7 exciting online shooters that are set to be released in 2023

Dariusz Müller Dariusz Müller Reading time 5 minutes

The year 2023 is already a few months old and shooter fans are still waiting for the first release of a new, promising title. However, some exciting online shooters are still to come in 2023. Here, we present 7 upcoming shooters.

What is this list about? The list includes seven online shooters that will be released in 2023. It features both PvP shooters and PvE and coop titles.

We briefly introduce the titles and explain what each game is about. Some of the titles already offered a beta in 2023, where you may have already been able to test the games.

[toc]

We will continue to update the article over time should there be new announcements or information about titles like “Call of Duty 2023“.

Counter-Strike 2

Genre: Tactical shooter | Developer: Valve | Platform: PC | Release date: Summer 2023 |
Model: Free-to-Play | Perspective: First-Person

Start video
Counter-Strike 2 heralds a new era – The most important changes in the video

What is Counter-Strike 2 about? Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) will be the official successor to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) and is expected to be released as an update for the tactical shooter in summer 2023. Players will continue to play their skins and the already known maps, but on a newer engine, which brings some changes.

The gameplay of CS2 should be familiar to most shooter fans from predecessors like CS:GO: Two teams, consisting of 5 players each, try to either plant a bomb at one of two spots or prevent the planting, or defuse the bomb before it detonates.

The successful detonation of the bomb or prevention grants a point for the winning team. Multiple rounds are played, and the team that wins more rounds wins the match. After half of the rounds played, roles are swapped, and the attacking team must then prevent the bomb from being planted.

Since March 22, a limited test has also been running, in which selected players could participate. Recently, however, players reported that they were kicked from the beta servers, leading to speculation that the testing phase has ended.

XDefiant

Genre: Arena shooter | Developer: Ubisoft | Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC | Release date: 2023 | Model: Free-to-Play | Perspective: First-Person

Start video
XDefiant Game Overview Deep Dive Trailer

What is XDefiant about? In XDefiant, you compete against other players in various PvP modes like Domination and Payload, aiming to secure victory for your team. You take on the role of various factions from Ubisoft games.

For example, you can briefly become invisible with a “Splinter Cell” character, boost your health points with a freedom fighter from Far Cry 6, or send in a drone from the Cleaners in The Division that ignites your enemies and deals significant damage.

Additionally, XDefiant is particularly characterized by fast movement and easy weapon handling, which players were able to test in various alpha and beta phases in 2022 and 2023. The latest beta of XDefiant took place in April 2023.

Payday 3

Genre: Coop shooter (PvE) | Developer: Starbreeze Studios | Platform: PS5, Xbox Series, PC | Release date: 2023 | Model: Buy-to-Play | Perspective: First-Person

There is already a short teaser video for Payday 3, but it does not give you a good impression of the shooter’s gameplay. For a better illustration, we will embed a video of the predecessor, Payday 2.

Start video
PAYDAY 2: Black Cat Heist Gameplay Trailer

What is Payday about? Payday 3 is a coop shooter that the developers at Starbreeze Studios claim will still be released in 2023 and follows the success of the predecessor Payday 2, which was particularly praised on Steam.

Your task will again be to commit crimes in various scenarios, such as robbing banks or pursuing other criminal activities. The way you approach the individual missions will be determined by you, as planning is a fundamental part of the game’s principle.

It is therefore up to you whether you march in through the front door with a big bang and heavy weapons or proceed quietly and stealthily while trying to avoid triggering an alarm.

The Finals

Genre: Arena shooter | Developer: Embark Studios | Platform: PS5, Xbox Series, PC |
Release date: 2023 | Model: Free-to-Play | Perspective: First-Person

Start video
The Finals: Beta Gameplay – 2 complete Matches

What is The Finals about? In The Finals, you compete in a kind of game show against other players. A quickplay match lasts eight minutes and is contested by 4 teams of 3 players each.

In each round, you have to grab containers with money, defend against other players, and bring them to a drop-off point. Once you have dropped off a money container, the content will be credited to your account. Your goal is to collect more money than your opponents to emerge victorious.

For this purpose, various weapons and gadgets are available to you on the battlefield. You can also blow up entire buildings and utilize the enormous destructibility of the maps to alter the terrain to your advantage and gain a tactical edge.

A closed beta already took place in 2023, in which MeinMMO editor Maik Schneider participated and summarized his first impressions of The Finals for you.

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The Division Heartland

Genre: PvEvP shooter | Developer: Red Storm Entertainment, Ubisoft | Platform: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC | Release date: 2023 | Model: Free-to-Play | Perspective: Third-Person

Start video
The developers of The Division Heartland talk about the gameplay of the upcoming shooter

The Division Heartland is set to be a mix of extraction shooter and survival game and takes place in the American small town of Silver Creek. In addition to a multitude of enemies, you will encounter a deadly contamination that is spreading in the small town. There will also be diseases and dehydration.

Your task in Silver Creek is to protect the town from rogue agents, criminal factions, and a deadly contamination. In doing so, you will assist the agent “Mackenzie Amber Reed” in her fight against her former commander Killian Tower, who has murdered his former unit.

The latest installment in The Division series incorporates a day-night cycle, which adopts the habits of the Dark Zone: During the day, you complete missions and achieve goals. At night, new, more dangerous enemies arrive, and other players can make your life difficult.

Hyenas

Genre: Extraction shooter | Developer: Creative Assembly | Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC | Release date: 2023 | Model: Free-to-Play | Perspective: First-Person

Start video
In a new shooter on Steam, you steal billions on Mars

In a world where Earth no longer exists and most of humanity lives in orbit, you join the namesake group of thieves, the Hyenas.

Your goal is to steal the treasures of the wealthy who have been living on Mars since the destruction of our world, hoarding pop culture artifacts like Rubik’s Cubes and action figures.

The game developed by Creative Assembly is an extraction shooter and focuses on PvEvP. In 2023, you already had the chance to participate in a free alpha of Hyenas.

Synced

Genre: Loot shooter | Developer: NExT Studios | Platform: PC | Release date: Summer 2023 |
Model: Free-to-Play | Perspective: Third-Person

Start video
Already 10 minutes in the tutorial of the new loot shooter Synced: Destiny is facing competition

In Synced, humanity looks into an apocalyptic future where technology, originally promised to bring a bright future, has turned against humankind, creating mechanized beasts called Nanos.

In Synced, you fight as mercenaries called runners for the new world. You collect loot to improve your equipment and weapons with mods. Additionally, there are the so-called Primes, which can be deployed by your runner in combat after synchronizing with an enemy Nano.

You were even able to test Synced in an open beta as early as 2022. MeinMMO’s Destiny expert Britta has also played the shooter and summarized her impressions:

New loot shooter Synced particularly interests fans of Division and Destiny 2 – Here’s how it plays

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

Callers receive a third specialization: “Such a thing has never existed in WoW before”

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 3 minutes

The callers of the Dracthyr actually get a third specialization. And this is something completely new that you haven’t seen in World of Warcraft.

For several months, there has been speculation about it because there were first hints of a “third specialization” of the Caller class in World of Warcraft. Now Blizzard is simply getting to the point and officially announces the “Augmentation” specialization for patch 10.1.5.

What kind of specialization is this? The new “Augmentation” specialization is primarily a DPS specialization that utilizes the powers of the bronze and black dragonflights.

The special twist is that the performance of the caller comes only partly from their own damage. Because many of their abilities enhance allies and grant them massive buffs to their primary stats, significantly increasing the damage dealt (or healing done).

Blizzard even wants to adjust some details in the combat log, so that addons like damage meters can better filter which “bonus damage” was caused by the Augmentation caller in the group.

