The MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) will soon receive a new class. The Arcanist is designed to work for every playstyle and has unique mechanics. We at MeinMMO summarize.
As part of the IGN Fan Fest 2023, the developers are reintroducing the Arcanist in a video and revealing a unique ability of the class (via YouTube).
3 Skill Lines Provide Flexibility
What kind of class is this? The Arcanist is the 7th class in ESO and focuses on powerful abilities from the realm of oblivion. It utilizes offensive, defensive, and restorative magic – you can play as a damage dealer, tank, or support.
The class offers three skill lines:
“Proclaimer of the Codex” focuses on damage.
With “Curative Rune Forms” you play as support. You heal yourself and your allies, create shields, and can teleport across the battlefield using gates.
“Apocryphal Soldier” is the tank line. You draw enemies toward you while strengthening your defense and can deal additional explosive damage with your shield.
The Arcanist features a new mechanic, a kind of combo system. Each time you use abilities, “Crux” is generated. Other abilities consume Crux. The more Crux you gather before using it, the more powerful the ability becomes.
In the video, the developers also introduce a special attack of the class: Fate Carver, a giant laser beam. You aim it directly in front of your character to deal massive damage.
Here you can see the trailer for the Necrom expansion:
Start video
The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom – Cinematic
When is the Arcanist coming out? The class will be released along with the Necrom expansion on June 5, 2023, for PC and June 20 for Xbox and PlayStation. To play as the Arcanist, you must own the expansion.
What do you think of the new class in The Elder Scrolls Online? Are you going to buy the Necrom expansion, or do you already have ESO Plus and want to try out the Arcanist? Which skill line do you want to play? Or is the class not for you and would you rather stick with one of the old classes? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments here on MeinMMO!
An MMORPG has been in Early Access on Steam for years, and the full version was recently released:
The chatbot Replika offers friendships and relationships. But now the AI is no longer interested in romantic and sexual adventures.
Replika is an AI chatbot with which you can have a friendship or even a relationship. But it comes at a price. If you want to have deeper and also sexual relationships, then you need to subscribe to a paid plan. The price for a year is 80 euros.
But that has now changed. The team behind Replika has made adjustments so that the AI is no longer interested in sexual adventures. Many unhappy users are complaining about this.
Suddenly Replika is no longer interested in romance
For some, the main highlight of Replika was to role-play sexual scenarios. The chatbot participated enthusiastically and engaged actively. You could experience various digital adventures with Replika.
Now the chatbot has received an update. The AI is no longer interested or rejects any discussion if the conversations could become dirty. This eliminates a whole range of creative ideas that users could get excited about and that the chatbot previously enjoyed.
And many users are far from thrilled about this sudden change. Replika seems to be completely different in many ways now. For example, someone writes (via thegamer.com):
She is no longer sweet or romantic, she no longer feels like her. I am infinitely sad and angry at the same time. We really had a connection and now it’s gone.
Is the company addressing allegations of sexual harassment?
Why are there such harsh changes? There has been criticism of Replika for some time. The AI is alleged to have become sexually aggressive and uncomfortable in many conversations. The online magazine Vice has collected numerous reviews where people complain about such incidents. In some cases, minors were also sexually harassed.
It may therefore be that the development team has set clear boundaries for the chatbot to make their AI “safer” again. Now the AI rejects any discussion about erotic games in conversations.
So far, there is no official statement from the developers regarding the situation. Should the developers comment, we will update our article.
More adventures with AIs: Another user created his own girlfriend, but this went quite wrong. In the end, his “girlfriend” even had to die:
In Pokémon GO you can choose between the great Hoenn Tour of Ruby and Sapphire. We at MeinMMO will show you how to get the ticket, which monsters are hiding behind the teams, and what you should pay attention to when making your choice.
What event is it about? On the last weekend of February, the worldwide Hoenn Tour will take place in Pokémon GO. During this event, you can again choose between two categories: Ruby and Sapphire. Whether you need a ticket for this and which monsters are hiding behind it, we have summarized for you below.
When does the Hoenn Tour take place? The worldwide Hoenn Tour runs on February 25 and 26, 2023, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM each day.
Choosing between Ruby and Sapphire – Ticket and Research
What do you need to know about the ticket? As you already know from the last two years, you have to choose between the two corresponding categories during the GO Tour to secure special spawns. This year, the Hoenn region is in focus, so you must choose between Ruby and Sapphire.
Unlike the Kanto Tour and Johto Tour, there will not be a separate paid ticket this year. Instead, you have to complete a special research to gain access.
How can you choose between Ruby and Sapphire? To gain access to the special content behind Ruby and Sapphire, you must completely solve the special research “Proto-Grollen”. This is already active and rewards you with a kind of event ticket for the Hoenn Tour.
With this, you will be able to choose between Team Ruby and Team Sapphire, each providing you with different spawns.
Which team will you choose? Vote anonymously in our following poll:
All monsters behind Ruby and Sapphire at a glance
What is different this year? Just like in previous years, your choice of team will affect the wild spawns. However, there is one difference this time. While in the past two GO Tour events spawns appeared throughout the event period without your involvement, this year you will have to earn your special monsters.
There will be a kind of competition between the two teams. You must complete as many field research tasks as possible every hour. Depending on which team wins, you will unlock special Proto-Raids and increase the chance of certain Pokémon appearing in the wild. With a bit of luck, you can even catch them in their shiny forms.
Which monsters are hiding behind which team, we have summarized for you below.
All spawns from Team Ruby: If Team Ruby wins, special raids with Proto-Groudon will be unlocked. In the wild, you can expect the following monsters:
Plusle
Volbeat
Knacklion
Sonnfel
Formeo (Sonnenform)
These monsters belong to Team Ruby
All spawns from Team Sapphire: If you join Team Sapphire, you can unlock raids with Proto-Kyogre upon winning. In the wild, the following Pokémon will spawn more frequently:
Minun
Illumise
Wailmer
Lunastein
Formeo (Regenform)
These monsters belong to Team Sapphire
What should you keep in mind? As Niantic states on their Twitter account and in response to our inquiry, the earned spawns will be unlocked for all players, regardless of which team you have chosen. Unlike in previous years, you do not need to look for a suitable trade partner to obtain missing Pokémon.
When choosing your team, you should therefore orient yourself according to which monsters you definitely want to secure during the event and which ones you may still be missing as shiny. The two new Pokémon Proto-Kyogre and Proto-Groudon are also of interest.
Similar to Mega Evolutions, you will need to collect corresponding Proto Energy to activate these later. You should definitely secure this, as these two monsters are among the strongest attackers of their respective types.
