Mike Pondsmith is not only known as a creator in the tabletop role-playing game field, such as Dungeons & Dragons , but also contributed to the video game Cyberpunk 2077In a talk, he recently shared his thoughts on very specific fan wishes.
Who is Mike Pondsmith? Mike Pondsmith is an American game designer, author, and founder of the role-playing game publisher R. Talsorian Games. He is the creator of the pen-and-paper role-playing game Cyberpunk, which is also the basis for the video game Cyberpunk 2077, in which he was also involved. He was also involved in settings for Dungeons & Dragons.
Pondsmith has been working in the RPG industry since the 1980s and has developed numerous systems and expansions. He is known for his strong focus on world-building and social criticism, and gained attention from the wider gaming community primarily for his collaboration with the game studio CD Projekt Red for Cyberpunk 2077.
During a talk panel at the Digital Dragons Conference 2025, he spoke about how fans become an integral part of a franchise and also addressed specific fan wishes, regarding which he has a clear opinion.
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“Fanfiction couples drive me crazy!”
What is the creator’s opinion? The specific fan wishes pertain to couples that fans create in the form of fanfiction stories that do not exist in the original story. According to Pondsmith, there would be “people who want to see a beautiful love story in almost every case, and if you don’t offer them one, they will invent one – and it will be strange” and the results of that would drive him “crazy.”
And even if one were to bring suitable couples into the original story, there would always be people who modify and adapt their connection to fit their own taste. “Oh God, I was sometimes horrified by the couples I saw. Were you on crack? How could you believe that such a thing really happened?” Pondsmith added.
Nevertheless, such interactions of fans with the story are also important. It is crucial how one, as a developer, handles that and how one encourages fans to interact with the story – even in the form of modifications and fanfiction. Because these fans will always exist, whether you want them for your own creation or not. But in the end, they are also fans that you have reached with your work.
The Midnight Blades have a clear focus on PvP in Where Winds Meet. Everything you need to know about joining, the bonuses, and the sect itself can be found here.
The Midnight Blades at a glance: The Midnight Blades are perfect for players who enjoy playing assassins and want a strong focus on PvP.
By joining them, you automatically gain access to the martial art of the Infernal Twinblades and must adhere to rules that encourage you to eliminate other players.
By joining the sect, you receive bonuses and role-playing directives that focus on combat against other players and do not shy away from fights within the sect itself, as this is the only way to achieve success there.
How you can join them, what benefits it brings, and what else you should know will be explained in this article.
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Schnelle Gründe, warum ihr Where Winds Meet zocken solltet
Join the Midnight Blades – Find the Quest at This Location
Here are the requirements: To become a part of the sect, you must have reached level 22. While sects are accessible from level 10, PvP and thus the focus of the Midnight Blades only becomes available at level 22.
Here you start the quest: Once you have achieved this, head to the Halo Peak in Qinghe Sundara Land and travel east until you encounter an injured man. He is located near the cliffs and will give you the quest named “Save by Killing”, with which you begin your entry into the sect.
Here you will find the location for starting the quest.
Here’s how to join: Follow the blood trails until you meet the NPC Icchantika. He will give you a token and the task to soak it in blood. You just need to kill anyone, whether player or NPC. Then bring him your proof back, and you will be accepted into the sect.
Follow the Rules and Ascend Ranks – This is How You Succeed
What rules must you follow now? Now that you are part of the sect, they require you to adhere to the following rules:
Kill to gain Karma: Kill wanderers (other players) to earn Karma points – if you get killed, you lose them.
Supreme Bliss for All Beings: Travel to the Perception Forest (Battle Royale PvP) to earn large amounts of Karma.
Meditative Samadhi: Spare no life when fighting in the open world.
You must adhere to these lines weekly to avoid being expelled from the sect due to non-compliance with the rules or inactivity.
How to quickly and easily farm Karma points? The easiest way to get a lot of Karma points with little effort is in the Battle Royale mode “Perception Forest”. There you fight in matches with 50 players against each other to the death, and the higher your placement, the more Karma you receive.
How to rise through the ranks? You can achieve a total of 4 ranks in the sect. Depending on the rank, you have different ascent requirements that you can see under the “Status” section of your sect.
Unlike other sects, the Midnight Blades explicitly require that you fight and kill brothers and sisters of your own clan. For example, if you want to rise from Truth Wanderer (Rank 2) to Suffering (Rank 3), you must first defeat a Suffering (Elder).
What happens if you leave? If you want to leave the sect, you must press the button to “Betray Master” in the sect overview. If you confirm your wish to leave the sect, you will be forced to complete a round in the Perception Forest.
All Info on Bonuses and Rewards
What rewards and bonuses do the Midnight Blades bring? Unlike other sects, you do not receive titles for your character with them, but tokens that have different colors depending on the rank. You also gain access to the exclusive sect shop, in which you can exchange your reputation and coins for rewards such as exclusive skins or materials.
Additionally, membership in the sect grants you access to the martial art of the Infernal Twinblades and to the sect-exclusive arena, which you can participate in once you are a candidate for the “Suffering” rank.
The 2nd season of the animeFrieren – After the Journey is starting soon. All info about the release, the trailer, and the streaming services can be found on MeinMMO.
The last episode from season 1 of Frieren aired on April 19, 2024, in Germany. So, it’s been a while since we could accompany the journey of the elven mage. The original story from the manga is still not finished.
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Frieren: New trailer for the anime shows the release of season 2
Frieren Season 2: The essentials about the continuation of the anime
Release: When does season 2 come out?
The 2nd season of Frieren will premiere in the winter season 2026. The first episode will air on January 16, 2026. All subsequent episodes will be released weekly thereafter.
Trailer: Is there already a preview of the anime?
By now, there are two trailers for season 2 of Frieren. While the first video (seen above) simply shows the group with Frieren in nature, the second trailer features much more action. The nearly 2-minute video shows battles, tense situations, but also calmer moments. You can watch it here:
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Freezing: Trailer for Season 2 of the Anime Shows Relaxed Travels
Streaming Service: On which platforms can I watch the anime?
