Cheaters can cause frustration in almost every multiplayer game. Therefore, it is even nicer when a suspicious player gets banned live. This joyful experience is also shared by the Twitch streamer Symfuhny in Call of Duty Warzone 2.
Who is it about?
Mason “Symfuhny” Lanier is an American Twitch streamer and YouTuber.
Symfuhny is primarily known for content about Call of Duty Warzone 1 and 2.
On Twitch, Symfuhny has 3.9 million followers and streamed in the last 90 days (as of April 20, 2023) with an average of 5,800 viewers (via sullygnome).
How did Symfuhny get a cheater banned? The streamer streamed the battle royale shooter CoD Warzone 2 again on April 19 when he and his teammates were eliminated by a suspicious-looking player.
The streamer decided to watch the player afterwards and check whether their gameplay seemed normal and legitimate or if a report would be justified. The result: Not only did Symfuhny but also his teammates are convinced that the suspicious player is using a wallhack.
Consequently, the streamer decided to report the player via the in-game function of CoD Warzone 2 and advised his teammates to do the same: “Oh my God! Yes, report him quickly and see if it helps.”
Seconds later, the cheater was caught and was banned live in front of over 4,000 viewers. Symfuhny himself reacted with joyful laughter and a fitting “He’s gone”.
We have embedded a clip of the scene here:
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How does the community react? In the live chat of Symfuhny, there was a lot of joy when the cheater was banned. From a surprised “that was quick,” to written “Let’s go” calls, to an “ez clap,” there was everything that can symbolize joy over the ban.
On Reddit, there was great astonishment over the quick ban. One user wrote, for example, “Anti-cheat systems often only ban detected cheaters when they are reported or caught in a wave of bans” and further explains: “Cheaters are rarely banned immediately after detection, as the cheat makers receive a lot of information about which part of their code is captured by the anti-cheat system (via Reddit).”
Symfuhny, the streamer’s teammates, and the remaining teams in the affected “Warzone 2” lobby must have been pleased with the ban, even though banning a single player is only a small victory in the battle against cheaters.
A major victory was achieved by the anti-cheat system of Call of Duty in early April when it became known that Ricochet is supposed to recognize hardware cheaters. Those are players who use devices to compensate for the recoil of a weapon:
Blizzard has scheduled an important stream for Diablo 4 that is supposed to take place this evening. Not only will information about the endgame be revealed, but also an announcement that has been kept secret so far. You can find out when the stream starts and what to expect here.
When and where does the stream start?Blizzard has announced a stream for Diablo 4. This will start on Thursday, April 20th, at 8 PM German time. This evening, on the Twitch- and YouTube channel of Diablo, you can join live as developers Joe Shely and Joseph Piepiora, along with Rhykker, a gaming YouTuber and Twitch streamer, talk about the endgame and updates from Diablo 4.
We from MeinMMO will also be there and will accompany you live in our ticker with the most important information. So mark our post and return in the evening for the secret announcement.
Live ticker for the Diablo 4 stream
Thursday, April 20, 2023
9:15 PM
That was it with our live ticker. I hope you had as much fun as I did and are just as excited that we can test Diablo 4 again next weekend and annoy Blizzard’s servers together. I bid you farewell and wish you a pleasant evening!
9:00 PM
The developers are now holding a Q&A session that you can continue to follow live:
There will be rewards for participating in the Server Slam again. You can either grab the rewards from the Open Beta or receive a mount trophy. You can see the details and a picture of the trophy here:
Diablo 4 Server Slam Rewards4 Cry of Ashava Mount Trophy
8:57 PM
The Server Slam is meant to test the servers and show Blizzard whether the servers can handle your influx during the official release or if there will be queues again.
A special appearance at Nintendo’s Indie World Showcase surprised quite a few players. Gaming-YouTuberJason “Videogamedunkey”Gastrow (32) made a big announcement while standing in a lake.
Who is Videogamedunkey? The US YouTuber is known for his satirical game reviews and gameplay videos. With sharp humor, Videogamedunkey divided the opinions of viewers. However, his style seems to resonate well with many. Success speaks for his concept:
The YouTuber currently has 7.33 million subscribers on the platform.
A video on Hogwarts Legacy gathered a total of 4.3 million views (as of April 20th, 2023).
Now, Videogamedunkey unexpectedly appeared in a Nintendo livestream and had an important announcement that he presented in a rather unusual way.
With videos on games like Legend of Zelda and Skyrim, the YouTuber has celebrated great successes:
Start video
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Official Trailer
“Why is Dunkey in a Nintendo Indies Showcase lol”
During Nintendo’s Indie World Showcase on April 19, 2023, titles from indie studios that will be released for the Nintendo Switch are presented. In a clip, the YouTuber appears.
You can see Dunkey standing in a lake with another person. The YouTuber throws a frisbee at the camera and introduces himself as “Dunkey from Big Mode Publishing”. He then explains that the person next to him is Billy Basso, the developer of Animal Well.
Last year, the gaming YouTuber founded his own game company “Big Mode”. As part of the Nintendo livestream, he now announced the first game together with the developer.
From timestamp 35:40-37:09 is Dunkey’s announcement:
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Furthermore, the developer mentions that he worked for more than 5 years on Animal Well, a forthcoming Metroidvania game. Meanwhile, you can see Dunkey balancing on some stones in the lake in the background.
The presentation of the game Animal Well follows: It is a puzzle platformer set in a pixel world. The player explores a labyrinth in search of treasures, solves puzzles, and encounters various creatures. It will be available on the Nintendo Switch in early 2024.
What does the community say about it? Many users on Twitter express their surprise at the YouTuber’s appearance, initially not knowing what Dunkey was doing in the Nintendo livestream:
@InfernoOmni: “Why is Dunkey in a Nintendo Indies Showcase lol”
@MSnowmeld “I had to look twice.”
@Bimby_4321: “Wait, what?”
Some had also noted that the YouTuber has since founded his own publishing company and are taking the announcement in stride. Some users write that they are looking forward to the game “Animal Well”.
The colorful mobile game Candy Crush has the reputation of being especially popular among mothers. It is rather laughed at by “real gamers.” However, some might stop laughing when they find out that a mother is about to secure $125,000 with Candy Crush.
Note: The title image is a symbolic image.
Is there a championship in Candy Crush? Something like that. With the “Candy Crush All Stars” event, King, the developer behind the famous mobile game, wanted to break into the world of e-sports in 2020. In September 2021, “Candy Crush Saga” followed with reality star Khloé Kardashian.
Now, almost 2 years later, a new “All Stars” event has been introduced. It is a tournament where players from several American and European countries can participate. The tournament started on March 23.
The special thing is that participants do not face each other in person. All Stars is an in-game event where players can collect points while playing normally. Those who have collected more points than the competition at the end of a round move on to the next round.