WoW Evoker Dracthyr Roar

What abilities does the Augmentation Caller have? Some example abilities have already been presented by Blizzard in the official blog post:

  • Black Power: 1.5 seconds cast time, 30 seconds cooldown. Increases the primary stat of your 4 nearest allies by a percentage of your own primary stat and makes your ‘Eruption’ deal more damage for 10 seconds. Some of your other spells increase the duration of these effects.
  • Eruption: 2 seconds cast time, costs 3 Essence and replaces “Disintegration”. Triggers a violent eruption beneath the feet of an enemy, dealing volcanic damage that is evenly distributed between them and nearby enemies. Increases the duration of your active effects from ‘Black Power’.
  • Thrust Up: 2.5 seconds cast time, empowerment spell, 40 seconds cooldown. Collects earthy power beneath the feet of your enemy and hurls them upward, dealing volcanic damage to the target and nearby enemies. The effect radius increases through empowerment. Increases the duration of your active effects from ‘Black Power’.
  • Breath of Aeons: 1.5 minutes cooldown and replaces “Deep Breath”. Flies to the target location and applies ‘Temporal Wounds’ to all enemies in your path for 10 seconds. ‘Temporal Wounds’ collects a portion of the damage dealt by your allies and then critically hits the enemy at the end of this duration, dealing that damage amount. Increases the duration of your active effects from ‘Black Power’.
WoW Evoker Dracthyr Talent Tree Augmentation
The talent tree of the “Augmentation” caller is nearly finished.

The talents of the Augmentation Caller also strike a similar note. Some examples are buffs for the group that should shine particularly in “Mythic+” or raids.

  • Draconic Attunement (Passive): Learns to attune yourself to the essence of the black or bronze dragonflights:
    • ‘Black Attunement’ increases your maximum health and that of your 4 nearest allies.
    • ‘Bronze Attunement’ increases your movement speed and that of your 4 nearest allies.
  • Weyrnstone Gift: Summons two Weyrnstones, one for your allied target and one for yourself. A Weyrnstone can be activated by its bearer to teleport to the location of the other Weyrnstone if it is within a radius of 100 meters.

If you want to test the Augmentation Caller, you should soon head to the PTR of patch 10.1.5 – there, the new specialization can be tried out by all interested parties.

Do you need to unlock the specialization? No. There is no prerequisite quest for the specialization, all callers can access it immediately.

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When does the specialization come out? With the launch of patch 10.1.5. However, the patch does not yet have an official release date. However, if Blizzard sticks to the current patch strategy, the release is likely to be between the end of June and the beginning of July. As soon as there is an official date, we will of course report on it.

What do you think of this third specialization? Is it a brilliant thing coming for callers? Or is it wasted potential and something else would have been better?

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

The biggest MMORPG streamer on Twitch reveals the “unpleasant truth”, on what success actually depends

Lydia Lydia Reading time 2 minutes

Asmongold is one of the biggest streamers on Twitch and has been around for ages. He should know well how the streaming platform works. He says: Looks play a huge role, even if no one wants to admit it.

Which streamer is it about? Asmongold has been delightfully embodying the stereotype of an MMORPG player on Twitch for years: He streams from his chaos room, avoids sunlight, and has long, somewhat unkempt-looking hair. Meanwhile, the streamer doesn’t take himself too seriously and doesn’t shy away from making jokes about his appearance.

A popular running gag in the Asmongold community is the growing receding hairline of the streamer. If you take a look at his clip channel on YouTube, you’ll find countless videos discussing his hairline.

Some would say that he is not necessarily in a position to judge the appearance of others. Nevertheless, Asmongold is one of the biggest streamers on Twitch and one of the most well-known content creators in the MMORPG field. In a recent stream, he shared his wisdom with his viewers.

Start video
Career and life of Asmongold in 3 minutes – What makes him special?

Streamer believes he knows why others are not successful

What does Asmongold have to say? In a stream on May 9, Asmongold talked about smaller streamers and the growth of their channels. The topic had recently been tackled by his buddy Mizkif, who had rubbed people the wrong way by stating that small streamers are to blame if the viewers do not show up.

Asmongold upped the ante and explained that small streamers are often simply not worth watching:

Many streamers have few viewers because they are awful streamers: They are damn boring and there is no reason to watch them. They have no knowledge of streaming, they are bad at games, they are not funny or entertaining, they are not attractive.

The streamer even goes a step further: His fans could show him talented but unknown content creators, and he could tell them exactly why they do not have more viewers. However, he would not do that: It would make him look like an ass.

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Asmongold shares an “uncomfortable truth”

What reason does Asmongold suspect? As the streamer explains, appearance matters a lot on Twitch; that is the “uncomfortable, shitty truth”.

The thing is: If you’re ugly, people won’t like you. And that’s even truer for girls. So if you’re really fat or really ugly, it doesn’t matter how funny you are; people just won’t like you. They don’t want to see you.

Indeed, it is noticeable that the comparatively few successful women on Twitch are mostly conventionally attractive, while it seems that the same standards do not always apply to their male counterparts. Asmongold himself does not exactly embody the ideal of masculinity of a fit guy with a full head of hair.

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Big streamers like Imane “Pokimane” Anys have learned to somehow deal with it. In a recent interview, the 26-year-old revealed that at the beginning of her career, she was surprised by how much misogyny she encountered:

The Queen of Twitch talks about her experiences as a woman in gaming: “Have guys always been like this?”

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
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Pokémon GO: Limited Research ‘A Bold Hero’ – How to secure TMs

Franzi Korittke Franzi Korittke Reading time 2 minutes

In Pokémon GO the event “A Valorous Hero” is currently running, during which you can solve a limited-time research task. This will reward you with a variety of items, including two TMs. We at MeinMMO will show you how to secure them.

What research is it about? During the current event “A Valorous Hero”, you can expect not only a special research task but also another limited-time research task. This is only active during the event period and will disappear afterward.

You can find it in your “Today” view in the game, which you can access by clicking on the binoculars. You will be presented with 2 panels, each with 4 tasks related to catching, throwing, battling, and power-ups. What you need to do and what rewards await you are summarized below with the help of the overview from LeekDuck.

Limited Research “A Valorous Hero” 1/2

TaskReward
Make 10 Power-Ups with Pokémon1,000 Stardust
Catch 5 Pokémon10 Poké Balls
Land 5 Great Throws10 Razz Berries
Battle against 3 Team GO Rocket Grunts5 Hyper Potions

Stage Reward: If you have completed all the tasks on this panel and collected the respective rewards, you will also receive 1,000 Stardust, 1,000 XP, and an Instant TM.

How you can find the members of Team GO Rocket and what the mysterious parts will bring you is explained in the following video:

Start video
Pokémon GO: Finding Rocket Bosses – How to Collect the Rocket Radar and Track Them Down

Limited Research “A Valorous Hero” 2/2

TaskReward
Make 10 Power-Ups with Pokémon1,000 Stardust
Catch 5 Pokémon10 Poké Balls
Land 5 Great Throws10 Razz Berries
Battle 3 times in a Gym5 Hyper Potions

Stage Reward: If you have completed all the tasks on this panel and collected the respective rewards, you will also receive 1,000 Stardust, 1,000 XP, and a Charge TM.

How long do you have to solve the tasks? To secure the rewards from the limited-time research task, you need to complete the tasks by May 17, 2023, at 8:00 PM local time at the latest. Don’t forget to collect your rewards before the event ends, as they will otherwise also expire.

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What do you think of the limited-time research content? Are you satisfied with the items? Or would you have preferred different tasks and rewards? Let us know here on MeinMMO in the comments and share your thoughts with other trainers.

During the event, you can also secure a rare costumed Shiny Ponyta with some luck. We show you all the tasks and rewards of the special research “A Valorous Hero.”

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

LoL: Dispute between commentator and player escalates over a smile

Niko Hernes Niko Hernes Reading time 2 minutes

For Europe, the MSI, a League of Legends tournament, currently does not look good. On Wednesday, the Spanish team MAD Lions lost to the Korean team T1 3:0. But besides the bitter defeat, a comparison image of two players heated the emotions on Twitter. And that because of a smile.

On Wednesday, the match MAD Lions vs. T1 took place at the MSI. MAD Lions lost 3:0 to the Korean team. After the match, one player stood out in particular, namely the Belgian Nisqy, who left the stage smiling after his defeat.

What happened? The Spanish commentator Jamie Mellado posted a comparison image on Twitter after the game. On one side, we see the disappointed Elyoya, and on the other side the smiling Nisqy. Both players from MAD Lions.

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In his tweet, the commentator criticized the player Nisqy with the following words: Posture of a winner // Posture of a loser. Both images reflect the performance level of both players in the series.

