcore” mode, participants of the guild want to prove that they can handle the Molten Core – and they are currently leveling up for it.
However, one streamer was already noted for derogatory comments before the event. Now he has been caught cheating multiple times on the first day and shows no remorse.
Start video
WoW Classic: The Hardcore Servers Are Here!
Who is it about? The person in question is the streamer “NoWay4U”, usually just called “NoWay”, who is actually a professional in League of Legends. Just a few months ago he announced broadly that “[WoW Classic] is designed for the biggest losers in gaming history”. He will “demonstrate that in December”.
NoWay cheats repeatedly, shows no remorse
What has NoWay done? Right on the first day of the Sauercrowd event, NoWay broke the rules of the event multiple times and was confronted about it. The attraction and idea of the event is that you have to earn everything yourself and cannot intentionally seek help from players outside the guild.
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NoWay allowed himself to be invited to a group by a viewer to switch layers (basically the “instance” of the world). This way, he was able to buy a mace from an NPC at a vendor that was sold out on the other layer.
Additionally, he dared to fight the elite opponent Hogger – because he knew that there was a healer behind him who had been following him for the last few hours. He relied on that healing; otherwise, he would not have chosen the fight.
While everyone involved knows that viewers will occasionally appear, granting buffs or healing – this is basically unavoidable. However, to intentionally rely on this healing and storm into battles that are nearly impossible (for solo players) with this expectation is a serious violation of the rules.
How did NoWay react? When confronted with the accusations, NoWay responded with a lack of remorse. He did not want to destroy the mace, nor did he see any fault in himself. As a “mild punishment,” he was supposed to spend quite some time fishing – but he did not accept that either. Instead, he wanted to play a bit of League of Legends “to let off steam”.
Whether NoWay wanted to demonstrate how the “biggest losers” in gaming look by cheating multiple times on day 1 of an event is currently being discussed in the community. However, this was a nice, dramatic kickoff for the Sauercrowd event, even if that behavior might have harmed NoWay’s image.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The MMORPG year 2025 not only continues the long drought period of the genre, but also buries a prominent part of the future of online role-playing games. MeinMMO looks back at the past 12 months.
When I looked ahead to the MMORPG year 2025 in December 2024, I was filled with hope. There were new MMORPGs (Throne and Liberty and Tarisland), exciting early access titles with potential (like Pax Dei or Corepunk), and extensive expansions for all major genre representatives.
Even more importantly: The delays and a cancellation promised a strong MMORPG year 2025, with potential new releases like Chrono Odyssey, Aion 2, and Blue Protocol: Star Resonance. Additionally, several games wanted to leave their early access. And on the list of MMORPGs of the future, there were more Western large projects than in many years.
A genre dismantles itself
One year later, hardly any of that optimism remains. On the contrary! Although the drought phase for fans of online role-playing games has been ongoing since 2015 and there have been many underwhelming years since then, 2025 is likely to go down in history as the worst MMORPG year of all time.
Many of the games that launched disappointed. The biggest hopes for 2025 didn’t even dare to emerge from development. And then, several of the most prominent projects of the foreseeable future went over the metaphorical plank to make themselves comfortable on the bottom of the MMO graveyard.
What remains is a pile of shattered pieces from a genre mainly kept alive by the established giants that have been online for decades. Fortunately, there are still a few MMORPGs with big ambitions that allow fans to look ahead to 2026 and beyond with a bit of remaining hope.
Start video
The History of MMORPGs: MeinMMO, GameStar and Uncle Barlow discuss 60 years of online worlds
An MMORPG year with many casualties
In every year, there are a few unsuccessful MMORPGs that get shut down. In 2025, fans had to say goodbye to the following 5 games:
There were also significant layoffs in 2025 at Microsoft’s gaming division or Zenimax. One victim of the cuts was the MMORPG with the code name “Blackbird”, which the creators of Elder Scrolls Online had reportedly been working on for 7 years.
