Medieval MMORPG celebrates release on Steam in February – After 350 updates in early access

Alexander Leitsch Alexander Leitsch Reading time 3 minutes

Gloria Victis was released in Early Access on Steam in 2016. The MMORPG emphasizes a realistic medieval world without magic, colorful effects, and oversized weapons. In recent years, a small but very active community has built up. In February, it is now ready for full release.

What kind of game is this? Gloria Victis is a sandbox game where you have to find your own content in places. The game world is dark and brutal. PvP is an important element:

  • The game does not use classes. Instead, you level up skills.
  • It uses an action-packed combat system reminiscent of Mount & Blade, where you need to aim yourself.
  • A core element of Gloria Victis is the besieging and conquering of castles. Once in your possession, you can further expand the castles and must also pay attention to the morale of your inhabitants. Food, as well as beer and spirits, help with that.
  • There are PvE contents like group quests, events, and raids.
  • Crafting with 15 different professions plays an important role.
  • Basically, PvP is possible everywhere in the game. There are 3 nations, and you can join one of them. These players are your friends, and the other two are your enemies. In most areas, there is a “No-Loot” rule. However, in certain regions, you can lose one piece of equipment per death to another player.
  • Additionally, there are 1v1 arenas to prove your own skill.

Gloria Victis is mainly aimed at PvP and medieval fans who do not place a great emphasis on graphics. While there was a graphic update in 2022, it still shows that the game is being developed by an indie team from Poland.

Here you can watch first gameplay, from the update in October:

Start video
Gloria Victis – Game World Update and Weather Trailer

What happens now? On February 7, Gloria Victis will officially be released on Steam. This means it is leaving Early Access, which it has been in since 2016. Since then, nearly 350 updates and almost 1,000 hotfixes or server-side patches have been introduced to the game (via Steam). The size of the world has now tripled, and hundreds of new skins have been introduced to the game.

With the release, the old “Legacy Server” will continue, but a completely new server will also be opened where players can start fresh.

A small but active community on Steam

How is Gloria Victis received? The MMORPG has never had large player numbers to show. At the start of Early Access, it peaked at 1,481 concurrent players. By January 2018, player numbers steadily declined, but new updates brought the community back.

Currently, there are almost always at least 200 people online at the same time, peaking between 350 and 450.

These numbers have remained relatively constant since January 2019, with only minimal fluctuations.

Gloria Victis player numbers Steam
The player numbers via SteamDB.

In the nearly 5,400 reviews, the MMORPG receives 71% positive comments. Fans of older titles like Dark Age of Camelot or Warhammer Online praise the game.

Negative comments are mainly about the graphics, the general focus on PvP, and the sometimes few players encountered. Furthermore, developers are said to often get lost in details when creating new content and not prioritize the most important things.

More on MMORPGs on MeinMMO:

What monetization does the game use? Gloria Victis is Buy2Play and currently costs €19.99. There is also a shop that contains cosmetic skins and account extensions such as additional character slots or name changes. There is no Pay2Win.

Even after the release, this model is to be maintained. However, it is not yet known whether the price will remain the same.

What do you think about Gloria Victis? Does this MMORPG appeal to you? Have you played it or will you try it out in the future? Feel free to write it in the comments.

If you are looking for the currently best MMORPGs, you will find them in our Tier List:

Where do the 55 largest MMORPGs stand currently? The Tier List 2023

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

WoW: Patch 10.0.5 is live! – Here is what you should do now

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 4 minutes

The patch 10.0.5 of World of Warcraft is live. We will tell you what you should complete as soon as possible – and what you still need to wait for.

Barely two months after the launch of Dragonflight, the development team behind World of Warcraft has already pulled the first patch out of the hat. Although the update brings only a few major features, it also offers a lot of “small stuff” that WoW fans have long wished for. Especially collectors will have plenty to do, as new features like the trading post and the expanded transmog system will likely demand numerous hours of playtime again.

Fundamentally, it applies that there is relatively little “mandatory content” in Dragonflight that you definitely should complete monthly or weekly. Most of it is optional and, therefore, should depend on your own preferences and personal goals in the game. We will list here what is worthwhile and worth taking a look at.

1. Tier sets for everyone – you can craft them now!

One of the new features directly connected to more “player power” is the ability to transform equipment from various endgame activities into tier armor since today.

To start the quest, speak with Guardian Koranos at the Seat of the Aspects – at the top of the tallest tower in Valdrakken. The quest requires you to complete group activities. These can be dungeons, raid bosses, world bosses, or events like the Great Hunt. Progress for this quest applies account-wide, so you can work on the quest with multiple characters simultaneously.

You earn the charges for all characters simultaneously, but they are consumed individually by your characters. So, if you have completed the weekly quest twice, all your characters can subsequently convert 2 items into tier set pieces. This way, you not only do something good for your “main”, but also have the assurance that you can quickly catch up current or future twinks with the strong set armor.

And the best part: Apart from the charge, you do not need any additional resources to convert equipment into tier set pieces.

WoW Panda Draenei Chest title
You can now make tier sets from your armor to claim the hefty set bonuses.

2. New content in the open world

While not much has changed, you will discover innovations in some places. There is the “Wrath of the Storms” event, taking place every 5 hours in the future of the Primalists. But there is also more to see in the old areas. In all elite areas (Nokhudon Bastion, Imbu, Cobalt Conclave, Tyrhold, and future of the Primalists), there are new rare enemies with exclusive loot. However, please note that these enemies are mostly “elite” and may require a group to defeat them, depending on the class played.

So, it might be worth checking out a few old elite areas to find new items and a few reputation items.

3. Transmog treasures on twinks that are now becoming important

Perhaps not relevant for all players, but collectors should also keep this tip in mind. Since today, it is possible to add white and gray items to the transmog system. Therefore, it may be worth logging into all your characters once and rummaging through the bank slots. Many people likely still have the stylish hat from the Worgen starting area lying around or other old items that they once kept for the look but then completely forgot about.

Please note that these items will now also become soulbound when equipped. It is therefore not possible to “learn” them first and then sell them.

Your transmog can now become even more absurd.

Bonus: Small stuff and old “old” content

If you focus a bit less on the Dragon Isles and the latest content, you will still find plenty to do in patch 10.0.5, as various events and challenges are active again:

  • The Mage Tower is back and has been adjusted for the new talent system. Can you master the challenge and the tough boss fight for your class?
  • The Lunar Festival is active, and Elders can now also be found on the Dragon Isles, granting a new achievement.
  • The War Mode can now also be activated in Valdrakken, making it easier to just join this game mode and complete additional quests.

Professions learn their specializations much earlier now.

More about WoW can be found here:

What’s up with the trading post?

The trading post is one of the biggest features of patch 10.0.5, but it is not yet active. This is not due to any nasty “timegating”, but because the current month of January has very few days left. Players would feel pressured to complete the trading post tasks under significant stress to cash in on all the rewards for this month.

To avoid this, the trading post will start on February 1. We have all the information about the trading post in this article for you.

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

Destiny 2: Server Down for Hotfix 6.3.0.5 on 24.01. – All Patch Notes and Info (Update)

Britta ♤ BeAngel Britta ♤ BeAngel Reading time 5 minutes

Destiny 2 will launch a new update today. For this, the servers will go offline on January 24th for Hotfix 6.3.0.5 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC. As always, we are in the thick of it and will keep you updated with all the important information.

Update history for Hotfix 6.3.0.5 and the unscheduled downtime:

January 25, 4:00 PM: Bungie has found a solution. There will now be a new hotfix immediately. Update 6.3.0.6 is now available for you to download. On PC, the update is 5.0 MB. After that, you should be able to log back into Destiny 2!

We have compiled more information about the outage in this article:
Destiny 2: Players lose titles and triumphs after update – Rollback not excluded

January 25, 1:00 PM: More info on when you can play again can be found in the following article:
Destiny 2 has been offline for hours – When can I play again?

January 25, 8:00 AM: Bungie has now provided a specific date for when Destiny 2 is expected to go back online. It is estimated that the Loot Shooter’s systems will be available again between 12:00 and 1:00 PM today. More information will be provided as it becomes available.

January 25, 1:00 AM: In response to a question about how long the verification of the fix will take, Bungie Help stated that the servers will likely remain offline until early morning. A detailed schedule will be provided to the Guardians as soon as possible.

12:00 AM: After extensive testing, Bungie has prepared a solution along with a server rollback. They informed the Guardians that the fix will be provided as soon as it is verified. Destiny 2 should then go back online.

However, the server rollback will also reset all player accounts to the state as of 5:20 PM. Thus, the hotfix 6.3.0.5 will also be de-implemented. The updates below are therefore void. It also likely means that Guardians will lose the loot they earned after the patch went live at 6:00 PM. Many had already been in the “Deep Stone Crypt” raid for almost 2 hours to farm missing Depth Weapons there.

10:30 PM: Bad news for all Guardians. Destiny 2 will have to remain offline for a few more hours. The developer just announced this. Something that hasn’t happened in several months. While the servers are offline, Bungie continues its investigation of the “Triumph Bug”. (via Twitter)

9:20 PM: Bungie has just announced that the servers will remain offline until further notice while investigating possible leads on missing triumphs, seals, and catalysts. However, they will provide a schedule to bring Destiny back online as soon as that information is available. Players cannot currently log in, and it is still unknown when this will be possible again.

