The developers of PUBG have surprisingly announced a playtest for their new shooter in the style of ARC Raiders on December 12, 2025. The test will take place on Steam.
What game is it about? PUBG: Black Budget is a new extraction shooter set in the universe of … you guessed it … PUBG. You will be sent on a mission to an island to explore an abandoned research facility and recover secret technology.
The catch: The island is trapped in a time loop and is haunted by an anomaly. Additionally, there are other contractors who are also keen on the artifacts. With each loop, your visit to the station is supposed to become more unpredictable. The longer you stay, the more difficult it will be to successfully extract.
Between missions, you build up your personal base to manufacture new equipment, improve skills, and prepare for the next trip to the island.
The new trailer prepares you for the upcoming playtest of PUBG: Black Budget:
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PUBG: Black Budget prepares for closed alpha test with a new trailer
Registration is open, test starts on December 12
What is known about the playtest? Interested players can now register for the playtest on Steam. The test will run for two weeks, from Friday to Monday.
Week 1: December 12 (Fri) 10:00 AM to December 15 (Mon) 08:59 AM
Week 2: December 19 (Fri) 01:00 AM to December 22 (Mon) 08:59 AM
The test focuses on the following areas of the game:
Why should you take a look? With Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds, PUBG Corporation and KRAFTON once created the first major battle royale hit and set an all-time record on Steam with 3,257,248 players simultaneously. In comparison: Black Myth: Wukong is in second place with 2,415,714 simultaneously active players.
Even though the record is almost 8 years old, PUBG is still relevant today. There are very few other games on Steam that can attract more players to the servers day after day. Currently (December 11, 2025, 06:10 PM), for example, 351,412 players are playing the shooter. Only the Valve classics Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 have more.
With Ashes of Creation the one of the most exciting MMORPGs of the future enters Early Access on Steam on December 11th, 2025. Studio head Steven Sharif discussed extensively in advance with YouTuber Esfand about the beginnings of the project, the goals of the testing phase, and more.
Who is part of the Q&A? Steven Sharif is the founder of Intrepid Studios and the Creative Director for Ashes of Creation. The millionaire is a long-time MMORPG fan and fulfills a dream by developing the game. By now, Intrepid has about 250 employees. On December 11th, 2025, Ashes of Creation enters Early Access on Steam.
Tim “Esfand” Esfandiari is an American YouTuber and streamer who is known to many WoW fans. His main channel on YouTube has 316,000 subscribers and over 2,500 videos. On Twitch, he currently stands at 1.4 million followers with EsfandTV. Esfand is part of the gaming organization One True King, which he founded in 2020 with Asmongold, Mizkif, Rich Campbell, and Tips Out.
The official Early Access guide from the developers for Ashes of Creation:
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Ashes of Creation: Early Access Guide stimmt euch auf den Start auf Steam ein
From Dream to “Fever Dream”
The beginnings of Ashes of Creation: In nearly 2 hours, Esfand and Steven Sharif touch on a wide range of topics. Excitingly, the studio head not only spent countless hours in MMORPGs like Lineage, Lineage 2, Guild Wars, EverQuest, or even ArcheAge. He is also a big fan of Dungeons & Dragons.
The idea of creating his own MMORPG came to Sharif when many of his fellow players left ArcheAge because monetization became increasingly aggressive and featured clear pay-to-win elements. As other genre representatives took this path during this time, Steven Sharif recognized a niche for a project that would completely forgo pay-to-win.
From the beginning, it was clear to him that the game should use a sandbox framework that grants players freedoms and allows them to shape the world with their own decisions. He thus created an overarching story and embedded it within the framework of Ashes of Creation in a self-made “homebrew” campaign from Dungeons & Dragons.
You can listen to the entire talk here, or alternatively visit Esfand on YouTube:
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In this, he allowed his fellow players to build cities, make decisions, and conduct business. He combined the experiences gained there with game systems from various MMORPGs he had played over the years and considered important. That was the foundation for Ashes of Creation.
With the idea, Sharif then approached some veterans from Sony Online Entertainment (EverQuest, Star Wars Galaxies). They showed great enthusiasm. This was followed by a Kickstarter campaign that underscored its success, indicating that the MMORPG fan might have the right instinct. 9 years later, the game is preparing for beta, which will start sometime next year.
In response to Esfand’s comment that Sharif would be living his dream, the chief developer admits that at times it would rather be a “fever dream”. Already in March 2025, he had explained in detail, that the development of such an ambitious MMORPG project is harder than expected. One must have a thick skin and invest a lot of time, money, and heart over the years.
MMORPGs are certainly the most difficult, complex piece of software from a gaming perspective. That’s the simple truth. There is a reason why only a few companies and publishers invest the money and time needed to produce such an MMORPG. That is why there are only a few releases. […] Especially from games that are as ambitious as Ashes of Creation.
Why the sandbox approach? The developers have consciously chosen an MMORPG with a sandbox framework in which there are many systems that should provide a high replay value on their own. According to Steven Sharif, there are already more than enough good theme park MMORPGs. As examples, he names World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy XIV, and Guild Wars 2.
Anyone who wants to compete on equal terms with these games, which have accumulated content over decades, can only fail in the eyes of the chief developer.
With Ashes of Creation, however, the developers do not just want to copy other sandbox MMORPGs, but push the genre forward through innovations. As an example, Steven Sharif mentions the settlement system around the nodes, which actually allows players to shape the world with their actions and achievements.
By the way, the developer is aware that Ashes of Creation, with its strong focus on PvP, automatically becomes uninteresting for a large part of MMORPG fans. However, he firmly believes that the target audience for a good, ambitious PvPvE MMORPG is large enough to be financially successful. More on this: Ashes of Creation focused on PvE: Can the MMORPG on Steam also entertain PvP averse players?
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Ashes of Creation stimmt im Trailer auf Early-Access-Start auf Steam ein
The team plays in the guilds: According to Steven Sharif, the developers have mingled with the various guilds of the alpha to play the MMORPG themselves and receive feedback from the community firsthand, combining this with their own impressions.
