Diablo 4 Open Beta: Start, Time and Preload

When does the Open Beta of Diablo 4 start? And what contents are included? We will show you all the times and what you need to know for the launch.

Update from March 23: We have updated the article regarding the start of the Open Beta. There is a patch for the Beta intended to improve queue times.

When does the Open Diablo 4 Beta start? The Open Beta runs from:

  • Friday, March 24, 5:00 PM – Monday, March 27, 9:00 PM

The Beta will take place on both PC and PlayStation and Xbox. You can find information in our article on how to participate in the Open Beta and what is included.

Regardless of the Beta, you can play as a pre-order customer of the Digital Deluxe or Ultimate Edition 4 days before release, starting June 2. Otherwise, you can start on June 6 – that is the release of Diablo 4.

How do I participate in the Open Beta? Anyone can join the Open Beta. You just need to download the game on your platform starting Wednesday, March 22, and you can play from Friday.

In our article, you can find the most important information about the Beta in 2 minutes. The video provides a summary of the Open Beta:

Start video
Everything you need to know about the Open Beta in Diablo 4

All information about the Open Beta of Diablo 4

Platforms, preload, and download size

When can I download the Beta? Blizzard has already confirmed that a pre-download will be possible for the Beta test. Preloads will begin on Wednesday, March 22, at 5:00 PM local time.

How large is the Beta? You will need between 45 and 85 GB of free space on your hard drive. The Beta is thus larger than expected.

You can find all the information about the system requirements of Diablo 4 here.

Co-op and Crossplay

How many people can play together? The co-op of Diablo 4 allows groups of up to 4 players. You can also meet other players in the open world, though this should not happen all the time.

Diablo 4 always tries to match you with players in roughly the same ping range. However, there are no proper server limits, allowing you to play with players from around the world at any time.

Is there Crossplay? Yes, Diablo 4 fully supports Crossplay. Every platform and generation can play together, and there is even cross-progression. If you support Diablo 4 on multiple platforms, your progress is saved across platforms.

You can find all the information about the Crossplay of Diablo 4 in our article here. In the video, we explain to you the multiplayer:

Start video
In Diablo 4 you can play with players from all over the world – All information about multiplayer

The contents of the Diablo 4 Beta

What can I play in the Beta? You will be able to play the entire prologue and the first act up to level 25. After that, you can complete every side mission and quest of the corresponding area from Act 1, but you will not level up any further. The playable classes depend on which Beta you are playing:

Dungeons will be part of the experience. You will have access to over 20 dungeons from which you can get special loot and legendary aspects.

You will also be able to fight one of the world bosses at specific times, which can only be defeated by large groups of players. After the Beta, there will be a wipe, and you will lose all progress. Ashava appears:

  • Saturday, March 25 at 6:00 PM local time
  • Saturday, March 25 at 8:00 PM local time
  • Sunday, March 26 at 7:00 AM local time
  • Sunday, March 26 at 9:00 AM local time

In total, just reaching the maximum level in Diablo 4 is expected to take over 180 hours. Endgame contents are not yet visible in the Open Beta, except for the one world boss that is supposed to be active at specific times.

Beta Rewards for Players

Are there gifts? Yes, all participants can secure some gifts while playing the Open Beta. Depending on how far you play, you will receive various cosmetics for the game upon release:

  • The title “First Victim” will be awarded when you reach Kyovashad
  • The title “Early Explorer” for reaching level 20
  • a cute puppy transmog for reaching level 20

Additionally, you have a chance to have your face painted in a church in France if you participate in the respective giveaway. However, you must sign up in advance on the respective page.

Diablo 4 will be an important title, not only for Blizzard but also for the entire hack-and-slash genre – as it currently has rather bleak future prospects:

What Diablo IV means for the fate of all hack’n’slashes

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

Pokémon GO: Giovanni changes his Pokémon – Is Crypto-Regice worth it?

In Pokémon GO Rocket Boss Giovanni will soon use Crypto-Regice. Let’s take a closer look at this Pokémon.

What’s happening with Giovanni? Giovanni is the Rocket Boss you can challenge with the help of a Super Rocket Radar. The scoundrel recently relied on Crypto-Registeel, but that will soon be over.

For the new Rocket takeover in Pokémon GO, Giovanni replaces Registeel with Crypto-Regice. This will happen on Saturday, March 25, 2023, at 10:00 AM. From that point on, you will encounter the new monster.

But is it worth the fight against Giovanni to grab Crypto-Regice?

What kind of Pokémon is Crypto-Regice?

Regice is a legendary Ice-type Pokémon that was introduced in Generation 3. It belongs to the legendary giants – including Registeel and Regirock, as well as the new top raid bosses Regieleki and Regidrago. The leader of these golems is Regigigas, which has also been catchable in Pokémon GO.

What makes Cryptos special? The Crypto variants are monsters influenced by Team GO Rocket. They have a stronger attack value but lose out on defense. The main problem with Cryptos is that they possess the move “Frustration”, which isn’t very useful and usually cannot be removed.

The removal of Frustration via TM is, however, enabled during Rocket takeover events. So, if you capture Crypto-Regice during the takeover, you can get rid of that bad move right away.

Is Crypto-Regice worth it?

In Raids: Among the best Ice-type attackers, Regice currently has no place. The Crypto bonus will make it slightly stronger, but according to the Gamepress database, it will still be outclassed by the top attackers (via gamepress.gg). If you’re looking for a strong raid attacker, you should rely on other Pokémon.

In PvP: Even in the battle league, Crypto-Regice currently stands to offer little help. According to the PvPoke database, normal Regice is already a mediocre option, and Crypto-Regice is estimated to be even weaker due to its defensive disadvantage in the Great and Ultra leagues. Only in the Master League can Crypto-Regice surpass normal Regice, but compared to other monsters in the league, it’s not considered a particularly good option either (via PvPoke.com).

Should you get Crypto-Regice? If you’re aiming for completing your Pokédex, capturing it is worth it. As a fighter, Regice is rather negligible. Accordingly, you should consider whether to save the Super Rocket Radar for a better boss.

How do I get Crypto-Regice?

Basically, it will be available at the start of the Rocket takeover. Then, you’ll need to go hunting for Giovanni. How that works, you can see in the video:

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

For the Rocket takeover, a new special research will start in the game, through which you will obtain the Super Rocket Radar. Before that, however, you will need to search for mysterious parts to find Rocket leaders Sierra, Cliff, and Arlo in order to get the Super Radar from them.

At the end, there will be a battle against Giovanni. The best counters against Giovanni in Pokémon GO can be found here.

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

Expert on Diablo Immortal warns: „You are ruining Diablo 4 even before the release“

Diablo 4 is starting soon in the Open Beta. Before the release, an expert appears on YouTube annoyed by the discussion around the game. There are too many unfounded opinions here.

Who is the expert?

  • DM: Diablo Immortal (short for: “Darth Microtransaction”) is one of the largest YouTubers on Diablo Immortal. His channel has over 71,600 subscribers.
  • He is known primarily for his in-depth expertise on the mechanics in the mobile ARPG and his openness. For instance, he analyzed whether it was worth spending 3,000 € on Diablo Immortal.
  • Now DM is preparing for Diablo 4, has played the beta, and complains about the attitude of many fans. They are ruining the game for themselves, as he says.

This is what DM says: The YouTuber criticizes the attitude of many fans of Diablo and gamers in general. Currently, it is hardly possible to talk properly about new releases without starting some kind of argument.

