From now on, viewers can watch the first episode of Season 2 of the Fallout–series. Early critics have even been able to see and evaluate several episodes of the continuation. One thing stands out as particularly positive.
How good is Season 2? According to reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, Season 2 of the Fallout series is even better than Season 1:
Season 1 has a rating of 93% from critics with 133 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Among general viewers, the rating is also 93%, but with over 5,000 ratings.
Season 2 currently stands at a phenomenal 98% with 40 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. The press has already been able to watch the first 6 of 8 episodes. The first 50 private viewers of Episode 1 have given it a rating of 96%.
Since Season 2 has just been released, not as many ratings have come in yet compared to Season 1. It could still be the case that the score is pushed down. However, it already shows a tendency of how positively the continuation of the series is received by fans.
The percentage indicates what share of viewers would recommend the series. There is also criticism within the recommendations for Fallout. However, there is one particularly positive aspect that prevails in the reviews.
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The official trailer for Fallout Season 2 takes us back to the apocalypse
Fallout benefits from the change of scenery
What is praised? The change of scenery to New Vegas is particularly well received. Small details are said to be hidden throughout the set, strongly adhering to the video game template. Additionally, Season 2 is said to perfectly capture the atmosphere of Fallout: New Vegas.
Moreover, the 2nd season is said to be even more brutal and darker than Season 1. There would be even more bizarre and violent situations that would simply fit Fallout.
It is also positively highlighted that Lucy and the ghoul will gain more depth. Season 2 would develop their relationship further and not just rely on more action. Both would be in the spotlight.
What is criticized? However, the two main characters are also under criticism. They often act separately, which causes their storylines to feel isolated. As a result, sometimes too much happens at once in an episode.
In addition, the structure is said to be very fragmented due to the many locations and new factions.
“The Jungle Book” is a popular story that gained additional popularity thanks to the Disney-adaptation. Mowgli is based on a real person whose story was far more tragic.
The story of the boy Mowgli, who grows up deep in the Indian jungle with wolves and other animals, is well known worldwide. It is part of a collection of stories by the writer Rudyard Kipling and was published in 1894, with a second volume following a year later.
In the story, Mowgli comes into contact with humans after his life in the jungle, learns to speak, and also how to behave like one of them. He even works as a shepherd before being labeled a sorcerer by humans after his victory over the tiger Shere Khan and is cast out. He then returns to the jungle.
Many of you may know this story from the Disney adaptation of 1967 – or the remake from 2016. What is less well known is that Mowgli likely had a real-life counterpart, even though Rudyard Kipling himself never commented on it. But the parallels between the fictional character and the boy Dina Sanichar are simply too great to be a coincidence.
Who was Dina Sanichar? Rudyard Kipling was likely aware of this boy’s story, as he lived in India in the 1880s, where the following events had occurred a few years prior.
In 1867, hunters discovered a wolf den, inside were several animals and a boy of about six years old, running on all fours and howling like a wolf. He fought against the hunters who wanted to capture him and displayed the behavior of an animal that feels cornered.
The boy was eventually captured and taken to an orphanage. As he arrived on a Saturday, he was given the name “Sanichar” – which means “Saturday” in Hindi. Even there, he still crawled on all fours, ate raw meat, and made sounds like a wolf.
In the following time, people tried to train Sanichar to exhibit human behaviors, such as walking on two legs, eating with utensils, and of course, speaking. At this point, the major difference between Sanichar and Mowgli becomes apparent: the real boy never learned to speak, as he was reportedly mentally impaired for unknown reasons.
He also struggled with walking on two legs, as his bones had been deformed from years of crawling. The clothing given to him was torn by him, and he rejected cooked meat until his death. In short, integrating Sanichar into human society failed. He did pick up one unhealthy habit: smoking.
He lived among people for over twenty years. Eventually, he fell ill with tuberculosis, which was exacerbated by his nicotine addiction. This led to Sanichar’s death in 1895 at the young age of 34.
Sanichar’s story is clearly different from that of Mowgli, who returns to his friends in the jungle at the end, and whose fate remains open. The reality, as is often the case in this story, is more complex and tragic than fiction. Did you already know of Sanichar? Feel free to let us know in the comments. A South Korean film also told a reality-inspired story a few years ago: Before Parasite, the director created a masterpiece about a true crime from South Korea
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The new Divinity from the creators behind Baldur’s Gate 3 is created with AI. But that’s not a problem at all, the boss finds – and has good reasons.
Artificial intelligence is a topic that divides the masses. Some love the possibilities that AI offers and how it can simplify their daily lives, while others see it as the death of creativity, a threat to jobs, or the end of original art – whether it’s video games, images, or songs.
However, AI and its use have become indispensable in many areas and are even used by the biggest developers – such as Larian Studios. The boss, Swen Vincke, recently explained in an interview how he uses AI in his company, but that sparked a small shitstorm to which he responded with rather drastic words.
Divinity will be the new game, but Baldur’s Gate 3 is still fresh in many people’s minds:
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Baldur’s Gate 3 is coming to PS5 – Trailer prepares for console release
Where do his statements come from? In an interview with Bloomberg magazine, Swen Vincke spoke about the development of the new Divinity game, which impressed with its dark trailer at the Game Awards. Although there have been hardly any details about the game so far, Vincke also talked about AI and how to use machine learning in the workplace in response to a question during the interview.
The article states that “developers often use AI tools to explore ideas, fill PowerPoint presentations, develop concept art, or write placeholder text.” It was also mentioned that under Vincke, Larian would be “pushing hard towards generative AI”.
It was exactly the wording “to create concept art” that sparked a small shitstorm.
AI replaces artists – but that’s not true, says Vincke
What is the criticism? On X, but also in various subreddits, Vincke is criticized for the interview and the statements made therein. Particularly concept artists see their work in danger and are convinced that AI art can never match up. There were insults and concerns like “Now Larian is done” or “Another star falls from the sky.” There are also accusations that Larian would employ fewer concept artists out of greed because they could be replaced by AI – just as many have always predicted.
However, according to Vincke, the reality looks different. Responding to the many allegations about the interview, he spoke up on X with clear words and explained exactly how his statements were to be interpreted:
Holy fuck, guys, we are “not pushing hard” towards AI or wanting to replace concept artists with it.
We have a team of 72 artists, of which 23 are concept artists, and we are even hiring more. The art they create is original, and I am very proud of what they do.
I was specifically asked about concept art and our use of generative AI. I answered that we use it to explore things. I did not say that we use it to develop concept art. The artists do that. And they are truly world-class artists.
We use AI to research references, just as we use Google or art books. In the very early stages of idea collection, we use it to roughly outline what composition we want and then replace that with the original concept art. There is no comparison. (…)
We hire creatives based on their talent, not for their ability to do what a machine suggests, but so they can experiment with these tools to make their lives easier.
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How the community reacts to the statement: In the Larian Studios subreddit, Vincke’s statement is being discussed. Most seem to be reassured by this explanation, although many also feel it would be good to constantly focus on the dangers of AI:
“Probably a steep thesis, but I am honestly glad that even the possibility of AI already sparks this firestorm. Obviously, people can now take a deep breath, now that everything has been explained, but we should never tolerate the use of generative AI in art. Not with voice actors, not with artists, not with writers. Not at all.” – SmellsofGooseberries
“It’s really frustrating to see how Reddit people are getting worked up over something while simultaneously being wildly misinformed. I understand Swen.” – Electrical_Corner_32
“‘AI’ is just this thing thrown around that you have to hate right now – so just using the term makes people grab their weapons. Most of these anti-posts have a very low understanding of what they are actually protesting against. I’m sure I’ve heard Swen talk about AI in an interview a few months ago.” – ShiteyLittleElephant
Larian used AI already in Baldur’s Gate 3
That Larian uses AI to some extent is not new information. Already two and a half years ago, in July 2023, Swen Vincke explained in an interview with MeinMMO that AI is part of daily work to automate processes that hardly anyone wants to do or purely for inspiration. So, they let AI inspire them and then create actual human artworks based on that.
MeinMMO also had the opportunity a few days ago to conduct a long interview with Swen Vincke about the upcoming Divinity. Although AI is not a topic of the interview, we learn a lot about the vision of Divinity – and what we can expect from the next big Larian game or whether the boss is slowly falling into megalomania.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In a stream, one of the designers from Riot Games explained why in League of Legends new champions often take “greater risks” than adding a more boring champion to the game,
What does the developer explain? In one of his past Twitch streams, Riot Games Game Designer Nick “Endstep” Frijia talks about the work on League of Legends. Frijia works in the Summoner’s Rift-team of LoL, after previously being a game tester.