The top 10 Candy Crushers will be invited to the finals in London on May 25, where they will compete for a prize pool of $250,000. The winner goes home with $125,000, which is approximately €114,000.
Also in the running for the prize money is a mother of three from the USA who did not even realize that she was participating in a real tournament.
Start video
Twitch streamer wants to change the perception of gaming as Miss Germany: “One should not demonize it, but also not glorify it”
Mother accidentally qualifies for the World Championship
Who is the participant? Erryn Rhoden is a mother of three who runs a roofing business in the US state of Ohio with her husband. She is also one of the best “Candy Crush” players in the USA.
In an interview with the site Kotaku, the 48-year-old explained that she used to play PvP games and enjoyed crushing her opponents. When she stopped, Candy Crush filled the gap: it satisfied her urge to win without making her feel like she was hurting others or causing anger.
How did the mom get into the tournament? Rhoden has been playing Candy Crush for about 10 years and has mastered around 11,000 of the almost 14,000 levels in that time. As a proud Free2Play player, she always ignored the pop-ups meant to lure players into spending money.
She paid little attention to the content of the ads. Apparently, she once accidentally pressed “Yes” instead of “No,” the 48-year-old explained to Kotaku. A week later, she was told she had qualified. However, she still didn’t quite know what she was participating in.
48-year-old mom dominates the tournament
How is she doing? Since Candy Crush is a firm part of Rhoden’s routine and she often plays late into the night, she collected countless points without realizing it. Without noticing, she left the competition far behind.
She only learned afterward that there were also “Wild Card” rounds for players who couldn’t immediately qualify for the next round.
From time to time, the 48-year-old received a notification when she reached a new milestone: for completing the quarter-finals and advancing to the semi-finals. At this point, she texted her son asking what a $250,000 prize pool was. He explained to her that it is the total amount – and the winner receives $125,000.
Rhoden’s son Xane is also a gamer and is considered one of the best “Meta Knight” players in Super Smash Bros 4. He shared his mother’s story on Twitter, saying she was currently leading the rankings in the semi-finals of the tournament.
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The post garnered almost 3 million views and more than 55,000 likes. In an interview with Kotaku, the mother-son duo explained that Xane took over his mother’s household chores for the weekend so she could fully concentrate on Candy Crush.
That’s only fair, after all, she used to drive him to his Smash tournaments. Besides, she is the reason he became a gamer: “He grew up with video games and with me shouting at people over a headset,” said Rhoden.
On Saturday, April 22, the third and final semi-final round ends. If Rhoden can win it, she will participate in the finals in London. Given the prize money, she is even considering whether it is worth giving up her F2P status, as you can buy all kinds of boosts in Candy Crush for real money.
Update 22.04.2023: Unfortunately, Rhoden missed qualifying for the finals.
Twitch streamer Pokimane probably needs more practice before she can keep up with Rhoden:
Here you will encounter a total of 7 research steps, at the end of which you can meet the mysterious Pokémon Shaymin in its Land form. It could first be caught at the GO Fest 2022, but it required a ticket back then.
Now comes the free release for players around the world. But what does the monster bring?
How strong is Shaymin in Pokémon GO?
This is what you can expect from Shaymin: Shaymin belongs to the mysterious Pokémon and first appeared in the 4th generation of games.
The values of the Shaymin Land form are as follows:
Attack: 210
Defense: 210
Stamina: 225
The values of the Land form are not bad in themselves; however, the Pokémon suffers from a difficult moveset. It lacks a strong instant Grass-type attack. There is a chance to obtain “Hidden Power”, but the type of the attack depends randomly on your caught Pokémon and cannot be changed.
If you get Hidden Power of the Grass type, you’re lucky – if not, other attackers will have the upper hand. In most cases, other candidates among the best attackers in Pokémon GO, such as Katagami or various Grass-type Shadow Pokémon, are the better choice.
In PvP, Shaymin unfortunately cannot assert itself. It is not a good choice when looking at the rankings of the PvPoke database.
What about the Sky form? The special thing about Shaymin is that it can change forms. It can switch from the Land form to the Sky form. This changes the values a bit and gives Shaymin also the type “Flying” in addition to the type “Grass”.
Shaymin in the Land and Sky form
The Sky form has the following values:
Attack: 261
Defense: 166
Stamina: 225
The Sky form is offensively a bit stronger than the Land form but also suffers from a not ideal moveset. Here too, you need luck to get the right type of “Hidden Power”. For raids, the Sky form is a somewhat better choice, while in PvP it is somewhat weaker.
However, both forms overall do not play a particularly significant role in battle when they have the wrong moves.
Accordingly, Shaymin is overall more of a Pokémon for the Pokédex and the completion of your collection. Once you have completed the special research from the environmental week, you have unlimited time to catch Shaymin. By the way: Just before the event started, Pokémon GO removed a bonus from the environmental week.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The developers of the survival game The Day Before announce a beta so you can test the controversial game before its release.
What kind of game is it? The Day Before is a survival game where you fight for survival during a zombie apocalypse. A gameplay video showed shooter elements early on, and the video generated a hype for the game.
According to the developers, PvP will also be an important part of the game.
Why do some believe The Day Before is a scam? Some players do not believe that the game “The Day Before” actually exists. A series of developments led to this assumption.
The survival game has been postponed several times after it was originally supposed to be released in June 2022. It even disappeared from Steam.
Recently, the release date changed from March 1 to November 10, 2023, because the game is struggling with allegations of copyright infringement. The developer studio Fntastic behind The Day Before does not even own the name rights, which belong to a calendar app.
Here you see the first gameplay trailer that was shown for The Day Before:
Start video
The Day Before: 13 minutes of gameplay in the zombie MMO
Developers announce beta to clear doubts
What do the developers say now? On the official Discord server of the game, the developers have now commented on the release of the game. In a post from April 18, it says the title will be released on November 10 without further delays.
There is also supposed to be a beta test to give players the opportunity to test the game before its release. Further information about the beta test will follow at a later time (via Discord).
“The closer the release date approaches, the more likely we will conduct a beta test for the game. This will allow players to try out the game before its release and give us valuable feedback that we can use to improve the final product.” – Fntastic via Discord
Whether there will actually be a beta test and whether it can calm the current doubts of the players remains to be seen.
Other survival games like “Coreborn: Nations of the Ultracore” left a positive impression with test phases that players could participate in – even with the MeinMMO editorial team:
The midseason update in Season 20 for Destiny 2 has caused a lot of excitement among the Guardians, but unfortunately not in the hoped-for way. Since its release, many players have been struggling with bizarre bugs that cause literal headaches.
What is happening with Destiny 2 after the update? This Tuesday, Bungie released its big midseason update for Season 20. It included some changes to weapons and abilities as well as bug fixes.