Frieren will be exclusively available in simulcast on Crunchyroll, just a few minutes or hours after its broadcast on Japanese television. Since season 1 also appeared on Netflix a few months after airing on Crunchyroll, it can be assumed that the same will happen with season 2. A specific date is not known yet.
Dubbing: In which language will season 2 run?
The anime will again be running in simulcast on the release day. This means that it will air shortly after its release in Japan — in the original Japanese sound. The German dubbing will probably be added at a later time. For season 1, it is already available on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
Episodes: How many episodes does the anime have?
So far, it is not yet known how many episodes season 2 will have. If it behaves like season 1, fans can look forward to 28 episodes.
Story: What happens in the anime?
In season 1, the content of the manga was integrated up to the arc “First-Class Mage Exam (Final Stage)”. In season 2, it will continue with the contents from this arc. If it ends with the next big battle in the manga, fans could expect the following content:
The group continues to travel to Aureole and arrives at the northern plateau of the continent, where they meet new people and monsters. A city, named after a typical German beverage, is also included.
Frieren, Stark, and Fern encounter Genau and Methode again, who they already know from the exam. They unite against the demon Revolte.
The elven mage and her friends hear rumors about a golden city. This time they encounter Denken and must work together to defeat Macht, who is responsible for the transformation.
Another anime that will start almost simultaneously is the 3rd season of Jujutsu Kaisen. Fans can expect a gigantic battle royale, where protagonist Yuji Itadori must also fear for his life. He will have to deal with another protagonist: Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3: Release, trailer, and leaks of the anime overview
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Students secretly use AI to gain an advantage at the university. A lecturer has had enough and used a hidden instruction to expose the cheaters.
What did the person do? History professor Will Teague from the State University in San Angelo reports on the news site Huffpost that some students have been using AI in their assignments since 2023, and he caught them with a trick.
According to Will Teague, he supposedly hid an invisible text passage as a “Trojan horse” within his assignments. This passage is said to be readable only by an AI when the assignment is processed. For students who do not use AI tools, there would be no difference.
Students spy on passersby with hidden cameras and AI, find name and address in seconds
Surprising result after the first attempt
How did the experiment end? After submission, the professor checked the assignments for the hidden instruction and found that over a third of his students would be using AI.
In total, out of the 122 submitted assignments, 33 were processed with AI. After revealing his experiment, 14 more students confessed to using AI. Thus, 39 percent were at least partially processed with AI.
The result shocked the lecturer, and he reported receiving some emails after the experiment, in which students apologized to him. But some also tried to convince him of their innocence. He said, “The Trojan horse does not lie.”
Whether the assignments that were written with the help of AI were qualitatively better is not clear from the post. It is also questionable whether using AI makes us more productive. A study on this is supposed to provide initial answers, you can read more about it on MeinMMO.
Students at German universities regularly use AI tools
How do students in Germany use AI? The CHE or Centrum für Hochschulentwicklung reports that a majority of students in Germany supposedly use AI in their studies. Tools like ChatGPT are particularly popular, primarily used for general research.
According to the center, in addition to research, AI is also popular as a brainstorming tool among students. The use of text generation for homework, as identified by the history professor, is said to be less popular.
A streamer encounters a group of law-abiding players in ARC Raiders, who question him about his criminal activities as a raider while holding him at gunpoint. However, he is having so much fun that he can’t help but cooperate. The scene, however, takes a surprising turn.
What happened to the streamer? The player RogueRealities shares with the ARC Raiders community a somewhat unusual and surprisingly humorous encounter with other raiders in the game. In a clip on Reddit, you can see how the player is discovered in Stella Montis by a group of players who are aware of their numerical advantage and therefore demand that Rogue kneel with his weapon lowered.
They do this with such flair and effort that the streamer can’t help but play along.
They ask him whether he has looted anything that evening, whether he has killed other players, and if he now wants to rob the “Stella Montis Police Department”. The player denies this with the best acting skills possible (but includes entirely contrary evidence in his clip) and tries to convince the other players of his “innocence”. However, the players seem to have already seen through him.
“There are already arrest warrants against you for murdering innocent civilians on the surface!” accuses Stella Officer Number 1 (as Rogue titles him), but before the streamer can make excuses, one of the officers notices another person who is supposed to provide the scene with the required cinematic surprise.
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ARC Raiders zeigt im Launch-Trailer, wie der Kampf Mensch gegen Maschine aussieht
A cowboy adds the final flair to the scene
How does the clip end? A cowboy has sneaked into the interrogation room on the upper floor, initially unnoticed by anyone. When Stella Officer Number 1 finally turns around, Rogue recognizes his chance: “Are you perhaps confusing me with that one?”
But before the suspicion can shift to the other person, the cowboy grabs a grenade and turns the players’ interaction into an ending, which Rogue stages with a perfectly timed “Directed by Michael Bay” finish.
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How does the community react to the players’ interaction? The community on Reddit enjoys the clip and the editing that Rogue put into it.
“The community is one of the best I have ever been a part of,” he writes enthusiastically, and other users can share his enthusiasm. Another player, JannousGr, shares that he himself was part of a very similar scene with a few random players: “I was once part of the BCPD (Buried City Police Department) and we found about 6 to 7 people who participated. […] The game can be really funny sometimes.”
The player Snoo_90057 thinks that the roleplay of the arrest warrants could be a real mechanic in the game, like a bounty system. Rogue does not mind the idea, but points out who the real enemies in the game are, and those are the ARCs, against which they should unite.
The self-proclaimed “Stella Montis Police Department” is just one example of how you can spend your time in ARC Raiders if you find it enjoyable. Because players are not necessarily required to take out other raiders, but can also team up and fight against the ARCs together. How our readers shape their rounds in MeinMMO, we found out with a survey that yielded a clear result: MeinMMO readers are among the most social players in ARC Raiders, only 4% will stab you in the back at the first opportunity
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
League of Legends changes with the patches and introduces new stars. Most of the time, champions stay in their roles, but it has been shown that one of them is extremely powerful when played in the wrong role.
