A CS:GO team is currently facing heavy criticism from fans for hiring a former coach who was banned for cheating.
Which team is it?
The Danish esports organization Astralis is one of the best-known teams in digital sports and is active in games like CS:GO, Valorant, and Rainbow Six: Siege.
Between 2016 and 2019, Astralis won high-profile titles, including the “StarLadder Major 2019” in Berlin and the “Intel Extreme Masters XIII – Katowice Major 2019”
In CS:GO, they have star players like Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz in their ranks.
Former players include Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen and Finn “karrigan” Andersen
Who has Astralis signed? On January 5, Astralis announced that they had hired former player and coach Nicolai “HUNDEN” Petersen as the “Head Analyst”. The 31-year-old Dane was involved in two scandals in his career as a CS:GO coach, for which he was banned.
Start video
Counter Strike: Global Offensive Trailer
Coach exploited bug for unfair advantage
Why was he banned the first time? In 2020, the so-called “Spectator Bug” caused a stir in the CS:GO community. The bug created a type of “Free Camera” perspective.
Some coaches deliberately triggered the bug by executing certain steps and then exploited it to gain insight into the movements of opponents that they shouldn’t have.
ESL intervened and initially banned 3 coaches – including HUNDEN, who was hit the second hardest and was banned for 1 year. Later, the “Esports Integrity Commission” (ESIC) announced in a document that a total of 37 coaches were banned for cheating (via esic.gg).
For HUNDEN, the ESIC document lists two violations involving the Spectator Bug that he committed during his time as coach of Heroic. One of these violations occurred on May 19, 2020, against his future team Astralis.
Later, the ESIC took up the case again, conducted an investigation, and banned HUNDEN from major tournaments for 2 years. He is banned during this period from ESL, Dreamhack, and BLAST tournaments.
How does the CS:GO community react? The community of CS:GO, especially the fans of esports, are reacting with a lot of criticism for Astralis. The signing of HUNDEN is facing massive backlash:
Liam SleviN: “Absolutely ridiculous. The irony and lack of self-awareness must be at an all-time high for esports with this step (via Twitter).”
Jungle_CS: “Imagine falling as a team so far that you have to sign a cheater because you think he will save your team (via Twitter).”
Poloolpp: “Astralis is really shameless (via Twitter).”
petterlillhonga: “Thanks for the information. Please tell me when they decide to remove the cheater so I can follow Astralis again (via Twitter).”
However, the criticism of employing HUNDEN is nothing new. Already in 2020, there was strong backlash for Heroic when the team continued to employ the Dane despite the cheating ban (before he shared the secret information) and said: “HUNDEN is our boy. We love him […].”
In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, players can now fly through a crazy bug, and the community is divided on whether it is funny or unfair.
The latest installment of Call of Duty is called Modern Warfare 2 and has been on the market since October 2022. Since then, the game has struggled with some technical issues and bugs. However, not all of them are seen as completely negative by players—some actually find them amusing.
CoD MW2: 3 tips for quickly leveling up your weapons
What kind of bug is this? In Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, you can take a reconnaissance drone as field equipment. You can control this drone remotely and fly it around the map to gather important information.
But as players of live service games tend to do, they have now found another way to use the drone: A clip shared on Twitter on January 4 shows a player standing on the drone flying over the map. While doing so, he takes down his opponents with a sniper rifle.
Below, we embed the crazy video of the flying sniper for you:
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What do players say about the glitch? Although exploiting the bug clearly provides an unfair advantage and shouldn’t be done, reactions to the video are not entirely negative. Some players actually find the bug somewhat amusing.
For example, the player Cirsie1 says on Twitter: “[…] Gimmicks like this make the game more fun and entertaining,” and receives over 200 likes for it.
Twitter user WET_Rook even thinks that he would find an ingame death due to this exploit entertaining: “I wouldn’t even be mad if I encountered that, I would feel more entertained (via Twitter).”
Generally, however, there are many players who are critical of the bug and consider it unfair. They stand in opposition to those who simply find the video amusing. Twitter user “itheparrott” captures the mood accurately:
Man, everything in the comments seems so two-sided. One side hates that he cheats. I agree, he is not using intended mechanics or functions, he is exploiting a bug. But at the same time, it seems pretty damn funny and I can’t hate anyone for trying it.
In the end, it is a glitch and should be viewed as such. The creator of the video also posted it on Twitter with a note that he received a shadow ban.
It certainly looks much better when you stick to the options given by the game to have fun with CoD MW2. For example, MyMMO editor Maik Schneider is still enthusiastic about the inflatable soldier he lovingly calls “Buddy Bubble” even months after the shooter’s release.
In the horde shooter Perish (PC), which will be released on Steam in a few weeks, you fight in 4-player co-op against monsters from the underworld. On MeinMMO, you will learn what the game is about and what it offers you.
What kind of game is this? Perish is a horde shooter from the indie developer “ITEM42,” where you cooperatively fight against creatures from the underworld with up to four players.
In this action-packed title, you embody a so-called “Amyetri.” These are physical spirits doomed to spend their existence in the underworld.
To ultimately gain access to Elysium, the final “resting place of the worthy souls” and a “place of cosmic revelations,” you must complete 12 tasks from mysterious priests and defeat various bosses.
Additionally, Perish incorporates roguelite elements. This means: Should you die while solving a task, according to the developers, you will be resurrected at the location where you started the task and must complete it again (via perishgame.com).
Perish release still in 2023
What do we know about the release? Perish will be released this year on February 2, 2023 for PC on Steam, GOG.com, and the Epic Games Store.
Since December 6, 2022, you can also play a free demo that you can download on Steam. Thus, you do not have to buy the game immediately but can test it first and then decide whether you are interested in the full version of the title in February.
If you want to take a look at the gameplay of Perish before playing the demo, we are embedding the Steam demo trailer of the shooter here:
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Perish trailer for the Steam demo
Boss battles against deities
What gameplay features are there? On the Steam page of the horde shooter, the developers list some features that the gameplay has to offer.
One of the most important aspects is probably the mentioned co-op mode, which allows you to play the campaign with up to 4 players. However, if you prefer to experience the shooter alone, you can also dive into the chaos solo.
Other gameplay elements according to Steam include:
Boss fights against deities inspired by ancient Greek, Roman, and Christian mythology
Ranged and melee weapons (more than 10 spears, swords, bows, and firearms)
Weapons have their own unique and upgradable offensive abilities
Enemies are supposed to exhibit pronounced combat behavior
Additionally, the developers of Perish promise ongoing post-launch support. Therefore, there will also be free updates with new enemies and additional weapons after the official release.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Recently, a special program for version 3.4 took place in Genshin Impact and provided a glimpse of the content players can expect. Many fans especially hope for an encounter between two well-known characters.
On January 6, 2023, there was a major livestream that gave a preview of the upcoming version 3.4 in Genshin Impact. Among other things, the following content was announced:
Two new playable characters
A new region
Multiple events
New outfits for Kamisato Ayaka & Lisa
The community desires a very specific event that could actually happen, at least when watching the new trailer: a meeting between Zhongli and Venti.
Start video
Genshin Impact: Version 3.4 “The Exquisite Night Chimes” Trailer
Venti wants to pay a visit to Liyue
What can be seen in the trailer? The clip begins with the announcement of the Lantern Rite Festival, a traditional celebration in Liyue.
From 00:16, you can hear Venti, the Anemo God and Archon of Mondstadt, in the voice-over. He expresses great interest in this year’s Lantern Rite Festival, as a music event is planned. Naturally, he cannot miss this opportunity as a bard and hopes for a chance to perform as an opening act.
Liyue is under the deity Rex Lapis, who lives undercover as Zhongli in the city. Consequently, some players are now eager to see how the encounter between the two deities will unfold, as this would be the first time players could witness the interaction between the two Archons.
On the left, you see Anemo Archon Venti, on the right, Geo Archon Zhongli
A top comment under the trailer on YouTube comes from Andre Can with 6.7 thousand likes (as of January 7, 2023): “Ladies and gentlemen! I am pleased to announce that after more than 2 years since the release of the game, there will finally be an interaction between Venti and Zhongli.”