Basically, it is understandable that updates and patches can also introduce new bugs and errors. This is never entirely excluded. However, the current issues in Destiny 2 have surpassed what players can and want to accept.
Paul Tassi from Forbes created a personal bug list after the update, showing that the midseason patch 7.0.5.0 brought more problems than solutions to Destiny 2. The list is long and contains a variety of issues that severely impair the gaming experience. These include, among others:
Some of the problems reported by players include slowed loading times, sudden crashes followed by unwarranted timeouts, missing weapons, server issues, and problems with the matchmaking system in PvP.
But that’s not all. A curious sound bug has also sneaked in, which leads to peculiar and excessively loud sounds, especially in connection with the 3D audio settings.
Start video
New gameplay of Destiny 2: Lightfall takes you to spectacular heights – “This moment was made for Guardians”
New bug list challenges the longest patch notes
Longer downtime and new errors frustrate the Guardians: Originally, the midseason update was supposed to shift the meta in the game. To make weapons stronger, balance abilities, and optimize PvP. However, this has fallen far into the background.
Especially because the new problems not only affect the gaming experience, but also the community of Destiny 2. Many Guardians were disappointed after the patch and are demanding quick solutions and a smooth gaming experience because the list of errors is long and some of them are serious.
These new errors were introduced by the midseason update:
Grenade mods seem to no longer work with strand grabbers.
With the subclass strand, the “thread of generation” appears to be nerfed or broken.
The mods “Firepower” and possibly “Siphoner” no longer spawn orbs.
Players can already earn Guardian Games medals even though Guardian Games don’t start until May and are not live yet.
The Guardian Games statue in the Tower now indicates that the Hunters won last year, not the Warlocks.
Some Guardian Games triumphs were activated earlier than intended. As a result, the “Titles” tab now blinks as if something were unlocked. These triumphs can be claimed when Guardian Games start in two weeks.
The once easily accessible laser ball above the entrance has been removed from all difficulty levels in the heist battlegrounds.
The planned nerf of the IKELOS SMG may not have been implemented.
The last step of the seasonal quest to collect Amanda Holliday does not allow players to collect the ship because they already received it when resetting their rank in the H.E.L.M. It should drop the ghost there, not the ship, preventing players from completing the quest.
There were penalties for leaving Crucible or Gambit matches, even though this was not the case.
Raid loot is not dropping for some encounters but ending up in the post.
If the mod “Ashes to Attack” and “Packed” are equipped, players only receive super energy from one of the mods. However, this is intentional, as Bungie clarified.
Resilience does not always work correctly, causing players to withstand less.
Raid banners can no longer be deployed in certain locations.
Grenades no longer generate firesprites, which affects solar player builds.
Radiant weapons no longer stun anti-barrier champions.
The raid “Kingsfall” crashes or disconnects players repeatedly.
Golden titles are buggy again after the update and need to be accepted anew.
Additionally, some players are experiencing extreme audio problems.
Curious audio issues cause annoying noises
In Destiny 2, there have been other curious sound bugs, like that of the Roaring Ogre
This gives you a headache: Specifically, the audio issues have become a topic in the Destiny Reddit and among players. Player Ashen8th reports, for example, that he has never experienced anything like it on the PS5 before and that this new sound bug had made the game completely unplayable for him:
It feels like dozens of sounds are being pressed together violently and shoved through my headset like a cheese grater.
describes Ashen8th the curious audio problems that Destiny 2 is currently facing
Not only does it read unpleasantly. It also sounds that way. Moreover, it seems that not only PS5 players are affected by this bug. Xbox and PC players agree with his statement and report annoying and excessively loud faulty noises, especially when using 3D sound and headphones.
Some users have noted that reducing to 30 FPS has resolved the audio issues. Thus, this bug might also be traced back to the known FPS problems that Destiny 2 has been struggling with for a long time. However, this cannot be confirmed.
This temporarily resolves the sound issue in Destiny 2: Bungie has already provided a short-term solution for the problems with sound in the game. As a workaround, it is recommended to disable 3D audio. This includes:
Native 3D audio on PS5.
Atmos/Windows Sonic on PC and Xbox.
Regardless of the reasons behind the increase in bugs and errors, players agree that Bungie needs to act urgently to get the loot shooter back on track. Especially since Lightfall has already not launched with the best experiences.
‘What is going on with Bungie support?’ The developers of Destiny 2 have often proven in the past that they are completely capable of responding to and fixing problems quickly and effectively.
But these new errors have once again led to massive frustrations among players, who are becoming increasingly disgruntled and are wondering what is going on at Bungie.
Some players speculated that the increasing pressure on Bungie as a developer to deliver ever larger and more complex updates results in a decline in the game’s quality.
Others argue that Bungie may not have enough resources to handle the growing number of players and their needs.
Bungie has already started addressing the issues: The developer of Destiny 2 is already working to clarify player questions and especially to clear up some uncertainties.
They have already resolved several issues that have arisen since the update, including the unwarranted Crucible and Gambit suspensions.
After that, the Destiny2Team account on Twitter shared further explanations about changes in the game that are not bugs but intentional changes:
For example, when “Firepower” and “Packed” are equipped, players now spawn only one orb of power, not two, when they kill an enemy with the grapple.
Progress for weapon crafting now comes from the key chest and not the base chest.
And grenade kickstart should no longer activate when clinging to a grapple point, thus not consuming grenade energy.
All supplemental info about Bungie’s midseason update can be found on Twitter:
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On Twitter, Bungie supplemented the patch notes with helpful hints and also confirmed nerfs
Until everything is resolved, players should exercise a little patience and forward their complaints to Bungie if they have any, to ensure that nothing is overlooked.
What do you think about the issues that the midseason update has caused for Destiny 2? What do you think Bungie should do to fix the bugs in the game and improve the quality of the gaming experience? Feel free to comment and share your thoughts with our readers.
After all, farming the new Lightfall exotics is getting better, thanks to a handy tool:
In League of Legends, the champion Yuumi has been causing trouble for months. After a revision of the champion, Riot Games now prohibits her from participating in the international tournament MSI, stating she is “not well-tuned and disruptive.” For some critics of the champion, it is a good excuse to say: The champion must completely disappear from LoL.
This is the announcement from Riot Games: On May 2, the international tournament “MSI” with the best players in the world kicks off. Riot Games announced on April 19 that they would exclude 2 champions from the tournament:
Yuumi – Her midscope update feels not yet ready for the pros, instead of risking having an “unbalanced and disruptive” champion in the tournament, they will simply shut her down.
Milio – The new champion is not yet activated in competitive play, hence he will not be playable.
While everyone expected Milio to remain disabled and there are hardly any comments on this decision, Yuumi’s ban triggers a discussion. Just like Yuumi always triggers a discussion.