Even the biggest LoL streamer on Twitch often makes headlines. Especially, when he gets upset about the game.

The most famous LoL pro is the Korean Faker. The reasons for this can be seen in this video:

Start video
The Life of Faker – Why He is a Living Legend

How does the community react? Under Mellado’s tweet, people show solidarity with Nisqy and find his comparison exaggerated.

  • coachseeel: Incredibly disrespectful
  • portilho: Sorry, but that’s a stupid tweet. […] every player reacts differently.
  • Sio_Pau3030: He smiles because he is trying to stay positive.

However, Nisqy did not cover himself in glory and insulted the Spanish commentator in a deleted tweet. Many criticize the insult by Nisqy and his attitude towards his defeat under the picture with his deleted tweet.

  • Helebi1: The ego that Nisqy has or seems to have makes no sense
  • _TheMister_15_: He laughs because he doesn’t care
  • lob_she: The reaction of a 15-year-old, which should have professional consequences.

In LoL, the toxic player base is a big problem. With patch 13.8, Riot wanted to make it easier for you to sort out flamers.

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Where does this drama come from? The French e-sports site MGG suspects that there is more behind the comparison image by Mellado and attributes it to a general toxic rivalry between France and Spain.

Without calling it a conspiracy, we generally observe that there are regularly toxic behaviors between […] both communities.

Griefing players who suddenly go AFK are, alongside insults, an ongoing problem in League of Legends. A website shows which champion in LoL is most often AFK.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
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WoW: Night Elves Become Warlocks – and all others soon too

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

Blizzard has introduced Patch 10.1.5 for World of Warcraft. It contains a spicy detail – as all races can soon become Warlocks.

Patch 10.1 Glut von Neltharion has been live for just a few days, but Blizzard is already pushing Patch 10.1.5 to the PTR. Besides some major announcements like a Mega-Dungeon with Galakrond, there are also some new information for Warlock fans:

All races (except for the Dracthyr) will be able to become Warlocks in the future. Yes, this includes Night Elves, Draenei, and Lightforged Draenei.

Which races can become Warlocks? A whole range of new races can decide to let themselves be guided by demonic magic and summon all sorts of demons from the Nether. Warlocks will then be:

  • Night Elves
  • Draenei
  • Lightforged Draenei
  • Pandaren
  • Kul Tiran
  • Tauren
  • Highmountain Tauren
  • Mag’har Orcs
  • Zandalari Trolls

The only exception here are still the Dracthyr. This race remains restricted to the Evokers and that will probably stay that way for a while.

How the community reacts: The announcement of Warlocks for all races divides the community. While many look forward to playing a Draenei or a Tauren Warlock, there is also criticism and doubt.

Some are already grinding their teeth over Night Elves, but the real trouble comes from the “Lightforged Draenei”. Due to their origin story, they should actually not be able to become Warlocks at all – unless they break with everything their people stand for and rebel against their own Lightforging.

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When is it coming? There is still no release date for Patch 10.1.5. However, if Blizzard sticks to its previous release intervals for patches, it could be at the end of June or the beginning of July.

What do you think about Warlocks soon belonging to all races? Cool that there will be more options? Or do you need more historical explanation for that?

Otherwise, the new gearing system is still under discussion – it is brilliant but complicated.

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

CEO of one of the largest MMORPGs in the world wants to move away from MMORPG – Explains why

Jakob Gerden Jakob Gerden Reading time 3 minutes

In a recent interview, CEO Jeonghee Jin of Pearl Abyss North America revealed that the developer’s focus is now less on a single genre. With upcoming projects such as Crimson Desert or DokeV, it should be demonstrated that connecting communities can also work outside of MMORPGs.

Why does Pearl Abyss want to move away from MMORPGs? According to CEO Jeonghee Jin of Pearl Abyss North America and her interview with GamesIndustry.biz (via gamesindustry.biz), younger generations are interested not just in one but in multiple genres.

Most kids play a few shooters, but sometimes also a strategy game or an MMORPG. I see this pattern often. This requires game companies to act smarter, and depending on who your target audience is, you also need different monetization or business strategies.

Jeonghee Jin, CEO of Pearl Abyss North America, interview with Brendan Sinclair, gamesindustry.biz

Different genres thus offer the opportunity to apply different business practices, such as DLCs. It is therefore not surprising that big names like Pearl Abyss want to jump on this bandwagon and intend to expand their portfolio with other genres.

What projects were discussed? On one hand, it was about Crimson Desert, the former successor to Black Desert – an MMORPG that, according to the manufacturer’s claims, counts among the largest MMORPGs in the world with 20 million players (via Steam). According to the criteria of mmo-population.com, it is still among the TOP 20 of all MMOs (via mmo-population.com).

Crimson Desert was originally supposed to inherit Black Desert Online. However, it has been clear since at least 2023 that Crimson Desert will not be an MMORPG and is also not set in the same world as its namesake. This was confirmed again by CEO Joenghee Jin in the interview.

Check out a trailer for Crimson Desert here.

Start video
Crimson Desert shows the crazy open world in the gameplay trailer

The other project that the CEO of Pearl Abyss North America discussed in the interview goes by the unusual name DokeV. Similar to Pokémon, players will be able to capture and use creatures in an allegedly open world. While it is also not supposed to be an MMORPG, it will provide the opportunity to compete against each other.

The name, by the way, comes from Korean mythology. According to CEO Joenghee Jin, DokeV is derived from “Dokkaebi”, which means “mythical tricksters of Korean folklore”. The CEO compares these mythical tricksters to “goblins”.

Furthermore, the CEO admitted to being initially skeptical about the name choice, as typically English titles are used for Korean games in the West.

Check out a music video for DokeV here.

Start video
New MMO DokeV relies on music video like LoL – Goes viral on YouTube

CEO says: Communities exist both online and offline

How does Pearl Abyss want to involve the community? According to statements by CEO Jeonghee Jin, Crimson Desert remains a game focused on single-player. However, they still want to stay connected with the community. Thus, the CEO of Pearl Abyss North America says that there are communities “[…] both online and offline”.

She explains that they could proceed with DLCs, sequels, major expansions, and regular updates, similar to the principle of weekly updates for MMORPGs, such as their own Black Desert Online – but just a bit slower.

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Especially the experiences from the aforementioned MMORPG are what Pearl Abyss wants to use for the ongoing support of their games and contact with the community.

DokeV, on the other hand, was realized out of the developers’ desire to play the MMO with their children while incorporating more of their own culture. This way, the MMO is intended to appeal to players already at home and create a sense of community there while being expanded with MMO elements.

What do you think? Is Pearl Abyss’s future direction wise and are business models like the gacha system in Genshin Impact for example the future? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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

Diablo 4: Time of the Last Beta – The preload for the server slam has started, when does it begin?

Benedict Grothaus Benedict Grothaus Reading time 2 minutes

Before the release of Diablo 4, there is still a beta where you should heat things up for Blizzard: the Server Slam. MeinMMO gives you the most important times for the final test.

When does the beta start?

On Friday, May 12, you can start at 9:00 PM German time on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. The beta supports crossplay and even couch co-op on consoles.

When does the beta end?

The servers are expected to run until Sunday, May 14, also at 9:00 PM.

When does the preload start?

You can start your pre-download on Wednesday, May 10, at 9:00 PM. If you still have the old beta installed, you only need to download an update. Otherwise, you will need to download the entire, massive beta of up to 85 GB again.

When does Ashava appear?

The world boss Ashava will appear for the first time on Saturday, May 13, at 6:00 PM German time and then every 3 hours. The last spawn is on May 14 at 6:00 PM. You need to reach level 20 and kill Ashava, if you want to get the new rewards.

We have updated our level guide for the beta, in case you need tips on leveling up quickly to get to the rewards. Perfect for anyone with little time.

You can find all the information about the Server Slam in our overview here. We have embedded the trailer here for you:

Start video
Diablo 4: The trailer for the Server Slam with content and rewards

Contents of the Server Slam – What can I play?

As with the second beta test, you have all 5 classes from Diablo 4 available. You can play the prologue and Act 1 and explore the first zone, the Shattered Peaks.