Why is Early Access paid? The Intrepid head first points out that Ashes of Creation has taken an unusual path. Interested parties could already gain access to the alpha of the game very early, and the developers report very openly about progress, problems, and the development process.
For such a – due to the genre – risky project, which brings additional uncertainties through its innovations, it is hard to find investors or supportive publishers. At the same time, a team of 250 employees costs a lot of money. In addition, server operation and other cost factors come into play.
During the conversation, Steven Sharif emphasizes that the Early Access version of Ashes of Creation is an unfinished alpha that still needs a lot of time before the final release and relies on player feedback. This underscores something that a new trailer wants to highlight: Ashes of Creation aligns expectations of players just before Early Access launch on Steam
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The MMO LEGO Universe from 2010 was intended to appeal to a younger audience. It becomes problematic when you cannot ensure child and youth protection because genitalia appear everywhere. Followed by one of the most notable reasons for an MMO shutdown, there was a quiet comeback in 2024.
What kind of game is LEGO Universe? The MMO for the popular LEGO universe promised at its release in October 2010 the great freedom to build anything that one can build with bricks. There were various factions as well as themed worlds and an overarching battle against the Maelstrom and its minions.
The responsible parties at LEGO primarily had a younger audience in mind when creating the MMO and therefore put a strong focus on child and youth protection. It’s unfortunate when numerous players actually utilize the promised freedom to build all sorts of things that their brains find amusing…
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LEGO Universe feiert mit diesem Trailer 2024 sein Comeback
Unlimited Creativity on the Internet Often Backfires
Why did it come to an end? When LEGO Universe was shut down in January 2012 (not even a year and a half after the launch), the responsible parties blamed unsatisfactory revenues for the premature end.
In 2015, a former developer from the team provided additional context: Apparently, so many players wanted to implement building projects in the shape of penises that the moderation effort was enormous. At some point, other players could only see the creations made by others if they were manually approved by a moderator. This became too costly in the long run.
One employee was even nearly fired because he built a penis on his property. At that time, a demonstration was taking place among the developers to introduce the game to a group of children. One of the kids inadvertently landed in the private area and witnessed the creativity of the designer.
What is the current status? A few years ago, fans behind Darkflame Universe announced (source: Reddit) that they were negotiating with the responsible parties at LEGO about an open-source variant of the MMO. In December 2021, according to X, the emulator code was disclosed. In 2024, there was then an official but quiet comeback with a new website thelegouniverse.com and a fresh channel on YouTube.
Since the restart, several updates for the revival of LEGO Universe have been released. The project is funded through donations. The game download is free.
Whether another wave of penis creations awaits there, needing to be kept in check by a patrol of moderators, we cannot say for sure. Maybe the internet is just more mature now… Hahahahahahahaha. Sorry. A game that consciously avoids male genitalia as well is the quasi-sequel to Conan Exiles: Dune is not sexy and this affects the “equipment” of male survivors.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
An AMD graphics card from 2012 is capable of playing Arc Raiders thanks to a YouTuber. However, in order for the game to even start, he had to make some adjustments, and the card is only utilizing 50 percent of its actual performance.
Which hardware is it about? The GPU is an AMD FirePro S10000. It was released in 2012 as a high-end workstation model and could utilize a feature that has not been common since 2017 – 2018.
A Crossfire-supported graphics card was, among others, the AMD FirePro of the YouTuber named RandomGaminginHD. In his YouTube video from December 8, 2025, you can see how he tests ARC Raiders with the AMD FirePro starting at minute 11:22. The creator found out that his model of the GPU is actually two individual graphics processors on a board called AMD Fire Pro W9000 X2. AMD is said to have renamed the model just before its release.
If you want to buy a new PC or parts like memory around Christmas, you may come up empty. Our colleagues from GameStar discuss the rising hardware prices in their podcast:
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How did the YouTuber get the card to work? Due to the age of the card, the PC enthusiast had to make some adjustments to make the GPU compatible with new games. His goal was to play ARC Raiders with the hardware.
For this, RandomGaminginHD switched to Windows 10 and found that the card only supports outdated drivers at factory settings. In order for new games like ARC Raiders to even start, the card needed more current drivers.
Through a BIOS update, the YouTuber was then able to install the new software. As a result, the graphics card became functional with the popular shooter according to the tester. However, the user could only utilize full performance in Crossfire-supported titles like Mafia 2, GTA V, or Crysis 3. Other titles only used one of the two graphics chips due to the lack of software.
What about ARC Raiders? In the YouTuber’s tests, it was found that games with Crossfire support performed significantly better than titles without the feature.
The newer shooter ARC Raiders started after a driver update and reached about 30 to 40 frames per second at Full HD and a reduced resolution (70 %). ARC Raiders was among the games that could only utilize one of the two graphics chips in his test.
For this reason, the YouTuber was unable to utilize the full performance of the AMD FirePro. The performance might have been better otherwise, but it can’t be said for sure.
In Where Winds Meet, you can don beautiful and unique garments. However, your appearance also impresses the NPCs in the game.
What is the deal with the outfits? In Where Winds Meet, there are countless outfits, accessories, hats, and all sorts of fun items that you can dress your character in. But not only real players in co-op and multiplayer can react to your outfits.
A user reports on Reddit about a dialogue that you can only get if you wear the right clothing “Transitory Bloom” at the right moment.
Our experts have discussed Where Winds Meet. You can listen to the whole talk here:
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MyMMO in the GameStar Talk: Our MMORPG expert sums up the Chinese RPG Where Winds Meet
The right outfit for a special appearance
Where can you find the dialogue? At a certain point in the main story of Where Winds Meet, you must team up with an NPC to sneak into a building. For this, the NPC has specially brought the right dancer outfit so that the mission remains discreet.
However, the outfit that the NPC has procured for you can already be purchased and equipped in the shop beforehand. If you do this before the mission, your character will react with a special dialogue.