Based on leaks, users also suspect that the empty chair at the beginning of the trailer is intended for Venti. This way, he would have a spot next to Zhongli.
These are the announced contents for 3.4
Who are the new characters? Alhaitham is a 5-star character of the Dendro element. He wields a sword and has a constellation named “Vultur Volans”.
These two characters will appear in version 3.4
Yaoyao is a 4-star character belonging to the Dendro element. She wields a polearm and her constellation is called “Osmanthus”.
What banners will be available in version 3.4? In the first phase, there will be event banners featuring Alhaitham and Xiao as 5-star characters. In the 2nd phase, there will be reruns of Hu Tao and Yelan. Yaoyao will be featured on the event banners in both phases.
What else will be in version 3.4? Players can expect a new region in Sumeru called “Wilderness of Hadramaveth” where a massive tornado reigns.
In addition to the traditional Lantern Rite Festival, there will be other seasonal events where you can snag some rewards.
The card game “Genius Invocation” will receive a time-limited game mode. Finally, there will be new outfits for Kamisato Ayaka and Lisa. The latter can be obtained as part of an event.
When does version 3.4 start? The new version of Genshin Impact launches on January 18, 2023.
BattleBit Remastered is a new shooter on Steam, which is already attracting numerous players in Early Access. The graphics are rather simple, and you run as a stick figure across the battlefield. The game is set to have its full release later this year.
What kind of game is BattleBit Remastered? The game is a block-style first-person shooter that is somewhat reminiscent of Lego or Roblox. You are thrown into a war scenario and fight with your team against enemy players.
What does the gameplay in BattleBit Remastered look like? The shooter offers you various modes in which you can compete against other players in PvP. The options available are:
8 vs. 8
16 vs. 16
32 vs. 32
64 vs. 64
127 vs. 127
BattleBit Remastered aims to provide you with a massive multiplayer experience with up to 254 players in a match in the last mentioned mode, where you can truly let loose.
You also have the opportunity to dismantle the entire map. For example, you can destroy buildings as you wish and redesign the scene a bit.
Here you can see a gameplay video of BattleBit Remastered:
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BattleBit Remastered – September 2021 Gameplay
You can use more than 35 different weapons, with customization options. Additionally, you have vehicles, boats, and air support that you can utilize to your advantage.
Depending on your chosen playstyle, various specializations are available. Enhance your team as:
Leader
Attacker
Medic
Engineer
Support
Scout
Communication and teamwork are crucial to securing victory. In the game, there is an in-game voice and a text chat. You can also negotiate with your enemies.
Note: German is not supported as a language in the game. Currently, you can only play the game in English.
Send us your game recommendations
Do you have a favorite game on Steam or know true hidden gems that deserve more attention?
Then leave us a comment about it or send 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.
How successful is BattleBit Remastered on Steam? The player numbers from the playtest of BattleBit Remastered can be viewed on the analysis website SteamCharts.
The absolute peak of players was previously 23,575 people and was reached in September 2022. Although this number has since decreased, it is still quite respectable:
In the last 30 days, the peak consisted of 13,266 people. The average number of players during this period was 796.7. This means the shooter has seen an increase of about 38% compared to the previous month (as of January 7, 2023, via Steam Charts).
Last year, BattleBit Remastered achieved significant successes on Steam regarding player numbers. Here you can find an article about it on our colleagues at GameStar’s website.
When is BattleBit Remastered coming to Steam? The planned release date is listed as on Steam in 2023. You can already add the game to your wishlist.
Additionally, you can support the project via Patreon with a membership for €16.50 and receive exclusive game content as well as a full game key in Early Access.
You also have the option to participate in the playtest now. To do this, you can request access on the game’s Steam page and will be notified as soon as the developers accept more participants.
Many players enjoy hunting the special shiny monsters in Pokémon GO. But can you recognize them in the quiz?
The special thing about shinies: A shiny, also known as a “shiny Pokémon”, is a special variant of a monster with a different coloration. They exist in the main games as well as in Pokémon GO.
The special aspect of shinies is primarily that they are very rare. In Pokémon GO, the chance of getting a shiny monster instead of the “normal” variant is very low. Exceptions are events like Community Day, where the shiny rates for certain monsters can be increased. One example is the Community Day in January with Igamaro.
Not all monsters in Pokémon GO can be directly shiny. Typically they are introduced into the game, and the shiny version is unlocked later. Such as at the “Sparkling Fantasy” event, which will bring the shiny variant of Dedenne into the game.
But how well do you actually know the shiny variants in Pokémon GO? We will show you here 10 monsters – can you tell whether they are shiny? Or is it the normal variant?
Shiny Quiz about Pokémon GO: Can you recognize the shiny Pokémon?
This is what the quiz is about: In Pokémon GO, there are plenty of shiny monsters, but not all can be recognized directly. There are examples like Groudon or Charizard, where the differing coloration is very obvious. However, there are also some monsters whose color differences are rather subtle.
In the quiz, you will find pictures of various Pokémon that show either the normal or shiny version. Once you have settled on a solution, click or tap on the images to find out if you are correct or wrong.
How many monsters did you recognize correctly? Were you able to assign the variants correctly? And what do you think about the shiny versions in the quiz? Do they appear different from the normal variant, or do you find them too similar? Tell us in the comments!
How cool a shiny ultimately is remains a matter of taste. MeinMMO author Franzi Korittke presents here some of her favorite shinies and shows 10 of the most beautiful shinies in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
An 11-year-old, who is considered an absolute shooting talent in the Valorant community, has been banned from Twitch. The reason for this is his age. Opinions in the community are divided.
Who is it about? An eleven-year-old Brazilian boy named Lucas was already among the top players of the hero shooter Valorant, despite his young age.
He managed to achieve the highest rank “Radiant” in the game. He streamed his successes on Twitch, but was never alone: either Lucas’s father or mother was always present.
However, the boy has now been banned from the Twitch platform. The reason: his age.
Here you can see a video of the top 5 bans on the platform:
Start video
The 5 biggest Twitch bans that caused a lot of commotion
Should children be allowed to stream on Twitch?
Why was the boy banned? Twitch states in its privacy policy under the section “Children’s Privacy”: “You may not use the Twitch services in any way if you are under 13 years old” (via Twitch, as of January 7, 2023).
Thus, Lucas’s channel clearly violated Twitch’s guidelines, which explains the sanction. In the meantime, the boy has also been banned from Twitter, most likely for the same reason.
What does the community say about this? Internet journalist Jake Lucky posted on January 1, 2023, regarding Lucas’s ban on Twitter:
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He writes that Lucas’s parents are in contact with Twitch to find new ways to allow their child to create new content.
He also writes: “They have 100% violated the rules, but it seems that Lucas fell victim to his own fame as he went viral, and these platforms discovered him and thus the rules he broke”.
Lucas’s family was not aware of the age restrictions on Twitch, but they admit their fault, according to Jake Lucky in another Twitter post.
Furthermore, the internet journalist argues that there are many family channels and streamers where parents are present to enable their children to stream.
What do users say about this? The ban divides community opinions under Jake Lucky’s posts. One side supports the ban and believes that children should not be in the public on the internet, but should instead engage in activities appropriate for their age.
On the other hand, some argue that the boy is doing what he enjoys with streaming.
Moreover, other children are also well known on social media, making Lucas not a unique case. After all, there are similar fields, such as child actors in film and television, who are already in the public eye.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 brings some interesting new gadgets. MeinMMO editor Maik Schneider, however, only has eyes for the inflatable soldier. He affectionately calls him ‘Buddy Bubble’ and wants you to befriend him as well.
Even in the beta of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, I knew after just 5 minutes that I actually only wanted to use a specific field upgrade. These are gadgets in the CoD multiplayer that have a cooldown.
While browsing through the menu, I discovered the field upgrade ‘Inflatable Decoy’. I could put that directly into my loadout, so I didn’t have to reach a specific level for it.
