CS:GO: Ukrainian Ministry reprimands 7 professionals publicly – Team says: “We honor Ukraine after all”

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

Ukraine has clear guidelines since the war of aggression by Russia: Actually, men between 18 and 60 are not allowed to leave the country. There is an exception for athletes. However, 7 players from Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO, Steam) have now been publicly criticized.

This is the situation:

  • Male Ukrainians of conscription age (18-60) are generally not allowed to leave Ukraine.
  • However, there is an exception for athletes participating in international tournaments. They are allowed to leave the country temporarily, but they must return to Ukraine immediately.
  • The Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine has now published a list of 236 athletes who have violated this rule, including 7 players from CS:GO. The list includes 3 players and the CEO of Team “Monte,” who had surprisingly reached the quarterfinals of a major tournament.
Start video
Counter-Strike 2 heralds a new era – The most important changes in the video

What could happen to the players in the worst-case scenario? As escorenews reports, it is unclear what consequences there are for the players on this list.

A DOTA 2 caster speculates that the list could mean that the players who are on it may not be allowed to travel in the future.

Our expertise at MeinMMO relates to gaming. For those who want to learn more about the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, we recommend checking official sites or news magazines:

– Ukraine Live Blog (via Zeit)
– War in Ukraine (via nzz)
– Solidarity with Ukraine (via auswärtiges-amt)

Important note: If you are struggling with dark thoughts due to the current situation: You are not alone. Please seek help. For example, from the telephone counseling service at 0800/111 0 111 or the online counseling, where you can also use a chat. It is free and applicable nationwide.

Team apologizes to the ministry but highlights significant achievements

This is what the professionals say: The team “Monte,” which is particularly affected by the list, employs 3 players and the CEO from Ukraine. All 4 are on the ministry’s list.

The team was the positive surprise at the major tournament Blast Paris Major. They defeated the actual top team Natus Vincere and made it into the top 8.

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The team issued an apology on Telegram (via dotesports).

Two players decided to stay until the end of the Paris Major and only returned to Ukraine afterward. A third player traveled to Poland to play in the ESL Challenger League. But he is “coming back soon.”

The team’s statement ends with:

We have honored Ukraine and made it to the quarterfinals of the biggest tournament. They shouted “Glory to Ukraine” to millions of viewers. They mentioned the war in their interviews. They held meetings to assist the armed forces of Ukraine. And they continue to properly represent our country.

We apologize to the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine for not returning home in time to make all of the above possible.

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

New trailer for sci-fi game is so good that it sparks a discussion about realistic battles in space

Nicole Wakulczyk Nicole Wakulczyk Reading time 2 minutes

The new gameplay trailer for Falling Frontier presents epic battle scenes – and they are so realistic that they spark detailed discussions about battles in space.

What kind of trailer is this? A new gameplay trailer for the real-time strategy game Falling Frontier was released today, showcasing an exciting battle over Saturn. The trailer is so impressive that it has sparked a discussion on Reddit about the realism of the battles presented there.

The trailer shows two ships, the “TFV Caligula Hano Destroyer” and the “TFV Richmond Hano Destroyer” in action. The video also provides insight into the combat mechanics and features of the game.

The ship’s battle is enthralling, which certainly has to do with the atmosphere created by the video. The graphics are impressive, the background sounds, slow-motion effects, and the music and sound effects underscore the epic scenes.

Start video
Falling Frontier Sci-Fi-RTS Gameplay Trailer

Discussions about the need for realistic battles

Why is the trailer causing discussions? On the PC Gaming Subreddit there are numerous reactions to the trailer, which are very diverse. Here are a few comments that relate to the shown battle:

  • “I’m not a fan of the zoom effect on the explosions and I’m somewhat disappointed by how many rockets hit the one ship without seemingly having an effect. But apart from that, I’m still quite interested in this game.” – writes vivomancer
  • “And the PDCs seemed extremely ineffective” – writes TheLightningL0rd
    (a Point Defense Cannon, or PDC for short, is a rapid-fire projectile weapon)
  • In response, AvarusTyrannus writes: “Even more confusing for me was the inaccuracy of the cannon fire. One might think that with relatively slow ship movements on predictable trajectories, a ballistic projectile with advanced computer-controlled targeting wouldn’t miss so often. If the ships moved less predictably, I could understand it.”
  • Natural_Cow_2468 notes that “realism” in a video game is not necessarily desirable: “In this realistic representation, spaceships would be rather unattractive, pipe-shaped constructs. They would have massive cooling systems. You wouldn’t hear anything. It wouldn’t be possible to see both ships on the same screen at the same time. There would be no visible flashes of detonations, as nuclear explosions primarily produce invisible radiation like X-rays. The battle would be over in seconds if the trajectories crossed, and there would be a long return to a fueling station. In this case, realism is not necessarily what you want.”
  • To this AvarusTyrannus replies: “I’m not looking for realism in the entire game, just for cannons that don’t look like they’re being fired from the hip.”
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The battle also leads to comparisons with The Expanse, a US science fiction television series based on the book series of the same name. “Atlas1080p” writes: “Looks really good, love the The Expanse vibes!”

No release date announced yet

What kind of game is this? In the Sci-Fi real-time strategy game Falling Frontier, you conquer a solar system, customize your spaceships, and build reconnaissance stations to face your enemies. The game is developed by Shutter Fox Studios, and Hooded Horse is the publisher.

When will Falling Frontier be released? A comment with several upvotes is “Release when?” from “valantismp” and shows that some are looking forward to the release. However, there is still no concrete date. Currently, Steam only indicates 2023.

Currently, you can secure another very popular game for a small price:

Fantastic space co-op game for hundreds of hours is currently available for under €6 on Steam

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

Popular multiplayer game for PS5 looks like Battlefield with knights, is only briefly free with PS Plus

Dariusz Müller Dariusz Müller Reading time 2 minutes

„PS Plus“ subscribers can still get the popular multiplayer game Chivalry 2 for free for just a few more days, featuring medieval battles with up to 64 players.

What kind of game is this? Chivalry 2 is a multiplayer game where up to 64 players fight each other with swords and other medieval weapons in chaotic knight battles.

The gameplay is reminiscent of the first-person shooter Battlefield: There are different modes like Team Deathmatch or Conquest, where players must capture and defend a position.

In doing so, you might clear your way over a narrow bridge, break down gates with a battering ram, or climb the wall of a castle – all set in a medieval environment with a knight’s equipment.

Start video
Chivalry 2 is the Battlefield among the knight games – Shows in the trailer for the update new map and weapons

Until when is Chivalry 2 free? Chivalry 2 is one of three games that are free for “PS Plus Essentials” subscribers in May 2023. The “PS Plus” games are always available from the first Tuesday of the month, but the games from the previous month will no longer be included in the subscription service for free.

This means that you can no longer add Chivalry 2 and the other “PS Plus” games in May 2023 to your library starting June 6.

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How popular is Chivalry 2? The PS5 version of Chivalry 2 has an 85 score on the review platform Metacritic. The medieval flair and the overwhelming atmosphere of the depicted war can particularly convince.

On Steam, the knight game has 82% positive reviews. Players write that Chivalry 2 has managed to improve some gameplay aspects of its predecessor. Generally, the combat system is praised, even if the game is considered not very beginner-friendly.