What is said? Your character cheekily responds at that moment by saying that they are already wearing that outfit. The NPC then asks where the clothing is from. The character replies that they bought it at the store, to which the NPC asks about the price.
The character explains that the outfit for the mission cost 60 pearls, after which the NPC comments that it is quite a bargain and mocks the sellers a bit.
How do you get the outfit? The dancer outfit needed for the special dialogue is not free. You need to buy it in the shop under the Appearance tab. The price for the “Transitory Bloom” outfit is 60 pearls, which is about one Euro.
Besides the special cutscene, which many may have missed, the outfit is merely cosmetic and offers no advantages in the game. Quite the opposite of a horse, which could almost be considered pay-to-win.
All players set their PC vertically, but one does it radically different: he lays his computer down. This decision is causing a stir in the community.There are concerns mainly about the installed water cooling and the pump.
What is the player doing? The player posted a picture of his setup or rather of his gaming PC. And he has made the decision to lay his computer down instead of setting it up vertically like everyone else. He himself explains that this should only have advantages for him:
The GPU cannot stress the PCIe slot as much, so there is no “sagging of the GPU.”
According to the player, all connections on the PC are easily accessible, especially at the back where most of them are located.
He himself writes in his post on Reddit that he has had his PC in this position for 4 years and has had no problems since then. Apart from dirt and dust, which still find their way into his computer. A problem that is just hard to avoid.
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Valve presents the Steam Machine in the new trailer
How is the community reacting? Surprised and predominantly positively impressed by the action. And some point out that people used to always lay down their computers: users refer to old computers where this was completely normal (Reddit.com):
Once upon a time, horizontal desktop cases were widespread and could also bear the weight of an average CRT monitor.
The bulky CRT monitors that some may still remember stood on the horizontally laid case of the computer on the desk. This combination of monitor and PC case was found in many offices back then and sometimes also in people’s homes. Today, computers are increasingly disappearing under desks or even migrating to the cloud.
Is there any criticism? Some users question whether the installed water cooling can really work in this state: because the pump should never be the highest point in the cooling system, as that can lead to air bubbles and other problems.
However, one can only speculate about the condition since the inside of the PC cannot be seen in the picture. Furthermore, the user explained in his initial post that he has had his PC lying this way for 4 years and has had no problems since.
Call of Duty will avoid consecutive releases of different CoD series in the future. MeinMMO editor Dariusz believes, however, that more needs to happen.
Activision has announced that Call of Duty will alternate again in the future with the release of new “Modern Warfare” and “Black Ops” titles. There will be no more directly consecutive games in each series. In recent years, it was different. MW2 was followed by MW3, BO6 was followed by BO7. They now want to ensure that Call of Duty delivers a unique experience every year.
For many fans of the shooter, this seems like an admission on social networks that Call of Duty is not doing particularly well this year – especially since it has strong competition from Battlefield 6 and ARC Raiders.
If CoD really wants to save the declining player numbers with this decision, I have to say clearly: The realignment of the release plan is not enough to “get the cart out of the mud.”
To give disappointed fans hope for the future, more needs to happen.
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 zeigt erstes Gameplay aus dem Multiplayer-Modus
Players have been deprived of fun for years
Call of Duty has struggled in recent years with various problems and challenges. Often, there have been the same recurring discussions and points of criticism.
With Black Ops 7, CoD has already addressed some of these criticisms. For example, skins are supposed to be more grounded and fitting, there is now a playlist with at least reduced SBMM, and the anti-cheat has been improved.
Nevertheless, challenges remain that Call of Duty must overcome to restore a more positive mood in the community. A change in the release plan is not enough for this.
Call of Duty loses players every year after Christmas
Call of Duty has a major problem keeping players engaged throughout the year. Even a Black Ops 6, which initially had great reception, had only a third of the average player count compared to the release month three to four months after release, with a declining trend.
While only the Steam player counts are known and a large part of the community is known to be on PlayStation, this trend shows that Call of Duty has weaknesses in long-term player retention.
Especially the problem with cheaters is a factor in player attrition. Seasonal updates also fail to bring players back. And it is clear:
After a few hours, the appeal of new content is lost, and what remains is a frustrating game.
When cheaters, server issues, matchmaking, and other problems ruin the fun, I don’t think “Wow, awesome, I’m really excited to play” because of a few weapons and maps. This sentiment is evident year after year in forums and groups about the game.
Warzone is a burden on Call of Duty
Call of Duty has felt the same for years and has hardly evolved graphically or physically, as the multiplayer and Warzone are linked year after year. The current Call of Duty restricts itself because it must inevitably be compatible with Warzone.
Although the engine has improved over the years, the foundation has been the same since 2019. This means that assets for weapon models and characters, textures, and animations must not differ too much, otherwise, they would be incompatible.
The netcode, tick rate, and anti-cheat must also be compatible, or else a shared multiplayer ecosystem might not be possible.
While competitors have evolved and adapted to the market, Call of Duty has remained at last-gen standards.
I am convinced: Call of Duty would greatly benefit if they decoupled the new Warzone titles and developed them separately so that the series can experience real innovation again.
The target audience must be clearly defined and actively addressed
Call of Duty has always been a game for casual players. For a time, it felt like everyone you knew played the latest CoD. Most of them only played occasionally and were never really good. Nevertheless, as a group of friends, you had fun, and it was completely normal if there was a superstar on the opposing team who dominated the whole lobby. But everyone belonged to the same community.
Today, there are two camps in Call of Duty:
The casuals who only play a few rounds occasionally.
The hardcore gamers who play daily and belong to the top 5-10%
The problem is that both sides have partly different views and needs, and Activision is trying to cater to both fronts – and in the end, everyone is dissatisfied. Black Ops 7 is the perfect example.
After years, there is finally a mode with reduced SBMM, but at the same time, the Omni-Movement has been expanded with wall jumps. Personally, I am a huge fan of the Omni-Movement, but I can completely understand if a casual player sees this and says: “No way, that’s too much. No interest.”