Using Diablo 4 as an example, he explains: There are only two sides left. Either you are fully for something or fully against it. Fans are so hungry for a new game that they immediately worship it:

Everyone is super polarized. It’s almost a political discussion, like: “Diablo 4 is wonderful. If you say anything else, you threaten my enthusiasm for the game.” They cannot tolerate someone else’s opinion. And then you have people saying: “Diablo 4 is the devil, and if you support this game and Blizzard, you are the problem.”

There are many things coming together that have nothing to do with the game at all. In particular, the discussion surrounding Blizzard and the sexism scandal from the past occupies too many people. There have even been statements from Jason Schreier about whether Diablo 4 should be boycotted or not.

We are covering the launch of the Open Beta of Diablo 4 live. You can watch DM’s video here:

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“YouTubers like me are half the problem”

Another problem is that many opinions are presented as facts without any basis. There is a discussion about whether Diablo 4 is pay-to-win, although there are absolutely no indications of that – except that this is the case with Diablo Immortal.

Every information from developers has already confirmed that no item from the shop provides any advantages. The game is monetized through skins and the high price at release, not through pay-to-win: “There is no pay-to-win in Diablo 4 […] even the discussion around Lost Ark wasn’t that big, and the game is pay-to-win as fuck.”

However, there are also plenty of people who just want to farm views, like on YouTube. They hype Diablo 4 by claiming it is revolutionizing the MMO genre, even though they themselves have never played it. There is only gameplay from the press available there.

Perhaps somewhat ironically, we have also drawn a conclusion about the beta of Diablo 4. I especially found the world boss excellent. You can see our assessment in the video, but remember that this is our opinion:

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

Many gamers then just parrot opinions from YouTubers instead of getting their own impression of the game. It happens that they tear each other apart just because someone is not playing the best build for a class that might be 3% better, DM explains. And that already in the beta.

“We should have fun with video games. And somehow we have turned that into being toxic to our own community,” the YouTuber explains. “[…] But distinguishing what I like and what others are allowed to like is currently impossible in the gaming community.”

More on the topic
6 Things from Diablo 4 that will only come to the game at release
von Christos Tsogos

YouTubers like him are “literally half the problem,” they are echo chambers, and fans with a nuanced opinion are rare. However, one should always form their own opinion, not just repeat what others say, DM emphasizes. This also applies to his content: “I am not God, and I certainly have different views than other people”.

One of the streamers on whose voice many rely is Asmongold:

The largest MMORPG streamer on Twitch gives his judgment on Diablo 4

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

Coolest streamer on Twitch confesses her love for the uncoolest game, is compared to grandmas: “I swear, it’s fun!”

Imane “Pokimane” Anys (26) is the streamer with the most followers on Twitch. As a variety streamer, she usually showcases games like League of Legends and Valorant on her channel or chats with her viewers in Just Chatting. Now, she revealed her love for a completely different type of game: the mobile game Candy Crush.

What did the streamer confess? Pokimane told her viewers in a stream that she has recently been playing Candy Crush. It is a game that has come to symbolize what many dislike about mobile games since its release in 2012.

Nevertheless, Candy Crush Saga, as it is fully named, enjoys great popularity and reaches millions of players. Especially one group is often associated with the game: moms. This has even developed into a kind of meme genre. Now it seems Pokimane is also moving in these illustrious circles.

If you also want to join the mobile gamers, check out the video:

Start video
The Game of Life 2 is now available for PS4 and PS5 – Crossplay with PC, Mobile, and Switch

Streamer tries to convince her viewers

How did that go over? Pokimane had barely finished her sentence when her viewers were already mocking her: “We have lost her.” The 26-year-old defended her new love and steadfastly tried to convince her fans:

It’s fun, folks, it’s fun! Why do you say “no”? It’s fun! “We have lost her”? No, I swear, it’s really fun.

Pokimane took it a step further and boasted about her supposed skills in the colorful game: She had only played for one evening and already reached level 25, she is a really good Candy Crusher. You can see a compilation of the stream here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dB8PgieNMQ

Pokimane: “I am so young, practically a baby adult”

This is what Pokimane had to hear: Promptly, the streamer had to realize that she can’t keep up with the iron will of a retiree. Because viewers began to compare her to their grandmothers. The worst part: they were way better as well.

One viewer said his grandmother is already on level 1,500. Pokimane apparently hadn’t delved into the game that much: “How can there be so many levels, what?” In fact, grandma still has a long way to go, as there are over 13,700 levels in the candy puzzler (via candycrush.fandom).

Meanwhile, Pokimane holds on to her youth:

Stop! I am one of the youngest in our whole friend group. I am so young! I am extremely young. I am very young! I am 26, that’s practically a baby adult, you know? Just because I play Candy Crush doesn’t mean anything.

Candy Crush is just the second choice

How did Pokimane come to Candy Crush? The streamer is not only a fan of clearing candies, she generally has a preference for mobile games. “I just love being able to be anywhere and play on my phone,” she explains.

However, Candy Crush wouldn’t actually be her first choice: Pokimane, who according to Twitch Tracker has over 1,200 hours in League of Legends, says her favorite would actually be the mobile spin-off Teamfight Tactics. There, the constant new patches would disturb her: “Can they just stop? Nobody asked you to change everything!”

Mobile games have a pretty bad reputation in the gaming community, which is why Pokimane’s confession might have surprised her viewers so much. But games in handheld form are no longer limited to Candy Crush and Angry Birds. In the meantime, a huge market has developed from this, and the future could belong to it:

Mobile MMORPGs are the future of the genre, and that is great

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

FIFA 23: Mesut Özil ends his career and fans discuss: Will he get an Icon card?

Mesut Özil has officially ended his football career and has made his last appearance in FIFA 23. But will Özil receive an Icon card in the future? This is a topic that FIFA fans are currently discussing.

Via Instagram, Mesut Özil announced the end of his career in football and can look back on an extraordinarily successful career. The player from Gelsenkirchen became a world champion with Germany, won the Spanish and German championships, and secured the English FA Cup four times.

Additionally, the former German national player can proudly claim that no one has assisted Cristiano Ronaldo for more goals (27) than he did during his time at Real Madrid.

But fans are now discussing: is that enough for an Icon card?

How strong will Özil be in the future?

What are Icon and Hero cards anyway? In FIFA, there are now 2 options for how former football stars who are no longer active can return to the game. Either as Icon or as Hero cards. Both variants can be found in packs and can also be bought on the FUT transfer market and used in Ultimate Team.

Icon cards are somewhat more special and rarer, and they are also stronger. However, some Hero cards are also very popular and can be worth several million coins.

Examples of the strongest Icon cards include Zidane, Ronaldo, Cruyff, or Ronaldinho. Hero cards exist, for example, for Ginola, Yaya Touré, Rudi Völler, or Mario Gomez.

But Klose also has an Icon card that many consider to be far too weak.

This is what fans say about a possible Özil card: Following the news of Özil’s retirement, a discussion has erupted on reddit where the community cannot agree. The discussion revolves around what kind of card Mesut Özil should receive in the future. We have put together some interesting opinions for you.

  • Juil8991MC: ‘I believe he will get the Nakata treatment. He will start as an Icon and then become a Hero card after people complain.’
  • coolcalmjavi: ‘The guy has won more than some Icons that are currently in the game. He will definitely be an Icon.’
  • Gsamspon97: ‘He will get a Hero card; he has never been good enough for an Icon card.’
  • PLEASEDONTBANMEOK: ‘He should be an Icon. But tragically, he could be one of the weakest Icons due to his weak foot, shot, and pace.’
  • Adchian: ‘If Yaya Touré is a Hero, then Özil should be one too. On the other hand, Touré should be an Icon anyway, which means Özil could also be an Icon. More Icons should just be downgraded to Heroes.’
  • piss6000: ‘I have a feeling he will be an 88–89 Hero but not an Icon.’

What do you think? Should Özil receive a Hero card, or is it clear that he should get a stronger Icon card? Feel free to let us know in the comments!

By the way, the highly anticipated FUT Birthday event will soon begin. Everything you need to know about it can be found here:

FIFA 23: FUT Birthday starts on Friday – All information and leaks about the event

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

4 videos about the new Unreal Engine show us how fantastic the gaming of the future will look

Epic Games has showcased its latest achievement in full bloom at the annual GDC also known as the Gaming Developer Conference – the Unreal Engine 5. How gaming could look from now on is shown in 4 videos.

What was presented? The Gaming Developer Conference, short GDC, is an annual event in San Francisco where many renowned video game developers meet to present innovations.

Epic Games, known for their Unreal Engine, were also present and introduced their fifth generation of the developer program accordingly. How breathtaking gaming can become in the future is shown in the following clips from GDC.

How realistic and stunning Unreal Engine 5 is

How realistically faces are animated: To illustrate how drastically the latest Unreal Engine can change gaming, Senuas Saga: Hellblade 2 shows a short excerpt from a scene in the game. Here, the protagonist Senua is shown speaking to the camera.

Start video
State of Unreal: Senuas Saga – Hellblade II – GDC 2023

Detailed animations of the character’s facial expressions and emotions can be seen, as well as graphical details on the face, such as the dirt that appears in one moment and disappears in another.

Realistic lighting and new animation possibilities: Also Lords of the Fallen was present. In their Technical Showcase, however, the focus was more on realistic lighting and creating suitable immersion.

Start video
Lords of the Fallen – State of Unreal Technical Showcase Trailer – GDC

Additionally, thanks to UE5, new mechanics can also be implemented, such as the dimensions of the living and the dead, which can be entered in Lords of the Fallen.

Sizes and dimensions can be realized more easily: Infinitesimals, a game by Cubit Studios (via twitter.com), is developing a game in which you must survive as a kind of insect in a giant world. Here, the developers initially worked with UE4, but transitioning to UE5 made designing their world easier for them.

Start video
Infinitesimals – Unreal 5 Gameplay Demo – State of Unreal 2023

Worlds can be realized more easily and better, plus UE5 supports the design of novel movement patterns, which leads to enemies or movements of the protagonist being created even more realistically.

Driving has never been so realistic in games: Finally, developers presented a demo where a vehicle was driven through forests. It showcased how realistically the vehicle reacts to its environment.

Start video
Unreal Engine 5.2: Next-Gen Graphics Tech Demo – State of Unreal 2023

Stones that are run over give feedback and cause your axles to move. The car shakes on uneven terrain and simulates a real ride on forest ground. Water that is crossed adapts to the tires and creates waves.

Unreal Engine 5 proves not only in its demos but also now in Fortnite how fantastic gaming can look when developers work with this program. It remains to be seen which developers will take hold of the tool and what cool and breathtaking ideas will emerge from it.

What do you think about Unreal Engine 5? Do you believe this is the future of gaming? Feel free to share your opinions in the comments!

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

Strange bug in Destiny 2 steals players’ emotes after they have been playing for years

In Destiny 2, a curious bug is once again circulating. It does not destroy your weapons or prevent you from logging into the game, but it removes a portion of your vast collection of emotes.

What kind of bug is it? Players recently found a curious and especially new bug in Season 20 that removes emotes from the collection of long-time fans. According to players, Destiny 2 has a limit on how many you can have in your collection. If this limit is exceeded, your oldest gestures are simply pushed into the void. These can then no longer be selected.

However, only long-time players usually suffer from the bug, as they have collected a huge number of emotes after years of playing.

Start video
Destiny 2: Lightfall – “Season of Resistance” trailer

Emotes have a limit in your collection

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How large is the limit? Reddit user Its-DooZ reports on this bug because three of his friends are affected. His colleagues have over 512 emotes, but all above this value have been pushed somewhere where his friends can no longer select them.

This means that if you own more than 512 emotes, all older gestures will be pushed somewhere on the last page of your collection where you no longer have access to them.

Are shaders also affected? The Reddit user also speculates whether shaders could be affected, but this cannot be verified yet. Shaders and emotes share the same system, so it is quite possible that if the limit of 512 is exceeded, your shaders may also gradually disappear.

Has Bungie reacted? Under the Reddit post, Bungie has also commented with “This is an issue we are investigating”. So, it’s only a matter of time when Bungie will fix the problem. However, if you are affected, Reddit user Its-DooZ recommends using the Destiny 2 app. There you can still access your old emotes.

What do you think of this new bug in Destiny 2? Did you expect that emotes in your collection have a limit? Feel free to leave us a comment!

Players are happy about the first black shader in Destiny 2 – but it has a curious catch

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

Swatting: 28-Year-Old Shot Due to a Bet on Call of Duty for $2 – Now the Family Receives $5 Million

In the Christmas season of 2017, there was a tragic incident in Wichita, Kansas. Two players of Call of Duty: WWII got into an argument over a $2 bet. One decided to “swat” the other. In the ensuing police operation, 28-year-old Andrew Finch, who was completely uninvolved, was killed. The family of the deceased sued the city in 2018. Five years later, the tragic incident has now been settled.

How did the swatting happen back then?

  • It was about a $2 bet in Call of Duty: WW2. Two players, then 19 and 20 years old, argued over the bet to the extent that one decided to send a police command to the other.
  • To initiate the swatting, he recruited the then 25-year-old Tyler Barris, known to engage in such actions. Barris called the Wichita police on December 27, pretending there was a hostage situation: Someone was holding brother, sister, and mother hostage, threatening to kill the family and set the house on fire.
  • Barris sent the police to the address given to him by one of the players. But the address was wrong. The hated gaming rival did not live there, but rather the completely uninvolved Andrew Finch. He came out of the house, pulled up his pants multiple times according to witnesses, a police officer thought he was drawing a weapon and shot him. Andrew Finch died.
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Family fights in court for 5 years for their rights

This was decided now: What followed was a years-long legal battle. The family of Andrew Finch sued Wichita in 2018 and then fought for their rights for 5 years.

As PC Gamer reports, Wichita was ultimately removed from the lawsuit and only the police officer, Justin Rapp, who shot, was sued – but the city covers his costs.

They have now agreed that the family will receive $5 million, of which the city will pay $2 million, the rest will be covered by insurance.

A spokesperson for the family says:

It was very difficult, to put it politely. I saw the family experience disappointment after disappointment, but today we finally came together as a community. We did it.

The mayor of Wichita says he is just glad that the community has finally been able to find closure, also for the family. It is just a terrible situation.

What happens to the perpetrators? The caller Tyler Barris is serving 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to 51 counts of making false phone calls and issuing threats.

The one who hired him received 15 months in jail – the other Call of Duty player got a fine of $1,000 and some conditions. He violated the conditions but received 18 months in jail.

The case of Andrew Finch led to a change in law in Kansas that imposes harsher penalties for swatting.

Whenever it is warned since then that “swatting” is not a dumb prank but a highly dangerous matter in which people can be seriously harmed or even killed, they are referring specifically to the 2017 case.

Swatting remains a significant issue and very stressful for many Twitch streamers today:

Twitch streamer works hard, is more successful than ever in 2022 – but she is incredibly sad and completely exhausted

The title image is from the Glendal Police Department. It shows Tyler Barris.

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

Be honest: Have you ever been banned in an online game?

When players cannot behave in online games, they are locked out by the developers with an account ban. Has this ever happened to you?

Here you can vote: Tell us in the survey tool below if you have ever received a ban (or multiple bans) in any online game. If you don’t remember the exact number, you can provide an approximate value.

These are the reasons for bans: In order to maintain (more or less) order in their online games, developers establish rules that all players should follow (ideally).

On one hand, they are necessary to ensure that the game’s rules are adhered to and all participants play fairly. On the other hand, they should ensure that there is a reasonable tone between players (whether both work out is, of course, another matter). Prohibited activities in most online games usually include:

  • Cheating
  • Exploiting exploits
  • Botting
  • Toxicity, flaming, and harassment towards other players
  • Intentional losing or AFK during matches
  • False reporting of other players
  • Account sharing
  • Buying or selling accounts
  • Real money trading (RMT) and gold buying, etc.

The rules differ depending on the game genre, but the final punishment is always the same: ban. Some are temporary, while others are permanent. Permanent bans always mean losing the earned content that is on your account.

In recent years, various types of bans have emerged. For example, there are shadow bans where cheaters can no longer find matches or get matched only with other cheaters.

In this survey, however, we only want to hear about the “actual” bans that have happened to you (or not).

So go ahead: Have you ever received a ban? How did it happen? Was it only temporary, or did you lose all your belongings on the account? Let us know in the comments.

MeinMMO-Quiz: Find out which typical NPC from MMORPGs you would be

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The head of the new MMORPG for LoL is gone – fan sees hints that the game might now be “on ice”

The highly anticipated MMORPG for League of Legends recently lost its director. A user on Reddit is now speculating whether the entire game is being put on ice by Riot and presents his “evidence” found in a post.

In early March, Greg Street, also known as Ghostcrawler, announced on Twitter that he is resigning from his role as Senior Director for the Riot MMO. After 9 years at Riot, he is stepping down for personal reasons – both family and health issues contributed to his decision.

Regarding the Riot MMORPG, he said: “The most important of my tasks that I was allowed to complete as part of it was to build the wonderful team […] The MMO is in good hands and will soon enter the next phase.”

Everything we know about the new MMORPG for LoL in 2023

Reddit user speculates about a possible end for the Riot MMO

Despite Ghostcrawler’s statements that everything is going positively with the MMORPG, a Reddit user named SiriDeCabeca seems worried. This person researched all possible LinkedIn and Twitter profiles of the team and points out issues that make them suspicious:

  • The MMORPG currently has no Senior Director
  • The rest of the team removed the Riot MMO from their profiles
  • On the “Work With Us” page of Riot, the MMO team is greyed out
  • Yekaterina Bourykina, Lead Character Artist, changed her job title on LinkedIn to “R&D”. Previously it was “MMO”.
  • Chaemirix, also a designer for the MMO, announced on Twitter that he will be working again on TFT
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Users debunk the “evidence”

While some fans are catching the worry of the user, many say he or she is reading too much into the issue.

The fact that the MMO is greyed out at “Work With Us” merely means that Riot is currently not hiring new employees for it. Regarding all the processes, it is normal, internal procedures, writes another user.

We summarize a few of the voices here for you:

  • DatFrostyBoy: “I say: ‘Probably not.’ The Riot MMO is not something you quietly put on ice.”
  • fkyn0: “You’re reading too much into it. When Ghostcrawler left Riot, he said the MMO would soon enter the next phase. That is probably just part of it.”
  • New_Towel_7680: “Pure fiction.”
  • Uptopdownlowguy: “If Blizzard can scrap the sci-fi MMO and integrate it into Overwatch, Riot can probably do something similar.”
  • firey21: “It would be terrible if this were true. I was looking forward to the game.”

What does Riot Games say about it?

Officially, it is stated that the game is still in development. There is no statement as to why employees are adjusting their profiles.

Recent remarks from Marc Merrill, co-founder of Riot, still apply. In a tweet from March 7, he writes shortly after Ghostcrawler announced his resignation:

“We believe in this game and the team working on it. If we view development as a race, Greg has completed the first leg wonderfully. And I know exactly who will take the baton next will continue to propel success forward.”

What do you think about the topic? Do you believe the user could be right with his speculations? Or is it merely a misunderstanding of information? Feel free to let us know in the comments here on MeinMMO!

LoL: The biggest team in Europe replaces stubborn 4-time champion with a rookie who completely fails

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

Twitch streamer MontanaBlack talks on YouTube about nighttime chases

The 35-year-old Marcel Eris, known as “MontanaBlack,” is one of the largest streamers on German Twitch. It all started with videos he posted from his grandparents’ attic on YouTube. Now, he is returning to his roots and taking his fans on a nostalgia trip.

What is the story behind MontanaBlack’s past? The now 35-year-old has never hidden his past, openly discussing drugs and crime. His honesty set him apart from the rather prudish YouTube landscape of the time, as he himself says.

Now MontanaBlack is bringing back one of his oldest formats: The “Reallife Stories,” where he shares personal anecdotes. His viewers are excited and feel transported back in time.

More on the topic
The German Twitch streamer MontanaBlack gives an honest interview on ZDF: „I have never been good at games.“
von Lydia

MontanaBlack is doing old-school on YouTube

What kind of format is this? Reallife Stories were a format on MontanaBlack’s original YouTube channel. However, there have been no new videos on that channel for several years. Instead, the 35-year-old uses his former secondary channel, SpontanaBlack.

However, on SpontanaBlack, mostly compilations of his streams were posted, meaning no videos specifically made for YouTube.

Now there are two new Reallife Stories, and they are really wonderfully old-school: The facecam is off, there is gameplay from Black Ops or Modern Warfare, and MontanaBlack chats away.

What are these stories about? The first new Reallife Story premiered on March 11 and is titled “The False Friend.” The video received nearly 70,000 likes and overwhelmingly positive reactions from the community: In the comments, there is talk of nostalgia and even tears (via YouTube).

Confirmed by the positive feedback, MontanaBlack followed up on March 22 with the next Reallife Story. You can also watch the real-life of MontanaBlack in our video:

Start video
Career and Life of MontanaBlack in 2 Minutes: What Makes Him Unique?

Alleged car chase ends in mud

What is the story about? MontanaBlack recounts a nighttime tagging session with an old friend with whom he had little contact for several years. Together with other buddies, they arranged to meet one night for “painting bikes” – code for graffiti.

Spraying without permission is prohibited in Germany and can be quite expensive. Accordingly, the group reacted in panic when a car approached their secluded spot – they fled.

In the process, the streamer was careless and landed “waist-high” in the mud – closely followed by his old friend. It was doubly annoying because upon their return, they realized that the car that had been on their tail was not a police civilian vehicle.

Rather, the occupant had also intended to take advantage of the seclusion of the location, albeit for a nighttime rendezvous. You can check out the whole story here:

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How is the story being received? Just like with the previous Reallife Story, fans are excited. They feel transported back to their own youth that they experienced with the streamer, demanding more “old-school content” (via YouTube).

Why the sudden nostalgia content? Only MontanaBlack knows for sure. However, it has been observed on Twitter for some time that the streamer is reminiscing. He posts pictures from the past and captions them with things like “Good times” or “Take me back” (via Twitter).

It may not be surprising that MontanaBlack is reflecting on the good old days, as the 35-year-old has now been active as a content creator for about 10 years. During this time, he has watched the changes in the German streaming landscape – and some of it does not sit well with him:

MontanaBlack clarifies which newcomers annoy him on Twitch – ‘I will always insult them’

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

From CS:GO to Counter-Strike 2: The most important changes at a glance

In summer, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive will receive an upgrade and become Counter-Strike 2. Fresh graphics, a new netcode, gameplay adjustments – many dials are being turned. The most important known changes are collected on MeinMMO.

After several leaks and rumors, developer Valve confirmed on March 22, 2023: Counter-Strike 2 is coming and will be a complete upgrade from CS:GO.

The known maps will remain in the game, you can keep your cosmetics, and they don’t want to change too much about the gameplay feeling. It is supposed to remain the popular and successful tactical shooter, but better.

Here you can find details about the planned changes so far. Should the developers announce further changes, we will update the article accordingly.

Counter-Strike 2: Known Innovations

At the heart of the upgrade from CS:GO to Counter-Strike 2 is the revised Source Engine 2. The new engine provides modern development tools and new performance capabilities.

This could cause the game to run worse on older PCs, but the overall quality is improving:

  • Better graphics
  • More gameplay possibilities
  • New netcode
  • Precision sound

Regarding the details of the new engine, the developers are still tight-lipped. However, they have already released some information on how the upgrade will affect CS:GO. We will go into the individual points in more detail below.

Until the release in summer, the developers want to publish more information about the upgrade. So the list only provides an initial insight.

More on the topic
Shooter God shroud speaks on Twitch about his first impressions of Counter-Strike 2, jokes: ‘Bye bye FPS’
von Dariusz Müller

Counter-Strike 2: Game Graphics and Animations

Visually, the well-known style of Counter-Strike is retained, but the new possibilities of the engine are also being used for fresh gameplay elements.

They want to adjust the behaviors of several elements in the game with high-resolution effects:

  • Water
  • Explosions
  • Fire
  • Smoke
  • Muzzle flash
  • Projectile trails
  • Impact effects
  • and more

Especially the smoke is drastically changing, responding much more to other influences. More about that further down. Oh, and by the way, you can see your feet in CS2!

Game graphics, environmental effects, and the user interface will be comprehensively revised and improved.

This also includes your skins from CS:GO, which you should be able to keep in Counter-Strike 2. The skins and also the normal weapons will receive new, high-resolution models.

counter strike 2 items stay
You can keep your skins, but they are supposed to look better.

Counter-Strike 2: Redesigned Maps

Familiar maps will get a new coat of paint with CS2. The developers currently classify them into three different types of redesigns:

  • Completely overhauled
    • Built from the ground up
  • Redesigned
    • New lighting and rendering system
  • Freshened up
    • Improvement of lighting and readability

The refreshed maps are currently designed for players to pay more attention to gameplay adjustments while testing and to be less influenced by the visual innovations.

We have created a small gallery with example images:

The map builders in the community also benefit from the new tools of the Source 2 engine.

If you would like to learn more about the topic, watch the developers’ English video on the visual upgrades of the Counter-Strike world:

Start video
Counter-Strike 2: Trailer – Revised Maps

Counter-Strike 2: The New Tick Rate

A rather technical topic, but particularly exciting for players with competitive claims. The netcode is getting a significant upgrade and the developers explain it as follows:

In CS:GO, only the ticks counted, and there were 64 ticks per second. The server ignored the time between the ticks – the tick rate was not ‘real-time’, but the server only saw those 64 ticks per second.

With CS2, there will be a real-time tick. The server then knows exactly when each action was executed.

Example grenade throw: In CS:GO, the server recognized the throw in one tick, and exactly at the time of the tick, the throw occurred. In CS2, the server recognizes that the throw actually happens between the ticks and adjusts the throw moment accordingly.

This results in much more consistent results for the same actions. Movements, gunfire, throws – the server recognizes much more accurately who, when, executed which input and regulates the process accordingly.

More information on the topic can also be found here in the developers’ English video:

Start video
Counter-Strike 2: Trailer – The New Tick Rate

Counter-Strike 2: The New Smoke

The highlight also includes the new smoke of CS2. It no longer just puffs out of the grenade and creates its usual cloud. In CS2, the smoke reacts to the environment and even to other gameplay elements:

  • Gameplay interactions
  • Natural dispersion
  • Reactions to light

Objects stop the dispersion, light/shadow can be seen on the dense smoke clouds. With gunfire, you can even shoot holes in the smoke to create a line of sight:

The developers have also published an English video on the topic that you can check out here:

Start video
Counter-Strike 2: Trailer – The New Smoke

Not all details of the big CS:GO upgrade are known yet, we are keeping a close eye on the situation on MeinMMO. If there is new information, the article will be updated.

If you have any questions or would like to share your opinion on CS2, the comments are open for you. If you would rather read more about shooters, check this out: The 10 best free-to-play shooters

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

Steam: German MMORPG starts Asian servers and is flooded – Reports record numbers

The German MMORPG Albion Online launches its Asian servers with “Albion East”. These are globally accessible and highly sought after: Player numbers are rapidly increasing on Steam.

According to the site SteamDB, Albion Online is currently seeing higher player numbers on Steam than ever before. The all-time peak now stands at 22,800 players – this player count record was set by the MMORPG two days ago.

In the last 24 hours, the number of active players was just slightly below that. Before the launch of Albion East, the daily player count was only around 6,000.

Since the MMORPG offers its own client outside of Steam and is also available for mobile devices, the actual player count is likely higher.

Launch in Asia is simultaneously a fresh start server for everyone

What is Albion East? With Albion East, servers established in Singapore are opening their doors. However, this does not apply only to players from Asia but globally. It is therefore a new, fresh version of Albion.

Players can start anew there, like during the Fresh Starts of the MMORPG New World in November. Economically, everything in Albion is regulated by players, which is why everything in the economy is also reset – exciting times in the MMORPG.

Albion East begins with a reduced world size. This is intended to keep “the competition between players and the overall player density at an optimal level,” as they state in their announcement. They plan to provide more regions later.

Additionally, from March 15 to 29, Twitch Drops will be available. Those who watch for several hours will receive rewards – exclusive chests containing brand new items.

Start video
The German MMORPG Albion Online shows upcoming content – players say: „Great news for solo players“

High demand for the MMORPG leads to problems

Under the post on Steam, many players complain about issues. Especially a high ping is a problem when trying to launch Albion East from Europe or America. Even people from Australia are complaining about high pings.

Moreover, there are queues when logging in, as so many players are interested in the fresh start of Albion. Some have over 5,000 people ahead of them before they can finally play (via MMORPG.org).

With a premium subscription, players can enter the MMORPG much faster. Fans are also angry about the high prices of the founder packs that could be purchased at the launch of Albion East (via Reddit). This provided clear advantages at the fresh start of the MMORPG.

What do you think of Albion East? Have you already played on the Asian servers and encountered issues with your ping or long queues? Or did everything go smoothly for you? Are you in possession of a premium subscription or founder pack? Please let us know in the comments here on MeinMMO!