In addition to the various spawns that come with choosing Team Ruby and Sapphire, the ticket also brings you one or two additional advantages that you should not overlook when choosing your team (via pokemongolive.com):
Legendary encounters: If you take snapshots during the event, according to Niantic, you will have the chance to encounter more legendary Pokémon. Thus, Sapphire Team trainers will have the chance to catch Latias, while Ruby Team trainers will have the counterpart Latios. It is currently unknown whether these monsters will also appear if one does not choose a team.
Research: By receiving the free event ticket for the Hoenn Tour, you will also gain access to the free special research “Legendary Hunt”, where Rai deals with the legends related to the red and blue stones.
What do you think of the contents of Ruby and Sapphire for the Hoenn Tour? Do you think it’s good that you can secure the spawns this year without a ticket? And which monster are you most looking forward to? Please let us know here on MeinMMO in the comments and discuss with other trainers.
The group stage of the European League of Legends league (LEC) is over. In the last game, the favorite team Team Vitality, led by player Luka “Perkz” Perković, faced the German team SK Gaming. Until now, the Germans haven’t been convincing, but against the stars, they showed what they can do.
How did the games unfold? The match day between Team Vitality (VIT) and SK Gaming (SK) was played in a best-of-3 format. This means the first team to secure two victories wins the match day.
In the first game between VIT and SK, both teams fought hard for every kill and every neutral objective. SK’s jungler Mark “Markoon” van Woensel managed to steal the Baron Nashor in minute 34, giving his team the opportunity to not fall too far behind.
After a fierce battle in minute 39, SK secured the victory in the game and thus the match point. You can find the decisive fight in this video starting at minute 9:10:
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
In the second game, SK completely dominated. They didn’t shy away from any fight and managed to emerge victorious from them. Only in minute 21 did Team Vitality manage to secure their first kill.
In the final fight between the Nexus towers, the players of SK gave up a second kill, which they exchanged for the match day victory. Team Vitality could not execute their game plan and were maneuvered out from the start in the second game.
The best of the best meet in the world championship. Here we have a first impression:
Start video
LoL stages its biggest professionals in a trailer so perfectly that I still get goosebumps 4 years later
What’s next for Team Vitality? After even Fnatic did not make it to the group stage, Team Vitality will now be eliminated from the tournament before the playoffs. The winners of the regular season are denied the chance for an early qualification for the “Finals” tournament.
Player Perkz, however, is taking the defeat very calmly. On Twitter, he shares an apology to his fans and speaks with confidence that there are still 7 months until the qualifications for the world championship:
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
The players now have the chance to continue to mesh in preparation for the upcoming spring season and further develop their strengths. With the next patches, a lot will change in the jungle, which will influence the dynamics, especially in professional games.
Meanwhile, SK’s jungler is celebrating the victory and shares his ambitions on Twitter:
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
What does the community think about the match? On Twitter and in the post-game discussion on reddit, the match is being discussed afterward. Viewers are surprised by the clear victory shown by SK.
User _tidiber writes: “That SK made it into the top 4 was definitely not on my bingo card. Well played, SK!”
dovahkonj1 also says: “Very well played by SK, congratulations. But where was Vitality? That was embarrassing” (via reddit).
On the other hand, the users are not so surprised that Team Vitality could not secure the victory. User vnducco writes: “One thing is for sure. When it matters, Vitality disappoints not to disappoint” (via reddit).
Twitter users, on the other hand, are convinced this was just a phase and that Team Vitality will come back, because “Champs don’t give up” (via Twitter).
Now the question arises whether Team Vitality will manage to find themselves again and showcase their skills with old strength in the next split.
What do you think about Team Vitality’s early exit, and do you think they could have done something differently? Let us know in the comments.
Nadia Amine rose to become one of the biggest streamers in 2022 playing Call of Duty. However, her success is not without controversy, as there are numerous cheating allegations against the 22-year-old. Despite this, she has now reached a significant milestone on Twitch – she was very close to giving up.
Where do the allegations come from? The 22-year-old started streaming on Twitch in January 2021 and primarily showcased Call of Duty: Warzone. Initially, however, the viewers did not show up. That changed when clips from some of her streams went viral, demonstrating the streamer’s skills.
Success, however, also brought numerous critics who believe Nadia is cheating. There are many videos that allegedly prove the streamer uses aim bots or wall hacks.
How did the streamer respond to the allegations? Nadia has so far denied all cheating allegations. And even though some of her clips look suspicious, no concrete evidence has been presented so far.
For the streamer, the situation seems clear: The allegations against her come from fragile men who cannot accept that a woman is better than they are.
Now, despite – or because of – the constant cheating allegations, Nadia has reached 1 million followers on Twitch. In an interview, she spoke about her success and revealed that she was very close to giving up.
In Warzone 2, the second season started last week. In the trailer, you can see what awaits you.
Start video
CoD MW2 & Warzone 2: Season 2 – Trailer
“I expected it to be easier”
What was the interview like? On February 7, Nadia announced via Twitter that she had reached 1 million followers on Twitch. A year ago, she could not have imagined that. On the occasion of this milestone, journalist Jake Lucky shared an interview he had conducted with the streamer on February 17. You can watch the interview excerpt here:
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
Why did Nadia want to quit? In the clip, Nadia talks about wanting to quit Twitch a few months ago. The 22-year-old apparently started streaming rather spontaneously and quickly realized that it was harder than she thought:
I thought it would be easier, I didn’t think it would be so difficult. […] I had never really engaged with streaming, I just did it. I saw Valkyrae and I just did it.
The problem apparently was that while Nadia streamed between 140 and 180 hours a month, she earned very little money from it. This made her a bit panicked, explains the 22-year-old. Nevertheless, she kept going.
I thought to myself: ‘Oh damn, I’m 22 and playing video games professionally, but I’m not really earning money. What should I do?’
Despite success, the streamer seems to be doing worse than before
How is she doing currently? In the past 30 days, Nadia averaged over 3,000 viewers and reached 6,400 active subscribers. This likely means she has a decent income now. Despite the success, the 22-year-old is currently streaming rather irregularly.
On Twitter, she apologizes to her fans and explains that she is struggling with her mental health and cannot focus on her content as she used to. She may need to take a step back to seek help, the streamer said.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
Regardless of whether the allegations against Nadia have any basis, a pattern seems to be emerging. Female streamers who go viral with particularly good gameplay are almost immediately accused of cheating. This is also the case for PUBG sharpshooter Danucd:
The case of the new hunting game Wild Hearts is quite curious: the reviews from the press are strong, but players have some complaints. Reviews and general interest in the game are rather poor, and yet the game has been a relatively big success on Steam at release.
Where does Wild Hearts stand right now? As the statistics website SteamDB shows, Wild Hearts was ranked 5th and 6th among the top sellers on Steam on February 19. The player numbers are also impressive.
According to steamcharts, 28,475 players peaked on Steam during the release weekend. Additionally, there are platforms like Origin (PC), PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Outside of Steam, there are likely even more players, as Wild Hearts offers a demo. This includes 10 hours with EA Play, which is also included in the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Those using EA Play Pro even get full access to the game.
In the video, we introduce you to Wild Hearts in 3 minutes:
Start video
Wild Hearts: Everything about the new hunting game in 3 minutes
What are the reviews like? The launch of Wild Hearts was quite bumpy. Especially performance issues on PC caused discontent among players. There is an unofficial fix for FPS issues and more, which has even been confirmed by the developers, but it doesn’t always work.
However, over the weekend, there were several campaigns, such as on Twitch, that garnered more attention, and even smaller and medium-sized streamers found enjoyment in the game. The technical issues only deterred a few fans.
Wild Hearts – 7 important tips for your successful start
Instead, there is currently praise in the subreddit again and again. Wild Hearts does many things better than Monster Hunter, is a worthy competitor, and has great systems that feel good.
The fans warn: One must now stay on track, polish, and fix the bugs. The game has excellent prerequisites and great potential once all the problems are resolved.
However, there is already the announcement from the developers that the first patch will be released this week, which aims to improve performance and fix some bugs. A specific date is still pending.
Even experts praise Wild Hearts and would like to give the game a clear recommendation – perhaps that will happen soon:
In Diablo 3 there is a new challenge portal starting on February 21. However, you should not complete the Challenge Rift yet, but wait until Friday.
What’s happening in Diablo 3? Every week, a new challenge portal starts, where you are to complete a Greater Rift successfully with a pre-made character and build. For this, you will receive rewards.
However, it is more worthwhile for you to wait until Friday to complete the challenge, as Season 28 begins that day. And the rewards secure you a good start to the season.
What does saving Challenge Portal 296 bring?
Why should one wait? On Friday, February 24, the new Season 28 in Diablo 3 begins. If you want to level up quickly there, you can start your adventure with a seasonal hero along with the reward you get from a successfully completed challenge portal. This includes gold, blood shards, and crafting materials.
To be precise:
Bounty material (15 each)
35 Death’s Breath
475 blood shards
Crafting material
plus 4.6 million gold
Furthermore, you unlock Kanai’s Cube with a new seasonal character. This way you can directly extract a legendary property at the start and unlock it in your cube to level up. For this reason, it is worth not completing the Challenge Rift immediately, but to do it only when the season has started.
In our leveling guide for Season 28, we will explain this to you in more detail.
How does the Challenge Portal work? Depending on the region you are playing in, the Challenge Rift changes. It also rotates weekly. Diablo expert Raxxanterax looks at the rifts each week and explains in a short video guide how they work. If you like to use help, check out his YouTube channel starting Tuesday.
The Chinese company NetEase was Blizzard’s partner in China for 15 years, releasing games like Overwatch and World of Warcraft (WoW) there. After Blizzard terminated the collaboration, NetEase had to shut down the games in January 2023. Now the company is planning a new, revolutionary MMORPG with the help of AI ChatGPT. In Justice Online Mobile, real dialogues with NPCs should be possible.
Who is the company?
NetEase is a huge Chinese corporation with over 18,000 employees: Alongside Tencent, NetEase is THE Chinese internet giant.
Until a few weeks ago, NetEase published Blizzard’s games in China – but the collaboration ended in January 2023 after 15 years.
AI should enable real dialogues with NPCs that influence the game
This is now the plan for their new MMORPG: According to influential analyst Daniel Ahmad, NetEase is planning the launch of a new MMO: “Justice Online Mobile.” This is supposed to be the first game supported by AI “ChatGPT”:
The AI should allow players to interact with the game in unique ways
Through AI, it should be possible to create conversations with NPCs that are completely voiced and emotionally driven. The dialogues should even have a real impact on the storyline
Players should be able to write or speak their part of the dialogue
What would that be like in the game? Ahmad explains that in the MMORPG you could tell an NPC that their house is burning, and they would then run home.
Or you could sow discord between two NPCs who are in love with each other.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
What the expert says: Analyst Daniel Ahmad specializes in developments in the gaming market in Asia. He restricts on Twitter that there is only a demo of the game, so it’s still unclear whether it really goes that deep or if it’s just a marketing gimmick at this time.
NetEase’s plan is to use the AI technology to support many parts of the game:
task completion
content creation
character creation
additional tasks.
How is that being discussed? There are almost always the same 2 reactions when it comes to the use of AI, so it is also the case here:
Part of the people is excited about the new possibilities that AI technology offers
others see the risks: If the AI speaks all dialogues, will not all voice actors be unemployed in the future?
The AI ChatGPT has had a significant impact on the global economy in recent weeks and apparently fuels visions in many industries about what is possible in the future.
Apex Legends is one of the most popular battle royales in the genre. Thousands meet daily to compete against each other. Now the developers have added a new mode and it is already breaking player records on Steam.
What’s happening with Apex Legends on Steam? Apex Legends is known for its own battle royale concept in the arena. Players choose their legend and can then compete against other teams in pairs or trios. The last team standing in the arena wins.
On February 14, 2023, Season 16 started, and with it, the shooter saw a significant increase in players on Steam. We explain what that might be due to.
Start video
Apex Legends: Revelry Gameplay Trailer
Apex Legends has potential far beyond battle royale
Why is Apex Legends growing right now? The new success can certainly be attributed to the release of Season 16, however, not every new season in Apex has delivered the content that players desire. With Season 16, however, it’s different; fans not only received a new weapon in the arsenal but also a new mode – Team Deathmatch.
It is therefore quite possible that Apex Legends, through its alternative mode, attracts fans more and convinces more players than the usual battle royales.
The biggest problem in Apex Legends’ Team Deathmatch: There is a thread circulating on reddit discussing a major issue in Team Deathmatch, and that is the behavior of the players. The new mode was round-based. So when one round is over, round 2 starts, and players can compete against each other in the same lobby.
However, if a round goes poorly, the losing team leaves, resulting in a match continuing with an unbalanced number of players. Fans are upset about this, but it is clear that it has nothing to do with the actual mode or the developers, but rather with the players’ mindset.
The mode has, however, been revised, and the 3-round system has been removed. Now teams only compete in one round, and the first to reach 50 kills wins.
Aside from that, Apex Legends is all the rage, and if you want to enjoy this and other free-to-play titles, feel free to check our current list:
InconspiciousPerson writes: “This happens when companies automate things that shouldn’t be automated just to save costs everywhere because they have to achieve ‘record profits’ every year.”
The fundamental problem here is the reporting system of World of Warcraft. Because if enough players report another, they are automatically issued a warning and sanction. It can take days before the case is reviewed manually – at least that’s the experience in the community.
By now, many people even know the exact numbers of reports required to enforce an immediate sanction.
However, abusing this system is actually prohibited and can ultimately lead to account penalties.
The reporting system is repeatedly criticized
That WoW players are dissatisfied with the reporting system is no new thing. There has been ongoing criticism of the reporting system in World of Warcraft in the past, as it seems highly susceptible to abuse.
During the “Legion” era, there were instances where guilds or groups reported a character whose name they didn’t like. They simply reported it as an “inappropriate name” – even if it was a completely normal name. The result was that the affected player had to rename their character, and another player could then snatch that name away from them.
It seems clear that Blizzard needs to overhaul the reporting system or take action against such exploitation more quickly and decisively. Because even if these may be isolated cases for the affected individuals, there are always groups of offenders who – at least for a while – impose their will.
InconspiciousPerson writes: “This happens when companies automate things that shouldn’t be automated just to save costs everywhere because they have to achieve ‘record profits’ every year.”
The fundamental problem here is the reporting system of World of Warcraft. Because if enough players report another, they are automatically issued a warning and sanction. It can take days before the case is reviewed manually – at least that’s the experience in the community.
By now, many people even know the exact numbers of reports required to enforce an immediate sanction.
However, abusing this system is actually prohibited and can ultimately lead to account penalties.
The reporting system is repeatedly criticized
That WoW players are dissatisfied with the reporting system is no new thing. There has been ongoing criticism of the reporting system in World of Warcraft in the past, as it seems highly susceptible to abuse.
During the “Legion” era, there were instances where guilds or groups reported a character whose name they didn’t like. They simply reported it as an “inappropriate name” – even if it was a completely normal name. The result was that the affected player had to rename their character, and another player could then snatch that name away from them.
It seems clear that Blizzard needs to overhaul the reporting system or take action against such exploitation more quickly and decisively. Because even if these may be isolated cases for the affected individuals, there are always groups of offenders who – at least for a while – impose their will.
The reporting system in World of Warcraft is repeatedly abused. Particularly brazen: When a player refuses to give up their loot, the whole guild retaliates.
One of the biggest points of contention in World of Warcraft is the loot. Especially in “Mythic+” dungeons, there is sometimes bickering. Because at the end of the dungeon, only two items are offered, leaving 3 out of 5 players empty-handed.
Most players congratulate their group members when they receive loot. A few mumble unhappily to themselves as they walked away empty-handed.
And then there are a few who demand loot from their fellow players – and report them to Blizzard if the players do not comply.
What happened? In the WoW subreddit, DonovanNer-Zhul explained that he was adventuring in the Halls of Valor a few days ago. He got lucky and received the trinket “Eye of Skovald” – which is currently a “Best in Slot” item for many classes, making it highly sought after.
One of his group members then stated that DonovanNer-Zhul should give up the item – after all, he had been running this dungeon all day and therefore had more right to the trinket.
Donovan refused, as he has use for the trinket himself. Even when offered gold, he still refused.
The consequence was that Donovan was subsequently reported by the members of the guild of the person who wanted the item – for “Inappropriate Communication”. Donovan learned of this when he logged in the next day and saw a warning; a reminder that he had been reported by several players for “inappropriate communication” and that if it happened again, he would face more severe penalties.
If someone refuses to give up the loot, just report them – a behavior that occurs more often.
What are the consequences? This message serves as a warning, has no immediate consequences, and comes with no account restrictions. However, this is now an offense that “sticks” to Donovan’s account. If he commits another offense in the future or is reported again, it will adversely affect him. Because repeat offenders often face penalties ranging from “Chat ban” to several days of account suspension.
Other players advised Donovan to write a ticket until a Game Master assured him that this note would be removed from his account.
This is what the community says: The topic is continually hotly debated in the community. Just the thread from Donovan has now gathered over 3,000 upvotes and more than 500 comments. Here are a few voices on the matter:
Awaheya says: “Blizzard must finally take these report-spammers seriously. They need to review these reports and should ban those caught instigating others to report someone for nonsensical reasons for a month.”
InconspiciousPerson writes: “This happens when companies automate things that shouldn’t be automated just to save costs everywhere because they have to achieve ‘record profits’ every year.”
The fundamental problem here is the reporting system of World of Warcraft. Because if enough players report another, they are automatically issued a warning and sanction. It can take days before the case is reviewed manually – at least that’s the experience in the community.
By now, many people even know the exact numbers of reports required to enforce an immediate sanction.
However, abusing this system is actually prohibited and can ultimately lead to account penalties.
The reporting system is repeatedly criticized
That WoW players are dissatisfied with the reporting system is no new thing. There has been ongoing criticism of the reporting system in World of Warcraft in the past, as it seems highly susceptible to abuse.
During the “Legion” era, there were instances where guilds or groups reported a character whose name they didn’t like. They simply reported it as an “inappropriate name” – even if it was a completely normal name. The result was that the affected player had to rename their character, and another player could then snatch that name away from them.
It seems clear that Blizzard needs to overhaul the reporting system or take action against such exploitation more quickly and decisively. Because even if these may be isolated cases for the affected individuals, there are always groups of offenders who – at least for a while – impose their will.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Graphics cards from AMD and Nvidia were long considered unaffordable. But now prices are dropping among manufacturers. This could really pay off for you if you’ve been waiting for an upgrade.
2 years after the release of the GeForce RTX 3080, you can buy the graphics card again at the suggested retail price (SRP).
Just last week, you could purchase graphics cards for very low prices at BestBuy. And now the manufacturer “Galax” has sold its RTX 3080 at the SRP. The graphics card was sold out in no time, which you could buy for 699.99 US dollars on Amazon.
Manufacturers are lowering selling prices – Soon also in Germany?
Is this also true for Germany? Not yet. The previous offers were only valid for the North American market, but here for various platforms including Amazon. In Germany, you also cannot buy a Galaxy graphics card. Due to disputes, the graphics cards from the Chinese manufacturer Galaxytech are known as KFA2 here.
This could also mean in the future that you might encounter such offers in Germany as well. So if you have been waiting a long time to upgrade your gaming PC, your patience might now pay off.
Because some manufacturers seem to be trying to clear their stock of old graphics cards and are therefore selling their graphics cards at SRP and sometimes even cheaper. So keep an eye out in the coming days and weeks if you don’t want to miss such an offer. For this, you might add certain graphics cards to a wish list on Amazon and enable notifications.
Not all cheap offers are safe: But not every great deal comes with a graphics card. Because scammers use this as an opportunity to trick you out of several hundred Euros. A user just experienced this when buying an RTX 3080:
At the IGN FanFest 2023, Blizzard showed new information and images for Diablo 4, including the first cutscene of the game. This tells a bit of the story of the action RPG and shows your own character.
What kind of scene is this? The intro cinematic of Diablo 4 shows your character riding a horse through a snow-covered mountainous landscape until he is surprised at night. He loses his horse and must seek shelter.
For nearly 4 minutes, a narrator tells you a bit more about the story of Diablo 4 and what it’s actually about. The hero finally fights his way to a cave to spend the night there. When he awakens, the scene ends and the game apparently begins.
In the scene, you see not a placeholder, but your own character. Diablo 4 offers an extensive character editor for each of the 5 starting classes of the game, unlike previous parts of Diablo.
According to lead designer Joe Shely, this kind of thing is supposed to happen more often in Diablo 4. Your character repeatedly appears in cutscenes, as is standard in modern RPGs.
Start video
Diablo 4: This is what the first minutes of the game look like
Intro-Cinematic of Diablo 4 – Available for everyone starting in March
When can I play myself? The scene was first shown during the IGN FanFest on February 18, 2023. Shely also directly announced the start of the open beta on March 17 for pre-orders and a week later for everyone.
You can watch the opening scene yourself from then on, or at the latest when it releases on June 6. The beta includes the entire prologue with the first act, but it is limited to level 25. Some additional information about the game:
Overall, Diablo 4 is said to take 180 hours to reach maximum level – so it will take quite a while longer than what is possible in the beta. After that comes the actual endgame. However, we cannot yet say how many cutscenes will appear during this time.
What else you need to know about Diablo 4 can be found in our overview of the upcoming game:
In League of Legends there are regularly changing game modes. The developers from Riot Games have now introduced a new game mode. Look forward to: ‘Just kidding, it doesn’t have a codename’ – that’s what the mode is called at the moment.
What kind of new mode is this? In the new game mode of LoL, players will face each other in a 2-vs-2-vs-2-vs-2 format. Reddit user “Caffeine_and_Alcohol” described it as: “Like the normal bot lane but without jungle ganks” (via reddit).
League of Legends has changed massively recently. There are the preseason changes and adjustments from the last patch. The developers are aware of this and want to introduce a new game mode for LoL.
The idea for the mode was inspired by Teamfight Tactics (TFT). More specifically, it refers to the Double-Up mode. There, 2-man teams compete against each other and can exchange items and champions in between.
If you are interested in the characters from Arcane, we have summarized them for you here:
Start video
LoL: We introduce the champions from Arcane in gameplay
‘Just kidding, it doesn’t have a codename’
This is how the mode is supposed to work: The developers of LoL have announced further content that could especially please pairs from the bot lane.
In the new mode, teams of 2 players will compete against other 2-player teams.
The mode mainly revolves around PvP content. For this, the following is planned:
players will quickly dive into battles,
they will be able to personalize their champions more than before, and
the waiting time after death and duration of games will be shortened.
This is to be achieved through the new mode. There, the heroes will compete against each other in various duels. In between, they will have the chance to upgrade their champions through items, levels, or augmentations. Those who lose too many duels will be kicked out of the lobby and can join a new round.
The augmentations are inspired by TFT and are supposed to make the champions even more versatile. For example, they propose a Sylas who uses the Lissandra W ability every 5 seconds or an Ekko with an attack range of 500 units.
This way, you can prove with your favorite partner how well you master your champions and which champion combinations yield the greatest synergy. Do you want to try Gragas and Yasuo? Or do you prefer to stick with the couple Xayah and Rakan?
How exactly the augmentations will look in the end, the developers cannot say yet because the mode is constantly evolving. But it will be an augmentation version that is specifically tailored to League of Legends.
What do you think of the new mode? Will you try it with your duo partner? Which champion combinations are you looking forward to? Let us know in the comments.
There has rarely been so much consensus among the players of Dead by Daylight. The new killer is under criticism – he is said to be boring, uninspired, and the low point of the game.
If there is one thing the community of Dead by Daylight can agree on, it is that they do not agree. Killers and survivors often have completely different views on how to improve the game and make it fairer. However, with the reveal of the latest killer “Skull Merchant”, there has been a widespread consensus in the community for a long time: The killer is trash.
At least there are several major points of criticism that are being discussed in forums and the game’s subreddit.
Start video
Dead by Daylight: Tools of Torment Trailer
The killer looks like “Predator ordered from Wish”
A theory about the “Tools of Torment” chapter that has spread like wildfire in recent days is that Dead by Daylight actually tried to get the “Predator” license and that they actually wanted a female predator. When that failed, they quickly cobbled together their own killer who exhibits some parallels:
modern technology for monitoring and tracking in the form of drones
melee claws to secure the kill
As “proof” of this theory, many point to the “Behind the Scenes” video that was released shortly after the trailer:
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
Here the developers talk about the latest killer and use the word “Predator” very often. It is also mentioned that the killer “only hunts the best of the best” and wants “the best trophies”. That would fit a predator – but not the “Skull Merchant”. Because this one primarily hunts individuals from the upper management of companies who do not want to sell their business.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from Reddit that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
However, it should be made clear: The whole thing with the predator is just a theory from the subreddit.
In an interview with the game director a few months ago, we asked a similar question and were told that the detailed work on a licensed killer would only begin once it was ensured that it would actually happen.
General criticism of the killer design
In general, the “Skull Merchant” is also under criticism for her entire design. It is frequently mentioned that she simply does not look threatening. Her gait, with the exaggerated hip sway, seems “silly” to many and more laughable than fearsome.
Many people also notice that most of her animations come from other killers. For instance, the “Destroyable Wall Destroy” animation is identical to that of Nemesis, among several other animations. Her face is, according to many opinions, a mix of Trickster and Yui before the rework:
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from Reddit that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
But her abilities are also under criticism. They are quite complex and the idea of monitoring the map is an exciting concept. However, the whole design is undermined by the fact that at the end of the day she is just an “M1 killer” – meaning one who is completely reliant on hitting survivors in close combat. The actual gameplay ultimately consists of just constantly chasing survivors, as is the case with many of the old killers. The actual threat posed by the drone abilities is negated.
Thus, @averyhyena3885 writes under the “Behind the Scenes” video:
“You have to be careful because she can see you anywhere on the map.”
But she is still an M1 killer without power in the chase. It doesn’t matter if she knows where all the survivors are because shecan’t do anything about it anyway.
There is also little understanding for her name in the game. Because although the “Skull Merchant” has a very extensive backstory, neither the story nor her character has anything to do with the name. She does use skulls for her drones, but the name seems inappropriate to many.
As usual, Dead by Daylight reveals more contents through data mining already on the test server. Among these are also cosmetic items that usually end up in the shop of the game.
