Pokémon GO: Event “Toxic Swamp” ends tomorrow, get these 7 strong monsters now

Franzi Korittke Franzi Korittke Reading time 5 minutes

In Pokémon GO there is currently the event Toxic Swamp, where you may encounter one or another strong monster. We at MeinMMO will show you which ones you shouldn’t miss and how to get them.

What event is it? In line with the start of the local GO Fest in New York, the event Toxic Swamp has also started in Pokémon GO, bringing you plenty of Pokémon encounters and some bonuses worldwide.

During this event, you can also encounter 7 strong monsters that you should definitely have in your teams. But you don’t have much time left to get them, as the event ends on August 22. We have summarized which Pokémon you should secure by then and where to find them, based on their locations in the game.

When does the event end? The event Toxic Swamp ends on Tuesday, August 22, 2023, at 8:00 PM local time.

1. Milza

Pokemon-Go-Milza-2
Milza

Here’s why it’s worth it: The dragon Pokémon from the 5th generation has a really strong evolution, Maxax. Maxax can impress with its high attack value and ranks among the best dragon attackers in Pokémon GO with a moveset of Dragon Tail and Hyper Beam .

Furthermore, it can secure 27th place in the Master League with the moves Counter, Hyper Beam, and Night Slash. Since Milza is also one of the monsters that you usually cannot find very often in Pokémon GO, you should secure a strong specimen now.

Where can you find it for the event? During the event, Milza spawns in the wild.

Is there Shiny Milza? Yes, with a bit of luck, you can also encounter a shiny Milza. It has a gray-green body and a pink scarf around its neck.

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Pokémon GO: How to get Milza and how strong it is
von Franzi Korittke

2. Balgoras

Balgoras

Here’s why it’s worth it: Balgoras has only been in the game since last year. It has a strong evolution, Monargoras, for raids, which is one of the best attackers in Pokémon GO. The rock and dragon Pokémon impress there with a moveset of Rock Throw and Meteor Beam.

Where can you find it for the event? Balgoras spawns in the wild until the end of the event.

Is there Shiny Balgoras? Recently, Balgoras can also be caught as shiny. You can recognize it by its blue body.

3. Dratini

Pokémon-GO-Dratini
Dratini

Here’s why it’s worth it: The dragon Pokémon Dratini also has a strong evolution: Dragonite. The monster from the first generation secures 4th place in the Master League of the GO Battle League with Fire Spin, Dragon Claw, and Heavy Slam. And it can also convince in raids as one of the best attackers.

Where can you find it for the event? Keep an eye out for Dratini in the wild during the event. Additionally, you can also find it in the event research Catch 3 Pokémon of the Dragon type. However, its encounter here is random. Alternatively, you may also get Snivy or eF-eM as a reward.

Is there Shiny Dratini? Yes, you may encounter a pink shiny Dratini with a bit of luck.

4. Hisui-Baldorfish

Hisui-Baldorfish

Here’s why it’s worth it: The Hisui variant of Baldorfish is of the types Dark and Poison. It can evolve into Myriador, which can score with solid attack, defense, and stamina values. With a moveset of Poison Jab and Sludge Bomb, it secures a place among the top attackers of the Poison type.

Where can you find it for the event? For the event Toxic Swamp, you will find Hisui-Baldorfish in level 1 raids. In addition, it hides in the reward for the limited research task Win a level 3 raid with Pokémon up to 2,500 CP.

Is there Hisui-Baldorfish as Shiny? No, a shiny form has not yet been introduced in the game.

5. Crypto-Hunduster

Hunduster

Here’s why it’s worth it: One of the best attackers is also Hundemon, the evolution of Hunduster. As a Dark Pokémon, it can primarily impress with a moveset of Punishment and Leech Life. But it can also perform well as a Fire attacker. In its Crypto form, its attack value is further enhanced.

It deals more damage in battle but does not last as long. In its normal form, it can also temporarily evolve into a Mega Pokémon with appropriate Mega Energy, which is a bit stronger. So you should definitely take this opportunity to secure a strong monster and gather candy.

Where can you find it for the event? Crypto-Hunduster can be found during the event in special Crypto raids of level 1.

Is there Shiny Hunduster? Normal Hunduster can generally be caught in its shiny form in the game, but during the event, you will only encounter its Crypto variant. This currently does not have a shiny form.

6. Crypto-Onix

Onix

Here’s why it’s worth it: Onix also has a strong evolution, Steelix. The monster particularly excels with its temporary Mega Evolution as a strong Steel attacker in raids. But even in its Crypto variant, it is a good choice.

Moreover, Crypto-Steelix can also convince in the Ultra League. There it secures 14th place with a moveset of Dragon Tail, Crunch, and Bite. So, if you are still looking for a suitable specimen, you should take this chance.

Where can you find it for the event? Crypto-Onix will also spawn in the Crypto raids until the end of the event. You will find it there in level 3 raids.

Is there Shiny Onix? Just like Hunduster, Onix also generally already has a shiny form. However, this will not be available in its Crypto variant.

7. Miniras

Miniras

Here’s why it’s worth it: One of the rarer Pokémon in the game is Miniras, a dragon Pokémon from the 7th generation. It can evolve into Mediras and then into Grandiras. The latter can particularly score with a strong defense value. In the GO Battle League, it is a solid choice in all three leagues with Dragon Tail, Close Combat, and Dragon Claw.

Where can you find it for the event? Miniras can only be caught during the event from the limited research. You will receive it as a reward when you have completed and redeemed all of the tasks.

How to find Miniras outside the event, we show you here.

Is there Shiny Miniras? No, a shiny version of the little dragon is currently not available in the game.

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Pokémon GO: How to use “Replay: GOgantischer” correctly tomorrow – Tips for the event
von Max Handwerk
Pokémon GO: One of the best attackers gets its own event that you definitely should not miss
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Trainer in Pokémon GO prepares for a strong monster that may never appear
von Paul Kutzner

What do you think of the spawns in the current event? Which monster do you definitely want to secure? And which Pokémon are you hoping for in the upcoming events? Let us know here on MeinMMO in the comments.

In a few days, one of the biggest events of the year will start in Pokémon GO. We will show you all the content for the global GO Fest 2023.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Pokémon GO
  2. Gamepress
  3. PvPoke

User cools his gaming PC with Nvidia graphics card to icy 4 degrees by connecting it to an air conditioner

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 2 minutes

A gamer uses a large air conditioner to cool his gaming PC. The result is quite impressive and the PC can also be seen.

Anyone who wants to make proper use of a gaming PC must cool the hardware properly. And this is important not only in summer when there are high temperatures outside and in the apartment.

A gamer has now shown how he cools his gaming PC to extremely low temperatures and can play with it.

Player connects his gaming PC to a large air conditioner

How did he set up his system? The user explained on reddit that he wanted to set up an office in an empty room in his house. But the room is icy cold because the air conditioning vent is directly above it. Then he had the idea of using this cold air more sensibly. He himself writes:

The thing about this room is that it is right next to my 5-ton ventilation system, the vent is only a few centimeters away from the main duct. It’s freezing cold in here. So I came up with the crazy idea of building a new water-cooled PC that would utilize the cold air that flows out of the room 24/7, since I live in Florida and my wife wants to keep the house at 68F [about 19 degrees Celsius] all year round.

In a second post on reddit he explained that he has since cooled his hardware down to 4 degrees Celsius. However, without the water condensing. This is mainly because the air is dehumidified by the air conditioner.