8:30 PM: The servers remain offline. Stay tuned for updates.

8:15 PM: Another note: For players reporting that they are still getting blues. This upgrade will be released later today, that is, in Germany over the course of the night. Starting tomorrow, the influx of blue engrams should be significantly reduced and replaced by a glimmer rain.

8:00 PM: As Bungie just announced via Twitter, Destiny 2 will have to go offline again shortly due to the Triumph Bug. It is still unknown how long the downtime will be. But during this time, they will attempt to fix the problem causing certain triumphs, seals, and catalysts to have players lose their progress. A rollback is not excluded! We will keep you updated.

7:30 PM: The patch notes are now available. We will link them to you further down in the article.

6:30 PM: The update had triumph hiccups. Bungie is investigating a problem where the progress on several triumphs has been unintentionally reset, which may remove seals that players have earned. They are already working on resolving this.

6:00 PM: Bungie has just completed maintenance. Players can now download the update. On PC, it is 104.5 MB big. As soon as the patch notes follow, we will inform you.

5:45 PM: Maintenance is starting immediately. Players will be removed from running activities accordingly. Destiny 2 is now offline.
More on the topic
Destiny 2: Players lose their titles and triumphs due to a bug – Forces Bungie to delete 145 minutes of gameplay
von Britta ♤ BeAngel

What you need to know today: Bungie is gearing up for the upcoming major expansion. While several background maintenance tasks have already been carried out, a downtime is scheduled for today during which you cannot play.

While you are waiting, feel free to take a look at the new destination of the upcoming DLC “Lightfalls”. In the metropolis, a kind of “Neo-Genesis Zavala” is waiting for you:

Start video
Destiny 2 Lightfall: The new trailer “Neomuna”

Maintenance on January 24 – All times and server down

These times are important today: Bungie’s update routine is short and to the point. So the effective downtime today will only last 15 minutes (via. bungie.net). The announced schedule foresees the following sequence:

  • At 5:00 PM local time, maintenance will start in the background on all platforms.
  • From 5:45 PM the servers will go offline and you will be automatically kicked from all activities.
  • Around 6:00 PM, the servers should be back online and update 6.3.0.5 will be rolled out for all platforms. After the download, you can log back into the game.
  • The ongoing background maintenance will officially end at 11:00 PM if everything goes smoothly.
Important: Even if you have downloaded the update and are back in the game, you may experience connectivity issues until the end of maintenance at 11:00 PM. You might also have to deal with queues during login.

Also, keep in mind that third-party applications as well as the official Companion app may not be correctly accessible for a while after the update.

What changes with Hotfix 6.3.0.5 in Season 19

What the hotfix brings today: There is still much to do to eliminate issues with the old DLC. Furthermore, Bungie is currently strongly engaging the community. They want to use more direct ways in 2023 to better and faster implement their players’ feedback and gather feedback.

In addition, patch 6.3.0.5, which will be released today, January 24, will bring some ability changes to the game that Bungie has tested in Lightfall to address some outliers in both PvE and PvP.

More on the topic
Unfair Exo dominates the PvP in Destiny 2 for weeks, Bungie promises massive nerf
von Christos Tsogos

MeinMMO lists some of the problems that Bungie is already aware of as well as those that our readers have pointed out:

  • Console players are sometimes invisible or cannot see their weapon.
  • The progress on the exotic mission “Operation: Seraph’s Shield” cannot always be triggered. Players may then not be able to submit the Scanner buff and have to start over.
  • Players cannot reach the objective in “Operation: Saintus”. To work around this, players should restart the mission, move slower, and wait until Rasputin finishes his dialogue before continuing to the next area of the activity.
  • Players cannot progress beyond step 6 in the quest Reshaping the Enigma, nor in other weapon crafting quests.
  • The acquisition of the bounty through the Destiny Companion app is noticeably slower than desired.
  • Player name changes are not customizable through bungie.net. Players are still waiting for the option to adjust their usernames multiple times instead of just once.
  • The exotic dungeon bow “Hierarchy of Claims” does not properly penetrate Hydra or Phalanx shields when combined with the artifact armor mod “Piercing Bowstring”.

If you encounter any other issues in the game, the recommendation is to report them directly through the official Bungie Help forum to bring them to the developers’ attention. Alternatively, you can leave us a comment if you are aware of further bugs in the game.

Patch Notes for Hotfix 6.3.0.5 in Destiny 2

What’s in the patch notes? The comprehensive list of all changes for Hotfix 6.3.0.5 will be published by Bungie in the form of patch notes.

Read the exact patch notes for update 6.3.0.5 (Eng.)

If you have noticed any further issues in the game that detract from your gaming experience, feel free to leave a comment.

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

Valorant: Clever players use a tool from the 19th century for an unfair advantage in the shooter

Marius Mach Marius Mach Reading time 3 minutes

Want to get better in your favorite shooter with a simple trick? Normally, that sounds too good to be true. In Valorant, it is now possible – thanks to the metronome!

What happened? Valorant is one of the most popular competitive shooters on the market. It’s no wonder that players are looking for ways to improve without spending every spare minute in front of the monitor.

Of course, there are many small tips and tricks to legally enhance your performance in Riot Games’ shooter. However, some players also take the opposite direction: Pro (20) admits to manipulating Valorant matches.

As in other FPS games, you can build your own training routine in Valorant. You can play a few rounds to warm up and try to land as many headshots as possible.

However, some particularly clever players have now developed a method that guarantees you hits as soon as you internalize it. They use a tool that is over several hundred years old and actually has nothing to do with computer games – the metronome.

The most important tournament in Valorant even has its own anthem now! You can listen to it here in the trailer:

Start video
Valorant celebrates with anthem the most important tournament of the shooter – fans praise the crazy music video

Achieving Success with Analog Technology

What is a metronome? A metronome is a device that provides a constant tempo through acoustic signals. You can set how many beats per minute it should produce. For example, if you set it to 60 bpm (beats per minute), the metronome will click once every second.

This is what a classic metronome looks like

It can be either mechanical or electronic and works on principles similar to a clock. It is used to find the right beat while playing music. Nowadays, many keyboards or synthesizers offer a built-in metronome function, but the device in its classic oval form is still available for purchase.

If you want to try it yourself, just search for the term “metronome” on Google. A small web app will then simulate how the device works. There are also numerous YouTube videos demonstrating its functionality.

More on the topic
Mobile shooter looks exactly like Valorant, is now being sued
von Dariusz Müller

You Land More Hits When You Stay in Rhythm

What have the players discovered? If you want to use a metronome to improve your skills in Valorant, you need to familiarize yourself with the assault rifle “Guardian”. The weapon is semi-automatic, meaning you must fire each shot individually with a mouse click.

The “Guardian” is the most precise weapon among assault rifles, and the first shot has only a 0.1 chance of missing. However, you can make the “Guardian” even more precise by entering zoom mode. The spread is further reduced, and the first shot has a value of 0.0. After a certain cooldown period, the weapon resets, and a shot is considered the “first” shot again. This is where the metronome comes in.

How does the trick work? Players have discovered that the cooldown of the “Guardian” is always the same, no matter how many shots you have already fired. Reddit user u/Kwacker discovered that the weapon has an optimal rate of fire at 195 bpm – so every shot is guaranteed to hit.

For many players, it may be surprising how slow that actually is. In the heat of battle, one tends to click the mouse buttons frantically. Start a metronome, set it to 195 bpm, and try to fire the weapon in rhythm.

At first, it may feel a bit strange. Just let the metronome run for a few rounds and see for yourself if your aim improves!

Twitch streamer founds e-sports team in Valorant and buys expensive stars: “And how do you make money with that now?”

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

Pokémon GO: All Raid Hours and Legendary Bosses in January 2023 – Today Kapu-Riki

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 2 minutes

In January, you will encounter the legendary bosses Reshiram, Zekrom, Regice, and Kapu-Riki in Level 5 raids of Pokémon GO. Additionally, Mega bosses such as Mega-Altaria, Mega-Lopunny, and Mega-Aerodactyl. We at MeinMMO will show you when you can find each monster and what the raid hours in January 2023 bring.

Which raids are involved? Every month, Pokémon GO brings new events that summon specific bosses into the raids.

In this overview, we cover all the bosses you will encounter in January 2023 in 5-star raids and Mega raids. Additionally, there is an overview of all raid hours.

Raid Hours and Raid Bosses in January 2023

The following raid hours are scheduled for January 2023 in Pokémon GO:

DateRaid Boss
January 4Reshiram*
Our counter guide against Reshiram
January 11Zekrom*
Our counter guide against Zekrom
January 18Regice*
Our counter guide for Regice
January 25Kapu-Riki*
Our counter guide for Kapu-Riki
Bosses marked with a star (*) can be caught as shiny with luck

Further down, we will show you how long each boss is active in Pokémon GO and which Mega bosses you can expect in January 2023.