Since the end of Warhammer Online, genre fans have been waiting for a new MMORPG for the popular universe. Whether that wish will ever be fulfilled remains to be seen.
Two other ambitious MMORPG projects from the USA have also suffered due to a strategic shift at the Chinese publisher NetEase. The responsible parties cut back on their Western investments. Affected were, among others, the new Warhammer MMORPG, which was to be developed by Jackalyptic Games, and Project Ghost from former WoW lead Greg “Ghostcrawler” Street.
Although experienced veterans were behind both productions and noticeable progress was made during the development, the studios failed to find alternative investors for their respective projects. Cost-cutting measures ultimately led to the cancellation of the nearly finished Perfect New World, a quasi-successor to Perfect World from 2006.
Within a year, the list of ambitious or notable MMORPG projects coming from the West has halved. Now only the online role-playing game for League of Legends, Guild Wars 3, a new EverQuest, Ashes of Creation, and – with some exceptions – Stars Reach from industry veteran Raph Koster remain on that list.
2 major MMORPGs that have been postponed from 2025 to 2026
BitCraft Online, despite its charming Zelda-style, fell short of expectations; the gameplay loop in crafting and leveling is too dull and grindy. Embers Adrift, on the other hand, frustrated some players with its solo-unfriendliness, tedious progression, and tough entry.
Then there was the surprising comeback of Defiance, which was already a rather generic, mediocre MMORPG in its prime. It didn’t help that the new operators first had to delve into the poorly documented technical foundation of the game – the launch was correspondingly rocky.
There were also complaints about the payment model at Pax Dei, which initially only wanted to offer players a plot of land with a home if they had a subscription. However, since a lot has happened since the early access launch and Pax Dei possesses strengths such as great graphics, I had some fun during my re-visit.
Finally, the global launch of Blue Protocol: Star Resonance was also mixed. Although the MMORPG managed to excite colleague Cedric for a while, it also launched with many potential irritants. The Steam ratings (only 52 percent positive) and the sharp decline in player numbers (from nearly 100,000 simultaneous players on Steam down to 7,500, via steamdb.info) tell a clear story.
Diverse small releases and early access starts like those from Realm of Simplicity, Winds of Valen, Halmgaard, or Reign of Guilds were simply irrelevant to most genre fans. What this year lacked was a highlight that could positively stand out from the mass of releases.
Start video
MyMMO in the GameStar Talk: Our MMORPG expert sums up the Chinese RPG Where Winds Meet
Where are the positive news?
This year, there were only a few doses of positive news. At least 2 MMORPGs could be happy about securing their funding until the final release:
Finally, there is this fascinating and remarkable Where Winds Meet, which classifies itself as an open-world RPG but offers an optional MMORPG mode. Yes, it is quite simple and limited, not a direct replacement for the single-player mode.
At least: The difficult year 2025 could potentially have positive effects on the upcoming MMORPG year 2026. Thanks to some delays, we now expect 3 ambitious MMORPGs from Asia that want to address the global market more strongly: Aion 2, ArcheAge Chronicles, and Chrono Odyssey.
A player presents the community of ARC Raiders with an effective trick that is supposed to spread not only good vibes but also ensures that one cannot become a clip of a streamer, as they are quickly driven away by a simple idea.
What trick is the Raider reporting? The player nicsaweiner reports to the ARC Raiders community on Reddit that he has discovered a trick that has improved his gaming experience in various ways. He does not need any specific items in the game, no bugs, no exploits, no – he simply turns on his microphone and lets music play.
Since he started using this method, he has only been taken out by a rat (a sneaky player) once, but was then rescued by another player with whom he cooperated until the end.
He has various theories on how the music in his voice channel makes him less attractive to attacks from enemy players. Additionally, he recognizes another advantage that keeps him safe from a particularly bothersome group of players.
Start video
ARC Raiders zeigt im Launch-Trailer, wie der Kampf Mensch gegen Maschine aussieht
Attracts the right players, drives away the annoying
Why is the music so effective? The player has 3 theories as to why the music could greatly improve his game experience:
First: He makes himself as vulnerable as possible. Instead of acting quietly and unnoticed, the music announces his approach from afar. When he also stows away his weapon as soon as he is seen by another Raider, he poses almost no threat. For this reason, other players often respond friendly as well.