In his computer, he has used almost exclusively high-end hardware:

  • CPU: Intel i9-13900KS,
  • Graphics card: ASUS 4090 TUF OC
  • RAM: 2x24GB Teamgroup Delta Force DDR5-8200
  • Motherboard: ASUS ROG Z790

Thanks to his settings, he can play the demanding Cyberpunk 2077 with path tracing enabled at over 60FPS and ultrawide resolution (3440×1440).

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Why you should not neglect the cooling of your PC

Cooling offers many advantages: When graphics card, processor, and co. get to work, they release large amounts of heat. If your PC gets very hot, it throttles performance (“Thermal Throttling”) or, in the worst case, shuts down. This is ensured by fuses that manufacturers build into their components.

Moreover, it would irritate most gamers if the processor or graphics card operates at 90 degrees or higher. The new Ryzen processors from AMD and also the new RTX-4000 graphics cards from Nvidia are designed for high temperatures; however, it is rather disturbing when temperatures rise above 90 degrees.

Additionally, you can better overclock with a well-cooled PC, as excellent cooling is very important here.

Important tips on how to keep your gaming PC cool can also be found in the following article directly on MeinMMO:

8 tips to keep your gaming PC cool in summer and make it faster

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

Baldur’s Gate 3: Players explain the ‘Lever Problem’ from Act 1: ‘One is right, one is funny’

Dariusz Müller Dariusz Müller Reading time 2 minutes

As a classic role-playing game, Baldur’s Gate 3 offers players countless opportunities to make decisions – both in dialogues and when executing certain actions like pulling a lever. One of these decisions determines the fate of a gnome, who is either saved or learns to fly.

What is the lever problem in Act 1? In the first act of Baldur’s Gate, you encounter some goblins wreaking havoc in the ruined village. Some of these goblins have captured a traveling gnome and tied him to the crank of a windmill.

You now have the opportunity to rise to the occasion and save the gnome or leave him to his fate.

If you decide to save the gnome, you must enter the mill and pull a lever within it. The problem is: there are two levers, and those who are inattentive – or malicious – will pull the “wrong” one.

While the left lever stops the mill and brings it to a halt, the right lever triggers an acceleration of the rotation, causing the gnome to be flung away in a high arc.

This is demonstrated in practice by a clip on Reddit:

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What does the community say? Players of Baldur’s Gate 3 find it amusing how the gnome gets flung away when the right lever is pulled. One user writes on Reddit that there is no wrong lever in the situation: “One lever is correct, the other lever is funny.”

Another player notes, however, that the gnome is one of his favorite “recurring characters” in the game, and one misses out on that when letting him fly. However, that is always the problem with “evil options” – for 5 seconds of fun, you miss content for several hours.

Nevertheless, many players agree that the gnome’s departure was amusingly staged.

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One user on Reddit also raised the question of what would happen if he cast the spell “Feather Fall” on the gnome before letting him fly, and he wants to find out in a new playthrough.

Feather Fall is supposed to protect you and your companions from fall damage. Whether that would save the gnome is currently unknown to us.

If you want to test “Feather Fall” on flying gnomes, we have a Gale Build for you that includes the spell:

Baldur’s Gate 3: Best Gale Build – How to Play Your Wizard Right

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

LoL: Players Hate the New 200€ Skin and Riot’s Response Doesn’t Improve the Situation

Niko Hernes Niko Hernes Reading time 2 minutes

Last week, it was revealed that in League of Legends, a new way to obtain a special skin is being tested. Dark Cosmic Erasure Jhin sparked controversy in the LoL community due to its Gacha mechanics. Now Riot themselves are responding to this, but they do not want to change the system.

What happened? Last week, the new Jhin skin was announced, which is supposed to try a new system of acquisition.

  • Available only from special loot boxes for a limited time
  • Is a variation of a previous skin, which is why many people say it’s just a Chroma
  • 1 % chance to draw it from the boxes
  • With 30 boxes, you are guaranteed to get it (would cost up to 200 € in RP)
  • Not directly purchasable

For more information, check out our article on the Gacha System of the Jhin Skin from last week.

Start video
LoL: Video shows the relationship between rank placement, MMR and league points

We will not change the skin or its introduction plan

How is Riot responding to the backlash? In a lengthy Reddit post, Executive Producer Riot Brightmoon addresses the controversy. Riot aims to offer a new form of rarity with this experiment. Unlike the Prestige Skins, which have become available to more players over time, this skin is intended to have a new significance due to the Gacha system.

This new skin targets only a very small percentage of players who want this rarity. Furthermore, this experiment is not supposed to draw resources away from other areas meant for all players.

While Riot is responding to the community here, the actual criticism is not specifically addressed, and at the beginning of the post, Riot Brightmoon clearly states that nothing will be changed regarding the planned release of the skin: We will not change the skin or its introduction plan.

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The community is not satisfied with the response

How is the community reacting? In the comments on the Reddit post, users are not satisfied with Riot’s explanation and response (via reddit.com).

  • Sareos: I’m not sure who at Riot needs to hear this, but Gacha is not a rarity, it’s a privilege. […] [It’s] a status of wealth, a symbol that someone just threw money into the system until they got what they wanted.
  • Spideraxe30: Hey Brightmoon, I want to be open and speak in good faith about this. We understand that Riot is a company and needs to make money, but this still feels like the wrong approach to creating rare premium content.
  • bakageyama_: If people want exclusive things, they should be hard to get through playing, not through money. It could still be exclusive!

People are arguing under the post thoughtfully and with understandable points. They prefer exclusive content that one earns, rather than that which shows how much luck or money one has.
How the experiment works, Riot intends to show in future dev update videos.

If you want to know how much it costs to buy all skins and what happens afterwards, check out this post:

LoL: How much does it cost to buy all skins and what happens when you have them all?

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

An online strategy game from Hamburg has now earned 1 billion euros

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The real-time strategy game Forge of Empires by the company InnoGames from Hamburg has reached the revenue milestone of 1 billion euros, it proudly announces. However, despite the success, the studio cut 75 jobs in April.

This is the success report: InnoGames announced in early August that its construction strategy game Forge of Empires has achieved some impressive figures since its release in March 2012:

  • Over 130 million players have registered for the construction strategy game so far.
  • InnoGames has now surpassed the mark of 1 billion euros in revenue. In 2019, InnoGames as a whole had already reached this revenue mark.
  • Most of the money, from 2012 to 2022, came from the USA (36%), followed by Germany (19%); France (8%) and the UK (4%).

Forge of Empires also reaches new players through television advertising:

Start video
Forges of Empires „Resources Ad“ from 2018

A third of the revenue comes from long-term players

This is what the studio says:  They primarily attribute the success to long-term players:

  • 34% of the revenue comes from players who have been playing for 3 years.
  • 18% of the revenue comes from players who have been with it for 5 years.

The studio emphasizes that the recipe for success is to give “loyal long-term players” reasons to stay in the game while making Forge of Empires accessible and attractive to new players at the same time.

For this, they listen closely to the community’s feedback.

An important step is also that players can easily switch between browser and mobile device (iOS/Android) in Forge of Empires.

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So is everything great at InnoGames? No, not quite. InnoGames is, after Ubisoft Düsseldorf, the largest employer in the video game sector in Germany with 350 employees, but there used to be more.

In April 2023, InnoGames cut 75 jobs (via gameswirtschaft). This is part of a “comprehensive strategic realignment,” the studio reported.

In 2022, the company had still gained points when it published specific salary ranges for individual areas within the company.