More on the topic:

Raid Boss Changes and Mega Raids in January 2023

DateRaid Bosses
January 1 to January 105-star raids with Reshiram* (Attack: Overheat)
January 1 to January 10Mega raids with Mega-Altaria*
January 10 to January 185-star raids with Zekrom* (Attack: Thunderbolt)
January 10 to January 18Mega raids with Mega-Dragonite
January 18 to January 255-star raids with Regice*
January 18 to January 25Mega raids with Mega-Lopunny*
January 25 to February 15-star raids with Kapu-Riki*
January 25 to February 1Mega raids with Mega-Aerodactyl*

Unknown Boss: Update: It is now known that the boss is Mega-Dragonite. During the period from January 10 to January 18, you will encounter a Mega boss that has not yet been revealed by Niantic. At the same time, the event “Shimmering Fantasy” will start, which is most likely associated with this boss. Once Niantic unveils the event, it should be clear which Mega boss it is.

Here on MeinMMO, we will report immediately when new information is available.

All information about the Hoenn Tour 2023 in Pokémon GO

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

Big Horror Shooter Hope Fails at Release on Steam, Is Steadily Improving, Now Already Looks ‘Positive’

Marie Friske Marie Friske Reading time 4 minutes

Many gamers looked forward to the release of “The Callisto Protocol” and wished for a game that would follow in the footsteps of Dead Space. However, the game flopped on Steam and did not meet the high expectations. In the meantime, it seems that things are looking up for the shooter.

The Callisto Protocol is a survival horror game with shooter elements and a futuristic sci-fi setting.

You take on the role of the main character Jacob Lee, who is in the high-security prison “Black Iron” on the Jupiter moon Callisto: There, some of the inmates turn into creepy monsters. Subsequently, you try to escape the prison alive and uncover the secrets of Callisto.

Here you can see a trailer for The Callisto Protocol:

Start video
New horror game comes from a developer of Dead Space and looks exactly like that

Why was The Callisto Protocol seen as a hope? The game comes from the developer “Striking Distance Studio”. Two well-known faces worked on the game: Glen Schofield and Steve Papoutsis. Both made a name for themselves in the industry with the popular sci-fi horror game “Dead Space”. The franchise is considered one of the best horror game series, having gained numerous fans with its creepy atmosphere and exciting gameplay. Therefore, a new hit was expected from the creators.

The settings of the two games also sound quite similar, as both are horror shooters in space where the main characters fight and survive against nightmarish creatures.

Accordingly, the expectations of the fans for the new title The Callisto Protocol were high, and many hoped for a “quasi-sequel” to the popular horror game with which the creators had already been so successful. For example, numerous comparisons to Dead Space can also be found in the Steam reviews, against which the new game was measured – and often could not keep up.

What lies behind the failure

After its release on December 2, 2022, on Steam, the horror shooter initially received a lot of criticism. Especially technical problems and the short playtime were highlighted as negative points and hindered the successful launch of the PC version.

What do the player numbers of The Callisto Protocol look like? Player numbers for the Steam version of The Callisto Protocol can be viewed on the SteamCharts page. Here you can clearly see how the player count quickly dropped after the release.

The Callisto Protocol_Player numbers new
Here you can see the player numbers in the graphic (via SteamCharts)

The highest peak was reached with 15,556 people on December 3, 2022, just a day after its release on Steam. After that, it quickly went downhill. Compared to the release period, the highest number in the last 30 days was just 1,430 people, which is significantly lower (as of January 20, 2023).

However, it should be noted that only the Steam player numbers can be viewed through the analysis website, excluding all console players.

More on the topic of Steam can be found here:

There is hope for the horror shooter

Is there still hope for The Callisto Protocol? In fact, things seem to be looking up for the shooter right now. For example, if you compare the ratings of the game on Steam, there has been an increase in positive reviews:

If only 61% of the total ratings are positive, meaning the game is generally considered “mixed,” it looks a little better in the last 30 days: Here, 70% are already positive opinions, allowing The Callisto Protocol to climb to a “mostly positive” rating (as of January 20, 2023, via Steam).

What might the better ratings be due to? Between December 2022 and the writing of this article on January 20, 2023, new patches and bug fixes were gradually released that, according to some reviews on Steam, improved the game and fixed the technical problems.

So, I am now able to play the game without major technical issues, even though its gameplay and horror factor are still rated rather mediocre by some.

It is often recommended to wait for a special offer and then get the game at a lower price.

  • mkinG: ‘The game has become much better after the latest patches and is definitely more fun now. The graphics, atmosphere, animations, and sound are really great. The story is pretty mediocre, though, and the combat is repetitive. Overall, it’s a decent game, but seriously, don’t buy it at full price!’
  • Sittenstrolch: ‘Well. After about 30 hours of gameplay, the mystery of Callisto’s Protocol was solved on medium difficulty, but the big horror unfortunately didn’t come. After the game was unplayable at release, it is now quite playable after several patches. If you want to dodge through endless linear levels, enjoy the controls, and stay calm when 3 enemies come at once, you are very well off here. My recommendation: Buy the game only in a 50% sale. In my opinion, the content is too little for the full price.’
We also consulted an expert’s opinion and asked GameStar editor André Baumgartner for an assessment of the current state of The Callisto Protocol:

“Dismissing The Callisto Protocol as a mere graphical high jinks would not do justice to the title from the creator of Dead Space. There’s simply too much skill involved in the intense play of light and shadow. However, this visual opulence comes at an enormous hardware cost, which not only angered customers at release with brutal shader compilation problems but also subjected the entire level design to this.
 
While the latter is so integral that it can’t be changed with updates, the glaring technical deficiencies have now mostly been addressed. The frustrating battles against enemy groups have also been mitigated, and the New Game Plus mode encourages players to fully develop protagonist Jacob Lee into an overpowered telekinesis warrior.
 
So, has The Callisto Protocol become a better game in the past two months? Not quite. It is now more accessible, having been made enjoyable on more hardware configurations. Its greatest strength, the atmosphere, still shines brightly but fails to completely overshadow the design weaknesses in the save system, the boss battles, and the B-movie story. It’s a horror trip worth experiencing but far from a masterpiece.”

Here on the GameStar site you can find his detailed follow-up test on the current state of The Callisto Protocol.

Note from the editorial team: We slightly adjusted the headline of the article to make the classification of the game clearer. In an earlier version, it was referred to as a “shooter hope,” which we expanded to “horror shooter hope”

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. store.steampowered.com
  2. vg247.com

After great hype from Twitch, Netflix & Co., it seems everyone wants to play chess – Popular site buckles under the rush

Max Handwerk Max Handwerk Reading time 3 minutes

The classic game chess has gained increasing popularity in recent years, even online. However, for a well-known chess site, the hype currently seems to be somewhat too much.

Those who have joined the chess hype in recent years may have come across the site chess.com. Here, chess enthusiasts can play, train, and interact with each other (via chess.com).

But currently, it seems that far too many people are doing just that.

According to a blog post from the site, on December 31, 2022, it recorded 7 million logged-in members in a single day for the first time in its history. Not even a month later, on January 20, that number had already reached ten million members in one day.

The numbers are reportedly increasing significantly. On only 5 days in January 2023, they did not set a new visitor record, and traffic to the site has nearly doubled since early December.

The mobile app of chess.com is also currently doing well. In the German iOS store, for example, it is ranked 1 in the free games, and in other countries, it holds high rankings as well. On January 20, 2023 alone, the site recorded 31,700,000 games played.

However, these actually strong numbers are mainly reflected in popular times but also in the form of server problems. This is something we see from new MMOs, for example – now chess has also been affected.

Why so many people are playing chess right now

Here’s what chess.com considers the reasons: In the post, the team behind the site explains what might be behind the hype.

In 2020 and 2021, things like lockdowns, but also the Netflix series “The Queen’s Gambit” or the tournament series “Pogchamps” on Twitch created a real boom. Various successful creators participated, from Ludwig to Pokimane.

Today, many different factors are contributing to a revival of this boom. Chess.com cites the “most popular social media post of 2022,” in which footballers Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi were shown with a chessboard.

A major cheating controversy in 2021 also drew many eyes to the chess world, and many celebrities are openly expressing their love for chess.

Furthermore, creators, streamers, coaches, and the general chess community are also cited as possible reasons, as well as the likelihood that many people received chess boards and similar items as gifts around the holidays – and are now developing a passion for it.

More chess on MeinMMO:

This is how the site wants to tackle the problems: Currently, too much data is being sent across the site. This includes games (the site counts an average of 16,000 chess moves per minute), but also things like interactions, chats, comments, account creation, and more.

Unfortunately, one cannot simply “push a button,” as the statement says, to improve the problems. A solution is being worked on, such as through better hardware and more powerful servers.

In addition, they want to improve various systems, but all of this takes time.

“Honestly, all of this is a huge mess. We know you are here to play chess and have fun, and how frustrating it is to receive a 502 error (database connection) or to lose a game because of it,” said the statement: “There has never been a more exciting time for chess fans, and that is exactly why it is so frustrating to have constant service outages.”

Short-term improvements are planned, even as soon as the end of the week – before larger changes are expected in two to three weeks.

What do you think about the chess boom? Have you found a passion for the game yourself? Let us know in the comments!

In the summer of 2022, a chess AI made headlines. More specifically, a robot – that broke a 7-year-old’s finger while playing.