With a strong campaign, they could have certainly attracted some casual players, but instead, that was among the biggest weaknesses of BO7. The absurdly futuristic setting received little appreciation in the first trailers and was strongly criticized by players.
The high purchase price, the discouraging changes to the multiplayer for casual players, ongoing problems from predecessors, and the uninteresting campaign for many players led to part of the community sitting this year out.
Many hardcore gamers have actually enjoyed Call of Duty this year and praise Black Ops 7. However, this doesn’t mean much if the core of the community is avoiding the game.
The challenge that Call of Duty now faces has already been overcome by its biggest competitor: Battlefield 2042 failed, the community’s mood was bad, and many players wished that the series would return to the glorious times of Battlefield 3 or 4.
With Battlefield 6, EA has managed to convey exactly this feeling and also improve the community mood.
The game is, like its predecessors, strongly geared towards casual players. Nevertheless, many hardcore gamers and especially veterans of the series enjoyed the latest installment. The Battlefield Labs – a testing environment where long-time players could provide feedback before release – was a great help.
Battlefield 6 is not perfect, and the next Call of Duty doesn’t have to be either. But players want to be heard and understood. And if casual players, i.e. the large majority, are having fun again, hardcore gamers will also enjoy it – at least to some extent.
From my own experience, I can say: As someone who plays a game for hundreds or thousands of hours, you are never fully satisfied. You play so much that you know every problem and have experienced it a hundred times. You continue to play because you like the fundamental game mechanics. Something like the reduced SBMM mode in BO7 is – if implemented correctly – a win for both sides.
Hardcore gamers are happy because at least an attempt is made to help them.
Casual players who do not want open matchmaking can still play the old mode as usual.
They have already shown that they understand the community, and now they can build on that: Open communication with players, listening to the community’s wishes, and also testing instead of stubbornly following their own path.
The previous release plan has certainly contributed to Call of Duty being in this situation now. However, if Activision wants to convince us that two Black Ops in a row would have been the only problem, they misunderstand the much more fundamental issues of CoD.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
With the new expansion “The Old Peace”, Warframe also received a new tool. What exactly it is, how to unlock it, and how to solve problems, you can find out here.
What kind of tool is this? The “Dark Reflection” is a tool that gives you access to the modes “Descendia” and “The Perita Rebellion”.
How do I unlock the Dark Reflection? To access the tool, you must have completed the story of the expansion and the quest named “The Old Peace”. Alternatively, you can skip the story with the new preview feature to start directly with friends in the modes.
What are the requirements for the preview feature? If you want to skip the story, you should consider the following things:
You must have completed the quest “The Teacher”
You cannot participate in public matchmaking via the Dark Reflection if you are below rank 10
You can only participate in the two modes through the skip; other features that you must unlock with quests are not affected
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Warframe verrät das Release-Datum zu The Old Piece im Trailer
Everything you need to know about location, reset, and issues with the Dark Reflection
Where can you find the “Dark Reflection”? Once you have unlocked the tool, you can find it at your navigation console. It is important to note that it is not located IN the console, but you can open it through a second option when you are standing in front of the console. On PC, for example, you need to press F. Alternatively, you can also access it through the pause menu by selecting the new tab “Game Modes”.
I have met the requirements but cannot open the tool? If that happens, it might help if you replay the message from Lotus in the communication menu and really listen to it until the end. Only then is this requirement fulfilled, and you receive the notification that you have completed the quest. Alternatively, you can try logging in again.
When are the modes in the tool reset? The modes reset weekly on Monday at 01:00 CET. This affects challenges, blessings, and rewards.
Pokémon GO will soon start a new Community Day Classic. The teaser only leads to one conclusion.
Which Pokémon will appear at the Community Day Classic? Pokémon GO has released a teaser (on Instagram) regarding the new Community Day Classic.
The text states, “Which #Pokemon is making a splash this #PokemonGOCommunityDay Classic? 🌊👀,” which due to the word “splash” could initially suggest Magikarp.
But at the end of the video, you can hear a Pokémon cry that sounds very much like Piplup.
Currently, you can expect that Piplup will be the star of the upcoming Community Day Classic.
When does the Community Day Classic take place? The next Community Day Classic is scheduled for January 4, 2026. No further information is available yet regarding the time or bonuses.
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Pokémon GO shows its new season in the trailer
Is Piplup worth it in Pokémon GO?
Piplup itself is not that interesting, but its final evolution, Empoleon, is a great Pokémon for battling.
Empoleon is a very good Pokémon for the Super League in PvP, and it is even better in the Ultra League. It is important that it knows the move “Hydro Pump” and it can be expected that it can relearn it during the Community Day Classic.
As a raid and gym attacker, it is also usable, especially in its shadow variant. It is worth collecting candies if you already have a good shadow Piplup, Prinplup, or Empoleon.
What’s next in Pokémon GO? Before January arrives, we still have to get through December! And there are plenty of dates coming up, from the Winter Festival event to the New Year’s event, as well as the typical spotlight and raid events. We will show you the complete overview here: All events in December 2025 for Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The YouTuber and Twitch-streamer Florian “Varion” Kiesow achieved a huge success on YouTube within a few months in 2019 and 2020, which he has managed to maintain until today. Despite his fame, he apparently wouldn’t have any problem going back to a regular job.
Who is it about? It is about the YouTuber and Twitch streamer Varion, who has been working as a freelance Content Creator since 2020. He trained as a metal worker and worked for several years in the skilled trades sector.
In 2019, he was discovered by larger content creators and there was a reaction to his sketch videos. This brought him to a subscriber count of one million within just 3 months.
These are the 5 most relevant German streamers on Twitch in 2024, according to Google
Varion would find normal working “cool”
What does Varion think about “normal working”? Varion also chats with his Twitch colleagues Sascha Hellinger and Trymacs on the podcast Offline + Ehrlich. In the latest episode from December 9, 2025 (on Spotify starting at 07:45), the three discussed, among other things, the career as a Content Creator and what might come next.
Varion noted that he wouldn’t have any problem going back to “normal work” after his career as a Content Creator. After his success, Varion says he would “find it cool” to, for example, deliver packages for a company.