Which champion is it? The big bad Aatrox has been a part of League of Legends for over 12 years. He is a classic top laner and is played in that role by most professionals. However, since the LoL patch in November, there has been a trend where Aatrox is played wrong by being forced into a different role than usual.
Where is Aatrox currently being played? Aatrox is currently often found in the jungle. The Reddit user Numerous_Fudge_9537 pointed out that Aatrox is currently ranked 4th among the most banned jungle champions. The post states: “Aatrox has found a larger audience and more success in the jungle than in his actual role.”
Even in the KeSPA Cup 2025, where some of the best Korean teams play, Aatrox is only played in the jungle (as of December 10, 2025).
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The trailer of the new champion of League of Legends showcases his abilities in action
Why is Aatrox so strong in the jungle right now? With patch 25.23 on November 18, 2025, some champions were adjusted to be used additionally in the jungle if you have been forced into that role. Riot aims to make the jungler role more attractive by providing a larger selection of champions for it.
Aatrox has an ability that allows him to swing his sword and hit up to 3 times. Each activation of the spell is a separate hit. Since patch 25.23, monsters such as those in the jungle receive additional damage from further hits of the sword.
Players believe Aatrox is way too powerful in the jungle
What does the community say about Aatrox? Some users commented on their experiences with Aatrox in the jungle under the post.
The user BaneOfAlduin writes on Reddit that he has already tried Aatrox in the jungle and has come to the conclusion that the changes to his sword ability deal absurd amounts of damage. He himself manages to clear the jungle with good speed, although he did not use some sword swings perfectly.
Another Reddit user agrees with him and added that Aatrox is even so fast that the champ finishes his first tour through the jungle several seconds before a key monster spawns (reddit.com).
MeinMMO’s demon Cortyn has fallen in love with a carpet in World of Warcraft. Because it carries several houses all on its own.
Those who engage with housing in World of Warcraft will quickly have to strain their brain a little. Because, especially since there aren’t that many items available in Early Access, one has to be a bit creative to still create the perfect house.
The catch is: You can repurpose almost any object to create something new. A few examples:
If you scale down a large tree, it can also serve as a houseplant.
A few wooden beams in the wall can become a coat hook.
Semi-circular tables can be combined to become a large flower box.
The only real limit to design is your own creativity in connecting different objects.
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In WoW könnt ihr Häuser anheben – Pimp Your House Edition
The Ultimate Housing Carpet
However, one item is much more useful than all others, and that’s what I want to tell you about today: Circular Woolen Rug.
The rug is an absolute standard item. You can buy it an infinite number of times from the housing vendors in the neighborhood – it is an item of “white” quality, meaning common.
The carpet of carpets.
Visually, the “Circular Woolen Rug” is not impressive at all. It is just a blue carpet that isn’t even particularly nicely decorated. But it has one advantage: You can dye it in any color. If you then turn it upside down to show the underside, you have a nice, solid-colored surface.
The versatility with which this rug has already supported my housing plans is unbelievable. Basically, every room in my house is based on some play with the rug, as it can be used in many ways.
Here, carpets fill the flower bed.
Let me give you a few practical examples:
If you want to create a flower bed and simulate soil or moss, a flipped green carpet will work – or several to fill the bed.
A new floor texture can be created when you spread the carpet on the floor and fill the entire room with it.
A light yellow carpet behind the window can simulate a moon.
Moonlight and floor texture. Thanks to the carpet.
A Carpet Conquers the World (of Warcraft)
A girlfriend of mine is also incorporating the carpets heavily into her project. She’s working on a dark cave filled with secrets. Here are a few examples of how she has integrated the carpets:
The water of a spring can be simulated with a light blue carpet.
The exit of a cave, where daylight shines in, can be a yellow carpet that you light from behind.
All of this is just examples of how one can repurpose such a simple item to create entirely new effects and possibilities. The creativity with which one can play here is simply breathtaking and makes me think every time I look at the neighboring buildings: “This is so incredibly clever!”
By now, housing has consumed me so much that I think about how to cleverly or logically incorporate different items into my own house, even when I’m not playing. I’ve probably thought more about the design of my WoW house than about my actual apartment… but hey. I’ve been waiting almost 20 years for this. Do you also have any item from the housing of World of Warcraft that has become your “MVP” and improves every project? And have you heard that flying houses are now officially allowed?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A new event in Pokémon GO brings you not only Dynamax monsters and a global challenge but also for the first time Clobbopus– under one condition.
What is this event about? The event “Well Armed” starts on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at 10:00 AM and runs until Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at 8:00 PM.
How do I get Klopptopus? The fighting monster Clobbopus from generation 8 can first be obtained during the event. You can find it in the wild as well as in field research. For 50 candies, you can evolve Clobbopus into Grapploct.
However, Clobbopus will only be unlocked once the global challenges that are part of the event have been successfully completed. Before that, you will not find the monster in the wild or in field research.
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Pokémon GO shows its new season in the trailer
All content from Well Armed
What are the global challenges about? Global challenges are part of the event. Here, all trainers worldwide need to complete Max Battles to successfully conclude them. Once these are completed, the following bonuses will be unlocked in the event:
Clobbopus will be unlocked in the wild and in field research
Mienfoo* and Jangmo-o* will appear in the wild
more candies and XL candies for Max Battles
How many Max Battles need to be completed in total is currently unknown. However, in past events, global challenges have usually been completed very quickly.
What monsters are in the wild? Regardless of the global challenge, you can expect the following monsters in the wild:
Poliwag*
Machop*
Makuhita*
Octillery (rare)
Monsters marked with an * can also appear as Shiny.
What monsters are in Max Battles? During the event, you can also challenge Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan in their Dynamax forms and add them to your collection. Both monsters also have an increased chance of appearing as Shiny.
What bonuses are there in the event? In addition to the increased Shiny chance for Dynamax Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan, you also receive double the amount of candies when catching monsters during the event.
What field research is available during the event? Event field research is also part of the event. Here you can receive instant and charged TMs as well as encounters with Dynamax Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan.
Paid research: For $1.99 (approximately 2 €), you can also purchase a limited-time research. In this, you will receive among other things 6 special candies, 3 XL special candies, and 1,600 Dyna particles.