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

Minecraft surprisingly brings a feature that no one asked for, but everyone wants it – “This is really great”

Maik Schneider Maik Schneider Reading time 2 minutes

Minecraft will receive the big Update 1.20 in 2023. Some parts can already be tested, but not all new features are known yet. In a surprising announcement, the developers have now shown that soon you will be able to adorn armor with different materials.

The block game Minecraft is currently experiencing a small hype in Germany. Some big streamers have started to engage with the game for the first time and are attracting many new players and viewers.

Among them are EliasN, who initially doesn’t understand anything or MontanaBlack, who discovered the Pay2Win aspect of Minecraft.

But there is also a lot going on in the game in 2023. The big Update 1.20 will be released later this year. Some features are already known, and certain things can even be tested on a test server.

With the latest feature introduced, the developers seem to have struck a nerve again – soon you will be able to adorn armor.

Minecraft 1.0 was released in 2011, and one might think the game has existed forever. The iconic trailer for the game can be found here:

Start video
A trailer for Minecraft has 160 million views: “This is not a trailer for a game, this is for a generation”

Minecraft shows armor adornments and comments go wild

What was introduced now? On the evening of January 24th, the official Twitter account showed a new feature that can now be tested with the current snapshot version:

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The feature alters the function of the smithing table and the way you can craft netherite gear. After Update 1.20, you will need certain smithing templates to upgrade diamond gear to netherite level.

There will also be such smithing templates for aesthetic modifications. You can find templates for armors that allow you to combine crystals or ingots with armor pieces. You can adorn armor with the following materials:

  • Iron
  • Copper
  • Gold
  • Lapis Lazuli
  • Emerald
  • Netherite
  • Redstone
  • Amethyst
  • Quartz

Armor cannot be adorned with the material from which they were made. Additionally, there will be different types of templates that will lead to other results. The modifications are purely aesthetic and do not change the armor values.

The complete English patch notes for the feature can be found on minecraft.net. More info on Update 1.20 can be found at our colleagues from GameStar.

More about Minecraft on MeinMMO:

What are the reactions like? On Twitter, the announcement was immediately well received. Many are surprised by the new feature:

  • @Yahiamice: ‘Wait, this is really great HUH?’
  • @streakstalol: ‘This is what I’m talking about, the hype update!’
  • @illust_nicou: ‘Is this real?’

Minecraft has once again managed to bring a feature that no one really thought of and now suddenly everyone wants. Similar to how they recently handled a bug that disappeared suddenly after 10 years.

What are your first thoughts on the armors? Leave a comment on the topic.

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

A version of Fortnite is now 18+ – Epic says Apple and Google are preventing parental controls

Maik Schneider Maik Schneider Reading time 2 minutes

Fortnite is available on many different platforms. However, in recent years, the colorful shooter has faced problems with its mobile version, and these are now getting worse.

Mobile and Fortnite: For a while, that was a real success story. But then the problems arose.

Basically, it’s about money. The mobile stores from Apple and Google take a cut of the revenue, Fortnite developer Epic Games wanted exceptions, didn’t get them, and removed the game from the shops. They even brought nasty Apple skins into the game.

Since then, you can only play the current Fortnite version on mobile through roundabout ways. Or you had the game on your phone back then and still use the app today. However, this app has remained at the state of August 2020 and Patch 13.40.

This very version is now facing challenges. According to Epic, this is due to the strict requirements from Apple and Google.

In 2019, a mother took her 15-year-old son out of school for Fortnite. Watch a video here about what happened to the boy:

Start video
Mother takes 15-year-old son out of school so he has time for Fortnite – This is how it went for him

Fortnite: No more V-Bucks for mobile players

What will be different in the mobile version? The old Fortnite version will become a game for adults. Furthermore, it will not be possible to spend the in-game currency “V-Bucks” on the old mobile versions. The restrictions also apply to the old Mac version.

This might be related to a ruling from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. They imposed a record fine on developer Epic Games in December 2022, because Fortnite allegedly violated children’s privacy.

Fortnite itself has commented on Twitter regarding the new restrictions of the mobile version:

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Tweet Translation: “From January 30th, Fortnite players using version 13.40 from August 2020 on iOS, Mac, and Google Play will no longer be able to spend V-Bucks and must be over 18 to play. We want all versions of our games to use the current suite of Epic Online Services – including parental controls, purchase guidelines, and parental review features. Due to Apple and Google’s restrictions on Fortnite, we cannot update the app on these platforms.”

The whole situation around the old Fortnite version is already quite curious. Now a 2-year-old version of the shooter is rated for ages 18 and adds another chapter to the fight of Epic vs. Mobile.

More about Fortnite on MeinMMO:

Fortnite shook up the gaming market significantly upon its release in 2017 and remains one of the most successful games in the world to this day. The developers manage time and again to impress with fresh updates and ideas, retaining old players and attracting new ones.

And the stories surrounding the colorful shooter are sometimes really exciting: Ninja became huge on Twitch through Fortnite, wanted to become the David Beckham of gaming – What happened to him?

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

LoL: Hackers demand ransom for sensitive game data – Riot speaks out clearly about the attack

Max Handwerk Max Handwerk Reading time 2 minutes

The developer of League of Legends, Riot Games, was the victim of a cyber-attack. The developer has now come forward with details and reports of a ransom demand.

Last week, Riot Games announced that such an attack had taken place, which temporarily prevented them from releasing content such as patches for several games.

The developer of games like League of Legends, Valorant, and TFT initially held back on details.

However, Riot has now issued a more extensive statement via Twitter.

Player data likely safe – Riot fights back against ransom demand

What was stolen: Riot explains in a series of tweets that they conducted an analysis over the weekend, which revealed that source code for League of Legends, TFT, and an older anti-cheat platform was stolen by the attackers.

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This attack poses the risk that new cheats could emerge in the future. Riot has therefore addressed the impact of the attack on anti-cheat systems to implement fixes as quickly as possible if necessary.

At the same time, Riot emphasizes: “Although this attack disrupted our build environment and may cause issues in the future, we are confident that no player data or personal information has been compromised” (via Twitter).

Additionally, Riot states that they received a ransom demand via email. However, the developer is clear: “Of course, we will not pay.”

According to Riot, the source code also contains some experimental features, such as game modes that could appear in future games. However, these are all prototypes with no release guarantees.

More about League of Legends on MeinMMO:

What happens next? Riot has already engaged the relevant parties: “Our security teams and globally recognized external advisors continue to assess the attack and examine our systems,” said the developer: “We have also informed law enforcement and are actively working with them as they investigate the attack and the group behind it” (via Twitter).

Furthermore, Riot plans to provide a detailed report of what actually happened – including the attackers’ approach and where Riot’s security controls may have failed. This is to ensure such an incident does not happen again.

During the week, many things are expected to be repaired, according to Riot, so that the usual patch rhythm can be continued: “The League and TFT teams will inform you soon what this means for the individual games.”

Cyber-attacks are recurring issues in the gaming world. Recently, experts warned about GTA Online on PC – where accounts are at risk.

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

Destiny 2: Weekly Reset on 01/24 – Brings Mega Farm Week for Top Loot

Britta ♤ BeAngel Britta ♤ BeAngel Reading time 5 minutes

This week, Guardians in Destiny 2 can expect only top loot everywhere – and it’s also farmable. MeinMMO will tell you what Bungie is bringing to the game and especially where it’s especially worth taking a round.

What’s happening this week: The seasonal story of Destiny 2 won’t progress any further this week. Only in the last 2 weeks of Season 19 will there be a special end quest and activity for all players.

This week you can therefore perfectly focus on top loot. After this weekly reset, there’s a lot to grab in three top loot activities.

  • In the Legacy Raid “Deep Stone Crypt,” you can farm Deep Sight weapons this week.
  • In the dungeon “Prophecy,” top weapons are waiting to be farmed,
  • In the Nightfall you can also get the 540 Arc Pulse Rifle “Des Horrors Mindeste” in its Master version with Fastfire housing.

Especially the raid could be interesting for many players. From now on, the Deep Sight weapons that you have not fully unlocked will prioritize dropping for you.

In addition, Bungie has changed the machine gun from the Crypt Raid on Europa. There’s been rumors for some time that Lightfall might introduce an MG meta. From now on, you can craft the Void MG “Remembrance” with new perks. Added perks include: “Quickdraw” and “Overflowing reserves” as well as “Devour” and “Under Pressure”.

More on the topic
Destiny 2: All 7 Raid Weapons from the Deep Stone Crypt – How strong they are
von Philipp Hansen

Our weekly reset also tells you what else is happening in the game after the hotfix 6.3.0.5. However, with the start of the new week, there are some difficulties caused by the “Triumph Bug”.

Season 19 has already revealed exciting content, and Bungie does not seem to be finished yet with revealing more details about Rasputin, the Bray family, and the Traveler. It remains exciting to see what the transition from the Season of the Seraphs to Lightfall will look like in about 5 weeks.

Start video
Destiny 2 shows the season of the Seraphim in the trailer – announces the return of the Warmind Rasputin

The most important info about activities from January 24 to January 31

[toc]

Vanguard: Nightfall – The Fire Trial

  • The Scarlet Fortress, on the Moon
    • Hashladun, the Daughter of Crota, designed the red Hive Bastion to harness the energies of the Pyramid buried in the Abyss below. You should drive her out of her refuge in the strike and thin out the offspring of Oryx further.
As Nightfall loot, you can expect the coveted 540 Pulse Rifle “Des Horrors Mindeste”. In the “Nightfall” difficulty, you can also receive it as a Master version with better stats.