Hacker is honored in online game, even becomes a game character

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

gamescom 2023: 10 games that we will definitely see in the big opening show

Alexander Leitsch Alexander Leitsch Reading time 2 minutes

Geoff Keighley recently spoke about the fact that fans shouldn’t have too high hopes regarding brand new announcements at the Opening Night Live of the gamescom 2023. The focus would be more on games already presented. He now shows in a trailer 10 titles that are guaranteed to be part of the event.

What games are those? The video lasts about 90 seconds and repeatedly shows short clips of trailers. While some big games are included, they have all been presented at other events such as the Summer Game Fest or gamescom 2022.

For online gamers, there are three titles included:

For those who prefer single-player and co-op titles, you can look forward to:

  • Alan Wake 2
  • Assassin’s Creed Mirage
  • Black Myth Wukong
  • Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
  • Lords of the Fallen
  • Sonic Superstars
  • Mortal Kombat 1
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When is the ONL 2023? The Opening Night Live of the gamescom starts this year on August 22. It starts at 8:00 PM German time and the event runs until 10:00 PM. You can follow the event both live on the grounds of Koelnmesse and via stream on Twitch and YouTube.

Hype for Wukong, but Disappointment Overall

How is the trailer received? In general, the video is seen positively. The structure is good and makes you want more, it is said. The highlight for many is Black Myth Wukong. This very ambitious AAA game from China was announced back in 2020, but afterwards there has been little information.

Many are now hoping for a release date at gamescom, as well as a lot of gameplay.

Otherwise, the games shown so far have rather caused disappointment. Much of it was already a topic at the Summer Game Fest 2023.

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What might not be shown? Fans are hoping for further announcements, such as for Spiderman 2, Stellar Blade, or Warhammer 40k Space Marines 2. A trailer for Starfield is also expected.

Some still have high hopes for brand new announcements. However, there is a dampener from the host himself.

For Geoff Keighley already revealed in advance that the ONL would not be about the announcement of new projects, but mainly about updates for some of the biggest games in development. So, it is unlikely that there will be a real blockbuster during the livestream.

What do you think about the Opening Night Live 2023? Will you tune in or ignore the event?

Disclaimer: Webedia Gaming (GameStar, GamePro, MeinMMO) is accompanying the big gaming event as the official media partner of gamescom 2023.

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

Twitch streamer is fed up with being the fool: Somehow it’s Trymacs’ fault

Fabienne Kissel Fabienne Kissel Reading time 2 minutes

Chefstrobel is a streamer on Twitch and has uploaded an emotional YouTube video in which he talks about how much the hate affects him. You can find out more about it on MeinMMO.

Who is Chefstrobel?

  • Chefstrobel aka Chef plays for the e-sports team “Unicorns of Love”
  • Additionally, he has been a Twitch streamer since 2016
  • Currently, he mainly plays Valorant

What does he say in the video? Chefstrobel uploaded a new video on August 16 at 4:00 AM. In this video, Chefstrobel openly talks about how the constant hate affects him. The streamer explains that he tries to show his good sides and promote positive interactions. However, the negative comments on social media often outweigh the positive ones.

Here you can watch Chefstrobel’s video:

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“I think I won’t be able to shake off my sidekick image”

He reflects on how short clips are taken out of context and falsely convey a negative image of him. “I know that I can be annoying sometimes – for example, because of my rages in Valorant,” emphasizes Chefstrobel. “Many people have, I think, a false image of me,” he says in his YouTube video.

Back then, Chefstrobel was primarily known through the big streamer Trymacs. In recent years, he has not collaborated much with Trymacs anymore, but he is still referred to as his “sidekick” and is made fun of.

There have been increasing negative comments and clips in the last few months that portray him in a bad light. Many people seem to have prejudices against him. This has led to a flood of hateful comments, which affects him emotionally.

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“Clips are made that are taken out of context”

It has become a running gag that Streamer Trymacs makes fun of Chefstrobel. In this compilation video by Satter Hugo, Trymacs says, for example: “No joke, this is so far the prettiest monkey I have ever seen – even before Chefstrobel.”

That’s just one of many examples.

Chefstrobel has the following to say about the jokes made at his expense:

There are people who unfortunately hate me out of principle or hop on the bandwagon, just because it’s funny to hate on Chefstrobel[…]. Fellow streamers react to things and make jokes and some jokes are very funny. But when many big streamers make jokes about one, people take it super seriously. […]

I find it unfortunate that, in this context, my name is being tarnished so badly and I receive such intense hate, even for trivial statements – for which I have often apologized.

Chefstrobel

The streamer closes with the wish that his viewers consider that no one is perfect and every person has their flaws.

He encourages practicing differentiated opinions and not to be guided by out-of-context clips. He hopes that those who have had a false image of him will give him a fair chance.

Twitch: “Better than the original” – Gronkh watches an AI video of himself playing a horror game

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

Baldur’s Gate 3 convinces even players who should actually find it stupid

Fabienne Kissel Fabienne Kissel Reading time 2 minutes

Baldur’s Gate 3 even manages to captivate players who actually hate turn-based and story-driven games. You can find more details on MeinMMO.

What kind of game is this anyway? Baldur’s Gate 3 is a role-playing game developed by Larian Studios that employs a turn-based combat system. The game is based on the “Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition” ruleset.

  • The RPG can be played solo or in co-op with up to four players.
  • You can expect tactical turn-based fights, an extensive story, and there is plenty to discover.
  • Players can choose their character from a variety of races, classes, and backgrounds, creating a unique gaming experience. You can also play pre-made characters.
  • Your decisions influence the story’s course and you can achieve over 17,000 different endings.
Start video
Baldur’s Gate 3: The release teaser for the new role-playing game for PS5 and Steam

“This game is not for me” – Players thrilled after 30 hours of gameplay

What’s behind it? On Reddit, a player named ClownSevensix turns out to be a fan of Baldur’s Gate 3, but actually has no affinity for turn-based games.

As someone who previously had no contact with D&D and whose gaming preferences mainly lay with the challenging single-player titles from FromSoftware, he had a clear aversion to turn-based and story-driven games. At first glance, the game seemed far from his interests.

In a moment of boredom while browsing on Steam, he then stumbled upon the aforementioned game “Baldur’s Gate 3”. Due to the positive feedback, he decided to give it a try. Rather than being frustrated and disappointed by the boring game, it turned out differently.

He wrote the following on Reddit: “Two days later and I’ve already spent 30 hours in this game. What a great game. I gave this game two hours to change my mind before I would refund it, and now I’m buying the Deluxe Edition just to support the studio behind this masterpiece.”

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This is what author Fabienne Kissel thinks: Baldur’s Gate 3 has been developed with a remarkable degree of dedication and features a depth that truly touches. The developers have managed to create a work that appeals to many players – regardless of their preferences.

Truly everyone who has even a hint of interest in this genre should give this game a chance. The reasons for this are numerous. Here are some of them:

  • Captivating story that draws one into a world full of intrigue and adventure.
  • Diverse character creation, everyone can identify with different personalities and backgrounds. You can create your own unique adventure.
  • But you can also play a pre-made character.
  • In co-op mode, captivating stories, epic battles, and even amusing mishaps often unfold due to the diverse personalities of the players.
  • Role-playing experience feels authentic, as if you were really playing D&D.
  • Players’ decisions have a direct impact on the course of the story and the interactions within this vibrant world.
  • The design and graphics of Baldur’s Gate 3 are simply breathtaking, and the world invites you to explore.
  • The combats are challenging and require strategic thinking but also allow for creative solutions. The fights are incredibly fun. For example, you can also avoid or resolve some conflicts differently than you might think.
  • You can invest countless hours into this game, exploring different game paths, making alternative decisions, and thus experiencing new aspects of the story over and over again.