Even when assembling my gear, my imagination was ping-ponging about what I could do with it. After all, it’s an inflatable soldier that can be placed anywhere on the battlefield.
Even today, more than 3 months later, Buddy Bubble is still a staple in my loadouts. And with my many, simple kills that I could get with this, I sometimes wonder why anyone would use anything else.
CoD MW2: 3 tips for quickly leveling up your weapons
Inflatable Decoy – Never Knew I Wanted This
When the full release of Modern Warfare 2 came, my first stop was also in the loadout menu. Directly check the field upgrades and then complain in the chat.
Because the inflatable decoy can only be unlocked at level 49 – just before the end of the leveling phase for gear in Call of Duty. A hard blow right to the gut.
But when I finally had it, all my expectations were met and even exceeded over time. I thought, ‘If this thing is known, no one is going to shoot at the weird, motionless soldier anymore.’
No way! To this day, Buddy Bubble works great for distractions of all kinds. Combined with flashbangs or smoke grenades, it’s almost professional deception maneuvers with military standards.
Just recently, there was a fantastic clip on reddit that perfectly shows what help Buddy Bubble can be on the battlefield:
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Whether against snipers, head glitches, on objectives, or just when I’m charging around a corner – the inflatable soldier doesn’t let me down. Unlike many other teammates, who run past dog tags in the ‘Kill Confirmed’ mode with an outrageous sense of entitlement.
Sometimes the gadget even works too well and tricks me as well. But even that doesn’t bother me – because I smile every time. And in the current state of CoD, I appreciate every moment where I can have a laugh in the game.
I know, silence is also incredibly strong, just like the trophy system, and the deployable cameras can be very helpful.
But what I have already experienced with Buddy Bubble in CoD MW2 can probably be compared to the adventures that SpongeBob and his own bubble buddy have experienced (via youtube.com). I won’t let that go!
Also tell me about your favorite gadgets and loadouts in the game.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Today, the Community Day with Igamaro is happening in Pokémon GO. However, you should definitely stay in the game afterwards, as the release of a long-awaited monster awaits you: Kecleon. We at MeinMMO will show you what to expect after the event.
What event is it about? Today, on January 7, 2023, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM the first Community Day of the year with Igamaro is taking place. But the little hedgehog Pokémon won’t be the only highlight of the day.
Trainers in the first time zones are reporting a huge surprise following the event, granting you the release of a new and especially long-awaited monster: Kecleon. We have summarized what exactly will happen in the game below.
Kecleon celebrates its long-awaited debut in the game today
Which monster is it? Immediately after today’s Community Day, you should be able to encounter the Normal-type Pokémon Kecleon in the game for the first time. Trainers from New Zealand report on reddit that the little green monster suddenly appeared at PokéStops for them after the event.
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What kind of Pokémon is this? Kecleon comes from the 3rd generation of games and is a Normal type Pokémon. It has no pre-evolution or evolution. However, it is the only monster left from the Hoenn region in the game, which is why trainers have not been able to complete their Platinum medal so far.
For this reason, the community has been demanding for quite some time that the little chameleon finally be brought into the game. After initial hints about Kecleon being found in the game code were discovered at the end of 2022, it is finally time today for you to catch it.
How to find and catch Kecleon?
How to get Kecleon? According to reports from numerous players, Kecleon should be found at certain photo discs from PokéStops after the Community Day – it is therefore rather rare. It is said to be sitting there in its camouflaged form and trying to climb away, which is why you cannot spin the disc.
If you click on it a few times, it will jump off the stop and sit in front of it. You then have the opportunity to click on it again and finally catch it. How this looks exactly is shown by Twitter user MasterWarlord01 in his video:
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How long do you have? According to current information, you should have at least 2 hours after the event to catch Kecleon. During this time, it should spawn multiple times at the same photo disc.
However, it is suspected that after the 2-hour window, it is not immediately over, but that the location of the little monster changes and you can then find it at another stop. If there are further details, we will add them here for you.
More tips for catching: On social media and on the LeekDuck page, you can also find further tips for encounters with the new Pokémon. Accordingly, it should be found at the same stops for all players and already be visible from afar at the stop.
Furthermore, the chameleon can also spawn at the occupied PokéStops of Team GO Rocket. So if you discover one at such a stop, you can secure it by defeating the respective thug.
How do you like the release of Kecleon? Did you imagine the introduction in the game like this? And will you actually secure the little monster today? Feel free to let us know here at MeinMMO in the comments and exchange thoughts with other trainers.
Today, the Community Day with Igamaro is taking place in Pokémon GO, where you can secure a special research project again. We at MeinMMO will show you the tasks and rewards you can expect and for whom buying the ticket is worth it.
On the occasion of the event, there is of course also suitable special research, which you can currently purchase in the in-game shop for just about 1 euro. You can find it there in the category “Global Events” under the name “Majestic Spikes”.
“Majestic Spikes” with Igamaro – All Tasks & Rewards
Where does the information come from? In Germany, the Community Day with Igamaro starts at 2 PM local time, however, the event is already in full swing in other time zones. For this reason, trainers in these regions can already access the contents of the special research and share them on social networks.
Accordingly, there will again be a total of 4 panels, on which you must complete 3 tasks each. With the help of the overview by Leekduck, we have summarized all contents for you below.
Research for Igamaro 1/4
Task
Reward
Land 5 good throws
15 Poké Balls
Catch 15 Igamaro
Encounter with Igamaro
Perform 10 Power-Ups on Pokémon
20 Igamaro candies
Level reward: Once you have completed all the tasks of this panel and collected the respective rewards, you will also receive 3,000 Stardust, one incense, and an encounter with Igamaro.
Research for Igamaro 2/4
Task
Reward
Send 10 Pokémon
10 Nanab Berries
Catch 15 Igamaro
Encounter with Igamaro
Evolve 3 Igamaro
30 Igamaro candies
Level reward: Once you have completed all the tasks of this panel and collected the respective rewards, you will also receive 4,500 XP, one incense, and an encounter with Igamaro.
Research for Igamaro 3/4
Task
Reward
Land 3 good curveball throws
15 Ultra Balls
Catch 15 Igamaro
Encounter with Igamaro
Evolve an Igastarnish
50 Igamaro candies
Level reward: Once you have completed all the tasks of this panel and collected the respective rewards, you will also receive 4,500 Stardust, a Rocket Radar, and an encounter with Igastarnish.
Level reward: Once you have completed all the tasks of this panel and collected the respective rewards, you will also receive 5,500 XP, 3 special candies, and an encounter with Brigaron.
Is it worth buying the ticket for the C-Day with Igamaro?
What you need to consider: When you compare the ticket price with the values of the individual items from the research, you will find that these have a significantly higher value in the in-game shop. For example, you would have to pay the following for these:
Two incenses cost 80 coins in the shop, which is about 0.80 euros.
You can get the Rocket Radar for 200 coins. That’s approximately 2.00 euros.
Furthermore, you will also receive a lot of balls, berries, special candies, experience points, and valuable Stardust through the research. These contents can assist you on your way to level 50.
Who should buy the ticket? You should definitely buy the event ticket surrounding Igamaro if you were already planning to get the items in the shop. With the ticket, you get significantly more for your money.
If you are not interested in the items, you can also comfortably do without the special research and participate in the Community Day for free. The remaining event contents will remain unchanged, and you will not incur any disadvantages.
What do you think of the contents of the special research for Igamaro? Will you be purchasing the ticket? Feel free to let us know here at MeinMMO in the comments.
In Pokémon GO, the Community Day with Igamaro and various bonuses will take place on January 7th. In the guide, you will find everything about the event’s content and how you can use it.
What kind of event is this? The Community Day takes place every month and always focuses on a specific Pokémon. This monster appears all over the wilderness during the event.
Additionally, the chances of encountering the Shiny variant of the Pokémon are increased during this time, and there are various bonuses that you can secure.