If Chivalry 2 is no longer part of the “PS Plus Essentials” games after June 6, other titles will take the place of the knight game and be available for free to subscribers. The specific games that will be involved are currently unknown:

PS Plus: Games in June 2023 – Release, Rumors, and Speculations

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

Exclusive title on PS5 convinces with ‘Next Gen’ gameplay, scored 88 points on Metacritic – Coming this summer to Steam

Niko Hernes Niko Hernes Reading time 2 minutes

Sony is now bringing many of their PlayStation exclusive titles to PC. After The Last of Us and God of War, another old icon is coming to Steam. The PS5 hit Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart will soon receive a new platform.

What kind of game is this? Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart is the latest part of the Ratchet and Clank series. The game is a 3D action platformer that mixes jump & run gameplay with creative firearms.

As Ratchet or Rivet, you are traveling across various planets to defeat an evil robot ruler. You jump and shoot your way through different areas. Each area is unique and has various gimmicks.

Instead of classic rifles and pistols, there are laser weapons, sprinklers that cover enemies with plants, and drills that shoot out of the ground at enemies.

The story resembles animated films, is presented cinematically, and looks really good.

The true star of the game is the Rift mechanic, which according to Sony is only possible with next-gen hardware. In the middle of the action, so-called rifts open, allowing you to jump into new areas or planets. All this happens seamlessly and without loading times.

A trailer for the PC version can be seen here:

Start video
Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart PC Announcement Trailer

A PC version with new features

When will the game be released on PC? The game will be released on July 26, 2023, on Steam and in the Epic Game Store. You can already pre-order it on both platforms. This game joins a lineup of games that previously only appeared on PS5.

What features does the PC version offer? There are several new features in the PC version.

  • Support for ultrawide screens
  • Unlocked framerate
  • Performance-boosting technologies like NVIDIA DLSS 3, AMD FSR 2, and Intel XeSS
  • Ray tracing features

Hopefully, the PC version works well, too. The Last of Us Part 1 received many bad reviews on Steam due to its performance.

How was the game rated on the PS5? On Metacritic, the PS5 version of Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart has a rating of 88 points. And users love it too, giving the game an average rating of 8.5/10.

  • Explicit1: This is now my favorite Ratchet and Clank game. Definitely a 10/10 masterpiece from Insomniac Games.
  • Tomtom525: With the visuals, the audio, and the haptics, this is the most immersive gaming experience out there.
  • Tommycbs: Another masterpiece from Sony.

Last week was the PlayStation Showcase 2023 and Sony presented some games that will also be released on other platforms. You can see an overview of the announcements here.

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

Medieval MMO returns 2 years after its death – But demands outrageous subscription prices even during testing

Alexander Leitsch Alexander Leitsch Reading time 2 minutes

In early 2021, the medieval MMO Life is Feudal died. However, it is making a return with a new developer. This developer hopes that testers will subscribe for $20 a month.

What kind of game is this? The MMO Life is Feudal was considered a realistic medieval simulation. Your character started naked and without special abilities. Like in a survival game, you had to gather resources to craft tools and weapons or build your own home.

The game featured a high difficulty and a lot of grind:

  • It took an incredibly long time to build something up in the game.
  • Other players, as well as strong NPC factions, could attack you.
  • You lost everything upon death.
  • You needed to be very resistant to frustration because everything you built over months could be lost in a battle or raid.

Why did the game die? Due to the heavy grind, the MMO could not retain a large mass of players. Additionally, a few large guilds dominated the game. Nevertheless, even until shutdown, there were still around 800 players online simultaneously at peak times.

The shutdown itself resulted from a lawsuit with a publisher. This publisher was said to have done poor work, which led the developers at Bitbox to self-promote. However, it seems there was still a contract with the publisher.

After the developers declined a renewed deal with the publisher, it is reported that he refused to share the revenues from Life is Feudal.

The financial pressure then reportedly led to the shutdown of the servers – except in China, where the MMO still runs today.

Start video
Life is Feudal: MMO – Announcement Trailer

New company brings Life is Feudal back, but it costs

What happens now with the game? Almost 2.5 years after the shutdown, the MMO makes its return. It will be distributed and further developed by the company Long Tail Games, which was founded in October 2022.

Not much is known about the company, but there are some hints about cryptocurrencies on the website. Whether these will be part of the game is unknown.

Also new is the payment model. The MMO was previously Buy2Play, but will now have a subscription model. This costs $20 per month and is therefore significantly higher than the €13 for WoW, FFXIV or ESO+.

Only EVE Online charges a similar price of $19.99/Euro. However, there has already been a lot of criticism. In EVE, costs can be reduced if you pay for several months at once. This is (still) not possible with Life is Feudal.

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However, it is curious that you already have to pay for the playtest. Your subscription will be paused between the playtests; however, it will be reactivated when the next test takes place. At release, there will be a wipe that deletes all progress. All players will start anew together.

Otherwise, Long Tail Games stated that the version of Life is Feudal should correspond to the version that was active when the servers were shut down in 2021. In the future, there will be updates based on player feedback and their own analyses.

Life is Feudal is set to be released worldwide, except in China. There, the original developer is still active.

What do you think about the return of Life is Feudal? Have you missed the MMO? And are you willing to pay the expensive subscription costs?

A more positive outlook than Life is Feudal has this game: A new MMORPG makes my dreams come true – Shows the best combat system ever in the trailer.

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

Blizzard will honor the 1,000 toughest players in Diablo 4, facing heavy criticism, now has to exclude people

Alexander Leitsch Alexander Leitsch Reading time 2 minutes

With the release of Diablo 4, a hardcore race of a special kind begins. The best players can immortalize themselves on a physical statue of Lilith. However, the competition faced severe criticism because journalists and influencers were able to test the game for several days in advance. Blizzard is reacting now.

What kind of race is this? On May 26, Blizzard announced a special event. The first 1,000 players who reach level 100 in hardcore mode and tweet proof will have their name engraved on a statue of Lilith. The race was supposed to start right with the release of Diablo 4.

The hardcore mode has some special conditions, such as your character being immediately deleted if you die just once. The path to level 100 in this mode is supposed to require several hundred hours of gameplay.

What was criticized? The event received a lot of backlash because players start with different conditions. Some, including influencers, fan site operators, or gaming journalists, were able to extensively test Diablo 4 for several days in a row recently. However, many hardcore players were denied this opportunity.

We at MeinMMO were also allowed to test for 10 days: Diablo 4 im Test: Purists will hate it because it’s too much of an MMO – But I love it 

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Even the Diablo boss addressed the criticism.

While the account will be reset for the release, selected individuals were able to try out the latest version and the latest balance, as well as devise strategies to gain an advantage.

Many wished that the challenge should only start with the beginning of Season 1, so that everyone has a fair chance. Blizzard has now reacted to the criticism, albeit with a different step.

Start video
How good will Diablo 4 be? The expert’s conclusion after the test

Blizzard revises participation conditions, excludes all testers

What has Blizzard done now? All players who had access to the test in May will be excluded from the race. This clause has been written into the framework conditions for the competition by Blizzard (via Blizzard).

This way, the developers are strongly accommodating the critics. The change has already received a lot of positive feedback.

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Previously, some testers had already canceled their participation on their own. The colleagues from Maxroll, who will provide many guides for Diablo 4, wanted to try their hand at the race, but wanted to forgo the tweet and hence the inscription on the statue.

What do you think of the change to the hardcore race? Do you find Blizzard’s decision right or did the community get artificially upset?

Those who want to read more opinions from the big May test of Diablo 4 can find them here: Diablo 4: The release is just around the corner – Here’s what the first voices are saying.