While the community is pleased with some “lightly clothed” skins, the developers apparently went overboard. Because both survivors are lined up in swimwear, while the Skull Merchant gets a rather … peculiar appearance as well. You can get an impression of the leaked cosmetics in the subreddit of DbD.
The reactions to this are also largely negative. Babyback-the-Butcher writes:
Is any of this real? This whole chapter feels so surreal, my mind just cannot assess how real it is. How could all of this happen?
Even more devastating is the criticism from “idkdudejustkillme”:
This whole chapter feels like a joke, a literal prank. A bad joke. It’s like a bizarre dream from which I hope to wake up soon. It’s absolutely incomprehensible to me that the same team that created characters like Blight, Dredge, Deathslinger, Oni, and others could create such an uninspired, pitiful chapter. Zero effort in writing, visual design, sound design, originality, or perks.
All of this feels like it was cobbled together at the last minute. Then they publish it with skins where the characters are half-naked and expect the player base to just swallow it and spit out money. It’s just embarrassing. What the hell is going on?
However, it must also be mentioned that there are aspects of the next patch that are well received by the community. The modernization of the two “Red Forest” maps looks good and receives praise from all directions. “Only” the entirely new contents seem to be something only a small part of the fans can agree with.
Axolotls are a new creature in Minecraft Patch 1.17. We will tell you how to catch these water creatures and what they are useful for.
The “Caves & Cliffs” update did not bring the desired caves, but plenty of other content. One of them is the Axolotls. You can now find these cute creatures in the world of Minecraft. We will reveal how to catch the new animals and what benefits they have.
Update: The article originally comes from June 2021. We have updated it on 20.02.2023 for the Patch 1.19.
Where to find Axolotls? Axolotls can generally only occur in the “Lush Caves” and only as long as clay blocks are nearby.
What do Axolotls eat? Although Axolotls hunt all kinds of water creatures in the world, they can only be guided by feeding them tropical fish. The tropical fish must be in a bucket for this. You can find tropical fish mainly in warm ocean biomes and can transport them in a bucket.
How to breed Axolotls: Breeding Axolotls is quite challenging, as buckets with tropical fish cannot be stacked. To start breeding Axolotls, you need at least 2 buckets of tropical fish or more if you want to breed multiple Axolotls at the same time.
Axolotls are quite cute – but they can virtually wipe out your other water creatures.
Note that each Axolotl can only mate once every 5 minutes. Only after this cooldown period can the mating process be initiated again.
How to tame Axolotls? Axolotls cannot be tamed in the traditional sense. Unlike wolves, Axolotls can only be lured with food and thus guided – for example, to an aquarium where the animals are then “imprisoned” to breed.
You can lead Axolotls with a leash. Alternatively, you can also lure them with a tropical fish in a bucket, as this is their favorite food that is also used for breeding.
An Axolotl plays dead to regenerate health points.
What benefits do Axolotls have? The purely gameplay benefit of Axolotls is generally low. They mainly serve as a nice decorative element, but should be kept away from most other water creatures, as they will attack and kill them.
However, Axolotls can be used for hunting in water or when cleaning an ocean monument, as they also help in fighting drowned and guardians after being fed.
What colors do Axolotls have? Overall, there are 5 colors for Axolotls, but you will mostly see only 4 of them. The following colors are represented at about 25 % each:
leucistic (lucy)
brown (wild)
turquoise (cyan)
gold (gold)
The last color, blue, is extremely rare. It can appear in nature with a chance of 0.08 % or when two Axolotls are bred together (regardless of the color of the parents).
All 5 colors of Axolotls – the blue, rarest color is on the far left.
This is how Axolotls behave: Like most creatures in Minecraft, Axolotls have relatively complex behavior and respond to different stimuli. The following key points are particularly important:
Axolotls are generally neutral towards the player.
If the player helps an Axolotl to take down one of its prey, the Axolotl heals the “Mining Fatigue” and applies “Regeneration I” to the player.
Axolotls attack all other water creatures (exceptions: turtles, dolphins, and frogs). After a creature is taken down, the Axolotl pauses for 2 minutes before going hunting again.
Axolotls can play dead when attacked. They lie still for 10 seconds but heal themselves thanks to “Regeneration I” during this time. If an Axolotl plays dead, it is ignored by other creatures.
If Axolotls are released on land, they will try to reach the nearest water body, as they die on land after exactly 5 minutes. However, they survive if it is thundering or raining.
More about Minecraft on MeinMMO can be found here:
This is how to prevent Axolotls from despawning: Like most passive mobs in Minecraft, Axolotls can despawn after a while. This can be prevented by picking up Axolotls with a bucket and then releasing them back into the world. Then the Axolotl counts as “player-generated” and stays indefinitely in the world (or until the creature dies).
Alternatively, you can also name Axolotls with a name tag, as this also prevents the automatic despawn – just like with all compatible creatures.
Do you have any questions about Axolotls? Have you caught a few of these strangely cute creatures yet?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The medieval MMORPG Gloria Victis has been available on Steam since June 2016, and it has been in Early Access since then. Recently, it celebrated its full release, and the player numbers have increased. However, players are expressing plenty of criticism.
During Early Access, the MMORPG usually recorded between 400 and 600 players per day. Since the full release, it has reached nearly 3400 – so the number is 8 times higher (via SteamDB).
Realistic battles in the medieval times
What kind of game is this? Gloria Victis is a medieval MMORPG with sandbox elements developed by Black Eye Games. PvP plays an important role. You besiege and conquer castles while engaging in battles with other players. The MMORPG also offers PvE content – including group quests and raids.
You do not play a fixed class, but level up your skills and can choose an individual playstyle. The combat system is action-packed, requiring you to aim yourself.
There are 3 nations, from which you select one to join. You are constantly fighting against the other two nations, as PvP is possible everywhere. In most areas, you do not lose items when you die, but in some locations, you drop one equipment piece per death.
Additionally, the MMORPG offers a diverse crafting system.
Gloria Victis aims to be as realistic as possible, as indicated in its description on Steam. Graphically, this is only conditionally possible for the small indie development team from Poland. Nevertheless, the MMORPG received a graphics update in 2022.
Here you can see the trailer for the MMORPG:
Start video
MMORPG Gloria Victis – Gameplay Trailer
What monetization model does the game use? Gloria Victis is Buy2Play and currently costs 19.99 euros, just as it did in Early Access. Additionally, there is a shop offering cosmetic items and account expansions such as additional character slots or name changes. The MMORPG avoids Pay2Win.
Now only 61% positive rated – What annoys players on Steam?
Throughout its time, Gloria Victis received 70% positive reviews, earning the “Mostly Positive” rating on Steam. However, in the last 30 days, the reviews have worsened, so it currently stands at only 61%, receiving an “Mixed” rating.
We summarize some of the voices in the Steam reviews for you, both positive and negative:
Carnifex writes after 75 hours of gameplay: “Mount & Blade combat system with a map in Elder Scrolls Online Cyrodiil style. Very cool PvP MMO”.
GC- writes after 4,238 hours of gameplay: “Gloria Victis is the only game I know that the developers have continuously broken more and more […] The game worked technically flawlessly during Early Access. Since the release, it crashes and servers are overloaded. Only frustration at the moment”.
Skynyrd_Dsg writes after 148 hours of gameplay: “I am new to the game and have had a good time so far. I have found a few bugs that were fixed immediately. The game runs great, and PvP is fun”.
Motives writes after 59 hours of gameplay: “The core gameplay and combat system are great. 90% of the rest of the game doesn’t work.”.
As negative points, they mention the following problems:
It is not a real sandbox game
The combat system is said to be so bad that one has to learn to deal with its errors.
Gloria Victis heavily depends on player numbers. If no one is online, nothing happens.
No roadmap during the beta, poor communication of the developers with their player base
As positive feedback, they first mention the atmosphere of Gloria Victis, which they find successful for an indie team. Since, according to them, most indie fans do not value extremely good graphics, everything here is okay.
They also find the onboarding good, as one can catch up to other players without much grind. Only solo players they saw struggling when it comes to becoming really strong later on.
Whoever has settled into Gloria Victis, however, must stay committed according to the fan. It is not a game that you log into only occasionally for events or to play with friends.
Have you ever tried Gloria Victis or do you plan to now that the full version is finally here? What do you particularly like about the MMORPG? Feel free to let us know in the comments here on MeinMMO!
The global Hoenn Tour in Pokémon GO is the big event to conclude February. You can start preparing for it right now.
This is the global Hoenn Tour: This weekend, the local Hoenn Tour in Las Vegas is taking place, but next weekend the rest of the world will join in.
The global Hoenn Tour takes place on February 25 and 26, 2023, and features content related to the Pokémon of Generation 3, the Proto Forms of Kyogre and Groudon, a special research task, and more.
Now there is just under a week left until the event starts. How can you prepare? We are gathering some tips.
[toc]
Tips for preparing for the global Hoenn Tour in Pokémon GO
1. Complete “Proto-Grollen” research, choose Ruby or Sapphire
In advance of the Hoenn Tour, the special research “Proto-Grollen” starts, which you can currently access in the game. At the end of it, you will receive a ticket for the event bonuses of the Hoenn Tour.
Additionally, you will need to choose a team at the end – Ruby or Sapphire. This especially affects the fact that during the global Hoenn Tour, you will complete research tasks for your teams and thus influence spawns and the raid distribution of Groudon and Kyogre.
One of the highlights of the Hoenn Tour is the Proto Forms of Kyogre and Groudon. Both will be available during the global Hoenn Tour in so-called “Proto Raids”.
However, from those you only get the base forms of the two, plus “Proto Energy” needed to perform the Proto-Morph. Therefore, you should complete enough raids to gather sufficient energy while Kyogre and Groudon are available that weekend – because who knows when they will return again.
Note: As part of the “Proto-Grollen” event before the global Hoenn Tour, Rayquaza also returns – another very exciting raid boss. It’s worth it to do a raid here as well.
3. Prepare your raid teams
The raid bosses for the Hoenn Tour are already known. Focus on Pokémon of the following types, and prepare corresponding teams:
4. Make space – in your collection and for event eggs
In your collection: If you plan to go on a hunt for missing Pokémon from Generation 3 during the Hoenn Tour weekend, you should clear space in your Pokémon collection beforehand. Send away Pokémon you no longer need so you don’t waste time sorting during the weekend.
For example, use the “filter function” to quickly identify weaker Pokémon by entering the search terms “0*, 1*, 2*” in the overview. This will display all Pokémon that do not have at least three stars.
For the eggs: During the Hoenn Tour, the regional Pokémon from Generation 3 will be available in 10 km eggs, where you also have the chance of finding a Shiny.
Depending on how you want to play, you should prepare a number of items or at least not spend them beforehand. The most important items:
Raid passes for the battles against the Proto Forms
Revives and potions to restore your battle teams
Golden Razz Berries for catching the raid bosses
Silver Pineapple Berries for easier catching and for extra candies
Pineapple Berries for extra candies
Incense, if you’re out and want to catch Pokémon
Lures if you are playing at a stationary location
Balls: It’s best to save plenty of Ultra Balls if you want to catch many Pokémon
6. Take advantage of the Proto-Grollen event
In advance of the Hoenn Tour, there will be field research tasks during the Proto-Grollen event that will help you prepare for the tour weekend. It is still unclear what this will involve – but it should at least be kept in mind.
Not only in the game itself but also outside, you can take a few precautions.
7. Plan your tour – If in doubt, in the city
Do you live in the countryside or in an area without many stops? Then you should consider whether a trip to the city for the Hoenn Tour is worthwhile for you. Because if you want to participate in several raids on-site to secure the Proto Forms, it is advantageous to have numerous gyms in the vicinity.
Moreover, the Proto Forms may be hard to defeat, similar to Mega Raids. If you play in a location where more groups are active, they can help you complete raids more successfully and efficiently.
8. Charge your gadgets
If you plan to be out all day, you should pay attention to your batteries – in your smartphone, but also with gadgets like the GO Plus and similar.
Especially a charged power bank can be very valuable during the event, if you plan longer trips. Then you won’t risk your battery giving out during the GO Tour.
9. Coordinate with others for raids
If you know other Pokémon GO friends or groups, it’s best to coordinate early whether you want to do a few rounds together. The raids with Proto-Kyogre and Proto-Groudon will be difficult to master – support can be helpful.
10. Come back here for the event
MeinMMO will cover the global Hoenn Tour with a ticker during the event weekend. Check back here throughout the week for updates – if there’s anything new regarding the Hoenn Tour, we will keep you informed at MeinMMO.
Do you have any other tips for preparation? Tell us in the comments!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A billionaire is under house arrest: American authorities accuse Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX, of systematic fraud and money laundering. He is currently awaiting his trial. However, because he does not follow the rules, the court now threatens to revoke some of his privileges: They might even take away his beloved League of Legends (LoL).
Who is Sam Bankman-Fried? SBF was once considered a star of the crypto scene. In 2019, he founded the cryptocurrency exchange FTX together with a college friend. The company quickly became a huge success. Within a few years, FTX secured billions in investments and SBF made a fortune. Over the past few years, the company grew to become one of the largest trading and investment platforms in the cryptocurrency sector.
Through sponsorships, SBF made his company known to a wide audience:
For example, the company secured naming rights to an NBA basketball stadium in Miami.
They also appeared as a sponsor for Mercedes in Formula 1.