Not only the Well Armed event awaits you this month. There are many more events, raids, spotlight hours, and additional content. If you want to get an overview of it, 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.
Path of Exile 2 has celebrated the release of its latest League “Fate of the Vaal”. With it come new features and to let you know what to expect, we present you the most important information in summary.
Update, December 12, 2025: The article has been reviewed and is up to date.
When is the release? The release of Update 4.0 is already scheduled for December 12, 2025. You can expect the league to start around 7 PM, but expect a high number of players. As usual, there will be a queue, so you have to line up before you can start playing.
Compared to Rise of the Abyss, there are fewer changes in the endgame, but you will receive a new league mechanic and a completely new class: the Druid.
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Trailer zu Path of Exile 2: Fate of the Vaal zeigt die Königin der Vaal
Fate of the Vaal – This is the league mechanic
In Fate of the Vaal, everything revolves around the Vaal. In the future, they were wiped out by a catastrophe, but with the help of Doryani, there may be a chance to save them. To put this plan into action, you need to utilize the new seasonal mechanic. This allows you to visit Vaal temples and expand them with building blocks. These building blocks are like paths that you can draw through the temple.
Each of these paths can offer different content – like bosses, regular enemies, crafting options, and more. At the end of each dungeon, the ultimate challenge awaits you: a battle against the Queen of Vaal, Atziri.
This is what the map of your temple looks like.
Of course, you first have to reach the end of the dungeon, and tactical thinking is required here. The paths mentioned earlier that you can use in your temple have effects that can influence surrounding paths. You can empower enemies, strengthen bosses, or upgrade workbenches to get more out of your expeditions.
You can place up to 6 paths, but after your expedition, some of them will be removed – you will now need to place 6 more, and this process will repeat itself over and over.
To generally utilize the mechanic, you must charge floor plates of the various maps with kills. The more plates you have charged, the more often you can travel to the past to expand your temple.
The team at GGG has made the mechanic beginner-friendly because you don’t have to play it right away. You can also play through the entire campaign first. All collected energies will be stored and will not be consumed or deleted if you do not use them. So, you can take your time and gradually ease into it.
The next highlight from Update 0.4 is the Druid, and it is supposed to provide more new build possibilities than any other class. As usual, the Druid is a shapeshifter. To unleash this, there are 3 forms into which you can transform:
A Bear
Brutal but slow melee attacks and stomp attacks
A Werewolf
Fast, bloody frost attacks and the chance to generate a pack of wolves that assist in combat
A Wyvern
Both melee and ranged combat possible. Uses wings to slash enemies. These can even be charged with lightning. Use your flame breath to spit fireballs or soak your enemies in oil to light them better. You can even take to the air and bomb enemies with a rain of fire. If you need power charges, you can simply eat your enemies.
But to transform, you need to socket a new type of Talisman in your weapon slot. This will allow you to initially determine which form you may transform into in battle.
Apart from that, the Druid is a hybrid focusing on strength and intelligence. He excels especially in combat with various spells. Powers like summoning vines or volcanoes suit him well and show that in combination with his shapeshifting abilities, he has a lot of options available for battle.
Finally, he will also come with Update 0.4 with 2 Ascendant classes:
The Oracle
Allows you to see the future and creates copies of you that can attack as well.
If you use the same attacks as your copy, your attacks will be amplified.
If your boss takes enough damage, you can see another version of him and attack it.
Gains over 150 new passive points in the skill tree, but only if you have chosen the Oracle.
The Shaman
Generates rage while you cast spells.
Runes have new effects that only the Druid in this Ascendant class can see and use.
Focuses mainly on elemental damage.
It remains to be seen what exciting builds fans can develop at the launch of Update 0.4, but GGG has already shown that there are plenty of options available.
Are there further changes to the endgame? Yes, but these are relatively minor. The Abyss mechanic from the current league is intended to be brought into the Atlas in a streamlined form. With waypoint tablets, you will be able to summon them on your maps.
As for the waypoint tablets, you will soon be able to upgrade them with your regular currencies and even catapult them to rare level. Maps are also expected to offer more loot, but will also become slightly more difficult. For more on what is happening with the endgame, you can find out here in our article: Players cheer that the Druid is finally coming to Path of Exile 2, but what about the endgame?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Destiny 2 is strongly inspired by Star Wars in the new expansion “Renegades” and even collaborated with Lucasfilm for it – and in this collaboration lie the strengths of the expansion.
Renegades, the new expansion of Destiny 2, starts off strong with a video sequence that screams Star Wars. The design of the spaceships, the sound effects of the laser cannons… You can directly see and hear where it is heading.
A new villain enters the room and instantly grabs all attention and overwhelms with his aura. The presentation is impressive and I immediately wondered: “Okay, who is this and why is he so cool?”
Then we play a typical Destiny mission and fight our way through enemy territory. At the end of the mission there is another fantastically staged scene: a lightsaber duel between one of our companions and the new adversary, which we admire from different angles. The fight could be directly from one of the new Star Wars films and is really fun to watch. I’m hooked and eager to continue playing.
Boring Quests, Silent Dialogues and Little Drama
Again and again we are sent to collect items or information through the new social hub, accompanied by short dialogues. Boredom sets in because the dialogues are not very meaningful or emotional. The exciting, teased campaign of the expansion progresses sluggishly. Worse still: Almost all dialogues are completely silent, as if I were playing Pokémon or an indie game that did not have a budget for voice actors.
Unfortunately, it is not only unimportant NPCs that are affected, who only appear 1-2 times throughout the story. Important players, who are foundational to the story, are also suddenly silent in some dialogues, even though they have a voice actor in the video sequences.
Who writes here? Dariusz is our shooter nerd at MeinMMO. He tests every new game in the genre and spends countless hours in the various PvE and PvP realms. Although he prefers tactical shooters like Rainbow Six: Siege and Valorant, especially loot shooters like Destiny are a great change for him when the players or opponents in PvP are terribly exhausting. Now he has played “Renegades” and wants to share his impressions with you.