Varion further states that he finds it a bit of a “crisis” when former famous people act as if they are still influential when they actually are not anymore.
However, the jump to a normal job is not very far for Varion either. The 33-year-old completed an apprenticeship as a metalworker and worked for years in various skilled trades professions. Other content creators who earn their livelihood solely through social media might find it more difficult.
Currently, however, Varion does not have to worry about whether he will have to take on another job besides streaming and making YouTube videos. The Content Creator is successful and even managed to participate in Craft Attack 13 in 2025, where he pursued a slightly different approach than other participants: Other Twitch streamers tackle huge builds as groups, one wants to do it alone
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Konami has given an employee of the anime of Yu-Gi-Oh! a very special gift. It is a unique card that will never be available in stores.
Why is there this unique card? Hajime Syacho is a video producer for Yu-Gi-Oh!. He is about to experience one of the most important events in his life: his own wedding. To bring him great joy on the most beautiful day of his life, the team behind the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG came up with something special.
They designed their own card and gifted this unique piece to Syacho. The producer can hardly believe his luck and opens the gift in a video on YouTube. It becomes clear that the card is really not made for trading.
Start video
Yu-Gi-Oh! – Official trailer for The Dark Side of Dimensions (2017)
Producer receives his own card for Yu-Gi-Oh!
What kind of card is it? Konami used the card “Ritual Sanctuary” as the basis. It features a bride and groom standing in the spotlight. The bride’s train is held by two figures on the sides (visible on db.yugioh-card.com).
Konami redesigned the card slightly and adjusted the groom’s appearance to resemble Syacho. His wife is hidden behind a bridal bouquet but is still recognizable as a bride. The two train bearers are also included again.
In addition, this card cannot be used in a real duel. The card is much larger than a regular Yu-Gi-Oh! card and is appropriately framed.
You can watch the complete unboxing on the YouTube channel of the video producer:
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What is so special about it? A card like the one Syacho received exists only once in the world. Normally, such special cards are only distributed as prizes for the best places in official card tournaments.
However, these cards are not as personal as the one that the video producer received. After all, you never know in advance who will win the tournament!
Since before the release, players have been requesting the Paladin as a class in Diablo 4. Now they have found hints and hope that he will arrive soon. But why is that? What makes the class so popular that the entire community goes crazy?
The Paladin is the most requested class in Diablo 4 and has been for quite a while. Blizzard wanted to “return to the roots” with the latest installment. It should be darker than the third part and adhere to many old virtues.
A new season for Diablo 4 is coming, and with the Game Awards 2025, a show with potentially significant announcements is on the horizon. Through a preview and a new item, fans are already sure: the Paladin is coming, and that directly as a Shadow Drop on Friday, December 12.
It is no wonder that especially experienced players “from before” hope so much for the class, as Paladins have always been popular – and strong – in every of their iterations.
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Der Klassen-Trailer zum Paladin aus Diablo 2: Resurrected mit Gameplay
Holy Magic and above all: Hammers!
Paladins were first playable in the base game of Diablo 2. That was released back in 2000. The background fit well into the story: Paladins are the guardians of Sanctuary, divided into different orders with – more or less – noble goals.
Several things distinguished the Paladin back then:
With heavy armor, sword, and shield, Paladins are incredibly resilient, which makes them particularly popular in Hardcore mode.
Their auras not only protect themselves but also all allies – or weaken enemies. These are powerful effects on many targets.
Unlike many other classes, the Paladin is considered very “balanced”: instead of being a pure glass cannon or a tank without teeth, the Paladin takes a healthy middle path.
Additionally, the fantasy of the Paladins likely resonates well. A human type with sword and shield is often the most popular archetype, and Paladins were the only class in Diablo 2 to fully embody this version.
What many players still find iconic are builds revolving around the Holy Hammers. With the skill, Paladins could fill the entire screen with spinning hammers (like Thor, but way more) and wipe out entire hordes of enemies. That was not only cool but also quite powerful.
The Paladin – One of the strongest classes in the history of Diablo
Paladins were not “the strongest” in Diablo 2 back then, but they were one of the strongest classes according to the community, and especially for group play, they were a sought-after companion as a supporter. Auras were among the most powerful buffs in the game.
Surprisingly, the Paladin did not fare too well in the remake, Diablo 2: Resurrected. According to our survey only 15% of the votes went to the Paladin, while its stark opposite, the Necromancer, topped the list.
However, the evolution of the Paladin into Diablo 3, the Crusader, became really strong. Although Crusaders are among the less played classes, simply because they entered later, they are almost always ranked in the S-Tier of late seasons with various builds.
Unlike Paladins, Crusaders focused more on raw strength – still with holy magic, but more as a one-man army and less as a helpful priest in armor.
The fact that players are calling for the Paladin in Diablo 4 is partly due to the fact that he is still missing in the mix:
Necromancers have death as their domain and flood the screen with minions,
Witches deal with all things magical,
Barbarians are there for raw violence and physical damage,
Huntresses are “sneaky” with their daggers and traps,
Druids represent nature, animal companions, and poisons
and Spiritborn are basically the shamans of the world.
However, a “holy warrior” is still missing, and fans have been wondering about this for a while, especially since the story strongly revolves around Lilith and her ex Inarius, an angel of the High Heavens. The entire Church of Light plays an important role without having a real connection to it.
The German hardcore event in WoW on Twitch is taking shape. The organizers of “Sauercrowd” have now uploaded three promotional videos and revealed what the plan looks like.
What are these videos? In the style of the old advertisements for World of Warcraft, project founders Metashi12, HandofBlood, and Papaplatte have stood in front of a white background and acted out their characters.
This is a homage to the advertisements of the past, in which stars like Mr. T appeared to convince players to join the MMORPG. The advertisement featuring Mr. T as a Night Elf Mohawk is now legendary, and you can find it on YouTube. With the same idea, the three Twitch stars are now drawing attention to their new project.