After the great recap Community Day in December, which featured many monsters at once, January will again showcase a single Pokémon: Igamaro, the grass starter from Generation 6, will have its own Community Day.
We have summarized everything important about the event here.
[toc]
Community Day in January 2023 with Igamaro – Start, Bonuses, Content
What? Community Day with Igamaro When? Saturday, January 7, 2023, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM local time Pokémon of the Day: Igamaro will be found almost everywhere in the wilderness Exclusive Attack: Flora-Statue if you evolve Igastarnish to Brigaron (up to 5 hours after the event) Bonuses: – Double catch candy – Quadruple hatch speed for eggs placed in an incubator during the event – Lures and incense last 3 hours – Double chance for XL candies when catching Pokémon (from Trainer Level 31) – 5 surprise encounters from snapshots – Event stickers in PokéStops and gifts – Level 4 raids with Igastarnish after the event with spawn bonus for more Igamaro – Our counter guide for the level 4 raids with Igastarnish
Additional bonuses 5 hours after the event (10:00 PM local time) – Additional special trade (maximum of 2 on that day) – 50% reduced stardust costs when trading
As usual, there will also be additional content in the shop for the Community. Among other things, the special research “Dapper Spikes” will be available for one euro.
Special raids after the event: From 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM, there will also be the opportunity to face Igamaro’s evolution Igastarnish in level 4 raids.
If you win these raids, a bonus will be activated that will spawn more Igamaro in the area for 30 minutes. The shiny chance is the same as on the actual Community Day.
Important: You can only complete these raids on-site; remote raid passes cannot be used.
Which counters you should use against Igastarnish best, you’ll read in the following article:
Can Igamaro be shiny? Yes, you can catch the shiny version on Community Day. Therefore, the event is definitely for shiny hunters who want to add a new specimen to their collection.
The shiny family of Igamaro
How strong is Igamaro? Igamaro itself doesn’t play a major role, but its final evolution Brigaron will be a solid option as a grass attacker against raids with “Flora-Statue”.
It is still surpassed by top grass attackers in Pokémon GO like the Ultra Beast Katagami, Mega Sceptile, and Mega Venusaur, legendary monsters like Zarude or Kapu-Toro, or various shadow variants. However, outside of such special monsters, it’s a very good, strong choice.
Accordingly, it is worthwhile to collect a few well-rated specimens if you still have space in your grass attacker team.
How to make the most of the Community Day with Igamaro – Preparation & Items
Make space: If you’re aiming to catch a lot of Igamaro, you should create space in your Pokémon storage.
To do this, you can use the filter function: If you type in search terms like “0*, 1*, 2*”, only monsters with 2 stars or worse will be shown. Send away the monsters you no longer need to make room for Igamaro specimens.
Evolve a mega Pokémon: If you have a mega Pokémon of the same type as Igamaro active, you will get additional candies.
In the case of Igamaro, that is the grass type. Therefore, it’s worth it to have:
Which items are worth it for the Community Day with Igamaro?
Ensure empty incubators: Typically, you set the next egg in the incubator immediately after hatching one. If you currently have eggs that are still running, ensure that your incubator is as empty as possible at the start of the event – because then you can secure the quadruple hatch speed.
The Community Day with Igamaro is the ideal time to hatch larger eggs like the 7-, 10-, or 12-km egg, or to “process” multiple eggs in a row.
In addition to Pokémon, the eggs also provide stardust and XP – so you can collect a little on the side.
Sananaberries: You already get double catch candy; with Sananaberries, you can double the amount per catch again. This is worthwhile if you want to evolve or level up multiple Igamaro.
Incense & Lures: These items attract additional Igamaro. Incense is worthwhile if you are on the move, while the lure module attracts Pokémon stably to a PokéStop. Since both last for 3 hours, you only need one copy of the items to light for the event.
Balls: You should definitely have enough balls in stock before they run out during the event. Especially ultra balls are useful so you won’t need too many attempts to catch.
Are you participating in the Community Day on Saturday or are you skipping it this time? Let us know in the comments!
On January 3rd, Twitch streamer DNP3 made a confession on Twitter: in 2022, he fell into gambling addiction, putting everything into the online casino Stake, which has now been banned by Twitch. He gambled away his own savings and even the money of crypto investors. It all started with a “Sponsored Stream.”
Who is he?
DNP3 is an English-speaking Twitch streamer with 250,000 followers, known primarily for his giveaways and donations.
He repeatedly raffled off expensive gaming PCs on Twitter or appeared in the streams of others and gifted them money.
He is also a so-called “crypto enthusiast,” someone who deals with NFTs and cryptocurrencies, and runs his own projects. As the site Dexerto knows, he is the founder of “CLU Coin,” “Grindcraft,” and “Gobbers NFT” – all projects that attracted investment money.
“Crypto, Gambling, and Giveaway” is the formula for success for some Twitch streamers, especially for the US streamer Trainwreck.
This is now his confession: The streamer says in a Twitlonger that in 2022 he became “incredibly addicted” to gambling. Every dollar he found, he put into online-stake, hoping to win.
But even when he won a lot of money, it wasn’t enough. Eventually, all the money was gone: not only his own assets but also the money of the investors:
I irresponsibly used investors’ money to try to “get my money back from the casino” – that was wrong in every way.
DNP3 apologizes to everyone: He can’t even describe how ashamed he is and how guilty he feels. The streamer says he is trying to free himself with this post. DNP3 wrote that he is now mentally and financially bankrupt.
Upon inquiry, he explains that the gambling addiction started with a “Sponsored Stream.”
Apparently, the controversial online casino Stake paid him to play in their casino on Twitch. Twitch has now banned Stake.
It can also be done without gambling – this is how you actually earn money with Twitch:
Start video
Prime Gaming, the secret behind Twitch’s success
“You have stolen from your supporters”
How is this being received? Many of the comments on Twitter come from users who invested money in DNP3’s projects, and even the well-meaning ones are quite upset. Others demand that the man should go to prison without passing “Go”:
“Why are you playing with our money? That is terrible behavior. You should withdraw from any project until you have sought help for yourself. I wish you the best on your journey. […] You have stolen from your supporters.”
“When are you going to prison?”
“You are looking for sympathy after burning other people’s money? You won’t get any from me.”
“You should be sued for embezzlement like SBF, you exploited your community for your own benefit due to your gambling addiction. […]”
Others compare this behavior to that of Twitch streamer ItsSlikeR – whose confession in September 2022 sparked the casino debate on Twitch:
With WoW: Dragonflight, the professions have been revamped from the ground up. Craftsmen can once again create powerful gear and customize it in many different ways. Also new are the so-called embellishments. MeinMMO explains what this is all about.
How do the adjustments work? In WoW: Dragonflight, you can use optional reagents to adjust various properties of crafted items.
For example, you can increase the item level of a crafted piece of armor or adjust its secondary stats. Depending on which and how many materials and reagents you use, the item level can be increased from 270 incrementally up to item level 280!
The secondary stats of crafted gear can be adjusted through so-called “Draconic Writings”. These writings guarantee that the item will be crafted with the desired combination of secondary stats. The “Draconic Writings” can in turn be made by scribes and traded among players.
What are embellishments? The so-called embellishments are essentially also optional reagents. However, unlike merely increasing the item level or swapping secondary stats, you can add a handful of unique effects to your crafted items with embellishments.
You can either add embellishments yourself during the crafting process, commission other craftsmen to add them for you, or incorporate them afterwards through a job. It is important to note that you can equip a maximum of 2 embellished items at the same time.
Additionally, there are some items that inherently have an embellishment. These also count towards the maximum of 2, which you can equip at the same time. We will reveal which embellishments are available in the next section.
Did you know that you can also dragon fly in pairs? In the video, we reveal how to activate the feature:
Start video
<strong>WoW Dragonflight: Dragon Riding for Two – How to Activate It</strong>
All embellishments of the various professions at a glance
In this section, you will find all the embellishments that you can use during the crafting process to equip your gear with unique effects. We have listed the respective profession that can create the enchantment, as well as their individual effects.