During the campaign, our Guardian learns about various, less righteous factions to collaborate with them. The faction leaders, whom we speak to repeatedly, are also silent. However, they give us our new abilities, the so-called tactical abilities.
However, the actual story suffers during the introduction of the new abilities. The plot develops slowly. The dramatic situation conveyed to us in the video sequences is hardly felt. Instead: In the midst of this life-threatening situation, we play introductory missions to the factions and tutorial missions for the new abilities.
The tension arc falls and falls.
I was promised a brilliant Star Wars story in the intro, but the missions do not reflect that for a long time. I’m waiting for drama and conflicts. After all, about a third of the campaign passes before the tutorial missions end. The first mission that convinced me came when the campaign was already almost two-thirds through.
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Destiny 2: Renegades shows the new threat of the Guardians in its launch trailer
Not everything is bad that tastes like Destiny
Don’t get me wrong, not everything is bad that comes from Renegades of Destiny. On the contrary: It is more Destiny and those who want more Destiny will probably be satisfied. The excellent gunplay of the shooter has of course not worsened and some of the new weapons are really fun. My favorite is a gun in the style of Han Solo’s blaster. Shooting with it felt really good.
If you have simply longed for new Destiny content, you will get it. Renegades is not the most extensive expansion, but you get a story campaign, new weapons, a mode where you can raid other Guardians, and a new dungeon will follow on December 13. Destiny fans get typical Destiny gameplay.
Highlights of the expansion also include the new tactical abilities that our Guardian can use in the frontier, including an airstrike in the best Helldivers manner and a dome shield that blocks enemy fire. The good thing about it: You can use them when you feel like it, but you can usually also ignore them – this is a significant improvement compared to the last expansion “At the Edge of Fate”, where extremely annoying mechanics were forced upon you even in boss fights.
The strengths of Renegades clearly lie where we feel the presence of Star Wars – and this is said by someone who was never a big fan of Star Wars. The problem is that the Star Wars part is so good that as a player you expect this level for the entire expansion and are disappointed.
The video sequences are fantastically staged
The music and sound design perfectly match the theme and contribute significantly to the atmosphere
The Star Wars weapons are implemented strongly: The “Han Solo Blaster” is a lot of fun and the exotic lightsaber is one of the best new weapons Destiny has received in recent years
However, the rest of the expansion cannot maintain the high quality of the Star Wars content. Too often I lost the desire to continue playing because my tasks seemed trivial. I then had to repeat a mission because a door did not open due to a bug. It took me several attempts before I could finally motivate myself to play through the campaign – and that was mainly due to the mission design and the silent dialogues. For me, this quickly resulted in a disillusioned impression:
Whenever Star Wars takes a backseat and Destiny has to shine, Renegades falters and as a result, the expansion lacked the spark for a long time that would have made me truly enjoy it.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
MeinMMO author Ody has spent countless hours as a child on a very special strategy game. Its remake on Steamis now getting the DLC he has always wanted.
The game in question? Age of Mythology, a classic RTS from 2002. The new DLC is for the 2024 release, Age of Mythology: Retold.
Even though the game often went under the radar compared to the rest of the “Age of …” series, it has always been one of my favorites – and Age of Mythology: Retold is among the 15 best strategy games for PC 2025. I have spent countless hours in it, and quite literally: that was long before I had a Steam account or any other way to track my playtime.
Who is writing here? Even as a child, MeinMMO author Ody was obsessed with mythology and real-time strategy. Therefore, Age of Mythology was the perfect game for him. Consequently, he spent a significant part of his childhood retrieving Poseidon’s trident alongside the hero Arkantos in the campaign or simply diving into battles.
Here you can see a trailer for Age of Mythology: Retold:
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Age of Mythology: Retold – Der Trailer zum Remaster des Strategie-Klassikers
Finally, the Aztecs are coming!
On December 9, 2025, the developers published a preview on their official website www.ageofempires.com about what fans can expect in the coming year. In particular, my inner child is thrilled about one of the announced DLCs for AoM: Retold.
“Obsidian Mirror” finally delivers the civilization (and its mythology) without which the game simply would not feel complete: the Aztecs. They have been long awaited not just by me but by many other fans – now the prayers have finally been heard.
With the Aztecs, a civilization from the New World is making its way into the game, one rich in myths and creatures. Why the warlike Aztecs fit perfectly into an RTS, I probably don’t need to explain.
The Aztecs will also receive their own campaign that spans 12 missions “across continents and heavenly realms.” The developers have not revealed more, and we also do not know exactly how the Aztecs will play. However, after the Chinese and Japanese, I am confident that the developers will find exciting gameplay for the Aztecs.
A mythical creature of the Aztecs that will appear in the game is known. It is the “Stoneskin Quinametzin.” Its design in the game as a stone giant looks simply fantastic and already makes you crave more.
In Aztec myths, the Quinametzin were a race of giants believed to have constructed some significant structures of Aztec culture.
We do not yet know when the Aztec pantheon will be able to compete with the others in Age of Mythology: Retold. However, the expansion is expected to be released in 2026. I have waited for this day until today – a few more months make no difference.
A player from Where Winds Meet does everything to comply with the rules of his sect, drawing the ire of other players.
Who is it about? In Where Winds Meet, something strange happened to a healer. As usual, when another player suffers from an illness, the healer TheSamFrost accepted an invitation to heal a player. The in-game profession is practiced by many and is part of one of the various systems in the game.
Upon arriving in the world of the sick player, however, the doctor was met with a nasty surprise. He ended up in poisoned waters and was taken out by the player there. It turned out that the invitation was a trap, and the “sick” player wanted to lure victims into his trap rather than receive healing. But this method is also part of the game.
Here’s what our experts think about Where Winds Meet:
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MyMMO in the GameStar Talk: Our MMORPG expert sums up the Chinese RPG Where Winds Meet
Trouble over new strategy
Why did the player do that? While the personal motives of the player are unknown, there is a plausible suspicion shared by some users in the comments on Reddit. The trapper belongs to the sect “Midnight Blades”. They collect points for eliminating other players.
The player may have deliberately set the trap to easily collect points for the assessment within the sect from unsuspecting healers. This way, he could potentially take out dozens of players without having to concern himself with bounties or other PvP activities.