There you will find 23 dungeons, world events, legion events, and some altars of Lilith that will improve your stats. You can find the locations of all altars of Lilith in Act 1 on our map here.

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An inconspicuous feature in Diablo 4 excites me more than the new class, and I am not alone
von Niko Hernes

Unlike in previous betas, the maximum level is 20, not 25. Also, the drop rate for legendaries is lower than before and corresponds to what you will see on the live servers starting June 6.

The Server Slam is already on a new patch version, which incorporates improvements from the initial tests. This includes adjustments to the UI, but buffs and nerfs for the classes are also planned:

2 classes have been nearly useless in Diablo 4 so far – Blizzard is helping with big buffs before release

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

Fans convince small Twitch streamer to insane project to support him – Has been live for 26 days now

Dariusz Müller Dariusz Müller Reading time 2 minutes

The community of a German Twitch streamer convinced him to do a crazy project because they wanted to support him. He has been live for almost a month now.

Who is it about? RaizorDATA is a German content creator, best known for his YouTube videos about various Pokémon games. Raizor’s main channel has nearly 47,000 subscribers on YouTube, and his videos regularly reach over 10,000 views.

Additionally, Raizor regularly streams on Twitch, where the focus is also primarily on Pokémon, but also on Super Mario. However, his reach there is considerably lower; in the past 90 days, he averaged 73 viewers (via Sullygnome).

Despite the relatively small number of viewers, his community has remained loyal to him on Twitch and convinced him nearly a month ago to undertake a crazy project, where they wanted to support him financially.

Start video
Twitch streamer with only 1 viewer becomes famous through a nice gesture – This is her story

What kind of project is it? The fans of the content creator suggested a so-called Subathon to support him. This is a stream that gets extended by a certain amount of time with each subscription the streamer receives. In Raizor’s case, that’s 4 minutes per sub.

Raizor launched the Subathon at the request of his viewers 27 days ago (via Twitter). Since then, the number of subs for the streamer has grown to over 2,700, and he still has almost 205 hours left before he can end the broadcast (as of May 11 via Twitch).

In the past 30 days, Raizor has been live for over 580 hours.

More about Twitch
“I shouldn’t have opened my mouth” – Twitch streamer dared to criticize her colleagues, now says what consequences it has for her
von Johanna
Twitch streamer talks about how she almost lost an important job because others created disgusting content about her
von Johanna
Gamer punches opponent in the face on the stage of CAGGTUS – Here’s what the organizers say
von Dariusz Müller

Why does the community want to support Raizor? About a month ago, Raizor addressed his community during a stream. He explained a change in his personal circumstances that motivated him to move within Germany.

The streamer wants to return to the place where he felt most comfortable – and his community immediately insisted on wanting to support him with the move. The suggestion for a Subathon was repeatedly brought up by the viewers until the project finally became a reality.

When the streamer Ludwig Ahgren once held a Subathon on Twitch and was live for 31 days, he broke Ninja’s previous sub record at the end of the marathon stream, collecting over 283,000 subs.

Ludwig streams for 31 days, breaks sub record on Twitch – Ninja congratulates sadly

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

Professional reaches the highest rank in Apex Legends without a single kill – Will show how bad ranked is

Max Handwerk Max Handwerk Reading time 2 minutes

In Apex Legends, the ranking system has been revamped. However, some players are dissatisfied – and a pro sought a particularly creative way to express his frustration.

This is happening in Apex Legends: The new season 17 has started, which among other things brought changes to the weapon system, but the ranking mode of Apex Legends has also been adjusted for the current season. EA refers to this as “improved matchmaking and more competition.”

The matchmaking is based on a hidden MMR rating, with some players criticizing just after the start of the season that they are suddenly matched against pros (via reddit). It also plays into the fact that the “entry fee” for each round is 35 ladder points – no matter what level you are.

At the same time, ladder points are awarded in a system that favors making it as far as possible in the game. However, this apparently encourages some players to sneak through the round instead of engaging in combat – and this doesn’t seem to sit well with everyone either.

Pro wants to show that fights are currently not necessary to progress

The new system called pro “sweet” into action, who announced: “I’m thinking of making a no-weapon challenge without shooting, to prove how bad the system is” (via Twitter). And he indeed put this into practice.

He took it upon himself to reach the predator rank in Apex Legends – the highest rank in the current system. He not only refrained from achieving kills, but he even completely saved distributing damage.

Via Twitter he shared the corresponding graphic:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.

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Link to the Twitter content

It shows that he made it into the top 5 of the battle royals a total of 45 times out of 50 matches. He didn’t make a single kill, didn’t deal any damage, but still achieved 5 victories. Otherwise, he apparently limited himself to reviving, saving teammates 11 times and letting them respawn 45 times.

Start video
Apex Legends – Stories from the Outlands – “Encore”

He suggests that at least the entry fee for higher-level players should be increased, or they “will be hiding in the trees.”

This approach by sweet is also being discussed in the Apex Legends subreddit (via reddit):

  • “So does that mean I have a chance?” one asks (via reddit).
  • “Yes, but you have to transform into a tree,” jokes another back (via reddit).
  • “Some people are pretty angry about it, but I find it incredibly impressive,” comments a user (via reddit).
More about shooters on MeinMMO
More on the topic
E-sport world champion says: TikTok is to blame for players no longer playing tactically
von Dariusz Müller
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CoD MW2 & Warzone 2: Mid-Season 3 is online – Patch Notes & Update
von Maik Schneider
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Counter-Strike 2: Release, Beta and Changes to the Successor of CS:GO
von Dariusz Müller

What do you think of the new system – and sweet’s performance? Do you believe that in the battle royale, fights should take precedence, or is the sneaky approach also quite exciting? Let us know in the comments!

How the feedback on ranked in season 17 will continue to develop remains to be seen, as the season has only just started. In an interview with MeinMMO, Apex Legends provided insights into the distant future of the shooter.

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

Honkai: Star Rail – All Characters and How to Obtain Them

Marie Friske Marie Friske Reading time 5 minutes

Here you can find all characters in Honkai: Star Rail listed that are playable. We will also explain how to obtain the characters.

How do you obtain characters in Honkai: Star Rail? The new RPG from HoyoVerse, like Genshin Impact, relies on a gacha system through which you can obtain playable characters.

You make draws on specific banners using “Warps” and have the chance to get various figures.

Some characters can also be obtained for free in Honkai: Star Rail by playing the main story or completing challenges.

Here you will find an overview of all currently playable characters and information on how to obtain them.

[toc]

Start video
Official Release Trailer – “Interstellar Journey” – Honkai: Star Rail

These are the playable characters in Honkai Star Rail

1. Trailblazer

  • Rarity: 5 Stars
  • Path: The Destruction
  • Combat Type: Physical

How do you get the Trailblazer? You receive the Trailblazer automatically at the beginning of Honkai: Star Rail. You can choose between a female or male character.

As the game progresses, you unlock additional paths and combat types for the protagonist.

2. Welt

  • Rarity: 5 Stars
  • Path: The Nihility
  • Combat Type: Imaginary

How do you get Welt? You can obtain Welt through the Standard Warp and the Beginner Warp.

3. Himeko

  • Rarity: 5 Stars
  • Path: The Erudition
  • Combat Type: Fire

How do you get Himeko? You can obtain Himeko through the Standard Warp and the Beginner Warp.

4. Bronya

  • Rarity: 5 Stars
  • Path: The Harmony
  • Combat Type: Wind

How do you get Bronya? You can obtain Bronya through the Standard Warp and the Beginner Warp.

5. Seele

  • Rarity: 5 Stars
  • Path: The Hunt
  • Combat Type: Quantum

How do you get Bronya? You can obtain Bronya through the character event warp “Butterfly on the Sword Tip”.

6. Gepard

  • Rarity: 5 Stars
  • Path: The Preservation
  • Combat Type: Ice

How do you get Gepard? You can obtain Gepard through the Standard Warp and the Beginner Warp.

7. Clara

  • Rarity: 5 Stars
  • Path: The Destruction
  • Combat Type: Physical

How do you get Clara? You can obtain Clara through the Standard Warp and the Beginner Warp.