MMORPG Albion Online shows in a graphic how much its players love to lose everything

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

Shooter God shroud speaks on Twitch about his first impressions of Counter-Strike 2, jokes: ‘Bye bye FPS’

The former CS:GO pro shroud shares his first thoughts on Counter-Strike 2 and believes that the new smokes are not good for your FPS.

Who is it about?

What is shroud talking about? Valve officially announced Counter-Strike 2 on March 22, an update to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Naturally, shroud, as a former CS:GO pro, immediately reacted to the announcement in a Twitch stream and shared some first thoughts.

In doing so, the streamer initially discusses the video featuring the new smokes. These now react to gunfire, explosions, and objects on the map. Additionally, they fill rooms completely and are now “volumetric”.

If you haven’t seen the video of Counter-Strike 2 featuring the new smokes yet, we embed it here:

Start video
Counter-Strike 2: Responsive Smokes

“It was nice to meet you, Framerate”

What does shroud say about the new smokes? The streamer believes that your frames-per-second (FPS) could suffer under the new smokes. His first reaction was: “Volumetric, oh volumetric. Bye bye FPS, bye bye. It was nice to meet you, Framerate.”

However, even if shroud believes that FPS might suffer, he still finds that the new grenades look very good:

Okay, the smokes look damn cool, but still bye bye FPS, that will hurt. Luckily, Counter-Strike is already running great, so it’s not a big deal. It’s just that if you already have issues, you will have even more issues, and that is annoying.

If you’re now worried about your framerate, the streamer might still give you hope that it won’t be as bad as he initially suspected. After all, the “Counter-Strike 2” update could generally improve the framerate.

Moreover, shroud thinks it’s good that grenades now remove smoke with the explosion and can be used as counters against smokes. However, he doesn’t like that gunfire can also tear holes in the smoke.

You can also see the complete reaction of shroud to the new smoke grenades as well as the streamer’s opinion on Counter-Strike 2 in a YouTube video on his channel:

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Twitch streamer shroud about Counter-Strike 2

What is shroud’s reaction after his first round? Of course, shroud is also among the selected individuals who can play Counter-Strike 2 before its release during an ongoing testing phase.

After the streamer finishes his first match in Counter-Strike 2, he informs his viewers on Twitch that the CS:GO update feels significantly “smoother” than he had thought.

By the way, you can also continue to use your expensive CS:GO skins in Counter-Strike 2. So it’s not a big deal if you’ve just invested the value of a sports car in the tactical shooter:

Collector sinks the price of a sports car for a rare skin in a 10-year-old shooter

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

LoL: The new champion Milio has arrived – The German expert on Twitch judges: “Super strong”

The new champion has been released in League of Legends. Milio, the protective flame, comes as a supporter into the Rift and takes the position of a enchanter. But what does the champion bring?

What can the supporter do? The champion supports his teammates with his abilities in many areas. He is the hope to replace the strong ADC supporters.

His passive ability enchants him or his teammates. The enchantment causes the next attack or spell that hits an enemy to burn. It acts like the summoner spell “Ignite”, but smaller.

The Q ability pushes the first enemy hit back a little bit. After that, the ball jumps behind and slows all enemies it hits in a small area.

His W ability places a field that is tied to an allied champion and follows it. The field grants the champion increased range, heals him, and gives the ally the effect of the passive ability a total of 3 times over its duration.

The E ability grants an ally a shield and additional movement speed. The ability has up to 2 stacks that can accumulate over time.

With his ultimate ability, he can heal all nearby teammates and remove crowd control effects from them.

If you want to learn more about Milio, we have a video for you here:

Start video
Milio, the protective flame – Champion Theme

The new supporter can only support

What does the champion look like in-game? The gameplay of Milio seems overall very defensive and supportive. For players who like to be carried by their team, the champion offers a lot. This counters the current trend that makes it difficult for supporters on the bot lane.

With certain champion combinations, such as Caitlyn or Jinx, Milio can utilize the increased range of his W ability to deal massive damage to enemies out of reach.

However, he himself does little to no damage. Milio’s only attack occurs through his Q ability. This should be used more defensively to block incoming damage for teammates.

The goal with this champion is to support teammates in their play style.

What do the big streamers say about it? The big streamers started to play the champion immediately after release. This includes the German expert in the LoL area, Frederik Hinteregger, or NoWay.

The possibilities the champion offers have been pushed to the limit by him in the stream (via Twitch). He particularly enjoyed the new mechanic of the Q ability. This plays a little differently than known skill shots. His opinion of the champion can be summarized in one word: “Super strong”.

Also, @i0ki_LoL shared his opinion on Twitter, suggesting that the champion is way too strong against other champions at level 1. For this, the E ability is played at the start.

However, the streamers and YouTubers largely agree that this champion needs adjustments to some of his abilities in regard to pro play.

What do you think about the new champion? Let us know in the comments.

Riot Games has added jungle pets in LoL. However, they are causing more problems: Pets are supposed to help the hardest role in LoL, but are now making it almost unplayable

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

The new WoW update is more Warcraft than all of Shadowlands combined

Patch 10.0.7 is much more than most expected. At least WoW demon Cortyn is absolutely thrilled and sees it as the future of Azeroth.

It has only been one day since the release of Patch 10.0.7, but I believe I already have a pretty good impression of the content and want to boldly and directly praise the developers.

Because Patch 10.0.7 of World of Warcraft is clearly much more than one could hope for.

Patch 10.0.7 is actually just a small patch, yet in terms of content, it can easily compete with the major patches of previous expansions:

  • A newly accessible island, packed with treasures, rare spawns, story quests, and a weekly exploration adventure.
  • A new reputation faction of the furbolgs.
  • A new “ring” system with many interchangeable, interesting sockets.
  • Some new story quests involving Baine, humans, and orcs.
  • Some hidden novelties, like old armor sets from vanilla (Zul’Gurub) that haven’t been available for a long time.
Start video
New WoW Cinematic shows the power of the incarnations and quite dark figures

Especially the rare enemies on the island I want to highlight here. They do not feel like the typical “08/15” rare mobs that only have a single ability; rather, they are mostly small boss fights where, at least as a non-tank, you have to dodge their abilities if you don’t want to bite the dust quickly. A few examples:

  • A titan guardian occasionally summons protective drones that cast a spell. If this spell is not interrupted or the drone quickly stunned, the drone flings the selected player 100 meters away into the water. If this happens to all players, the fight ends and the mob resets.
  • A dragon tamer shows up with his dragon, which spins in circles and casts various effects. At the same time, you also have to dodge different attacks from the tamer and place areas well so that you don’t accidentally walk into the next fire breath.
  • A naga transforms all players into small, helpless crabs. The crabs deal almost no damage – but they can attack small totems that maintain the naga’s spell, thereby ending the transformation.

In direct comparison with Shadowlands, the difference is simply striking. Although there were also mobs with special abilities in Korthia, they were few and felt dreary and boring compared to the Forbidden Island. If you think back further and compare 10.0.7 with the legendary-bad “selfie patch” from Warlords of Draenor, it is clear that the development team and the plans for WoW have evolved significantly.

The second highlight is the Zskerage vaults. Although this is a weekly adventure where you have to open around 30 doors before waiting for the next week, I am quite impressed by it.

Because the vaults are full of little puzzles that are not incredibly difficult but reward attentive players. For instance, if a chamber is completely frozen, you need to grab an empty vial from a second room and fill it with “liquid fire” in a third room to thaw the frozen room.

These little combination puzzles are not overly complex, but they always provide a positive feeling when you open a new treasure and solve another puzzle. Rewards include toys, pets, crafting materials, gold, and of course stones for the onyx ring.

Since the layout of the vaults varies from character to character, it even takes a while to truly see everything.

At least my guild had a lot of fun in the vault, as it felt like new, untapped content that exists without pressure and is simply there when you feel like it.

More “Warcraft” than all of Shadowlands combined

As YouTuber Bellular describes: The whole patch feels like beautiful, classic Warcraft. Not only are there encounters with old characters that you haven’t seen since Warcraft III, but the quest lines are really interesting.

Whether you’re traveling with Baine Bloodhoof in Ohn’ahra, exploring the story of the dracthyr on the Forbidden Island, or trying to learn the language of the furbolgs in the Azure Mountains – all of this has a classic Warcraft charm that has been missed, especially in Shadowlands.

Sure, you still need to get used to the dracthyr, but the patch significantly helps to anchor them in the “familiar” sight of Azeroth.

WoW Patch 1007 Cinematic talk
The dialogues are coherent, the emotions fitting – the quest line is successful.

And the best part: None of this is mandatory. Don’t feel like farming rare mobs to grind keys for the chamber? Okay, then just don’t do it. You can also collect treasures that contain keys. Or do none of that. The ring is nice, but anyone with strong rings from the mythic raid or high M+ already has a solid alternative.

Story quests are not your thing and you find it boring? No problem, the whole thing serves only as a prequel and explanation of the motivation of some characters who will be important in the next update.

There is criticism, but it is minor

Of course, there is also criticism. After all, the Forbidden Island is “technically speaking” not really a new area, since it already served as the starting area for the dracthyr. Grumpy WoW fans might point out that this is simply “recycling”. However, a more sober look should make it clear that this “recycling” was planned from the beginning.

When the Forbidden Island was still purely a starting area, one couldn’t help but think: But this is already very large, considering that there’s so little to do here.

The starting area of the dracthyr was designed from the outset to be reusable and still have a solid size to offer enough room for the ability of dragon riding.

The second point of criticism is a handful of bugs that were primarily noticeable on launch day. If the necessary trigger at an event chest appears with a 5-minute delay or a rare mob turns all players into helpless crabs for 10 minutes without being able to cancel the effect as intended, that can be annoying, of course. But these are minor issues that can still be laughed about when it happens, and suddenly half the guild is doing a crab dance.

I am confident that these “patch day errors” will be resolved with the next hotfix.

Blizzard had big goals – and is achieving them

Blizzard set a very tight schedule for the release of new content shortly after the launch of Dragonflight. 6 patches are planned for this year, with 4 being smaller and 2 larger, each bringing a new season. But if Blizzard maintains the current level even for the “smaller” patches, long-term WoW fans will hardly know where to look.

If everything continues like this, 2023 will likely be the first year in a long time when a content drought simply does not occur. Some will progress through the content faster, and others slower, but the long droughts of four, five, or even six months without new content seem to belong to the past.

Like many others, I was skeptical before the launch of Dragonflight whether Blizzard and World of Warcraft specifically still had “it”. Now I am sure: Yes. They can when they want to. And right now they clearly want to.

Currently, World of Warcraft simply delivers and does so at a very high level. The patch serves as the perfect prologue to the next update 10.1, highlighting the key characters more and starting the stories that take place after the “vault of the incarnations” raid.

If you want to give WoW another chance, now is a good entry point – also because in the next weeks thick loot is raining, with which you can quickly catch up to friends and guild.

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

Pokémon GO wants you to find more people for raids easily – Test a new feature for a short time

In Pokémon GO fighting in raids is one of the most important features for many trainers. Now the developers are testing a new feature that the game has needed for years. We at MeinMMO show you what it is and who can already try it out.

What are raids? In Pokémon GO you can not only encounter wild monsters but also fight against them in so-called raids. Particularly the legendary Pokémon from level 5 raids are in demand, however, one needs strong support from other trainers to defeat them.

Since the pandemic, players have also been able to invite others to remote raids in other regions of the world. But to find suitable teammates for this, trainers have often had to rely on external apps. Niantic wants to change this and is testing a new feature in the app Campfire. We explain what it is supposed to bring you.

Niantic tests host function for raids

What is Campfire? Campfire is Niantic’s own app that allows trainers to communicate with each other. This allows for chatting, forming groups, or sending smoke signals to show that they want to do a raid in Pokémon GO.

Here we explain how Campfire works.

Which function is being tested? In the future, trainers will be able to indicate in Campfire not only when they want to participate on-site in a raid in Pokémon GO but it should also be possible for them to host this raid. Similar to how it already works in other apps like Poke Genie, trainers will then be able to invite others specifically. How this function looks in Campfire is shown in the image from Reddit user circe1:

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Who can test the function? The new function is not yet available to all players in Campfire. Niantic has selected a group of trainers who received a corresponding email from the developers and can try out the function from March 22 to March 29. The notification looks like this:

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Trainers criticize limited function

In general, trainers are excited about the idea of the new function, as many believe it is long overdue and would significantly improve the game. However, Niantic is also criticized for the approach.

This is primarily because Campfire is still limited months after its release. Those wanting access to the app need an invitation. For this reason, trainers do not understand why Niantic has also restricted the test version of the new function. On Reddit you can read the following:

  • TowelMage: “A QoL feature as a limited-time bonus in an additional app with an entry barrier. What the hell is that kind of perspective?”
  • BoristheWatchmaker: “A desperately needed QoL update is hidden behind another desperately needed QoL update that is still unavailable for most of the player base.”
  • Individual_Breath_34: “If they publish a Poke Genie equivalent in their app, that would be one of the best decisions they have ever made.”

When access will come for all trainers and whether this function will find a permanent home in Campfire remains to be seen. As soon as there is new information on this, you will learn about it at MeinMMO.

What do you think of the new function in Campfire? Are you one of the lucky ones who can already try it out? Or are you still unable to use the app? Let us know here at MeinMMO in the comments and exchange ideas with other trainers.

If you are looking for people to participate in raids, you can also use external apps. I show you how easy it is to do remote raids via Poke Genie.

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

Fortnite feels like a completely different game with Creative 2.0, wows its fans

Fortnite is known for building and challenges the creativity of players, who can now even create their own games in Fortnite.

Fortnite has long been known for mixing shooter gameplay with building structures. This gave the battle royale matches a unique twist that players either loved or hated. The motto was: Don’t find cover, build one.

In 2022, however, the shooter underwent tremendous development. First, a mode without building was released, then the graphics were drastically improved. The power of Unreal Engine 5 was revealed to us.

But the change that Fortnite is experiencing is not over: Epic Games has now released a system that gives players unprecedented creative freedom and allows them to turn the colorful shooter into a completely new game.

Unreal Editor for Fortnite

What kind of system is this? Epic Games released the so-called “Unreal Editor for Fortnite” or “Creative 2.0” on March 22, 2023 (via epicgames.com).

Players can create their own worlds, modes, or games with the editor, which they can then publish within Fortnite.

Moreover, it should be possible to work together on a project with others using Creative 2.0.

There is already a first video of the Unreal Editor. You can see it here:

Start video
Unreal Editor for Fortnite Release Trailer

Fortnite as ‘Roblox Killer’

What are the first reactions? Many players are excited and highly appreciate the influence that the editor will have. Some already see it as the Roblox killer, while others believe the editor will even rival Epic Games’ Fortnite events.