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

Twitch: Millionaire can’t turn on his electricity – Must ask the ex

Lydia Lydia Reading time 2 minutes

The former Overwatch pro Félix “xQc” Lengyel is the biggest streamer on Twitch. When he broke up with his girlfriend Samantha “Adept” Lopez last year, the end of the relationship played out publicly: ugly and loud. Now the bitter feud enters its next round.

What is the relationship between xQc and Adept? The two content creators have been in an on-and-off relationship since 2021. In September, they finally announced their final separation.

What is the current development? In May, xQc finally announced that he would be moving out of his house in Los Angeles, stating that some things are better left behind. According to the streamer, the house had been home to some great but also terrible moments.

The streamer decided to return to his vacant house in Austin, Texas. Upon arriving, he discovered that apparently someone had lived in the house and left it in disarray. Additionally, his car was missing and the power had been turned off (via sportskeeda).

However, to get electricity, xQc had to reach out to his ex.

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“Let’s just say, it didn’t go well”

Why does xQc need to contact his ex? In a recent stream, xQc reported that he cannot live in his house in Texas. He does not have access to the accounts linked to the house.

According to xQc, Adept is refusing to grant him access to the accounts. He reported that he called her to discuss the situation:

I call and ask if I can possibly get my accounts back? They are in my name and belong to the house I paid for. So I can possibly turn on the power. So I can live my life.

What exactly Adept responded to the request, xQc does not want to reveal, only that: “Let’s just say, it hasn’t gone as well as you might think.”

You can watch the related clip here in English:

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It remains to be seen whether the two will reconcile and at least treat each other decently. For xQc, the move was probably an important step, as he recently talked about how unhappy he is with his life in LA.

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Relationships are not always easy to reconcile with a career as a Twitch streamer and the associated public exposure. This experience has also been felt by MMORPG streamer Asmongold.

While he apparently gets along much better with his ex than xQc, that does not seem to please some fans:

The poster nerd of Twitch is not allowed to have a girlfriend: “I want him to be as unhappy and lonely as I am.”

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

Steam: One of the best strategy games of all time is available for the price of 2 cheeseburgers and a cola

Nicole Wakulczyk Nicole Wakulczyk Reading time 2 minutes

On Steam, Civilization 6 is currently on sale – the perfect opportunity for strategy fans or those who want to become one. But you have to be quick because: The offer ends tonight.

What kind of game is it? Civilization 6 is a turn-based strategy game where you build your empire and rise to become the world ruler. You design your cities to your heart’s content and develop new cultures.

However, you can also win matches without founding a single city, just like this player who skipped expansion and infrastructure.

Your diplomatic relations change throughout the game. To gain loyalty and bonuses, you exert influence over neighboring cities. And to obtain information about rival civilizations, gather resources, or overthrow governments, you deploy spies.

In Age of Wonders 4, you can also sweep opponents off the map, but in a fantasy world:

Start video
The strategy game Age of Wonders 4 showcases its fantasy world in the launch trailer

This is what Civilization 6 offers:

  • Create a vast empire: The cities span a large area that can be fully utilized during construction. This way, you can expand your territories further.
  • Advance your civilization: By utilizing bonuses, the civilization’s progress is accelerated. Exploring the surroundings with units promotes the process.
  • Dynamic diplomacy: Interactions with other civilizations change over the course of the game.
  • Multiplayer: In addition to traditional multiplayer modes, it is possible to cooperate with friends in various situations or compete against each other.
  • An easy entry for everyone: Understandable tutorials for newcomers and numerous options for experienced players to secure greater chances of success in the game.

You can find more details about the game on the official website of Civilization 6.

Get up to 90% off

Is Civilization 6 popular? Over six years have passed since the release, yet the game still enjoys fairly consistent numbers with about 45,000 players according to Steam Charts. In total, 162,000 players have played, and currently, 34,000 are still active.

On Steam, there are over 191,000 reviews, of which 85% are positive. Players particularly praise that one can lose oneself in Civilization 6 and spend a lot of time on it. Many also enjoy the graphics and music.

“It’s like a colorful cocktail of fun, strategy, and addictive gameplay,” writes gabriel211.

via Steam

How much does Civilization 6 cost currently? You can get Civilization 6 for €5.99 right now; the Anthology, the “complete Civilization 6 experience,” is also available at a lower price. For €15.98, you get not only the main game but also the DLCs and additional content.

However, the offers are only available until tonight at 7 PM.

Some build their empire in Civilization 6, while others load the same save for years: I am obsessed with the perfect start in Civilization 6 and have been loading the same save for 2 years.

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

New update in the MMORPG to Lord of the Rings makes Dad happy – He can now play much better with his 8-year-old son

Jakob Gerden Jakob Gerden Reading time 2 minutes

The MMORPG Lord of the Rings Online by developer Standing Stone Games receives a rework of Gondor and many other extras with its extensive Update 36. But one detail brings particular joy to a passionate player who is now a father of an 8-year-old child. Thanks to the difficulty slider, HdRO now allows the father to have an even better experience when playing with his son.

What is Lord of the Rings Online? Lord of the Rings Online (short: HdRO) is a game set in the Tolkien universe, which has been open for 17 years and is regularly updated, such as with an improved graphics.

Recently, the announcement from Amazon Games about a new “Lord of the Rings” MMO has caused a stir. This prompted developer Standing Stone Games to issue a statement to reassure the community, assuring that HdRO would continue to be available.

Check out a trailer for content from HdRO here.

Start video
Lord of the Rings Online: The next expansion is here, 14 YEARS after release! Watch the launch trailer here again

What does Update 36 bring? Update 36 has been released today and also brings the updated area of Gondor. The developer describes the change as follows:

After the defeat of Sauron, King Elessar and Queen Arwen try to bring peace to their kingdom, but the danger is not over and new enemies try to threaten Gondor. Fresh adventures await you in the new zone of King’s Gondor East, which takes place after the War of the Ring, where fresh breezes dispel the fog of Dawnless Day and let the sun shine again! Discover the beginning of a new storyline of epic proportions, titled “The Song of Waves and Wind,” and join Legolas, Gimli, and old as well as new friends to investigate the ongoing threat of the heirs of Castamir! Gone are the dark skies, replaced by bright and sunny fields and hills. Players familiar with the original central and eastern Gondor regions will recognize King’s Gondor, but there are new additions and locations that players could not visit before. These are now open for further exploration!

Press release, Update 36 Release Notes (via lotro.com)

Additionally, there are 80 new quests associated with the Song of Waves and Wind. However, to play these, you must have reached the maximum level or Level 140 and either pay for the quest package or subscribe. You can find the complete patch notes here.

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A new feature in Gondor enables better family gameplay

How does Update 36 help father and son in their gameplay? According to Reddit, the father spends time with his 8-year-old son by diving into the world of Lord of the Rings for one to two hours a week. It seems both of them enjoy exploring the world and having fun together.

The proud dad is very pleased with Update 36 and describes his experience with his son as follows:

So far, we spend our time fooling around and looking at the area. He shows me the way, and I hold back from pushing him in any direction, which is good for his experience.

Reddit user galbraithta (via Reddit)

He further explains that he was super hyped after hearing about Update 36 and the difficulty slider feature in Gondor. This way, it would make gameplay much more fun. He would finally be able to adjust the difficulty for himself and his son, enhancing their experience even further.

What do you think of Update 36 from HdRO? Have you ever played an MMORPG with family members? What were your experiences? Share in the comments below.