Here you can see one of the three new advertisements:
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What is known about the event? While the advertisements announce the big event rather superficially, the streamers have shared further information in the comments and descriptions of their videos.
The German branch of “OnlyFangs” is said to be called “Sauercrowd”. The streamers have also published a fitting website with a countdown at sauercrowd.gg.
Furthermore, it is set to take place on December 12, 2025, at 6:00 PM. Then, the rules of the event and further information regarding all processes will be published.
The following day, on December 13 at 6:00 PM, there will be a voting that will decide whether the Twitch streamers will side with the Alliance or the Horde as they traverse Azeroth. There will therefore be no division into two guilds.
When does the event officially start? The Sauercrowd event starts on December 27, 2025, on Twitch. For streamer Metashi12, the livestream begins at 8:00 AM with a pre-show. However, the official start time of the event, according to the countdown, is at 12:00 PM, although this has not yet been officially confirmed.
Here you can learn more about Papaplatte:
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This is how challenges for Papaplatte became a livelihood
An important character from the game Fallout New Vegas is also part of the 2nd season of the series from Amazon. This character is Mr. House, a businessman with dubious views.
Who is Mr. House? His full name is Robert Edwin House. Fans of the games know him mainly from Fallout New Vegas, but there are also various references to him in Fallout 4.
Since his brief appearance in the first season of the Amazon series and the end of the last episode, it was pretty certain: Robert House will reappear in the 2nd season. The first trailers have confirmed this and show how Cooper Howard – he later becomes a ghoul – encounters Mr. House in the past.
But how did the mysterious character, who also operates much from the shadows in the game New Vegas, become so powerful?
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Trailer for Season 2 of Fallout on Prime – from December 2025
An ambitious young man
What happened to Robert House? Although he is known from the post-apocalyptic world of Fallout, he actually comes from our time. Robert House was born in 2020. His childhood near Las Vegas took a tragic turn when his parents died in an accident.
Nevertheless, he grew up to be an ambitious and determined young man, engaging deeply with technology and founded an important company at the tender age of 22: RobCo Industries.
This company manufactured robots and software and quickly became one of the most important companies in the field worldwide under the leadership of the young CEO. House already stood out back then with his eccentric character. At the same time, the now wealthy entrepreneur soon began acquiring other companies and establishments, including the well-known Lucky 38 Casino from New Vegas, which can also be entered and even owned by the player character in the game.
Mr. House was just over 30 years old and had already come a long way. However, that was not enough for him. Besides his business activities, he was interested in the future of the world and tried to predict it through mathematical calculations. He eventually concluded the inevitable: There would be a nuclear war, and the world would never be the same again.
This is how we meet Mr. House in the game…
A diabolical plan
What did Mr. House do next? There was a dramatic meeting of the most powerful CEOs in the USA. This scene can also be seen in Fallout Season 1 and ended with a diabolical plan: It was decided to use atomic bombs on their own population to secure Vault-Tec’s profits. This was the company responsible for the iconic bunkers from the Fallout world – even though they were actually not suitable for long-term stays.
Mr. House believed that people who lived in Vaults for long periods would eventually kill themselves. Therefore, they would hardly survive longer than those poor souls who remained on the surface – partly due to the macabre experiments conducted in the bunkers. True to the entrepreneurial spirit, House subsequently did everything to protect Las Vegas from destruction.
He had numerous bombs destroyed and took another drastic step to ensure his own survival: Robert House implanted his brain into a highly intelligent computer. He had his body, which was 45 years old in 2065, preserved.
… but he actually looked like this in Fallout New Vegas.
Las Vegas becomes New Vegas
With a highly developed platinum chip, Mr. House actually wanted to secure the defense and organization of his gambling metropolis. However, just before the outbreak of the Great War (which lasted only one day) in 2077, the chip disappeared and remained lost for the next 200 years.
Mr. House had no choice but to make do with the existing systems. However, this often led to problems, and at one point, the once radiant man even fell into a coma.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas sank further into chaos and was only a shadow of its former self. When Mr. House finally awakened from his coma in 2138, he waited another 136 years before showing the world that he had survived. He allied himself with three tribes of raiders that populated New Vegas: the “Gourmet Society,” the “Chairmen,” and the “Omertas,” with whom players encounter in connection with quests.
House regained control over New Vegas and agreed to collaborate with the NCR – the New California Republic. They helped to protect the city, among other things from the faction Caesar’s Legion, for which we have a dedicated article on MeinMMO.
What was still important to House despite his newfound power was to obtain the platinum chip. For this, he invested a lot of money, and in 2281, the small piece of technology was finally found. And here you, as a player, come into the… game.
In Fallout New Vegas, you are one of six couriers, with you being the only one who actually has the real chip to deliver to Mr. House. The other five only serve as distractions. But it is exactly you who gets caught badly: A traitor from the ranks of the “Chairmen” intercepts you and shoots you in the head. An event that you miraculously survive, leading to the actual storyline of the game.
What role does Mr. House play in the series? In Season 1, he was part of the assembly that decided to drop the bombs on the USA. In the trailer for Season 2, he is seen in conversation with Cooper Howard, the ghoul, before he became one. He appears to threaten Mr. House, but the details are still unknown.
A magical item allowed a player in Dungeons & Dragons to attempt something with such an unlikely chance of success that even a natural 20 seems easy.
What did the player accomplish? A DM (Dungeon Master) reported to the D&D community on Reddit that one of his players had such incredible luck that it should only work once in 100 attempts.
His group possesses a magical homebrew item (an artifact invented by the DM), through which they can cast the spell “Wish”.
Wish is a 9th-level conjuration spell described in the Player’s Handbook as “the most powerful spell a mortal can cast” (Player’s Handbook 2024, page 341). The spell can produce various, extremely powerful effects that are detailed in the rules but can also be determined in consultation with the DM.
Accordingly, the DM established the rule that when attempting to cast Wish, a d100 (hundred-sided die) must be rolled, which then determines whether the wish works, nothing happens… or it leads to a catastrophe. The higher the number rolled, the higher the chance of success.