More about the game: I play Baldur’s Gate 3 with 2 chaos-makers who accidentally kill everything – and it’s super funny

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

Minecraft now bans skins too because you have done nonsense with them

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

Minecraft will take a tougher stance. Some of your “beloved” skins may soon be unavailable – as they will be manually blocked by the developer.

Minecraft is a long-lasting phenomenon. The game captivates young and old alike and has fans in almost all generations. This is not surprising, as the creative freedom in Minecraft is nearly unmatched, appealing to all age groups equally. However, this also makes Minecraft a game where children are present, who therefore need protection from certain content.

And because this could often be circumvented through the various skins, Minecraft will now take a tougher approach.

Start video
A trailer for Minecraft has 160 million views: “This is not a trailer for a game, this is for a generation”

What was the problem? With the skins, meaning the visual design of the played character, there was previously virtually absolute freedom. You could design and upload your own skins, leading to much creativity. Well-known characters like Link (Zelda), Master Chief (Halo), or even a Creeper in a suit could thus become part of your appearance.

However, this freedom also created problems. Because some would choose a skin as an oversized penis, Adolf Hitler, or other tasteless designs.

This is a problem, as the skins are visible when joining public servers where children play – but also, no one else really needs to see such things.

What will change now? In the latest “snapshot”, essentially a test version for the next patch, the option has now been introduced to report player names or their skins. So if you encounter someone with a highly questionable name or offensive skin, you can report them to the developers with just a few clicks.

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von Cedric Holmeier

What are the consequences of reporting? If a skin is reported, it will be manually reviewed by human moderators. If they conclude that the skin actually violates community guidelines, several things can happen:

  • The skin will be blocked – and that permanently for all Minecraft players.
  • The reported player will be assigned a default skin.
  • Can be temporarily or permanently banned, depending on the number and severity of violations.

Basically, it is true that someone with a blocked skin can still play Minecraft – both online and offline. When a skin is blocked due to a report, there will be a message upon logging into Minecraft explaining this.

Of course, after the skin is blocked, a new skin can then be chosen – but one should consider very carefully whether one wants to make such nonsense again, risking their Minecraft account.

Happier things can be found here: All animals in Minecraft – and how to tame and breed them.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. reddit.com/r/minecraft/

Baldur’s Gate 3: Bard Build with Axe and Strength – Sounds weird, but works great

Benedict Grothaus Benedict Grothaus Reading time 3 minutes

Bards are known as charmers and entertainers. In Baldur’s Gate 3, they usually take on the role of supporters. In the College of Valor, however, bards are less funny musicians and more battle-hardened skalds. MeinMMO presents to you an unconventional build that works surprisingly well.

[toc]

What is this build? As a bard in the College of Valor, you are at the front lines and lead your companions into battle rather than just cheering them on from the back. Your charisma boosts morale just as much as your determination to slay foes.

Bards are already the undisputed best class in Baldur’s Gate 3. They can do everything, albeit not perfectly, but with the right adjustments, they can fulfill any role. In this build, they wear heavy armor and hit hard instead of relying solely on magic, daggers, or bows.

The College of Valor is one of the stronger variants of the bard in the tier list of the best classes. This is partly because you can choose whether to function more as a tank for your group or as an armored fighter.

In our build, we show you how to play both versions of the Valor Bard correctly and which talents you should best utilize.

You can find general leveling tips in the video:

Start video
5 Tips to Level Up Your Characters Properly in Baldur’s Gate 3

Bard Build for College of Valor – Stats and Talents

Defensive Approach

Starting Stats

  • Strength: 10
  • Dexterity: 14
  • Constitution: 14
  • Intelligence: 8
  • Wisdom: 12
  • Charisma: 17

The best backgrounds are Soldier, Folk Hero, or Outlander. The best race is Gold Dwarves, as they gain additional hit points per level and are naturally proficient with axes and hammers.

Talents and Skills

  • Level 3: College of Valor; Expertise in Athletics and Performance
  • Level 4: Resilient or Tough (Constitution)
  • Level 8: Ability Score Improvement (Constitution and Charisma)
  • Level 10: Expertise in Intimidation, if chosen; otherwise free choice
  • Level 12: Sentinel

Important Spells

Generally helpful spells that protect you or allies include: Blade Ward, Evil Eye, Heroism, Hold Person

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von Christos Tsogos
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von Christopher “Toffi” Boyke
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Baldur’s Gate 3: Feats – The best talents in ranking – Which is good for my class?
von Benedict Grothaus

Offensive Approach

Starting Stats

  • Strength: 14
  • Dexterity: 14
  • Constitution: 12
  • Intelligence: 8
  • Wisdom: 10
  • Charisma: 17

The best backgrounds are Soldier, Folk Hero, or Outlander. The best race is Gold Dwarves, as they gain additional hit points per level and are naturally proficient with axes and hammers.

Talents and Skills

  • Level 3: College of Valor; Expertise in Athletics and Performance
  • Level 4: Athlete (Strength) or Tough (Strength)
  • Level 8: Ability Score Improvement (Strength and Charisma)
  • Level 10: Expertise in Intimidation, if chosen; otherwise free choice
  • Level 12: Master of the Arts (Riposte and Maneuvering Attack)

Important Spells

Generally helpful spells that provide you or others with a boost include: Accurate Strike, Blade Ward, Heroism, Long Strider

A great advantage of the bard is that you get a third Short Rest. You will see why this is important here:

Start video
A useful feature can make your life in Baldur’s Gate 3 much easier

Playstyle and Group: Like a Viking in a Shield Wall

This is how you play the build: In both variants, you are a front-line fighter who should wear medium armor and carry a shield. This allows you to easily reach an Armor Class of 18 or more and withstand quite a bit.

As you gain a second attack at level 6, you should grab a strong weapon as soon as possible. Battle axes are ideal due to their versatility. As a dwarf, you are proficient with the weapon. Otherwise, longswords or hand axes are suitable, as long as they utilize strength as a modifier.

You primarily attack with melee attacks but use your Bardic Inspiration to give either yourself or others in the group a bonus to attacks. Unlike other colleges, your inspiration also applies to weapon damage and armor.

More on the topic
Baldur’s Gate 3: All 12 classes and 11 races in overview – Which one suits you?
von Christos Tsogos

This is what the perfect group looks like: Ideally, you have other characters with shields standing next to you. Perfect are:

  • a human mage or wizard for magical damage. Humans are proficient with shields and light armor
  • any cleric or paladin for support
  • a barbarian, ideally as a berserker for Viking flair with two axes

If you want to utilize the standard classes of the companions in Baldur’s Gate 3, Gale, Karlach, and Shadowheart are best suited for your group. Try to advance as a shield wall and drive enemies toward you, preferably straight into the arms of the furious berserker.

If you want to further plan your build or try out your group, it is best to use a character planner:

Baldur’s Gate 3 Character Planner: We show you the perfect tool to create your class and builds

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

Destiny 2: Player solved a Lightfall riddle 8 years ago, is the ultimate “I told you so”

Britta ♤ BeAngel Britta ♤ BeAngel Reading time 5 minutes

Eight years ago, a Guardian from the Destiny 2 community made a bold thesis on Reddit that received little attention. But now, after all these years, his suspicion proves to be true. The Guardian was right, and the community thinks: This is the ultimate “I told you so”.