If you value story in MMORPGs, you should read the following article: The 5 best story MMORPGs you can play in 2023

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

Destiny 2: An old Exo becomes the ultimate monster thanks to 8 different buffs

Britta ♤ BeAngel Britta ♤ BeAngel Reading time 3 minutes

An old Gambit Exotic from Destiny 2 has completed its impressive transformation into an absolute monster in Season 21. Thanks to eight different buffs and a catalyst, it now reaches an entirely new level of strength and dominance. MeinMMO shows you its potential.

Which old Exotic is now really strong? In Season 21, Bungie completed the transformation of the old Exotic hand cannon “Service Regime” with the release of its catalyst.

The weapon, with a 180 rate of fire and a 78 impact, has always been good and popular in Destiny 2, not just because of its appearance. However, the necessary kick to be perceived as an extremely strong option in the game had previously been lacking.

  • With Season 21, eight direct and indirect improvements have been added to Service Regime, which combined with a revamped armor Exotic and the brand new catalyst finally make the weapon a real DPS monster. 

Perfect for the current Season of the Possessed in 21 and Guardians who desire high damage in the kinetic slot. Therefore, MeinMMO shows you how good the weapon currently is.

Start video
Destiny 2: Teaser trailer for the DLC “The Final Form”

How the Exotic ‘Service Regime’ Became a Strong Option

Strong against Possessed and Bosses: Generally, the old Exotic “Service Regime” was never bad. Thanks to its unique property of firing corrupted projectiles, it has always been able to deal great damage, especially against Possessed enemies.

  • Explosive Shadow: Fires corrupted bullets that burrow into combatants. If enough bullets are stacked, they explode and stun surviving combatants. Strong against [Stagger] Unstoppable Champions.
  • Possessed Raider: Bonus damage against Possessed enemies and Gambit invaders.

But now, the eight different buffs of the Service Regime Exotic in Season 21 significantly expand the tactical options of the Guardians. Above all, with the armor Exotic of the Hunter “Lucky Pants”.

Service Regime benefits from these eight buffs in Season 21:

  • The first buff causes opponents with a red bar to take 40% more damage when using a primary Exotic weapon.
  • The second buff ensures that 180 hand cannons overall deal higher damage on body and critical hits.
  • The third buff generally increased the damage multiplier for kinetic weapons.
  • The fourth buff provided hand cannons with an additional 20% increase in PvE damage.
  • The fifth buff makes heavy ammo drop more frequently on kills when using a primary Exotic like “Service Regime”.
  • The sixth buff granted the Exotic unstoppable projectiles on its fifth explosive shot, making it strong against champions.
  • The seventh buff came when Bungie improved the armor Exotic “Lucky Pants,” giving all hand cannons a stackable damage bonus. However, other classes, such as the Warlock with the Exotic “Chromatic Fire,” can also benefit from the new strength.
  • The eighth buff was the addition of the catalyst in Season 21, which grants the weapon the additional perk “Vorpal Weapon,” providing it aggressive +20 range and increasing damage against minibosses, bosses, and vehicles as well as against players in their super ability.

How it performs in the game has been tested for you by the YouTuber Ghostless:

https://youtu.be/BKKEKMaltjo

Thus, the Service Regime Exotic has finally become one of the ultimate monsters in Destiny 2 after four years. When “Kinetic Surge” is also active, almost nothing can stop you with this Exotic.

Guardians who incorporate this weapon into a suitable build will be a dominant presence both solo in Lost Sectors against Unstoppable Champions, as well as in the endgame, enjoying a strategic gameplay advantage through the use of the weapon.

Another nice advantage of the “Service Regime” is activating the full auto option in the settings of Destiny 2. This allows you to quickly fire the 20 shots of the Exotic weapon.

More about Destiny 2 on MeinMMO:
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von Schuhmann
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Destiny 2 disables an exotic because it works as intended
von Britta ♤ BeAngel

How to obtain the Exotic weapon “Service Regime” in 2023? To take advantage of the weapon, you must first possess the “Forsaken Pack” of Destiny 2. Previously, you had to play Gambit matches until the Ascendant Primordial Servitor appeared. However, this is no longer the case.

Bungie has changed the task somewhat so that in 2023, you only need to play Gambit and win once. After that, you can directly speak to the Vagabond and receive the quest for the Exotic weapon from him.

  • Alongside completing a special variant of the strike “The Corrupted,” there are also a few kills to make.
  • Among other things, 25 Possessed with a yellow bar must be eliminated, and 25 invaders in Gambit matches must be defeated. However, you do not always have to be the invader yourself. Allies can now also do this for you.

Have you always been a fan of the Vagabond weapon “Service Regime”? Do you see great potential in the weapon and have already tried the Service Regime Exotic in Season 21? Or do you simply dislike using hand cannons, making this new option not suitable for your build? Feel free to tell us in the comments which weapon exotic is your favorite in this season.

At least the “Service Regime” is an Exotic with an absolutely cool appearance. Something that not all Exotics can claim:

Destiny 2: A new Exotic from Season 21 is so ugly that some no longer dare to enter the open world with it

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. forbes
  2. YouTube/ Ghostless
  3. YouTube/ KackisHD

Diablo 4: “It ruins the game, but maybe I will get old” – Oldschool gamers struggle with Blizzard’s new idea

Benedict Grothaus Benedict Grothaus Reading time 3 minutes

Diablo 4 is celebrating its release soon. The latest installment in the series has some features that have never been seen in any Diablo before. Not all of them are received positively. Especially the shop and battle pass are causing some discomfort among players, particularly veterans.

What is this idea?

  • Diablo 4 will have a shop and a battle pass. Both include cosmetic items.
  • The battle pass will have both a free path and a paid one with more rewards. It changes regularly. Here you can find the information about the battle pass from Season 1.
  • However, the very system of the battle pass is causing disputes in the community. Fans of previous installments are having difficulties with it.

This is what the players say: Colleagues from Jeux Vidéo have discovered a thread on Reddit where a user demands the end of battle passes, citing Diablo 4 as an example. The post received over 950 upvotes and over 370 comments.

The biggest criticism from many players: in the past, you would get complete games when you bought them. Today, everything is fragmented and you constantly have to pay extra. User Leechmaster mocks:

Games were formerly developed by people who love what they do. When companies realized they could make money from it, they took control. Money is the only language that a large company speaks. Things won’t change until companies see losses.

Leechmaster on Reddit

Others agree. As long as there are people who invest money in such systems, they will not go away. One user even criticizes the free path: “How is it free if I pay $70? I will skip Diablo 4, like most games lately. I got Zelda, but at least that’s a complete game.”

By the way, even in the game and without additional costs, there are already pretty cool skins that make many things in the shop look bad. You can see the expert’s conclusion on Diablo 4 here:

Start video
How good will Diablo 4 be? The expert’s conclusion after the test

“Like a tantrum in a shopping mall”

The critics receive a lot of support in the thread. However, there are a few users who are upset about the discussion itself. Such a system may be “lame” in a full-price game, but at least it only offers cosmetics.

However, as soon as there are signs of pay-to-win, he will be one of the first to join the uprising. But until then, he asks to keep it cool and use one’s brain.

More on the topic
Fan is looking for old gamers who play Diablo 4, receives hundreds of responses: „The body falls apart, but the mind remains sharp“
von Benedict Grothaus

Diablo is a game series that started in the 90s and therefore has many fans in the older gamer generation. Relatively new developments like a battle pass do not fit the mentality of older games and are often met with criticism.

How significant the influence of the feature on the game will actually be must ultimately be decided by each individual. In the play test, I had a really good time even without cosmetics:

Diablo 4 in testing: Purists will hate it because it is too much an MMO – But I love it 

User Choice_Page takes a more offensive stance against the criticism and writes:

It has zero, absolutely ZERO impact on you whether you buy [the pass] or not. Purely cosmetic, no real world. Healing over this is like throwing a tantrum in a shopping mall at every store you walk past. You want Diablo 4? This is how you get it.

Choice_Page on Reddit

However, as soon as there are signs of pay-to-win, he will be one of the first to join the uprising. But until then, he asks to keep it cool and use one’s brain.

More on the topic
Fan is looking for old gamers who play Diablo 4, receives hundreds of responses: „The body falls apart, but the mind remains sharp“
von Benedict Grothaus

Diablo is a game series that started in the 90s and therefore has many fans in the older gamer generation. Relatively new developments like a battle pass do not fit the mentality of older games and are often met with criticism.

How significant the influence of the feature on the game will actually be must ultimately be decided by each individual. In the play test, I had a really good time even without cosmetics:

Diablo 4 in testing: Purists will hate it because it is too much an MMO – But I love it 

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

Pokémon GO wants trainers to use their app for arrangements – then punishes them for it

Franzi Korittke Franzi Korittke Reading time 4 minutes

In Pokémon GO raids are one of the most important features. To organize them optimally, communication between trainers is particularly important. But now Niantic punishes players for harmless chats in their own app. We at MeinMMO show you what exactly happened.

Which app is it about? For many years, Pokémon GO trainers have wished for a way to finally chat with each other. This feature is especially important for organizing raids, but also for coordinating level-ups and lucky trades with trainer friends.

In summer 2022, Niantic finally wanted to remedy this and released its own app called Campfire. In this app, trainers can not only connect directly with each other or form special groups but also temporarily chat at gyms with other trainers to arrange raids.

However, it is precisely for these harmless chats that trainers were now punished in the app. What exactly happened is summarized below.

How does Campfire punish trainers?

What does the app do? As Reddit user lusankya_very_much explains in his post, he wanted to coordinate a raid with other trainers through Campfire – the Niantic app specifically designed for that purpose. However, his post was deemed critical and therefore went for review to the developers.

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So he received a message (via reddit.com): “Niantic believes that this message may violate our community guidelines. It is currently under review.” However, the message was completely harmless, as he shows in an image, he merely wrote “We’re walking over now”. In the app, the message was marked accordingly.

Pokémon-GO-Message-Campfire
This message was shown to lusankya_very_much (via imgur.com)

What happens when messages are classified as critical?

Messages are marked: If the app recognizes a message as critical, it will be marked accordingly. According to reports from some trainers, messages in the chat can still be read through a workaround by clicking “View Message” under the message.

This works even if it has been classified as critical by Niantic. However, such messages are then also marked for other users.

As Reddit user GigsGilgamesh (via reddit.com) writes: “The best part is that you can still read it, so it’s just a pointless aggravation, and even worse if they actually assign a bot or, God forbid, a normal employee to review all these sneaky, terrible remarks like ‘here’ and ‘on the way’.”

Blocking of users: Niantic does seem to actually review these messages and, in cases of repeated offenses, may also impose bans, as Reddit user ReginInSpuds explains in the comments (via reddit.com): “I was permanently banned because I am a 37-year-old with a foul mouth. A friend received a two-week ban. They definitely have someone looking at the crap.”

Whether Niantic will fix this problem soon is currently unknown. If there are any new updates, you will definitely find out about it at MeinMMO.

Community experiences similar situations

Trainer almost misses a raid: Other trainers also report similar experiences in the comments. They understand that it is important to take such measures for child and youth protection, but find it excessive that even harmless agreements are flagged. In the comments on Reddit, you can read the following:

  • Impressive-Mousse225: “Yes, that really annoyed me. I sent a message that said: ‘I’m on my way’, and the same thing happened. I almost missed a raid, and I was walking.”
  • DaniD10: “In one of our chats, every single text was marked. We were five and whatever we wrote was flagged. Quite annoying.”
  • EggoGF: “I saw the same message over the weekend. The message from a stranger was something harmless like ‘I’ll be there in a few minutes.’ As a software developer, I can understand the importance of a language filter in a children’s app, but please!”
  • Phoenix1Rising: “YES!!! So many messages have been hidden this way, and it took me a while to figure out that people can still click on them (haha, I know…), so I rephrased them two or three times before they were somehow considered acceptable enough. Your AI bot is garbage.”
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Why is this a problem? Depending on how much time is left in a raid, it may be urgently necessary to communicate quickly. Trainers may want to join a raid and therefore ask for a delay in the start.

This is especially important when it comes to raids that can only be played on-site and are too difficult to complete alone, as with the Crypto raids on weekends.

It is all the more frustrating when messages are flagged as critical and can only be read through workarounds. This can rightly lead to other players not seeing information in time, and as a result, one might not be able to join the raid with that group.

Do you actually use Campfire for your coordination in Pokémon GO? Have you also been banned for such harmless messages? If so, what did you write? And were you punished for it? Let us know in the comments and exchange views with other trainers.

In Pokémon GO, the new season is just around the corner. We show you all spawns, bonuses, and content of the season “Hidden Gems”.

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

Zelda Tears of the Kingdom: Player bypasses everything easily – Flies with obscure machine across the map in seconds

Niko Hernes Niko Hernes Reading time 2 minutes

With the release of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, some new abilities also came. With these abilities, some players are building giant robots or flying laser turrets. One player has outdone every flying object using just a few materials and no rockets.

What happened? On Reddit, the user Paradox_Guardian posted his new machine. With this machine, Link can be catapulted to the highest point in the air. You can see the video here in his post:

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He makes a wooden board rotate quickly using a motor. Once the rotation has reached a certain speed, he uses the ability Rewind Time, stands on the board, and is then shot into the air within seconds.

This is much more efficient and faster than flying into the sky with rockets or self-built airships.

For more stability in vehicles, a simple cooking pot becomes the star in Tears of the Kingdom.

Start video
Trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom shows what to expect in the game

A machine that is easy to build

What do you need for this machine? The materials for this device are manageable.

  • A motor
  • A large wooden board
  • Skateboards

You can steal the motor from the Geminiq shrine, but you always have to connect it with another item, otherwise, it will disappear.

Attach a wooden plank to the motor, and stick two skateboards to the foot of the motor. Place this construct on a hill. For unknown reasons, the motor begins to function, and the board starts spinning.

If you then use Rewind Time and stand on the board, you will be shot into the air at high speed.

A video tutorial has been published by the user on his Youtube account Paradox Gaming:

Recommended editorial content

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Users celebrate the new machine

How do users react? While many discuss the mechanics of the machine, others Reddit users celebrate the machine and the possibilities in the game.

  • KeepItDownOverHere: We’re seeing the early stages of the Hyrule space program.
  • Antmoral2314: The game should be called Zelda Tears of the Physics lol.
  • CliffMainsSon: The game is incredibly fun. It has been out for 2 weeks, and we are seeing crazier things as time goes by. Goodbye 2023. My gaming time belongs to Tears.

Are you just starting with Zelda Tears of the Kingdom? Then these 6 tips may help you make life easier in Hyrule.

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

Netflix: Critics celebrate miniseries at release – But only 2 years later it becomes a hit … through TikTok

Jasmin Beverungen Jasmin Beverungen Reading time 2 minutes

The Netflix miniseries Maid consists of ten episodes and currently generates view counts in the millions. Due to the trend, the series is experiencing a revival about two years after its release.

With a rating of 8.4 / 10 (via imbd.com), the Netflix series Maid has become a little hidden gem. Also, MeinMMO editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski discovered the series back in 2021 and couldn’t tear herself away from the couch while watching. But only now, two years after the original release, are many people discovering the series for themselves. 

What is the reason? TikTok is flooded with videos about Maid. An account named conneecyrk4 is responsible for this. The clips achieve high view counts, some even going into the millions. The video with the most clicks has now been clicked over 42 million times. The clips usually consist of snippets from the series.

The official trailer also summarizes well what Maid is about:

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Many viewers appreciate the touching story of the miniseries. Maid tells the story of a young mother who flees from a violent relationship with her little daughter. To create a life for herself and her daughter, she takes a job as a cleaning lady.

In her endeavor, not only do the authorities put many obstacles in her way. The series shows how difficult it is for victims of violence and abuse to get help. The story is concluded with ten episodes, each lasting 45-60 minutes.

If you are affected by domestic violence, you can confidently contact the White Ring Counseling Center.

The miniseries touches people mainly because it is based on true events. The story of Maid comes from author Stephanie Land, who describes her struggle against poverty in her book “Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive”.

If you are more of a fan of gaming TikTokers, MeinMMO can recommend the following six TikTokers:

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von Sayumi (Lena)

TikTok brings viewers to Netflix

How is the trend noticeable? In the past week, Maid rose to 8th place in the worldwide comparison (via flixpatrol.com) of the most-watched series on Netflix. On Twitter, Kasey Moore shows how the viewer numbers have developed over the last few years:

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It shows that there was a large gap over the past two years. The miniseries disappeared from the screens of many viewers. However, thanks to the TikTok trend, many Netflix subscribers can now catch up on the series.

Are you spending a lot of time on TikTok and have also heard about Maid? Then the following job offer might be for you: Looking for TikTok and earning money? A company offers $1,000 for 10 hours

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

Diablo 4: How much does a PC cost if I want to play the action RPG?

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 3 minutes

Blizzard has announced the system requirements for Diablo 4. And they are surprisingly moderate. What kind of PC do you need to play Diablo 4 properly?

The system requirements for Diablo 4 are surprisingly moderate. This also means that you do not need a high-performance gaming system if you want to check out Blizzard’s new action RPG. You can read here about what you need and how much money you will need.

Update, 31.5.2023: We have updated the article and added information about DLSS 3.0.

Diablo 4: The official system requirements for Full HD, WQHD, and 4K

What are the requirements? Blizzard also specifically states which hardware you need for which resolution and frame rate. You should definitely meet the minimum requirements if you want to play Diablo 4 smoothly:

Diablo 4, Minimum requirements (1080p, 30 FPS, low settings):

  • Operating system: 64-bit Windows 10 version 1909 or newer
  • Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 or AMD Radeon R9 280
  • Processor: Intel Core i5-2500K or AMD FX-8100
  • RAM: 8 GB
  • DirectX: Version 12
  • Storage: SSD with 90 GB

Diablo 4, Recommended settings (1080p, 60FPS, high settings):

  • Operating system: 64-bit Windows 10
  • Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 or AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT
  • Processor: Intel Core i7-8700K or AMD Ryzen 2700X
  • RAM: 16 GB
  • DirectX: Version 12
  • Storage: SSD with 90 GB

Diablo 4, Recommended settings (4K, 60 FPS):

  • Operating system: 64-bit Windows 10
  • Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 or AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT. RTX 4000 for DLSS 3.0
  • Processor: Intel Core i7-8700K or AMD Ryzen 7 2700X
  • RAM: 32 GB
  • DirectX: Version 12
  • Storage: SSD with 90 GB

What does this even mean? Minimum system requirements refer to the minimum hardware you need to start a game. In most cases, the game will then run on low settings; you shouldn’t expect too much. If you have weaker hardware, the game may not run at all or only with significant issues.

If you meet the recommended settings, you can play the game with high details. Nowadays, some manufacturers also provide dedicated specifications for which settings you can play (for example, 4K, 60 FPS or Full HD, 144 FPS).

More about Diablo IV
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von Christos Tsogos
An inconspicuous feature in Diablo 4 excites me more than the new class, and I am not alone
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With a gaming PC for 700 euros you can easily play Diablo 4

What do I need for Diablo 4? Theoretically, you can also easily play Diablo 4 with a 6 or 7-year-old PC, as the requirements are relatively moderate. However, you should keep in mind that very old graphics cards, like the AMD Radeon RX 370, no longer receive software updates from the manufacturer (via gamestar.de).

You can still play with the hardware, but current drivers are often optimized for new games or resolve issues. However, the performance advantages provided by graphics card software are limited.

Exclusive features for RTX 4000: Certain features like DLSS 3.0 significantly increase the frame rate in Diablo 4, but you will also need a graphics card from the RTX 4000 series. The cheapest entry currently is the RTX 4060 Ti, which is currently not receiving good reviews.

Diablo on the PS5: In many cases, you do not necessarily have to buy new hardware or even a new PC. The alternative would, by the way, be to play Diablo 4 on the PS5, which you can now buy for around 500 euros:

More on the topic
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Start video
Diablo 4 Beta: Performance and fun are on point, but important questions remain unanswered – The conclusion of the MeinMMO editorial team

Diablo 4: What hardware could I buy?

If you want to upgrade from a too weak system, there are already several reasonable options:

  • The conditionally recommended RX 6500 XT is already significantly faster than the recommended Radeon RX 370 and costs around 150 euros.
  • A good alternative is also to look at the second-hand market: Here you can now also find a GTX 1060 or an RX 570 (8 GB) used for around 100 euros and give a system a significant boost.
  • A third option would also be to buy a new system: Gaming systems with RX 6700 XT or RTX 3070 now cost between 700 and 800 euros, allowing you to play at high settings as well.

If you want to play in 4K and with maximum details, Blizzard currently recommends an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series, or an AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT. Here you will easily pay 500 to 800 euros just for the graphics card. Complete PCs are usually around 1,400 euros or more. You only need the 4000 series if you really want to use DLSS 3.0. The benefits are significant but also very expensive.

Second-hand market as a tip for upgrades: If you have a fast processor but a weak graphics card, it is also worth taking a look at the second-hand market, especially if you are on a tight budget. You can quickly find a great deal on eBay when searching for a GPU.

Streaming as an alternative: If you do not want to spend much money, you might also want to consider streaming. Because with GeForce Now, you should also be able to play Diablo 4 in the future:

Thanks to Nvidia, you will soon be able to play new hits like Starfield and Diablo 4 without a powerful gaming PC

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

Overwatch 2: Instead of PvE, Blizzard makes someone lesbian – Community reacts: “In case of emergency, send kissing women”

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 4 minutes

Overwatch 2 has cut part of its PvE campaign, but is celebrating a different event – and making a character lesbian.

The last few days have certainly been uncomfortable for fans of Overwatch 2. After years of hope, a highly anticipated part of the PvE mode has simply been cut – the hero missions with talent trees will no longer appear. The remaining PvE content will still be released, but will be integrated more into the seasonal structure of Overwatch 2.

Just a few days later, Blizzard releases a short story titled “As You Are” (translated: “How You Are”) which sparks a new controversy. The story sheds some light on the background of Pharah and Baptiste, confirming some community speculations: Pharah is lesbian and Baptiste is bisexual.

Even though both revelations were basically expected – especially the voice lines between Baptiste and Lifeweaver were very obvious – the timing gives many reason for criticism.

Overwatch Baptiste Pharah Comic

This is how the community reacts: In the various comments, whether on community sites or in the subreddit, people are amused by the timing of these two events and write things like:

“If you have devastating news, like the cancellation of the PvE mode, just follow it up with kissing women and it’s not so bad.”

There are also some much harsher comments, referring to “LGBTQ propaganda” or a “woke, misguided company.”

However, most seem to be pleased about the announcement and, as is often the case, since the sexuality of the characters only represents one aspect of the short story, they are happy to receive a little more lore about their favorites.

Aside from that, the short story is highly praised – it is simply interesting.

In fact, these two things, namely the “cancellation” of the PvE mode and the release of the short story, may have relatively little to do with each other – after all, the “Pride Month” is in June and the story is meant to herald the beginning of this time. Moreover, this is not just a small side story, but also a large in-game event begins. For the first time in Overwatch’s history, Blizzard is celebrating Pride Month in the game as well.

Ingame event brings 40 Pride rewards

That Blizzard is taking the Pride Month in June seriously this year will be experienced by all players from June 1st. In total, there are 40 different themed Pride rewards. These include 15 pro icons for gender or sexual identity as well as another 24 name cards with similar symbols. Some of them are even dedicated to specific characters, like a “Tracer: Lesbian” name card or a “Soldier: Gay” card.

As a spray logo, there is also a photo of Lena and Emily, who form a heart with their hands together. That is Tracer with her girlfriend.

The entire Pride rewards are not part of the shop, but every Overwatch fan simply receives them upon logging in after the event begins on June 1st.

Some of the maps are also being updated during the event. For example, the map “Midtown” (New York) is decorated in rainbow colors, there is confetti, and some of the other maps have temporarily put up various Pride banners and flags to celebrate the event.

Tracer and Emily.

In the coming years, Blizzard intends to further expand this event, making it a regular, recurring part of Overwatch 2.

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von Caroline Fuller
The voice behind the most annoying hero in Overwatch loves her role, even though she terrorizes players
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The former Overwatch chief talks about Blizzard: “The biggest ‘fuck you’ of my life”
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Why is this so important to Blizzard?

In some comments, criticism is repeatedly seen. Many ask why the sexual orientation of a character is even important for a shooter. Although many others have already answered that such details define a character’s personality, Blizzard has also provided an answer:

We had a small change in our team and how we want to approach the representation of the queer community and wanted to have that in the game, so it’s important to us. I don’t think we want any doubt about these heroes.

We want people to play this character, maybe hear a voice line in which they talk about who they are and then they should also know who they are. There’s no reason to hide that. It doesn’t help us. We are here to be authentic and honest to these characters for Pride.

Pride yes, but not everywhere

In an interview with PCGamer, Overwatch head Aaron Keller also spoke about the challenges the event poses in some countries. The event cannot take place in some countries, such as Russia, because laws there prohibit “promoting non-traditional relationships.” He stated:

I cannot speak for all of Blizzard. I am currently the Game Director of Overwatch. But we aim to comply with the laws in different countries, and my personal view is that it is better to operate where it is possible than not to reach out to people at all.

What is your opinion on this event?

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. overwatch.blizzard.com/de-de/

Pokémon GO: Old Friends, New Beginnings – All Rewards and Steps of the Timed Research

Max Handwerk Max Handwerk Reading time 2 minutes

In Pokémon GO you can currently complete the limited research Old Friends, New Beginnings. It provides you with bonuses for the Kanto starters.

What kind of research is this? Shortly before the new season “Hidden Gems” in Pokémon GO begins, the research “Old Friends, New Beginnings” was added to the game. It revolves around the Kanto starters Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander.

You can obtain encounters with the three monsters and energy for their Mega Evolutions. However, you only have a limited time.

How long does the research run? The limited research started on May 30, 2023, and runs until Wednesday, June 28. As of now, it is only available in Europe.

You have just under a month to complete it. However, you should be able to manage that easily, as there are only two research pages you need to solve. We will show you the tasks and rewards here.

Old Friends, New Beginnings 1/2 – Tasks and Rewards

TaskReward
Earn 12 hearts with your buddyBulbasaur encounter
Earn 3,000 XPCharmander encounter
Use 10 power-ups on PokémonSquirtle encounter

Stage Reward: You will receive

  • 20 candies for Bulbasaur
  • 20 candies for Charmander
  • 20 candies for Squirtle
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Old Friends, New Beginnings 2/2 – Tasks and Rewards

TaskReward
Already completed!100 Mega Energy for Venusaur
Already completed!100 Mega Energy for Charizard
Already completed!100 Mega Energy for Blastoise

Stage Reward: You will receive an encounter with Pikachu and 20 Pikachu candies.

A new season starts in Pokémon GO on June 1:

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Pokémon GO shows the new season ‘Hidden Gems’ in the trailer

Is the task worth it? Overall, the research on “Old Friends, New Beginnings” is quick and can likely be completed even when playing casually. Especially since you have just under a month to do it.

If you are just starting out, the research is particularly worthwhile, as it allows you to get to the popular Kanto starters faster and progress towards their evolutions.

Especially the Mega Energy could be a nice bonus for players who do not want to wait on the cooldown timer of their Mega Evolutions. However, for the first Mega Evolution of the monsters, you need 200 Mega Energy.

What else is happening in Pokémon GO? You can find out in our overview: All events in June 2023 from Pokémon GO.

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

Diablo 4: A small update just before release simply doubles the frame rate – But not all players can rejoice

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 2 minutes

For those preparing for the release of Diablo 4, you can now install the latest driver from Nvidia. This is supposed to provide a significant boost to the frame rate (frames per second). The only downside: the biggest benefits are only available for RTX 4000 GPUs.

Nvidia has introduced a new update for its graphics cards (via nvidia.com). Included are plenty of performance improvements. With the new software, DLSS 3.0 is unlocked. Nvidia itself emphasizes that it can significantly increase the frame rate in the game.

However, there is one downside: Only new RTX 4000 graphics cards benefit from DLSS 3.0. If you own an RTX 3000 card or one from AMD, you will not benefit from the improved frame rates.

These graphics cards cannot use DLSS 3.0 because Nvidia offers DLSS 3.0 exclusively for 4000 series cards. Features like DLSS have been criticized in recent weeks, as many players believe that developers rely too heavily on DLSS and similar technologies, neglecting the optimization of their games – one reason why many new games are currently failing catastrophically.

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Diablo 4 Beta: Performance and fun are on point, but important questions remain unanswered – The conclusion of the MeinMMO editorial team

RTX 4000 Graphics Cards Can Significantly Increase FPS in Diablo 4

How significant are the performance gains? With the RTX 4090, the current fastest graphics card, you can increase the frame rate from 95 FPS to 229 FPS by activating DLSS 3.0. Nvidia’s data is based on 4K. The gains with other representatives of the GPU series look very similar:

  • RTX 4080 from 70.5 FPS to 177.5 FPS.
  • The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti from 54 FPS to 139 FPS.
  • The RTX 4070 jumps from 43 FPS to 113 FPS.

However, the gains are primarily thanks to DLSS 3.0 and “Frame Generation”. The so-called “wonder technology” significantly improves performance, but not everyone benefits from it.

Diablo 4 Nvidia DLSS on and off

Why is frame rate so important? Frame rate (frames per second) indicates how smooth your game appears. At 5 or 10 frames per second, the game looks choppy and stuttery. Such games are absolutely no fun. For many players, 60 FPS is now the threshold that is bearable while playing.

However, high frame rates also require suitable hardware. With a 60Hz monitor, you can play at 300 FPS, but you won’t be able to display that.

If you want to know what hardware you need for Diablo 4, check out the following article. Here, we explain on MeinMMO how much a PC costs to play the new action RPG:

Diablo 4: How much does a PC cost if I want to play the action RPG?

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

The author of The Witcher wrote the developers a nasty letter – they simply built it into the game

Lydia Lydia Reading time 3 minutes

The game series “The Witcher” is based on the novels of the Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. The author largely kept himself out of the development of the games, but he saw a need for action regarding one detail and wrote a letter.

Where does the information come from? Adam Zechenter and Maciej Pawlikowski from Gry Online spoke with Artur Ganszyniec, who was responsible for the story of the first two Witcher titles. Ganszyniec took the opportunity to talk about what was happening behind the scenes.

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Author was unhappy with the naming

What kind of letter was it? As Ganszyniec reports, the Witcher author Andrzej Sapkowski stayed out of the development of the games, which he didn’t find particularly interesting anyway. Furthermore, the writer is said to have had a rather pragmatic view: He knew he could write books, but he didn’t make movies or games, so how could he advise?

Nonetheless, the developers included him in certain aspects, such as the map and the naming of the characters. In one case, Sapkowski was apparently completely unhappy with the game and made this unambiguously clear to the team:

We sent him a list of such names and received a rather biting response, which clearly indicated that he did not like the names. As is typical for Sapkowski, it was a language full of complicated expressions, sharp and sarcastic. Of course, we swallowed this ‘pill’ and changed the names of many characters.

Artur Ganszyniec via Gry Online

In particular, the author is said to have been troubled by some Slavic names in the game, as initially there had been names like Janko or Wojko, which were then changed.

How did the letter find its way into the game? According to Ganszyniec, the letter itself was so “remarkable” that they simply integrated it into the game.

Inaccurate, inappropriate, and painfully primitive

Where is the letter in the game? Ganszyniec reveals that there is a playable item to be found in the third act of The Witcher 1, in which some quotes from Sapkowski’s letter are processed.

This item is the professor’s report in the corpse of the Kikimore queen. You can read the content here:

… unfortunately, I must question the advantages of our alliance with Princess Adda. The bitch is incredibly spoiled and hard to convince. She was not capable of instigating an emergency, and her clumsy forgeries led the Witcher to her trail. For now, we keep our word and play Adda’s game. However, since Foltest is likely to return soon, we should put our second plan into action. I think I will have to deal with the problem of Geralt of Rivia myself – quickly and drastically. However, I must insist that you do not refer to him as “son of a whore” – such names are completely inaccurate, inappropriate, and painfully primitive.

The transmitted substances allow us, as expected, to control the Kikimores and their mother. At least the laboratory is functioning perfectly, allowing us to apply the secrets of Kaer Morhen.

Professor

The team did not take the author’s harsh words in the letter too badly: he simply said what was necessary, and that was helpful. Incorporating parts of the letter into the game was their opportunity to lessen the situation somewhat, and at the same time, the text was immortalized.

However, that was also the only influence from Andrzej Sapkowski on the production.

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Some fans of another popular franchise would probably prefer if the author of the underlying books would stay out of the production of works based on it, just like the author of “The Witcher”. Because every new entry into the Harry Potter universe triggers a discussion about how far one can separate authors from their works.

The author of Harry Potter speaks biting words regarding the call to boycott the new game “Hogwarts Legacy”

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Bild (Collage) via Pixabay

LoL professionals strike at the start of the league, Riot says: Field full teams or no one goes to the World Championship

Alexander Leitsch Alexander Leitsch Reading time 3 minutes

In the American e-sports scene for League of Legends, there are currently many disruptions. Professional players are striking for the preservation of the so-called Academy teams, which are meant to support the development of new talent. Riot Games has therefore postponed the start of the season by two weeks but is also issuing an ultimatum for the World Championship.

What is the problem?

  • In America, teams in the highest league, LCS, have previously been required to field an Academy team to train new talent in the NACL, essentially the second division. This requirement has not existed in Europe for some time, but most teams form a second team voluntarily, such as SK Gaming Prime in Germany or Vitality.Bee in France.
  • However, the developmental teams cost money, as players and coaches need to be paid, and match days must be organized. Therefore, the franchises of the LCS have officially requested the removal of the clause regarding Academy teams.
  • Riot Games approved this request in May. Subsequently, 7 out of 10 teams announced their withdrawal from the NACL. This decision could affect over 70 jobs for players and coaches (via Twitter).
  • The LCS Player Association, which advocates for the rights of players, called for a strike, and the professional players complied. More than 50% supported the strike and did not want to participate in the league’s start.

Riot Games has now officially commented on the strike. They are temporarily postponing the start of the LCS, but if the teams are unable to field a complete roster, the league could face cancellation.

Then no team from America would be able to participate in Worlds 2023.

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Riot Games Gives Teams Two Weeks

What exactly does Riot Games say? The summer season of the LCS was originally scheduled to start tomorrow, June 1. However, the start has now been postponed by two weeks to June 15. These two weeks are intended for the teams to resolve the issues and field an active roster.

If this fails, severe consequences may follow:

We hope that this two-week time frame allows for productive dialogue between the LCSPA, the teams, and the league, so that we can resume LCS competition this summer. The LCS will not penalize teams for not fielding their rosters during these two weeks, allowing everyone to focus on constructive dialogue. We are doing our best to ensure that LCS staff, contractors, and others who support the LCS are not adversely affected by the delay.

A delay beyond the two-week window would make it nearly impossible to conduct a legitimate competition, and in that case, we would be prepared to cancel the entire LCS summer season. If the LCS summer season is canceled, no LCS teams will qualify for the World Championship 2023. I want to be clear: This is not an outcome we would wish for, but unfortunately, it is the reality to ensure a fair, competitive global system.

Naz Aletaha via LoL Esports

What does Riot Games say about the Academy teams? The developers want to continue to emphasize an active second league, but they believe that it can function without the help of major franchises like TSM, CLG, or Cloud9.

They find the Academy model “ineffective” and prefer to make the league attractive to fresh teams. Therefore, the NACL has been granted an additional budget of 300,000 dollars per team for the upcoming season.

With this, they aim to emulate the model in Europe and Korea. In Europe, for instance, there is a type of “second league” for each region, from which the best teams can qualify for the EU Masters. In Germany, that is the Prime League, where teams like Schalke 04, Eintracht Frankfurt, and also the LoL team of HandOfBlood – Eintracht Spandau compete.

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“Every team received 3 million dollars, but only 3 used it for the NACL”

How does the Players Association respond? They view Riot Games’ statement as a partial success. It is clear that players play an important role in the LCS and cannot simply be overlooked in decision-making.

They have now requested daily meetings with Riot Games to find a quick solution (via Twitter).

However, they also requested that other players do not step in if they are asked by teams for a substitute roster. This is said to have already happened behind the scenes. All players in America would benefit from the strike. Stepping in would undermine this goal and jeopardize the future of all professional players.

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Overall, the LCSPA sees the mistakes primarily on the side of the American franchises. At the start of the year, Riot Games gave each LCS team 3 million dollars to improve their financial situation. However, only three teams apparently used the money to retain their Academy teams (via Twitter).

These teams are FlyQuest, Team Liquid, and Evil Geniuses. Despite placing 7th, 9th, and 13th in the NACL, they still maintain their developmental teams.

For the American scene, a major change is also looming in 2024. TSM, which has been an important part since the inception of League of Legends, will disband its team to move to a stronger region:

LoL: USA loses its most important team – CEO explains in video why

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