  • Rctheking: “The Roblox Killer is here (via Twitter)!”
  • Mathiasxd148: “Now I’m going to create some custom maps like BO3 [probably CoD Black Ops 3] (via Twitter).”
  • Granbe: “Epic should improve its events before people start making better ones (via Twitter).”

On Twitter, there are already videos of creations where Fortnite no longer looks like Fortnite:

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Twitter user Jake Lucky shows a clip of Creative 2.0, in which Fortnite looks like an MMORPG

What creative players will create in Fortnite from now on will be revealed in the future. They now definitely have unprecedented possibilities. There are already discussions on Twitter about a first-person mode, boss fights against powerful monsters, and parkour maps.

Fortnite is currently in Chapter 4 Season 2. What to expect can be found on MeinMMO.

Fortnite: Chapter 4 Season 2 starts today – All information in 2 minutes

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

Players are excited in Destiny 2 about the first black shader – However, it has a curious catch

For over 6 years, players of Destiny 2 have been waiting to give their Guardian the ultimate, dark, and above all completely black look. Until now, always in vain. But Season 20 could fulfill this dark wish for you now – albeit with a small, quirky catch.

Still no “Superblack” for Destiny 2: When Guardians want to refresh their colors a bit, they scroll through their collection, in search of something really cool. But after what feels like 100 shaders later, it becomes apparent that not a single shader is truly perfect in all details.

And this, despite the fact that newer shaders have significantly evolved in their designs:

The shader evolution in Destiny 2 is unmistakable: More effects, more patterns

Even in 2023, almost all shaders in Destiny 2 have quirky color casts that one wouldn’t expect. Sure, there are black shaders in the game. But a 100% pure black, which Guardians have been craving for 6 years, does not exist. At least not in Destiny 2.

  • “Amethyst Veil” – a black shader with purple accents
  • “Metro Shift” – a black shader with blue accents
  • “Skele-Ghaul” – a black shader that looks rather washed out and gray
  • “Midnight Smith” – a black shader with silver and red accents
  • “New Era of the Black Armory” – a green-black shader with red accents
  • “Fog Stripe” – a black shader with zebra pattern
  • “Bad Feeling” – very dark but also with a strong blue component and thunderclaps
More on the topic
New shader in Destiny 2 conjures a thunderstorm on weapons and armor – But only for a short time
von Christos Tsogos

Now Season 20 has brought a new black hope to the game – the shader named “Erebos Glanz”. It is quite black and this week in the glimmer offer. But don’t get too excited, as this shader has a colorful secret, just like the shader “Jacarini”.

Start video
Destiny 2 shows new insights into Strand in its trailer – The focus in Lightfall

Again only “almost black” – but better than all before: At first glance, “Erebos Glanz” looks quite black. But its name Erebos, which means “darkness” in ancient Greek, is misleading.

Those only looking at the small preview of the shader do not suspect that it lies. But deep within its dark soul, this shader hides the color orange on armor and copper on weapons.

Bungie’s shader designers have hidden a quirky and invisible color component in “Erebos Glanz”. And of course, it almost always appears exactly on the armor that you want to shader completely black.

Depending on the armor, especially if it has many fabric textures, the effect is even extremely pronounced:

Which shader designer at Bungie is so mean?

Those who want the ultimate black look must therefore carefully select the items and armor used. After all, the selection of other nearly black shaders now offers enough options to compensate for this shortcoming.

The fact that players will have to experiment back and forth with “Erebos Glanz” to style their Guardian completely black is likely intentional.

Why doesn’t Bungie create a completely black shader?

One color always and for everything: Bungie currently only uses shaders that usually have four different color ranges. Base color, secondary color, detail color, and accent color.

  • The base color is the main color of the item and is applied to most surfaces
  • The secondary color is used for smaller areas or accents that complement the base color
  • The detail color is used for finer details and textures
  • The accent color is only there for very small details or highlights

With a second “Superblack shader” like in Destiny 1, the topic of “color diversity” would essentially be done for many Guardians in one fell swoop. Just splash black on everything – it fits everywhere and looks good in the end.

However, that is probably also the most likely reason why Bungie has not created a uniform 100% black or white shader in Destiny 2 so far.

The multilayered color system, along with the element of surprise, makes it necessary to always experiment with your own look with new armor and weapons. Shaders often have their quirks in Destiny 2. Just like currently “Erebos Glanz” and previously “Jacarini” or “Bad Feeling”. All top favorites among the black options have had a small catch so far.

Where do you get the shader “Erebos Glanz”: Currently, the shader “Erebos Glanz” is available in the Eververse. It costs 300 Glimmer, so it can be paid for with the in-game currency. However, note that you can only get it this week, until March 28, 2023 at 7:00 PM. After that, the color will rotate out of the offer for a while and make way for new shaders.

What do you think of “Erebos Glanz”? Dark enough? Have you achieved a look that rivals Batman? Or is that too boring for you and do you prefer to be flashy and colorful?

The coolest shader in Destiny 2 apparently has a Razer RGB look, just like a gaming PC, and it will also soon be back available:

Shader in Destiny 2 gives armor and weapons a cool Razer RGB look – But you have to be quick

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

After months, Nvidia presents a new, tiny graphics card – But you probably don’t want to buy it

Nvidia has introduced a new graphics card with the RTX 4000 SFF. It is a particularly small graphics card. Nevertheless, the GPU is likely to be of little interest to most gamers, not just because of the price.

The RTX 4000 SFF is very small compared to the other cards, such as the RTX 4090 or the RTX 4080 (via nvidia.com). The new graphics card was actually presented at the GPU Technology Conference (GTC).

The new graphics card is likely to please people who had hoped for a small model after the many gigantic GPUs from Nvidia. But especially for gamers, there is a catch.

Small graphics card costs 1,250 euros, available in April 2023

What does the graphics card offer? The basic details of the RTX 4000 SFF sound rather unremarkable:

  • The graphics card comes with 20 GB of GDDR6 memory, which is based on a 160-bit bus.
  • It uses 6,144 CUDA cores, 192 Tensor cores, and 48 ray tracing cores.

The technical specifications are quite close to those of the RTX 4070 Ti, and the graphics card is also based on the same architecture (Ada Lovelace) as the gaming models, but you should not expect the same performance. The power consumption is limited to 70 watts, and Nvidia did not design the graphics card for gaming.

What is the graphics card suitable for? Nvidia itself explains that the graphics card is intended for computer-aided design (CAD), graphic design, AI applications, and software development. Therefore, the model also relies on specific software, the Nvidia Enterprise driver.

For gamers, this small graphics card is therefore not really worthwhile. With a price of 1,250 US dollars, it is also not exactly cheap and significantly more expensive than an RTX 4070 Ti, which you can currently buy for around 900 euros (via geizhals.de). If you are looking for an Nvidia graphics card with a small form factor, you will probably have to wait a bit longer.

Because this is a point of criticism regarding Nvidia’s current RTX 4000 models: They are all bulky and large and require a lot of space in the gaming system. Small space-saving models have not yet been planned. At least among some fans, there is a desire for smaller models for small PCs to be presented.

If you are currently thinking about buying a graphics card, take a look here. In the following article on MeinMMO, we explain whether buying a GPU is worthwhile at this time:

What should you consider when you want a graphics card – Buy now or later?

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