How does the community react? The players of Where Winds Meet praise the ingenuity of the trapper. However, there is also criticism of the method, as it undermines the idea of the healing profession, which is necessary and does good for many players in the game. If more players now start to get on the healers’ bad side, the profession could become less attractive.
Comfortable_Fennel_5: “This is why I mind my own business and don’t accept coop invitations. I only let a certain healer heal me, whom I consider my official in-game doctor. I trust no one else.”
Nuggachinchalaka: “The solution would be to spawn at a standard point when joining a coop game, from where you can teleport to the player if needed. Even in bounty hunts, one shouldn’t land right next to the target upon entering the world. Each region could have a few fixed spawn points for that.”
Mojo21K: “Midnight Blades… that makes sense.”
Head_Wishbone8450: “There are evil people in Jianghu, have you learned nothing?”
Where Winds Meet has many systems and mechanics. The professions and sects are just a small part of what the action RPG has to offer. The first major update is coming very soon and will bring fresh content. You can learn more about this here: Where Winds Meet Roadmap and upcoming content.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Faker is considered the best player of League of Legends. He has already won the World Championship 6 times and has been playing since his debut with Team T1. After the Worlds 2025, he got a new ADC by his side, who briefly talked about Faker in an interview.
Who is the new ADC? The 20-year-old Peyz has been a permanent member of the best League of Legends team since November 18, 2025. Before his time with T1, he was able to win several titles in the Korean regional league and even break some records of Faker.
During the KeSPA Cup 2025, which will be held until December 14, Peyz gave a YouTube interview. He was asked several questions about his new team, including how he views Faker after meeting him in person.
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The trailer of the new champion of League of Legends showcases his abilities in action
What does Peyz say about Faker? In the interview, Peyz says the following about his new colleague Faker: “I thought Faker had a pretty cool image, but actually, he jokes around a lot and is really funny. This part was different from what I expected.”
The statement suggests that Faker, contrary to his cool public image, is much more humorous behind the scenes, and working with him seems to be fun.
According to fans, Faker is a huge troll
Why is Faker supposed to be a troll? Under the post of the translated interview in the subreddit for League of Legends, fans assured that Faker has been a funny guy and a troll for a long time.
The Reddit user Lazy_Patches writes that Faker often behaves in official videos and appearances like the known person “Faker”. However, in behind-the-scenes footage, you can see that he often trolls and is a lover of dad jokes. Dad jokes are simple jokes that are meant to reflect the stereotypically bad humor of fathers (via menshealth.de).
Another user gives a small example with a short video on YouTube. In the video, Faker randomly plays against his former ADC Gumayusi and wins a ranked match against him. After the round was over, Faker walked into Gumayusi’s room with a big grin on his face and simply said: “ADC Diff.”
What does “ADC Diff” mean? “ADC Diff” (other variations include Jungle, Mid, Support, or Top Diff) is a term often used in League of Legends to say that there was a high skill difference between the two ADCs.
After being trolled by Faker with two words, the best player of League of Legends remained taciturn. In an interview during the KeSPA Cup 2025, Faker was supposed to find some words for Gumayusi. His response consisted of just one word: Faker won 3 Worlds with his ADC, only gives him one word
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the current manga chapter of One Piece, there is a hint as to why Shanks may have sacrificed his arm for Luffy. He not only saved the Straw Hat Pirate’s life, but probably his own as well.
How did Shanks lose his arm? Already in the first chapter of the manga, released in 1999, Shanks loses his left arm during an attack by a Sea King. These are particularly dangerous, large sea monsters that live in the world seas.
Luffy unknowingly ate the Gum-Gum Fruit and suddenly can no longer swim. When he is about to drown at sea after being kidnapped and attacked by a sea monster, Shanks comes to his aid. In this attack, the Sea King bites off his arm.
The curious thing is: Right after that, a glance from Shanks is enough to make the monster flee. He is one of the strongest pirates without Devil Fruits, which is why he could have easily taken on the Sea King. Fans have always wondered why the red-haired pirate didn’t immediately scare off the monster but sacrificed his arm instead. With the new chapter, there is now an answer.
Start video
One Piece Film: Red – The Official Trailer for the Anime Film in English
Shanks did not want to be a slave of the World Government
Warning, spoilers: Here is information from chapters 1167 and 1168 of the manga.
Why would he want to get rid of it? In chapter 1167, we see that Shanks was once supposed to become part of the Order of the Gods. He was a serving blade but was to receive a Deep Sea Contract to bind himself more closely to Imu and the World Government.
The knights are directly subordinate to Imu and carry out his commands. In chapter 1168, we see how exactly that works:
You receive a tattoo on your left arm from Imu.
Imu grants the bound person god-like powers. With the powers also comes immortality.
You have no free will anymore and must obey Imu’s commands.
When King Harald receives an order he wants to resist, the powers of the Deep Sea Contract take effect. Harald becomes a slave of Imu and his body no longer obeys him.
Shanks’ tattoo and that of the knights of the Order of the Gods, visible on X.
Shanks may have wanted to prevent such a fate. In chapter 1152, it is seen that he already had such a tattoo on his left arm. He may have wanted to escape Imu’s reach or at least leave his past behind by willfully having his arm amputated.
There has not yet been a direct confirmation of this in the manga. However, all clues indicate that Shanks had his arm amputated for this reason.
The Twitch streamer Maximilian “HandOfBlood” Knabe explains how even before the big WoW hardcore event, there is a dispute about who takes which role. It seems that the rogue role is apparently popular, while another role is avoided.
What kind of WoW event is this? The three Twitch streamers Metashi, HandOfBlood, and Papaplatte have planned a very special event for the end of 2025: the Hardcore WoW event. So far, many Twitch streamers have confirmed their participation, whether they are already professionals in WoW or have had no contact with the MMO at all.
As the start date of December 27, 2025 approaches, the various roles in the guild are being distributed, which each Twitch streamer will take on.
