Diablo 4 will be released on June 06 and will forego one of the best features: set items – those parts will come later. MeinMMO editor Maik Schneider was initially shocked. Once the dust settled, he sees things differently now.
What are set items? These special items are the divas in every inventory of Diablo 2 & 3. With their brightly colored green elements, they visually stand out from the mundane legendaries, not to mention regular items.
If you place several like-minded set items in the active equipment slots, these parts provide extra bonuses, sometimes even special gameplay mechanics. There are sets that only fully unleash their power with 5 equipped parts.
Advantage: Powerful, often even unique bonuses
Disadvantage: Multiple equipment slots and a lot of grinding needed
Combined, they usually represent extremely powerful equipment items, which have now become a staple of the Diablo series.
However, at the launch of the new Diablo 4, there will be no set items, and my recent experiences from the release of Diablo Immortal have shown me – this is a good decision.
For a visual impression of the new Diablo 4, check out our trailer for the game:
Start video
<strong>Diablo 4 takes the best features from the predecessors – Here is what it looks like so far</strong>
Without sets, building offers more freedom
Why is it good that sets are not coming at launch? With the controversial mobile hit Diablo Immortal, the devilish ARPG series returned to my gaming cosmos. Like many other players, I was not satisfied with some design decisions at all.
I don’t even want to talk about the legendary gems. There has been enough discussion about that, and I quickly came to terms with the fact that I couldn’t achieve certain things in the game.
Much worse for me as a free-to-play player were the restrictions on the set items. They were fully implemented in the game but hidden behind heavy level restrictions.
At launch, it was mathematically impossible to quickly obtain a complete set. Yet, you knew the values, bonuses, and advantages of the set pieces. Like a juicy carrot, the unreachable set pieces dangled behind nasty, high level caps.
For my necromancer, I wanted to have the matching set immediately. I also looked for strong legendaries for my class, but the goal was set from the very beginning.
This fixation on strong set pieces also took away some of my enjoyment of the game. By the time I could get the complete set, all build configurations would only be temporary placeholders.
I didn’t even want to construct a strong legendary build. I wanted the set build from the start. And I see exactly this problem for Diablo 4 as well.
Without set items, we are practically forced to build our builds around the legendary effects. After release, this should lead to greater build diversity, which should be a real blessing for me as an avid build creator.
The developers want to take more time for the sets this time. After the release, an equipment meta for the individual classes will develop, and based on the collected data, the sets can be introduced with an appropriate strength, so that they don’t immediately fill all meta builds.
What speaks against it? In Diablo, it’s all about collecting, looting, and power. Set items therefore stand like no other item in the Diablo universe for the foundational building blocks of gameplay.
I love collecting sets. It gives me something. That’s why I was initially shocked when the “good news” reached me.
Moreover, sets often bring fantastic and strong mechanics into the game, which means variety. Even for dedicated build min-maxers, it must be annoying if the set items only come into play weeks or even months after release.
Here you can find all important information about Diablo 4:
When will the sets come? That is still open. It’s clear – the set items will come. The US site GameRant spoke during a roundtable interview with Game Director Joe Shely, who mentioned that they want to introduce the set items as they currently do in the endgame of Diablo 3 (via gamerant.com).
This does not necessarily indicate a quick release.
In an interview with gamepressure, Shely also said (via gamepressure.com): “Sets are an exciting case because when we were developing the game, we realized that we could develop sets in a new direction. But we needed a bit more time to implement them in a way that they play well with the rest of Diablo 4. That’s why there won’t be any sets in the game at launch.”
Marcel “MontanaBlack” Eris was for a long time the most successful German streamer on Twitch. He now says in a stream, many see him and his success and believe they can emulate him and make quick money. But these people could “do nothing.” They are irrelevant and boring, the market is “oversaturated” anyway. These statements have drawn criticism from his own fans.
What statements is MontanaBlack criticized for now? The streamer compares today’s Twitch with the Twitch of earlier times. By “earlier,” he apparently refers to the streaming platform around the year 2018.
“Earlier,” when there was still another gaming market, Twitch consisted solely of gaming. Today, much of Twitch revolves around “Just Chatting”:
Twitch was just about gaming back then. Actually, almost only gaming and that was just awesome, dude. And it’s simply that now every loser, every irrelevant jerk, thinks their big career starts on Twitch because they see me, because they see people like Carsten, because they see people like Elias or other successful streamers and think: “Yeah, what he can do, I can do too” – No! You can do nothing, you are simply an irrelevant son of a bitch. Nobody cares about you.
MontanaBlack adds: The market is so oversaturated across all platforms because people “smell the quick money.” 90% of the people who would start streaming have purely financial interests. They want to “earn money by force.”
How does he respond to criticism? Still in the stream, MontanaBlack is confronted in the chat with criticism of his position. He responds by pointing out his special success:
“You are so in the scene, dude. I completely forgot. You, as an outsider viewer, of course know exactly what’s going on behind the scenes. I totally forgot, dude. How dare I, as the biggest streamer or one of the biggest streamers in Germany, with the most followed channel on Twitch, how can I even dare to make that claim?”
Start video
Career and Life of MontanaBlack in 2 Minutes: What Makes Him Unique?
MontanaBlack criticizes the change on Twitch – is himself a prime example of it
Is he right with his statements? MontanaBlack is right in stating that Twitch has changed:
In the last 365 days, “Just Chatting” was by far the largest category on Twitch – with 3.1 million hours, it was twice as large as the biggest game, LoL
In 2018, “Just Chatting” with 141,000 hours was number 11 among the categories – Fortnite was about 9 times larger with 1.35 million hours
Most categories on Twitch consist of games: LoL is one category, Destiny is another category. “Just Chatting” is a category where “only talking” happens and no gaming. Since 2020, “Just Chatting” has consistently been the largest category on Twitch.
So it is correct that Twitch has changed and no longer revolves solely around gaming. Prominent figures on Twitch like Amouranth or HasanAbi are only tangentially connected to gaming. Even actual gaming streamers like Asmongold spend a lot of time discussing topics that are far outside of gaming, like the court case between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard.
But MontanaBlack plays a significant role here:
In the last 365 days, MontanaBlack was seen in “Just Chatting” for 348 hours, almost 4 times as often as in his most played game, “FIFA 23”
In 2018, MontanaBlack spent 618 hours in Fortnite, and not at all in “Just Chatting”
He is therefore criticizing a development in which he himself, at least in Germany, is an absolute pioneer.
MontanaBlack also admits: The gaming market has changed in recent years. As one can tell from his Twitter posts, he has largely lost interest in his former “core games” like Call of Duty or Fortnite. He is no longer allowed to show gambling on Twitch due to legal issues.
MontanaBlack names Elias as one of the “good streamers,” even though the former FIFA pro has only been streaming regularly on Twitch since 2021.
“Money has gone to his head” – “Fears becoming irrelevant himself”
What bothers people about the statements? Under the YouTube video of “Die Crew”, which review his streams and publish highlights on YouTube, there is a lot of criticism of the statements made by the 34-year-old streamer.
It is said that MontanaBlack has had “money go to his head” – He is “jealous of people” who are surpassing him and fears becoming irrelevant himself.
According to MontanaBlack’s definition, Elias Nerlich (Eli97N) is also a total newcomer who has only been streaming since 2020, yet he has surpassed MontanaBlack.
Another user says: MontanaBlack insults people who start streaming. Who does he think he is? God, who decides who can stream and who cannot?
Others note: MontanaBlack is too stuck in the old days.
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MontanaBlack is overtaken by just such a “newcomer” on Twitch
What is behind this: Normally, MontanaBlack receives a lot of support for such statements. Even if he appears vulgar, it usually doesn’t bother the commentators in his highlight streams.
However, what bothers his own fans here is that MontanaBlack tells new people they are “irrelevant and boring” and even insults them, which creates the idea that no one can follow in his footsteps. Because “the market is oversaturated.”
Many fans of MontanaBlack seemingly see him as a kind of role model they want to emulate. When this option is blocked for them, it deters them.
Moreover, it is already ironic that MontanaBlack is now criticizing the commercialization of Twitch, while there are few streamers worldwide who operate as commercially as MontanaBlack and flaunt their earnings from Twitch:
MontanaBlack has a shop where he sells his own merchandise
Even if MontanaBlack is right in some statements, he does not seem to be in a position to accuse others of wanting “the quick money” or to criticize that Twitch “no longer revolves only around gaming.”
Because in both developments, “Just Chatting instead of Gaming” and a strong commercialization, MontanaBlack is an absolute trendsetter on Twitch.
To fully embrace this and then accuse successors of an “oversaturated market” seems contradictory. This explains why his viewers react so strongly here.
By the most viewed hours in the last 365 days, MontanaBlack is number 4 in Germany. With Eliasn97, who has been streaming regularly since 2021, just such a newcomer has overtaken him, whom he, according to his definition, hardly gives a chance to succeed on Twitch:
In some games, you encounter very special duos whose stories never let you go. As part of the campaign Find Your Next Game: Love Edition, MeinMMO presents 10 dreamlike love couples from video games.
Whether in story games, MMORPGs, or classics – you can find love in every genre. We would like to introduce you to 10 relationships in more detail, including heterosexual and homosexual couples as well as close friendships.
Warning: This article contains spoilers for the respective games.
[toc]
Guild Wars 2: Kasmeer and Marjory
Within the main story of Guild Wars 2, Kasmeer and Marjory accompany the players through the “Living World” for some time.
Kasmeer comes from a noble family that lost its fortune, which is why she is looking for a job. She finds one at the detective agency of Marjory Delaqua, a necromancer with Canthan roots.
Tidus, a professional blitzball player, suddenly finds himself in another world in Final Fantasy X. There, he meets the mage Yuna, whom he subsequently accompanies. Tidus’s bravest moments are those in which he wants to protect Yuna – for instance, when she is kidnapped by the Al Bhed.
During their journey, the two become closer, resulting in a moving love story. Final Fantasy X brings players closer to the personal development of both and their feelings for each other.
Particularly the touching scene in the Macalania river remains memorable. It is night, and the reflection of the starry sky sparkles in the water. Suddenly, Yuna begins to cry, whereupon Tidus wraps his arms around her and gently kisses her.
Life is Strange: Chloe and Max
In the first part of Life is Strange, Max returns to her hometown, where she meets her best friend Chloe. The two had not seen each other for 5 years.
While Max is rather reserved and perceives the world through her camera, Chloe has become rebellious over the 5 years: she smokes, drinks, has blue hair, and has problems with her stepfather.
Despite their differences, their friendship grows closer with each chapter. At one point, Chloe challenges Max to kiss her, a choice players can accept or decline. If Max does not kiss Chloe, her journal later states that she regrets it.
Overall, there are numerous hints within Life is Strange pointing to a romantic love between Chloe and Max. Whether it’s a friendship or a romantic relationship remains open. “It depends on how you let Max act regarding Chloe,” writes co-director Michel Koch on Twitter.
In 2018, Hannah Telle, the voice actress of Max, was asked about the relationship between Chloe and Max. “Their relationship is bigger than that. Bigger than love. Bigger than romance,” she replied (via YouTube).
Borderlands 3: Wainwright and Hammerlock
Borderlands 3 has an entire DLC focused on an intimate love relationship. It is called “Guns, Love and Tentacles” and deals with the wedding of Sir Alistar Hammerlock and Wainwright Jakobs.
Previously, the credits of Borderlands 3 show how Wainwright proposes to Hammerlock. He refers to Hammerlock as “his partner” and “the love of his life” (via Borderlands Wiki).
The two marry on the distant, frozen planet Xylourgos. They invite all Vault Hunters to their wedding, including Gaige and Claptrap.
Before the wedding, there is a little problem: the planet is inhabited by a cult that worships gigantic dead monsters. Thus, the leader of the cult has her eyes on one of the grooms. Players must save the wedding before it can take place.
Haven: Yu and Kay
In the cooperative RPG Haven, Yu and Kay flee together to a foreign planet because their relationship is not accepted in their hometown. To stay together, they must leave their planet.
Yu and Kay, who were already a couple before the story begins, now experience everyday life together and face the challenges of a new planet. They explore the area, master battles, and craft items – however, the focus of the game is on the dialogues between them. “Beautifully written, a great love story,” players write on Steam.
At the beginning of Haven, you can choose how you play Yu and Kay: as a man and woman, two men, or two women.
The Darkness: Jenny and Jackie
The Darkness is a dark shooter – but love can also be found here. You take on the role of Jackie Estacado, who suddenly gains a supernatural power on his 21st birthday.
Jackie experiences action-packed shootouts in New York City, but in between, there are scenes where he visits his girlfriend Jenny Romano at home. The two maintain a loving relationship. In the picture, they cuddle with each other, Jenny lays her head on Jackie’s chest and says: “I can feel your heartbeat.”
However, Jackie gets involved with a criminal organization that wanted to kill him. He thwarts their plans, but in retaliation, they kill Jenny. Thus, their love ends tragically.
In the second part of The Darkness, the focus shifts to Jackie wanting to avenge the death of his beloved Jenny and becoming a monster himself.
Mario and Peach
Since Super Mario Bros. in 1985, nearly every Mario game is about him saving his beloved Princess Peach. Peach is a loving, kind figure, who, however, does not learn from her mistakes, which is why she is repeatedly kidnapped by Bowser. For her, Mario regularly risks his life.
When the two are not together, they worry about each other, and conflicts only arise rarely. For example, at the end of Mario Odyssey, Peach becomes angry that Mario and Bowser are fighting over her. But in the end, she forgives Mario (via Mario Wiki).
With the game Super Princess Peach, Nintendo turns the story around: Here, Bowser kidnaps Mario, and Peach has to rescue him. When she returns to her castle after a walk and sees what has happened, she immediately wants to rush to help him. Using the umbrella Perry, which she uses for her attacks, she can save Mario.
The two have done almost everything together – Peach is indispensable in Mario games, and vice versa. A Mario movie is also coming soon, where Peach certainly cannot be missed. After all, the two have been together for 38 years.
Enchantress Ilanya sends you to search for her former love, who has been dead for 10,000 years: Priestess Driana. She had committed a betrayal, was killed, and has wandered as a ghost ever since. It’s up to you to purify her so she can return to Ilanya: “There is a place where Enchantress Ilanya and I spent many happy hours. The love that pervades such a place is stronger than devil magic.”
After Driana never thought she would see the love of her life again, the two are brought back together.
There is also a love couple in Destiny 2. The two legendary guardians, Saint-14 and Osiris, are in love, as Bungie confirmed in 2020.
Osiris is the mentor of Ikora Rey and the former Vanguard commander who was exiled. The Titan Saint-14 served as the first Titan Vanguard leader. Through them, you experience a captivating backstory in which Osiris must save the Titan.
Since the story of Season 12, it has been relatively clear to players that the Warlock Osiris and Saint-14 have romantic feelings for each other. Osiris found notes from Saint, in which he talks about “his fiery phoenix.”
After the community discussed the supposed love couple, narrative designer Robert Brookes spoke on Twitter. He writes: “Yes, Saint and Osiris are gay. They always have been.”
When Osiris was in a very bad state in Season 18 and lying in a coma, it was again the 14th who lovingly took care of him and never gave up on him. In the end, everything turns out well. Thanks to a special cup of tea, two beloved characters experienced the sweet and tender reunion they deserved.
Osiris recovers and returns stronger in Season 19. It was an emotional and hard-fought reunion in Destiny 2. Especially considering all they have been through together.
Final Fantasy XIV: Nanamo and Raubahn
After the Garlean conquer Raubahn’s homeland, he flees to Ul’Dah, where he ultimately becomes the Phoenix general and companion of the Sultana Nanamo Ul Namo.
He remains loyal to her, and a deep bond between the two can be recognized. The scenes between them suggest that Nanamo cares for Raubahn very much. Later in the game, it becomes clear that Raubahn’s feelings are more paternal in nature – he loves Nanamo like a daughter.
When someone attempts to assassinate Nanamo during a festival and she seemingly lies dead on the ground, Raubahn loses his composure. He is shaken by her apparent death and kills Teledji, who insulted the Sultana. Shortly thereafter, someone cuts off his left arm.
Later, when it becomes clear that Nanamo is merely in a comatose state and not dead, Raubahn receives the antidote. He can thus resurrect Nanamo.
What do you think of our list? Can you think of more couples? Feel free to write it in the comments here on MeinMMO!
War of Dragnarox is an upcoming MMORPG by Triune Studios. It features detailed graphics with stunning landscapes and gameplay reminiscent of Dungeons & Dragons.
In 2021, the developers announced War of Dragnarox for the first time. About 5 months ago, an upgrade to Unreal Engine 5 was implemented, making the graphics look even better.
Real people lead your adventure as Dungeon Masters
What kind of game is it? War of Dragnarox describes itself as a “dynamic warfare MMORPG” that offers its players a lot of freedom.
The story revolves around someone named Dragnarox who has taken control of the hearts of all creatures. However, the king was able to push them back. 200 years later, Dragnarox returns with his army, and players must fight against them.
In the video, you can see the beautiful graphics of the MMORPG:
Start video
War of Dragnarox Unreal Engine 5 Trailer
The special thing about War of Dragnarox is that real people are supposed to guide you as Dungeon Masters through the MMORPG, at least during certain events and quests.
They are supposed to control the gameplay by spawning monsters, triggering traps, changing the map, or rewarding players with treasures. “No day or dungeon run is the same,” the developers explain on the website. Thus, the MMORPG resembles the tabletop classic Dungeons & Dragons.
What other content does it offer?
You choose from 6 different classes and create your character.
A large world map with 30 zones and different biomes for you to explore.
Crafting
Solo but also group content
In the endgame, there are supposed to be 19 different raids.
This is what the landscapes of the MMORPG look like:
Aiming to avoid a real-money shop
Another special feature compared to other MMORPGs is the absence of a cash shop. In War of Dragnarox, all items and any equipment are supposed to be earnable. Players do not have the option to gain an advantage by spending real money.
There should also be no cosmetic items. “Cosmetics improve with higher gear,” it states on the website. This could mean that weapons and armor shine or glitter when upgraded to a higher level.
“To be honest, we’re just tired of cosmetics and in-game advantages that require payment,” the developers write. Therefore, War of Dragnarox comes with a subscription model to cover costs for employees and servers.
Additionally, you have to purchase the game at the start. On the Steam page, it is currently listed as “free,” but the FAQ of the website says otherwise.
When will War of Dragnarox be released? The release of the MMORPG is planned for Q3 2023. Currently, only closed alpha tests are underway.
What do you think of the MMORPG? Do you want to try War of Dragnarox when it comes out? What do you think of the idea of having real people as Dungeon Masters? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments here on MeinMMO!
In Fortnite today, on February 14, the servers are going down on all platforms (PC, Mac, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, Android). Maintenance is being used to load update 23.40 onto the servers.
What is happening today in Fortnite? This Tuesday begins again with major maintenance from Epic Games for Fortnite. For this reason, the servers are being taken down so that the update can be implemented. When you can play again and what to expect in the patch, you’ll find out with us.
Update 1:20 PM: The maintenance of the servers is over, and we have listed all the known patch notes from Epic Games directly under the gray box. (via fortnite.com)
What new content does the update bring?
The “Most Wanted” event has started: Fortnite has launched a new event after its update. With Most Wanted, you can complete many quests to earn items like gliders, pickaxes, and even a skin with a back bling for free.
A new event
You can find the tasks in Fortnite in your quest tab. The event runs until February 28 at 8 AM German time.
New exotic weapons for the event: With the new event, Epic Games also brings 5 new exotic weapons that have many functions. The following are known:
Looted Breacher Shotgun
Can destroy walls with one shot
Looted Explosive Assault Rifle
Shoots explosive projectiles
Looted Accelerator Shotgun
The movement speed and fire rate of this exotic shotgun increase when you deal damage to opponents
Looted Shootgun Submachine Gun
The SMG provides you with boost juice and reloads while sprinting
Looted Blitz Magazine Submachine Gun
This SMG grants you a zero point boost when you reload
Old weapons are back as well: However, the event not only brings new weapons but also old ones back onto the battlefield.
These weapons have returned
You can expect the following options:
Hand Cannon
Dual Pistols
Heavy Sniper Rifle
Jumpstone Piece
Suppressed Pistol
Boom Sniper Rifle
Note: During Fortnite Most Wanted, motorboats, bows, and bow-specific Augments are temporarily removed from the Battle Royale/Zero Build modes.
New event changes the standard modes: With the Most Wanted event, the build and no-build mode are turned upside down. Everyone is assigned a so-called wanted level, which can be increased by kills and opening vaults.
The higher your wanted level, the better for you, because you gain advantages in your match. The advantages include:
Eliminated opponents drop more bars.
Your movement speed is increased by 15%, and you fully regenerate your stamina outside of combat.
Your movement speed is increased by 20%, and you fully regenerate your stamina and half of the maximum shields outside of combat.
Your movement speed is increased by 25%, and you fully regenerate your stamina and shields outside of combat.
New Augments for the event: Your Augments should not miss out either. With the “Most Wanted” event, you can choose four new upgrades. These are called:
Exotic Random
Receive a random exotic looted weapon.(Stays in the game until Patch 23.50)
Sharp Shooter
Your sniper rifles have an extra bullet in the magazine.(Stays in the game until Patch 23.50)
Keymaster
You receive two keys to open holo chests.
Last Shots
The last two bullets in your pistol magazine deal bonus damage.
Most Wanted Leaderboards with free items: However, Epic Games does not stop here and gives away more free items to the most ruthless bank robbers among you under the Most Wanted leaderboards.
These are the rewards
However, you can only inform yourself about this starting February 16 on the Epic Games site.
COMPETITION NOTES:
Also in update V.23.40, the FNCS Major 1 continues! Check out the competition tab in the game for more information.
The exotic looted weapons from Fortnite Most Wanted, returning weapons, and the wanted level mechanics are not available in competitive game modes.
The Augments “Exotic Random” and “Sharp Shooter” are not available in competitive game modes.
IMPORTANT BUG FIXES:
A bug has been fixed that temporarily disabled the Augment “Shadow Assassin.” This Augment is now reactivated.
Fortnite: Server Down – When and how long are they offline?
This is the downtime in the morning: The servers are expected to go down at 10:00 AM German time according to Epic Games to install a hotfix. Matchmaking is already disabled 30 minutes prior, so you won’t be able to search for new rounds starting at 9:30 AM.
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When can you play again? This is a relatively large update. Therefore, it is likely that Epic Games could bring the servers back online at 11:00 AM or even 12:00 PM. However, this is not confirmed.
We will update this post as soon as a start time is known or we have new info.
When will the patch notes come out? Epic Games usually publishes a short list of patch notes on their site shortly after the update. If that happens, we will briefly list them for you here.
What content could appear with update 23.40?
Epic Games reveals hardly any new info about upcoming content before a new update. Trusted leakers like Shiina have been keeping an eye on the hidden data for a long time and generally know what players can expect. This time you can expect the following items:
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However, there is no guarantee that this content will actually be in the update. If there are problems, Epic Games might remove some of it and only release selected content. However, this has been rare in the past.
In the meantime, you can read about the current state of Fortnite, which is out of control:
Destiny 2 has undergone many changes with Witch Queen, shaping players into unbeatable Guardians. For this reason, over time, many activities have also become easier for players. However, that should change with Lightfall.
What is the problem in Destiny 2? The loot shooter is getting easier from DLC to DLC. The new subclass changes have further compounded this, causing many Guardians to roam around with way too powerful builds.
These builds allow you to unleash abilities like grenades and ultimates at the flick of a wrist, and that within just a few seconds. Or they turn you into literal sponges, laughing off any incoming damage.
Essentially, Destiny 2 is currently struggling with the power of its Guardians, as this leads many players to quickly grow bored of the activities.
However, this will soon change, as Bungie reported in their big “State of the Game” post that they want to bring more challenge back to Destiny 2.
Start video
Destiny 2 shows new insights into Strand in its trailer – The focus in Lightfall
Bungie is addressing power creep in Destiny 2
What is power creep? The term explains a situation that arises when new enemies and abilities are so powerful that they overshadow older elements in the game. In Destiny 2, this mainly concerns the older activities like strikes. The Focus 3.0 update has made the Guardians so powerful that such activities no longer pose a challenge.
What does Bungie want to do? To make Destiny 2 challenging again, Game Director Joe Blackburn talks about two points that Bungie aims to address:
Tuning your abilities
Bungie knows how much Guardians love to dominate with their abilities. Despite this, Destiny 2 is a game that should not be solely governed by abilities. For this reason, in Lightfall, the cooldown of all abilities will be increased by a moderate amount.
Also, the resilience mods will receive an energy boost. Small versions of the resilience mods will be increased from 1 to 2 energy, while the large mods will be increased from 3 to 4 energy.
Adjusting enemies in activities
Many of the activities are also too easy, for this reason Bungie has implemented a slider with the base heist battlegrounds that allows for the enemies to be adjusted to be more difficult or easier.
Here, Bungie has already experimented with its players in Season 19
The developers have been observing how the Guardians have performed and have concluded that they want to maintain this difficulty for the heist battlegrounds.
The battlegrounds were used as testing grounds
The Vanguard Ops, i.e., strikes, will receive the same system but in a diluted form. Newcomers will thus be provided with the complete Destiny 2 experience with a touch of challenge.
This is how Bungie wants to change your power: According to Joe Blackburn, Bungie is constantly working on improving the experience in Destiny 2. However, the grind for power and pinnacle caps is holding back this experience for many Guardians. Many players, according to Blackburn, cannot participate in all activities because they do not meet or can reach the necessary prerequisites.
For this reason, Bungie is working on overhauling the system behind power and will not even raise it in Season 21.
With the last DLC “The Final Shape,” the system will then be “strongly changed.” What this will mean is still uncertain. It could be that the developers might completely remove the system to not hold players back anymore or that they will present another, smarter solution for it.
That was all about the upcoming changes regarding your strength. What do you think of Bungie’s plans? Do you think it’s enough to set Guardians straight? Feel free to leave us a comment!
In FIFA 23, cheaters are causing more and more trouble, and now even invisible teams are appearing. A well-known Twitch streamer has had enough and is calling on EA to take action.
A new alleged cheat is now drawing attention, which leaves players with absolutely no chance because the opponents are simply invisible.
This is what the alleged cheat is about: A tweet has garnered a lot of attention, in which a FIFA player reports an encounter with an invisible team.
The player posted a video of the FUT Champions match, which shows that everything looked normal at the beginning. But as soon as the match was kicked off, the problem became clear: all players of his opponent were invisible.
A situation that makes a fair game absolutely impossible. After all, you can’t see where the opposing defenders are or where the opponent might pass the ball next. Only the ball is visible, which is not particularly helpful.
You can see how unfair this all is here:
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How do the invisible teams come about? Whether the invisible teams are indeed a cheat cannot be said with 100% certainty. It could also be a really annoying bug.
However, cases of invisible teams are currently increasing and appearing simultaneously with other new cheating methods. Moreover, invisible players have so far only been discovered, according to the community, among PC opponents, which could indicate a hack.
A Twitch streamer has had enough and demands: “Wake up, EA!”
Almost simultaneously, after invisible teams appeared in FIFA, the well-known Twitch streamer and YouTuber NickRTFM (via Twitter) posted a video on Twitter in which he urges EA to finally take care of the cheaters in FIFA 23.
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In the video, which has already been viewed 169,000 times, NickRTFM explains that he has “had enough of hackers” and has encountered a total of 7 cheaters in 5 days. He reports that he also became a victim of an invisible team, had to play against AI teams, and played against cards that had far more skills than they should have had.
A problem that we have presented to you in more detail here:
NickRTFM finds the solution of turning off crossplay to avoid encountering PC players unsatisfactory and says: “It’s like just putting a band-aid on the problem.”
He demands from EA: “It’s your responsibility, fix the problem. Fix the hackers. It’s ridiculous that we all have to play against hackers. It’s not even possible to reach certain ranks in the Weekend League because you encounter 3 to 4 hackers on weekends. Fix it!”
What do you think about the cheaters? Have you already encountered an invisible team? Let us know in the comments!
Each of us has that one game that we love more than all others. Tell us about your great gaming love in our FYNG survey.
Gaming is a very passionate hobby. Our favorite games provide us with many hours of experiences that we remember for years to come. We embark on adventures in fantastic worlds, on alien planets, or in other eras.
We take on the roles of adventurers, knights, space marines, squids, cats, undead, and countless other characters. It is joked that gamers do not have one life but many.
Above all, we all have that one game that truly captivates us. The game from which we could never get enough. Perhaps we lost ourselves completely in the story and the game world, wanting nothing more than to keep playing. Or maybe we had unforgettable adventures with friends in that game, making it something truly special.
Which game comes to mind first with this description? We have already shared our favorite games in a video, now it’s your turn!
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The Favorite Games of the MeinMMO Editorial Team
Since there are now as many games as there are grains of sand on the beach, we are keeping this survey open. Just write in the comments which game is your great gaming love and what makes it so special for you.
How did you become aware of your favorite game? Was it by chance, or were you eagerly anticipating it before its release? What was the special spark that excited you about that game? Or do you perhaps have several? Let’s drool together over our favorite games.
Often, our favorite game is not even the first one we ever played. Especially for those who started gaming during the days of Pong and Space Invaders. In another survey, you can tell us when you discovered your love for gaming.
Months ago, “The Day Before” was one of the most highly anticipated new games on Steam, but the shine is quickly wearing off. After delays in the release and a disappointing trailer, there are once again difficulties with the “The Division, but with Zombies” game. The Day Before has disappeared from Steam, and YouTube videos are now being taken down. The team hints on Twitter that dark powers are blackmailing them. However, they aren’t receiving much understanding in return.
The game became one of the most anticipated games on Steam thanks to the strong trailer.
But in recent weeks, strange stories about the game have been piling up, causing many previously enthusiastic players to doubt whether everything is above board. The team doesn’t even possess the rights to the name “The Day Before”, but they promised to resolve the issue.
The game has now disappeared from Steam, and a new video on YouTube has also vanished from the platform. Attempts to clarify these events on Twitter have failed.
Start video
Everything you need to know about the new MMO The Day Before – In 2 Minutes
The team explains why Steam and YouTube are removing content
This is the latest development: In a tweet from February 12, the team states that content from “The Day Before” has now disappeared from Steam and YouTube.
As an explanation, the team released “3 facts”:
The rights holder to “The Day Before” is a calendar app that has nothing to do with the game.
After presenting the game in 2021, this person wanted to take over the title and registered rights to the title before the team of “The Day Before”.
Now it is said that the trademark owner offered to contact the team to “discuss something” – here it seems implied that the “owner” has essentially taken the title hostage and will release it if paid.
The statement ends with “We will fight. In the truth lies strength.”
Popular calendar app reminds users “one day before” about important dates
Who holds the rights? As PC Gamer reports, it apparently stems from a calendar app from South Korea, “TheDayBefore (D-Day Countdown)” by TheDayBefore Inc., which is interfering with the creators of “The Day Before”.
It is an app with over 10 million downloads that is supposed to remind users “the day before” the important date that it is approaching.
The app has over 96,000 reviews in the Google Store and boasts a strong rating of 4.6 (via playgoogle).
The most popular review of the app is already from November 2020 – thus, before the presentation of the same-named game “The Day Before”.
Why is the team embarrassing themselves with this? It seems amateurish. They have gone public with a title without securing the rights to the name. “The Day Before” (the day before) is such a general expression that someone else could very well have come up with it as a title for something.
Now the developers claim that someone has exploited the team’s oversight in not registering the title, and instead of clarifying their own oversight, they are further elevating it with their Twitter post.
The team is trying to portray themselves with statements as the “underdog no one believes in”, yet it seems they simply messed up the name and are now avoiding responsibility for the mistake, looking for someone to blame who is protecting their rights to the name.
In the comments on Twitter, it states:
“You guys just have no idea what you’re doing.”
“I can’t sympathize with a company that can’t manage to protect its game before it explodes on Steam.”
“Yes, if you don’t protect the name and someone else does, your stuff will be taken down as soon as you publish anything with that name – either you settle the dispute (not easy when you’ve forgotten), or just change the name?”
At PC Gamer, there is a strong recommendation for the developers to finally get a PR team instead of going public with unfiltered tweets.
From potential players on Twitter, the “underdog/victim” role does not seem to be accepted. Here, impatience is evident, especially since the team has already lost a lot of credit with the second delay of the release date to the end of 2023.
But appearances can be deceiving, as Ubisoft has another live service game that regularly receives new content, has a loyal community, and still maintains a certain interest among players, and it turns 6 years old today, on February 14, 2023.
What game is it? Besides titles like Rainbow Six Siege and The Division 2, Ubisoft provides a game with regular updates that is talked about far too infrequently: For Honor.
In For Honor, players fight against each other with various classes like knights, samurai, or vikings, showing in duels who the better fighter is. Similar to Rainbow Six Siege, the medieval “beat ’em up” also regularly receives new seasons that bring new content.
For example, Year 6 Season 4 introduced the new hero Afeera. In general, the team behind For Honor is constantly working to improve the game and create new content. There are even roadmaps for individual months. A community manager from Ubisoft even shared the roadmap for February on reddit.
2023 marks the start of Year 7 for For Honor, and fans can continue to look forward to new content. The number of games that receive regular updates 6 years after their release is limited, which makes it all the more surprising that no one is talking about For Honor.
We have embedded the reveal trailer of the hero Afeera here:
Start video
For Honor: Afeera Hero – Reveal Trailer
Solid Player Numbers on Steam
How strong is the interest in For Honor still? The community of For Honor may not be particularly large, but they are loyal to the title. The reveal trailer of Afeera garnered over 141,000 views on YouTube. In the comments, many players agree that they are looking forward to the new hero.
In comparison, the trailer for Season 10 of The Division 2 has around 100,000 views (via YouTube). This is surprising because For Honor actually receives new updates more regularly and reliably than the loot shooter. One might think that the hype for a new season in The Division 2 is greater because they appear less frequently.
Moreover, the player numbers for For Honor on Steam are solid and can hold their own against other titles that also feature a loyal community.