Start video
A spectacular video about League of Legends has now 138 million views – Shows how huge LoL is
Pro players exploit beginner champion to win games and tournaments
Why is Yuumi so controversial? Yuumi has been a bone of contention in the LoL community for months:
Originally, Yuumi was planned as a beginner champion, as the cat can attach herself to another champion. This saves the beginner from walking, allowing them to fully focus on their skills and learn the game – so far the theory.
Critics therefore said: The cat is fundamentally so flawed in concept that it is impossible to fix and should be completely removed from League of Legends.
This is the discussion now: The statement from Riot Games that Yuumi is “not tuned and disruptive” is gleefully taken by critics as a template to rant against Yuumi:
“I think Riot has never openly called Yuumi unbalanced”
“They will never be done with her until she can die when she is attached to another player. Crazy that they can’t see that”
The general mood is: Yuumi is a permanent construction site for Riot Games, where constant tinkering happens, but a satisfactory result is never achieved.
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Others criticize that it is not good for a game to balance “professional play” separately with bans and exceptions, as it distances the game too much from normal players. The extreme example, when professional and normal play are separated too far, is Call of Duty. There, so much is disabled for the pros that it feels like CS:GO.
Some even demand that Yuumi should be completely banned from professional play (via reddit) and that too, forever, or even that the cat should be completely deleted from LoL. Only then can the problem of Yuumi be solved – once and for all.
The demand to delete Yuumi has existed for several years. Even the biggest names in LoL are calling for a deletion:
MyMMO demon Cortyn played Minecraft Legends – and has a clear opinion on it. The game could have been many things, but unfortunately, it is none of those.
Minecraft has fascinated me for ages. I played the base game in beta – long before there were things like “the Nether”, “Endermen”, or even colors to dye armor. Therefore, my interest in Minecraft Legends was quite high. A “real-time strategy game” in the Minecraft universe was interesting for me as someone who grew up with Command & Conquer and Warcraft III.
So I soaked up the trailers for Minecraft Legends, looked forward to the release, and played it on the day of release.
To make it short: I am disappointed. Minecraft Legends is not what it could have been – and I’m not even so sure if the developers really knew who their target audience is.
What is Minecraft Legends?
To summarize the game briefly: In Minecraft Legends, you play an unnamed hero who unites the “Overworld” of Minecraft to stand against an army of Piglin pushing in from the Nether, wanting to devour everything. You not only recruit friendly wildlife but also former enemies like skeleton archers, creepers, or zombies.
Start video
Minecraft Legends neuer Trailer von der gamescom 2022
The hero also acts as an anchor point for the troops. They follow the character but can also be sent a few meters away to attack while you fend off the Piglins with sword strikes.
In addition, resources must be farmed in the game world to build new units or buildings with stone or wood. These are mostly defensive structures like towers or walls, but can also be bridges to overcome abysses.
Minecraft Legends lacks what made Minecraft so good
The “normal” Minecraft is, in my opinion, so successful because it appeals to very young people, as well as being interesting for adults. The creative expression, large building projects, and even quite complex mechanisms like redstone circuits ensure that Minecraft has something to offer for both young and old. Minecraft is child-friendly without being childish. Encountering a creeper or warden is exciting and sometimes eerie – regardless of whether you are 9 or 29 years old.
And this overarching, connecting element has been missed in Minecraft Legends. Minecraft Legends does not feel like a game that children should play – it feels as if it was made exclusively for children. The heavily simplified style of the creatures is only part of the problem; the really exhausting part is the 3 NPC narrators who comment on everything all the time.
Cute and unfortunately incredibly annoying – the three “gods” of the game.
Not even these NPCs seem to take the Piglin threat seriously, laughing at every inappropriate moment and commenting on every little thing in an exaggerated friendliness, making it difficult to endure as an adult.
To put it loosely, I sometimes felt like I had arrived in Teletubbyland.
Minecraft Legends feels like a game that has only children as its target audience – and that’s a shame considering how well the original Minecraft was able to appeal to all age groups.
A strategy game without strategy
Minecraft Legends calls itself real-time strategy – yet strategy is virtually not necessary. It almost doesn’t matter which units are used to attack an enemy camp. The differences between the creatures are quite minimal. As long as you have melee and ranged fighters, it actually doesn’t matter which ones you take.
In most cases, you simply run into the enemy base, command your units to attack a tower or barracks, and run around a bit yourself to prevent the Piglins from killing your troops. Really planned action is not necessary at least in PvE.
The death of units feels completely meaningless anyway, as you can simply ride back 10 meters and spawn more troops right away.
This unfortunately also leads to the fact that the game simply becomes boring after a short time. What is still fun in the first few minutes quickly turns into a monotonous repetition that simply cannot convince. There is too much missing to really generate excitement or interesting gameplay.
A particularly major point of criticism for me is the controls, because they have annoyed me so much at times that I’ve rolled my eyes. It’s fun for the first few hours to drag a horde of creepers or golems with you, but being able to give them just one command each time before you can collect them all again is incredibly tiring.
Building is similarly cumbersome. If you want to quickly build a bridge to cross a gap, you first have to select the bridge in the building menu, then determine the starting position with a click, “pull” the bridge while holding the mouse button, and in the end – instead of simply letting go of the mouse – release it and click again. That feels unintuitive and you also do it wrong after hours because you’re used to it being simpler and more straightforward in other games.
In PvP mode, it’s of course a bit more tactical. However, this mode has entirely different problems, such as matchmaking or the lack of ability to communicate with teammates. Also, the fact that friends are sometimes placed in the enemy team feels strange. Unfortunately, I couldn’t enjoy that.
A final point is the more than meager campaign. I finished it after about 4 hours. Presumably, much more focused players will complete it even faster. The replay value of the campaign is virtually non-existent. I for my part have no incentive to run through the game world again.
Especially since much in the game can simply be “cheesed”. Anyone who wants can simply build hundreds of turrets to make enemy attacks completely trivial. That’s often even the most efficient strategy, but it takes away every (already low) challenge from the game. The fact that it is even possible to clutter everything with towers is, in my opinion, a clear fault of the game. Yes, it is a freedom – but one that does not improve the game.
Minecraft Legends is even more colorful than Minecraft – and overdoes it here with cuteness.
The game world also could not convince me. I can hardly put it into words, but the world just feels … incredibly boring. There is little to discover and the exploratory urge that usually characterizes Minecraft is virtually non-existent. Everywhere, you simply place chests for passive resource collection. Nothing in the world tempts you to travel over the next hill. There are “secrets”, but they are so monotonous that they hardly deserve the name.
All in all, Minecraft Legends is a bitter disappointment for me. It feels like the developers lost sight of the goal halfway and did not consistently think through the mechanics. In my opinion, it ultimately is a title – significantly overpriced at 40 euros – that is only ripe for early access.
What is even more shocking is that the foundations have already been laid to purchase numerous skins and DLCs with real money. And that this has a particularly disgusting undertone for a clear children’s game, I probably do not need to elaborate.
Perhaps Minecraft Legends will be good someday. But currently, I can only advise against purchasing it.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Fortunately, it has become easier to acquire a PlayStation 5. But which games are worth it for the console? We at MeinMMO present you the top 10 PS5 games.
Anyone who owns a PlayStation 5 is usually interested in the best current games. We have compiled the ranking using Metacritic. When you set the filters “All Time” and “PS5”, the best titles that have been released for the console so far appear.
What kind of game is this? The two games originally come from the years 1999 and 2000. Due to their popularity, they were revised in 2020 and since then sold as a bundle.
In the remake of the iconic game, you skate as the legendary Tony Hawk and perform tricks on your skateboard. In different game modes, you complete combos and collect points. You can do this alone or compete against other players.
What kind of game is this? Moss: Book II is a VR game, so you need a corresponding device. You are the companion of a mouse named Quill, who is on the run from villains trying to destroy the world.
Together you fight your way forward and have to solve small puzzles along the way. The settings are beautiful, and the game is designed to be charming and relaxing, even though it is an action-adventure.
What kind of game is this? Persona 5 Royal is a mix of JRPG and dungeon crawler. You are part of the Phantom Thieves, a group of students living in Tokyo. Then you delve into the subconscious of people – these are basically the dungeons – and you must purify their dark hearts.
The game focuses on brief but action-packed battles. However, the main focus is on the story with exciting dialogues. Persona 5 originally was released in 2016 but has been reworked and now differs significantly from the original game.
Rank 7: Demon’s Souls
Genre: Action-RPG | Developer: Bluepoint Games, From Software | Release: November 12, 2020 | Price: €79.99
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Demon’s Souls Trailer
What kind of game is this? Demon’s Souls was the original start of the popular Souls games. The remake for the PS5 is a remake that lets you experience the battles again with improved graphics.
You enter a dark fantasy world and must prove yourself against a summoned demon known as “the Ancient”. This casts a fog over the land that produces terrible creatures.
The battles are tough, as you would expect – you will likely have to face bosses several times before you can defeat them.
What kind of game is this? This is also a remake. The horror classic Resident Evil 4 has been re-released. The game originally came out in 2005.
Leon Kennedy, a policeman from Raccoon City, is sent to a European village to investigate a criminal case: The daughter of the US President has disappeared.
Using various gun and melee weapons, you fight your way through as Leon Kennedy and defeat numerous zombies.
What kind of game is this? Tetris Effect: Connected adds some mechanics to the classic that make the game interesting for modern gamers as well. The falling speed of the pieces adjusts to the pace of the excellent soundtrack.
Additionally, the so-called Zone Mode is introduced, allowing you to pause time during the round. This way, you can get out of tricky situations or extend the level to earn more points.
You choose between two game modes. In Adventure Mode, the goal is to complete each stage one after the other, while in Effect Mode, the classic Tetris principle of high scores takes center stage.
Rank 4: Hades
Genre: Roguelike | Developer: Supergiant Games | Release: August 13, 2021 | Price: €24.99
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Hades Trailer
What kind of game is this? You play as Zagreus, son of Hades, whose only goal is to escape from the underworld and flee from his father’s rule. In classic roguelike fashion, you must slash your way from point A to point B without checkpoints.
On your escape attempts, the gods of Olympus support you with various power-ups. After each death, you can spend your earned resources in Hades’ palace for different buffs and new weapons.
Moreover, you follow different storylines and romance options, which can also give you an in-game advantage and keep the game interesting even after numerous successful escape attempts.
Rank 3: God of War: Ragnarök
Genre: RPG | Developer: SCE Santa Monica Studio | Release: November 9, 2022 | Price: €79.99
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God of War Ragnarök Trailer
What kind of game is this? God of War: Ragnarök is the continuation of the popular action-adventure God of War, which was released in 2018. You take on the role of Kratos and Atreus, who travel through various worlds in search of answers to prevent the impending end of the world.
You fight your way through beautiful landscapes and face various creatures and boss enemies along the way. Within the story, you experience a Nordic saga, both in the first and the second parts of the game.
Additionally, you level up abilities and have various weapons to choose from – such as the Leviathan Axe, Chaos Blades, and the Guardian Shield.
Rank 2: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Genre: RPG | Developer: CD Project RED | Release: May 18, 2015 | Price: €29.99
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The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Killing Monsters Cinematic Trailer
What kind of game is this? Since the end of 2022, this must-play is also available for the PS5. You accompany the protagonist Geralt of Rivia through the award-winning story based on the Witcher novels by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski.
Explore a medieval fantasy world, face epic battles, and unravel intrigues at your own discretion. Depending on how you decide, one of a total of 36 possible endings awaits you.
What kind of game is this?Elden Ring comes from the same developer as Dark Souls and Demon’s Souls. It is an epic in a dark world, the story of which was also contributed to by the Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin.
Unlike in The Witcher or Assassin’s Creed, there is no cinematographically staged story. Instead, you have to gradually uncover the secrets within the vast game world. The main story offers you about 30 to 40 hours of gameplay.
For the battles, you choose from a variety of melee and ranged weapons; you can also use magic. You equip your character and choose which abilities he should use. Initially, you choose a class, but your build remains flexible.
What do you think of the top 10? Which ones have you already played? Feel free to write us a comment!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Pokémon GO a research event around Flunschlik starts on Sunday, April 23, 2023. What to expect, you can find out here.
What kind of event is it? It is “Limited Research”, an event focused on field research tasks. You have to collect these tasks by spinning PokéStops.
Once you have completed the tasks, you will encounter Flunschlik and Galar-Flunschlik.
When does the event run? It starts on Sunday, April 23, 2023, at 2:00 PM. It will run until 5:00 PM local time.
So you have three hours to embark on a research journey and look for the two Flunschlik variants – including their shiny forms.
Better shiny chance for Flunschlik due to research event
This is exciting for shiny hunters: Galar-Flunschlik has been in the game longer as shiny, but the regular Flunschlik is celebrating its shiny debut at this event. You can now catch its shiny version for the first time.
And the chances are better than usual, because: According to the announcement, the shiny chance for Flunschlik and Galar-Flunschlik will be increased during the event.
This is what the shinies look like:
This is what Galar-Flunschlik and Flunschlik look like as shiny
Is it worth it to catch Flunschlik? For shiny collectors, the hunt is certainly worth it, but Galar-Flunschlik also has a good place in the battle league. According to PvPoke database, Galar-Flunschlik is even ranked 2 in the super league among the best Pokémon. It also performs very well in the hyper league (rank 24), but falls short in the master league.
What else is happening at the event? The focus is on Flunschlik. However, some more monsters will spawn in the wild. Possible shinys (but without increased shiny chance) are marked with an asterisk*:
Sandan*
Digda*
Skorgla*
Quiekel*
Phanpy*
Larvitar*
Camaub*
Schmerbe*
Puppance*
Hippopotas*
Rotomurf*
Additionally, the environmental week in Pokémon GO is also currently running. You can therefore continue to take advantage of its bonuses over the weekend.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Torchlight II is a popular hack & slash RPG that many recommend as a good alternative to Diablo. Currently, you can get the game on sale for €6.64 in the Epic Games Store. However, you need to be quick.
In Torchlight 2, you choose one of four different classes and explore the open world of “Vilderan”, defeating opponents and getting stronger.
Here you can see a trailer for Torchlight 2:
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The gameplay trailer of Torchlight 2
Slay enemies and level up
Four different classes are available, each bringing different play styles. The Berserker is a melee fighter who summons wolves, while the Vagant is a cunning rogue who excels at ranged combat. In addition to a character, you also choose a pet that will accompany you on your journey and can sell loot for you.
The gameplay revolves around defeating enemies in a good hack & slash manner. In the dungeons, you slay enemies and obtain loot to improve your equipment and level up your character. Additionally, you can develop active and passive skills through skill trees.
You can play Torchlight 2 solo or in co-op mode with friends. Up to 4 players can play together on console and up to 6 on PC.
“Undecember” also resembles the Diablo games. However, this free RPG divides players’ opinions:
Where can I get Torchlight 2 on sale? In the Epic Games Store, you can currently get the dungeon crawler for 65% off. Instead of €18.99, you currently pay €6.64. The offer ends today, April 20, 2023, at 5:00 PM.
How is Torchlight 2 rated? On Metacritic, the game has a metascore of 88, which is very good. The user score is also positive at 8.5.
Also on Steam, the game impresses with 93% positive reviews from a total of 30,263 ratings (as of April 20, 2023).
Time and again, comparisons are drawn to the Diablo games on Steam, and Torchlight 2 is praised as a good alternative. Additionally, the comic style of the game and the entertaining gameplay are particularly convincing.
root: “I will treat myself to some Torchlight while I wait for Diablo 4. It’s a pity that Torchlight 3 was so bad.”
lordpooky: “Diablo with a pet that goes back to town for you and sells your stuff.”
ReFL3X: “Torchlight 2 is an entertaining action RPG that is quite straightforward and easy to learn. If you want a game where you can roam the map and slash and hack enemies that isn’t too demanding, it’s worth buying. […] I would definitely recommend the game, especially if you like Diablo or Path of Exile or any other ARPG, as it sticks to the fundamentals of the genre and does them well […]”.
Ubisoft, the developer of Tom Clancy’s The Division 2, announced that there will be a major “Division Day” livestream today regarding the future of the franchise in year 5. The studio will also reveal information about two other titles: The Division: Heartland and The Division: Resurgence.
What Division fans can expect today: After an announcement on Twitter, Division fans hope for better news about the franchise.
Ubisoft has announced a major “Division Day” livestream event for today, April 20. This event invites all interested players on a journey through the past, present, and especially the future of the “The Division” franchise.
During the event, players can take an official look at the gameplay of the new free-to-play survival shooter in the Division universe “The Division: Heartland”.
A roadmap with year-5 updates for The Division 2 will be revealed, including an introduction to the new Descent game mode.
And last but not least, there will also be a project update on the mobile spinoff The Division: Resurgence.
This is how Ubisoft announced the new livestream
Where can you watch the stream? If you want to follow the livestream, you should tune in either on Ubisoft’s Twitch or YouTube at 8:00 PM tonight.
To do this, you only need to watch 20 minutes of today’s livestream to receive the “Metalhead” hat.
The remaining set items will be available if you watch Division 2 streamers with activated drops until May 16.
Green Agent Watch Sparks Speculation
In addition to introducing the two new games, fans are especially curious about the future of Division 2.
Based on the new story from Season 11, it’s already speculated that there could be a new DLC in year 5.
There are also several short videos from content creators circulating that show a NSA logo as well as a Division watch on the wrist of an agent changing from orange to green, which is being activated.
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Players are curious, especially about the differently colored watch, but remain cautious, as their disappointment from recent years runs deep.
The Division player Fabiolés wrote under Ubisoft’s announcement:
I know it’s a date to consider. But after so many years of The Division 2, I don’t expect anything great anymore. Sorry agents, but I cannot bear it anymore, I have no strength left for excitement with the franchise I love.
Fans have been disappointed time and again: Indeed, Ubisoft has been scoring less and less points with its own fans of The Division 2. Not only bugs and errors have caused frustration.
The current Season 11 also disappointed fans, as it was postponed indefinitely just a few days before it was supposed to be released.
Only on February 27 could players then start the new Man-Hunt and discover the items in “Dominion of Fire”.
The announcement of these new titles and expansions, however, shows that Ubisoft is at least making an effort to continue to engage with the franchise and provide players with fresh and new experiences.
What expectations do you have for the new The Division titles? Do you think Ubisoft can successfully lead the franchise into a new direction with a new DLC? Feel free to share your opinion with us in the comments.
Recently, Ubisoft even banned players from The Division 2 for crashing the servers through cheats:
The Twitch streamer Llunaclark shares her life with her viewers in so-called IRL streams. In one such stream, she almost became a victim of a bold theft, but her chat warned her just in time.
What kind of streamer is she? Lunaclark is a Spanish-speaking streamer primarily active in the “Just Chatting” and “Travel & Outdoors” categories. Her channel trailer on Twitch features her sightseeing, climbing, and motorcycling.
Attentive viewers prevent worse
What kind of theft was it? In a stream from April 19, Llunaclark is sitting in her car talking to her viewers. Suddenly, a man appears behind her, carefully opening the car door and starting to rummage through the streamer’s belongings.
However, a message from the chat prompts the streamer to turn around and scare off the would-be thief. You can watch the accompanying clip here:
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How did the chat react? While the streamer was distracted and seemed oblivious to what was happening behind her, attentive viewers spotted the thief. They immediately tried to alert the streamer to the theft.
Numerous messages in the chat were straightforward and simply translated as “behind you.” One fan took the opportunity to have messages read aloud with donations and added the text to their donation: “Cuidado,” meaning “Watch out.”
Start video
Twitch: This is the quirky story behind the most popular clip of all time
One particularly creative fan took the opportunity to wrap his helpful warning in a meme: “¡Detrás de tí, imbécil!” means something like “Behind you, you idiot” and fits perfectly with the situation.
At the same time, it is also a quote from the popular horror game Resident Evil 4. With this phrase, the hostile villagers warn the player when they approach from behind.
Thief flees
How did the story end? The chat’s warnings were not in vain. Llunaclark turned around, and the thief fled, apparently leaving his loot behind. The clip showing the incident has already garnered nearly 100,000 views (via Twitch).
On Reddit, where the footage was shared in the streaming subreddit LifestreamFail, users discuss the behavior of both the man and the streamer. Some are surprised by the audacity of attempting to break into a car in broad daylight while the owner is still inside.
Others criticize the streamer’s reaction: she should have locked her doors rather than getting out of the car and filming the thief. Some even speculate that it could have been staged, similar to the case of a 21-year-old streamer who wanted to fake a theft on stream.
In so-called IRL streams, streamers are out “in real life.” They often showcase themselves visiting special places or interacting with those around them. Ironically, this seemingly harmless type of stream often results in incidents like insults or thefts.
A fan story is said to have been the origin of Amazon’s series “The Rings of Power.” This could now cost 250 million dollars.
The Amazon series “The Rings of Power” from the Lord of the Rings universe was received by fans at best as “poor.” For Amazon itself, the series is likely a financial and marketing flop, as it faced criticism from all sides. However, the already expensive project could become even more costly. An author is suing Amazon, claiming they used his works as a major source for the series.
What happened? The author named “Demetrious Polychron” wrote the book “The Fellowship Of The King” a few years ago and also published it on Amazon last year. The story is based on the story of “The Lord of the Rings” and attempts to fill gaps left by JRR Tolkien in his work.
In other words: The book is fan fiction.
Polychron had previously sent the book to JRR Tolkien’s grandson, Simon Tolkien, in 2017 and requested an opinion on the book, but never received feedback. Simon Tolkien is the heir and director of “The Tolkien Estate” – a large part of the rights to The Lord of the Rings lies there.
The book “The Fellowship Of The King” was registered with the US Copyright Office despite the lack of feedback.
In 2019, Polychron then tried again, this time through a lawyer, to contact “The Tolkien Estate.” The request for collaboration was rejected the very next day. Polychron then personally brought a manuscript of his book to Simon Tolkien – and received no response thereafter.
Ultimately, the book was published on Amazon in 2022, and 6 more books are reportedly in progress.
What happened then? Demetrious Polychron sees his copyright being violated by the series “The Rings of Power.” According to his statement, Amazon has taken several ideas and concepts from his book. Some of these allegations are quirky, as Amazon supposedly took the character “Elanor” from Polychron’s book – even though Elanor is also mentioned in the original “Lord of the Rings” books.
The total demand amounts to over 250 million US dollars.
Whether Demetrious Polychron will succeed with the lawsuit remains to be seen. Although most consider his chances to be rather slim, America does surprise sometimes with rather quirky court rulings.
If that happens, “The Fellowship Of The King” is likely to become the most financially successful fan fiction ever – albeit probably in a way different from originally planned.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In FIFA 23 Ultimate Team, a curious problem is causing quite a confusion among fans, as cards suddenly have injuries without being displayed. But what is behind it?
Update, April 20: Meanwhile, EA Sports has spoken out and confirmed that this is a visual bug.
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In the FIFA community, uncertainty is spreading, as more and more players are reporting (via Reddit) cards in their Ultimate Teams that suddenly display injuries.
However, instead of the injuries being displayed with a symbol, as is normally the case, the respective injury can only be recognized at second glance. You need to display the card values in detail and check the “injury” field under the “Attributes” tab.
Here you see an example:
David Raum has no injury symbol, but an injury is still recorded (right).
This is how injuries in FUT normally work: If a player gets injured during a match in Ultimate Team, they remain injured after the match and can only be used again once a suitable healing card is applied.
If this is not done, no match can be started, and you must cover the position with another card.
The community is uncertain about the extent of the problem
This is what the community says: On Reddit, the topic is sparking quite a conversation, as players are unsure whether the affected cards actually play worse or if it is just their imagination. We have collected a few comments for you.
tyrionlannister0: ‘In my Zidane, an injury is displayed, but there’s no doubt he is the best player on my team. It is more likely that this is a visual glitch.’
khushalkhan31: ‘Something really strange is happening here, as the players who have an injury are the ones with terrible ball control and absolutely no runs.’
adilfc: ‘It’s probably a display error showing which injury the player last had.’
vukm86: ‘I was wondering why Best couldn’t score anymore. He had a leg injury the whole time.’
Burt3d: ‘My Mbappé is the only one who is injured, and he hasn’t felt quite right these past few days. So strange.’
What is behind the hidden injuries? EA Sports hasn’t commented on the curious situation so far. However, it could very well be that this is just a visual glitch, as you cannot apply a healing item to the corresponding players.
What do you think about it? Have you also found players with hidden injuries in your teams? Feel free to share it with us in the comments!
There are increasing loud complaints at Activision Blizzard. More and more developers of World of Warcraft are speaking out and demanding changes – as employees are leaving.
In recent days, the positive atmosphere surrounding World of Warcraft has taken a significant hit again. This is not due to the content in the game, but rather the whole “surroundings” that are currently happening at Blizzard. Developers are expressing their frustrations more and more on Twitter – as beloved colleagues are leaving the company. And apparently, the cause is a rule change that hardly anyone understands.
What has changed? A few weeks ago, Activision Blizzard decided that the “Home Office” policy would be suspended again. Those who could previously work permanently from home now have to come into the next office at least 2 days a week and work from there.
The problem is that during the Corona pandemic, many employees were hired who worked entirely from home and assumed that this would continue later. Often, they live far from the nearest Activision Blizzard office or cannot afford a move to the quite expensive Irvine.
The forced “return to the office” has already cost us a few fantastic people and will cost us more in the coming months.
It is a terrible, short-sighted, and self-destructive regulation that only weakens our ability to make the kind of game that we want to develop and that our players deserve.
And just to be very clear: I just want to make great games. That’s my dream. I love WoW. I’ve been playing since Vanilla and have been working on it for two years now, since Patch 9.1.5.
Everything Adam said? That. Exactly that.
Why is this strange? World of Warcraft Dragonflight has been largely created from home and is regarded by many as one of the best expansions of all time. That Activision now insists that all employees must spend 2 out of 5 days in the office seems strange. After all, the Corona pandemic has shown that working from home can be just as efficient as working in the office – Dragonflight is a great example of that.
It seems that a new wave of criticism is slowly but surely breaking through – and again it comes from the developers who have to watch as more and more colleagues leave.
The long-term effects for World of Warcraft are still not foreseeable.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Only a few hours before the start of Environmental Week 2023 in Pokémon GO, the developers are canceling a bonus. Trainers can hardly believe it.
What has been canceled? During Environmental Week, the Pokémon Frubberl and its evolutions Frubaila and Fruyal are debuting in Pokémon GO. At the same time, the developers are activating bonuses for your buddies.
After information about the eggs at this event had already been adjusted, they are now at the last minute foregoing the bonus that was supposed to make it easier for you to earn candies with your buddy.
Trainers just can’t grasp these changes
What does Niantic say about this? At 03:00 AM German time, Niantic communicated on Twitter that there was an “error” in the infographic related to the bonuses of Environmental Week. The mentioned “Half distance to earn candies with your buddy Pokémon” will not be available as a bonus for the event, it says in the tweet.
Although the event was already announced on April 14 with this information, they only communicated this error 7 hours before the official German start of Environmental Week. In other parts of the world, the event was already in full swing at the time of the announcement due to the time difference.
Only on April 18 did Niantic correct another erroneous information from Environmental Week, in which they stated that certain Pokémon would hatch from 2-km eggs. They actually meant 7-km eggs.
This is what trainers say about it: Many players from the community are angry about the error and the way it has been handled.
On Twitter, RaidAway comments: “Even if it was an error in the infographic. Why don’t you just add it to make everyone happy? It’s your mistake. It looks terrible lol.”
Other users on Twitter write:
“Isn’t this the second incorrect bonus this week? There was also a mix-up with the eggs”
“Has TheOnion taken over the infographics from Pokémon GO? Because these tweets read as if they were written by a parody account”
Also on Reddit, trainers express their frustration about this last-minute change. User redbeagle writes: “This is incredibly disappointing. As someone who collects XL candies for Zobiris, I was planning to use Knursp for 12 straight hours. Oh man, thank goodness I haven’t bought the Knursp yet.”
Generally, trainers are complaining on Reddit and Twitter about how often there have been errors in announcements and events from Pokémon GO in recent weeks and that it feels really bad to play the game right now.
The Brazilian President Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva spoke at a conference about safety in schools. In his speech, he made a connection between violent video games and crime.
What is this debate about? Games with violent content, often derogatorily referred to as “killer games”, still have the reputation of causing violence in real life. However, there is no scientific proof of such a connection.
Nevertheless, there are reports that depict the colorful battle royale Fortnite as wild carnage. The prejudice against such games can also affect individuals.
For example, in the case of the “Angry German Kid,” whose seemingly funny video suddenly made him the face of video game-addicted teenagers in Germany for years.
Too Much Violence and Too Little Love in Video Games
What did the president say? After other speakers discussed the issue of safety in schools for nearly two and a half hours, Lula da Silva took the floor. In his opinion, increased security measures in schools alone would not solve the problem.
Much more needs to be done to address the causes of violence among young people, which the president sees at home: in the behavior of parents and in video games with violent content.
Lula da Silva criticizes that very young children are introduced to video games and that they convey the wrong values:
If a four-year-old child cries, what do you do? You immediately give them a tablet to play with. You teach them very early to play video games. There are no games that talk about love. There are no games that talk about education. Games teach children to kill.
Also, the time children spend playing video games concerns the president: exceptions may exist, but hardly any child between 8 and 12 years old would not spend their time with this “trash.” The result is ultimately violence among children.
In Brazil, some demand a 30-Day Ban on Violent Games
What is behind these statements? Da Silva’s speech came against the backdrop of a series of violent attacks on educational institutions in Brazil.
Deputy Marcos “Zé Trovão” Pereira Gomes had already called for a 30-day ban on games that “incite violence” after a violent act at a kindergarten in early April. The perpetrator allegedly exchanged messages in the chat of such a game.
This argument seems to cyclically resurface. After the rampage of an 18-year-old at a school in Emsdetten, Lower Saxony, in 2010, there was a nearly identical statement from CSU politician Edmund Stoiber: “[Killer games] encourage young people to kill others.” (via sz.de)
The question of whether video games incite violence has been a topic in Germany since the early 2000s. After the events of New Year’s Eve 2022, when riots occurred in several German cities, the debate was also reignited here:
In the special research “Plants and Gratitude” in Pokémon GO, all trainers receive a Shaymin in its land form. This is the first time that the Pokémon will be available worldwide for free to all trainers. See all tasks and rewards here.
What kind of research is this? For the Environment Week 2023, some bonuses are expected in the game. The Pokémon Frubberl and its evolutions will be activated, along with the new Shinys of Rotomurf and its evolution. The event is accompanied by bonuses and this special research.
Shaymin could already be caught by trainers at GO Fest 2022 with a ticket. Now, the Pokémon is available for the first time worldwide for free to anyone participating in the special research. Trainers who were able to catch a Shaymin through the research from GO Fest 2022 will encounter another specimen in the new research.
Plants and Gratitude 1/7
Task
Reward
Take 4 snapshots of your Pokémon
3 Nanab Berries
Spin 9 PokéStops or Gyms
15 Poké Balls
Walk 2 kilometers
Encounter with Kikugi
Level Reward: If you successfully complete all 3 tasks and claim the corresponding rewards, you will also receive 1,000 XP, 500 Stardust, and 1 Mysterious Component afterwards.
Plants and Gratitude 2/7
Task
Reward
Take 4 snapshots of wild plant Pokémon
3 Himmih Berries
Take 9 snapshots of Pokémon in the wild
Encounter with Papungha
Take 2 snapshots of wild flying Pokémon
6 Super Potions
Level Reward: If you successfully complete all 3 tasks and claim the corresponding rewards, you will also receive 1,500 XP, 1,000 Stardust, and 1 Rocket Radar afterwards.
Plants and Gratitude 3/7
Task
Reward
Use 22 Power-Ups on Pokémon
1 Star Piece
Level Reward: If you successfully complete the task and claim the corresponding reward, you will also receive 2,500 XP, 1,500 Stardust, and 1 Premium Raid Pass afterwards.
Plants and Gratitude 4/7
Task
Reward
Catch 4 plant Pokémon
Encounter with Folipurba
Catch 9 Pokémon
15 Ultra Balls
Catch 2 flying Pokémon
6 Hyper Potions
Level Reward: If you successfully complete all 3 tasks and claim the corresponding rewards, you will also receive 3,000 XP, 2,000 Stardust, and 2 Golden Himmih Berries afterwards.
Plants and Gratitude 5/7
Task
Reward
Complete 4 field researches
3 Sanan Berries
Earn 9 hearts with your buddy
15 Hyperballs
Hatch 2 eggs
6 Max Potions
Level Reward: If you successfully complete all 3 tasks and claim the corresponding rewards, you will also receive 5,000 XP, 2,500 Stardust, and 2 Silver Sanan Berries afterwards.
Plants and Gratitude 6/7
Task
Reward
Catch 22 different species of Pokémon
1 Lucky Egg
Level Reward: If you successfully complete the task and claim the corresponding reward, you will also receive 5,000 XP, 2,500 Stardust, and an encounter with Shaymin afterwards.
Level Reward: If you collect the rewards from the three fields, you will also receive an additional 25 Shaymin candies, 1 Incense, and 22 Hyperballs.
How do you like the special research with Shaymin in its land form? Do you think Niantic chose good tasks here or would you have preferred a focus on other themes?