Alchemy
Potion absorption inhibitor – Increases the effect duration of potions from the Dragon Isles by 50 percent. You can add the embellishment to any slot.
Engineering
Magazine with healing arrows – When using your heals, a healing arrow is occasionally fired. You can add this embellishment to any slot.
Leatherworking
Fang tooth embellishments – Physical attacks occasionally deal bonus physical damage. You can add this embellishment to your weapons.
Toxic armor patch – Infuses the item with the essence of decay. You can add this embellishment to your armor items.
Blacksmithing
Armor spikes – Equip your armor with thick thorns. You can add this embellishment to your armor items.
Tailoring
Bronzed grip wraps – Your spells occasionally cause a ripple in time. You can add this embellishment to your weapons.
Blue silk lining – At more than 90% health, mastery is granted. You can add this embellishment to your armor items.
Choker of shielding – Grants you a shield for 10 seconds that absorbs 3228 damage for each inserted gem.
Elemental ring – Has a chance to empower your inserted elemental gems and grant you an additional 84 of the respective value for 12 seconds.
Weapons
Staff of the weathered researcher – Chance to increase your haste rating by 308 for 10 seconds.
Welkwurz foliant – Your nature spells have the chance to deal additional damage over time and reduce your target’s movement speed by 30% for 10 seconds.
Shield of the hearth fire – When you take damage, you have the chance to increase your versatility by 64 for 15 seconds.
Cloth Armor
Wrathwild leg wraps of chance – After suffering a loss of control, your haste rating increases by 106 for 10 seconds. This effect can only occur once every 30 seconds.
Wrathwild binding of gesture – Reduces the duration of loss of control effects by 5%.
Cap of urgent time – When you deal damage to an opponent, your haste rating increases by 37 for 10 seconds. Stacks up to 5 times.
Chronofabric belt / Chronofabric pants / Chronofabric gloves – 2-piece set bonus, chance to increase your haste rating
Blue dragon soles – Every 2 seconds you are in motion, your intellect increases by 37. Stacks up to 5 times. When you cast a spell, you consume all accumulated stacks.
Azure woven slippers / Azure woven cape / Azure woven robe – When you deal damage, you have a chance to increase your intellect for 8 seconds. Your healing spells have a chance to reduce the cost of your spells for 8 seconds.
Allied wrist guards of time shift – Your spells have a chance to grant you and 4 allies within 30 meters, 43 versatility.
Blue’s amica – Chance to cause an arcane explosion at the position of your target, dealing 2540 damage to enemies.
Leather Armor
Toxic thorn footwraps – Reduces your stamina by 11. Grants the chance to shoot thorns at your target, healing you and your allies and dealing damage to your enemies. The effects are increased by 100% when you equip an item made with a “Toxic Armor Patch”.
String with spiritual trinket / Joint bands of the old spirit / Snowball former – 2-piece set bonus, chance to deal additional damage to your opponents or heal yourself and your allies.
Blazing smock – Deals 208 fire damage to enemies every 3 seconds in combat.
Slime discharge boots – Reduces your haste rating by 18. Chance to deal 700 nature damage to your target. The effects are increased by 100% when you equip an item made with a “Toxic Armor Patch”.
Wrathwild ghost hood – You deal 1% more damage to enemy player characters for 5 seconds after being attacked.
Wrathwild footwraps of restitution – Reduces the duration of loss of control effects by 5%.
Heartwarming allied fur jacket – Your spells have a chance to grant you and 4 allies within 30 meters, 43 versatility.
Heavy Armor
Allied leg guards of Sansok Khan – Your spells have a chance to grant you and 4 allies within 30 meters, 43 versatility.
Step of the sour hail – Your movement speed is reduced by 10%. Grants you the chance to deal an additional 700 frost damage to your opponents. The effects are increased by 100% when you equip an item made with a “Toxic Armor Patch”.
Dripper of the ancestor / Lasso of the wind spirit / Hand protection of the scale straps – Critical damage and critical healing have a chance to increase your haste rating for 10 seconds. This effect is stackable up to 5 times.
Wrathwild boots of mercy – Reduces the duration of loss of control effects by 5%.
Wrathwild chain helmet protection – Whenever a player character is killed within your vicinity, you gain 212 versatility for 10 seconds.
Venom dripping stompers – Chance to reduce your lowest secondary stat by 53 for 10 seconds and increase your highest secondary stat by 105.
Plate Armor
Allied breastplate of greatness – Your spells have a chance to grant you and 4 allies within 30 meters, 43 versatility.
Allied wrist guards of camaraderie – Grants you 8 versatility for each ally within 30 meters. Stackable up to 4 times.
Wrathwild war boots of unatoned – Reduces the duration of loss of control effects by 5%.
Wrathwild helmet of vengeance – Enemies that deal damage to you sometimes suffer 1616 physical damage over 6 seconds.
Unstable frostfire belt – Chance to deal 1164 frostfire damage to your enemies over 10 seconds. If an enemy dies under this effect, it leaves hail that lasts for 8 seconds and slows enemies by 50%.
This list contains all items that already have an embellishment. You cannot add another embellishment to them, and they count towards the limit of a maximum of two items with embellishments that you can equip.
The embellished items provide a great opportunity to further optimize your damage or healing. They are especially worthwhile for equipment slots where no tier set items can be equipped. You should keep this in mind when considering having an embellished item made or making one yourself.
Today, Xur, the tentacle-faced Exo merchant from Destiny 2, returns to the game. He brings you old, possibly still missing Exotics that you could buy with in-game currency. Since he changes his location and offerings every week, we reliably tell you where to find him.
What happened this week in Destiny 2? Recently, a message circulated through the community that outraged many. Bungie is planning a subscription model to charge its players in the future. For many, this is a reason to lose trust in the developer once again. But it turns out: It was all just fake! The whole excitement only caused more annoyance, leading the source of the leak to apologize.
Meanwhile, Lord Saladin also resides for the first time in Season 19 with his Iron Banner in the Tower. You can test the PvP zone control mode “Fortress” with him. However, this hasn’t been well received by every Guardian. You might often get hit on the head by Cabal Capsules, and the zones are frequently sealed off by Void Titans with Bubbles. However, there are also Guardians who see it as a welcome PvP variation. Others just want to get the new, particularly cool shader with rarity value.
In PvE, a new Season 19 machine gun is currently making waves. It fires not only quickly but also unleashes a lot of explosions that hardly any boss can withstand for long. We say: Definitely try it out, and we have recommended a good roll for crafting the weapon.
Currently, Season 19, presented in the trailer, is doing a better job with seasonal content. In addition to various search missions and iconic spacewalks, the story also offers more interesting content and twists that can still captivate players.Like this cute little guy.
Start video
Destiny 2 shows the season of the Seraphim in the trailer – announces the return of the Warmind Rasputin
All info on Xur on January 6, 2023 – PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Google Stadia
When does Xur arrive? The exotic merchant visits Destiny 2 every Friday at 6 PM. Anyone who still has gaps in their Exo collection awaits him then, as he is the easiest way to obtain Exotics. It only costs you a one-way trip and some materials as payment.
Where is Xur located? This is his camp for the weekend
Xur’s location: Although Xur only actively uses a few location positions, no Guardian knows where he will land before 6 PM.
Xur’s routes are mysterious. But we have tracked him down. Xur is this weekend on Nessus, in the landing zone “Guardian’s Grave.” The location is marked on the map.
Xur’s inventory from January 6 – 10 – All Exotics at a glance
What does Xur have on offer? At Xur, every class—Warlocks, Hunters, and Titans—can shop. It doesn’t matter whether you’re new to the game or already an experienced Guardian. Xur’s exotic shopping paradise is open to everyone, and a nice chat with him is even free.