Here are a few comparable values of player numbers for similar titles over the past 30 days (as of February 14, 2023, via SteamCharts).
For Honor – 3,486.6
World of Tanks – 3,157.5
Halo Infinite – 3,606.3
Chivalry 2 – 1,706.6
Insurgency: Sandstorm – 2,297.6
In December 2022, For Honor was even on par with the prime example of a game that has a loyal community: Titanfall 2. For Honor had an average of 2,867.9 players that month, while Titanfall had 2,308.3.
However, it is difficult to determine how many players For Honor has worldwide. The game is not only available on Steam but also on PlayStation and Xbox as well as in the Epic Games Store and Ubisoft Connect.
For Honor is Unmatched
Why is For Honor still being played? For Honor caters to a niche with its gameplay concept. The skill-based combat system, featuring swords and other medieval melee weapons, is relatively unique. Of course, there are classic fighting games like Street Fighter, but this type of melee combat is quite unique.
Titles like Mordhau and Chivalry 2 are comparable, but they focus more on large battles with numerous players. Mordhau is somewhat reminiscent of a Battlefield with knights. In For Honor, 1v1, 2v2, or at most 4v4 duels are primarily in focus.
With the big February update, Lost Ark celebrates its one-year anniversary in the West. In line with this, Amazon delivered the new continent Rowen, which was meant to be the highlight of the first year. A survey on reddit now shows that it is not well received by the fans.
What kind of continent is this? Since the release of Lost Ark in the West on February 8, 2022, the world we currently play in has been almost complete. Only the continent South Vern was added last April and advanced the story. After that, only other new content like raids and classes have been added to the game.
Accordingly, the anticipation for the new continent Rowen, which came into the game on February 8, 2023, for the birthday of Lost Ark, was huge. Here, you follow the story of the free city of Eliyaback and the four factions that reside there.
What does Rowen do well? Great praise was given for the approximately 3-hour story of Rowen. This raises the narrative standard of the story significantly. Additionally, it is noticeably bloodier than the previous story segments of Lost Ark.
It is often said that the story is becoming more mature, which is generally well received. The scope of Rowen, with a total of 3 new large maps and several side quests, is also well regarded. Not too much, but also not too little.
New quests were also brought by the Witcher event in Lost Ark:
Start video
The Witcher is coming to Lost Ark – New trailer shows why this fits really well
The uniqueness of Rowen becomes its downfall
What problem does Rowen have? We don’t want to spoil anything here, but once you have completed the main quest of the continent, you will have to choose one of two factions. Once you have done that, you will be PvP-flagged across the entire continent.
This means that outside of safe zones, such as teleporters and cities, any player from the other faction can attack and kill you. This makes even simple gathering tasks on the continent a torture for many fans.
Because while it is already annoying on other continents that there are gathering items for only one player, but several are on site, others not only grab the items from you this time but also take you down.
Faction rank causes additional frustration: Even if you have no desire for PvP and are just a player who enjoys collecting all items, you will have to deal with other players. Because two of the items you need to complete the adventure folio of Rowen depend on your faction rank.
For participating in PvP events, kills of other players, and a small selection of weekly quests, you gain faction experience to level up your rank. Here you can buy one of the needed items only with rank 3, the other even only with rank 7.
To reach rank 7, you need 19,500 faction experience. However, for a single kill, you only receive 3. In the worst case, you will have to defeat 6,500 players just to complete the gathering tasks. Something that is not well received in the community.
Reddit survey shows: 80% of people do not want to play Rowen
How are the fans reacting now? The fact that Rowen is not particularly well received by the fans became apparent quickly in the in-game chat and in various reddit threads. Now, however, one user has even started a survey.
He wanted to know from people if they would continue to play Rowen after claiming all the rewards. So just for fun, because they like the continent or the PvP events and enjoy being on Rowen.
Only 302 people responded with “Yes”, which does not bode well for the longevity of Rowen.
The survey results are clear
What do the players say? Even in the comments under the survey, there are only a few positive voices. We would like to share some with you so that you can get an impression of the mood (via reddit):
enigT writes: “I play Hermut [the area boss in Rowen] until Elgacia comes, so yes.”
tiatafyfnf says: “I stopped playing Rowen after the wolf mask. Maybe I just won’t bother with all of this.”
Kevadu tells the survey creator: “Bold of you to assume that I will play Rowen long enough to collect all rewards.”
IDareKI writes: “Definitely not. All PvP content is called a ‘failed experiment’ in Korea and there’s a reason for that.”
IndependentCake says: “I would even pay to never have to go there again. The trolls who just want to ruin your day are unbearable.”
Diablo 4 is the upcoming installment of the popular ARPG series and focuses more on MMO elements than previous Diablos. As part of Find Your Next Game LOVE, MeinMMO was able to ask the developers some questions about co-op and other features. We now know more about how you can play together.
To better prepare you for what to expect in Diablo 4, MeinMMO spoke with the Assistant Game Director of Diablo 4, Joe Piepiora.
Piepiora has been with Blizzard for over 5 years, initially as the Lead Designer of Heroes of the Storm. Previously, he worked on Lord of the Rings Online and as Lead Systems Designer on Wildstar. We primarily asked him about the multiplayer in Diablo 4.
<strong>Diablo 4 takes the best features from the predecessors – Here is what it looks like so far</strong>
“Play the campaign together – no matter how far you are”
MeinMMO: Can I play the campaign together, even if the players are at different progress points? How does sharing missions work?
Joe Piepiora: Yes, you can! When you join another player’s group, the world and campaign will seamlessly update to reflect that player’s progress. This way, you can team up with friends and enjoy the campaign together, regardless of where each player is in the campaign. If you have completed a quest that the other player is stuck on, you will not receive the reward for completing it again, but you will still earn experience and loot from everything you do along the way.
MeinMMO: Can I join an online group with my local co-op partner?
Joe Piepiora: Yes, you can, we do not limit multiplayer functionality for local co-op in any way.
MeinMMO: What advantages do clans have? Is there a meta system like in Diablo Immortal?
Joe Piepiora: Clans do not provide power advantages at the launch of Diablo 4. They exist to help build communities of like-minded players that ultimately aim to create groups of players and share tips and strategies.
More from Find Your Next Game on MeinMMO, GameStar, and GamePro:
“Equipment from PvP should not be stronger or easier to obtain”
MeinMMO: What rewards are there in PvP?
Joe Piepiora: Players who enter the Fields of Hatred can exchange their hard-earned Red Dust for special cosmetic rewards and random equipment. The equipment you find in PvP should not be stronger or easier to obtain than from other experiences in Sanctuary, but rather an alternative for our … bloodthirstier players.
MeinMMO: How did you like the first previews?
Joe Piepiora: It reminds me of a quote. “A ship in the harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for.”
Diablo 4 has been in development for years and has been largely under wraps. A project like this is one that you invest a lot of yourself into, and the Diablo universe is one that many of us grew up with. That’s why it’s so important that we deliver an experience that we are proud of. At some point, however, perfect or not, it is time to unfurl the sails and set sail.
It has been incredibly rewarding to read the feedback and opinions of those who have had the chance to play the game so far. Finally letting the game speak and providing the experience we’ve built all this time.
MeinMMO: Will there be changes to the release version based on feedback from journalists and players?
Joe Piepiora: We have made some adjustments to the difficulty and polished the tutorial based on feedback from journalists. We have made more extensive changes based on player feedback from the closed beta. One element was reducing the number of World Tiers from 5 to 4 to provide a less fragmented experience for players at higher difficulties. We also made significant changes to the balance across all classes to ensure that there are many viable builds for players.
MeinMMO: Thank you for the answers!
That Diablo 4 will be good is not just a wish of the developers. The upcoming hack’and’slay carries more on its shoulders than just the success of a single game or even its franchise, but is an important milestone for the future of its entire genre:
In Fortnite players can collect not only skins, weapon wraps, gliders, and pickaxes, but also banners. These symbols are considered collectibles in the community and show how long you’ve been participating. For this reason, we present to you the rarest of their kind and explain how to obtain them.
What are banners? In Fortnite you can equip a banner that represents your account and character. This will then be displayed when players inspect you or you are killed by a player. Note that only your opponent’s banner will be shown then.
For this reason, players like to wear rare banners so that they are displayed upon kills, to show off. Now that you know which badges are actually rare, we will show you 5 examples of them and explain their history. Maybe you’re lucky and own one of these examples.
Start video
Fortnite: Gameplay trailer for Chapter 4 Season 1
1. Alpha Tester 11
Alpha Tester 11
What kind of banner is this? Only players who played the alpha version of Fortnite received this banner. To receive the 11 version, you had to participate in 11 different alpha tests. This emblem is therefore the rarest that players could have earned.
2. Battle Bus
Battle Bus
What kind of banner is this? The banner with the Battle Bus is known to every player, who understands the meaning behind OG. To acquire this cool symbol, players had to reach rank 10 in Season 1 Chapter 1 and then buy the banner in the Season Shop. At that time, Fortnite was not as popular as it is now and few knew the battle royale shooter. For this reason, very few have this gem in their collection.
3. Vulture
Vulture
What kind of banner is this? Players could only get the Vulture symbol if they played up to rank 66 in Season 2 Chapter 1. At that time, the grind to the maximum level of the Battle Pass was a nightmare. You had to invest a lot of time into the game until you managed to reach the point of owning the banner.
4. Dinosaur Skull
Dinosaur Skull
What kind of banner is this? The Dinosaur Skull is another unique item that could only be obtained with a lot of effort. To secure the banner, players had to play up to rank 99 in Season 3 Chapter 1. Not an easy task, as even in Season 3 the grind for XP was a tough venture and very few players mastered this challenge.
5. Epic Games
Epic Games
What kind of banner is this? The banner with the “Epic Games” logo belongs to the rarer and especially special symbols in Fortnite. This is only awarded to employees and developers of Epic Games personally.
Therefore, if you encounter a player with such a symbol on the battlefield, it could very likely be a developer of Fortnite taking a break with Fortnite.
Note that all the banners we have listed can no longer be obtained and are therefore very rare.
Those were our 5 rarest emblems in Fortnite. Which ones do you have in your possession and which do you like to equip on your account? Feel free to leave us a comment and tell us your favorites.
Riot Games has announced that they want to overhaul the bot lane and jungle in the next League of Legends patch. In the upcoming patch 13.4, they aim to address the issues of ranged supports. Additionally, the jungle will also come back into focus for the developers.
What will change with the patch? Riot Games broke the entire game for several hours with the last patch. They deleted the last changes and thus ran as if with patch 13.1. However, this should not be a problem in the next patch. Riot focuses on the bot lane and jungle so that the other roles can have more fun:
The focus is on the duel between ranged and melee support champions. The items for melee supports will be strengthened to make the role more attractive, while the ranged support items will be weakened.
Some of the currently strongest champions in the jungle will be weakened. These include Elise, Maokai, Udyr, and Amumu. In return, Viego will receive a buff.
The advantage of experience from kills will be reduced, and champions who are lagging behind will receive a smaller experience bonus in the future.
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
Riot Games makes strong junglers even stronger
What changes in the jungle? The currently strongest junglers are getting a nerf from Riot Games. This allows new junglers and champions to explore and claim the jungle.
Due to the changes in the experience bonus from kills, junglers will be more focused on taking down their jungle camps rather than spending time on the lane.
Riot Games also wants to reward diligent junglers. Opponents who are lagging in levels will not receive as big a bonus as before and will continue to fall behind. This further highlights when the own jungler is stronger than their opponent.
The community is very pleased with this change. User “HANCOCK_LOL” writes that it would be the best change they (Riot) have made in years (via twitter)”:
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Riot Axes writes (via reddit), that the 3 vs 3 on the bot lane is much too quickly decisive for the game, so that other roles cannot have an influence on it. They want to counteract this in the next patch.
The two support items “Spectral Blade” and “Thief’s Knife” will be weakened for ranged supports. At the same time, melee champions will receive a buff on their items.
This should prevent fights on the bot lane from being decided too quickly. With this adjustment and the changes in the jungle, other roles like top and mid lane will also have the chance to shine.
What do you think about rewarding good junglers and making it no longer so easy to catch up? Let us know in the comments.
If you want to hatch eggs in Pokémon GO, you have to walk a lot – otherwise you won’t get rid of them. Some players think it’s time for a change. Do you too? Participate in the survey below!
It regularly happens in Pokémon GO that the egg pool is scrambled. Then you get different monsters from hatching than usual.
One such case is the upcoming global Hoenn Tour in Pokémon GO, which will feature regional monsters in the 10-km eggs. However, other eggs have also been filled with event spawns in the past.
But there is a problem: Before such events, many players have to cover a lot of kilometers because otherwise there is no room for the “new” eggs with event monsters. After all, egg storage only offers space for 9 eggs, plus three more from Adventure Sync rewards or from Rocket bosses.
So you can collect a maximum of 12 eggs, and then it’s over for a while. A point that frustrates some players, as a recent discussion in the Pokémon GO subreddit shows.
Are the eggs in Pokémon GO a problem? Trainers suggest solutions
A trainer suggests: One user shared a screenshot of their egg collection in the Pokémon GO subreddit (via reddit). They have collected 8 ten-kilometer eggs and four 12-kilometer eggs.
He asks: “Can we please get the option to discard eggs? It’s quite annoying without incubators when you want to get 7-km event Pokémon.”
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So he proposes that eggs that he doesn’t want to hatch can simply be removed, thus making room for new ones. Because: What kind of eggs you get is largely out of your hands. You can secure 7-km eggs from friends, 12-km from the Rockets – but 2-km, 5-km, and 10-km eggs are randomly added to your collection when you spin PokéStops and have space.
In the comments, the idea receives support, but also little hope. Many players suspect: The developers probably won’t change anything about it.
After all, incubators are popular items that can be purchased for coins in the shop, and currently the only way to get rid of eggs (via reddit). One user simply writes: “Go for it, buddy” (via reddit).
How could this be solved? On the other side, players also argue that Niantic might actually earn more through incubators if they could truly collect the eggs they want.
“I know I won’t spend money just to get rid of a bunch of lousy 5km eggs, but maybe I will if I want to hatch a bunch of cool eggs during an event like the Hoenn Tour,” argues a trainer (via reddit).
Alternatively, the trainers also suggest variations. Such as:
“They should give us a permanent super incubator for level 50,” suggests a user (via reddit).
“Or at least a second infinite incubator” (via reddit).
“The buddy Pokémon should carry a separate egg. Give it a backpack, and then you could manage two eggs at once. If they can cause tsunamis or fight immortal beings […], they can also carry eggs.”
We want to know from you: What do you think about changes to the eggs in Pokémon GO? What kind of solution would you wish for – if at all? Participate in the survey and tell us in the comments how you feel about the situation.
Otherwise, everything is coming up in Pokémon GO soon, from spotlight hours to the Hoenn Tour. You can find the most important dates in the overview of the events in Pokémon GO in February 2023.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
On the YouTube channel “Boy Meets Girl”, Taryn and Nick deliver fun gameplay videos to their viewers, showcasing what it’s like to date your co-op gaming partner at the same time. MeinMMO asked the couple a few questions about the background of the channel and their relationship. The article is part of our campaign Find Your Next Game: Love Edition.
Taryn and Nick are currently very successful on their joint channel “Boy Meets Girl” on YouTube. Since their first video, which was released on June 5, 2021, they have been regularly uploading new gameplay videos and have gained 114,000 subscribers.
The YouTubers are especially known for their game series: “Made my Girlfriend Play”, in which Taryn tackles new games for her and both hilariously comment on the gameplay.
But you can also find “Date Nights”, where they showcase joint gameplay and the first “Made My Boyfriend Play” video on their channel.
MeinMMO conducted a written interview with the two YouTubers, asking questions about getting to know each other, their relationship, and the channel, and learned how they even met and how the work affects their partnership.
Here you can get a little impression of the couple’s various videos
“I accidentally stole the barbell Taryn was using”
MeinMMO: Would you please introduce yourselves to our readers?
Both: Hello! We are Taryn and Nick from the YouTube channel Boy Meets Girl.
MeinMMO: How did you meet? When did you decide to start a relationship?
Nick: We both met during our college orientation when we were working out at the gym. I accidentally stole the barbell Taryn was using. When she came back to get water and confronted me, I felt really embarrassed and moved to another part of the gym.
I tried to avoid her for the rest of the orientation because I was embarrassed, but we kept running into each other. Before we knew it, we had exchanged phone numbers and became friends.
Taryn: I thought he was cute, so I kept trying to talk to him! We spent the rest of the summer texting and calling each other, and then we started dating within the first few months of university. It’s been like that ever since!
Sometimes you also find your future partner in games:
MeinMMO: Who came up with the idea to start a YouTube channel? What other ideas did you have for the concept of the channel?
Nick: We both had the idea for the channel together. The first push for the channel and our “Date Night” series came when Taryn started playing games with me and my friends. We had a guys’ night and suddenly she joined in.
At first I was a little worried about upsetting my friends because I didn’t want to be the guy who brings his girlfriend to everything. Then we noticed that during game nights when Taryn didn’t play, everyone would always ask where she was. This made us think that people obviously liked playing with her, and we wondered if others would enjoy watching that too.
Taryn: Then we decided it would be funny to take it a step further and leave me to tackle some of his single-player favorites. Originally we did our first “Made My Girlfriend Play” video as a kind of one-off experiment.
People enjoyed it so much that we kept getting comments asking for more videos of this kind, and eventually we decided to turn it into a whole series. Thus the series “Made My Girlfriend Play” was born.
Here you can see the latest video of the series:
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“From the start, we put our relationship first and that hasn’t changed.”
MeinMMO: Did you have any concerns about openly showing your relationship on YouTube? What expectations did you have?
Taryn: When we started, we weren’t sure what to expect. We just took it one step at a time and promised that we would always have fun with it.
Relationships are, of course, something personal, and we value our privacy. However, due to the positive feedback and love we’ve received, we feel increasingly comfortable sharing parts of our private life with our viewers. From the beginning, we put our relationship first, and that hasn’t changed.
MeinMMO: How has working on the YouTube channel affected your relationship?
Nick: It’s definitely something that has brought us closer together. There have been many highs and lows in finding a process that works for us, but I would say it has really helped us communicate and get along beyond YouTube.
The special thing about it is probably that it gives us something we enjoy and can work on together as a team, which is really cool. We’ve never had a project like this before.
In the “Date Nights”, we see the two playing games together, like “The Survivalists” (Source: YouTube)
MeinMMO: How do you manage your time with a full-time job and the channel? How do you split the work for creating footage, editing, uploading, etc.?
Taryn: It can be a bit challenging to juggle work, the channel, and life. We have limited time together, so we mostly spend that time playing.
An advantage we have is that we can both work on a project together at every stage of the process. We can both write, record, and edit. So if one of us is busy with their work, the other often works on a video. We have to be super organized, and we’ve found that it’s more about taking the time rather than trying to find time.
Nick: Exactly! Most of the time we split the work on each video 50/50. We can always rely on each other for help, and we cover each other’s weaknesses. In the end, it’s a two-person show, and we couldn’t do what we do if we weren’t a team.
The fans of the channel asked the YouTubers so many questions that they recently held a Q&A (Source: YouTube)
“It’s really fulfilling to see that our videos have a positive impact on so many people”
MeinMMO: How have your friends and family reacted to the channel?
Taryn: They have all supported us a lot! When we made the first few “Date Nights”, we thought of our friends, as those were the games we played when we got the original idea for our channel. They were all our biggest fans along the way and we are really glad to have them around.
MeinMMO: What is the motivation behind the videos for you? What do you enjoy most about them?
Nick: Our videos were originally a passion project to get more practice in editing. One goal we set at the beginning of the channel was to learn a new editing technique in each video. This goal still exists today. However, we now have a much broader range of skills and knowledge, so the challenge isn’t as great as it used to be. It’s been really fun to look back at some of our older videos and see how far we’ve come.
MeinMMO: What are your favorite moments you’ve experienced together through your work on YouTube?
Taryn: I think the best part of our videos is hearing stories from our viewers about how we’ve inspired them to play, or how they have their own Date Nights. It’s really fulfilling to see that our videos have a positive impact on so many people.
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One of the most viewed videos on their channel: Taryn tries her hand at Elden Ring
MeinMMO: How do you decide which games to use for the videos?
Nick: Normally, I have a pretty good idea of what the next few “Made My Girlfriend Play” videos will be because Taryn takes longer to play those, so she needs more time. We usually plan the “Date Night” videos around that. Occasionally, we’ll come across a game that excites us that we want to try, so we generally have a somewhat flexible schedule where we can shift things around.
Taryn: Most of the games are ones that Nick has been talking about for ages, and I’m usually very excited to finally see what they are all about. We also get a lot of recommendations from our viewers. We try to play a healthy mix of both, but at the end of the day, the most important thing is that we have fun!
MeinMMO: What games would you recommend to our readers who want to get their partner excited about gaming? Can you name 3?
Nick: It’s hard to narrow it down because there are so many different types of games. The first game that comes to mind is definitely “It Takes Two”. That’s probably the best start if you’re looking for a game with a lot of collaboration.
Then I would say “Stardew Valley”, because it’s such a light, carefree game with low stakes. You can play however you want, and you don’t have to worry about the game ending.
And finally, I would recommend the “co-op mode in Portal 2” if you want to ease someone into a first-person perspective game. We played this game on the channel recently, and it was fun to solve the puzzles together.
Here’s the video of Portal 2 that Nick means:
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MeinMMO: What are your plans and ideas for your channel in the future? Can you already give our readers a little preview?
Taryn: We have some fun ideas we want to try out this year. We recently released our first “Made My Boyfriend Play” video, and while it was a little strange to flip the format, we had a lot of fun with it and are already talking about other games we want to tackle in this style.
Nick: We also had the idea to revisit some of the older “Date Night” games, but with more than just the two of us. Now that the channel has grown, we want to take our time with these new ideas, so keep an eye out for new stuff this year!
We would like to sincerely thank Taryn and Nick for the interview and wish them continued success with their YouTube channel “Boy Meets Girl”.
“Clash: Artifacts of Chaos“ is an upcoming action game on Steam, where you protect a small creature as a fighter. You find yourself in a surreal world full of unique beings. The release of the game is in March 2023.
In the game, you take on the role of Pseudo, a true martial arts master. He lives as a hermit in a bizarre world called Zenozoik. You encounter the “Boy” of a small raven-like creature with special abilities. You must protect him from the being Gemini, the mistress of artifacts.
The game is developed by ACE Team Software, who have already created two games in the Zeno Clash series. Clash: Artifacts of Chaos takes place in the same universe as its predecessors, but can be played completely independently of the other parts.
Here you can see a trailer for Clash: Artifacts of Chaos:
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Clash: Artifacts of Chaos – Story Trailer
Protect the Boy and fight your way through Zenozoik
What does the gameplay in Clash: Artifacts of Chaos look like? As a master of martial arts, a large part of the gameplay revolves around how you deal with your opponents. Your strongest weapon: your fists.
Attack, dodge, block incoming attacks, and counter the strike to execute a powerful special attack.
You can also switch to first-person perspective to perform special techniques. Additionally, you will learn new arts on your journey and can switch back and forth between the various abilities to adapt to your opponents.
If you win a fight, you can further improve your attributes and level up attacks to create your own fighting style.
Before you dive into the brawl, you can challenge your opponents to a dice game. The winner then has the opportunity to set the rules of the fight to their own advantage. It may happen that the other summons monsters as allies or there are movement restrictions.
It is purely a single-player title, in which you embark on the adventure alone.
What has the community said so far? On YouTube, many players express positive comments about the upcoming game under the story trailer. Especially the colorful world and the strange creatures spark interest. However, the comic-like style of the game is also well received:
Ailona: “This looks so unique, I am very excited!”
AGYR: “What creepy creatures, but wonderful graphics”.
Simon Rockstream: “Great art style”.
When will Clash: Artifacts of Chaos be released? The game was originally scheduled to be released on February 9, 2023, on Steam. However, the developers wanted to revise some aspects due to community feedback and therefore postponed the release by several weeks. The new release date is now March 9, 2023.
29-year-old Kaitlyn Siragusa has built an empire as “Amouranth” with risqué content on Twitch and the paid platform OnlyFans. She often walks the line of what is allowed on the streaming platform. Now she reveals how she evaded a permanent ban that had permanently banned her rival Indiefoxx from Twitch in 2021.
What was the rivalry like? In 2021, a new meta took over the streaming platform Twitch: female streamers were splashing in hot tubs and licking their microphones in the ASMR category.
Two female streamers stood out particularly with this type of content: Amouranth and Jenelle “Indiefoxx” Dagres. The two streamers competed for viewers.
Indiefoxx accused Amouranth of copying her content and profiting from her creativity – it made her sick (via dexerto).
How did the feud end? In June 2021, Indiefoxx was eventually banned permanently from Twitch and switched to YouTube. Amouranth, on the other hand, became one of the most successful streamers on the platform.
In an interview with the U.S. site Dexerto, Amouranth now provides some background on the ban.
Start video
The 5 biggest Twitch bans that caused a lot of commotion
How does Amouranth describe the situation today? In the interview, the streamer discusses the controversial “Ear Licking” meta: female streamers lay in tight leggings on their beds and licked their microphones.
“All the girls did it,” says Amouranth.
This went too far for many viewers and eventually also for Twitch, leading the platform to implement bans against the licking.
Amouranth explains that she and Indiefoxx were among the first to be banned. But while she apparently took the warning seriously and adjusted her content, Dagres was driven by the rivalry between the two to produce increasingly provocative content.
I was one of the first to be banned, and she was too. I withdrew and started creating safer content, but she continued and crossed the lines. So I pulled back in time, but because she didn’t, she got banned.