Playlist Strikes have the following modifiers this week:

  • Arc Singe
  • Champs
  • Blackout
  • The singe modifier will accompany you all week, while the others change daily.

Endgame: Raid Challenges and Dungeon Rotation

What’s happening in the raid “King’s Fall”:

In the current raid “King’s Fall,” the fourth challenge “In Construction” is taking place:

  • In the fourth challenge “In Construction”, you may only stand on each platform once during a damage phase where you steal the aura of a witch to generate the dimensional platforms for the runner. After each completed phase, this restriction resets and you may once again stand on each platform only once. If you stand on the same plate twice in one run, the challenge is considered failed.

You can expect the following raid requirements and challenges: 

  • In Normal mode, completing a challenge brings you double loot.
  • Only in the Grandmaster raid will you receive status-specific armor and master weapons.
  • You can also earn the new raid-exclusive exotic cosmetics in the Oryx look from the Grandmaster.

Additional Legacy Top Rewards from Endgame:

  • The “Deep Stone Crypt” on Europa is active as a legacy raid with Deep Sight weapon options.
  • Play the dungeon “Prophecy” for more top loot.
This is not “Operation: Seraph’s Shield” but the raid view from Bray Station over Europa.

Crucible – This is the PvP playlist:

  • In the Crucible, you can get big guns when “Team Singe” is active. So grab the Fallen’s rocket launcher and blast your opponents into the beyond.

Playlist Bonus this week:

  • Lord Shaxx is generous this week and is adding extra Crucible ranks when you are running in PvP.

Weekly Activities

Here are the most important activities of this week:

Savathun’s Throne World – Weekly Campaign Mission

  • “The Arrival”
    • This week you can play the first campaign mission on Grandmaster difficulty. You infiltrate a Cabal base on Mars and then daringly investigate Savathun’s ship for clues about the Light.

Ascendant Challenge – Dreaming City

  • Petra Venj has the 2nd Ascendant Challenge for you this week. You can find Petra and her quest offer at the location “The Shore” in the Dreaming City. Savathun also has her fingers in this pie, as the curse begins to reclaim the sacred city of the Awoken at level 1.
More on the topic
Guardians are too easy in Destiny 2 – Bungie wants to challenge them again with Lightfall
von Christos Tsogos

All sources for top loot in Season 19 of Destiny 2

To let you know where you can effectively grab your top loot, we provide you with a quick overview of activities every week.

This is the new max level: In the new season of the Seraphs, the maximum power level of your gear is 1,590. This means that the power level at the start of the new Season 19 has increased by +10 compared to the previous Season 18.

This top loot brings your power level to 1,590:

  • Top Legacy Raid “King’s Fall” (+2)
  • Top Dungeon “Guardian’s Pillar” (+2)
  • Raid rotation this week: “Deep Stone Crypt” (+2)
  • Legacy dungeon rotation “Prophecy” (+2)
  • Reach in the Nightfall: Fire Trial with at least 100,000 points (+2)
  • Weekly Witch Queen campaign mission with at least 100,000 points (+2)
  • “The Ur-Source” on Grandmaster difficulty (+2)
  • Complete the Activity “Preservation” in the raid pyramid of Darkness (+2)
  • “Trial of Eternity”: Reach at least 250,000 points or more (+2)
  • Defeat Powerful Cabal in the exotic mission “Vox Obscura” (+2)
  • Complete 3 Heist Battlegrounds on Legendary difficulty (+2)
  • Complete 3 Gambit matches (+1)
  • Complete 3 Crucible matches (+1)
  • Complete 3 Vanguard Operation Strikes with appropriate focus (+1)
  • Hawthorne’s Clan task: Earn 5000 XP (+1)
  • Trials, Trials of Osiris (+2) – starting January 27

Shiny Highlights in the Eververse

This week, the 2nd Arc armor ornament for Glimmer comes to the Eververse.
  • Exotic Sparrow “Victory Series”
  • Exotic Sparrow “M3-D1-Angelos”
  • Exotic weapon ornament for the bow “Trinity Ghoul” named “Three Glowing Dawns”
  • Exotic emote “Dance-Off”
  • Exotic emote “Camping”
  • For the Arc armor ornaments, you will receive this week the leg piece:
    • Legendary Arc Hunter ornament “Dynamo Storm Pants”
    • Legendary Arc Titan ornament “Thunderstrike Greaves”
    • Legendary Arc Warlock ornament “Arc Light Boots”
  • Legendary emote “Greasy Mustache”
  • Legendary Ghost projection “Nemesic Projection”
  • Legendary teleport effect “VEX Onslaught Arrival”
  • Rare emote “Unique Pose”
  • Shader “Neopop Wave”

Not enough Glimmer? So many cool items, but you are already short on Glimmer? Then check out our tips on how to improve your Glimmer budget.

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Destiny 2: How to quickly get Glimmer in 2024 – Because if you don’t want to spend real money, you have to farm
von Britta ♤ BeAngel

These are all the challenges of this week. Feel free to let us know in the comments what else you plan to farm.

You can find the current adjustments for today’s update in Destiny 2 here:

Destiny 2: Server Down for Hotfix 6.3.0.5 on January 24 – All patch notes and info

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

Rift was supposed to be a great WoW-killer – What happened to the MMORPG?

Anny Anny Reading time 2 minutes

Rift is a fantasy MMORPG developed by Trion Worlds, released in 2011. Upon release, it aimed to be better than World of Warcraft – Nowadays, it is dying.

What kind of game is this? In terms of gameplay Rift is strongly reminiscent of WoW, but comes with its own mechanic: The “Rifts”. These exist in the game world and provide players with large world events.

The MMORPG offers a flexible class system with 3 races and 36 so-called souls, allowing players to experience numerous combinations. You play as a chosen hero who must protect the kingdom of Telara.

Additionally, Rift offers classic PvE and PvP content, for which it received regular updates and major expansions for years.

Since 2013, Rift has also been playable on Steam. It has received 74% positive reviews during this time.

No content, just reheated events

What happened to Rift? The MMORPG was released in 2011 with a subscription model but switched to Free2Play a year later. Initially, it failed to convince enough players and therefore offered only an optional subscription.

In 2018, the German publisher gamigo acquired the studio Trion Worlds. Then it became quiet, and players wondered when new content would arrive. The developers then decided to release many smaller patches instead of a few large ones.

This has not worked at all so far. In 2021, there were only events that had already occurred before. For early 2022, gamigo announced an update that fans were still waiting for in December. As “new content” Rift received the old Battle Pass – reheated.

In 2018, a Classic server for Rift was also launched. Initially, it was very popular but apparently had too many issues and was “regrettably” shut down by gamigo in March 2019 without explanation .

Here you can see a trailer for Rift from 2017:

Start video
Trailer for the fantasy MMORPG Rift

Is Rift facing an imminent death?

Lack of updates and low player counts suggest that Rift may not last much longer. MeinMMO author Alexander Leitsch predicts that the MMORPG Rift will be among those that die in 2023.

According to SteamDB, there were only about 200 players online at peak in the last 24 hours. In addition, there are players using the standalone client of Rift. So in reality, it’s a bit more than 200 players. For a genre that thrives on high player numbers, these figures are still critical.

More about MMORPGs on MeinMMO:

On the official website and on Steam, gamigo does post news. However, the latest news once again concerned reheated content. There also appear to have been competitions, but new content is not in sight.

What do you think about the MMORPG? Do you believe that gamigo will soon shut down Rift? Or will the game hold on because of its loyal fans? Have you tried it out and collected your own experiences? Feel free to write it to us in the comments here on MeinMMO!

In contrast, these MMORPGs have high player numbers:

The 10 MMORPGs with the most players on Steam in January 2023

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

Twitch streamer kills a dragon in Elden Ring with her brain – “Rosy future for gaming”

Lydia Lydia Reading time 3 minutes

The action RPG Elden Ring has been played with just about everything imaginable: from bananas to “Guitar Hero” guitars to dance mats. However, a Twitch streamer has now taken it to the next level by using her brain waves. Twitter users are divided: Is this the future of gaming or just a clever hoax?

What’s it all about? Elden Ring created a huge hype upon its release in 2022, as the games from developer FromSoftware are known for their high difficulty level. However, the first players quickly conquered the game and looked for new challenges.

A real competition has emerged to outdo each other with ever more absurd controllers. A Twitch streamer, who goes by the name “Perrikaryal,” is currently a hot contender for the title of “Strangest way to play Elden Ring”: She plays Elden Ring with her brainwaves.