This is Xur’s offer this week:
Xur’s offer from January 6 to 10, 2023
Weapon: Double-tailed Fox Void Rocket Launcher for 29 Legendary Shards
Titan: Ursa Furiosa – Void Gauntlets for 23 Legendary Shards
Mobility: +10
Resilience: +13
Recovery: +9
Discipline: +12
Intellect: +10
Strength: +6
Total: 60
Hunter: Shadow of the Dragon – Void Chest Armor for 23 Legendary Shards
Mobility: +15
Resilience: +4
Recovery: +12
Discipline: +13
Intellect: +6
Strength: +12
Total: 62
Warlock: Eye of Another World – Void Helmet for 23 Legendary Shards
Mobility: +6
Resilience: +6
Recovery: +19
Discipline: +2
Intellect: +12
Strength: +13
Total: 58
Legendary Armor Set: This week, Xur is selling the “Gensym Knight” set.
If you can’t decide or know what is worth it, then check out the video by Nexxoss Gaming here:
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Destiny 2: Xur’s Location & Inventory January 6, 2023 – January 10, 2023
Xur also sells legendary items and offers unique rolls for Exotics from no longer available exotic missions from past DLCs every week. However, please note: You can only purchase the weapons if you also own the corresponding expansion.
Currently, he has these two weapons on offer:
The exotic hand cannon “Fatebringer” (Beyond Light DLC) with the perk “Overflow”
The exotic scout rifle “Tale of a Dead Man” (Beyond Light DLC) with the perk “Moving Target”
Anyone wanting Xur’s exotics from old DLCs must also own them.
The cost of the weapons: For these two Exotics, the cost is 1 Ascendant Shard, 1 Exotic Code, 125,000 Glimmer, and 200 Legendary Shards each.
Xur always has with him: You can always get an Exotic Engram for 97 Legendary Shards from Xur, as well as the weekly quest to obtain an exotic code.
Iron Wolves now defend zones in the Iron Banner
This weekend, there are no Trials because the Iron Banner event is active. So since Tuesday at 6 PM, the exalted Iron Lord Saladin has entered the Tower. He not only offers the PvP mode “Fortress”. In Season 19, you also have the chance to obtain the Seal of the Iron Lord, to get a new or rather old armor set from 2015, as well as two new weapons and top-tier equipment.
However, some log in just to hunt the “new best shader” in the game. It is called “Iron Contradictory Shader” and is quite special and unique.
This is what the shader “Iron Contradictory Shader” looks like on all 3 characters.
What does the Iron Banner shader look like? The shader “Iron Contradictory Shader” transforms your Guardian’s clothes into a unique, rusty chainmail pattern.
If you want it, you will have to go through almost two complete resets with Saladin. However, it is not too late for that—the first Iron Banner in Season 19 runs until January 10 at 6 PM. And later on, there will be another week to level up to the required reputation rank.
All Iron Banner weapons have an origin perk: “Silent Wolf” grants improved radar when at low health and with this weapon, kills against Guardians make you disappear from the enemy radar.
When does the Iron Banner officially end? Lord Saladin’s PvP activities end with the Weekly Reset on January 10 at 6 PM. That is also the departure date for Xur.
Have you already warmed up with the new Iron Banner mode? Then feel free to let us know in the comments how you find it or whether you would rather have Rift from Season 17 or Eruption from Season 18 back?
For all who want to look into the future: Bungie has confirmed parts of its grand vision with Sony, although one thing about it might not please you:
After Destiny 2 was acquired by PlayStation manufacturerSony in a legendary deal in 2022, many hoped that new projects would emerge as a result. And yes, this has now been confirmed by a developer. MeinMMO will tell you what is currently known and also what you might not like.
What kind of deal is it? In 2022, Bungie, the developer and creator of Destiny 2, was purchased by PlayStation manufacturer Sony for 3.6 billion US dollars. Bungie intentionally preserved its independence and creative freedom in this deal.
As Sony stated at the time, Bungie’s new direction as an independent subsidiary will lead to a “multi-platform studio” with the option to release games on their own.
However, in the minds of gamers, the merger immediately sparked hopes for a vast Destiny universe, where in addition to Destiny 2, there would be more multiplayer games from Bungie for all platforms, as well as finally a Destiny series or movie.
But until now, this has all been mere speculation, as it had never been confirmed that alongside the continuation of Destiny 2 in the DLCs “Lightfall” and “The Final Shape”, additional projects were actually planned. That has now changed.
Speaking of “Lightfall”: At the Game Awards 2022, Bungie presented a new gameplay trailer for the new Darkness ability “Strand”:
Start video
Destiny 2: Trailer for Lightfall shows new race – Guardians get cool lasso, swing like Spider-Man
Developer confirms multiple projects: Up until recently, there were only a few job descriptions from Bungie that suggested plans for new projects were already in the works behind the scenes.
But now, the Creative Lead of Bungie’s Season team, Tom Farnsworth, has officially confirmed this on Twitter, stating that they are “working on a number of unannounced projects with the support of Sony.”
Bungie is bringing multiple unannounced projects to fruition.
Could be comedic, quirky, or visually inspired
What is currently known: It is certain that Bungie wants to expand beyond the Destiny franchise to solidify its position in the global market. There is increasing talk of a “Destiny universe” that they want to establish with the help of PlayStation manufacturer Sony.
The AAA studio aims to expand its portfolio of game titles to offer new stories and experiences to the community in the future (statement via bungie.com). They want to create “a smaller game in a larger studio.” However, they have always emphasized that they do not plan to neglect Destiny in the foreseeable future.
This is what has leaked so far:
Partnership with NetEase
There is a 100 million US dollar partnership with NetEase, the developer of “Revelation Online”. At the time, it was said that they wanted to become an “entertainment company that supports multiple worlds simultaneously.” NetEase is a specialist in MMOs and mobile games.
Matter patent
A patent application for computer game software and online entertainment services was registered by Bungie in 2018 under the name “Matter”.
Comedic game?
Several job postings revealed that the developer is also looking for a game leader, or an “incubation gameplay lead,” for a game with “comedic, lighthearted, and quirky characters” (via pcgamesn.com).
Extraction shooter like Escape from Tarkov
In October 2022, industry insiders Tom Henderson and Jeff Grubb leaked that Bungie would likely reboot its old Marathon IP as an extraction-based FPS with PvPvE experience. However, neither provided concrete evidence for this.
Another free-to-play game with live service
Further job postings indicated that the company is likely working on a game that combines live service and free-to-play once again. This seems to at least align with the Marathon rumors.
Third-person action
Instead of first-person mode, like in Destiny 2, a third-person game in a new genre was recently mentioned. One of the job postings states: “Are you thrilled to help build an all-new third-person action game and expand Bungie’s best-in-class gameplay into a new genre?”.
Lightfall is the beginning of the end for the “Light and Darkness” saga
New game on old engine
This might not please Destiny fans: One thing could dampen the excitement of long-time Destiny fans and players regarding Bungie’s new projects. From the job postings, it also became clear that the proprietary Tiger Engine of Destiny 2 could still be the foundation for future titles.
What is Bungie’s “Tiger Engine”? The Tiger Engine is the name of the game engine for the Destiny series. It was created by Bungie after they became independent from Microsoft and is a revamped version of the “Blam! engine” used for the Halo series.
It allows multithreading and cross-platform development and offers a segregation of the codebase into layers to decouple engine functionality from game logic. According to Bungie, the engine also supports all advanced technologies they want to develop in the future. Thus, it also applies to the upcoming projects of the AAA studio.
This information about the Tiger Engine comes from TheGamePost, where a job posting was recently captured via screenshot, promoting the “creation and maintenance of networked gameplay systems, workflows, and tools in Bungie’s Tiger Engine”.
Furthermore, it states the “ability to direct activities, gameplay, bugs, and workflows within Bungie’s Tiger Engine at a senior engineer level” or “We are seeking someone to help us port our internal AAA engine (Tiger) to mobile devices” (via bungie.net).
Some players blame the supposedly “old” engine of Destiny for quirky bugs
Currently, many players are anything but satisfied with the engine. They blame the system for many legacy issues, bugs, and problems in the game. Bungie has also admitted in the past that the aging Tiger Engine has blocked development at times and led to issues that took longer to resolve.