As reported by ESPORTS INSIDER, Nick Frijia explained that new champions in LoL are often integrated into the game stronger than they actually need to be. He elaborates that with new champions, “greater risks” are taken.
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The trailer of the new champion of League of Legends showcases his abilities in action
Better initially stronger than more boring champions
Why are champions initially OP? According to Frijia, there are several reasons why champions are stronger at the start of integration than they ultimately are after a few patches. It is better for developers to scale down a strong champion later on than to do the opposite. The subsequent scaling up of a rather boring champion is more difficult.
Thus, Riot Games is more willing to take a risk with a champion or to implement bolder ideas. As an example, Frijia mentions the champions Smolder and Aurora.
The trick with Smolder is to apply abilities to opponents and increase one’s own strength. The effects are stackable. With each stack, the champion becomes stronger.
The initial problem was that players figured out how to collect these “stacks” extremely quickly. Smolder became too strong too quickly, to the point that a team had no chance against an opposing Smolder. Smolder’s strengths were redistributed so that he received his stronger abilities and attacks later.
Aurora was designed for the Top Lane, but was initially so strong that she was difficult to counter. Only professionals could handle her well. Here too, the champion’s abilities had to be adjusted to balance her out.
Creative Assembly has announced a new Total War in the world of Warhammer 40,000. In a developer stream, there were new details about the upcoming strategy game. The highlights: completely new factions and a different way of playing Total War.
A major focus was on the different factions, three of which are supposed to be fundamentally different from what you are used to in Total War:
Space Marines are the absolute elite, but there are relatively few of them. They must plan their strategies carefully and call for reinforcements from orbit.
The Aeldari, a species currently endangered with extinction, are the only ones who cannot reproduce. Every soldier and every life matters here. They focus on targeted attacks – or even try to avoid fights altogether.
Of the three factions, the Aeldari are supposed to represent the greatest difference from previous Total War titles. Recruitment occurs via world ships outside of the map, and units are teleported directly onto the battlefield.
If you do not want to stray too far from the known formula, then the Astra Militarum, or the army of the Imperium should be the right choice: here, the focus is on mass and an infrastructure that aims to promote war.
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Total War: Warhammer 40,000 in the Announcement Trailer
What other information was there? Additionally, the developers provide more insight into the scales of the campaign and battles. Every fight is supposed to have an impact on the “big picture,” albeit at different scales:
Individual skirmishes, the real-time battles, are the “smallest” form of battle.
Planetary battles are about dominance in worlds.
Multiple planets combine into systems.
The “biggest map” is the “Crusade Theater,” which is the site of the current crusade.
While some maps are handcrafted, others are randomly generated, and it is possible to change them permanently – although rarely. With an Exterminatus, for example, planets can be completely destroyed and this is irreversible, unlike the destruction of cities in the past. A destroyed planet does not return.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
After more than 10 years on YouTube and Twitch, Sebastian “Rewinside” Meyer has to take a longer break as an influencer. The reason: the diagnosis of burnout.
Who is it about? The YouTuber and Twitch streamer Rewinside is one of the largest influencers in the German-speaking area. On YouTube, he reaches over 3.4 million people with his main channel, on Twitch he has over 1.9 followers (source: SullyGnome).
His main content revolves around gaming, both on YouTube and on Twitch. In his streams, the influencer regularly watches videos together with his viewers.
It has been quiet around Rewinside on the internet for 2 weeks, he hasn’t been live on Twitch. This is unusual because he normally streams every few days for a few hours.
Rewinside was one of the biggest Twitch streamers in Germany. We present other big Twitch streamers in the video:
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These are the 5 most relevant German streamers on Twitch in 2024, according to Google
“Somehow nothing is working right now”
Why is Rewinside stopping? Rewinside talks in his latest video on YouTube about his year 2025. It was extremely stressful for the content creator, he says.
He has had a summer where he was visible as a DJ at many festivals. Simultaneously, the social media channels like YouTube and Twitch also needed to be fed with content. All of this led to a severe flu in the fall, a panic attack, and eventually the diagnosis of burnout.
Although he had planned in January 2025 to only do things he really enjoyed, he could not really stick to that due to his ADHD, he claims.
What happens next? The Twitch streamer states that he would retreat from the internet for the next few months. This would last at least “until mid/end February”, because: “Somehow nothing is working right now” (source: YouTube from minute 04:34), even though December is one of the most lucrative months on the YouTube platform and he has actually been invited to the currently ongoing Minecraft project Fitnacraft.
After his break, Rewinside would limit himself to 2 to 3 streams a week and the summer of 2026 would again be full of festivals where he would perform as a DJ.
A 10-year-old destroys dozens of his father’s SSDs. The damage is significant, especially at a time when hardware is becoming increasingly expensive and scarce.
User Dũng Hoàng reports in the public Facebook group “Building a PC is Easy” about an unfortunate father: He posted a picture in a group explaining that the father’s 10-year-old son wanted to test the “stability of the SSDs.” The incident was reported by the English magazine TomsHardware.com.
For this “test,” he grabbed a box of 50 SSDs and bent each one in the middle. The posted image shows the many bent SSDs. The user added the following explanation to the image:
The most unfortunate father in the world.
Just as RAM, graphics cards, SSDs, CPUs… all prices are rising – even faster than gold – the son decides to “test durability” and breaks a whole box of his father’s SSDs. NVMe SSD 512 GB – about 2 million VND each × 50 pieces. Honestly, it seems too mild to me to scold him for this.
According to the post, the price is said to be 2 million Vietnamese Dong per SSD, which is about 64 Euros, based on the exchange rate from December 16, 2025. Therefore, damage is estimated to be around 3,200 Euros.
What kind of SSD is this? The Samsung PM991a is a special SSD model, which is not normally available on the market and is primarily installed in business customer systems. This is at least what the platform Idealo explains in a data sheet for the SSD.
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Valve presents the Steam Machine in the new trailer
Such parts are currently hardly replaceable due to the shortage or are at least difficult to obtain and are associated with a high premium. Many companies prefer to sell their products to AI firms willing to pay a high premium. This is evidenced by the end of Micron’s budget brand, Crucial.
Larian CEO Swen Vincke has spoken with various gaming websites – including MeinMMO – and revealed new information about the upcoming Divinity. One of the most important details: the type of game, which has been speculated about since the release of the trailer.
Larian announced Divinity at the 2025 Game Awards, a new game in their eponymous series that the studio has been creating long before Baldur’s Gate 3. However, the Divinity series has not had a uniform gameplay style.
Instead, there have been titles with isometric action RPGs (like Diablo), modern action RPGs (like Skyrim), and cRPGs (like… well, Baldur’s Gate 3). The trailer, which seemed a bit brutal to many fans, has caused some users to speculate and hope that Divinity will return more in the direction of The Witcher 3. However, that’s not going to happen.
This is how Divinity will play: In an interview with GameStar, Swen Vincke revealed that Divinity will be a turn-based role-playing game, so gameplay-wise, it will be like the later installments, Original Sin and Original Sin 2.
Divinity is even expected to follow the story of Original Sin 2, bringing back characters from that time or at least mentioning them. Players who are familiar with Divinity: Original Sin 2 will therefore understand a bit more of the lore. However, this knowledge will not be a prerequisite.
Divinity connects to Original Sin 2 – It’s worth revisiting
If you want to bridge the waiting time until Divinity is released, you can catch up on the two predecessors in the meantime. They not only prepare you for the story but also for the gameplay, as Divinity does some things differently than Baldur’s Gate 3.
In particular, the lack of a class system has characterized the series so far and is something you need to get used to. Traditionally, the games aren’t so difficult that you fail without prior knowledge, but if you want to dive deep right away, a little preparation helps.
If you haven’t played Baldur’s Gate 3 yet, it’s definitely worth a look here, especially since you can easily invest several hundred hours there without having seen everything. If you only play one game until Divinity is released, Baldur’s Gate 3 is a good choice.
The Sanctification is a new, seasonal crafting system in Diablo 4, introduced with Season 11. You can find out exactly how Sanctification works and what to pay attention to here.
What is Sanctification? With Season 11, Sanctification was introduced as a seasonal mechanic in Diablo 4. It represents the final step in the crafting process of your items and grants a random effect to an item. Important: After Sanctification, the item cannot be altered further.
How do I unlock Sanctification? Sanctification is unlocked as part of the seasonal questline. If you start with a new character in the season, you will receive quests related to the new Season 11 “Divine Intervention.” There you will encounter Hadriel, who awaits you at the Celestial Forge, where the altar for Sanctification is located.
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Diablo 4 showcases its new features from Season 11 in the gameplay trailer
Sanctification in Diablo 4 – Functions and Possible Effects
This is how Sanctification works: At the altar in the Celestial Forge, you can sanctify items. Simply select an item and click on “Sanctify.” The item will then receive a random effect. Note that Sanctification is not always possible, and there are a few things you should consider. More on that shortly.
Through Sanctification, an item can receive the following effects:
An affix is upgraded to a major affix.
An additional affix from a special selection of Sanctification affixes is added.
An existing affix is replaced by a Sanctification affix.
In general, affixes on Uniques and Mythic Uniques can also be replaced. However, after the PTR for Season 11, Blizzard has made adjustments: For legacy Uniques and Mythics, replacing is not (no longer) possible.
Hadriel is waiting for you at the Celestial Forge.After Sanctification, items cannot be further modified.
Sanctification in Diablo 4 – Usage and Celestial Seals
When can I use Sanctification? Before the Torment levels, when you defeat a “Minor Evil,” a portal to the Celestial Forge spawns. This occurs when you defeat Duriel in the Hell Flood or Andariel in the Under City of Kurast.
In the Torment levels, you additionally receive what are called Celestial Seals, which allow you to teleport to the Celestial Forge. According to Blizzard, you only need the seals for legacy items.
When a portal to the Celestial Forge spawns, you have exactly one opportunity to use it and sanctify an item there. If you miss the chance, it expires until you are “invited” again. If you leave the place through the portal, it disappears. This means you will end up in a larger town when you exit the Celestial Forge again.
Where do I get Celestial Seals? Celestial Seals drop at the Torment levels, are stackable, and are consumed upon use. You obtain them from:
World bosses
Bartuc in the Hell Hordes
Legion events
Chests in the Dark Citadel
Rarely also in the Under City of Kurast, in the Hell Flood, and in the Pit.
After defeating Duriel in the Hell Flood, a portal to the Celestial Forge spawns.The portal to the Celestial Forge is essentially a one-way street.
Sanctification in Diablo 4 – Things to Keep in Mind
What should I pay attention to when sanctifying? Sanctification is the final enhancement of your items. After that, you cannot modify them further, meaning: The item should really be completely “ready,” including all improvements and sockets – because adding gem sockets is also part of crafting and is often forgotten beforehand.
A user has created a practical “to-do” list on Reddit and calls it “STEAM”:
S – Add socket
T – Tempering
E – Enchant an affix
A – Imprint/enhance an aspect
M – Masterworking (Completion)
If you have an item that is already somewhat good, you can sanctify it to hopefully achieve a truly top result. Especially in the endgame, it’s never a bad idea to have a few spare parts in the stash.
The 2nd season of Fallout on Amazon Prime Video starts on December 17, 2025. MeinMMO author Christoph Waldboth was able to watch the first six episodes of the series in advance and explains in this article what makes it worth seeing – and what is significantly worse in season 2.
The first season of the Fallout series was a real surprise in spring 2024. It was not only a worthy adaptation of the games, but it also featured a strong story and cool characters that gave the series its own profile.
Don’t worry: This review is completely spoiler-free regarding the events of the new season. Only events from Season 1 will be discussed. And now, enough of the introductory words – let’s head into the wasteland.
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The official trailer for Fallout Season 2 takes us back to the apocalypse
The main quest is typical Bethesda – moderately interesting
Fallout basically continues where season 1 left off. Lucy and the ghoul pursue Hank, who has set off for New Vegas. Meanwhile, Maximus is celebrated as a hero by the Steel Brotherhood, but he first has to get familiar with this new role.
A key new character was already announced in the trailers: the mysterious Mr. House, who fans of the game Fallout New Vegas will of course already know. He is the ruler of the gambling metropolis and made a brief appearance in season 1. Now he plays a significantly larger role and is one of the most exciting aspects of season 2.
At this point, I must get straight to the point and bring you some bad news: The actual story of season 2 did not really convince me by the end of episode 6. It feels for a long time not very interesting, a bit stretched, and only picks up pace from episode 5 onwards.
This stands in contrast to season 1, which was good at advancing the plot in a short time across various locations. The story was the great strength of season 1, and it even managed this aspect better than the actual games. The main quest there is usually only moderately exciting, while it is the side missions that create the true Fallout feeling.
In season 2, however, neither the main story nor the side plots can captivate me. This may be because the showrunners are just continuing the story without adding much new. And although Fallout presents a harsh world full of violence, the story is surprisingly tame at times. Conflicts are sometimes resolved too easily and without significant consequences. Here, I would have liked the showrunners to show a bit more courage.
As Amazon has not yet shown the last two episodes, it is still too early for a definitive conclusion regarding the story. Perhaps the finale can still provide a noticeable climax. Overall, it feels so far like the season is just a bridge to an epic third season.
This may sound quite negative now, so let me add right away: Fallout has entertained me well again in season 2 and provided great enjoyment. However, this was mainly due to the characters, who fit perfectly into the world of Fallout and, in two cases, are even better than in season 1.
On one hand, there is the ghoul, whose past as a Hollywood actor Cooper Howard gets significantly more space. Suddenly, one begins to understand the trigger-happy cowboy of the present. The cool facade crumbles and the former human and family man emerges behind it.
On the other hand, the naive and righteous Lucy undergoes a transformation that throws her moral compass into disarray. I won’t reveal how this comes about, but the cause of it all is, typically for Fallout, rather black-humored.
Maximus remains somewhat dull in comparison, while his actions have the greatest impact on the wasteland. The area is once again populated by numerous side characters, most of whom were already present in season 1.
The few newcomers like Mr. House all make a good impression and enrich the already diverse universe. This also applies to the enemies that the characters must confront. The notorious Deathclaw was already teased in the trailers and leaves a significant impression in the finished series as well.
A third aspect should not go unmentioned: the actual world of Fallout season 2. After the end of season 1, it was clear that the continuation was heading towards New Vegas. Fans of the game are now fully catered to. Countless references bring a smile, familiar places in and around the city evoke nice memories.
However, this is not just clumsy fan service but successful world-building. It was fun to watch and return to this dusty, often desolate world, which once again looks wonderfully valuable, sounds great thanks to a nostalgic soundtrack, and mostly feels believable.
Believable means in the case of Fallout also: very bloody. Season 2 follows the tradition of the games and cheerfully lets heads explode, limbs fly through the air, and bodies be pierced. This is not for the faint-hearted. The humor catches all this and ensures that the series never becomes too dark.
What is the conclusion? I can heartily recommend the 2nd season to all Fallout fans. Anyone who enjoyed the first season will want to know what happens with Lucy, Maximus, and the ghoul. Fans of the game New Vegas will especially get their money’s worth.
However, you must prepare yourselves for the fact that the new episodes do not have the same wow factor as season 1. They simply deliver too little new and fail to set their own accents.
Editor-in-Chief of MeinMMO, Leya Jankowski, spoke to Swen Vincke, the Game Director and CEO of Larian Studios (makers of Baldur’s Gate 3), shortly after the reveal of the new Divinity game.
In a deep conversation, Swen Vincke openly discusses the mammoth task of expanding the universe after the success of Baldur’s Gate 3 and explains the key design pillars of the new role-playing game – maximizing player choice and the contrast between hope and darkness.
These insights are available in the interview:
The Curse of Sir Lora: Swen Vincke admits which detail from Divinity: Original Sin 2 he deeply regrets – and why he almost removed it from the Switch 2 version.
Farewell to D&D: How liberating it is to leave the more complex D&D rule set behind to create a more intuitive combat system that feels instantly better than anything in BG3.
The “Megalomania” Accusation: Swen Vincke answers the question of whether Larian is at risk of becoming megalomaniacal after the global success of Baldur’s Gate 3.
The True Definition of Success: What truly matters for Larian – it’s not the sales figures, but the players’ “shoe campaigns”.
Learn in the full interview how the intensive optimization of the cinematic pipeline is enabling Larian to offer even more freedom of choice in the new Divinity and what the series personally means to Vincke after 30 years of development history.
Divinity is a game about hope
MeinMMO:We have to go back to the Game Awards. The lights go out, the audience sees the dramatic reveal of the Divinity trailer. After months, if not years, of secrecy, the world sees your new baby. What exactly went through your mind at that moment?
Swen Vincke: There is a recording of that. Unknowingly, I said: My heart is beating so hard. I didn’t know how the reactions would be. We could have been booed or, worse, there could have been no reaction at all. But we received powerful applause, and that was such a relief! You could see that on the whole team. We even sat up high and had a very good overview of everything. There were about 15 of us there, and it was just a huge relief. We didn’t know which direction it would all go, but thank God, it worked out.
MeinMMO:Yes, the trailer was something special. I slept through the Game Awards and watched right after the reveals in the morning. When I saw Divinity in it, I watched the trailer eight times in a row. I was immediately very excited because the trailer was extremely interesting to me. I’m sure you’ve seen some fan theories already. Given the first public reactions: Do you feel that the central mood and message you intended for Divinity were successfully conveyed? If so, why? If not, which aspect of the game’s identity would you have liked people to notice more?
Swen Vincke: We conveyed half of it, but that was intentional.
The interviews we are currently conducting are the second half. We showed a very dark trailer, but Divinity is actually a game about hope and about bringing light into darkness. We painted a dark picture of the world so that the contrast lies within the player. We are the ones who decide: Are we bringing hope to these poor people or are we bringing them even more darkness and misery? Because this will be a game with a lot of freedom of choice. Exactly that is conveyed quite well by the trailer. You can be the person who brings the man to the pyre, or you are the person who says: Stop, we will not burn this man.
If you also take Divinity: Original Sin 2 and add cinematics in the style of our new trailer, then this would be what that game looks like. So yes, visually it is very dark. But that is exactly the level we already had with Divinity: Original Sin 2. Now you can just see it better, and then it is also quite shocking.
The most important thing is that you are able to change things in this world.
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Divinity: Original Sin 2 Trailer
MeinMMO:In the trailer, it looked like the people were already excited to burn the man!
Swen Vincke: Everything has its reason. I’m not yet talking about the story details, but everything you see in this trailer is intentional.
MeinMMO:The trailer is undeniably dark and bloody. However, Larian is known for weaving deep, dark stories with a characteristic sense of humor. How will your writing and design work together in Divinity to maintain that crucial contrast and ensure that the humor lands without undermining the serious themes, and vice versa?
Swen Vincke: Yes, the trailer has a good level of body horror. When we conceived it, we referenced The Wicker Man, which is an old film. Exactly what you see [in the trailer] happens there. There are also references to the movie The Substance within the trailer if you look closely.
For the balance, we will do it as we always do. When our writers start, the contrast comes automatically. I can already tell you that there will be moments that will definitely make you laugh. Just as there will be things that will shock you at first. If you are playing a game for hundreds of hours, you also want a variety of emotions.
Regret about the squirrel due to publisher pressure
MeinMMO:Exactly. I actually played Divinity: Original Sin 2 again at the beginning of the year. And I laughed so much while doing it. One of my personal favorites is Sir Lora.
Swen Vincke: Oh, really?!
MeinMMO:Yes, for me he is a good example of the silly, charming humor you incorporate into dark settings. I agree with you that Divinity: Original Sin 2 is already dark and bloody, but you just can’t see it well because of the graphics. And then there is this squirrel riding a dead cat that can come with you.
Swen Vincke: It’s funny that you like Sir Lora. I hate him. If there is one thing I regret about Original Sin 2, it’s bringing Sir Lora into the game.
MeinMMO:No! Why?
Swen Vincke: I even tried to remove him from the Switch 2 version. But the QA team said it was too late to do that. I really tried to get rid of him.
How can you not love Sir Lora?!
MeinMMO:But he is perfect!
Swen Vincke: I’m glad that at least one person in this universe appreciates Sir Lora.
MeinMMO:I know he can be super annoying because he dies all the time. But he is so funny.
Swen Vincke: I will tell the others that I found someone who likes Sir Lora. They will be excited to hear that.
MeinMMO:Please send them my best regards and tell them that I’m glad you didn’t get your way here.
Swen Vincke: I’m looking at the message where my Head of QA says: We tried to remove Sir Lora and almost succeeded. But we have a problem where it works in one region and not in another. We couldn’t figure out why. Sir Lora just wouldn’t die. We lost several days debugging to find an answer to that. Now it’s too late, so we have to keep him.
You have just heard this exclusively.
MeinMMO:I’m glad he stayed. There is always someone who appreciates something.
Swen Vincke: Yes, sometimes you are surprised at what story is behind something.
Back then, we worked with a publisher who absolutely wanted a free DLC. So we just brought him in as a joke that really doesn’t add anything to the game. And later we regretted bringing Sir Lora in because it only happened due to publisher pressure. And now we just want to get rid of him. But it’s okay, it makes me happy that you enjoy him. There are people who put a lot of effort into creating him.
MeinMMO:With that background, I understand why you are not happy about him. But I still appreciate him even if he always dies. Wow, I need to digest that story.
But let’s get back to my interview script.
Divinity is a breakthrough
After the massive success of Baldur’s Gate 3, where you had to adhere to the D&D rules, how liberating and perhaps intimidating is it to return to Divinity to your own toolkit, where you essentially set every rule of the universe yourself?
Swen Vincke: It feels good. It’s extremely liberating. D&D is a good system for a tabletop game, but it was difficult to translate it into a video game. I believe we handled that quite well, but it was never intended to be in a video game originally. Now we can create something designed from the ground up for a video game. We can make it more accessible, easy to learn, and hard to master, as it should be.
When I played a version of the first combat and used features that we are not talking about yet, my first reaction was: This is so much better than any combat I have ever played in Baldur’s Gate 3. That was mainly because you don’t need any prior knowledge and everything just feels natural.
I’m not trying to downplay Baldur’s Gate 3 now.
I am very proud of the game. But you can somewhere guess that we designed a game with a rule set that was not meant for a video game. Nobody in their right mind would make every single class different with bonus actions, spell slots, and make you learn a completely new system every time you recruit a new companion. I’m glad we don’t have to do that anymore.
6 years of development for Baldur’s Gate 3 were too long
MeinMMO:I can imagine that well. There’s one thing I’ve wondered since the release of Baldur’s Gate 3. It was clear that your next project would be a very ambitious game. I have a big concern, and that is the possibility that Larian will become completely megalomaniacal without external pressure holding you back. Swen, how do you actively deal with that as a studio head? What keeps Larian grounded?
Swen Vincke: I think you underestimate how loud my team can be. We are definitely ambitious and want to make better games than before. But none of us wants to make a game whose development takes 6 years.
That was too long. We want to be faster this time. But we want to improve and still make big games. Some interviewers have asked me if I think games should be shorter nowadays. And I said that of course there is room for that, but there are also many people like us who want someone to make these big games. That is how some movies have to be seen in theaters that you won’t find on television. We define ourselves as cinema developers – it takes time to make these games.
How do we stop ourselves from becoming megalomaniacal now? We will probably have to exercise self-restraint, I think. It’s a big team with many opinions. I trust they will speak up when it gets too much.
MeinMMO:You know, that may be a bit rude to say, but I see you as somewhat megalomaniacal with your life path.
Swen Vincke: Really? I mean, it took us 30 years to get to where we are now. We built it piece by piece. I mean, there were bigger leaps with each game, but I don’t think we have jumped too high.
MeinMMO:No, but I believe you have always had a very big vision in mind that you have been working towards. Even when you look back on your life. We talked about that back in Ghent, that there were times when you didn’t know how to pay for your gas, and that didn’t stop you from moving forward. My personal opinion is that you need a certain tendency towards megalomania to keep going at that point and not say that it’s time for smaller rolls. Do you understand what I mean?
Swen Vincke: Yes, I believe so. That view is fair. I have not felt myself to be megalomaniacal. But I definitely love reaching for the stars.
Offering more freedom of choice for Divinity means becoming more efficient
MeinMMO:Let’s talk about the lessons learned. What is the most important single learning experience from the development of Baldur’s Gate 3 – whether technical, design-wise, or in community interaction – that you will absolutely carry over to Divinity?
Swen Vincke: To include your previous question: We learned a lot about pursuing our philosophy and seeing how many things we can do. These are very big, cinematic games.
Cinematics come with very high costs. I believe we have become much better at assessing how many cinematics we can create. We can now integrate this better when we write the script without losing the narrative – and that is the tricky part. It’s easy to plan a cinematic, but it’s not easy to plan something where there is so much freedom of choice like in our games. One of our goals is to increase the scope of player choice. We have become better at finding that balance. That’s very important to even be able to make such big games as we do.
Better pursuing this and implementing it into our development pipeline was crucial for us to learn and continue optimizing that. It’s also about getting faster at bringing an actor into the studio and putting their performance into the game. That used to take us three weeks, and now we can do it in two hours. These are the things we have also heavily invested in. We are not quite there yet, but we are very close.
And that is essentially what we are trying to implement for our entire pipeline. When you change something, we want to see the effect in the game within two hours.
MeinMMO:I remember you once said that it’s important for you to have something in your game that only a tiny percentage would ever see. Is that something that has changed for you now, considering the costs of cinematics?
Swen Vincke: No, quite the opposite. That is also one of the reasons why we are working so hard on efficiency. We do not want to compromise. The more efficient your pipelines are, the better the game will be and the more freedom of choice you can give the player.
We are also working with a new version of our engine. This is Engine No. 5, and it allows for a highly automated pipeline. This reduces mundane tasks like filling in Excel sheets. This way we can focus even more on the actual player experience. But we are not at the point where everything is perfect and running like a dream yet.
The most important pillar for Divinity will be freedom of choice
MeinMMO:Yes, I think that is extremely important for your games. That’s part of the Larian identity, that as a player you get so many freedoms of choice. I assume that will be the case in Divinity as well.
Swen Vincke: The most important pillar for Divinity is to maximize player choice. Be it your character identity or what you can do during combat, through the dialogues in which you need to make decisions. We want you to feel that you are driving the story forward. We try to create the biggest sandbox for you that we can provide with our means, and to experiment.
I looked at something in the game yesterday and was able to combine several things together, and it was just beautiful because I could see how everything clicked together. I sat there thinking: I can’t believe I can do this right now and now this as well. That is just a fantastic feeling that brings me a lot of joy.
That is exactly what we want to create for you – and that is a lot of work because we have to build every single one of those moments. But we are getting better at it. I can see that the team has learned so much from Baldur’s Gate 3 and DoS 2.
MeinMMO: I already asked what you want to keep from Baldur’s Gate 3. But I also think it’s interesting to talk about Divinity itself. It’s your own baby. So same question here: What do you definitely want to keep from the Divinity series?
Swen Vincke: There are a lot of mechanical things that I don’t want to answer yet. I want to discuss gameplay when we can show it. I believe what makes Divinity is also what we transferred to BG3. A sense of exploration. You should not be bound to a specific order, but just take off. Just see what looks interesting to you, and the game catches you exactly where you are. That is the most important part for me.
I think the system of Divinity is also pretty cool. Divinity: Original Sin 1 was the first game that allowed teleportation at level 1. And normally, that is always a spell for much higher levels. We just put it at the beginning and had so many opportunities for experimentation. Those are the things we find exciting because they give you joy.
The problem with that is that we then have to also reach very high to still give you fun towards the end of the game. That is a challenge.
After release, Swen doesn’t play his games – not even with his wife
MeinMMO:That makes me happy to hear. If I had to choose between Baldur’s Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin 2, I would take DoS2 because you can just play so much with the systems.
That brings me to another thing I really love about your games. I believe, unlike Sir Lora, we also agree on this. I came across an interview from 13 years ago with you that you did with the YouTube channel Co-Optimus. You said that Divinity: Original Sin 1 became a co-op game only because you wanted to play a CRPG with your then-girlfriend, whom you are now married to.
Are you planning to play Divinity again with your wife?
Swen Vincke: I have never done that.
There is a problem I have. I can no longer see the games once they have been released. I haven’t played a single one of our games after they have been released. That’s because I can only see the flaws. So they hurt me. She always refers to these interviews.
She plays the games with our kids. The boys want to rush through much faster than she can keep up. The only thing I ever did was play the arena from DoS2 with my sons. And that was the only time I played our games with my family. I play other games with them. To my shame.
MeinMMO:I can relate to that. I like to paint in my free time and have a hard time hanging up my own pictures for the same reasons. But sometimes it’s good to just do it and accept everything about them. So maybe you should do your wife a favor. At least once.
Swen Vincke: I have thought about that many times, and then I just can’t. I’m just not there yet. But I also forget many things that are in our games. Maybe I just need to wait long enough to forget everything, and then it will work.
The definition of success lies in the shoe campaign
MeinMMO:I really hope that you can someday get over your shadow. You’re really missing out. Can I give you an example of one of my coop campaigns in Baldur’s Gate 3?
We had a silly home rule that you must be naked at camp but keep your shoes on. In our role-playing brains, it made sense that you at least need shoes if you need to run away quickly. You have no idea what monster that created. Nice shoes suddenly became a status symbol. Everyone naturally wanted the prettiest shoes for camp, making looting very chaotic.
That’s the kind of chaos I need in your games!
Swen Vincke: I did not say that I don’t play them in co-op. Just not when they are released. I have already played them for thousands of hours by then. I might even be the one who plays them the most before release.
I have never heard of a shoe campaign before. I will remember that.
MeinMMO:One thing I am still very curious about. Ignoring the commercial sales figures: What would need to happen for both of you to look at Divinity about six months after release and confidently say, “That was a real success for Larian?”
Swen Vincke: Hearing people talk about their shoe campaigns.
That’s why we do this. When we hear people talking about their campaigns and they had all different experiences and played different characters, then we know we’ve succeeded. Your story is one of many I have heard, and none is like the other. That gives me the confidence to say we achieved what we wanted to achieve.
MeinMMO: I mean, you also won the Community Support award at the Game Awards for the third year in a row now.
Swen Vincke: That made me very happy for the team. They put so much effort and work into it. I believe people also underestimate how hard it actually is to support a game once it has been released.
MeinMMO:Baldur’s Gate 3 is somewhat of a unicorn here, it must be said. We are still writing many articles about the game, and people still enjoy reading them, whether it’s cool community stories or how to optimize their build. Even after three years, people are still talking about Baldur’s Gate 3. That’s something special for an CRPG. Was that a surprise for you?
Swen Vincke: That feels incredibly rewarding. That means to me that you can see we are getting better at what we do. Our player numbers have consistently risen for each game, meaning we have been able to convince players better and better. That shows the evolution of the team. They are pretty much at the peak of their craft, which is why I have very high hopes for our new game.
No one of us expected that Baldur’s Gate 3 would be played for so many years. We thought back then we had a month, and then Starfield would come. We thought that would be the maximum life our game would have. To see it three years later like this is a huge relief.
MeinMMO:What does Divinity personally mean to you? What drives you? I mean, yes, Baldur’s Gate 3 is a great game and will surely touch you emotionally. But the Divinity series is what you have done for the years before. That is your baby.
Swen Vincke: That’s a really good question. I’ve never thought about that. I mean, I know how it all began. Ultima 7 was the biggest inspiration. I wanted to create something similar. Our first two games were flops, and the first Divinity was the third attempt.
I believe since then it has all been an attempt to improve role-playing games. Divinity will be the result of everything we have learned and tried over the years, is my hope. Now also with cinematics, as we had in BG3.
If you put all of that from the last 30 years into a game, it can mean it will spectacularly fail or spectacularly succeed. Obviously, I hope for the latter.
Ultimately, I hope it will be exactly what a role-playing game should be. And that is very simple for me: You should be able to do whatever you want and the world should respond to that. And it should all be motivated by a good narrative.
That is what Divinity means to me.
MeinMMO:That is a really beautiful answer that excites me right now.
Swen Vincke: Maybe you will hate it if there are no squirrels and skeleton cats. Although, there might be squirrels on a pyre.
The second pillar is contrast
MeinMMO:Now don’t burn the squirrels just because you don’t like Sir Lora! The squirrels shouldn’t be punished for that.
At least no squirrels were burned in the trailer, although there was a lot else to see.
I really love how the trailer looked visually. Especially the contrast you mentioned was so pronounced. The man being burned is so dark and has a pale coloring around him. The celebrating people have such vibrant colors and are almost cloaked in golden shimmer.
Swen Vincke: Yes, you hit the nail on the head. Because contrast is the second pillar of the game.
MeinMMO:Then you really conveyed that well. Because the contrast was the first thing I noticed. Then I lingered on the man for a while. I’m not even sure if he is really supposed to represent a victim.
Swen Vincke: I can definitely tell you who the inspiration for that was. It’s Adam Smith, my writing director.
The first version was the classic American hero. And I immediately said we are not going to do that. I told the team, make him look more like Adam.
At the Game Awards, he was also costumed as a lizard.
MeinMMO: Yes, I saw photos online showing several of you wearing masks. At the statue you erected, I even thought of you before the reveal because I saw a bear in the statue.
Swen Vincke: The bear actually has a multi-layered meaning. You will understand what I mean when you see it. It’s more than you think right now.
MeinMMO:I think that’s the perfect conclusion to this interview. Thank you for your time, Swen.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Indie developers proudly post their latest success. Valve sends them chocolate as a Christmas gift. The box with over 100 different pieces is huge, and the community is ecstatic.
What was gifted? Aggro Crab, the developer of Another Crabs Treasure and PEAK, reports in his X post from December 16, 2025, that he received a Christmas gift from Valve. He refers to the X post by Pocketpair, the team behind Palworld, which presented its Christmas gift from Steam on December 15, 2025.
In the package from Aggro Crab, there are chocolates and a thank you letter. The chocolate is according to Reddit a La Maison du Chocolat box. Depending on the size, the chocolate boxes in Germany cost between 93 – 172 euros excluding shipping (via lamaisonduchocholat.com).
The indie studio censors two words in the photo of the chocolate box, and the name of the company is misspelled. The card says “Aggro Crob” instead of Aggro Crab; whether this is an inside joke by the studio or Valve is unclear.
Start video
Valve presents the Steam Machine in the new trailer
Successful indie games should be rewarded
Why is Steam giving away chocolate? There is no official answer from Valve, but some users claim to know what the gesture is about.
The Redditor NotMilo22 explains that Steam sends a box of chocolate as a Christmas gift to individuals each year, provided they have earned more than $600,000, around €510,000 (as of December 16, 2025) from Steam sales within a year. It is said to be known as the “Chocolate tier” in the gaming industry, and most publishers aim to receive one of these boxes someday (via Reddit).
The official Reddit account of Wallpaper Engine also chimed in and confirmed: “We always get the biggest box, and I assume it won’t get bigger than this” (via Reddit).
Other game designers have also shared their thoughts on Reddit in the past, including the creator of Schedule 1. He asked before the release of his work whether its name was silly. We now know the answer to his question.
Community shares experiences and wishes
What does the community say about it? The gesture is well-received in a Reddit post, and some people seem to have received similar gifts or wish for them:
TwinTailDigital writes: “No, none for me. Apparently, it’s only given to successful games.
satellite51 says: “That looks like maison du chocolat, if so, then it’s excellent chocolate.”
nani_variable jokes: “When we give gifts to Gabe for Christmas, he gives us Half-Life 3.”
At the turn of the year, Pokémon GO brings you an event. There, in addition to some event content, there is also a permanent change.
What kind of event is this? 2025 is coming to an end. And the New Year is also celebrated in Pokémon GO. The “New Year 2026” event will take place from Wednesday, December 31, 2025, at 10:00 AM until Sunday, January 4, 2026, at 8:00 PM.
During the event, you will receive an increased shiny chance for a costumed monster, various bonuses for raids, and other costumed monsters. Additionally, a bonus will be activated at the start of the event, which will remain permanently active.
Start video
Pokémon GO shows its new season in the trailer
All content from New Year 2026
What bonus will be permanently activated? At the start of the event, the number of guaranteed lucky trades will be permanently increased. Where there were previously 35, you can now receive 10 more guaranteed lucky trades, for a total of 45.
When you trade with monsters caught in 2020 or earlier at the start of the event, the trade will be a guaranteed lucky trade. This will remain the case until you have completed the 45 trades. Unfortunately, you cannot check how many you have completed in the game; you can only see it by the fact that a trade no longer leads to a guaranteed lucky trade.
What bonuses will there be at the event? If you catch a Pikachu with a party hat in the wild or after a raid during the event, the chance of it being shiny is increased.
Additionally, you will earn double the amount of experience points and stardust for successfully completed raid battles during the event.
There will also be festive fireworks in the game during the event.
What monsters will be at the event? Various event Pokémon will be waiting for you both in the wild and in raids during the event.
In the wild:
Bulbasaur with party hat*
Jigglypuff with bow*
Hoothoot with New Year’s outfit*
Pikachu with party cylinder* (rare)
In 1-star raids:
Pikachu with party cylinder*
Wurmple with party hat*
In 3-star raids:
Raticate with party hat*
Nidorino with party hat*
Gengar with party hat*
Woingenau with party hat*
All monsters marked with a * can also appear as shiny.
What field research will be available at the event? There will be 2 kinds of field research during the event. The first is event field research, as you know it from other events. Here you will receive stardust for successful completion.
The second type is called daily field research. This consists of bonus field research, which you will automatically receive each day during the event when you log in. You will receive lucky eggs and incense as rewards.
However, please note that you must have 3 or fewer active field research tasks to receive a daily field research task upon login. It is not known whether you can still receive this type of field research if you complete or remove field research after the first login and then log in again.
Paid research: For $1.99 (about €2.50), you can get a ticket for the event. Here, you will receive an additional raid pass at gyms every day during the event, as well as a task that gives you 2 premium battle passes, 3,000 stardust, and encounters with event Pikachu.
If you buy the ticket from the Pokémon GO webstore, you will also receive a lucky egg.
Avatar items: At the start of the event, a new accessory for your avatar will be unlocked in the shop: Couplosio Boots. These will also remain available in the shop after the event.
In the last weeks of the current month, there are still some events and contents waiting for you in the game. If you want to get an overview of what they are and when they take place, then feel free to take a look at our overview with all events in December 2025 in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, players can struggle with the new update. However, one has already found a build that deals over a billion damage.
What kind of update is this? On the occasion of the huge success at the Game Awards, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has released a new, free update. The “Thank-You Update” not only introduced the new area “Verso’s Drafts” but also lots of new items, abilities, outfits, and most importantly: bosses.
However, this overwhelming might of the bosses has apparently triggered a reaction: The YouTuber BltzZ shows how he swiftly defeats one of the hardest bosses in the new update.
Start video
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – The Role-Playing Game Introduces Sciel, the Serene Warrior
New build for Maelle deals over 1.1 billion damage
In the new update, however, there is a new variant: YouTuber BltzZ shows how he turns the notorious boss “Simon” to dust with Maelle.
With his build, Maelle is capable of dealing over 1.1 billion damage with the attack “Burning Canvas”. Too much for Simon, who is defeated immediately – despite being one of the most powerful bosses in the game. You can see what that looks like in BltzZ’s video:
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How does that happen? The exact setup of the Pictos is best seen in the video. Basically, the build is about stacking damage multipliers across various abilities.
This includes a lot of burn stacks and markings that have already been applied to Simon by other characters. Maelle also uses the new weapon “Licorum”, which you can obtain in Verso’s Drafts. This weapon also stacks skill damage.
Additionally, the build relies on using Gradient Charges and the new Picto “Feint”, where characters deal only one point of damage for four attacks and finish the fifth with 600% more damage. This fits well with Maelle’s “Burning Canvas”.
So a way to keep the powerful bosses of the new update in check has been found quite quickly. It will be exciting to see how other builds develop in the coming days.
In Diablo 4 players are still searching for the secret cow level and following mysterious clues. However, in their search, they have stumbled upon another secret that holds valuable loot.
What have the players found? In search of clues that hopefully lead them to the legendary cow level, players have made a strange discovery. The demon lords you can face drop not only corrupted body parts as loot, which you can use to summon world bosses, but also purified ones.
Unlike the corrupted parts, the purified ones could not simply be used for a summoning. They are also considerably rarer. Instead, players found four altars of sin, with which the purified body parts can be used.
There is one altar for each of the lords, so you need 4 different purified body parts each. You can find the locations of the altars here at MacroBoiBoi via YouTube.
If you place the items at all four altars, a portal opens that leads you to a dark arena with an unknown name. There, four bosses confront you, and if you defeat them, they hold powerful loot for you. You will receive a unique skin for your mount as well as crafting materials to create some of the strongest items in the game.
Perhaps this secret will comfort you that it seems there is still no cow level for Diablo 4 with this update.
Start video
Diablo 4 shows the Paladin and his oaths in the gameplay trailer
Still no cow level in Diablo 4
What is the cow level anyway? The secret cow level has a certain tradition since Diablo 2. Originally born out of a joke that a portal would open in Diablo 1 if you clicked on the cows in Tristram often enough, it has now become not just a meme, but also a reliable source for strong loot.
Also in Diablo 3, the unofficial cow level even made a return in double form, even if Blizzard still claims that there are no cow levels. However, this concept can also be found in other Blizzard games and has become a running gag in the community.
Therefore, it is not surprising that players are also searching for a secret cow level in Diablo 4 – so far without success. Nevertheless, with each season the clues are intensifying, which is why players do not give up hope and continue to search tirelessly. Perhaps it will appear with the new expansion Lord of Hatred?
The legendary cow levels are now surrounded by almost their own lore in the Diablo universe. Hundreds of players are searching for it and speculate in what form it could finally appear in Diablo 4. You can read all about it and the complete background in our special: Diablo: What is the cow level in the ARPG and why does everyone want to find it?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A data transfer system from 1972, originally intended for measuring instruments, now has a stable Linux driver – 53 years later. Why the old GPIB still plays a role today, although hardly anyone knows it.
What exactly has been updated? Currently, the software and hardware sectors are becoming increasingly restrictive, pushing users towards upgrades. Recently, for example, Microsoft has been trying hard to force all users to switch to Windows 11. In contrast, open-source offerings take a different approach and ensure connectivity at a new level.
Start video
In Germany, there are over 400 USB sticks protruding from walls – What is the ‘Dead Drops’ project?
The General Purpose Interface Bus (GPIB), also known as IEEE-488 or HP-IB, was developed in 1972 by Hewlett-Packard (now known under the brand HP). It was originally designed to connect scientific measuring instruments like oscilloscopes or multimeters to computers of that time and ensure seamless data transfer (derStandard).
Over 50 years later, this connection has now received stable support in the Linux kernel 6.19.
Previously, the driver for GPIB was only available in the so-called “staging” area of the Linux kernel. With the new update, the support is now considered mature and is fully integrated (via Tom’sHardware).
Why is this still important? In general, the use of the interface has significantly decreased over the past decades. However, current research institutions and measuring instruments still have devices that require this connectivity (derStandard). Thanks to the official support and the stable drivers, modern Linux systems can now reliably communicate with this old hardware.
Patch 7.4 for Final Fantasy XIV is live. In addition to some new content like more main story, a new raid, and boss enemies, there are also adjustments to the jobs. The DPS can look forward to big buffs, but two classes are suffering.
What buffs are there in Patch 7.4? Specifically, the ranged DPS jobs can look forward to buffs with Patch 7.4. For example, the Red Mage gets power-ups. Some other DPS as well as all healers will also be buffed. The Dark Knight class can also look forward to a minimal buff.
However, the Gunbreaker, a second tank class, and the Viper, which was added with Dawntrail, are hit particularly hard. A total of 14 abilities will be adjusted downwards for tanks, 23 for the DPS. You can read more about the detailed changes to the classes below the video. However, with the table of contents, you can jump directly to your job.
[toc]
Start video
Final Fantasy XIV: Rocking trailer for “Into the Mist” sets the stage for patch 7.4
Power for ranged DPS, less for the tank
What do these adjustments mean specifically? How these changes will affect the new content is still uncertain. Such a strong debuff for the Viper, as is happening now, could potentially lower the popularity of the class significantly.
The DPS classes that have received buffs, on the other hand, tend to fight from a distance – except for the hybrid Red Mage. On top of that, there are the healer buffs. So it might be that in the new content, healers will be needed more for damage output in addition to their main task (healing).
Potentially, the buffs for ranged attackers suggest that they might be needed in the new content such as the raid or against the new boss.
The debuffs for the Revolver Blade, on the other hand, could simply mean that the job was a bit too strong for the developers. This could just be balancing adjustments.
However, why exactly the jobs were adjusted and why, for example, Black Mage and Dragoon were not changed cannot be stated with certainty at the moment.
What has been adjusted in detail? Final Fantasy XIV brings significant changes to some classes with Patch 7.4. Here are the adjustments in detail:
The Tanks
Dark Knight
Command
Change
Living Shadow
Simulacrum duration has been increased from 20 to 22 seconds
Gun Breaker
Command
Change
Bloodfest
Now increases maximum Cartridges to 6 in addition to adding 3 charges to your Powder Gauge. Recast time has been reduced from 120 to 60 seconds.
Gnashing Fang
Potency has been reduced from 380 to 330. Potency upon learning the trait Melee Mastery II has been changed from 500 to 440. Now a charged action with a maximum of 2 charges.
Savage Claw
Potency has been reduced from 460 to 410. Potency upon learning the trait Melee Mastery II has been changed from 560 to 500.
Wicked Talon
Potency has been reduced from 540 to 490. Potency upon learning the trait Melee Mastery II has been changed from 620 to 560.
Jugular Rip
Potency has been reduced from 200 to 180. Potency upon learning the trait Melee Mastery II has been changed from 240 to 220.
Abdomen Tear
Potency has been reduced from 240 to 220. Potency upon learning the trait Melee Mastery II has been changed from 280 to 260.
Eye Gouge
Potency has been reduced from 280 to 260. Potency upon learning the trait Melee Mastery II has been changed from 320 to 300.
Burst Strike
Potency has been reduced from 380 to 340. Potency upon learning the trait Melee Mastery II has been changed from 460 to 420.
Hypervelocity
Potency has been reduced from 160 to 140. Potency upon learning the trait Melee Mastery II has been changed from 200 to 180.
Sonic Break
Potency has been increased from 300 to 340. Damage over time potency has been increased from 60 to 120. Damage over time duration has been reduced from 30 to 15 seconds.
Double Down
Potency has been reduced from 1,200 to 1,000. Cartridge cost has been increased from 1 to 2.
Potency has been increased from 100 to 120. Honed Reavers potency has been increased from 120 to 140.
Reaving Maw
Potency has been increased from 100 to 120. Honed Reavers potency has been increased from 120 to 140.
Hunter’s Bite
Potency has been increased from 130 to 180.
Swiftskin’s Bite
Potency has been increased from 130 to 180.
Jagged Maw
Potency has been increased from 140 to 180. Grimhunter’s Venom effect potency has been increased from 160 to 220.
Bloodied Maw
Potency has been increased from 140 to 180. Grimhunter’s Venom potency has been increased from 160 to 220.
Last Lash
Potency has been increased from 100 to 120.
Vicepit
Potency has been increased from 220 to 250.
Hunter’s Den
Potency has been increased from 280 to 300.
Swiftskin’s Den
Potency has been increased from 280 to 300.
Uncoiled Fury
Reduction in potency after the first target has been changed from 60% to 75%.
Reawaken
Reduction in potency after the first target has been changed from 65% to 80%.
First Generation
Reduction in potency after the first target has been changed from 65% to 80%.
Second Generation
Reduction in potency after the first target has been changed from 65% to 80%.
Third Generation
Reduction in potency after the first target has been changed from 65% to 80%.
Fourth Generation
Reduction in potency after the first target has been changed from 65% to 80%.
Uncoiled Twinfang
Reduction in potency after the first target has been changed from 60% to 75%.
Uncoiled Twinblood
Reduction in potency after the first target has been changed from 60% to 75%.
Ouroboros
Reduction in potency after the first target has been changed from 65% to 80%.
First Legacy
Reduction in potency after the first target has been changed from 65% to 80%.
Second Legacy
Reduction in potency after the first target has been changed from 65% to 80%.
Third Legacy
Reduction in potency after the first target has been changed from 65% to 80%.
Fourth Legacy
Reduction in potency after the first target has been changed from 65% to 80%.
Bard
Command
Change
Apex Arrow
Potency has been increased from 120-600 to 140-700.
Blast Arrow
Potency upon learning the trait Ranged Mastery has been changed from 600 to 700.
Radiant Encore
Potency when 1 Coda is active has been increased from 600 to 700. Potency when 2 Coda are active has been increased from 700 to 800. Potency when 3 Coda are active has been increased from 1,000 to 1,100.
Machinist
Command
Change
Drill
Potency upon learning the trait Marksman’s Mastery II has been changed from 620 to 660.
Air Anchor
Potency upon learning the trait Marksman’s Mastery II has been changed from 620 to 660.
Chain Saw
Potency upon learning the trait Marksman’s Mastery II has been changed from 620 to 660.
Excavator
Potency has been increased from 620 to 660.
Dancer
Command
Change
Saber Dance
Potency upon learning the trait Dynamic Dancer has been changed from 520 to 540.
Fan Dance IV
Potency upon learning the trait Dynamic Dancer has been changed from 420 to 460.
Last Dance
Potency has been increased from 520 to 540.
Red Mage
Command
Change
Embolden
Increase to own magic damage changed from 5% to 10%.
Manafication
In accordance with the removal of Enhanced Manafication, recast time has been reduced from 120 to 110 seconds. Now temporarily increases the ranges of Enchanted Riposte, Enchanted Zwerchhau, and Enchanted Redoublement to 25 yalms. The additional effect “Grants 6 stacks of Manafication” has been changed to “Grants 3 stacks of Magicked Swordplay.” The duration remains at 30 seconds. The additional effect “Grants Prefulgence Ready upon consuming 6 stacks of Manafication” has been changed to “Grants Prefulgence Ready.” The duration remains at 30 seconds.
Vice of Thorns
Potency has been increased from 900 to 950.
Prefulgence
Action change settings can now be enabled to switch Prefulgence with Manafication.
Enhanced Manafication
The trait has been removed.
Enhanced Manafication II
The trait has been removed.
Enhanced Manafication III
In conjunction with the removal of Enhanced Manafication and Enhanced Manafication II, Enhanced Manafication III will be renamed Enhanced Manafication.
Potency upon learning the trait White Magic Mastery has been changed from 340 to 350.
Afflatus Misery
Potency upon learning the trait White Magic Mastery has been changed from 1,360 to 1,400.
Plenary Indulgence
The effect “Grants Confession to nearby party members” has been changed to “Grants Confession to nearby party members, reducing damage taken by 10%.” The duration remains at 10 seconds.
Scholar
Command
Change
Biolysis
Potency upon learning the trait Tactician’s Mastery has been changed from 80 to 85.
Astrologian
Command
Change
Collective Unconscious
The duration of damage over time has been increased from 5 seconds to 10 seconds. Damage reduction effect duration has been increased from 5 to 10 seconds. The effect “Effects will be applied continuously to self and all party members standing within the celestial ring” has been changed to “Wheel of Fortune will be applied continuously to self and all party members standing within the celestial ring.”
Sage
Command
Change
Eukrasian Dosis III
Potency upon learning the trait Magick Mastery has been changed from 80 to 85.
Patch 7.4 starts today and brings a whole range of new content. In addition to the main story and a new 8-man raid, the glamour restrictions are finally being lifted. The Star Light Festival 2025 will also begin on December 17, 2025. You can read all about it here: Final Fantasy XIV: Seasonal Events 2025 – The Star Light Festival
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A YouTuber examined an electric car from Audi that is currently only available in China. A similar model would cost significantly more in Germany.
The YouTuber JP Performance GmbH featured a particular electric car from the German company Audi in a new video, which cannot be purchased in Germany. The Audi E5 Sportback is currently only available in China and is set to be sold there for the time being.
Nevertheless, the YouTuber is impressed and primarily complains about the large price differences. The luxury car with over 700 horsepower costs about 30,000 euros in its base version according to a seller in China, while similar vehicles in Germany often cost double that.
You can watch the full video here:
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Audi aims to conquer the Chinese market with an electric car, costs about 30,000 euros
What kind of vehicle is this? According to official press release from Audi, the Audi E5 Sportback was unveiled in August 2025. The E5 Sportback is a so-called joint venture between Audi AG and the Chinese state-owned company SAIC.
The car features several peculiarities, such as omitting the iconic Audi rings and relying solely on lettering. The maximum performance potential is 787 horsepower, with a top speed of 240 km/h.
The YouTuber JP Performance compares the E5 with the Audi A6 E-Tron, which he claims is based on a similar performance and size class and is therefore comparable. Here, the price for the base version starts at a minimum of 64,500 euros, which is double what the base version of the E5 Sportback would cost in China.
Start video
Slate Auto presents new truck with electric motor
Why does the car cost “only” about 30,000 euros in China?
The market in China is fundamentally different from that in Europe. In China, wages, energy, and many raw materials like steel are generally cheaper than in Europe, which lowers the production costs per vehicle. The advantage is particularly significant in batteries, as Chinese companies can produce batteries about 15% cheaper than European manufacturers. This is stated by Business Insider magazine.
Additionally, the state subsidies in China should not be underestimated: subsidies for factories and battery production, low-interest loans, and strong support programs for electric vehicles.
Such measures reduce investment and capital costs, allowing for lower final prices, especially in the domestic market. Chinese manufacturers also calculate that low profits in the home market are compensated by higher margins in the EU, which explains the large price differences between China and Germany for the same model.
For German manufacturers, the opposite is often true: they reduce prices in China in order to remain competitive with local brands. This is reported by Süddeutsche Zeitung.
In China, there has been a shift in the production of vehicles for some time. Many dealers are facing such a large oversupply of cars that they now even sell new cars as used ones. One reason why the state now wants to intervene in production to prevent even bigger problems: China produces so many cars that even new cars have to be sold as used ones now
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Update 1.7.0 for ARC Raiders is out now and brings a new, extremely cold map condition. We show you the patch notes.
What is this update? On December 16, 2025, Update 1.7.0 for ARC Raiders was released. This includes numerous balance changes and fixes, as well as a new map condition called Cold Snap.
Additionally, the ability to reset the skill tree has been added. This feature was previously missing from the game but had been requested by the community for a long time.
Start video
ARC Raiders zeigt im Launch-Trailer, wie der Kampf Mensch gegen Maschine aussieht
The highlights of patch 1.7.0
What are the highlights of the update? With patch 1.7.0, winter breaks out in ARC Raiders. This brings some new dangers. For example, water spots on the maps are now frozen, and when you step on the frozen water, your feet will become slippery. Additionally, the raging snowstorm limits your visibility.
However, the biggest highlight of the update is the new map condition “Cold Snap”. If your Raider is exposed to the extreme cold for too long, they will die. However, inside buildings you are protected from the cold.
Here’s a summary of the highlights:
Added the function to reset the skill tree.
Added the option to toggle aim mode (Aim Down Sights/ADS) instead of holding the button.
The wallet now displays the soft cap for creds.
Various festive items have been added to create a holiday atmosphere.
The location of the Aphelion blueprint has been moved from the Matriarch to Stella Montis.
Added customization options for the Raider tool.
Various collision issues on the maps have been fixed.
The spawn distance verification at Stella Montis has been improved to fix the issue of players spawning too close to each other.
The assault rifle Bettina has been improved to be a better option in PvP.
The assault rifle Rattler has been slightly improved and now has a larger magazine.
From December 16 to January 13, the event Flickering Flames is running in ARC Raiders, where you need to collect so-called Candleberries for the residents of Speranza, as well as light and heat sources like candles.
On December 26, ARC Raiders is also supposed to receive a new free Raider Deck. This is the Battle Pass of the extraction shooter and comes with a variety of different items, including cosmetic items and Raider tokens.
On the television channels Tele 5 and RTL2 there were various animes to watch. However, if you wanted to watch series for a slightly older audience, you found the perfect animes on MTV. MeinMMO presents some of these animes to you.
MTV had its anime era from 2001 to 2007. Since many of the series were only rated 16 and older in Germany, the animes aired late in the evening, usually from 9:00 PM or even 10:00 PM.
As MTV is shutting down many of its TV channels by the end of 2025 (to be read on t-online), we want to take one more nostalgic trip with you and look at animes that you probably shouldn’t have been allowed to watch during their original run.
For you to have been able to watch the series at the right age, you must have been born in 1985 or earlier. In 2007, just the birth years from 1991 would have been allowed to watch many of the animes – and thus I myself narrowly missed the cutoff and count among the fans who watched all of these series far too early.
A modern anime that is also not for kids can be seen here:
Start video
This Monster Wants to Eat Me – Dramatic and eerie anime with dark themes
Thus, MeinMMO lists all our shared sins in this article. We also reveal why we really should have only seen the series at a later age.
Golden Boy
When did the anime air? from March 2001
What is it about? 25-year-old Kintaro Oe, a law student at a prestigious university in Tokyo, is on the fast track to a successful career. But just before graduation, he drops out to learn “in the school of life.” He travels around Japan on his mountain bike and takes various odd jobs to learn.
In each of the 6 episodes, he lands at a woman who is usually his boss. At first, he always seems like a bumbling, perverted good-for-nothing. However, especially towards the end, skills are often revealed that he didn’t even know he possessed. Before a relationship can develop, Kintaro moves on.
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Why is the anime not for kids? Golden Boy shows no hesitation in openly depicting sexuality and fetishes. Kintaro is driven by his urges and often succumbs to wild fantasies. For example, he sniffs bike seats or hugs worn clothes.
Moreover, a lot of bare skin is visible, although the intimate areas are always covered. Otherwise, the series would more likely drift toward an 18+ rating.
The continuation can be found on page 2.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