Which story is it exactly about? Every week Guardians in Destiny 2 can play the repeatable quest “Veil Containment.” It becomes available after completing the Lightfall campaign and reveals further, extremely interesting story details in the form of audio recordings.

  • So far, it has been revealed that Darkness represents the non-physical and Light represents the physical.
  • That both Savathun and the Strike character MSund12 were involved in hiding the Veil from the Witness and that the Guardians have undone that.
  • There was further information about the founding of the city of Neomuna on Neptune.
  • Interesting revelations about the character of Maya Sundaresh, whom players have been encountering everywhere in the latest destination Neomuna since Lightfall.

And this is where the mysterious Guardian comes into play. His bold thesis regarding Maya Sundaresh hit the mark precisely eight years ago.

Spoiler warning: The following article will reveal story details about Destiny 2 Lightfall and the activity “Veil Containment”. So please do not read further from here if you have not played the mission yet and want to experience the surprise in the game itself.
Start video
[Spoiler] Destiny 2: This cutscene from Season 21 reveals what the Traveler and the Darkness are

Ignored Reddit thread hits the mark

This is what the Guardian predicted: The respective Guardian had drawn such accurate conclusions from some lore details of the then Destiny story that he unwittingly spoiled the finale of “Veil Containment” occurring eight years later in Lightfall.

  • His search began with a simple yet fascinating hint about the name “Maya”.
  • He continued to search for this name – from its Buddhist meaning to its original use, perhaps to establish a connection.
  • In doing so, he discovered that there is indeed a connection between Maya and Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and love, in Hindu mythology.

Maya? Lakshmi? – Both names were known in the Destiny universe.

It increasingly seems like Bungie knew then the thread of the story and used many small subtle ways to prepare players for the upcoming revelation.

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What’s next? On August 22 at 6:00 PM, there will be the first information about the final DLC “The Final Form” and then the Guardians will finally uncover the big mystery in 2024 of what the inside of the Traveler looks like. And what is even more important: They will reunite with an old friend.

What do you think about the stunning prediction of the Guardian? Do you believe Bungie has always planned these many details in the game, relying on the fact that Guardians would discover these unforeseen connections in the Destiny universe now, at the end of the saga? And is it the Veil in the video the Red War or not? Feel free to let us know in the comments how you see it.

Other streamers prefer to focus on the challenges in the game and sarcastically show Guardians how to do it right:

Destiny 2: Streamer jokes about frustrated players struggling with a boss

Another point that reinforced his theory was a Grimoire entry about Maya Sundaresh and her involvement in researching the Vex simulations and hints regarding the Ishtar Collective.

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Destiny 2 hides important location in Lightfall that only veterans will recognize
von Christos Tsogos

After the Guardian had put all this together, he wondered, “Could this group of scientists be the breeding ground for the war cult of the future? And could it be possible that Maya Sundaresh later took the name ‘Lakshmi’?”

Back then, it was still a bold thesis. Nevertheless, he presented it in the Destiny Reddit and wrote: “I think Lakshmi-2 and Maya Sundaresh could be the same person.”

The idea was forgotten: Over the years, the Guardian’s account was deleted. Although his idea remained online, it was hardly noticed.

However, when the weekly “Veil Containment” in Lightfall dropped the big bomb in August 2023, a few lore-interested players remembered that there was indeed someone who was right about everything and commented on the post.

Under this video, even the “Story Prophet” from back then reemerged under the nickname caseyl5001, whose account was deleted, and shared:

This is my post! I feel so validated right now. I deleted this account and regret it. […] I remember that several comments said it was unlikely since the names were very common and it was probably just a coincidence.

commented caseyl5001 under Lucky10PPs video

Others are more skeptical, like Rascal0302. He comments: “Honestly, he didn’t foresee it, Bungie saw it and simply copied it.”

And yet, his stunning prediction leaves not only a sense of validation. It also shows the unexpected and deep connections that can exist in the depths of the Destiny universe.

Too much coincidence to not be intentional

Left: Prophecy Dungeon in 2020 | Right: The Traveler in Lightfall in 2023

Did Bungie always know everything? That is perhaps one of the most intriguing questions arising from this revelation of the Guardian’s prescient theory.

As with Savathun in the “The Witch Queen” DLC, the question also arises in “Lightfall”: “Did Bungie’s narrative team have the extensive saga of Light and Darkness laid out in its foundations with the Veil as part of the Traveler from the start of Destiny?”

Some say no. Because in 2017, Luke Smith, then Game Director of Destiny 2, openly admitted: “Yes, we had no idea what the Darkness was supposed to be.“

Maybe not with the Darkness. Still, it’s hard to imagine that Bungie didn’t at least have an inkling of where the journey with Light and Darkness was meant to go.

Some players now believe that Bungie may have even hidden the Veil as early as 2017 in a cutscene during the Red War campaign.

However, different interpretations exist:

  • Most players believe the depiction in the cutscene simply refers to the three Guardian classes. The arrow for the Hunter, the sword for the Warlock, and at the end, the shield for the Titan.
  • Others, however, now think it could also represent a spear and a sword as a symbol of duality between conflict and peace. And the shield is not a shield, but the veil.

Make up your own picture: We have embedded the short cutscene from “The Red War” here again. It shows a fallen civilization, pyramid ships, and the aforementioned depiction. Pay close attention at minute 00:53.

Start video
Destiny 2: The Red War – Story Trailer

Also, in other places in Destiny 2 some Guardians are now noticing things that visualize the current story well and that players have unknowingly run past in the game over and over again.

  • Since 2020, you can also see the circle-triangle symbolism in the dungeon of the Nine called “Prophecy”. Something that the Witness only “shoved” onto the Traveler in 2023.
  • This circle-triangle symbolism can also be found in the Tower of the Last City. All waymarkers on the walls have been showing it for years, but it has only now become clear to the Guardians.

This could all be coincidence. But it may also be a bit too much coincidence to not be intentional.

It increasingly seems like Bungie knew then the thread of the story and used many small subtle ways to prepare players for the upcoming revelation.

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von Britta ♤ BeAngel
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What’s next? On August 22 at 6:00 PM, there will be the first information about the final DLC “The Final Form” and then the Guardians will finally uncover the big mystery in 2024 of what the inside of the Traveler looks like. And what is even more important: They will reunite with an old friend.

What do you think about the stunning prediction of the Guardian? Do you believe Bungie has always planned these many details in the game, relying on the fact that Guardians would discover these unforeseen connections in the Destiny universe now, at the end of the saga? And is it the Veil in the video the Red War or not? Feel free to let us know in the comments how you see it.

Other streamers prefer to focus on the challenges in the game and sarcastically show Guardians how to do it right:

Destiny 2: Streamer jokes about frustrated players struggling with a boss

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Reddit
  2. YouTube/ Lucky10PP

Steam: Player claims he has played more than 19,000 hours of GTA V, but no one believes him

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 2 minutes

A gamer explains that he claims to have played GTA V on Steam for more than 19,000 hours. The post is controversial, as no one really believes he has played that much.

A user posted on reddit his playing time for GTA V. The screenshot shows the Steam interface, where you can see your playtime in hours. You can clearly see that he claims to have spent more than 19,000 hours playing GTA V.

But in the community, this is not well received. Rather, people are questioning why someone would spend so much time in a game.