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These are the 5 most relevant German streamers on Twitch in 2024, according to Google
“Already mentally doomed”
Which role does no one want? HandOfBlood mentioned in a past Twitch stream how Krokoboss and NiekBeats initially both independently decided to play rogues. However, HandOfBlood had already claimed that role for himself and said that the two would have to choose another role.
No one volunteered for the healer role, but someone should take on this role to support their teammates in battles as best as possible.
Certain roles should be fulfilled within the guild so that dungeons and raids can be completed. There are damage dealers (DPS), tanks, and healers. Damage dealers are, as in many other games, very popular since they can explore the game world alone. Tanks or healers have a slightly harder time solo.
Since Krokoboss and NiekBeats were in disagreement, a coin toss had to decide the fate of the healer. During a joint restaurant visit with HandOfBlood and others, a coin was tossed, and NiekBeats became the healer.
Regarding the situation, HandOfBlood said: “We are already mentally doomed. […] The thing is, if Niek ever doesn’t feel like it, we will die.” (Source: Twitch starting from minute 36:04).
Windows 10 has been dead for 2 months, yet millions still have the old operating system installed and are now facing a new problem: The rising hardware prices make switching to new hardware neither easier nor cheaper.
Microsoft officially ended support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. With a trick, it is possible to get an additional year of security updates (so-called Security Fixes) for the operating system, but there are no new features or bug fixes anymore.
According to statistics, millions of computers are still running the old operating system, and many of them cannot upgrade to the newer Windows 11 (via techspot.com). A fact that could become a problem in the long term. Because now many are being caught up by rising hardware prices.
Start video
Valve presents the Steam Machine in the new trailer
Windows 11 no longer supports old hardware
Those who think they are safe with Windows 10 are gravely mistaken. Already now, scammers and criminals are exploiting vulnerabilities in Windows 10, reports the magazine TheMirror. The fraudsters know exactly that issues in Windows 10 will no longer be patched easily.
Why is this a problem now? Certain components are currently rising rapidly in price: Memory is already becoming more expensive, but storage (SSDs) are also becoming more expensive right now, and graphics cards are partially affected as well.
Having to upgrade or completely buy a new PC in the coming weeks or months represents a significant financial hurdle for many individuals. Because the high prices for memory are currently driving prices up. Thus, those who hoped to still purchase a PC with Windows 11 by the end of the year will now have to reach deep into their pockets.
And that leads to a double dilemma: On one hand, the current system is insecure, on the other hand, upgrading to hardware that supports Windows 11 is currently unaffordable for many.
There are few sensible alternatives to avoid the problem
Another sensible option is still to claim the additional year of security updates for Windows 10, which is free in Europe. However, one will be faced with the same problem in October 2026 as now. And whether the prices for memory will have stabilized by then is also more than uncertain.
In principle, there is also the option to switch to a Linux operating system. But this is not an alternative for people who need Windows for specific tasks or software. The best options if your PC does not support Windows 11, we have listed for you on MeinMMO.
Even a partial upgrade, such as replacing only the CPU and motherboard, can quickly become expensive because in the end, you will need new memory again when changing the CPU socket. Switching to DDR5 memory is not recommended at current prices.
Windows 11 is the current operating system from Microsoft and is now running on many computers. However, some users are still hesitant whether they should really upgrade from Windows 10 or an even older system to Windows 11. MeinMMO explains the pros and cons of an upgrade and lists reasons for and against an upgrade: 6 reasons why you should upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 and 4 reasons against it
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Pokémon GO the next research day is coming up. Here you have the opportunity to catch 2 Shinies more easily for a few hours.
What kind of event is this? The research day is an event that takes place repeatedly in Pokémon GO. The focus of the event is on completing field research, which also explains the name of the event. You will be rewarded with an increased Shiny chance for certain Pokémon.
The next research day will take place on Saturday, December 20, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. It is called “Celestial Research Day”.
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Pokémon GO shows its new season in the trailer
What to expect on research day
Which Pokémon have an increased Shiny chance? During the event, you can encounter Lunatone and Solrock by completing field research. Both Pokémon have an increased Shiny chance during the event. If you haven’t caught these two Shiny Pokémon yet, this event is a good opportunity to grab both.
How does the event work? To have a chance at the two Shinies, you need to complete field research tasks. What those tasks are has not been revealed yet. You receive field research tasks by spinning PokéStops.
As part of the event, there will be special field research tasks. These will refresh at the start of the event at 2:00 PM. So, if you have already completed a field research task from a PokéStop before that day, you can pick up a new research task at 2:00 PM.
Field research that you receive before the event starts are not event-specific field research and will give you different rewards.
Paid ticket: You also have the option to purchase a paid ticket for $1.99 (approximately €2) that grants you a limited-time research task. Here, you will encounter more Lunatone and Solrock. You have until the end of the event to complete the research task.
Not only the research day is coming up in December in Pokémon GO. There are many other events and content waiting for you in the next few weeks. If you want to know what they are and when they take place, 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.
Flying houses in World of Warcraft should be brought down from the sky. Now we know: No, they just look too cool.
When housing went live in World of Warcraft a week ago, some players quickly discovered a trick: Their own house could be lifted off the ground and take flight. That was not intended by Blizzard, and the decision was made quickly: The houses must be brought back to the ground. But then the developers looked at your masterpieces and changed their minds.
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WoW: Early access to housing has started
What was the problem with housing? Actually, flying houses should not exist at all. The normal interface only allows moving the house above ground – not into the air. But using hotkeys or clicking an “invisible arrow,” one could lift the house into the sky. This immediately sparked a lot of creativity. Some built flying houses on floating islands, while others created artificial mountains and placed their house on top.
How did it go down at Blizzard? When Blizzard realized that the house could also fly, an internal chat channel was opened to discuss how to fix this bug. After all, the houses have no texture from below, and conveying to the players that their flying house ideas are now “no longer possible” was a difficult task.
No joke, we had a channel about how we should roll out the patch that fixes flying [houses], but people just showed 5 of the best houses and we all kind of agreed right away that it’s just too cool to change.