A new engine, however, makes little sense: However, switching to a completely new engine is not easily feasible. The reason is simple: Over the years, Bungie’s developers have gained enormous expertise on this development platform.
Instead of retraining all the involved developers on how to work in a new engine, they are instead investing in an upgraded version of the known system.
Bungie has already implemented this in recent months. As stated before the release of the Witch Queen DLC, the system under the hood has been continuously updated to keep pace with new features and systems.
They have tried to dispose of much of the old “spaghetti code”.
Update times have been significantly reduced, often to just 15 minutes. Additionally, the servers do not always need to go offline for an update anymore.
The look also improved with Witch Queen: When the “Witch Queen” DLC went live, it was visually apparent that things had changed significantly in Destiny 2. So it was also visible that significant adjustments were made behind the scenes.
For example, the fire effects during mockery changed to more realistic “lava splatters,” environments received sharper, better details, and much more beautiful lighting effects were integrated in many places.
When could one of the projects go live? Bungie CEO Pete Parsons stated in 2019 in an interview with IGN that the company plans to release a new non-Destiny game by 2025. And not only that. They also plan to “become one of the world’s best entertainment companies by 2025,” as Parsons emphasized back then.
Are you curious whether Bungie will be able to put their ambitious plans into action? And what would interest you more? The future of Destiny 2 or a completely new MMO from Bungie? Feel free to let us know in the comments.
Destiny fans can actually watch the first part of the fan-made mini-series “Ace” since yesterday:
For several months now, fraudsters have been exploiting the streams of professionals in the shooter Valorant to manipulate bets with cryptocurrencies. Some professionals have now reached a point where they intentionally lose games to counteract the trend.
Bets are part of the competition for many sports fans. While a few decades ago it was only about who wins, loses, or draws, you can now bet on almost anything – for example, football:
Will the aggressive midfielder receive a yellow card before the 30th minute?
How many shots will hit the crossbar in the match?
Will the next corner kick go to the far or near post?
Will there be a streaker during the game?
There is a quote for almost every conceivable situation; only imagination and wallet set the limits.
This is a huge market, involving a lot of money. Accordingly, major competitions and sports are being closely monitored – cheating like doping, referee bribery, or intentional losing is prohibited and punishable.
But what if it’s not about such big events that attract a lot of attention? What if you’re only betting on ranked matches of Valorant professionals who are training their skills in solo matchmaking and streaming?
Then cheating is wide open, and that is exactly what is currently happening in the shooter Valorant from developer Riot Games.
Valorant has a competitive focus, like the Riot game League of Legends. The shooter is also trying to engage with music videos:
Start video
Valorant celebrates with anthem the most important tournament of the shooter – fans praise the crazy music video
Betting on one’s own matches or inciting others
What’s going on? In recent months, more and more reports have emerged from professionals whose matches are being influenced by betting fraudsters.
There are websites that specialize in taking bets on ranked matches in Valorant. They actually just want to play a few rounds in solo queue, but you can bet on these matches:
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Dealing is done with cryptocurrencies. These can help disguise the payment flows.
As long as everything runs smoothly, this should not be a problem in principle. But because many professionals stream their matches, fraud is just a click away on Twitch.
The betting players try to get into the matches of the professionals and influence the outcome in their favor. It’s enough if you can influence one of the players in the match – you don’t even have to be in the match yourself.
These players then intentionally lose the match. At the ranked level where the professionals are playing, often just one player standing in the corner is enough to ensure that the match is lost with a high degree of certainty.
If you have somehow infiltrated someone into the match, you can make a good amount of money.
What do the professionals say about it? For some professionals, the problem has reached a level that affects their training in the ranked mode of Valorant. The more well-known you are, the harsher the betting effect is likely to be.
TenZ, a player from the US team Sentinels, wrote on Twitter:
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Tweet translation: “This ‘intentional losing’ situation in ranked mode is becoming ridiculous”.
Some professionals have already gone further. FNS from the team NRG is now calling for players to take matters into their own hands to intentionally lose matches when they suspect there are “crypto bettors” in their team:
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Tweet translation: “If there’s a crypto bettor on the other team, can we agree to intentionally lose the match? I want them to lose every penny and beg me for a sandwich on the street. Thanks”.
For fans of Riot games, this is not a new phenomenon. The MOBA League of Legends has also been struggling with similar issues for a while now. Riot Korea took action against such methods over 2 years ago (via dotesports.com), but professionals are wishing for stronger support from the developer.
Currently, there are unfortunately very few options for players to take action against this – except to stop streaming, which brings other disadvantages.
What do you think about this? How would you tackle it? Leave a comment on the topic.
Dwarf Fortress has had a successful first month on Steam and has exceeded the publisher’s expectations with strong sales.
Which game is it? The two brothers Tarn and Zach Adams have been developing the free simulation game Dwarf Fortress since 2002, which was released on December 06, 2022 on Steam for around €30.
The title immerses you in a pixelated fantasy world where you control a group of dwarves. Your goal is to survive. You build your own settlement and interact with your neighbors.
For the release on Steam, the dwarf simulation also received a new graphics overhaul, although the game’s aesthetics remain rather utilitarian. Here’s a trailer:
Start video
Dwarf Fortress on Steam Announcement Teaser
Fear of Insufficient Health Insurance
Why did they need money? In an interview, the brothers shared before the Steam release of Dwarf Fortress that Zach Adams was diagnosed with skin cancer.
The treatment costs, around $10,000, were largely covered by his wife’s insurance, yet the incident made the brothers reflect: “It’s just not sustainable, not at our age,” said Tarn Adams. He elaborated: “You can’t keep having GoFundMes until you can’t anymore and then you die at 50. That’s not cool.”
How successful is the game? The release of Dwarf Fortress on Steam has exceeded the expectations of both the brothers and the publisher.
An analyst for Kitfox Games estimated that the dwarf simulation could sell 160,000 copies on Steam within the first two months (via kitfoxgames.medium.com).
Within just one week, the game was sold 300,000 times and made the brothers millionaires. Bay 12 Games, the studio of Tarn and Zach Adams, later announced on December 22 that the team behind Dwarf Fortress is expanding for the first time. A historic moment for the brothers, as they have now received help from a third developer in programming.
In a forum post dated January 1, 2023, Tarn Adams, under the nickname “Toady One,” also stated that Dwarf Fortress sold half a million copies in December 2022.
However, he could not provide exact numbers until mid-February at the earliest, once all processes with Valve and Kitfox Games are completed.
Additionally, Tarn Adams thanked everyone for their support and added: “That’s it! We’ve won … and it’s your fault!” – a nod to the fact that Dwarf Fortress is actually about enjoying the predetermined defeat.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The best counters against Igastarnish in Pokémon GO in the guide. We show you the best attackers and movesets. With this, you can defeat the boss in 4-player raids.
What kind of Pokémon is Igastarnish? Igastarnish originates from the sixth generation of games and has the Grass type. It is the evolution of Igamaro and can evolve into Brigaron.
When does Igastarnish appear? You can find the boss on January 7th from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM. It appears following the Community Day with Igamaro. We show you the best counters against Igastarnish and against which types it is weak (Type effectiveness).
Defeating Igastarnish in Raids – With these counters
Mega-Lohgock with Fire Whirl and Flame Cannon
Schabelle with Bug Bite and Bug Buzz
Mega-Glurak Y with Fire Whirl and Flame Cannon
Mega-Gengar with Dark Claw and Mud Bomb
Mega-Glurak X with Fire Whirl and Flame Cannon
Mega-Bibor with Poison Sting and Mud Bomb
Mega-Tauboss with Wind Force and Quick Attack
Mega-Hundemon with Fire Fang and Flamethrower
Reshiram with Fire Fang and Cross Flame
Crypto-Lavados with Fire Whirl and Sky Strike
Crypto-Staraptor with Wind Force and Quick Attack
Crypto-Kramshef with Pecker and Quick Attack
Crypto Ho-Oh with Hidden Power and Purification Fire+
Crypto-Glurak with Fire Whirl and Flame Cannon
Crypto-Tornupto with Ember and Heat Wave
Crypto-Entei with Fire Whirl and Heat Wave
Crypto-Mamutel with Powder Snow and Avalanche
Ho-Oh with Incinerate and Purification Fire++
Skelabra with Burden and Heat Wave
Crypto-Magbrant with Fire Whirl and Fire Punch
Weaknesses of Igastarnish: This Pokémon belongs to the Grass type and is therefore weak against Bug, Fire, Ice, Flying, and Poison. So focus on attacks and Pokémon of these types to defeat Igastarnish in raids.