Start video
A half-naked player in Elden Ring became a community legend – This is his story
Do you regret not playing a game much sooner? Here are 8 insider tips in Elden Ring: Nightreign, which you can easily miss Here are 8 insider tips in Elden Ring: Nightreign, which you can easily miss He convinced his 69-year-old father to give gaming a chance – now he’s playing Elden Ring on Twitch Elden Ring Nightreign: All Remembrances – How to solve the echoes of the classes Elden Ring: Nightreign – Leave penalty and what to expect when you leave an expedition Elden Ring receives new weapons and armor, releasing in 2025 on the Nintendo Switch 2 Souls fans are speculating about why Elden Ring: Nightreign even exists – But the boss might have already revealed the answer A player finished Dark Souls 3 without collecting a single soul, which should be impossible Twitch streamer kills a dragon in Elden Ring with her brain – “Rosy future for gaming” A player in Elden Ring thought he had to fight a PvP duel, instead he is presented with gifts The creators talk about a movie for Elden Ring, but the man with the ideas is not there

Dragon-slaying with brains

What does the streamer do? Perrikaryal, who claims to have a master’s degree in psychology, is connected to an EEG during her streams. This is a medical device that can measure her brain activity. The streamer uses this to control her character in Elden Ring – at least partly.

How is this possible? EEG stands for electroencephalography and is a method from neurological research and diagnostics. Electrodes are placed at defined points on the head. These electrodes can measure voltage differences on the scalp that are triggered by activity in the brain.

The device then represents the brain activities in the form of waves, which at first glance don’t make much sense. However, the streamer has managed to associate a specific brain activity with an action in the game.

So far, with this method, only one attack seems possible, meaning Perrikaryal does not (yet) control solely with her brain. Nonetheless, she has already succeeded in using this method to slay a dragon in Elden Ring by repeatedly striking it with her shield.

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Why only one action? Perrikaryal explains that it’s quite difficult for the program to differentiate between individual activities. Visualizations work well for her: She imagines pushing something very heavy forward to execute the attacks.

It’s basically like a switch: either the activity is there or it’s not, and the program doesn’t need to differentiate various patterns. If one puts in a lot of effort and moves little, it should be possible to link different activities with buttons or key combinations.

“Imagine a quadriplegic destroys you in CoD”

What are the reactions like? On Twitter, where the story was shared by journalist Jake Lucky, users are initially impressed: “I think the ‘Unique Controller’ category is over. It can’t get more impressive than this,” writes one (via Twitter).

Some viewers are downright euphoric: They already see this as the future of gaming. And it’s long overdue, as the technology has existed for some time. Especially for people with disabilities, this technology could open up completely new possibilities:

I am so glad to hear this story, as it gives a lot of severely disabled people hope to be gamers. Just imagine being totally destroyed by a tetraplegic in Call of Duty!
I love technology like this; the future of gaming is bright.

Twitter user “ZeusKabooze” via Twitter

The advantage over Neuralink, a comparable project by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, is that the EEG is a non-invasive procedure that doesn’t require a chip implant in the brain. However, Perrikaryal explains that she wouldn’t be opposed if the Tesla chief contacted her: then she wouldn’t have to constantly apply saline to increase conductivity or recharge her device.

However, there are also critical voices who suspect a clever fake behind the footage: the gameplay could have been pre-recorded or a friend could be controlling the character off-camera with a controller. “Streamers are just making things up now. Viewer counts must be pretty low,” writes a Twitter user.

Others argue that controlling with the EEG is indeed possible and not as complicated as some might imagine. Perrikaryal herself provided proof in a stream that she wasn’t using a controller or dance mat to attack. We’ve embedded the relevant clip for you here:

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In a stream that is currently still live, the streamer shows on her Twitch channel how she trains the program to recognize different activities (as of January 24, 2023).

More Twitch news on MeinMMO:

The idea of controlling a character solely with one’s brainwaves still sounds like science fiction. However, work is already underway on a “Deep Dive” that is meant to immerse players in the game world with all their senses. Here’s what it’s all about:

The “Deep Dive” is supposed to immerse us into MMORPGs like never before – What is it actually?

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

ESO: Crossplay explained – What is the status of the feature in 2023?

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 2 minutes

Players are wondering if there is crossplay between PlayStation, PC, Mac, and Xbox in Elder Scrolls Online (ESO). We will show you the latest status.

The MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online celebrated its release back in 2014. Since then, a lot has happened: new expansions have been released and technology for PCs and consoles has advanced.

Many players are therefore wondering if there is crossplay for ESO. Can you play together with your friends on PS4 while you are gaming on PC? Here we show you what crossplay is available in ESO and where you can expect limits.

Crossplay in ESO with PC, PlayStation, and Xbox

So far, there is no crossplay between the platforms PlayStation, Xbox, and PC in ESO. You can play among yourselves.

  • PC players with Windows can play with other PC players on Windows and Mac
  • Xbox players can only play with other Xbox players
  • PlayStation players can also only play with other PlayStation players

This is also stated by the ESO team in an official support thread (via elderscrollsonline.com).

More about ESO:

Is there cross-generation play?

There is crossplay between different console generations. So you can play on PS4 together with other players on PS5. The same applies to players with Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.

This way, you can at least play together with friends and other players on the same, but older platform.

Whether the functionality of crossplay in ESO will change at some point and you will be able to play together on different platforms is still unknown. As soon as this becomes possible, you can read about it on MeinMMO.

You can find the new chapter Necrom and the content for 2023 in The Elder Scrolls Online here

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

We asked the AI: What is the best MMO to play right now?

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 4 minutes

The AI “ChatGPT” is currently on everyone’s lips. The artificial intelligence answers the burning questions of humanity. Our author Schuhmann took the opportunity to ask the AI about the best MMO to play right now. However, the answer is disappointing.

What does the AI say is the best MMO to play right now?

This was the answer given to me by the AI “ChatGPT”:

It depends on personal preferences and the play style of the individual. There are many MMOs suitable for different types of players. Some of the currently most popular MMOs are:

  • World of Warcraft: This game has a long history and a very large player base. It offers a wide range of content, including quests, raids, dungeons, and PvP battles.
  • Final Fantasy XIV: This game has a strong story and a large world to explore. It also offers a variety of activities such as quests, dungeons, raids, and more.
  • Elder Scrolls Online: This game offers a huge open world to explore. It also has a strong story and a variety of activities such as quests, dungeons, raids, and more.
  • Guild Wars 2: This game offers an open world and an active community. It also has a strong story and a variety of activities such as quests, dungeons, raids, and more.

There are many other great MMOs to try, depending on what kind of player you are and what kind of content you are looking for.

The AI’s answers are based on the state of 2021. Therefore, it is clear that MMORPGs like New World or Lost Ark cannot be recommended.
Start video
Here is gameplay of the 5 best MMOs coming out in 2023

What does “MMO” mean in 2023 – the big problem

What is the issue with the answer? The answer shows a problem: The term “MMO” is difficult and contentious in practice. The AI uses the term “MMO” synonymously with “MMORPG”, whereas MMORPG is actually just a subcategory of MMOs.

The difficulty with the term MMO comes from WoW, which marked a turning point in the genre in 2005:

  • Until 2005, people in MMOs usually played in the same instance, in a shared world, so they could run with 400 people to a dragon in one area and kill it.
  • With WoW, instances came into play: Only a maximum of 40 people could run to the dragon in a large group.

In the classic definition, MMOs still refer to games like those before 2005, where thousands of players operate on the same server. Such games have proven to be a huge problem, as so many players in one place heavily burden the servers, create significant balancing issues, and cannot be transported to consoles.

Thus, these games have practically become extinct, but there are exceptions:

  • EVE Online is still one such game and continually writes fantastic stories. Here, the performance issues are solved by slowing down the action extremely when many players gather in one spot.
  • Chronicles of Elyria was supposed to be such a game, but it failed miserably.
  • Star Citizen has already raised over 500 million US dollars with the promise of creating such a game,
WoW_Dragonflight_Title
The AI recommends the best MMO. Just play WOW.

How does the AI understand the term MMO? The AI uses “MMO” synonymously with “MMORPG” and lists 4 of the currently most popular MMORPGs as an answer.

This reflects a general, prevailing view of MMOs: For many players, the term MMO has shrunk to MMORPG today.

It is associated with character development, a persistent world, and things like raids, dungeons, and quests. However, all these elements actually belong more to the “RPG” aspect of an MMORPG and not to the MMO aspect.

Thus, there can also be shooter, action, or strategy games as MMOs; it does not always have to be a role-playing game (RPG).

More on the topic
New MMORPGs Released in 2024
von Alexander Leitsch

MMO no longer means the same as it did in 2005

This is the challenge with the term “MMO”: You can understand MMO in two ways:

  • As it was before 2005, when it meant “massive world with thousands of players”, which includes only a few games like EVE Online or Planetside.
  • Or you see MMO as an extended term, simply describing whether you can play a game alone or with several people. In the sense of “Singleplayer – Multiplayer – MMO”. MMO then means “I can connect with an extremely large number of players, even if we do not play on the same server, but in different instances”.
Originally, the term “MMO” was only used as a marketing label by Ultima boss Richard Garriott to differentiate Ultima Online from “smaller games” (via twitter).

If you define the term “MMO” this broadly, you can include almost all popular games-as-a-service games like Fortnite, Destiny 2, or even Hearthstone and FIFA, although that would already be a sacrilege for purists.

However, if you define the term narrowly, there have been no MMOs for many years. Thus, the Wikipedia entry on “MMO shooters” already ends in 2016 with failed attempts to develop “massive shooters” like Dust 514 or Firefall.