Bug becomes a feature, decoration limit even increases
What was done instead? Instead of fixing the “bug,” it has now become a permanent feature. The house can now be lifted more easily and moved into the air. This also comes with a second change: Anyone who already has their house at level 3 will find that the decoration limit for the exterior has been raised from 200 to 250. Thus, everyone now has 25% more space available to beautify their front yard and add a few more details. This was one of the biggest points of criticism concerning housing.
Cortyn says: The team behind housing is quickly becoming one of my favorites at Blizzard, as they are currently racking up one “win” after another. Whether looking at the future of housing with new light effects or the quick reactions to current feedback – they are doing everything right at the moment. If this is the freedom and love with which housing is treated, we have a feature here that will still be played in over a decade.
You can currently watch a very good anime for free in the ZDF media library. In it, we follow a colorful group of homeless individuals through the cold winter nights of Tokyo.
Tokyo Godfathers is also worth a recommendation, but differs from the two mentioned animes in that it tells a grounded and mostly realistic story. The plot is loosely based on the film 3 Godfathers by American director John Ford from 1948.
For Satoshi Kon’s version, the scenario has been relocated to Tokyo and set during Christmas time. Unlike in the original, the protagonists are not cattle thieves, but homeless individuals.
Select a MMO video…
A strange trio
What is Tokyo Godfathers about? The anime focuses on three characters, each living on the streets for different reasons. There is Gin, an alcoholic with a tendency toward impatience and easily triggered outbursts.
His tirades often target the girl Miyuki, who ran away from home after attacking her father with a knife. The third member of the group is the drag queen Hana, who is the most flamboyant character of the three.
The trio finds a baby in the trash on Christmas Eve and decides to find its parents, who likely abandoned the child. Their search takes the three homeless individuals to various places in Tokyo, leading them to encounter different characters and realities, and keeping a few surprises until the very end.
What makes the anime so good? Tokyo Godfathers feels quite calm in comparison to Paprika or Perfect Blue. There are only a few instances of supernatural or dreamlike elements. Much more, Satoshi Kon focuses on the completely real fate of his protagonists.
The three characters, with their individual backgrounds, address important, socially critical themes. Hana is a trans woman who chose life on the street out of shame and regularly puts herself down verbally. She is an unusual protagonist for the year 2003 and feels mostly convincing; however, one must still overlook some stereotypes and clichés to enjoy the film fully.
Gin was addicted to gambling and deeply in debt, leading him to distance himself from his family. Miyuki is also plagued by guilt for having severely injured her father. Additionally, themes such as the desire for parenthood or the disparity between poverty and wealth are explored.
Seeing a comparatively realistic depiction of three homeless individuals in an anime is quite rare, and Tokyo Godfathers does well to narrate the story with a good mix of seriousness, humor, and eccentricity. While the anime is generally presented calmly, it surprises now and then with action-packed scenes and twists in the plot.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the anime has a critic rating of 92% based on 77 reviews, and over 10,000 users give it a total of 91%. It’s good that Tokyo Godfathers can still be watched in the ZDF media library until December 13, 2025.
Now it’s your turn: Are you fans of Satoshi Kon and perhaps have already seen the anime and have your own opinion about it? Feel free to write it in the comments. This film can wrap up the current year well, but there are also highlights waiting for you in the next year: 7 animes that will make 2026 one of the best years for fans.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Streamer Awards this year led to a scandal on Twitch. The rant of a 17-year-old is now causing discussions.
Who is it about? 2xRaKai is an American streamer from the circle of Kai Cenat, who established himself as the biggest streamer on Twitch in 2023 and has held the title since. His content mainly consists of Just Chatting and IRL streams, where he entertains his viewers with jokes and his energetic personality.
Currently, the 17-year-old is embroiled in a controversy.
To make it big on Twitch, usually hard work and a good portion of luck are needed. However, going viral with crazy actions has proven to be an effective means:
Start video
Twitch streamer shaves his head for donation and is bitterly disappointed!
Question at the Streamer Awards causes scandal
What is the current situation? RaKai has been suspended from Twitch since December 3, 2025, after he streamed himself allegedly stealing flowers from Walmart, an American retail chain.
Although strict rules normally apply for suspended streamers, an exception was made for RaKai so that he could participate in the Streamer Awards 2025. At the annual event of streamer QTCinderella, content creators are recognized and celebrate themselves. RaKai received a nomination for “Best Breakout Streamer”, for content creators who have experienced particularly strong growth this year.
However, the event sparked controversy when QTCinderella asked the 17-year-old during an interactive segment what the “coolest thing” he ever stole was. The streamer continued: “Don’t answer that! It’s a test. It’s a test, RaKai! Haven’t you learned anything from this?” She also urged to take the microphone away from him.
Some viewers initially found the joke to be racist, especially since the background was likely not known to everyone. Streamer ExtraEmily faced criticism in the spring after she ran a red light. She was questioned by QTCinderella about the speed limit in a school zone.
Streamer insults organizer, claims he only understood the implication later
This is what happened next: While RaKai took the jab at the event with a somewhat embarrassed smile, he later publicly expressed his frustration with the awards in a stream on his YouTube channel. He referred to the award ceremony as rigged, claiming he should have actually won. This is a common criticism of the event.
In another clip, the streamer unleashed a tirade against QTCinderella. He said he actually wanted to respond to her at the award ceremony: “Bitch, what’s the coolest dick you’ve ever sucked? You ugly bitch.” The statement was accompanied by explicit gestures.
However, he calmed down, RaKai explained. The 17-year-old stated that he had not really understood why she said something like that all along. Now he realized that she was referring to his current ban for shoplifting.
He also claimed that he did not actually steal the flowers. It just wasn’t evident in the stream how he clarified the situation.
You can watch a recording of the stream here:
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The clip in which RaKai disparages QTCinderella landed on r/LivestreamFail, the largest streaming community on Reddit, where it was heatedly discussed. Some viewers are reminded of a young IShowSpeed, who also used to stand out with sexist remarks, but has since become an internationally known superstar among streamers.
Many also agree that RaKai is too young and immature to have such a large platform on Twitch. He is not a good role model for his young viewers. Others criticize KaiCenat, who is said to have been involved in helping the young man gain fame and is allegedly allowing him to live in his content house.