The player wished to get rid of a godlike entity that had been tormenting another character, with whom he is engaged, for some time. They had been trying to fight the entity or get rid of it in various ways for several rounds, so much was at stake given the different possible outcomes of the wish.
The DM recounts how he and his players held their breath as the dice rolled – and the player actually rolled a 100.
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The trailer for Critical Role’s The Mighty Nein on Amazon Prime shows the first conflicts that the “heroes” have to struggle with
With an incredible roll to a cinematic moment, thanks to the dice gods
How did the DM handle the roll and the wish? The DM realized that he could do nothing against that 100, which he didn’t want to do anyway due to the excitement of his players. He allowed the player to describe the nearly impossible success in great detail, capturing the entity in a gemstone and ending his partner’s suffering.
Such a roll the DM had never seen in all the years he has been playing Dungeons & Dragons, and the thrilling and crucial situation in which it happened made the moment even greater: “The dice gods sometimes truly grant us cinematic moments.”
What does the community say about this story? The D&D community on Reddit celebrates the DM and his group for experiencing such a wonderful moment through such intense dice luck.
“I love everything about it,” writes gremlinowl, “I love that the character had all this power and used it out of love for their fiancée to spare them pain. I love that you as a DM honored that moment. D&D is sometimes truly amazing.”
They also praise him for associating significant risks with potential successes to raise the stakes – because these can also lead to strong, albeit tragic moments.
“Man, I love critical fails that disturb players,” writes SolKaynn, “I remember one particularly bad roll where I caught syphilis from a book.”
ARC Raiders has released a new update, which is a rather small patch aimed at fixing some issues that have negatively impacted your gaming experience. Here are the patch notes.
When was the patch released? The patch was recently released on December 11, 2025, at 10:30 AM German time across all platforms. On Steam, the update is about 1.2 GB and includes several bug fixes.
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ARC Raiders zeigt im Launch-Trailer, wie der Kampf Mensch gegen Maschine aussieht
Patch Notes 1.5.0 Overview
What changes with the patch? A small overview of the current bug fixes has been listed on Discord. This update is more of a small patch aimed at fixing issues rather than bringing new content into the game. So don’t raise your expectations too high. Please note that the patch notes are currently available only in English – we will translate them for you. Here’s what they state:
A gondola has been removed, which allowed players to reach Stella Montis outside the playing field.
A collision issue has been fixed, which allowed players to jump over a wall in Blue Gate and fall through it.
Material issues have been fixed that prevented several objects from blocking bullets or ARC Vision.
A gap in the collision on the Spaceport Launch Tower has been fixed, which allowed players to be shot through the wall.
When is the winter update coming? Every Raider wants new content, and since Stella Montis has been uncovered, they are wondering when more will come. Ossen, one of Embark’s community staff, mentioned in their post that the team is preparing for the release.
Since the release phase is now over, the team is changing their update days. Instead of Thursdays, updates will now be on Tuesdays – including the upcoming winter update. So expect a big patch on December 16 at 10:30 AM.
Additionally, Ossen is preparing the Raiders for an upcoming winter break, as the team wants to recharge for the next year to provide them with more content. It is therefore very likely that there will be no updates after December 16 until January arrives.
That was all the information regarding the current patch of ARC Raiders. Are you disappointed that the winter update hasn’t gone live yet today? After all, there is a big update to look forward to soon, especially as the holidays approach and the weather gets colder. You can find out more about ARC Raiders here: Players capture a streamer in ARC Raiders, who cooperates immediately and experiences an epic ending
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Gainax Inc. is an animation studio responsible for many animes such as Neon Genesis Evangelion and Gurren Lagann. For years, there have been disputes behind the scenes that have now led to its closure.
How did the closure come about? Since 2015, Gainax has not produced any anime. The last project the studio worked on was the anime Wish Upon the Pleiades, after which no projects were released. The studio had been around since 1984 and would have celebrated its 42nd anniversary next year.
But on December 10, 2025, the studio completed its insolvency proceedings and no longer exists.
Hideaki Anno, the CEO of Khara Inc., has now written emotional farewell words to the studio. His studio is primarily known for animated films related to Evangelion or for participating in Kaiju No.8 or Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX.
He had been associated with Gainax Inc. for 20 years and was even a shareholder in the studio. Anno holds the old management responsible for the studio’s downfall.
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Neon Genesis Evangelion – Trailer for the Legendary Anime Series
Gainax became a studio with many scandals
What happened behind the scenes? In 2019, the then CEO of Gainax, Tomohiro Maki, was arrested on suspicion of sexually harassing a voice actress (as reported on Sumikai). Following this, rights had to be transferred, and production results and other materials had to be safely returned to their rights holders and authors, according to Anno.
The problem was that the transfer of rights and materials had been carried out without proper procedures under the previous management:
The problem was that the transfer of rights and materials had occurred without proper procedures under the previous management. Therefore, we filed a civil lawsuit against the management at that time, and on January 20, 2023, a settlement was reached in which the claims of the plaintiff were acknowledged, and the defendant apologized.
Subsequently, the critical financial situation of the studio was thoroughly analyzed. It was found that Gainax had lied about repayments. Additionally, statements came to light in which the former management “displayed a lack of respect for the work and employees of Gainax regarding corporate governance and the safeguarding of production materials”.
Anno’s anger turned into deep sadness when he learned of the false statements made by his former friends. He realized that their friendship could never be the same as before.
In the end, Anno lays the blame on the former management team. They left the prestigious studio in the lurch without taking responsibility for commitments and creditors.
The closure is very sad, especially since Neon Genesis Evangelion turned into a classic in the anime world. The series is one of five animes that you must have on your shelf. You can find the other series here: 5 animes that everyone should have on their shelf
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Rockstar might be facing quite a problem. Because the layoffs at the GTA 6 developer of over 30 employees are now being examined by the British Prime Minister.
A few weeks ago, we reported that there had been some terminations without notice at Rockstar, the developer behind GTA 6. More than 30 employees had to pack their things and were escorted out by security.