8. Yanqing

  • Rarity: 5 Stars
  • Path: The Hunt
  • Combat Type: Ice

How do you get Yanqing? You can obtain Yanqing through the Standard Warp and the Beginner Warp.

9. Bailu

  • Rarity: 5 Stars
  • Path: The Abundance
  • Combat Type: Lightning

How do you get Bailu? You can obtain Bailu through the Standard Warp and the Beginner Warp.

10. March 7th

  • Rarity: 4 Stars
  • Path: The Preservation
  • Combat Type: Ice

How do you get March 7th? You receive her quite early in the game, shortly after you start the story.

11. Dan Heng

  • Rarity: 4 Stars
  • Path: The Hunt
  • Combat Type: Wind

How do you get Dan Heng?  You also receive Dan Heng early in the game, while playing through the story.

12. Arlan

  • Rarity: 4 Stars
  • Path: The Destruction
  • Combat Type: Lightning

How do you get Arlan? You can obtain Arlan through the Standard Warp and the Beginner Warp.

13. Asta

  • Rarity: 4 Stars
  • Path: The Harmony
  • Combat Type: Fire

How do you get Asta? You are guaranteed to receive Asta in the tutorial for the gacha system.

14. Herta

  • Rarity: 4 Stars
  • Path: The Erudition
  • Combat Type: Ice

How do you get Herta? You receive Herta after completing the Trailblaze mission “Universe Simulation: First Closed Beta”.

15. Serval

  • Rarity: 4 Stars
  • Path: The Erudition
  • Combat Type: Lightning

How do you get Serval? Players receive the character automatically through a registration event that took place before the launch of the game.

Since more than 3,500,000 registrations were completed, we get Serval for free. You can request her through the inbox as soon as you can access the menu in Honkai: Star Rail.

16. Natasha

  • Rarity: 4 Stars
  • Path: The Abundance
  • Combat Type: Physical

How do you get Natasha? You receive Natasha after completing the Trailblaze mission “In the Rust”. Additionally, the character can be obtained through the character event warp “Butterfly on the Sword Tip”.

17. Pela

  • Rarity: 4 Stars
  • Path: The Nihility
  • Combat Type: Ice

How do you get Pela? You can obtain Pela through the Standard Warp and the Beginner Warp. Additionally, the character can be obtained through the character event warp “Butterfly on the Sword Tip”.

18. Hook

  • Rarity: 4 Stars
  • Path: The Destruction
  • Combat Type: Fire

How do you get Hook? You can obtain Hook through the Standard Warp and the Beginner Warp. Additionally, the character can be obtained through the character event warp “Butterfly on the Sword Tip”.

19. Tingyun

  • Rarity: 4 Stars
  • Path: The Harmony
  • Combat Type: Lightning

How do you get Tingyun? You can obtain Tingyun through the Standard Warp and the Beginner Warp.

20. Sushang

  • Rarity: 4 Stars
  • Path: The Hunt
  • Combat Type: Physical

How do you get Sushang? You can obtain Sushang through the Standard Warp and the Beginner Warp.

21. Sampo

  • Rarity: 4 Stars
  • Path: The Nihility
  • Combat Type: Wind

How do you get Sampo? You can obtain Sampo through the Standard Warp and the Beginner Warp.

22. Qingque

  • Rarity: 4 Stars
  • Path: The Erudition
  • Combat Type: Quantum

How do you get Qingque? Go into the “Forgotten Hall” and complete the memory stage 3.

More about Honkai Star Rail:
Honkai: Star Rail – All codes you can redeem in December 2024
von Marie Friske
A free anime RPG on PS5 now sells a version for 45 euros and sparks discussions
von Nathalie Schnee
A player of an anime RPG makes a shocking discovery in their mail, but the players celebrate it
von Nathalie Schnee

What banners are there in Honkai: Star Rail? The banners are distinguished into two types:

  • Standard Warps
  • Character Event Warps

When you start the space RPG, the beginner warp is additionally available to you at the beginning.

Through the Standard Warps, you can draw using Star Rail Passes. This banner is permanently available in Honkai: Star Rail. The event banners, for which you need special passes, change every 3 weeks.

Here you will also find an overview of the currently valid codes in Honkai: Star Rail, which you can easily use to claim rewards:

Honkai: Star Rail – All codes you can redeem in May 2023

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

Pokémon GO: New shop is now active in Germany – Here are the prices

Max Handwerk Max Handwerk Reading time 2 minutes

There is now a web shop for Pokémon GO where you can buy coins. We summarize what the prices look like and what bonuses this brings here.

What kind of shop is this? Normally, you can buy coins for Pokémon GO directly in the in-game shop. This is still the case, but now there’s an alternative.

Pokémon GO announced a web store a few weeks ago, which is now also available in Germany. There, you should be able to take advantage of various offers and buy bundles in the future, but as of now, only specific coin packages are available (via store.pokemongolive.com).

But why would you even go this roundabout way if you decide to buy coins?

This is what the prices in the Pokémon GO store look like

Currently, there are 4 coin packages available in the shop for purchase, which are priced similarly to what they would cost in the app. The special thing is that with each purchase, you get a few bonus coins. Therefore, you get a little more for your money.

  • 1,200 PokéCoins for 11.99 Euro, plus 60 bonus coins
  • 2,500 PokéCoins for 23.99 Euro, plus 150 bonus coins
  • 5,200 PokéCoins for 47.99 Euro, plus 350 bonus coins
  • 14,500 PokéCoins for 119.99 Euro, plus 1,000 bonus coins

To make a purchase, you need to log in to the shop with your Pokémon GO account. After the purchase, the coins will be credited to your account.

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Why does this shop exist? Currently, there is no official statement on the matter. However, players speculate (via reddit) that Pokémon GO is taking this route to save on fees to the respective app stores that would have to be paid when something is purchased in the game.

However, the shop in the game itself continues to exist.

Is it worth it? Generally, you can secure a few extra coins with the bundle, but the bonus is not very substantial. Additionally, you should keep in mind that both the 100-coin package for 0.99 Euro and the 550-coin package for 5.99 Euro are currently completely absent from the web store. Therefore, these smaller amounts cannot currently be selected.

Can I get coins without the shop? In principle, you can continue to earn 50 coins per day by defending gyms.

Start video
Pokémon GO: The strongest attackers of all types in the video

Whether this offer will attract players remains to be seen. Recently, decisions regarding remote raid passes have been criticized, which had their price increased in the game. As a result, some players announced boycotts and emphasized that they did not want to spend any more money on the game until changes were made.

At the same time, Niantic recently stated that Pokémon GO’s revenues in 2023 so far are higher than in the same period in 2022. You can read more on the topic here.

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

E-sport world champion says: TikTok is to blame for players no longer playing tactically

Dariusz Müller Dariusz Müller Reading time 2 minutes

According to the e-sports player “Pengu,” TikTok is to blame for players of Rainbow Six: Siege not being able to play tactically anymore. The strategic approach is too demanding for them.

Which world champion is it about?

  • Niclas “Pengu” Mouritzen is a former professional e-sports player of Rainbow Six: Siege. Currently, he works as a caster for Ubisoft’s tactical shooter.
  • During his active career, Pengu won the Six Invitational twice, which is the largest tournament of the shooter, and is therefore regarded as a two-time world champion. Additionally, he has four ProLeague championships, one major title, and won the European League.
  • Pengu is considered one of the greatest and most significant players of Rainbow Six: Siege and holds a high status in the community.
  • Furthermore, he has built a successful presence as a streamer and has over 999,000 followers on Twitch.
Start video
Ubisoft shows the rework of the map ‘Consulate’ in the trailer

“Playing strategically is too demanding”

In what context does the world champion talk about TikTok? On Twitter, the Twitch streamer Macie Jay sparked a discussion about how the current meta of Rainbow Six: Siege feels too much like a team deathmatch and that strategic approaches barely play a role, even though that is what distinguishes the tactical shooter.

Macie Jay then suggested some changes to the gameplay that, in his assessment, could steer the game in a more tactical direction. Pengu participated in the discussion and added that he doesn’t believe a more strategic playstyle could be forced, although he shares Macie Jay’s views. Pengu sees the problem as TikTok (via Twitter).

What does the world champion say about TikTok? Pengu believes that tactical play is too demanding for players and that the current TikTok culture has only a short attention span, which is why they can never play strategically.

Playing strategically is too demanding for players […] and the current TikTok culture with its 5-second attention span could never play strategically; they would swipe to a new video.

Pengu via Twitter
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The reasoning of the two-time world champion is that players, due to a lack of attention, do not take the time to develop a complicated strategy or utilize the tactical conditions of the game.

Instead, they play a fast character with a strong weapon and force gunfights. Free after the motto: get in quickly, get the job done, and get out to play the next match.

If you find the current meta of Rainbow Six: Siege too untactical, you might find a game that suits you better in our list of the best shooters of 2023:

The 14 best multiplayer shooters of 2023 for PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, and Xbox

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

YouTube changes adblock rules and the community is outraged – ‘This would trigger a shitstorm’

Nicole Wakulczyk Nicole Wakulczyk Reading time 2 minutes

YouTube is one of the largest video platforms and is used by billions of people worldwide. Currently, the portal is testing important changes that would ban ad blockers. Numerous comments on social media show: The community is far from enthusiastic.

Why are ad blockers so important for many users? Advertisements have proven to be an important source of income for video creators. However, the interruptions are perceived as annoying by many users – especially since not every ad can be skipped. The consequence was the installation of ad blockers to bypass annoying ads.

But that could soon come to an end.

In a tweet on May 10, Dexerto writes that YouTube is currently testing a way to block ad blockers. The image shows a list of prompts that ad blocker users are currently supposed to see:

  • Apparently you are using an ad blocker
  • Advertisements on YouTube allow free usage for billions of users worldwide
  • With YouTube Premium, you watch ad-free and simultaneously support video creators

After that, there is an option to choose between “Allow ads” and “Try YouTube Premium.” 

Here you see the original tweet:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.

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Link to the Twitter content

In a statement to the US site Dexerto, a spokesperson for YouTube confirmed that they are currently conducting a global experiment. The goal is to encourage viewers to allow ads or try YouTube Premium.

What is YouTube Premium? It is a paid subscription service from YouTube that offers users additional features and benefits. Subscribers enjoy ad-free videos, access to YouTube Music Premium, and can download and watch videos offline.

A funny video you might want to check out is here:

Start video
Rezo confronts Karl Lauterbach about how he plays an ego shooter with Merkel

Without an ad blocker, many users see dark times ahead

How is the community reacting to the ad blocker ban? According to a moderator of a Reddit thread on the topic, he was contacted by an employee of the video platform who confirmed the experiment. The moderators are against the initiative, but at the same time, they ask the community to remain objective in the discussion.

The majority of the community appears to be quite upset in the comments. Here are a few quotes:

  • lamented1ne writes: “This will trigger a shitstorm if they actually go through with it”
  • Past-Crazy-3686 writes: “YouTube is barely watchable in its current form without an ad blocker”
  • Fortyseven writes: “That would mean I would stop using YouTube”
  • mewkew writes: “You [YouTube] are really completely crazy”

One user tries to motivate the community: “Don’t worry, YouTube is one of the largest websites in the world. Once the feature is fully implemented, ad blockers will receive a patch within days.”

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von Johanna

The tweet from Dexerto is also hotly debated. Some users write that the ban on ad blockers will be beneficial for content creators. “As a longtime user and creator, I have yet to encounter an ad that I cannot skip or that lasts longer than 15 seconds.” One influencer writes:

“If there are so many ads that your users go out of their way to download and use ad blockers, then maybe YOU are the problem, not the people that use them.” (via Twitter)

So far, there seem to be no indications from YouTube in the German-speaking area regarding a ban on ad blockers. It remains to be seen if and when this will concern us as well. Since it is a global experiment, we will surely see the notification sooner or later.

Until then, you can check out the new survival series of the winner of 7 vs. Wild on YouTube – with or without an ad blocker.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Dexerto
  2. Bild (Collage): Ryan Snaadt via Unsplash

Disney won’t like this – New shooter on Steam presents itself with cartoon design full of evil mice

Marie Friske Marie Friske Reading time 2 minutes

A teaser shows first insights into the new FPS shooter “Mouse” on Steam, where you fight against cartoon mice in retro style.

Mouse is an announced first-person shooter from the indie studio Fumi Games, where you blast your way through a corrupt city.

The design of the game is inspired by the so-called “Rubber Hose” animation style, which you may also know from the popular co-op game Cuphead or from old Disney movies.

The design of the mouse enemies seen in the trailer strongly resembles the appearance of Mickey Mouse in his early days. Since Disney places a high value on a family-friendly image, the company will likely not appreciate this strong similarity to their flagship character in a shooter context.

Here you can see the teaser for the shooter Mouse:

Start video
MOUSE Teaser

You are on a deadly city journey as a detective

What kind of game will Mouse be? As private detective John Mouston, you must survive in a dangerous area and experience a story full of murder and deception.

Equipped with various weapons, such as a revolver, hammer, or dynamite, you deal with enemies. The game should give you many freedoms in how you tactically approach combat.

With the Fantastic-o-Matic power-up system, abilities and weapons can be continuously improved. Additionally, there are several machines within the city where you can purchase extra enhancing items.

When is the release of Mouse? So far, no specific release date has been mentioned. Currently, you can add Mouse to your wishlist on Steam to be notified when the shooter is available.

For which platforms will Mouse be released? The shooter will be released on Steam as well as for Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation.

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How is the community reacting to the trailer? So far, only a few players have commented on YouTube at the time this article was written (as of May 11, 2023).

In the community, the retro design especially captures the interest of players, and they are eager for the release of Mouse:

  • SaffRox7650: “I love the look of this game and can’t wait for its release!”
  • David E. Mitchell: “Rubber Hose animation style meets FPS. This has great potential!”
  • BOM-val: “You have no idea how much I want to try this out.”

Here you will find a puzzle game on Steam that is currently attracting a lot of attention:

Developer works 15 years on his game, almost fails because many Steam users shamelessly exploit a feature

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

US Marine lets sea lions play so they don’t get bored

Lydia Lydia Reading time 2 minutes

The US Navy runs a program to research marine mammals and employ them for various military tasks. To relax after a tiring workday, the animals are allowed to play.

Is this a joke? No. The US Navy has a marine mammal program and uses it, among other things, to teach sea lions and dolphins to play video games. We’ll get into what’s behind it shortly, but first, you can see Spike the sea lion in action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRuRr7bFTs8

Marine has been training marine mammals for years

What is behind it? The United States Navy Marine Mammal Program (NMMP) is based in San Diego and dates back to the 1960s. It serves, among other things, to train marine animals to perform various military tasks.

Thus, the animals can detect and clear underwater mines, recover lost military equipment, and even assist missing divers in safely returning to shore. Additionally, the cute creatures learn to play.

Playing for animal welfare

How does it work? As you could see in the video embedded above, the sea lion Spike – that’s his gamer tag – uses his nose to press buttons and navigate his rudimentary character through a maze.

Spike is capable of tracking the cursor on the screen and pressing the appropriate buttons to reach the goal. If he succeeds, he even does a little dance according to Kotaku. Moreover, there is a herring for successfully completing a level.

Start video
The “Deep Dive” is supposed to immerse us into MMORPGs deeper than ever before – What is it actually?

Dolphins also don’t miss out on the fun. However, as they can’t just come out of the water to play a round, they have received a special system for underwater gamers.

The system presumably consists of a large screen that can be seen from below the water and works better at night. “What looks like a spooky movie night at the pier are just bottlenose dolphins steering joysticks with their mouths to play late into the night,” it says on the US Navy website.

All of this happens with the aid of a so-called EVE system: That stands for Enclosure Video Enrichment. In German, this means “Behavioral Enrichment,” or simply “Enrichment” and serves to keep animals in captivity entertained and improve their quality of life (via upali.ch).

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Yoshi, the dog of the streamer MissMikkaa, probably only has a tired smile left for the sea lion noobs: While they play their simple games, he is already off with his owner in Elden Ring, even taking on fearsome dragons:

Twitch: “Is my dog better than you in Elden Ring?” asks a streamer and shares an astonishing clip

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

For a short time you can get a celebrated management game on Steam 80% off – “An absolutely magical experience”

Marie Friske Marie Friske Reading time 2 minutes

The Spiritfarer: Farewell Edition on Steam is currently reduced by 80% and you can get the charming management game for 6 €. However, the offer is only valid until this evening.

The Spiritfarer: Farewell Edition is a management game revolving around the theme of dying. The player builds a boat as the ferryman of the deceased and takes care of the passengers until they pass on to the afterlife.

Here you see a trailer for Spiritfarer: Farewell Edition:

Start video
Spiritfarer: Farewell Edition – Trailer

An emotional journey around the theme of dying

You play as Stella, a ferryman of the deceased. Your task is to build and manage a boat that goes on great adventures.

Various spirits accompany you as passengers, and you get to know their stories. Gradually, you befriend them and take care of them. However, it also means saying goodbye and letting them pass on to the afterlife once they are ready.

Besides your job as a ferryman, you have numerous activities: you can cultivate fields, go fishing, or cook. Additionally, you can gather resources to improve the boat or give small gifts to your companions.

The Spiritfarer: Farewell Edition features a co-op mode where up to 2 players can experience the adventure together. One plays as the cat Daffodil.

If you are not sure whether Spiritfarer is the right game for you, here you can find an extensive special from MeinMMO editor Maik Schneider:

More on the topic
A sweet management game without pressure is my discovery of the month – 95% positive reviews on Steam
von Maik Schneider

How much does Spiritfarer: Farewell Edition cost? You can currently get the game at a discount of 80%. Instead of 28.99 €, you only pay 5.79 €. However, the offer is only valid until this evening, May 11, 2023, at 7 PM.

Besides the Farewell Edition, the Digital Deluxe Edition is also reduced by 84%. Instead of 48.49 €, you currently pay 7.75 €.

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How is Spiritfarer: Farewell Edition rated? The game receives extremely positive reviews on Steam. Of the total 27,260 ratings, 95% are good (via Steam, as of: May 11, 2023).

In the reviews, users praise Spiritfarer as a beautiful game full of emotions, which convinces with its design and story:

  • Aranath: “An absolutely magical experience that stays with me long after finishing the game. The whole game was bursting with care and effort. It is perhaps a bit cliché at this point, but if you have ever dealt with grief and loss in your life, it is incredible how this game captures that experience. […] Moreover, the soundtrack is beautiful, and Thunder Lotus has never gone wrong with their hand-drawn art style. Highly recommended!”
  • tamagothci: “Such a beautiful game. I cried so much… Definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a heartwarming game.”
  • Loralei: “This game breaks your heart and heals it at the same time, in the best possible way. The game is not only beautiful and fun but also tells a captivating story about the lives that our character has touched. And that it is not a bad thing, no matter how hard it is to let go of our loved ones […] You really fall in love with the characters and it can be really hard to let them go. I recommend it to all those who like games with an exciting story, strong characters, and beautiful interactions.”

If you are always on the lookout for good games: Here you will find a list of the 15 currently best MMOs and MMORPGs 2023.

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

Diablo 4 sells stylish armors in the shop, but you get the prettiest for free

Christos Tsogos Christos Tsogos Reading time 2 minutes

Blizzard has finally provided insights into the shop of Diablo 4 in its latest stream. Skins for your heroes were showcased and compared with armors from the open world. Fans already have a clear opinion on the paid armors.

What was revealed? Blizzard revealed many things about Battle Pass, seasons, and its paid shop in its latest stream on May 10 for Diablo 4. Many fans were particularly skeptical regarding the skins in the shop, as they feared that crazy skins would ruin the immersion for many fans.

Blizzard has now revealed some of these shop ornaments for your heroes and shown that they probably know what they are doing. We will show you the paid armors and how fans have reacted to them.

Don’t miss the Server Slam from May 12 to May 14, as it provides free items for beta testers:

Start video
Diablo 4: The trailer for the Server Slam with content and rewards

Armors are good, but don’t beat the free variants

What does the community say about the reveal? Fans on Reddit are happy with how Blizzard has designed its shop armors. They juxtaposed in-game skins with shop skins during their stream to illustrate the visual differences compared to existing outfits thanks to transmogs.

Diablo 4 seasonal Skins Barbar
Diablo 4 seasonal Skins Rogue

The shop skins currently hardly stand out from the in-game armors. Nevertheless, fans are glad that the skins are not immersion killers. Whyisitcalledinsert thus states: “Looks good so far. Hopefully, no Mercy wings and no Starcraft MTX on the way there.”

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Additionally, TTVControlWarrior notes that the armors are not eye-catching: “So far, I don’t even see a reason to shop in the store. It looks better in-game.” It remains to be seen how Blizzard will expand and refine its skins after the release, as this is just the beginning.

What do you think of the armors? We now ask you for your opinion. You have a voice and can vote on which type of armor you find more beautiful.

After your vote, you can see how the results turn out and how many readers chose which outcome. If you have a more detailed opinion on the subject, feel free to share your views in the comments and discuss with other users.

Why is Diablo 4 actually called Diablo 4, but Diablo doesn’t appear at all?

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

Destiny 2: The Inevitable has finally happened, as the most popular Warlock exo is being nerfed in Season 21

Britta ♤ BeAngel Britta ♤ BeAngel Reading time 6 minutes

With the start of Season 21, Destiny 2 adjusts 24 Exotics. One of the currently strongest and very popular Warlock Exotics, the “Starfire Protocol,” will finally be nerfed. This marks the end of grenade spamming, and Guardians will have to adapt to a new meta.

What exotic changes are coming? In Season 21, the “Season of Depths”, Destiny 2 sends a first wave of changes for a total of 24 exotic armors into the game.

  • Some Exotics were simply too weak and therefore saw little use. They will receive buffs in Season 21 to make them more competitive.
  • Other Exotics, however, were far too strong and dominated everything. They will receive nerfs to make the game fairer.

Since the introduction of Solar 3.0 in Season 17, the Warlock Exotic “Starfire Protocol” stood out far beyond a balanced exotic balance. Bungie was long aware of this fact, as revealed in the latest blog post. But it has only now been time to smooth out these rough edges for better balance.

This means for Warlocks in Destiny 2 that their fusion grenade spam, which was possible with the Solar Exotic, will soon come to an end.

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Everything you need to know about Destiny 2 – in 2 minutes

The most relevant exotic adjustments for Season 21

Bungie has now informed players about upcoming adjustments to the armor Exotics in a detailed blog post. The changes affect not just the “Starfire Protocol” – even if these are the most drastic.

  • A total of 24 Exotics will be adjusted to balance the game and change the meta.

MeinMMO gives you a quick overview of the most important and relevant exotic changes that you should know about in Season 21. You can find the complete list of changes on bungie.net.

“Starfire Protocol” – Warlock

In recent months, the Warlock’s “Starfire Protocol” has been one of the best Solar Exotics capable of increasing single-target damage.

sternenfeuerprotokoll-destiny2-season17-meta-fusionsgranaten
With the nerf of the “Starfire Protocol”, Warlocks will lose a strong Solar Exotic

Combining this with the grenade launcher “Witherhoard”, the pack shots of the “Gjallarhorn”, or a rocket launcher with “Demolisher”, like “The Hot Head” (Master), essentially allowed for an endless loop of rocket and solar fusion grenade spamming. According to Bungie, “this combo also sucked all the air out of the room”.

  • This will change: The amount of energy gained per damage instance is reduced from 20% to a minimum of 2.5%. Kills with powerful weapons grant 20% grenade energy.

This Exotic is not dead. However, Warlocks who still want to use the “Starfire Protocol” in Season 21 should focus more on damage over time and the 20% grenade energy on kills with powerful weapons. Alternatively, one might quickly switch and include the Exotic “Sun braces” in their Warlock build.

These Warlock Exotics will also be changed: The Warlock Exotics “Cloak of Harmonious Combat”, “Dusk Concert”, and “Chromatic Fire” have never really gained significance. So Bungie is boosting their attractiveness a bit so that they have a chance in your builds again.