Second: He spreads a positive vibe by choosing popular songs that many people know and like. He reports that many other Raiders he encounters immediately start dancing with emotes or responding in a friendly manner.
Third: The music drives away streamers. Anyone who is live on Twitch and hears him coming would quickly flee to avoid a copyright infringement. “I can’t become a clip if that clip gets reported for copyright infringement,” the player explains.
How does the community find this trick? The ARC Raiders community on Reddit rewards the idea and willingness to share it with over 4,000 upvotes. Especially the trick to keep streamers at bay excites players the most, as can be seen from the most upvoted response by six7n: “Playing music to keep streamers away is great! Haha”
But also spreading a good vibe through music is a good way for many players not only to reach their goal unharmed. Often, their harmless behavior even results in a reward, as MehenstainMeh reports: “I occasionally go out with just a flute to play the bard for people. Hey, even on Blue Gate, I got tips for that!”
Of course, music is not an absolute guarantee for a friendly player, as Maxo996 warns: “I was slaughtered last night by someone spamming ‘Party in the USA’ by Miley Cyrus on Stella Montis.”
Likewise, the music does not guarantee that streamers will stay away, as they can also turn off the in-game voice chat, for example. However, since ARC Raiders is characterized, among other things, by interactions between players, including smaller roleplay sequences, many players and streamers have the voice chat turned on by default.
In Rainbow Six: Siege X, hackers have taken control of the game. Now Ubisoft had to reluctantly take the servers offline.
Which game is it about?
Rainbow Six: Siege is Ubisoft’s most financially successful game, as revealed in a financial report from the company. Only Assassin’s Creed has brought in more money for Ubisoft, but that accounts for the entire game series, while Rainbow Six: Siege is a single game.
Rainbow Six: Siege is a tactical shooter that was released in December 2015. Since then, the title has received numerous new maps and playable characters with unique abilities and new weapons through the regularly released seasons.
In Rainbow Six: Siege, two teams of 5 players each compete against each other. The main game mode’s objective is to eliminate all opponents or defuse a bomb before time runs out. Players can choose from a pool of playable characters, each with different weapons, abilities, and gadgets to shape the map to their advantage.
Now Ubisoft had to reluctantly take the servers of Rainbow Six: Siege offline to address a serious security issue.
Start video
Rainbow Six Siege X – Trailer shows the biggest update to the Ubisoft shooter
What is happening with Rainbow Six: Siege? In Ubisoft’s tactical shooter, hackers have completely taken control in recent days – we deliberately refer to “hackers,” as the extent and damage caused far exceed the actions of normal “cheaters”.
The escalation of hackers had various stages, with the timeline being unclear. Reported incidents include:
The hackers banned and unbanned a multitude of players and took over the ban feed, which usually shows when a player has been banned. Instead of player IDs, they wrote arbitrary text there.
Players received several billion of the in-game currency “Renown” and the premium currency “R6 Credits” transferred by the hackers.
The hackers distributed cosmetic content, including extremely rare items that only developers or people who were present at LAN tournaments possess.
Players received massive XP/level boosts and suddenly jumped thousands of levels.
To control the situation, Ubisoft shut down the servers of Rainbow Six: Siege and the “Rainbow Six Siege” marketplace.
What happens if you use the “gifts” from the hackers? As Ubisoft stated on X, no one will be banned for spending the Credits (premium currency) received from hackers. However, there will be a rollback that reverses all transactions during the relevant period.
With The Mighty Nein, the series adaptation of the second campaign of Critical Role, the team achieved an even greater success than with their first hit. The final episode of the first season was released just a week ago, but the continuation will not take long, as the team confirms.