The case made waves as quickly the accusation arose that Rockstar had fired employees because they wanted to join a union. The developer, on the other hand, stated with a slight delay that there were other reasons for the layoffs, namely “gross misconduct,” which was ultimately attributable to Discord chats – but that was apparently not very convincing. Because now even the British Prime Minister is concerned about the case and has expressed his “concern.”
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Rockstar Games presents GTA 6 in the second trailer
What has the British Parliament done? As IGN reports, the layoffs at Rockstar became a topic in the British Parliament. Chris Murray, a Member of Parliament and responsible for the area where Rockstar is based, directed his questions to Prime Minister Keir Starmer and stated:
The video game company Rockstar in my constituency has fired 31 employees in the last month without evidence or union representation. The [Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain] accuses [Rockstar] of union-busting. I have met with Rockstar and they failed to convince me that they were following employment laws and I share the concerns about the union-busting.
In light of the fact that this government is for the greatest improvement of workers’ rights in a generation, does the Prime Minister agree that all companies, no matter how large their profits, must adhere to the employment laws of the United Kingdom and that all workers should be allowed to join a union?
Prime Minister Starmer then stated that he finds the incident “extremely concerning” and will look into it more closely.
How did the meeting with Rockstar go? IGN subsequently requested a statement from Murray, which revealed some additional details that make the case even more curious. Because when Murray, together with two other Members of Parliament, wanted to visit Rockstar, he described the meeting as follows:
The meeting began with us as Members of Parliament being denied entry unless we signed a non-disclosure agreement. Something they only withdrew after we made it clear that we would not sign it.
Such non-disclosure agreements (“NDA – Non-disclosure agreement”) are standard in the video game industry, but appear extremely curious when politicians want to inform themselves about accusations and incidents. But the actual meeting afterwards also seemed to cast Rockstar in a bad light, as Murray further explained:
The meeting only reinforced my concern about why Rockstar fired so many of its employees. I was not convinced that they were paying enough attention to the employment laws of the United Kingdom, I was not convinced that this action was necessary and, alarmingly, I was not informed about what exactly these 31 individuals had done that would justify their immediate dismissal.
The case will therefore continue for a while and could have some consequences for Rockstar, even if only transitional payments to the dismissed employees if the allegations lead to a verdict. All of this does not cast a good light on the developer behind GTA 6, which is scheduled to be released in November 2026 and is already predisposed to become one of the best-selling games of all time – but some employees work in fear.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
On December 11, 2025, the first major patch for the global version of Where Winds Meet will be released. We will show you all the highlights of 1.1 and bring you the complete patch notes.
What highlights does the patch bring? The new version will be available on December 11, 2025, and can be played from 10:00 PM CET. The patch, named “Timeless Bonds”, includes several major new features that bring new content to the game.
Some content will be available only in the following days. However, you can expect the following new features right at the start of the patch:
New map: Roaring Sands, which will completely unlock the Kaifeng region
New campaign: River Master in the Roaring Sands
New gameplay element: Gossip Paper
Unlocked once you complete the first quest in Kaifeng
Then look for newspaper boys and follow the clues
New Year’s event until January 3, 2026
Quest line around the New Year with quests starting on December 11, 14, and 30, 2025
New challenge in the Mausoleum
New world boss: Feng Ruzhi
Other major new features will be released later in the week. You can find out what they are in the next section. If you are looking for the complete patch notes (currently only available in English), you can read them on the official game website.
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Schnelle Gründe, warum ihr Where Winds Meet zocken solltet
These contents will be brought by patch 1.1 throughout the week
What other contents come with patch 1.1? In addition to the highlights mentioned above that will be available right at the patch launch, there are also some new features that will be available later. This particularly concerns the launch of the global mobile version of Where Winds Meet. This will take place on December 12, 2025, and will be playable from 1:00 AM CET.
You can also join a sect as a member starting December 14, 2025, which you already encountered in the story in Kaifeng: the Velvet Shade. They are associated with espionage and romance, and you will find them in the city center in an impressive complex. To join them, you need to have completed the side quest “Shadows in Bloom“.
The Velvet Shades are one of currently 11 different sects available in Where Winds Meet. Not all are accessible yet, but they will gradually become playable in upcoming updates. If you want to know which sects exist and which one is right for you, check it out here: Where Winds Meet: All Sects at a Glance – Which “Class” Suits You?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The new desktop widget for Where Winds Meet will be available soon. MeinMMO explains what is known so far.
What kind of tool is this? The desktop widget is expected to become a future program for Where Winds Meet, which will be integrated into the game with the big update on December 11. The tool has been available in the game under the event tab since December 10, even though it is not yet active.
Our experts recently spoke about Where Winds Meet and its success, you can listen to the talk here:
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MyMMO in the GameStar Talk: Our MMORPG expert sums up the Chinese RPG Where Winds Meet
Practical tool for all players
What can the desktop widget do? The new desktop widget for Where Winds Meet shows version updates, friend status, limited events, daily energy status, local weather, gallery highlights, and more.
So it’s a small companion for Where Winds Meet that aims to provide players with information that is otherwise only available in-game, even without starting the game.
According to an in-game message, the desktop widget can only be used in combination with the new app from Where Winds Meet. Whether it will work properly on PC or only on mobile is still unclear.
What about the Companion App? Players of Where Winds Meet have created their own program called “Where Winds Meet Companion App,” which provides players with guides and assistance. This tool is not from the official developers, but purely community-driven.
The tool is easily accessible online via the website wwmcompanion.dev and does not require separate installation. However, it does not have the features mentioned above of the official desktop widget and is more of a compact guide site for the title rather than an app that is truly connected to your character.
Thus, the new desktop widget from Where Winds Meet allows players to check on their character and the world without logging in. It becomes exciting when you can also do various things there that help your character progress, making the tool more than just a showcase into the Jianghu. On MeinMMO you will find many guides about Where Winds Meet, here is the overview: Where Winds Meet: All guides, tips, and builds at a glance
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