Start video
In GTA Online you can finally get to the bottom of the most annoying crew in the game starting next week

Community doubts the authenticity of the playtime

Under the post, there is a strong debate about the authenticity of the post. After all, we are talking about more than 2 years of playtime. Because if you convert the number of hours into days, you get about 791 days, which is more than two years. The same user claims that he has never been “AFK.”

Doubts about the playtime: Many people in the community doubt these figures and do not believe that everything can be above board:

  • A user jokes that most of that time is surely made up of the long loading times of the game.
  • Another one explains that the player is supposed to have played at least 6 hours a day since the release of GTA 5.
  • Others accuse him of an addiction that he urgently needs to address.

However, one thing everyone agrees on: there is no reason to be proud of such a high number of play hours. Many also do not understand how it is possible to spend so many hours in one game.

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Final Fantasy XIV 8.0 – Everything concerning the announcement and the release of the new expansion
von Sophia Weiss
Blizzard has revealed the release time of Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred and you will need a lot of coffee
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Many gamers are still playing GTA today: GTA 5 and GTA: Online are still among the most popular games on Steam today. In particular, role-playing servers have gained great popularity. This has even been recognized by developer Rockstar, who now wants to invest themselves:

Unofficial role-playing servers have been a hit in GTA 5 for years, and now even Rockstar itself is investing

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. jeuxvideo.com

As a German, Pokémon GO in Japan is a completely different game – Feels like paradise

Max Handwerk Max Handwerk Reading time 3 minutes

Pokémon GO is a game that can change a lot – depending on where you play it. However, the difference from Germany to Japan was something that MeinMMO author Max Handwerk did not expect.

You probably know the feeling: you’re on vacation or a little trip, and just curious how Pokémon GO looks here.

I love making these comparisons and thought I had seen every situation.

  • I made my first steps in Pokémon GO in a tiny village with no noteworthy stops and gyms.
  • Later, I moved to Hamburg and found plenty of POIs and fellow players in the city park.
  • Just recently, while hiking in the Thuringian Forest, I encountered the situation of basically having no gyms and stops at all.
  • Currently, I live in Hannover, where at least there is a reasonable distribution of gyms, stops, and fellow players.

As I said: I thought no stop situation could surprise me any longer.

But then I went to Japan for a week as part of the Pokémon World Championships. And what awaited me in Tokyo and Yokohama – I did not expect.

So many stops that you can barely click properly

Not only did Yokohama gradually become Pokémon City over the week and an absolutely contagious Pokémon enthusiasm developed: Pokémon GO also had a prevalence that I had not known before.

To make it short: there were simply so many PokéStops and gyms that you could hardly play properly. Everything was so ridiculously close together that you constantly clicked on the wrong thing when you wanted to tap somewhere. If you’re used to just a handful of stops nearby, it’s crazy to suddenly have so many options.

You can see what it looked like here:

Stops, gyms, raids, routes: In Yokohama and Tokyo there was everything in large quantities

For a player like me, who knows significantly fewer stops from Germany, it was like a Pokémon GO paradise. I don’t know exactly how much XP and Pokémon I collected during this time – but it was a lot.

But it didn’t stop with stops and gyms. Overall, Japan felt like a bonus level in Pokémon GO, because everything was so much easier. Raids that I can’t manage at home because of missing players were completed here within seconds because the lobbies were so full.

You clicked into a raid and suddenly had around 20 fellow players without even having to organize anything. The event Pikachu collapsed after three seconds, Cresselia didn’t last much longer. At the event site of the Worlds, I was less surprised by that – but even in the city, I experienced such situations. It was dreamlike.

Another example: the routes. While I can hardly find routes at home, in Japan I could sometimes choose from 18 at once. It was impressive how many players had seemingly made sure to distribute the new feature across the city.

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What was challenging, however, was taking gyms, or earning coins. New challengers showed up so quickly that the Pokémon barely lasted long enough in the gym to bring home even 10 coins.

It was an impressive trip, as it showed me how the game can feel when you have a huge community present. It’s a pity that it usually only works in a similar way here during big events.

What was the best place you have ever played Pokémon GO? Tell us in the comments!

And speaking of big events: Soon the global GO Fest in Pokémon GO is coming up.

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

In WoW you currently have a bonus chance at one of the rarest mounts of all time

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

Al’ar’s Ash is one of the rarest mounts in World of Warcraft. But now you have a bonus chance for the mount.

There are many rare mounts in World of Warcraft that still evoke envy or wonder today. One of the first mounts of this kind is the Phoenix Al’ar, obtainable through the item “Ashes of Al’ar”. In fact, this is a very, very rare drop from Kael’thas Sunstrider in the raid “The Eye” – but there is now another source from which you can obtain the mount with a bit of luck.

What kind of mount is it? Al’ar’s Ash is still a unique and beautiful mount even today, more than a decade after its release. The orange-gold Phoenix from Kael’thas Sunstrider leaves red streaks in the sky and is still one of the most beautiful and rarest mounts.

There are many players who have tried for years to obtain this Phoenix and have never had any luck.

This is not surprising, as the drop chance is only 1.70% – and you only have one attempt per character per week.

wow bc classic alar's ash wowhead
Al’ar’s Ash is still one of the most beautiful mounts. Source: wowhead

How do you get the bonus chance? To do this, you need to make use of the “Timewalking: The Burning Crusade”. More specifically, you need to complete the quest “Disturbance Detected: Black Temple”. This is a mission that is only active during the corresponding Timewalking.

The quest requires you to defeat Illidan Stormrage during the Timewalking in the Black Temple – in its Timewalking variant. This means you need a (somewhat) capable group to tackle this raid in Timewalking.

While the raid is not particularly difficult and is significantly easier during Timewalking than it was at launch, you still need a raid group to have any chance. It’s best to check the “Looking for Group” channel to see if someone is trying to set up such a raid group – or just create your own.

You can pick up the quest directly in the Black Temple (entrance area) or in Shattrath.

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Community is excited: In the World of Warcraft subreddit and in the comments on wowhead, the fact that you can now obtain Al’ar’s Ash from another source is praised. Many first thought it was a bug or that fellow players were “trolling” them by claiming that the Phoenix was obtainable from the Timewalking chest. However, there is now so much evidence that has confirmed this.

Have you also had such luck and obtained Al’ar’s Ash? Or is this mount still eluding you?

It will soon be really stylish for Night Elves and Undead – because they will receive their heritage armor

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

Lead Author of Baldur’s Gate 3 Explains What the Most Heroic Way to Play Is

Fabienne Kissel Fabienne Kissel Reading time 2 minutes

In Baldur’s Gate 3 you can play the ultimate villain. However, lead author Adam Smith interprets “Dark Urge” as the most heroic playthrough. You can find more details on MeinMMO.

What is “Dark Urge”? Among all Origin characters in Baldur’s Gate 3, “Dark Urge” is undoubtedly the most unusual and bloodthirsty. In fact, it is not a classic character but rather a state of mind.

As the “Dark Urge” you have no memories of the past. You only feel an eerie sense of having committed terrible deeds. A mysterious force tries to push you to create chaos and violence. The Dark Urge is a mad killer, which can quickly lead to an inner conflict.

Here are 5 helpful tips to make your life easier in Baldur’s Gate 3:

Start video
5 helpful tips for Baldur’s Gate 3

Dark Urge – “Possibly the most heroic playthrough”

The Dark Urge is not the right choice for everyone. The character loves everything related to blood and violence. He literally feeds off killing.

However, the lead author of Baldur’s Gate 3, Adam Smith, recently revealed in an interview with PC Gamer that he plays the Dark Urge in a different way. For him, the playthrough with this character is possibly the most heroic of all.

My Dark Urge resists the dark impulses and deeply regrets all the terrible deeds that have been done. […] For me – and I will try to remain as spoiler-free as possible – the experience of playing through the Dark Urge could be the most heroic variant. When one confronts one’s inner demons, resists them, and ultimately survives together with loyal companions, in my opinion, the most epic version of the game is created.

Adam Smith

Adam Smith has a deep affection for the RPG and finds a particular fascination in his “Dark Urge Monk.” Instead of a mad killer who shows no remorse, he plays a tormented hero with a conscience. He plays him as a character with a good heart.

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Whether you accept the dark nature of the “Dark Urge” or fight against it. The character presents one of the most fascinating gameplay options. So it does not necessarily mean that you will experience a completely evil playthrough with the Dark Urge.

It is still up to you how you resolve the inner conflict of this mysterious and bloodthirsty character. You could still achieve a good and epic ending.

More about Baldur’s Gate 3: I started Baldur’s Gate 3 twice and was disappointed: It was only when I did what many warned against that I enjoyed it

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. PC Gamer

New MMORPG released on Steam, immediately destroyed and torn apart by players – What’s going on?

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 2 minutes

A new MMORPG called Wayfinder was released on Steam a few days ago. However, the reviews are quite weak, with Mostly Negative ratings.

On August 17, 2023, the Early Access of Wayfinder launched on Steam. However, players are anything but enthusiastic. As of August 20, 2023, the ratings stand at Mostly Negative with 30% positive reviews out of about 8,000 reviews. Even Overwatch 2 is currently rated even worse on Steam.

But why is a new MMORPG on Steam being so harshly criticized by players, even though it received positive feedback in early tests?

Start video
Wayfinder – Summer Game Fest Trailer

Delays and server issues cause frustration

What are players upset about? Many people are frustrated that the game is completely unplayable in its current state. Either they cant even get onto the servers, or they are plagued by technical problems.

As soon as 5,000 players are on one server, it seems that’s it, and you receive an error message. And when the game crashes, you have to wait in line again, and the fun starts all over:

  • A player angrily states that according to Steam, 17,000 players are playing Wayfinder, but 12,000 are stuck in the queue because the servers can only accommodate up to 5,000 players.
  • A review refers to the game as a new Queue Hell, reminding players of Lost Ark and New World.

Is there anything positive? Yes, several players say that the game is fun and looks really nice when it actually works. The game has great potential, and many on Steam hope the developers will soon get a handle on the issues.

Many see Wayfinder as a great opportunity for MMORPGs. Many gamers are reminded of the failed WildStar and therefore have high hopes for Wayfinder. However, currently the majority of the player base is simply dissatisfied. The developers have also commented on the situation, promising improvements.

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Blizzard has revealed the release time of Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred and you will need a lot of coffee
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Developers want to solve problems and simplify queues

What do the developers say? On Steam, the developers explained on August 19 that they simply werent prepared for the influx of players. Because in no beta had so many players flooded the servers as during the EA on Steam.

Due to technical problems, they had to limit the number of players on the server. This would then lead to the unwanted error message Maximum Player Limit Reached. The developers explained:

We will make further optimizations to the queue and servers in the coming days and weeks until all players are in the game and can play.

What happens next? Overall, many players are left with a bitter aftertaste. For many, Wayfinder is one more reason to steer clear of so-called Early Access games.

New coop game for PC, PS5, Xbox looks like the dead MMORPG WildStar – Coming 2023

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

A German YouTuber stands for extreme quality – has 700,000 views in 5 hours

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

A new video from “Julien Bam” impressively shows how much quality there is on YouTube. It is receiving praise and a lot of upvotes.

Many have turned their backs on German YouTube. Videos in the style of “Trash TV” and various pranks have driven away numerous viewers. However, there are some gems in the German sector that stand out even in a global comparison. One of them is Julien Bam with his “main videos”, which now tell an entire saga.

The latest installment of the series, “The Man in the Moon – Act 1 (Songs from the Bean)” was released yesterday on 19.08.2023 and immediately took German YouTube by storm.

What is the series about? The “Songs from the Bean” saga now includes 9 main videos and a whole series of smaller offshoots. Telling the whole story could take a while, as the “JCU”, the “Julien Cinematic Universe”, has become quite extensive and intertwined.

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At its core, it’s about magical beans. When consumed, they give one certain “superpowers” – one can suddenly perfectly imitate the music style of a certain musician and magically escape from tricky situations.

Especially when one watches the first videos of the series, which are now 4 years old, and compares them with the newer videos, it becomes obvious how much the quality has improved. Besides some quite impressive effects, like crashing spaceships or impressive camera movements, the series still maintains its quirky and sometimes slightly childish humor.

A trademark is also that Julien repeatedly incorporates other YouTubers and musicians. In the latest installment, for example, you see the (infamous) Money Boy as a nasty alien boss or Younes Jones and Sturmwaffel in various supporting roles.

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von Christos Tsogos

This is how the community reacts: On German YouTube, the videos always hit like a bomb. Just 5 hours after the release, the current “The Man in the Moon” had more than 700,000 views and nearly 170,000 upvotes, with less than 1,000 dislikes.

Meanwhile, the view counts, 22 hours after release, have risen to 1,500,000.

In the comments, the latest video is celebrated and especially the high quality is praised. Here are a few excerpts from the comments:

  • “This is no longer YouTube. This is so much more. The JCU reaches a peak here that has never been seen on YouTube Germany. The quality of pacing, dialogues, characters, acting performance, and visual effects is magnificent.” – Shadestan2240
  • “Every time I see something like this, I remember why I want to make sketches and films. The whole team is a gigantic motivation and it’s incredible what you have created. An absolute masterpiece.” – ColinTM
  • “It feels so good to enjoy this incredible content. It feels like there are only reactions, beef, and Let’s Plays on YouTube. Thank you for being there!!!” – Fumanshu85

The comments and the like-to-dislike ratio speak a clear language. This is apparently among the best that “YouTube Germany” currently has to offer. No matter whether you like the parodied music or not – the production quality must simply be acknowledged.

What do you think of the series?

Julien Bam already explained how expensive the video was a few days ago.

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

Of all things, Thor: Love and Thunder has what I miss in Marvel movies

Niko Hernes Niko Hernes Reading time 3 minutes

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has existed since 2008 and to this day, several films about the superhero universe are released every year. MeinMMO author Niko Hernes is actually a big fan of superheroes, but he has a lot to complain about the current MCU.

When Nia DaCosta says in an interview that her Marvel film will be different from the others, I can only shake my head. For years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been, for me, a collection of mediocre films without heart and soul.

And this development makes me really angry because I am actually a superhero fan. Comics, games, and series on the topic are incredibly fun for me. However, the MCU, which back then ushered in a new era of blockbuster cinema, is something I find incredibly generic today.

This is based on three main points:

  • Lack of consistency in the film’s plot
  • You have to have seen movies or series to understand parts of the story
  • The films and some series feel the same and look the same
Start video
Marvel Studios’ The Marvels – Teaser Trailer

Every film feels the same

In my opinion, the MCU films of recent years do not stand on their own. They are always part of the larger universe and have to contribute to the next big event.

This creates no creative experiments, but instead films that, no matter the theme of the film, must be squeezed into the typical MCU framework. And for me, no film symbolizes this more than Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Director Sam Raimi could have made a surreal horror film here with elements of his classics like The Evil Dead. And there are few moments that show this, but the film still has to be like every MCU film.

The film Eternals, which according to Rotten Tomatoes wasn’t very popular anyway, also feels like an unplanned film without a red thread. Chloé Zhao is actually a talented director with an eye for nature and landscape. You can see hints of that, but each time they are destroyed by the dialogues and story.

Why Thor: Love and Thunder is different

Do I even like any of the newer Marvel films? Yes, and one of them is probably surprising. I really liked Guardians of the Galaxy 3. I enjoyed telling an emotional story that focuses on a side character.

The other film I appreciate is Thor: Love and Thunder. Thor 4 by director Taika Waititi is too silly for many, but I don’t understand that. It fits for me with the new Thor that we know since Thor 3, and in general, you can notice Taika Waititi’s slapstick influence, who always tries to balance between funny and silly.

If you know 5 Rooms Kitchen Coffin or JoJo Rabbit by Taika Waititi, then you know how frontal he uses humor. And unlike in films like Avengers Infinity War, where the occasional jokes pull me out of the drama, Thor 4 is silly from the start.

For me, the most important thing is that Thor 4 feels different from the other films. Yes, it doesn’t fit everyone’s taste, but why does every film actually have to do that? Why not experiment with genres and why not do something outside the MCU? Not every film needs to be as silly as Thor 4, but you should experiment and allow the director more freedom and personal style.

Thor himself also has his issues with the 4th part:

Chris Hemsworth shudders at the thought of the 4th Thor film: ‘It just became too silly’

Start video
German trailer for Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

What do I wish for from the Marvel films? Personally, I believe that creativity outside the MCUs would do Marvel and Disney good. Give me a real horror film, a drama, or an exciting thriller. If you separate such films from their universes, you have a lot of creative freedom. This also partly works for me in Guardians 3 and Thor 4.

The Batman showed in 2022 that you can also be successful away from the classic superhero feeling. The series The Boys is successful and bloody and rated 18+. Not every film needs to be targeted at FSK12, and a greater willingness to experiment from the Marvel Studios would also make me happy to sit in the cinema again.

What does the outlook for the future look like? Due to the current writers’ strike in the USA, Marvel’s schedule will shift a bit. Whether The Marvels fulfills my wish, I doubt. In the new version of Blade, there is potential to do something different, and Deadpool 3 could finally herald a more brutal MCU and the exit from the FSK12 hell.

And I am also looking forward to Marvel Zombies and hope it at least brings a bit of horror to the MCU. But as with everything, we have to wait for the projects to be released. What do you think about the current MCU? Are you disappointed like me or still actively engaged? Write it in the comments.

At least the second season of Loki looks promising so far:

With the new trailer for Loki, Marvel shows that they understand what makes the series really good

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

Many players are so frustrated with Diablo 4 that Blizzard finally wants to bring two long-demanded features

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 2 minutes

Many people are now annoyed by Diablo 4 and Blizzard has now stated that at least 2 things will be revised, which many players are complaining about. One is the overcrowded inventory and the other is the controversial elemental resistance.

The release of Diablo 4 has been 3 months ago and the 1st season has begun. However, many players are dissatisfied with the hack and slash. Especially the annoying inventory system of Diablo 4 is a constant topic for many users.

But now Blizzard has stated that two new features are on the way. One of them is supposed to deal with the inventory and correct at least one thing.

What are they working on? Primarily, two requested features are in progress:

  • a loot filter for the inventory to sort your stuff.
  • The revision of elemental resistance.
Start video
Diablo 4: The Official Announcement Trailer for Season 1

Inventory filter and elemental resistance are in progress

Why is this being revised? Players in Diablo 4 have long complained about the far too full and confusing inventory. The overcrowded inventory menus are absolutely no fun, and it becomes really annoying when you want to find very specific equipment in the inventory.

Elemental resistance has also been a topic among players for a while. Many consider the value to be useless and have already demanded that it be abolished altogether. Now Blizzard wants to take another look at this value.

Diablo 4 General Manager Rod Fergusson and Community Manager Adam ‘PezRadar’ Fletcher stated on Twitter that both things are to be revised and that they understood the players’ criticism. In a recent discussion, many viewers were annoyed with the developers and their lack of understanding for Diablo 4.

More about Diablo 4
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von Benedict Grothaus
Diablo 4 Season 13 – Start, Release Date and PTR
von Christos Tsogos

When will the changes be released? There is still no release date for the loot filter and the revision of elemental resistance. However, the revision of elemental resistance is supposed to happen at the start of the 2nd season.

Many players welcome the changes and hope that there will be further meaningful changes in the future. Because loot is one of the most important features in Diablo 4. At the same time, loot is so complex that it is extremely difficult for the average player to identify upgrades:

In Diablo 4 there are over 200 affixes on loot and that is a problem

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. gamerant.com

The 5 most popular shooters on Steam

Dariusz Müller Dariusz Müller Reading time 5 minutes

On Steam there are numerous shooters that offer either PvE, PvP, or a mix of both. But which shooters are the most popular?

How was the list compiled? To determine the 5 most popular shooters on Steam, we took a look at the player numbers of each game. In particular, the number of average active players over the past 30 days was significant (as of August 18, 2023).

[toc]

Rank 5: Call of Duty

Genre: Arena shooter, Battle Royale | Developer: Activision | Steam Release: October 28, 2022 |
Steam Player Count: 65,119 | Model: MW2: Buy-to-play, Warzone: Free-to-play |
Perspective: First-Person

Start video
Modern Warfare III Gameplay Trailer

What kind of game is this? Call of Duty has a slight advantage over other games on the list. The renowned shooter franchise combines several titles under one common umbrella.

Both the 2022 released Modern Warfare 2 and the “Battle Royale” offshoot Warzone share player numbers on Steam.

Moreover, it is quite possible that the numbers for Modern Warfare 3, which will be released on November 10, will also fall into the same category, as Activision states players can seamlessly continue their journey, progress, and story for a year for the first time (via callofduty.com).

How popular is it? If the player numbers for MW2 and Warzone were shown separately, a place in the top 5 for the shooter series would have been fiercely contested. In the past 30 days, the CoD combination averaged 65,119.9 players.

With the upcoming release of Modern Warfare 3, player numbers are expected to rise again – at least temporarily. CoD veterans from 2009 can at least look forward to the return of all maps from the original MW2:

Rank 4: Team Fortress 2

Genre: Hero shooter | Developer: Valve | Steam Release: October 10, 2007 |
Steam Player Count: 96,601 | Model: Free-to-play | Perspective: First-Person

Start video
Team Fortress 2 – Class Trailer

What kind of game is this? Team Fortress 2 is a hero shooter released in 2007 by Valve, where you play with unique characters in various PvP modes to achieve victory. Each hero has special abilities, weapons, and roles within the team.

Classic modes like Payload and Capture the Flag are played. Team Fortress has also inspired games like Overwatch, which, however, has had a rather modest start on Steam and is even one of the mostpoorly rated games of all time.

Otherwise, Team Fortress 2 is particularly characterized by its rather comic-like style as well as its quirky humor.

How popular is it? Team Fortress 2 averaged 96,601.6 players over the past 30 days. This is a bit weaker than in July 2023 but stronger than in the previous months of May and June.

However, Team Fortress seems not to be popular with everyone – developer Valve avoids providing the hero shooter with regular updates or even a remaster despite its success. This has led to Team Fortress 2 players being envious of another shooter.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Steamcharts.com
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