What does Critical Role say about the second season of The Mighty Nein? In a conversation with ScreenRant, from which a clip was shared on Reddit, Critical Role discusses the current status of the second season of The Mighty Nein. The finale of the first season aired on December 22, 2025, and is less than a week ago at the time of this article.
The second season of The Mighty Nein is set to premiere in 2026, the same year as the final season of their first series hit “The Legend of Vox Machina”. The exact date you can expect season 2 is not yet determined. However, since the finale of Vox Machina will come out first, you can expect a release in late 2026, similar to their first season.
What Critical Role can and will reveal: The continuation is already in production and one to two episodes are already completely finished, as Sam Riegel (Nott from The Mighty Nein, Scanlan from Vox Machina) reveals (Source: Reddit).
Here you can see the trailer for the first season of The Mighty Nein on Amazon Prime with the original voices of Critical Role:
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The trailer for Critical Role’s The Mighty Nein on Amazon Prime shows the first conflicts that the “heroes” have to struggle with
Critical Role promises “exciting revelations” in the coming months
What other information does Critical Role reveal about season 2? In the shared clip on Reddit, the team talks about the current status of the second season without giving away too much content.
Travis Willingham (Fjord from The Mighty Nein, Grog from Vox Machina, and CEO of Critical Role) promises that fans can look forward to “many exciting revelations” in the coming months and that they will love the direction the story is taking: “The second season will be quite a blast; the first season was just the setup.”
“We are working hard on the second season,” adds Sam Riegel. The team is working every day on animation shoots, close-ups, and dubbing. Everything should be finished next year, and they hope to be able to air their work directly then.
What does the team say about the end of the first season? Travis describes in the same conversation, which can be seen in the clip, how it will definitely continue after the end of the first season. So here we place a not-so-serious spoiler warningfor the end of the first season of The Mighty Nein:
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“We can exclusively reveal that Yasha is simply killed at the beginning of the second season. We each take a piece of her body and carry it across the dynasty. Then we build a Yasha mech and each of us controls a body part in Power Ranger style. This is a real twist from the original, but we believe the fans will agree.”
Sam quickly adds: “She’s full of chocolate!”
Here you can see two opinions from the editorial team about the two series from Critical Role, The Legend of Vox Machina and The Mighty Nein:
For those who do not know The Mighty Nein yet or have been waiting to see the entire season on Amazon Prime, now is the right time to start with the series adaptation. In The Mighty Nein, you will meet various adventurers who together form the protagonists of the hero group. If you want to learn more about them, we introduce them to you in detail here on MeinMMO: Critical Role’s new series starts today on Amazon – Here are the Mighty Nein
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Space Marines are perhaps the most famous soldiers from Warhammer 40,000 and well-known to all fans. But if you were chosen in the 41st Millennium to join the ranks of the Astartes – which chapter would likely choose you? MeinMMO tests your suitability in this quiz.
Who are the 20 Sons? The Emperor himself created 20 “Sons” from his own gene-seed. These Primarchs are the first Space Marines, but indeed they are more: demigods in a world of supersoldiers and mortal men.
Now, new Space Marines are being created from the gene-seed of these Primarchs, inheriting the strengths and character traits of their “genetic” fathers. The transformation turns a suitable man into a supersoldier with additional organs and superhuman powers, who can practically die of old age no longer.
During the “Great Brother War,” the Horus Heresy, half of the Primarchs turned away from their creator and turned to the dark gods of Chaos:
Yes, there are only 18 Primarchs left – the Legions II and XI have disappeared along with their Primarchs.
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Das sind die Primaris Marines, verbesserte Space Marines aus Warhammer 40.000
You can test it here: With our quiz, you can find out which of these legions you belong to. By now, there are many more chapters of the Space Marines, the successor chapters. However, for clarity, we have limited ourselves to the initial 20.
The questions test your personality and strategic preferences to determine in which legion you would most likely be a suitable soldier. Perhaps the result will even help you decide on an army for Warhammer 40,000 tabletop.
Which legion did you get? Do you think the result fits, or not? If you need more information, you can find the most important details about the chapters here:
