The Twitch streamer Hasan “HasanAbi” Piker is raising funds to support the earthquake victims in Syria and Turkey. However, some people’s aversion to him seems to be so strong that they want to prevent the donations.
What good cause is it about? Like many others, the streamer was shaken by the earthquake that struck parts of Turkey and Syria on February 6. More than 4,300 people have lost their lives, many more are still missing and may be buried under the rubble (via CNN).
In addition, there are people whose access to water or electricity has been cut off.
On the same day, HasanAbi shared a fundraising call from the Turkish streamer Jahrein and promised to do everything in his power to help those affected (via Twitter). After just 15 minutes, it is said that $150,000 in donations had already been collected (via Twitter).
But the streamer’s efforts have been sabotaged.
Start video
Twitch streamer with only 1 viewer becomes famous through a nice gesture – This is her story
Viewers prevent $50,000 donation
How was the fundraising campaign sabotaged? Several major content creators wanted to participate in the fundraising campaign. Among them was YouTuber IShowSpeed, who is usually known for his quite hyperactive and loud streams.
IShowSpeed not only called on his viewers to donate but also wanted to contribute $50,000 himself. However, fans of the streamer claimed it was just a scam: HasanAbi would pocket the money himself and go on expensive shopping sprees.
Personal aversion should not stand in the way of a good cause
How is this being discussed? YouTuber Cr1tikal talked about the situation in a spontaneous video. He made it clear that both HasanAbi and IShowSpeed are indeed controversial figures in the streaming scene, but in this case, they are undeniably doing something good.
Cr1tikal urged viewers not to let their personal aversion to the content creators blind them or come up with reasons why what they are doing is somehow wrong:
No matter how you look at it, bringing money to people in need after such a tragedy is a great thing. […] You may dislike Hasan until the end of days, you can tear them apart on Twitter as much as you want, […]. But when he does something good, like this, don’t try to find some crazy way to depict it as a terrible thing.
How does HasanAbi himself react? The Twitch streamer has now expressed himself in his own stream about the attempts to sabotage his fundraising efforts. He said he has done nothing wrong, neither in this situation nor in the past.
He has only bought a house and a nice car, according to HasanAbi. However, he pointed out that there are major problems right now, and affected people suffer from the consequences when donations are blocked.
I hate it. These people are so damn desperate to portray me as the villain, even when I am actively trying to raise money for a cause, that they harm the fundraising efforts. Literally, people are buried under rubble right now.
HasanAbi
Despite the opposing efforts, HasanAbi has already raised over $700,000 in donations (as of February 7, 8:20 PM, via softgiving). On Twitter, the streamer thanked his community:
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The incredible sum that HasanAbi has already been able to raise for the earthquake victims shows the influence Twitch streamers can have when they use their reach for a good cause. Be it large planned fundraising marathons or completely spontaneous actions:
In life, we make many decisions and very often we only realize afterward how good or bad they were. Some of these decisions change our lives so much that we can hardly imagine how it would have been otherwise. To find the love of my life, I had to make one decision in particular, one that I never thought would lead me to her.
Therefore, I want to tell you the little story of how I met the woman I later married and with whom I now have a wonderful child.
The article was published as part of our action Find Your Next Game: Love Edition. Here is the overview of the joint event with GameStar and GamePro:
The release of World of Warcraft in 2005 redirected my life in a whole new direction. Back then, I was 17 and had to beg my parents to pay for the monthly subscription to WoW. Not so easy to explain to parents why they should now pay 13 euros per month for their child to spend even more hours in front of the computer than they already do. Fortunately, they eventually gave in. Daily nagging and talking for hours about how important it was to me must have worked.
It was my first real MMORPG and especially the first one that captivated me. The huge open world, the possibility to play with others, the fast and quite easy entry, as well as all the things you could discover. It was just incredibly exciting because everything was unknown and new to me. I had never seen anything like this in gaming before.
That was my first character in WoW. A paladin who reached level 40 – but with a shovel as a weapon!
Over the years, countless hours in the game and in TeamSpeak followed. Especially the latter is part of the whole nostalgia around WoW Classic for me. Hanging out with others in TS until 4 AM, running in circles with your character in Ironforge while talking about life and everything – that was a special, unforgettable beautiful time. Back then, I was also a smoker and during those nights, cigarettes were consumed faster than I let lemmings fall to their death in Lemmings. Definitely unforgettable how the keyboard looked from the ash of the cigarettes.
Lemmings was a game for the Amiga.
To this day, I have spent over 20,000 hours in WoW. It would be interesting to know how many of those hours I spent running in circles. Ultimately, WoW ignited a fire in me for MMOs and specifically for MMORPGs. Accordingly, I tried everything that came onto the market as a WoW killer – Lord of the Rings Online, RIFT, Warhammer Online, and whatever they were called. But one also captivated me and, like WoW, brought my life in a new direction – Star Wars: The Old Republic.
Star Wars and a new MMO? I have to play this!
These were my thoughts in 2009 when I first realized that Star Wars: The Old Republic from EA and Bioware would be available. Of course, I knew Star Wars Galaxies. However, the train had passed me by for too long, so I saw SWTOR as the chance to make my mark in this wonderful universe because I love Star Wars.
Back then, I informed myself about games on various gaming websites and through magazines. In 2010, I happened to stumble upon Oldrep.de. Maybe some of you know this SWTOR fan site from gamona, which later continued to exist under SW-Planet.de. In any case, they were looking for voluntary contributors to report on SWTOR.
At that time, I was a student, had time, and wanted to see what it was like to work editorially. My studies in German and Scandinavian studies might suggest an editorial career path. However, I applied more out of whim than because of a concrete career vision. Oldrep.de seemed like the opportunity to write something about a topic I was passionate about.
Oldrep.de became SW-Planet.de and covered Star Wars in general.
As someone who spent countless hours in MMOs and was willing to write articles for free, I was probably a good candidate for the site operators. They certainly didn’t hesitate long and took me into the team. A passionate volunteer and MMO nerd – that must have sounded fantastic back then.
How important the decision was to apply back then only became clear later. Without this application, I would neither have met my wife nor would I likely be practicing my current profession. Accordingly, my work back then, although unpaid, was an absolute gain for my life.
“I am the guild leader – don’t you want to join my guild?”
My wife was playing Aion and Guild Wars at that time. She found her passion for MMOs with both games and earned a lot in these two games. I am still amazed at how easily she can grind things in games – I totally stink in comparison. In any case, she was also interested in SWTOR and had an internship at gamona during her master’s degree. She was then part of Oldrep.de, and that is where we got to know each other.
That was initially purely a professional collaboration and stayed that way for quite some time. We communicated as a team back then through Google Hangouts and there was not much more to it at first. That only changed after the release of Star Wars: The Old Republic. Because after the release, my wife was looking for a guild and as luck would have it, I was then the guild leader of a great guild called Calacyria. We came from WoW and simply wanted to play SWTOR as well.
So back then I said to my wife: “Hey, I am the guild leader of a guild – don’t you want to join my guild? No problem, I can just add you.” Why I emphasized being the guild leader, I don’t remember. As if it were some kind of special feature or an accolade. Fortunately, she wasn’t put off by the “Look how cool I am” and joined the guild.
The two SWTOR characters of my wife and me on Makeb.
In the guild, we logically spent more time together in the game, more time in TeamSpeak. We played dungeons, raids, earned hard-earned credits, and left no survivors as bounty hunters and Sith warriors – it was great. Over time, more developed between us, and it happened that she visited me in real life. What can I say: She blew me away.
Back then, I wasn’t sure if I wanted a relationship. My last few relationships were already two to three years ago, but somehow I was undecided. What I did know was: If I enter into a relationship, then one that could potentially end with marriage and children. I was tired of short stories. I told her all of this just as openly and honestly. It didn’t scare her off and we entered into a relationship that has now lasted over 10 years.
So we got to know each other through work and then slowly fell in love through SWTOR. Today we play World of Warcraft together since I was able to convince her that this could be our gaming home after a modest development of SWTOR.
I certainly haven’t forgotten the little extra income. That I found my wife had another significant impact on my life. The decision to build a life together with her also led to me becoming self-employed today (in the areas of editing, online marketing, and project management) and working for GameStar, GamePro, Mein-MMO, and others. This self-employment would never have been possible without her.
My wife was the one who had a first trainee job after her studies and financed our life with it. My self-employment only generated around 200 to 300 euros per month in the first few months. Accordingly, she had to finance and support both of us. In the meantime, my work is on solid and successful ground. She has also pursued a great career path and is very successful.
However, she is still the one who supports me in difficult moments of self-employment. Without her, I wouldn’t be living my dream job – I know that. For this, I am forever grateful to her. I am daily grateful to have a strong, loving, and fantastic woman in my life.
All of this just because I started with WoW in 2005, discovered my love for MMOs, and thus became interested in SWTOR. I then whimsically applied for an open position at Oldrep and was lucky that my wife looked past some “macho thing”. These are the decisions in life that later made me think: “Wow, that really changed everything.”
I look forward to the next adventures with my wife. A big one is currently our child, and what comes next will show itself. Only one thing is clear: MMOs will always be a part of our lives, and we make a damn great team.
A reputation faction in WoW: Dragonflight is quite unpopular – because players always miss it. Now the developers are significantly improving it.
In Dragonflight, there are a handful of reputation factions where farming is worthwhile. However, one of them is particularly tricky for some players. The Tuskarr can theoretically be quickly brought to “maximum reputation”, but in practice, this takes quite a while – at least when one does not constantly keep an eye on when the cooking event in Iskaara takes place.
To help players catch up more quickly here – and to complete the weekly mission more reliably – Blizzard is helping everyone and changing the event.
What was the problem? The most annoying problem with the cooking event was the time interval at which the event takes place. Because it only happened every 3 ½ hours for 15 minutes each time. Those participating could earn between 400 and 900 reputation within those 15 minutes – depending on the crowd and a bit of luck with the distribution of tasks.
However, one always had to check in advance when the cooking event was taking place. Although there is already a timer on the world map 15 minutes before the event, anyone who wanted to be really efficient had to have the timers displayed externally, such as through addons or websites like wowhead. Often, one simply missed the event because they were in a dungeon at the time of the start.
At the Tuskarr, cooking is being done – now even more than before.
What has changed? From now on, these problems are smaller; the cooking event now takes place every 90 minutes. This means not only that you can earn significantly more reputation with the Tuskarr per day, but also that you always see a timer on the world map:
15 minutes before the event starts, you will already see the symbol on the map indicating that cooking is about to begin.
During the 15 minutes of cooking, you can also read this on the timer.
In the hour after cooking, you can see that the event is over and that the soup can just be eaten – before the cycle starts again.
This way, it is permanently visible on the world map when the event takes place, and one can plan their time better. At the same time, it is not so bad if one misses a cooking event, as there are now many more opportunities to participate.
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What else has changed? In addition to the more frequent occurrence, the head chef should now also give out multiple tasks simultaneously. This was a problem when a lot of players participated in the event. Then it could well happen that one did not receive any tasks for minutes and made no progress, while the others rushed from mission to mission.
What do you think of this change? Useful and helpful? Or do you earn reputation now way too quickly and without effort?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Pokémon GO you currently have a short time to secure the heart-shaped haircut at Coiffwaff. We at MeinMMO show you how to get this rare form and how long you have to do it.
Which Pokémon is it about? In Pokémon GO, from today, February 8, 2022, the Valentine’s Day event is running, where you can encounter the Normal-type Pokémon Coiffwaff. The special thing about this dog-like monster is its penchant for various hairstyles, which is why it can show a total of 9 different forms.
One of these forms is the so-called heart-shaped haircut, which you can secure in the coming days. What you need to pay attention to and how long you have time for it, we have summarized for you below.
How to get Coiffwaff with heart-shaped haircut
How do you get the heart form? Unlike most other Pokémon, you can’t simply catch the different forms of Coiffwaff in the wild, but you have to transform them into this form yourself. However, this is quite simple, but it will cost you a lot of Stardust.
First, you need to catch a Coiffwaff (fluffy form). This is the standard form. Once that is done, you need to proceed as follows to give it a heart-shaped haircut:
Select the desired Coiffwaff in your Pokémon bag
Now click the “Change Form” button
Now you have the option to choose one of the available forms, for example, the heart-shaped haircut.
After you have chosen your desired form, you just need to confirm the change by clicking “Change Form” and you have secured the heart shape.
This is how you change Coiffwaff’s form
By the way: In this way, you can change the forms repeatedly. So you do not always have to use a Coiffwaff in the fluffy form, but can also adjust any other form.
How expensive is the form change? To change the form of Coiffwaff to another, you need to pay 10,000 Stardust and 25 Coiffwaff candies for each change.
How long do you have for the heart-shaped haircut? With the form change, Coiffwaff does not only offer the one special feature, because you cannot secure the different haircuts anytime and anywhere. Thus, the heart-shaped haircut is only available during the Valentine’s Day event.
You only have the opportunity to give your Coiffwaff this form from February 8, 2023, at 10:00 AM local time until February 14, 2023, at 8:00 PM local time. After that, it will no longer be changeable into this haircut for the time being.
When it will be available again is not officially known yet, but based on experience, it is expected to be at the next Valentine’s Day event. So if you want to secure the heart-shaped haircut, you should hurry.
But there is also a lot to consider with the other forms of Coiffwaff. How to get them and what they look like, we will reveal to you in the following article:
Here you can find Coiffwaff for the event: To get the fluffy form of Coiffwaff, you should stay alert in the game over the next few days. During the Valentine’s Day event, it will spawn more frequently in the wild.
Is there a shiny Coiffwaff? Yes, the shiny variant of Coiffwaff has been active in the game for a few months. However, for the first time, you can also transform a shiny specimen into the heart shape. In the following image, we show you what it looks like.
Coiffwaff in fluffy form and heart-shaped form normal (left) and as shiny (right)
Is Coiffwaff strong? Coiffwaff is not particularly strong, and it also cannot benefit from any evolutions. For this reason, it is especially interesting for collectors and shiny hunters.
For use in the GO Battle League or in raids, you should rely on other monsters, such as the best attackers in Pokémon GO. We show you a selection of the strongest Pokémon in the following video:
Start video
Pokémon GO: The strongest attackers of all types in the video
What do you think of the heart-shaped form of Coiffwaff? Will you secure the form during the Valentine’s Day event? Or is the form change simply too expensive for you? Let us know here at MeinMMO in the comments and exchange ideas with other trainers.
In Pokémon GO, the Limited Research “Lovely Wishes” coincides with the Valentine’s Day event 2023. We show you all the content in overview and what the different paths bring.
What kind of research is this? In this research, you can choose a path that either gives you more catching XP, longer duration of the Daily Adventure Incense, or double catching candies.
Here in the overview, we show you all tasks and rewards, so you know exactly what to expect.
Stage Reward: If you complete all three tasks and collect the respective rewards, you will also receive 500 Stardust, 500 XP, and 1 Lucky Egg.
Choose a path: After you finish the first chapter, you will need to choose a path.
The Yellow Path gives you double XP for catching Pokémon
The Red Path doubles the duration of your daily adventure incense
The Blue Path gives you double candies for catching Pokémon
The bonuses last until the end of the event
Depending on which path you choose, one task and one reward will change in the next chapter – You will receive the corresponding bonus
Lovely Wishes 2/2
Task
Reward
Catch 10 Pokémon
Encounter with Swablu (Pink)*
Catch 25 Pokémon
Encounter with Swablu (Blue)*
Catch 8 different species of Pokémon
Encounter with Swablu (Pink)*
(Yellow Catch Path) Earn 25,000 XP
(Red Smoke Path) Catch 15 Pokémon with the daily adventure incense
(Blue Candy Path) Use 25 Pineapples when catching Pokémon
Encounter with Swablu (Blue)*
Send 25 gifts to friends
Encounter with Swablu (Pink)*
*You can encounter Swablu as Shiny
Stage Reward: If you complete all three tasks and collect the respective rewards, you will also receive an encounter with Swablu (Blue)* and an Incense Module. If you chose the red smoke path, you will also get 25 Ultra Balls.