So one could say that I lured her into being banned, but I just tried to pull back.
Thus, Amouranth unintentionally managed to outshine her biggest competitor on Twitch. Indiefoxx herself confirmed about a year after her ban that she was banned due to a wardrobe malfunction in her last ASMR stream.
The story shows that Amouranth, despite the apparent frivolity of her content, acts very thoughtfully and calculated. For years, she has been testing the limits of Twitch without jeopardizing her career on the streaming platform. Even her first ban in 2019 turned out to be an advantage for her:
A manufacturer sells a gaming keyboard for the equivalent of 750 euros. But what do you get for so much money? After all, for that money, you can also get a PS5 with games or a small gaming PC.
Behind the cumbersome name “Angry Miao Cyberboard Terminal Mechanical Keyboard” lies a mechanical keyboard with a futuristic look that is reminiscent of the Matrix films.
Specifically, it is a 75 percent keyboard. The keyboard therefore does not offer a numeric keypad and no special keys on the right side of the keyboard, making it particularly suitable for gamers who need more space on their desks.
Base set is available for 550 euros, but without switches and keys
The specifications of the keyboard read familiar and are initially not surprising. Hot-swap capable switch sockets are used, which means: You can switch the switches anytime. Otherwise, the keyboard is connected via USB-C or Bluetooth 5.0. The keyboard features RGB LED lighting per key, and the housing is made of partially transparent, sandblasted black polycarbonate.
What’s included in the base set? The base set for around 600 US dollars (557 euros) includes a total of three circuit boards (PCBs): one for the keyboard, another for USB PCB, and one LED PCB. Additionally, it comes with a transport box, a tool set, and a counterweight to keep the keyboard stable on the table. The keyboard is already quite heavy as it is and weighs around 2.5 kg with switches and keys, according to the manufacturer.
However, the base set does not include keycaps and switches; you have to purchase those externally. A set of keycaps can be found on Amazon for around 40 euros.
What’s included in the complete bundle? An alternative would be the complete set for 810 US dollars (around 753 euros). Here, you not only get the key switches but also the appropriate keycaps. The bundle includes 80 tactile Kiwi switches that you can then install on the keyboard yourself.
Additionally, the set comes with an “Angry Miao Glacier” keycap set. These are transparent so that you can see the RGB lighting as well.
Housing material: Partially transparent, sandblasted black polycarbonate
Type of switch mount: Hot-swap capable switch sockets
Type of plate mounting: Sealing mount
Weight from mirrored PVD stainless steel
RGB LED lighting per key
Connectivity: USB-C, Bluetooth 5.0
Battery capacity: 2 batteries with 5000 mAh each
Weight (base plate): 2 kg
Weight (complete set): 2.5 kg
Why does the keyboard cost so much money? Anyone who has ever bought a so-called custom keyboard knows that these can get quite expensive. In addition to the three circuit boards, you also receive a high-quality housing and a stable finish. Furthermore, the RGB lighting on the back costs a good part of the keyboard’s budget. You don’t even see this lighting while typing.
The price seems a bit high for the base set in our eyes, but the premium for the complete set is justified since you get 150-euro switches and keycaps as well as other accessories. Those who buy decent switches and keycaps will pay about the same.
Moreover, you can find other worthwhile and not-so-expensive keyboards in our purchasing advice directly on MeinMMO:
In 2023, several promising MMOs and MMORPGs are on the horizon. We look at what to expect this year and which exciting titles are waiting for their release in 2023.
What is the general mood in 2023? Between 2015 and 2021, there was a prolonged phase where things looked rather bleak for fans of online games and MMORPGs, but from then on, some titles had a true surge.
In September 2021, New World opened the world of Aeternum and managed to attract nearly over 900,000 players simultaneously on Steam. Even though the game was riddled with bugs and other annoyances, it has built quite a fanbase and is still unmissable in 2023.
Smaller MMORPGs like Swords of Legends Online, Elyon, Fractured, and the long-awaited Crowfall also launched. Although Crowfall as well as Elyon are already shut down in 2023, there haven’t been this many MMORPG releases at once for a long time: a good sign.
Anyone wanting to talk about MMOs and MMORPGs in recent years cannot bypass Lost Ark. With one of the highest player peaks on Steam of all time, the Korean Iso-MMO crashed into the West and can still impress a year after its release. Find out here what makes Lost Ark so lovable.
Start video
These are currently the 7 most popular MMORPGs 2022
How is the list of games with the best prospects compiled? The list is a personal selection from our MMORPG author Mark Sellner. He has been writing about MMOs, MMORPGs, and multiplayer gems on MeinMMO since June 2021.
The selected titles mainly focus on those that are very likely or even certain to be released in 2023 and, according to the author’s assessment, can deliver on their promises. Therefore, games like Ashes of Creation, which are unlikely to release in 2023, are absent here.
The list follows no fixed order, and each game can be seen as the next highlight of 2023.
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1. Throne and Liberty – Completely different from what was originally planned
Genre: Action-MMORPG | Platform: PC, Xbox Series, PS5 | Release: First half of 2023
This is Throne and Liberty: The story of Throne and Liberty goes back further than many other MMORPGs. The game was originally supposed to continue the famous Lineage series in the 2010s, which is a really big deal, especially in Korea.
Initially, the game was supposed to be released in an isometric perspective, similar to Diablo or Lost Ark, and be filled with monsters. However, during the development, NCSoft ultimately decided on a classic 3D view.
For a long time, Throne and Liberty was quiet, which by the way has only recently gotten its name. Before 2021, it was only called “Project TL”, and even earlier, it was called Lineage Eternal. After the MMORPG was originally supposed to be released at the end of 2022, it is now set for the first half of 2023.
As a reason for the delay, developer NCSoft states that they need to find a perfect partner for the release in the West, the game itself is actually already finished. This initially raises hopes for the title.
Transformed into an eagle, we can explore the world
So far, the development has gone: Originally, Throne and Liberty was supposed to be something completely different than it is today. Announced in 2011 as Lineage Eternal, it aimed to lead the Lineage brand away from PC and towards more mobile devices. Eternal was meant to be playable on both devices.
At practically the last second, the Korean team from NCSoft canceled the release of TL. Eternal was no longer to be released. Instead, they announced a complete reboot called Project TL. The new project was supposed to not only use the then-new Unreal Engine 4, but also have new personnel in charge.
Subsequently, the game fell into a kind of development hell:
Project TL was initially supposed to enter beta in 2018 and be released by 2019 at the latest, said the team back in May 2018.
After that, there was no news about the MMORPG for about a year and a half. Some fans even wondered if the project was completely dead.
In November 2021, the official news came: Project TL is to be released worldwide simultaneously in the second half of 2022.
In March 2022, Project TL was finally shown to fans. The name changed to Throne and Liberty and a completely new world was created, focusing on story, environment, and action.
Although Project E will take longer to arrive, the first trailer looks quite nice:
Start video
New MMORPG from AAA studio shows stylish cinematic trailer – Looks like a Netflix hit
This is Throne and Liberty at best: If everything goes well, Throne and Liberty will bring the long-missing innovation into the MMORPG genre. It could be an AAA blockbuster at a really high level that offers a completely immersive world.
Especially the focus on weather, which can actively change the world, could work beautifully and create a world that never stays the same. Furthermore, NCSoft is already known for developing grand and long-lasting MMORPGs. If the long wait pays off, Throne and Liberty could be more than just the MMORPG of the year 2023.
As Project E is already planned as a supplementary game, this could be a sign that the developers also want to go a long way with Throne and Liberty and therefore do a lot to make the game even stronger.
This is Throne and Liberty at worst: Even if it wasn’t necessarily bad, a second New World debacle could still be waiting for us. Behind New World also stand a lot of money and a big studio – that alone unfortunately does not guarantee a good game.
As a golem, we go into battle; will everything go well technically?
What can come in the way of the MMORPG are mainly potential technical problems and game mechanics that don’t translate well into reality as they might sound on paper. The long development time also raises doubts about whether the game will actually come to fruition.
Pro
Famous MMORPG developers with lots of experience
Originates from one of the strongest MMORPG franchises in the world
Promises many innovative mechanics
Previous videos suggest stable technology and beautiful graphics
Project E promises security for the future of the game
Contra
Very long development is rarely a good sign
Developers often remain silent about the game for long periods
Innovative ideas could flop
This is planned for 2023: Since Throne and Liberty is supposed to be released in the second half of the year, it’s reasonable to expect that the marketing campaign for the upcoming MMORPG will ramp up soon. Accordingly, we anticipate public tests, betas, and additional trailers for the game.
Otherwise, the release is afoot, which we will, of course, follow for you on MeinMMO.