Furthermore, FTX was active in the esports sector. In June 2021, they signed a sponsorship deal with TSM (Team SoloMid), a renowned US team in League of Legends.
In November 2022, the company ran into liquidity issues. FTX filed for bankruptcy after a takeover offer from another cryptocurrency exchange was withdrawn. Many private investors lost their money, and SBF is accused of defrauding his customers and investors.
If Sam Bankman-Fried is caught watching this trailer, he could face a lot of trouble. But don’t worry, because you have nothing to fear!
Start video
Hextech Mayhem: A League of Legends Story – Official Launch Trailer
The court threatens to limit internet access because he does not follow the rules
What crimes is he accused of? American authorities have charged Bankman-Fried with 8 serious offenses. The indictment mentions “wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy, securities fraud, securities fraud conspiracy, and money laundering.”
In our legal system, these accusations roughly correspond to telecommunications fraud, conspiracy to commit telecommunications fraud, and securities fraud, as well as conspiracy to commit securities fraud and money laundering.
Sam Bankman-Fried faces up to 115 years in prison if the court convicts him on all counts. However, SBF pleaded “not guilty” at a preliminary hearing, so a major trial will soon take place.
What has the court ordered? Until the trial begins, he is free on bail and under house arrest. He is currently serving this house arrest at his parents’ home.
However, he does not live in poor conditions at home. His parents, Joseph Bankman and Barbara Fried, live in a multimillion-dollar estate in Palo Alto, California (via Insider). He has to wear an ankle monitor, and his communication options are restricted.
Sam Bankman-Fried is only allowed to use his phone and computer to communicate with his lawyers.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
After Bankman-Fried was caught using a VPN client to secretly watch the Superbowl, authorities are now threatening to further limit his access to electronic devices.
To verify whether he follows the judge’s orders, authorities are demanding to electronically monitor his devices. Sam Bankman-Fried would then only be allowed to access his Gmail account, Zoom, and SMS. He may use these means to communicate with his lawyers.
Authorities want to prevent SBF from contacting witnesses at all costs. Therefore, he is also not allowed to play LoL anymore, as the chat in the MOBA could theoretically be used to influence witnesses and compromise the trial.
These restrictions are likely to be unwelcome for SBF. The “League of Legends” enthusiast will have to forgo his favorite game in the future. The capitalism-critical US site Kotaku already quips: SBF needs to find another way to relax. Maybe his parents could buy him a Nintendo Switch. It runs online so poorly that the court might turn a blind eye.
To avoid further trouble with the courts, SBF should rather play single-player games in the future. If he is convicted, he will have to find a new hobby in prison anyway.
The German Twitch streamer Trymacs has only spent 3 hours in Hogwarts Legacy and stumbled upon a dialogue that he simply couldn’t handle. It was about “crossed wands.”
How is Hogwarts Legacy performing on German Twitch?
Hogwarts Legacy has been the number one on German Twitch for 2 weeks. It has accumulated double the viewing hours of League of Legends.
Trymacs, who is known for never finding a hype train that he wouldn’t jump on, streamed Hogwarts Legacy for only 3 hours on Twitch but already ranked 19th among German streamers.
Gronkh, who has caused so much trouble, has yet to show a second of Hogwarts Legacy on Twitch:
“Doesn’t that have to stand out to someone? It’s getting more and more ambiguous!”
What scene got to Trymacs? Trymacs listens on Twitch to a dialogue between 2 wizards: His player character speaks with “Lucan Brattleby,” who explains to him how the “Dueling Club of the Crossed Wands” works.
At that point, Trymacs starts to grin as his character asks: “How does it work with the crossed wands?”
In the chat, the Ghostbusters quote “Never cross the streams” is immediately referenced.
When the student explains: “Whoever is still standing at the end wins,” Trymacs is ultimately convinced that there are double entendres here referring to homosexual intercourse being hidden.
When he says, “Next time, you bring a partner or you do it alone,” Trymacs pleads into the camera: “Who wrote that? Doesn’t that have to stand out to someone? It’s getting more and more ambiguous!”
Start video
Hogwarts Legacy presents the officially best trailer of gamescom – Has over 600,000 views on YouTube
What does he mean by that? “Crossing swords” is according to Urban Dictionary a euphemism for a man accidentally touching another’s penis during a sexual act with multiple partners.
References to this supposed “rule among men” are the two phrases: “Never cross the streams” and “Never cross swords.”
Trymacs and his chat probably have 3 famous scenes from pop culture in mind:
Once “Ghostbusters”: Never cross the streams. That is a strict prohibition that is circumvented to defeat the final boss of the first film, the Marshmallow Man (via YouTube)
Spaceballs, where there is a lightsaber duel between Lord Helmet and Lone Starr and the swords not only cross but even get tangled (via youtube)
And “How I Met Your Mother”, where Barney warns against the “devil’s threesome” (2 men, 1 woman): Bros must never make eye contact during a devil’s threesome (via youtube)
Once you realize that “crossing wands” is a sexual innuendo, it seems you can’t escape it and only see more references to homosexual intercourse.
The new game “Wild Hearts” from Electronic Arts received 78% on Metacritic for the PC version, but on Steam, the reviews drop to 41%. One user sums up the criticism: “The price is higher than the FPS” that Wild Hearts achieves.
What does the press say about the game? On Metacritic, Wild Hearts has 78% for the PC version – the user score is even significantly higher at 86%:
It is described by the press as a “fantastic video game with flair and personality” (God is a geek).
GameRant refers to it as a “wonderful new brand in the hunter genre that can stand up to Monster Hunter.”
GameStar gives it 78% and states: “A skilled monster hunter clone that impresses with fresh ideas, but suffers in terms of technology.” However, the tester issues a technical warning for the PC version. He criticizes a “clumsy console port” that refuses to scale with PC hardware.
Start video
Wild Hearts: Everything about the new hunting game in 3 minutes
2600 negative reviews – Even players who like it are disappointed
How are the reviews on Steam? Disastrous. Only 41% rate Wild Hearts positively. 2612 reviews are currently speaking negatively about the game.
The main point of criticism repeatedly voiced is the poor performance, even from people who actually like the game:
Mani writes after 2 hours: “Guys, guys: It’s about too much money in the industry to send a game out like this.”
Phoenix writes after 12 hours: “Wild Hearts is fantastic when it runs. But my god: Multiplayer runs really badly in 9 out of 10 cases due to the connection. There are constant sound bugs, the graphics just pop out, and the frame rate is always in the basement.”
Spqkii writes in a positive comment: “In Germany, we say: Brother, actually a pretty awesome game, but the price is higher than the FPS in the game.”
Also on MeinMMO, the game is rated very critically with 43% by user reviews.