  • “Cloak of Harmonious Combat”: The weapon bonus damage has been adjusted to level 4 when the super is fully charged, increasing the damage bonus in PvE from 20% to 25% and reducing the damage bonus in PvP from 15% to 6%.
  • “Dusk Concert”: The projectile damage bonus of Dawnblade has been increased and no longer depends on the enemy being scorched.
  • “Chromatic Fire”: The radius and damage of the explosion caused by precise kinetic takedowns have been increased and the explosion also applies a status effect to the damaged targets depending on which subclass you have equipped. This means weakening effects will be exceptionally strong for ability building in Season 21.
  • “Blood Alchemy”: An equally old Exotic that has seen little use also looks promising. In Season 21, standing in a Rift with equipped “Blood Alchemy” will grant a non-stacking bonus to weapon damage that corresponds to the damage type of your subclass. This could be a great option for solo players or those who enjoy playing the Healing Rift.
  • “Evening Prayer of Radius”: Rifts emit an Arc shockwave every 5 seconds that deals damage (200 in PvE and 70 in PvP). Enemies defeated by these shockwaves explode and cause an additional 100 damage. If you have an Arc subclass equipped, this also blinds nearby enemies.
  • “Ophidian Aspect”: This will hurt quite a bit in PvP, as the extended melee range will be removed because the extended melee range led to some strange situations where a player’s melee attack flickered in high-latency scenarios.

“St0mp-EE5” – Hunter

One of the popular Hunter Exotics, the “Stomp-EE5”, will be freed from its imposed efficiency losses in the air in Season 21.

st0mpees-ee5-destiny2-stompees-exo-s21
For the St0mp-EE5s, it’s now either or.
  • This will change: The air efficiency losses have been removed. Only when your dodge energy is full do Hunters gain increased speed, slide distance, and improved jumping.

Hunters can now use the Exotic based on situational circumstances, to utilize the effect either for an ambush or escape from a fight, but no longer both.

These Hunter Exotics will also be changed: In addition to others, the Exotics “Oathkeeper”, “Mask of Bakris”, and “Shining Dance Machines” will receive relevant adjustments.

  • “Shining Dance Machines”: The “Shining Dance Machines” will receive a time extension for kills that harmonize excellently with the sniper dodge, the “Reaper” armor mod, and the new armor mod “Powerful Attraction” in Season 21. The latter allows players to pick up Orbs of Power from a distance.
  • “Oathkeeper”: When the bow is fully drawn, you gain a damage bonus against combatants, which increases while you hold the bow drawn. Although this will deactivate after a few seconds, this change will perfectly support aggressive bow gameplay in Season 21 and work wonderfully with Wishender and particularly nasty with Le Monarque.
  • “Mask of Bakris”: The damage bonus of the Exotic Mask will be increased from 10% to 25% in PvE and now grants a bonus of 6% to weapon damage in PvP. The Stasis Hunter has always been strong, but the added 25% will be extraordinarily dangerous from Season 21 onwards – especially with Arc and Stasis waves.

“Point Contact Cannon Stand” – Titan

Now let’s talk about the Titans. Here, especially the exotic armament “Point Contact Cannon Stand” will notably improve.

destiny2-Punktkontakt-Kanonenstativ-titan-exo-s21
The Titan Exotic “Point Contact Cannon Stand” is worth a look in Season 21
  • This will change: Lightning strikes now shake targets. The PvE damage per lightning will be increased from a paltry 50 to a whopping 200 in Season 21. With this boost, the damage of lightning strikes will be increased by 50%, instead of increasing their range as before.

These Titan Exotics will also be changed: Titans will also receive noteworthy adjustments for “Eternal Warrior” and “No Plan B”.

  • “Eternal Warrior”: Here Bungie is providing an escalating bonus to Arc weapon damage that should be taken into account.
  • “No Plan B”: This Exotic will receive a moderate advantage for air effectiveness and the reload speed of shotguns starting in Season 21. Using a Void subclass also provides additional benefits, such as extra shotgun damage and a Void overshield when powerful enemies are defeated. Additionally, there will be health regeneration.
More about Destiny 2 in Season 21:
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The changes in Season 21 are another step towards a meta where every exotic should be worth considering for the Guardians, and everything is balanced. While some players may be dissatisfied with the changes, others Guardians believe they are necessary to balance the game in all aspects so that no Exotic stands out too much.

Even though the era of grenade spamming with the “Perfect Fusion” for Warlocks will likely be over in Season 21, the Destiny community is known for its ability to adapt to new challenges. We are therefore eager to see what new playstyles and strategies will emerge in Season 21, starting May 23.

What do you think about the upcoming changes to the Exotics in Season 21 and specifically the nerf of the popular Warlock Exotic Starfire Protocol? How will you adjust to the new meta, and which Exotics will you prefer or take a closer look at? As always, we look forward to your comments.

In another adjustment, Bungie recently walked back:

Destiny 2 now makes everyone wait every 2 seconds, ruining the trick of the best players

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

LoL: Rarely played champion is set to receive an update – Delayed because players do not like it

Niko Hernes Niko Hernes Reading time 3 minutes

In League of Legends, less popular champions often receive more or less significant adjustments so that they can be seen more frequently. Such an update should also be given to the champion Ivern in the next patch 13.10. However, due to a community outcry, this has now been postponed.

What happened? On 17.05, the new League of Legends patch 13.10 will be released. This comes along with a generally large midscope update that changes many items and mechanics in the game.

As part of this update, the champion Ivern was also supposed to receive a few changes. However, the update was postponed to patch 13.11 due to negative feedback. This is happening according to their own statement on Twitter, to meet the expectations of Ivern players.

The Changes to Ivern

What exactly is changing with Ivern? Ivern is fundamentally a support jungler. He starts in the jungle. Unlike assassins, who try to gank and eliminate opponents on the lanes, Ivern aims to support his team members on the lanes with a shield and CC abilities.

With a current pick rate of 0.6% in the jungle, Ivern is one of the less popular champions in LoL. Riot Games wants to improve his abilities that enhance and protect others with an update.

An additional shield on the E and a buff on auto-attacks through a W enhance his supportive capabilities. His ultimate will also receive a new CC option.

Apart from champion and item changes, Riot is also considering changing an area that has not been touched for 14 years.

Do you know these 7 facts that only real LoL veterans know:

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7 Facts about LoL that only true veterans know

What is the problem now? The changes to his passive ability are being criticized the most. Unlike other junglers, Ivern does not fight monsters in the jungle; instead, he marks them and can collect them after a certain time or make them disappear with Smite immediately after marking. Marking itself costs Ivern mana and health.

While the time until the mark can be activated will be lower in the planned update, the mana and health costs will be increased, weakening his early game significantly. He also loses the ability to share the red and blue buff with his allies.

The damage of his ultimate and his W will also be reduced. Additionally, with the change that his W bushes will disappear if there is no vision in them, his playability on solo lanes will be further hindered.

The last champion change also sparked discussions and caused one champion to be banned 33 times more than usual.

The Community Reacts Negatively

How does the community react? When the changes to Ivern were presented for the first time, Riot received predominantly negative feedback from the community. The League of Legends coach and analyst LS also expressed negative remarks on Twitter about the Ivern update.

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He particularly doubts the Ivern update in general, as Ivern is, according to him, actually in a good state. Nerfing Ivern to give him gimmicks only makes his coordination in solo queue more difficult.

Along with the weakening of his early game in the jungle, the analyst considers the planned champion update a “disaster.”

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On Twitter, LS receives a lot of support.

  • BDS Nick: This feels like a non-Ivern player just changed something to look cool
  • Savagestano: Super super disappointing and boring update compared to others they have done.

Some players do not see the update as negatively as LS and feel that Ivern desperately needs changes:

  • Inugami: Ivern is hardly played in any jungle meta. […] He needs to change quite a bit.
  • Thomas Surlykke: You must be crazy if you think these changes nerf him.

Ultimately, due to the postponement of his update, we will have to wait another 3 weeks to see if Riot will change anything and how his changes will affect the actual game.

What do you think of the changes? Do you think Ivern needs this adjustment or do you also say he is in a good state? Let us know your opinion directly in the comments.

Apart from League of Legends, Riot Games is also working on an MMORPG. We have compiled for you everything we know about the LoL MMO.

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