In this research, you have the opportunity to encounter some Swablu. With a bit of luck, you may even catch your first Shiny of this species that gets activated with the Valentine’s Day event 2023 in Pokémon GO.
The bonuses you can tailor for yourself in this research are also exciting. Let us know in the comments why you chose which path.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Pokémon GO the Valentine’s Day event starts and brings you plenty of spawns, bonuses, and a new Mega Evolution. And shiny hunters will also get their money’s worth. We at MeinMMO show you all the content you can expect for this event.
What kind of event is it? On the occasion of Valentine’s Day, a corresponding event is held every year in Pokémon GO. In this event, you can especially encounter monsters that fit perfectly to this occasion due to their appearance or type.
Now it’s that time again, and starting from February 8, you can expect plenty of spawns and bonuses. New Shinies and a new Mega Evolution will also be present. We have summarized what content you can look forward to in the coming days.
When does the event take place?The Valentine’s Day event runs from February 8, 2023, at 10:00 AM local time until February 14, 2023, at 8:00 PM local time.
All spawns for the Valentine’s Day event
During the Valentine’s Day event, you will encounter changed spawns in the wilderness, in raids, and in 7 km eggs. These are thematically oriented around Valentine’s Day, as in previous years. Some new monsters will also be included.
We have summarized which spawns will be available and where you can find the individual Pokémon.
All monsters that you can also encounter in their shiny forms are marked with a (*)
All wild spawns
In the wilderness, shiny hunters should keep their eyes open for Quabbel (female) in the coming days, as this monster will appear in its shiny form in the game for the first time.
But monsters like Flabébé or Coiffwaff can also be found there during the event. Note that Flabébé has different forms that you can only catch in certain regions. For instance, in Europe, only the red variant spawns alongside the ones with white and orange flowers.
The following monsters are also waiting for you:
Nidoran (female)*
Nidoran (male)*
Eneco*
Volbeat*
Illumise*
Fleknoil*
Quabbel (female)*
Flabébé (Red flower in Europe, Middle East, Africa)
Coiffwaff (fluffy form)*
Bubungus
With a bit of luck, you might also encounter these Pokémon:
Chaneira*
Ohrdoch*
Mamolida*
Flabébé White flower
Flabébé Orange flower
More Flabébé can be found during the event in the following regions of the world:
Flabébé (Blue flower) in the Asia-Pacific region
Flabébé (Yellow flower) on the American continent
All Raid bosses for the Valentine’s Day event
The Raid bosses also adapt to the event. For many players, Mega-Gardevoir will be especially interesting, as it makes its debut in the game in this context. Gardevoir is already counted among the best attackers in Pokémon GO. Its Mega Evolution is a bit stronger and can especially be seen as one of the best fairy Pokémon.
Another interesting monster is Kapu-Fala. The legendary Pokémon from the Alola region will also be found for the first time in its shiny form. You will recognize it by its black color.
Kapu-Fala normal (left) and shiny (right)
In the raid battles, it is best to rely on the strongest attackers in the game. We have summarized a selection for you in the following video:
Start video
Pokémon GO: The strongest attackers of all types in the video
Contents of the 7 km eggs
As you already know from other events, the 7 km eggs are occasionally changed and filled with event Pokémon. This is also the case during the Valentine’s Day event, which is why you will find the following Pokémon in the eggs:
Schlurp*
Kussilla*
Wonneira*
Quabbel (female)*
Quabbel (male)*
Mamolida*
Here again, Quabbel will be especially interesting, as this monster can be caught in both its forms for the first time as shiny. It can also evolve into Apoquallyp.
Quabbel and Apoquallyp female and male normal (top) and shiny (bottom)
All bonuses for the Valentine’s Day event
Besides plenty of spawns and Shinies, you can also expect various bonuses during the event. We have summarized what you can look forward to:
What kind of day is it? As you might already know from other events in the past, there will also be a research day for the water Pokémon Liebiskus. On this day, you can spin limited tasks at the PokéStops, rewarding you with encounters of the heart-shaped fish. With a bit of luck, you might even encounter one or the other shiny specimen.
Liebiskus normal (left) and shiny (right)
In addition, during the mini event, the wild spawns will briefly change, allowing you to encounter the following monsters:
Flegmon*
Schlurp*
Miltank*
Liliep*
Barschwa*
Parfi*
Imantis
Mamolida* (rare)
When does the research day take place? The research day with Liebiskus will take place on Saturday, February 11, 2023, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
Which contents of the Valentine’s Day event do you like best? Will you secure Mega-Gardevoir? Or do you have another favorite? Let us know here on MeinMMO in the comments.
The new quarterly report from Activision Blizzard reveals fantastic numbers for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. As a player, however, the release was experienced quite differently – shaky and unfinished. Why, then, is the shooter still breaking franchise records?
How successful was CoD MW2? The new quarterly report reveals broken records for Modern Warfare 2 among the premium titles in the series, meaning the annual paid titles (via investor.activision.com). Here, the latest shooter in the series can put down two big exclamation points:
Most sales in the first release quarter
Most play hours at this point after a release
Activision Blizzard does not provide exact numbers, but it makes comparisons with values from previous years. After 2 rather weak years, Call of Duty is back on track, which also applies to the Blizzard games.
Exciting is the approximately 60% increase in revenue compared to the previous year from operating business for the Activision segment. A real figure, and since Activision is effectively made up entirely of Call of Duty, the increase is almost entirely due to the franchise.
This also includes Warzone or CoD: Mobile. But the direction is clear. However, many players perceived the release of CoD MW2 as really bad – how does that fit together?
How did the release of CoD MW2 go? On MeinMMO, we closely followed the release, were often in the community and maintained a server downtime article for a long time. Because the servers were very unstable throughout the entire first weekend.
Some were lucky, able to play for hours without issues
Others could hardly start a match or play at all
Additionally, there was significant criticism regarding missing features that had been present in almost every CoD release until now. At first, one could not access statistics – in Warzone 2, that still isn’t possible to this day.
There was great disappointment due to the absence of hardcore modes. These are only coming with Season 2, which were also delayed by 2 weeks. Additionally, the first content drops from Season 1 for CoD MW2 consisted of two old maps that were recycled.
On top of that, there were the usual small errors, glitches, and bugs that accompany almost every major release.
Overall, the release went worse than it had in years. Especially with the server problems, the usual CoD level was not reached, making it hard to play for long periods or invite friends to the squad.
What’s already known about Season 2 can be read here:
So why was CoD MW2 so successful? Call of Duty is an incredibly large franchise with annual full-price titles. It is too short-sighted to only look at one year. For many players, 2022 was once again a CoD year to look forward to.
Black Ops Cold War (2020) had an interesting setting but was already weaker than 2019
Call of Duty scored a hit in 2019 with the reboot of Modern Warfare. Together with the release of Call of Duty: Mobile (before) and Call of Duty: Warzone (after), new standards were set. After the problematic CoD Black Ops 4 (2018), they achieved a turnaround with a reboot.
Similar factors are playing a role again now. We live in a time of “sequels”, whether in gaming or other parts of the media landscape. Many players of CoD MW 2019 had been waiting for the successor to arrive. And they were rewarded.
Additionally, there is the “Warzone effect”. The first part of the free Battle Royale utilized the technology of CoD MW 2019 and attracted millions of new players into the world of Call of Duty. Warzone 2 utilizes the technology of CoD MW2, and all these players already knew the advantages of owning the premium title MW2 in Warzone.
It was a calculable success, but certainly, more could have been achieved. Then, due to the poor release, CoD MW2 stood in its own way.
Activision writes in the latest report: “Across the entire Call of Duty franchise, our teams are working to enhance the success of the fourth quarter, with our plans for 2023. This includes more engaging live services across all platforms and the next full annual premium release in the blockbuster series.”
Currently, there is discussion about what this could mean. Some see this as a clear announcement of a new CoD title. The author of the report “No CoD 2023”, journalist Jason Schreier, further states that this could rather involve DLC content, not a standalone CoD.
First theories are already surfacing that the next CoD reboot is on the way and that the popular Black Ops series may reboot. Due to the successes of Modern Warfare, this is indeed a plausible option.
The YouTuber Maximilian “HandOfBlood” Knabe (30) is one of the most popular gaming influencers in Germany. Because he used gender-sensitive language in a video, he received hate comments – now he explains why he still uses gendered language.
What was that video about? In a YouTube video from February 5, 2023, HandOfBlood showcased the new office of I3 Holding GmbH, which includes the creative agency Instinc3 and the eSports team Eintracht Spandau.
At the time of the article, the video had nearly 620,000 views and reached 6th place in the general trends on YouTube. This actually indicates the success of the video, but it also means that it is viewed by many people outside of the intended target audience.
In this case, it led to comments from people expressing their displeasure that the content creator uses gender-sensitive language: He genders, for example, referring to influencers as Influencer*innen. The comments reportedly range from claims that he is state-funded to death wishes.
On Twitter, the Spandau native explains why he still genders.
If you want to learn more about the eSports team Eintracht Spandau, check out our video:
Start video
Everything you need to know about the LoL team Eintracht Spandau – in 4 minutes
YouTuber wants to contribute “his part”
Why does HandOfBlood use gendered language? By using gender-sensitive language, he positions himself in solidarity with people who are discriminated against due to their gender identity.
I do my part to make language more neutral, which will automatically make people think more openly about gender roles. Because language leads to recognition. Those who are linguistically underrepresented lose significance.
The YouTuber acknowledges that changes in language can be exhausting, and he himself struggles at times. However, the more often one uses new words, the easier it becomes. He concludes by encouraging everyone to give it a try, as language change has always occurred.
We have embedded the beginning of the thread with HandOfBlood’s explanation here:
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How is that received? As unpleasant as some of the comments on the original video may have been, the content creator also receives a lot of support on Twitter.
Although the comments on the thread are closed, that doesn’t stop people from expressing their opinions in the quote tweets: This is the reason why they still actively follow him as one of the few content creators or why he is their favorite YouTuber (via Twitter).
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Other Twitter users express their confusion about why people can get so upset over the use of gendered language, even wishing death on someone: “I don’t understand why inclusion still triggers so many people,” they say (via Twitter).
There seems to be hardly any criticism of the statements. However, it will likely take some time for gendered language to be as normalized as HandOfBlood wishes.
Gendering divides opinions. While advocates like HandOfBlood see it as a normal part of language change and an important sign of equality, critics perceive it as a threat to the German language.
The creator of the survival hit 7 vs. Wild expresses his own opinion on this matter:
This week is all about PvP in Destiny 2. Both Uncle Shaxx and the 14th Saint are calling the Guardians to them and offering more attractive options for that. In PvE, however, Sedia screams at you from the map when it gets intense during the strike “The Corrupted” in the Nightfall.
This week: The most important question first. There are still no further developments in the seasonal story this week. If you’re hoping to experience the finale of Season 19, you’ll have to wait a bit longer. New, final story developments along with the secret triumph will only occur in the last two weeks before the end of the Season of the Seraph.
If that frustrates you, you can let loose this week in PvP with Lord Shaxx and the 14th Saint.
In the normal Crucible, Rift is active for a week. The better Spark Runner wins.
On the weekend, there will also be Freelance in the Trials plus bonus Trials ranks.
Especially in Trials, these are the last weeks where the hand cannon “Forgiveness” and the kinetic fusion rifle “Burden of Guilt” can still be earned. In Season 20, they will be replaced by the shotgun “Astral Horizon” and the new submachine gun “The Immortal” in the loot pool, as Bungie announced.
Bungie introduces the new ability Strand: While the Guardians still take care of their last tasks in Season 19, Bungie has marked major changes on the horizon. Today, during a major premiere, they introduced “Damage Type 5”. That was the working title of the new Lightfall ability Strand, which will soon provide you with “Woven Armor” and more.
Woven Armor is a buff that envelops Guardians in a protective net of Strand matter, reducing incoming damage. In PvP, this armor only reduces body damage. Headshots and melee damage remain normal.
In-game, Strand looks really fast, agile, and extremely deadly, as this trailer shows:
Start video
Destiny 2 shows new insights into Strand in its trailer – The focus in Lightfall
Additionally, the loot shooter is already planning a spooky future for Halloween, and your opinion is needed. So vote and decide which armors will come to the game in autumn 2023. Here is the survey.
The most important information on activities from 07.02 to 14.02.
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Vanguard: Nightfall – The Firewall
The Corrupted, in the Dreaming City
The Guardians must find one of Queen Mara’s closest advisors, Sedia, and free her from the control of the Taken. However, she is very screechy and often coughs Guardians off the map into the bottomless void. So be careful when you get too close to the Techian.
Earn the Nightfall weapon “Slingshot” (Master) this week, a lightweight grenade launcher.
Playlist Strikes have the following modifiers this week:
Arc Singe
Stasis Burn
Grounded
The Singe modifier will follow you all week; the others change daily.
In the current raid “Kingsfall”, grass grows again with the first challenge. Time to mow!
To complete the challenge “The Grass is Always Greener”, you must, after you have taken the buff from one side and delivered your points, switch sides. This means that after you have first delivered the witch, the knight, and your points on the left side of the totem, you will move to the right side and do the same procedure there.
You’re faced with the following raid requirements and challenges:
In Normal mode, completing a challenge brings you double loot.
You will only receive status-specific armor and master weapons from the Grandmaster raid.
You can also earn the new raid-exclusive exotic cosmetics in the look of Oryx in Grandmaster.
Additional Legacy Pinnacle Rewards from Endgame:
The weekly legacy raid is “The Student’s Oath” in Savathun’s Throne World.
Additionally, in the Calus dungeon “Duality”, there is also extra pinnacle loot to be obtained from the boss.
The Trials offer not only the Freelance but also bonus Trials ranks – so perfect for more reputation.
Weekly Activities
Here are the most important activities of this week:
Savathun’s Throne World – Weekly Campaign Mission
“The Communion”
You head to the Pyramid on Europa, where Caiatl’s Cabal are already waiting for you. The Light has made you forget, and now the Vanguard wants to use the Darkness to uncover old memories.
Ascendant Challenge – Dreaming City
If you still need triumphs from the Dreaming City, then pay attention. The second stage of the Corruption reveals new accesses with a sip of “Queen’s Leaf Tincture”.
Petra Venj can be found in the area of Rheasilvia in the Dreaming City. The whole zone is in the 3rd curse week. You need to master the 4th Ascendant Challenge.
All sources for pinnacle loot in Season 19 of Destiny 2
So you know where you can effectively grab your pinnacle loot, we provide you with a quick overview of activities every week.
This is the new max level: In the new Season of the Seraph, the maximum power level of your gear is 1,590. Thus, the power level at the start of the new Season 19 has increased by +10 compared to the previous Season 18.
This pinnacle loot brings your power level to 1,590:
A new Free2Play tactical shooter called Veiled Experts is coming soon to Steam, which draws on the foundation of Counter-Strike but takes a completely different path otherwise. MyMMO has already had a few rounds and gives you a brief assessment of the tactical shooter. An open beta is planned for March.
Call of Duty was my entry point into tactical shooters. Hardcore “Search & Destroy” with a well-rehearsed team – is there anything better? Yes, fans of Counter-Strike might say. But this “stopping” while shooting for precision… what’s that about?
It was only through a small Valorant hype that I recognized the appeal behind it. And a few rounds in the new tactical shooter Veiled Experts further solidified that impression. It has an exciting, predictable element that adds a certain tactical depth.
Nevertheless, I would always prefer Overwatch over Valorant and CoD over CS:GO. But Veiled Experts takes such a unique approach that it could become its own “original.” Read here about my first impressions of the game.
Here you can watch the current trailer:
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Veiled Experts – Beta-Announcement Trailer
Refreshing Destruction with Teamplay
What makes Veiled Experts unique? It is a refreshing mix of Counter-Strike with hero shooter elements in third-person view, dynamic maps, and a touch of battle royale.
The main mode is “Search & Destroy” – the attacker and defender teams start on opposite sides of a map, the attackers need to plant a bomb (Seed), and the defenders have to do everything to prevent that. If a player is down, they can be revived under certain circumstances. A team deathmatch mode is also planned.
As in CS:GO, a round starts in the shop – you buy weapons, equipment, and some of the special abilities of the agents. Additionally, there are benefits that can be unlocked for the whole team. Here, each team member can invest, and you unlock things like armor for everyone.
The developers pointed out during the play session that “scan equipment” is an important part of tactics. This allows enemies to be detected early. Veiled Experts has many such anti-camper mechanics.
Each game field is bounded by a magnetic barrier. Like in a battle royale, this zone moves, shrinks, and you take damage when you are within the magnetic zone. The goal is to give constant campers no chance to concentrate for long on a specific spot.
On top of that, the agents come with very different abilities. I played with Soy, a support character. With her ability, I could either scan the environment or regenerate my teammates’ armor or health. I could switch between modes.
Then there are specialists like Dmitry, who receives a sniper rifle at the start of the 4th round without having to spend any money. Or Lily, who accumulates discounts in the shop when she spends money.
Each agent has their own active abilities and can be enhanced with additional passive effects.
Smooth Third-Person and Tactical Dynamics
How does it play? As a fan of The Division, I am familiar with third-person and know how clunky the controls can sometimes be.
Veiled Experts surprised me positively right away. You sprint by default but can also walk slower and/or crouch. There is also a quick roll in the game, which has a short but noticeable cooldown.
It felt good, fluid, and rewarding from the first minute. The maps were also helpful. We played on three different maps, all packed with cover, long sightlines, and tactically usable elements. If you have an eye for it, cover was usually only a roll away.
If the attacker team destroyed a bombsite, some variety entered the game. The areas were then destroyed by the bomb and changed the map.
The hole in the lobby was created by the explosion of a planted bomb.
The large maps with their many possibilities and the tactical dynamics from the magnetic field as well as the changing bomb sites directly caused excitement during the playtest. I wanted to play more, put a team together, dominate a match.
I actually got my little dose of Call of Duty – for a lot of cash, I was able to get a Juggernaut suit and rampaged across the map with a minigun.
Finally, a little info about the weapons: Each weapon played very differently and could be improved with attachments during the matches.
Additionally, the developers explained to us that the different types of ammunition also have different effects – 9mm ammunition is not as strong against armor as larger calibers.
When can I play it? Veiled Experts still needs some time until its full release on Steam. For example, the progress systems in the game are not yet fully developed – they want to finish the gameplay completely before worrying about such things.
However, there have already been initial tests, during which it was allowed to publish recordings. If you want to see more, take a look on YouTube.
An open beta is planned for March 2023 on Steam, and possibly the latest addition to our list of the best Free2Play shooters of 2023 is waiting here. I will keep an eye on it.
What’s your impression? Leave a comment on the topic.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Are you looking for new co-op games releasing in 2023? Here you will find a list of exciting new games that you can play together.
This list is about co-op titles that are set to release in 2023. This includes titles with a fixed release date, but also those that are at least planned for the 2023 period.
The list represents the author’s and editorial team’s assessment, not an official ranking. If you have any suggestions for what should be included in this list: Let us know in the comments.
The list is sorted by expected release date.
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1. Wild Hearts
Developer/Publisher: Koei Tecmo / EA | Release: February 17, 2023 | Model: Buy2Play | Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
This is Wild Hearts: Wild Hearts is a game that fans of Monster Hunter should pay close attention to. As hunters, you will face the fearsome “Kemono” – monstrous creatures that threaten a fantasy world influenced by feudal Japan.
To be ready for them, you rely on various weapons and abilities, from the “cannon” to the “Karakuri Staff” – a staff that can transform into a giant sword when needed.
In addition, you summon so-called “Karakuri”. These are constructs that you can create out of nothing. They will also help you in your fight against the monsters. You can see what it looks like in the gameplay video:
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Wild Hearts – Gameplay Trailer
How can you play together? In Wild Hearts, much revolves around collaboration. Up to three players can embark on the hunt for monsters together in online co-op. Comprehensive crossplay is planned – so you can play across platforms.
What do we expect?
Fantasy world influenced by feudal Japan
Gigantic monster opponents with exciting battles
Hunting gameplay in the style of Monster Hunter
Creative weapons and summons
When can you play? Wild Hearts officially releases on February 17, 2023. There is a trial with EA Play starting on February 13. With EA Play Pro, access is possible from February 16.
2. Sons of the Forest
Developer/Publisher: Endnight Games | Release: February 23, 2023 (Early Access) | Model: Buy2Play | Platforms: PC |
This is Sons of the Forest: In “Sons of the Forest”, you find the successor to “The Forest”. The game impressively combines survival with horror – and that will likely be the motto of “Sons of the Forest”.
The release of the game was announced for February 23, however, there has been an adjustment: On that date, the game will not be released as planned, but will enter an early access phase, as the developers wish to make a few adjustments. However, it will still be playable.
Those who start the game will face terrifying, mutated cannibals on a remote island. In typical survival fashion, it’s now about gathering resources and building a base that can withstand the adversities of the island and the cannibals.
Additionally, there are other creatures on the island that you must fight, and there are different seasons you should adapt to. In the story of Sons of the Forest, you also want to find a missing billionaire.
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See new gameplay of Sons of the Forest, the sequel to the survival hit ‘The Forest’”
How do you play together? You can tackle survival alone or together: With up to 8 players, you fight together for your life, share items, or build defenses.
What do we expect:
Survival with horror elements
Story about a missing billionaire who needs to be rescued
Building and crafting
Changing seasons
Boss battles
When can you play? Sons of the Forest was originally set to fully release on February 23 but is now going into an early access phase on that date. It will not be finished yet, but will be playable.
3. Meet your Maker
Developer/Publisher: Behaviour Interactive | Release: April 4, 2023 | Model: Buy2Play | Platforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One |
This is Meet Your Maker: This game consists essentially of two games. In one game, you try to create as many nasty and deadly outposts as possible. You fill these mazes with traps and enemies, create paths, and build patrols – everything to prevent other players from making it through your outpost alive. As a maze master, you also watch how other players fare in your creations.
On the flip side, you can also try to survive the creations of other players. Then you set off in the first-person perspective to outsmart your opponents’ death traps and fight for your survival. If you successfully navigate an outpost, you will earn additional resources for your own building.
Both sides also require the right preparation: both for building the mazes and for choosing the gear for your next run, skillful planning is needed.
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Meet Your Maker: Reveal trailer shows brutal death mazes
How do you play together? You can build dungeons together with other players in online co-op or raid others’ dungeons.
What do we expect:
Creative death traps you can create
Creative death traps you have to navigate
A game that is dependent on the community
When can you play? The game is set to release on April 4, 2023. However, from February 6 to 13, there will also be an open beta via Steam.
4. Minecraft Legends
Developer/Publisher: Mojang Studios, Blackbird Interactive | Release: April 18, 2023 | Model: Buy2Play | Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch |
This is Minecraft Legends: Minecraft is known as a big crafting game with maximum creative freedom, but “Minecraft Legends” takes the colorful block world in a different direction.
Minecraft Legends is a genuine strategy game, but with a twist. The makers describe the game as an “action-strategy” game, where your own hero also plays a role – alongside the army you command to defend against the invading piglins.
Minecraft Legends neuer Trailer von der gamescom 2022
How does the co-op work? Up to four players can play together on PC and consoles like Xbox Series X|S or PS5. On older consoles like the Switch, two can play together.
The entire campaign can be played cooperatively, and the open world can also be used, so everyone can go their own way. Resources are shared, but armies are controlled individually.
What do we expect:
Gameplay in Minecraft block style
Mix of strategy and action
Commanding armies, gathering resources, building
A story, namely the “legend”, that guides you through the game
When can you play? The official release date is April 18, 2023.
5. Dead Island 2
Developer/Publisher: Deep Silver | Release: April 28, 2023 | Model: Buy2Play | Platforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One
This is Dead Island 2: Dead Island 2 takes you to sunny Los Angeles, which would probably be truly paradise if it weren’t for all the zombies. They want to get you, as zombies typically do.
Since you don’t want that, you fight back – and presumably quite brutally. In the action RPG from the first-person perspective, you deliver hard kills, and the team speaks of “bloody detail fidelity”. The further you progress, the more skills you gain to combat the zombie plague. A focus lies on melee combat against the undead.
However, the game will be released partially censored in Germany.
It was originally planned to release the game in February 2023. However, the release was postponed to the end of April 2023.
How does the co-op look? You can fight your way through the zombie hordes with up to three players and experience the story together.
What do we expect:
Malicious zombies
Very brutal fights and scenes
A mix of horror and humor
Edited version in Germany
When can you play? The official release is April 28, 2023, after being postponed.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
„Ethyrial: Echoes of Yore” is an MMORPG on Steam that promises hardcore gameplay. You can currently try out the game in open testing. You have the chance to do so until February 13, 2023.
Ethyrial: Echoes of Yore is reminiscent of old genre classics like RuneScape or Tibia and calls itself an old-school MMORPG.
It provides you with gameplay where you can score high rewards, but you must approach the challenges with a willingness to take risks – because at any moment you can lose everything.
The setting is the world of Irumesa, which is on the brink of war. Dangerous creatures also make the environment unsafe. Now it’s up to you how the fate of the game world turns out.
Start video
Ethyrial: Echoes of Yore – Trailer
Face the challenges and become rich or lose everything
What does the gameplay in Ethyrial: Echoes of Yorelook like? Create a character and customize it with skills and suitable equipment to match your play style. With it, you embark on a journey and explore Irumesa with its various regions: from snow-covered mountains to arid deserts, there is much to discover.
Additionally, the decisions you make along the way will impact the course of the story. Your mistakes can even catch up with you through game expansions.
Ethyrial: Echoes of Yore calls itself a hardcore game. Accordingly, it is tough if you die in the game: you lose your entire inventory and experience points. If you have nice teammates, they might gather your loot for you.
Moreover, the game operates on the system of high rewards but also high danger. To get particularly good loot, you must be willing to take on greater challenges and thus also an increased risk.
In addition to fighting various monsters, gathering and crafting play major roles in Ethyrial: Echoes of Yore. Create a variety of equipment and items and make your goods available to other players.
Moreover, housing gameplay is offered: Claim certain properties and unleash your inner architect there.
Teamwork is also emphasized in the MMORPG. Work together with other players, explore the dungeons of Irumesa, fight bosses, and discover ancient ruins. You will encounter puzzles that need to be solved. You can also join guilds.
Do you have an absolute favorite game on Steam or know of true hidden gems that deserve more attention?
Then leave us a comment about it or send us your game recommendations to the email address [email protected] with the subject “Game Recommendation.” Maybe your game will be the next one featured on MeinMMO.
Tell us in 3-4 sentences what you like about the game, and we will include your comment in our recommendation article.
How long has Ethyrial: Echoes of Yore been in testing? The game has been playable several times in the past, such as in an alpha test. Now interested players have the chance again to get a picture of the game.
You can try out the MMORPG as part of the “Steam Next Fest”. Until Monday, February 13, 2023, you have the chance to try Ethyrial: Echoes of Yore.
When will Ethyrial: Echoes of Yore be released? The MMORPG is expected to be released in April 2023. You can add the game to your wishlist to receive a notification as soon as Ethyrial: Echoes of Yore is available.
YouTuber “TrueGameData” has investigated the rumor that the weapons in Call of Duty: Warzone 2 and in the shooter’s multiplayer have different damage values. His tests actually show that a weapon in the Warzone causes significantly more damage.
What did “TrueGameData” test? Rumors about different damage values of the weapons in the Warzone and the multiplayer have been around for some time now. Parts of the community have repeatedly speculated that the developers are secretly tweaking the damage values or hit detection.
The Warzone expert TrueGameData has now investigated one of these rumors. He tested various weapons and their damage in the Warzone, and the results of a pistol surprised him.
The “Resurgence Mode” returns with Season 2 to the Warzone, and there is also a new small map. You can watch the trailer for “Ashika Island” here:
Start video
CoD Warzone 2: Ashika Island – Teaser
Tests confirm different damage profiles
What do the tests show? TrueGameData initially tested the X12 and its effect on enemies with armor plates. This is the weapon that is available to you at the start in the Warzone.
The damage of each weapon in Call of Duty can be categorized into different damage ranges. Generally, a weapon causes less damage the further away you are from your target.
At maximum range for pistols, meaning all distances greater than 15 meters, the X12 causes 41 damage with a chest shot and 2 armor plates in the Warzone. At distances between 15 and 9 meters, it causes 52 damage, and at distances shorter than 9 meters, it even causes 62 damage. In comparison: 62 damage corresponds to a headshot with the X12 in multiplayer.
The values are therefore significantly higher than in multiplayer. There, the pistol only causes 29 damage at maximum range, 36 damage at medium range, and 42 damage in close range. The tests also showed that it does not matter whether your opponent has equipped armor plates with the X12. The damage values remained unchanged in this case.
If you want to see the analysis yourself, you can find TrueGameData’s English YouTube video here:
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Do other weapons also cause more damage? In addition to the X12 pistol, the YouTuber also tested a handful of other weapons. According to his statements, there was not enough time for more. After all, the tests had to take place under real conditions in a public round of Warzone.
Although the tests were extremely difficult, the expert was able to test a submachine gun, an LMG, and an assault rifle. The damage of the Icarus, the VEL, and the TAQ-56 matched the damage profile of the weapons in multiplayer.
Aside from the X12, only the M4, another popular assault rifle, behaved differently than in multiplayer. This weapon caused an average of 4 damage points more in the Warzone. However, the deviation with the M4 is significantly smaller than with the pistol.
TrueGameData therefore assumes that unknown factors are playing a role here.
Weapon in Warzone stronger so firefights are fairer
Why is a pistol stronger in the Warzone? In the comments below the YouTube video by TrueGameData, the community discusses the results of the tests. Many viewers believe that the altered damage values of the X12 are due to the fact that players start with this weapon in the Warzone.
The developers are said to have increased the pistol to assist players. The pistol deals more damage so that players have a chance against enemies who have already picked up a better weapon from the ground.
By the way, there were already some deviations in the damage values in Warzone 1 – assault rifles had a third damage area, hence causing less damage at ranges than in multiplayer. Otherwise, the profiles were the same.
Although the theory from the community sounds quite plausible, there is no official confirmation from the developers.
The content creator TrueGameData is, in any case, of the opinion that there may be other weapons whose damage profiles differ from multiplayer. However, further testing is required.
Destiny 2: Lightfall comes just like its two previous major DLCs with different editions, prices, and associated bonuses. However, to ensure you don’t dig too deep into your pockets without knowing which edition suits you, we explain all the pre-order editions in detail.
Can you pre-order? Since the Lightfall reveal on August 23, 2022, Bungie has opened its sales counters. You can now buy the new expansion on various platforms and marketplaces and thus pre-order exclusively.
Every edition has its price, and depending on what you want, this can be higher or lower. We now show you all editions in detail, what they include, which bonuses you get, and for which Guardian they are worthwhile.
Destiny 2: Lightfall Standard Edition
The new Exos are also part of the Standard Edition
The edition contains the following contents:
New campaign + Legendary mode
New power: Strand
New raid
New exotic gear
Season 20
Immediate unlocks upon pre-order:
Exclusive Legendary Lightfall badge
An exotic Ghost
Who is this edition for? This Standard Edition is especially worthwhile for players who want to play only the DLC and the first season of Lightfall. If you are unsure whether Bungie can convince you with Lightfall, it is better to save your money and try Neomuna first with this edition.
The weapon along with goodies will be immediately available and can thus be picked up right after the pre-order of the annual pass edition at Master Rahool in the Tower.
Quick Silver Storm catalyst plus -ornament
An exotic Sparrow
Rahool’s secret stash x4 (one per season)
Exclusive Legendary Lightfall badge
An exotic Ghost
An exotic emote
Who is this edition for? The Annual Pass Edition is more worthwhile for players who are sure that they will consume all seasons and contents of Bungie’s newest DLC. With this edition, you are covered until the next DLC ‘The Final Shape’ and do not have to worry about additional costs. You can also go directly into the dungeons and thus do not need to buy anything extra for the entire DLC year of Lightfall.
The contents of the Lightfall Collector’s Edition.
Everything from the Annual Pass Edition
Additionally, a digital Destiny 2: Lightfall soundtrack
An 8-inch Pouka replica figure with LED lights and stand
A Vanguard Lore book
A letter from Zavala
Additionally, a mini lithograph
Vinyl stickers
Plus exclusive Collector’s Edition emblem
Immediate unlocks upon pre-order:
As with the Annual Pass Edition
Who is this edition for? The Collector’s Edition is primarily for collectors who like to display figures and memorabilia in the form of books and concept arts. Also, players who study lore might enjoy such goodies.
However, keep in mind that the included creature named ‘Pouka’ cannot resurrect you. Nevertheless, its origins, purpose, and future may play a role in Lightfall.
These were all the important infos regarding the available Lightfall editions, how much they cost, and what they include. What about you? Have you pre-ordered one of these editions or would you rather wait before treating yourself to Lightfall?
Feel free to let us know in the comments how you feel about it and whether you also think the mysterious creature from Elisabeth Bray is cool!
In the new quarterly report for Q4 2022, Activision Blizzard discusses the figures and successes of the past year. The Blizzard division can report a significant increase in players and substantial profits, particularly with World of Warcraft and Overwatch. The upcoming Diablo 4 is set to kick off the new fiscal year.
Where does the information come from? Activision Blizzard has published its quarterly report for Q4 2022 (via investor.activision).
Unlike before, there was no “call” where questions could be asked, but only the report itself, which is why the information is a bit lean. According to Activision, this is due to the planned acquisition of the company by Microsoft.
The figures paint a rather positive picture for the company, showing growth in revenues and players over the past year. Blizzard alone has nearly doubled the number of active users compared to the previous year.
Overall, Blizzard had 45 million monthly users in Q4 2022. In December 2021, there were still 24 million. However, a player counts twice for each game they log into.
These are the successful Blizzard games: The report mainly mentions Warcraft, Overwatch, and Diablo as the driving franchises, each of which has generated over 100 million US dollars. In WoW, there were 2 new releases: WotLK Classic and Dragonflight.
The feedback on Dragonflight has been extraordinarily positive, and Blizzard plans “significantly more follow-up content for the expansion than in the past”, some of which has already been shown in an earlier roadmap for WoW.
Dragonflight has excited many players and is preferred by most over Shadowlands. In the trailer, you can see the most important features of the new expansion:
Start video
WoW shows the main features of Dragonflight in the gameplay trailer, fans praise: “Finally hype again”
Despite Blizzard’s success, the department still makes up only the smallest part of the company. Activision, and especially King (Candy Crush), have significantly more monthly players.
For 2023, Diablo 4 is expected to play a significant role. A “substantial investment in development and marketing” is planned. Diablo 4 will be released on June 6, 2023, making it the first major title for Activision Blizzard in the fiscal year 2023, which starts in April.
An AI-generated sitcom took over Twitch in recent days. After some questionable remarks by the main character, it’s now on hold.
What kind of series is this? Nothing, Forever is a procedurally generated sitcom created entirely by artificial intelligence: the script and animations are powered by technologies like DALL-E, Stable Diffusion, and OpenAi GPT-3.
The series was available 24/7 on the watchmeforever channel on Twitch.
AI-Seinfeld becomes a hit on Twitch
How was it received? What was initially intended as a kind of surreal art project turned into a hit on Twitch. At the series’ launch in December 2022, the sitcom had barely any viewers, but once big streamers like xQc took notice of the project, things changed rapidly.
In the past 7 days, the Twitch channel hosting Nothing, Forever reached the 2nd place among the fastest-growing accounts. More than 189,000 of the total 190,000 followers come from this time period (as of February 7, 2023, 12:15, via sullygnome).
How did the series unfold? The artificial intelligence was trained on classic sitcom episodes. The cult sitcom Seinfeld serves as the template: its namesake protagonist Jerry Seinfeld is a comedian who opens the episodes with his stand-up routine. Larry Feinberg does the same in Nothing, Forever.
However, this seemingly became the downfall of the series, as the account received a 14-day ban after a stand-up monologue from the main character.
Start video
The 5 biggest Twitch bans that caused a lot of commotion
What was that monologue like? AI-Seinfeld opened its stand-up routine with the observation that no one in the audience was laughing. Then, it lists some possible ideas for jokes that can also be found in transphobic talking points:
There are about 50 people here and no one is laughing. Does anyone have any suggestions? I’m thinking about doing a set about how being transgender is actually a mental illness. Or that all liberals are secretly homosexual and want to impose their will on everyone. Or something about how transgender people are ruining the fabric of society. But no one is laughing, so I will stop.
A more benevolent interpretation is that it is a kind of meta-humor: it makes fun of comedians who apparently can’t think of anything else than to joke about current controversial topics.
Nevertheless, the developers behind the show emphasized in a post on Discord that the AI’s statements in no way reflect their own opinions. They had already investigated what might have led to the questionable monologue.
What’s behind this? Apparently, a switch in the AI model was the cause: The OpenAI tools for moderating content had failed with the alternate model. In the future, they do not want to rely on this model anymore.
However, the problem with the original model has already been identified, so the series can likely continue after this involuntary break.
As is usual with Twitch, there is no official confirmation of what exactly the reason for the ban was. However, the timing with the stand-up monologue, along with the statements of those responsible suggest that it was the trigger.
This all highlights a well-known problem with content created by artificial intelligence: depending on what content the AI is trained on, it seems that sooner or later, it always leads to questionable statements.
Hogwarts Legacy is one of the most discussed games of recent years. It is accompanied by a fierce controversy. Now, at the release, the first review tests have been published on Metacritic. We at MeinMMO will give you an overview:
Why is Hogwarts Legacy controversial?
The author of the “Harry Potter” books, J.K. Rowling, has repeatedly commented on the issue of transgender rights since 2019.
Her statements have been viewed as transphobic for years, which the author herself denies.
J.K. Rowling is not involved in the development of Hogwarts Legacy, but benefits from the brand rights and the strengthening of the franchise. The extent of her profits is unknown.
There are calls to boycott the game, with the view that one should not financially support the author through Hogwarts Legacy and should show solidarity with the transgender community.
A discussion erupted on social media about Gronkh after he stated that J.K. Rowling does not matter to him.
If you want a detailed insight into the controversy surrounding Hogwarts Legacy and the boycott, the colleagues from GameStar have summarized the topic extensively:
The first tests on Metacritic praise the game world but criticize the technology
The first gaming magazines have published their tests on Hogwarts Legacy, and there is a first Metascore on the Metacritic platform for PC as well as for PS5 and Xbox Series. This is made up of the different ratings.
The tests evaluate only the gaming experience and are not influenced by the controversy.
How do the first tests look? Hogwarts Legacy has a Metascore of 85 on PS5, 82 on PC, and 89 on Xbox Series X. We show you a selection of various ratings from well-known gaming magazines:
GameStar
78
PC
GamePro
87-92
PS5
Jeuxvideo.com
90
PS5, Xbox Series
IGN
90
PS5, PC, Xbox Series
PCGamesN
70
PC
Dexerto
80
PS5
VGC
80
PS5
Game Rant
90
PS5
4Player.de
80
PS5
Eurogamer Germany
80
PC
GamesRadar+
70
PS5
However, there are magazines that decided against rating the role-playing game due to the controversy. This includes the Canadian magazine TheGamer. In an interview with Axios, TheGamer provided the following statement.
The reason for this is not that it’s about royalties or financial support for J.K. Rowling, but because we believe that the ongoing popularity of Harry Potter gives her a larger platform and further legitimizes her views, which we regard as harmful to transgender people.
Stacey Henley, Editor-in-Chief TheGamer
What do the testers say? Hogwarts Legacy is praised by the gaming press primarily for its richly detailed game world. The website Video Games Chronicle (VGC) draws the impressive conclusion:
Hogwarts Legacy captures the magic of the Harry Potter world in a brilliant way with its beautiful open world, sympathetic characters, and exciting battles. Although the open-world elements of the game make it feel older than we would have wished, it is otherwise the best that the wizarding world has ever been in a video game.
On the other hand, the biggest critique in terms of gameplay for the PC version of Hogwarts Legacy is technical issues. For example, GameStar author Natalie Schermann reports performance drops and graphical bugs. As a result, the game lost 10 points in the overall score.
Despite technical issues, the game is praised not only for its game world but also for its varied battles, which IGN author Travis Northup describes as “challenging”. He states that the game kept him captivated for dozens of hours. Even the “uninspired main story” and “lack of variety in enemies” did not diminish his enthusiasm:
Hogwarts Legacy is in almost every way the Harry Potter role-playing game I have always wanted to play. The open-world adventure captures all the excitement and wonder of the wizarding world with its memorable new characters, challenging and nuanced battles, and a wonderfully executed Hogwarts student fantasy that has kept me glued to my controller for dozens of hours. Certainly, there are technical problems, an uninspired main plot, and a lack of variety in enemies, but even those could not nearly break the magic that has captivated me.
Overall, it seems that particularly “Harry Potter” fans will feel at home in the game world of Hogwarts Legacy. GamePro author Dennis Michel, as a fan, has wished for such a game since the PlayStation 1 era. Nevertheless, he criticizes the story and dialogues of the title: In his detailed review, he writes:
As an early Harry Potter fan, I have so far received the game with Hogwarts Legacy that I always wished for back in the PS1 days. A game world that is bursting with loving details, where countless secrets and little puzzles slumber, and which transports me right into the enchanting fantasy world of the books and movies. […] While magic looked rather dull in trailers, the many possible magic combos are incredibly fun. My biggest criticism so far is the main story.
A final rating for Hogwarts Legacy has not yet been given by Dennis Michel. He is currently wavering between 87 and 92.
Hogwarts Legacy presents the officially best trailer of gamescom – Has over 600,000 views on YouTube
What is Hogwarts Legacy? Hogwarts Legacy is a role-playing game developed by the American studio “Avalanche Software” in the universe of Harry Potter, which will be released on February 10 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PlayStation 5, and PC.
As a player, you not only dive into the world of the pop culturally popular “Harry Potter” franchise but also attend the school named after the school of Witchcraft and Wizardry: Hogwarts.
Are there private servers for the popular anime RPG Genshin Impact? Is it allowed to play on them? We at MeinMMO take a look.
In Genshin Impact, the gacha system often poses a hurdle because you don’t get the desired characters. Some players invest real money, while others look for alternatives.
Many also wonder whether there are private servers for Genshin Impact. On such servers, you have all characters and weapons and can do whatever you want without being frustrated by the gacha system.
There are private servers for Genshin Impact, but…
The most well-known system for private servers for Genshin Impact is called Grasscutter.
A user on reddit writes that he has a server there. However, it is still very raw (as of 2022): “Not even passwords can be used.” Nevertheless, many users wanted the link to the Discord.
To join a private server, you use the normal launcher of Genshin Impact but change the server. There are various tutorials on how this works exactly.
Authors of such guides often supplement their points with warnings that they should be read carefully and no steps should be skipped.
Other websites and forum posts warn against private servers, as it is possible to catch viruses. “There are definitely private servers, but they are not fully developed yet. Some are scams, though,” explains a user under a reddit post that cautions against private servers.
Are private servers for Genshin Impact allowed?
The publisher of Genshin Impact, miHoYo, completely prohibits the use of private servers. They are cracked versions of the game, which are illegal.
YouTuber Valkyrja strongly advises players against using private servers, as their real accounts can get banned, according to him (via Youtube). This can happen because when logging in, you still use the real launcher.
While users on reddit claim that nothing can happen because you don’t log in with your real login data on the private server, Valkyrja argues with the IP address. Anyone using the same IP for private and official servers can easily be caught.
Whether players log into private servers of Genshin Impact or not is up to each individual – but it can lead to bans of the real account. What do you think about this topic? Have you ever played on a Grasscutter server? Feel free to write it in the comments here on MeinMMO!
Here are a few tips on how to get free characters:
In the American League of Legends league (LCS) from Riot Games, there was a game interruption during the broadcast on February 3rd. This lasted longer than usual, so the commentators and hosts tried to fill it with exciting content. However, they brought up a huge controversy about the e-sports team TSM.
What happened during the stream? Before the game between TSM and 100 Thieves, the hosts rekindled the story between Peter “Doublelift” Peng and TSM CEO/founder Andy Dinh. Regarding the story:
Doublelift started playing for TSM in October 2015. From November 2017 to April 2020, he played for Team Liquid, before returning to TSM.
For TSM, he started as a streamer for the company in 2021.
At the end of 2021, he had a fallout with the company because the CEO allegedly bullied his players verbally and psychologically. The CEO commented that Doublelift was someone it was difficult to work with.
Subsequently, many more allegations followed, and both parties faced a potential legal process.
Since November 2022, Doublelift has been contracted with 100 Thieves.
The fact that the whole story was brought up again in the live stream from Riot Games did not sit well with many employees and players from TSM. The organization is reportedly already in talks with Riot Games. But what did the players and employees of TSM say about it?
Season 13 has started in League of Legends and brings a new cinematic trailer:
Start video
LoL Season 2023: The Cinematic “The Brink of Infinity”
The whole conflict was reignited by the post, and Riot Games even shared it on Twitter. However, they quickly deleted it once it was clear that TSM was not being portrayed in a good light. We have embedded the post here for you:
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Also, TSM SmaK, a manager from the organization who works with various teams, mentioned (via reddit) that they were “appalled and shocked” by this post.
What does the community think? The whole issue surrounding Doublelift and Andy Dinh was discussed years ago and led to a significant divide among fans. The decision of the LCS to bring the topic up again in the live stream did not sit well with many fans. The post was widely discussed on reddit.
The fans of the LCS want to hear exciting and interesting stories about the players and teams of the LCS. However, they agree that the way the story was reignited benefited no one.
User “Weezledeez” writes (via reddit), “I expected the LoL community to overreact here, but I was greatly mistaken.” He also raised the pertinent question of how someone could think that this was a good post.
What do you think about this story and the way Riot Games presented it? Let us know in the comments.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is currently the fastest graphics card and promises a lot of performance. A gamer bought the GPU, but he complains about his framerate.
What are FPS? Especially important in gaming are your FPS (Frames per Second). They tell you how many frames per second your PC displays. The more frames per second are displayed, the smoother the game appears.
The community is complaining about it. Why would someone buy an RTX 4090 when he has no idea about the simplest settings? So someone jokes:
He has an RTX 4090 and doesn’t know how to check VSYNC. That’s a bit ironic.
Others, however, believe that people also want to play with good hardware without having to know everything. We want to give you a few of these simple tricks.
With 4 simple tips, you can improve performance on your PC
With a few tricks, you can already improve your performance without much effort. You neither need to install additional software nor buy new hardware.
G-Sync, Free-Sync, and V-Sync
Make sure whether G-Sync (Nvidia) or FreeSync (AMD) is activated or deactivated on your computer. The technology adjusts the monitor’s refresh rate to your graphics card. This prevents so-called screen tearing. While this may not necessarily lead to better performance, it often results in a smoother overall experience.
V-Sync, another technology, lowers the graphics card to its maximum refresh rate. However, this can cause input lag in some cases that can be problematic in multiplayer games. G-Sync and Free-Sync are now the better alternatives.
Set the correct refresh rate
Make sure to have the correct refresh rate set. If it is set too low, you can only utilize the full power of your graphics card to a limited extent.
Go to the “Display settings” in Windows and look for “Advanced display settings.” Here, you select the “maximum refresh rate of the monitor” from a menu. Ideally, you already know how many Hz your monitor offers and can set the correct frequency.
By the way, a YouTuber tested with a professional whether a fast screen makes you a better player:
AMD, Nvidia, and Intel regularly provide their graphics cards with new updates via the software. This includes important adjustments for new games. So if you start a new game and have problems, check first whether your manufacturer already offers an update for your software.
You can usually conveniently perform an update for AMD, Intel, and Nvidia directly through the software itself.
Turn off overlays from Steam, Discord, and others
Most programs like Steam or Discord now offer an overlay. This means you press a specific key combination and can see the menus from Steam or messages directly in the game. However, in many cases, such overlapping menus consume a lot of performance. If you are having performance issues, then turn off the menus.