Later loot shooters with MMO elements like Destiny, The Division, or Anthem are not listed on Wikipedia as MMO shooters. The most popular game of recent years, Fortnite, is certainly not. Since ChatGPT apparently draws from such rather conservative sources, the AI reflects this conservative view on the term.

What is the other problem with the answer? With all due love, all 4 MMORPGs that ChatGPT describes sound almost identical: Yes, all games have quests, raids, and dungeons – and a “strong story” and a “large world”.

When it comes to such truly existential questions, like the best MMO, even the powerful AI ChatGPT seems to hit a wall.

What is ChatGPT? Everything you need to know about the AI from OpenAI

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

Gamer builds first PC, buys an SSD on Amazon, instead gets 10 pieces – Is the ‘lucky guy’ allowed to keep everything?

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 3 minutes

Sometimes it happens that Amazon or other sellers deliver too many items. But what do you do with things you didn’t order at all?

We took the title image from the reddit thread.

A user recently bought a Samsung 980 Pro for his gaming PC (via reddit.com). But instead of receiving 1 SSD, he received 10 of them. He had only ordered a single model for his new system. However, the community is thrilled:

  • Many in the comments call him a “lucky guy.”
  • Others claim he won the “lottery” of PC builders.
  • Still others explain that he could finance the rest of his PC by selling the excess devices.

But is the user even allowed to keep the 10 SSDs or sell them?

Update: 01/24/2023: Section on returns added.

We at MeinMMO are an editorial team specialized in gaming and do not have legal expertise. If you want to inform yourself extensively about legal topics, it’s best to consult a lawyer or visit the Federal Ministry of Justice.

If you keep too many delivered goods, it can quickly lead to trouble

Is it permissible to keep too much merchandise? The well-known lawyer Christian Solmecke explained to the Kölnische Rundschau that one can quickly get into trouble. He states (via rundschau-online.de):

If the seller mistakenly delivers too much, you are obliged to inform him. Otherwise, you may face legal issues.

If you are considering giving away or even selling the excess goods, the company can even claim damages from you:

If it is a mistake, you must proceed as described above. Selling, giving away, or disposing of the item can result in the company claiming damages.

It is also problematic when a package is clearly delivered to the wrong recipient, meaning that you receive a package that you shouldn’t get at all. You should return that as well, because another customer is waiting for their shipment.

It only looks different if the seller intentionally sends you too much. In that case, the seller cannot demand either storage or return from the buyer. According to the Civil Code, you officially become the owner after ten years.

Who is responsible for the return? Generally, you do not have to cover the return shipping or the costs. Ideally, excess goods are handled directly by the provider, who normally also has to cover the costs. Because Amazon or another provider cannot pass the costs of their mistake on to you. And you also don’t have to take the excess dishwasher to the post office in the neighboring village. This is regulated in BGB§ 241a (3) (via dahag.de).

By the way, the excess delivered goods do not constitute a purchase contract either, since you didn’t order the items.

More on the topic
AMD dominates Intel with its processors on Amazon – despite discount
von Benedikt Schlotmann

Sellers Notice That Goods Are Missing

Do sellers find out? The argument of such “lucky guys” is often that no one would know that they received too much. So why report goods that no one knows about?

Oftentimes, sellers or service providers take precautions against such errors. Packages are weighed, and it can already be noticed that the shipped package is too heavy. Or sooner or later, the error will be noticed in the booking system. Especially expensive models are often protected.

By the way, there are also exceptions: In some cases of misdelivery or returns, Amazon has occasionally been generous. For example, businessinsider explains that Amazon waives a return for certain values of goods. Because according to the Consumer Advice Centre of North Rhine-Westphalia, returning would be more expensive than the actual item. The costs are said to be around 15 euros.

Therefore, these are often items with values of less than 20 euros, where Amazon or other sellers may be generous. However, often, the buyer cannot do anything with it because, for example, it is the wrong strap for a smartwatch or a spare part that didn’t fit after all.

However, with significantly higher values, it’s unlikely that Amazon will voluntarily leave you with an expensive processor or graphics card, even though the thought may please some.

By the way, we once reported on MeinMMO about such a case where a person received too much merchandise. Instead of SSDs, there were two Intel processors:

Gamer buys expensive processor, accidentally receives 2 of them – Does he have the right to keep both?

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

The Day Before is one of the most wanted games on Steam – “It looks too good to be true”

Marie Friske Marie Friske Reading time 2 minutes

The survival shooter “The Day Before” ranks second in the list of most wished-for games on Steam. However, some in the community are skeptical about whether the game will be as good as it seems in the trailers.

What kind of game is The Day Before? The game will be a survival shooter and open-world MMO, where you fight for your life in a zombie apocalypse.

The gameplay involves searching for resources, such as weapons and food, and exploring the game world with vehicles. At the same time, you must watch out for the constant threat from zombies as well as other players. Because even the survivors are out to get each other and kill to obtain vital items.

The game is currently ranked second in the list “most wished for” on Steam  right behind Hogwarts Legacy (as of January 24, 2023).

Here you can see a gameplay trailer for The Day Before:

Start video
The Day Before gameplay trailer in 4K and with ray tracing

The trailers excite, but also raise first doubts

Why are many users excited? The insights provided by the developers about the game look promising and spark excitement in the community. However, many are also skeptical.

Many users praise in the comments the announcement trailer on YouTube from a year ago, how great the game looks. However, many also express concerns about whether the game will actually turn out like the trailer suggests:

  • Walker Schwabauer: “I really hope that the final game looks as good and plays as well. I would buy it in a heartbeat.
  • Raymond Mata: “This really looks amazing! I can’t wait for the drop… Hopefully, it doesn’t disappoint.
  • Jacobo: “It looks too good to be true.

What issues are there with The Day Before? The new gameplay trailer, which you can see above, has also caused some players to doubt. Because several users believe that The Day Before looked better in older clips and that the game must have made graphical compromises.

The gaming website PCGamer has gathered what it considers the three biggest “red flags” regarding The Day Before, which it believes give reason for doubt:

  • The developer’s last game, Propnight, is performing mediocre on Steam, with balanced player reviews (as of January 24, 2023).
  • So far, only scripted demos have been shown, no authentic gameplay footage yet.
  • Basic questions, such as whether there are other transport options besides cars and armored vehicles, have yet to be answered in the official Discord channel, even though the release is coming up soon.

Furthermore, the game was supposed to be released at the end of June 2022, but was delayed. There was also a controversy regarding unpaid volunteers that the developer studio was looking for last year. Both of these shook players’ optimism and raised initial concerns about how good The Day Before could truly turn out to be.

More about survival and shooter games can be found here:

When will The Day Before be released? On Steam, the expected release date has been set for March 1, 2023.

Currently, no purchase price has been published on Steam and pre-orders are not yet available. Interested parties can add The Day Before to their wishlist or follow the game to receive announcements about the survival shooter.

Here you will also find a list of 8 new survival games you can look forward to in 2023.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. pcgamer.com
  2. store.steampowered.com

New server wipe in Escape from Tarkov is considered the worst ever – Shameless hackers everywhere

Christos Tsogos Christos Tsogos Reading time 3 minutes

Every player knows hackers and cheaters who do everything to cause trouble by unfair means. In Escape from Tarkov, however, this trouble is increasing, as these cheaters have become more brazen since the last server wipe.

What’s going on in Escape from Tarkov? The extraction shooter by Battlestate Games has been struggling heavily with cheaters and hackers since its last server wipe on December 28, 2022. Players even report such brazen behavior that hackers don’t even try to hide their unfair actions (via reddit.com).

Players are shot in the head from impossible distances by aim bots or are killed directly at spawn, with no chance to enjoy the game. It has even reached the point where fans are starting to boycott the shooter until the situation improves.

Tarkov has inspired many other games and created the subgenre of extraction shooters. Marauders combines this approach with space action:

Start video
New extraction shooter turns Escape from Tarkov into a space battle – Beta starts next week on Steam

Cheaters show no remorse and blatantly cheat

What do the players say? On reddit, there are now two posts where players have the chance to vent about the impossible cheating conditions. Mercenaries report incidents like this one from reddit user orbtl:

I have only been playing for 5 wipes, but this is by far the worst wipe for obvious cheaters in my experience. I do everything to avoid them.

I don’t take expensive kits with me. I avoid hotspots with good loot. Damn, today I was literally sitting with nothing but a Mosin in a bush, eating a sandwich and waiting for the map to be cleaned out so I could get some scav kills.

A hacker ran over a hill and gave me a headshot from behind before he even visually appeared. And I hadn’t moved or made a sound for 15 minutes.

As if these people wouldn’t even try to hide it, and it happens several times a day. There may have been suspicious kills in previous wipes. But these super-obvious hackers who don’t even hide it, I might have encountered twice in an entire wipe.

And he is not the only one. Another reddit user twitch-superc00l also shares his thoughts on the current state of Escape from Tarkov. Fans share their tips on how to avoid these cheaters, but he has only this to say:

As I can respectfully say, you may have a point with your methods of avoiding cheaters, but it’s not even close to a real solution. I am so tired of hearing people say, “wait in bushes,” “don’t bring gear,” etc. to avoid cheaters. This crap needs to get a viable solution.

The community has to stop avoiding cheaters in this way unless it’s absolutely necessary to undertake a difficult task or something like that. Imagine you have 2 hours to play each night and spend 40 minutes in a bush waiting for cheaters to clean the map. […]

Basically, all the reddit threads seem to suggest that the cheaters are mocking honest players and reveling in driving fans to the brink.

More about Escape from Tarkov can be found here:

What do the developers say about this? So far, there has been no statement from the developers, but players agree that nothing or little is being done against these hackers at all. The community wants to enjoy the extraction shooter, but there are some players who can’t take it any longer and therefore take a break until active measures are taken against these cheaters.

What do you think about the current situation in Escape from Tarkov? Have you dealt with such hackers yourself or can you not understand the opinions of the community? Feel free to leave us a comment!

Hardcore shooter without mercy leaves everything behind on Twitch – where does the hype for Escape from Tarkov come from?

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

A new trailer for Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is here – But fans are calling for the film to be boycotted

Dariusz Müller Dariusz Müller Reading time 4 minutes

Some fans of Dungeons & Dragons want to boycott the new movie. The reason is a possible change in the licensing of D&D content.

What kind of trailer is this? From March 30, 2023, the movie “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” will be released in theaters, starring actor Chris Pine as the protagonist “Edgin.”

Edgin is a thief who, along with a group of adventurers, is responsible for a powerful magical artifact falling into evil hands. A mistake he must rectify throughout the movie.

On January 23, Paramount Pictures released a new trailer showcasing the humor and action of the film. However, not all D&D fans are filled with anticipation; some even want to boycott the title.

We embed the new trailer of the upcoming D&D movie here:

Start video
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves – Second Official Trailer for the Movie

Fans want to boycott the D&D movie

What kind of boycott is this? On social media, especially on Twitter, the hashtag “BoycottDNDMovie” is currently circulating. With this, D&D fans aim to call for a boycott of the movie.

Why are fans calling for the boycott? The reason for the boycott is a planned change in the licensing of D&D content that could affect fan projects and third-party content. A leaked document with potential changes is the trigger for the unrest among fans.

According to the old licensing agreement, the “Open Gaming License 1” (OGL-1), external designers and publishers were allowed to develop new products for D&D according to the American site gizmodo.com. It did not matter whether it was fan projects or professionally produced third-party products.

Furthermore, gizmodo reports that a leaked document in December 2022 stated that the OGL was intended to allow the community to help D&D grow and creatively expand.

The document also reportedly states that the OGL was not designed to finance large competitors or to create “D&D apps, videos, or anything else besides printed (or printable) material for use during gameplay.”

Additionally, gizmodo reports that the leak of the new licensing regulations states that developers of crowdfunding works must pay a 25% licensing fee on qualified earnings, with Kickstarter being the only exception where only a 20% licensing fee would apply.

Some fans view the proposed changes to the OGL as a disrespect to third-party D&D content providers (via Twitter).

If you’re interested in more about Dungeons and Dragons:

D&D officials respond to fan criticism

How are the officials reacting to the criticism? On January 18, 2023, Kyle Brink, the Executive Producer of Dungeons & Dragons, addressed fans in a statement and responded to the expressed criticism.

At the beginning of the statement, Brink apologizes and admits mistakes. They have hurt content creators, and better communication was necessary. Brink promises to work on this moving forward and vows to be open and more transparent while gathering feedback on proposed changes to the OGL.

Building on that, he announced a sort of “playtest” for the OGL changes. This is a document with suggestions for the new OGL, from which feedback will be collected via a survey afterwards.

The document with the proposals was published on January 20. You can find it at dndbeyond.com and can still participate in the survey.

Finally, Brink shared a list of content that, according to him, will not be affected by changes to the OGL.

Which content is, according to Brink, not affected by the changes to the OGL?

  • DMs Guild content
    • Content you publish on DMs Guild will also continue to fall under a “Community Content Agreement” with the Dungeon Masters Guild, according to Brink.
  • OGL 1.0a content
    • Content published under OGL 1.0a will always be licensed under OGL 1.0a, according to Brink, and therefore will not be affected by future changes to the OGL.

    • Additionally, Brink states in the statement that there will be no licensing fees or financial reporting requirements. Furthermore, content creators will continue to own their content.

    Besides the D&D movie, there are also rumors that there will be a game in the D&D universe that is supposedly going to be like The Witcher:

    Dungeons & Dragons is getting a new AAA game – rumor says it will be like The Witcher

    • Video content (as a commentator, streamer, podcaster, or live play cast member on platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok)
      • This content is covered by the “Wizards Fan Content Policy,” according to Brink. Thus, the OGL will not affect it now or in the future.
    • Sale of accessories such as minis, novels, clothing, dice, and other items
    • Unpublished works, such as contractually agreed services.
      • Commissioned work, paid DM services, consulting, and so forth are not affected by the OGL.
    • VTT content
    • DMs Guild content
      • Content you publish on DMs Guild will also continue to fall under a “Community Content Agreement” with the Dungeon Masters Guild, according to Brink.
    • OGL 1.0a content
      • Content published under OGL 1.0a will always be licensed under OGL 1.0a, according to Brink, and therefore will not be affected by future changes to the OGL.

    Additionally, Brink states in the statement that there will be no licensing fees or financial reporting requirements. Furthermore, content creators will continue to own their content.

    Besides the D&D movie, there are also rumors that there will be a game in the D&D universe that is supposedly going to be like The Witcher:

    Dungeons & Dragons is getting a new AAA game – rumor says it will be like The Witcher

    This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
    Source(s):
    1. 3DJuegos
    2. gizmodo.com
    3. Twitter
    4. Paramount Pictures via YouTube

    “God, this is so tragic” – millions of Chinese players are losing access to WoW, Diablo and Overwatch

    Marius Mach Marius Mach Reading time 3 minutes

    On January 23, Blizzard had to shut down its service in China. The studio did not extend its long-term contract with the Chinese publisher NetEase and did not find a new partner. This means millions of players lose access to their favorite games.

    What happened? After 14 years, the partnership between Blizzard Entertainment and the Chinese publisher NetEase came to an end. Already in November 2022, the companies announced that they could not reach an agreement. They reiterated this position last week. For Blizzard, this is a significant loss: Blizzard loses 666 million potential players for WoW, Overwatch, and Diablo

    The exact circumstances behind the breakdown of relations are unknown. However, it is assumed that there was significant trouble behind the scenes. Both companies shift the blame for the situation onto each other. After Blizzard’s split: NetEase goes wild, destroys Orc statue and insults fiercely

    A proposal from Blizzard to extend the contract under the old conditions for 6 months was rejected by NetEase. Blizzard wanted to guarantee that Chinese players would continue to have access to their games while searching for a new distribution partner. NetEase, on the other hand, was only interested in a long-term collaboration.

    Why does Blizzard need a Chinese partner? In general, western companies need a Chinese partner and the appropriate governmental license to publish games in China.

    In recent years, the Chinese government has shown a greater interest in the form and content of foreign titles. The censorship authorities fear a harmful influence from the West. Additionally, the government is concerned that excessive gaming could negatively affect the youth. Therefore, in 2021, a law was enacted that limits children’s and adolescents’ gaming time on Fridays, weekends, and official holidays to a maximum of 1 hour per day. Apparently with success: The youth of China is cured, their gaming addiction has been driven out.

    A small consolation: While Blizzard takes the servers offline, Tencent launches an MMORPG in China that resembles WoW remarkably.

    Start video
    Tarisland: The gameplay trailer for the MMORPG

    Players fear for their accounts

    What does this mean for the players? While Blizzard and NetEase argue about a contract, Chinese players are suffering. Although the end of the partnership was foreseeable, it means that players lose access to their accounts from one day to the next.

    The Chinese community has not been able to access their Blizzard accounts since January 23. This is particularly bitter for players, as their mounts, transmogs, achievements in WoW, card collections in Hearthstone, or skins in Overwatch are simply gone.

    Even with a VPN, they currently have no way to access their accounts. These are tied to the respective region. A VPN is a tool that allows people from China to bypass the state firewall and access western services like Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook.

    No wonder that many players in China are disappointed and frustrated. Some express their anger on social media channels. The Twitter account @XiaoT_HS posted a picture of his Hearthstone collection and commented on it with the words: “Disconnected. I may never log in again.” Even Ben Brode, the former head of Hearthstone, expresses his sympathy for the Chinese community and addressed the following words on Twitter: “God, this is so tragic!”

    The situation is difficult, but there is a glimmer of hope

    What happens next? The situation is deadlocked, as long as Blizzard doesn’t find a new partner, the servers will remain offline. Although Blizzard offers Chinese players a service with which they can secure their accounts. However, it remains unclear if and when they will regain access.

    It could actually get worse if the Chinese government decides to permanently exclude Blizzard from their market. In the past, a similar fate has already been meted out with other licenses. China banned the global version of Steam, and in its place, there is now a Chinese version. However, this only offers about 100 titles.

    It is also possible that a new partner will emerge that wants to collaborate with Blizzard. Industry speculation suggests that Chinese publishers want to wait for the takeover of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft. For the players, the hope remains that an agreement will be reached as soon as possible.

    A lead developer of WoW Classic is being fired after refusing to give a bad review to an employee

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