Is there a Shiny Igastarnish? Yes, but you cannot catch it directly after the raid. Through the Community Day with Igamaro, you have the chance to catch many Shiny Igamaro. If you evolve these, then the evolutions Igastarnish and Brigaron are also Shinys.
The Pokémon family around Igamaro as a Shiny comparison – Below the Shinies
How many trainers are needed? With the best counters at a high level, you can defeat the boss with two or three players. With lower levels but strong counters, you should rely on more trainers. To complete the raids quickly, groups with at least 3-5 participants are recommended.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
According to reports, a software developer from California, USA, allegedly defrauded his employer of nearly 300,000 Euros. The allegations strongly resemble a comedy from the late 90s. The money is said to be gone – it seems everything went into GameStop stocks.
If the cake is big enough, no one notices when a few crumbs are missing – right? This is supposedly what a software developer from the USA thought, and allegedly siphoned off more than 300,000 US dollars from his employer (approximately 285,000 €).
As reported by the US site Kotaku, they had access to some documents from the Kings County Superior Court in California, and should the allegations be true, the developer has nearly played out the plot of the comedy “Office Space.” (via kotaku.com).
When asked after his arrest where the money was, the developer stated that the money was gone; he had invested everything in GameStop stock options.
Gaming tells exciting stories time and again:
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Developer tricks the software, steals about 300,000 $
How did the developer steal the money? The software developer worked at Zulily, a US online retailer. There, he had access to sensitive systems, such as setting prices and shipping costs. He apparently could also redirect cash flows.
The biggest chunk, 261,885 dollars, he supposedly stole by siphoning off shipping costs. Instead of going to his employer, the fees went directly to his own bank account.
In addition, the developer allegedly had products shipped to his home. However, he manipulated the prices in his orders – he set the prices to cents and supposedly thereby seized goods worth an additional 40,842 dollars.
Over several months, a total of 302,278.52 dollars were supposedly seized this way.
“OfficeSpace Project” – A story like from a movie
How did they catch on to him? Zulily recognized the irregularities in the system and assigned a few employees to investigate, including the accused software developer. To cover up his actions, he booked the missing amounts to customer accounts.
However, at some point, a skeptical colleague went to his house to investigate. In front of the house and in the driveway, many Zulily boxes were reportedly stacked up. After that, he was arrested.
After being fired, the developer returned his work laptop, which was then searched. Here, a file named “OfficeSpace Project” was found, named after the comedy film from the 90s.
The prosecution was able to trace the entire course of his fraud here. It was even documented how the developer wanted to keep his actions secret from management.
Afterward, there was another apartment search, where, among other things, a pull-out sofa from Zulily was found – still in its original packaging.
What does the accused say? There has been no indictment yet, as the investigations are still ongoing. However, the developer has reportedly already made a partial confession. He stated that the money is gone – he invested everything in GameStop stock options.
Why the GameStop stock? The stock is considered a so-called “Meme Stock”. These are stocks that are occasionally pushed by organized internet investors who organize themselves through Reddit or other platforms.
The GameStop stock saw a huge boom in 2021 due to a herd movement. In addition to the “Meme Stock” investors, many inexperienced investors also invested in the stock. The stock exploded to more than 480 dollars – at the time of the article, it was at 15.77 dollars.
The products at the developer’s home he initially described as “test orders.” He just forgot to return them.
Later, he admitted that he also ordered the products for a woman he met through the dating app Tinder. He wanted to show off and impress her.
How did it end in the movie? The movie “Office Space” had a happy ending. The developers grabbed about 300,000 dollars, but realized their mistake, were remorseful, and wanted to clarify everything.
In the end, the office burned down, the involved developers did not have the money anymore and found a new job. But no one was arrested.
Whether the former software developer from Zulily will have a similarly fortunate outcome, we will probably never know. Because although he is confronted with many pieces of evidence and charges, the investigators found a small excerpt in his “OfficeSpace Project” document: “Prepare a backup plan.”
On TikTok, there is a feature that is controversial within the community: “the Live Battles.” During this, streamers interact with each other and at the same time collect a lot of money from viewers. The Twitch streamer MontanaBlack is surprised at how much he earns from it. However, he says he doesn’t know anything about it.
What’s going on with TikTok and streaming?
Most people use TikTok similarly to YouTube: they watch short clips there, so “videos on demand,” that can be viewed on request, comment on them, give likes, or share them. Some indulge in their dose of clips in bed before falling asleep.
However, TikTok also has a “streaming function” like Twitch: you can “go live” and stream.
Many Twitch streamers and YouTubers are now discovering TikTok as an “additional platform” to particularly reach young viewers and excite them for their main channel, which grows and brings in more money this way. TikTok has significantly accelerated the growth of controversial YouTuber IShowspeed. There are also dedicated TikTok streamers.
“Live Battles” designed as a PvP event, used as a “money-making machine”
What kind of difficult trend is this? When streaming on TikTok, there is the possibility of a “Live Battle”; in China, the home country of TikTok, this feature is called “Player Knockout”:
The idea was probably originally that streamers play a game in splitscreen simultaneously, and the fans then decide through donations who is “better” and wins the battle.
However, this feature is now viewed critically because ultimately, TikTokers use it to earn extremely large amounts of money: they turn it into a popularity contest where viewers throw donations in the form of coins or gifts to ensure “their favorite” wins.
TikTok benefits enormously from this feature – a significant portion of the revenue goes to them.
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There, he quickly got involved in a Live Battle with streamer AbuGoku, who apparently knows TikTok significantly better than MontanaBlack.
The extremely popular MontanaBlack in Germany received endless gifts and money from his fans during this live battle. However, MontanaBlack apparently did not understand it at all, as he showed no signs of being pleased about the downpour of money.
At one point, AbuGoku explains that MontanaBlack just received “Universe,” the most impressive reward one can get on TikTok. He has already earned around €4,000 (via tiktok).
However, MontanaBlack can’t believe it. He thinks his colleague is joking with him. He doesn’t understand TikTok at all. When told that he earned about €4,000, MontanaBlack says:
“Oh, you’re talking nonsense, man.”
No, AbuGoku insists,
MontanaBlack immediately changes his tune:
“Welcome to TikTok, man. The new favorite platform. – From now on: Every day on TikTok! No.”
MontanaBlack seems surprised by the amounts: the last time he made only $160 or so. But at that time, he also didn’t understand live battles and was just in the stream eating something.
Performance is viewed critically: MontanaBlack normalizes the €€€ trend
What is the problem? AbuGoku also explains to MontanaBlack that these Live Battles he is currently using are viewed critically on TikTok. He himself “doesn’t really celebrate it either.” Because some people would then misuse this feature, not interact with the other streamer, even mute him, and only speak with their own viewers.
Also in the TikTok community, this feature is highly controversial. Some are already upset that MontanaBlack stumbled into this so easily. It normalizes this purely “money-making” feature on TikTok and those using it now can always say: “Why? MontanaBlack is using it too.”
The “Battle” feature is sometimes referred to by critics as a “begging” feature because the streamers would beg for donations in this mode.
Critics like YouTuber Rutkay also say: one should not take MontanaBlack’s naivety so easily. He has been on TikTok for ages, and also engages with the platform in his Twitch streams. He knows exactly what is going on.
In recent months, MontanaBlack has repeatedly been criticized for taking up every trend that brings him income:
