Currently, you can get the zombie shooter “Yet Another Zombie Defense HD” on Steam on sale for about 40 cents. The game is highly rated with 85% positive reviews.
Yet Another Zombie Defense HD is an arcade shooter from a top-down perspective, featuring tower defense elements. In the game, you should act strategically.
During the day, you build a base and defend it at night against the zombies that will come in large numbers. The goal is to survive as long as possible.
Here you see a trailer for Yet Another Zombie Defense HD:
Start video
Yet Another Zombie Survivors – Reveal Trailer
What does the gameplay in Yet Another Zombie Defense HD look like? The game essentially consists of two different phases:
During the day, you plan your defense and prepare for the approaching zombies by purchasing weapons and ammunition. Your inventory ranges from shotguns to rocket launchers and flamethrowers.
You also equip your base with little extras and secure it against the zombies. Set up barricades and turrets and lay traps.
At night, the zombie attack occurs. With each wave, the hordes become stronger, making the gameplay increasingly challenging for you.
There are three different game modes available in Yet Another Zombie Defense HD:
Defense
Endless
Deathmatch
You can play Yet Another Zombie Defense HD either alone or in multiplayer mode. The shooter features both a local and an online co-op mode. Up to 4 players can team up to take down zombies.
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Then leave us a comment 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 do players rate Yet Another Zombie Defense HD? The shooter is rated very positively on Steam. Of the total 1,971 player opinions, 85% are favorable. Among the 111 recent reviews, it’s even 90% (as of January 10, 2023, via Steam).
Kenpoleon Bonaparte: “Great little zombie-killing game in the style of a tower defense game. Each wave of zombies gets harder and harder. Stay alive as many nights as you can. Multiplayer works well, but sometimes it is a bit laggy“.
Crayven: “New version – but still the same fun trash factor. Compared to the non-HD version, there are more monsters, more weapons, more Unity Engine light effects. Good game“.
BWA: “This is a new version of the game, not only improved in graphics but also with new possibilities and weapons. And the best part is: with new monsters. Not bad, it’s fun to play. So, in my opinion, at 1.99 Euros it’s a great deal, thumbs up. If you liked the old game, you’ll like this one too. Highly recommended“.
According to the reviews, Yet Another Zombie Defense HD is particularly suitable as a casual game for a quick play or for a game night with friends.
Some users criticize that they lost interest in the game relatively quickly and that the differences from the first game are too minor to justify a standalone game.
On Steam you can also find the predecessor of the game “Yet Another Zombie Defense“. It was released in 2014, has a similar gameplay, and you can get it completely for free.
How much does Yet Another Zombie Defense HD cost? Currently, you can get the shooter on Steam for just 39 cents. Without discount, Yet Another Zombie Defense HD costs 3.99 €. This means you save 90% of the regular purchase price for the time being. The offer is valid until January 19, 2023.
For those who still haven’t killed enough zombies, the next game in the series, titled: “Yet Another Zombie Survivors“, will be released in the course of the first quarter of 2023.
How much does Yet Another Zombie Defense HD cost? Currently, you can get the shooter on Steam for just 39 cents. Without discount, Yet Another Zombie Defense HD costs 3.99 €. This means you save 90% of the regular purchase price for the time being. The offer is valid until January 19, 2023.
For those who still haven’t killed enough zombies, the next game in the series, titled: “Yet Another Zombie Survivors“, will be released in the course of the first quarter of 2023.
What will I find here? We rank all 36 heroes from Overwatch 2 in a tier list. Overwatch 2 is currently in the current Season 2, which introduced a new tank hero: Ramattra. The list is divided into the following tiers:
S-Tier – The best heroes who excel in almost any situation
A-Tier – Heroes who perform their role excellently and can easily keep up with S-Tier with appropriate practice
B-Tier – Rather mediocre heroes who can be countered more easily
C-Tier – Weaker heroes who have better alternatives in most situations or are countered so easily that winning with them becomes significantly harder
Here you can watch the trailer for Season 2:
Start video
Overwatch 2: The 2nd season brings new heroes – and quite crazy skins
Where does the information come from? As a basis, we take the tier lists from various experts and professionals, such as Flats, one of the best tank players in the world (via YouTube).
In the MeinMMO editorial team, we also have many enthusiastic Overwatch players who have already been able to play the beta and the pre-test. A large part of the assessment and changes to the template are therefore based on our experience.
As a note: Opinions on the strengths of the heroes vary widely online and among professionals. Use a tier list as a guide, but don’t be discouraged. If you are exceptionally good with a hero, you almost always have a good chance of winning.
Comment: Sojourn and Soldier: 76 undoubtedly have the upper hand in terms of damage in Overwatch 2. Moreover, they are easy for anyone who has tried any shooter before to play. Their gameplay is intuitive.
Reaper has just barely slipped into S-Tier because he has enormous potential as a counter for the currently strongest tanks. When used correctly, he can wipe out entire teams and quickly escape danger.
Orisa and Roadhog shine with their ability to stop or directly kill single or multiple opponents. No other tanks can do that as well. Moreover, they are hard to kill, especially with Kiriko’s help. If opponents apply anti-healing, the fox hero can quickly ensure that all debuffs are removed.
With Lúcio and Ana as healers, you can’t go wrong. Both have an enormous healing output and are easy to learn. Those who master them can also put significant pressure on opponents with their additional abilities.
Kiriko has mainly risen through the combination with tanks. Many support mains now know how to play the complicated heroine and can not only heal effectively but also avoid enemy kills and buff the strongest DPS heroes.
Comment: Tracer and Genji are strong heroes, but they are also extremely prone to mistakes. Even if you play them perfectly, a good opponent can quickly take you out. They are classic “High Risk/High Reward” heroes.
Widowmaker has become a major threat on all maps, especially due to the reduced number of tanks. Ashe is a solid pick for almost any team composition. Junkrat can quickly charge his ultimate with proper use and block opponents’ paths. Professionals like Flats even claim that Junkrat is one of the few heroes with whom one can play from Bronze to Grandmaster alone.
Bastion was already useful before he was disabled. Since the hero is playable again, he has proven to be strong, especially against the currently dominating tanks.
Widowmaker received … interesting new lines:
Start video
Overwatch 2: Widowmakers lustigster Spruch
With tanks, you have Reinhardt as a pure damage absorber, where positioning is essential. Sigma has dropped a tier. The tank is still incredibly strong but lags slightly behind Orisa and Roadhog in terms of damage and control abilities. As an all-rounder, he remains a top choice.
Ramattra as a new hero still has to find his place. He has great potential to completely wipe out enemy teams but is also very susceptible to counterattacks. With good coordination, he is a strong choice, especially at higher skill levels. D.Va remains in A-Tier due to her nerfs.
Mercy is always a good choice as a classic healer with strong output and resurrections. Brigitte has gained a unique role in the 5-player teams with her defensive abilities, which must, however, be practiced. Zenyatta is more challenging to play, but his impact through the various spheres is enormous and counters most dangerous opponents.
We have moved Moira up from her originally weaker assessment. She has one of the strongest healing outputs in the game, which many players simply ignore. If you play her correctly, you can keep your team alive alone and make room for an offensive second support like Zenyatta or Kiriko.
Here you can watch the gameplay trailer for the new heroine Kiriko:
Start video
Overwatch 2 Kiriko New Hero Gameplay Trailer
Overwatch Tier List: B-Tier
DPS
Mei
Echo
Hanzo
Cassidy
Pharah
Sombra
Tanks
Junker Queen
Wrecking Ball
Zarya (formerly S-Tier)
Comment: With most DPS heroes here, you have the problem that they are highly situational or require too much practice to really make an impact. For example, Cassidy can almost always be substituted by Soldier or Ashe, and Hanzo by Widowmaker. Mei and Echo generally seem to only shine as counters or in very specific situations.
Sombra mainly suffers from the effects of a strong nerf.
The tanks here are offensively designed tanks that can only secondarily fulfill the “tank” role. They are more suited to sow chaos and would have been classic “off-tanks” earlier. Zarya has received quite a harsh nerf, which is causing her to be replaced by other tanks: her shields now have a longer cooldown.
We played Overwatch 2 in advance – here you can see some heroes in action:
Start video
Wir spielen Overwatch 2
Overwatch Tier List: C-Tier
DPS
Symmetra
Torbjörn
Tanks
Doomfist
Comment: All characters listed here are strong in theory, but only if opponents do not react to you at all. A good Pharah alone is often enough to counter most of them.
Note that the tier list can always change, and that you can win with almost any hero with enough practice. If you are especially good with a hero, don’t let the rating stop you from playing them. The list serves as a guide, and the most important thing is always teamwork and sportsmanship.
During Christmas, players in Fortnite were able to not only open presents but also wreak havoc with new weapons from Chapter 4. However, one was still in the game despite a bug and is now only being fixed weeks later. We will show you what was broken.
The problem, however, was that a nasty bug had crept in that made the shockwave hammer even more mobile than it should have been. The result was that players jumped around like rubber balls and wiped out opponents with ease. Here’s a video from reddit showing how the bug looked:
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Therefore, players had to deal with some troublemakers from the community for weeks, who enjoyed the bug to the fullest. Despite this, the delayed fix also had some good reasons.
Those who have been playing Fortnite for a while will know that Epic Games takes a vacation during Christmas. The team is thus very understaffed, and errors are rarely addressed during this time. Additionally, as Gamespot reports, the hammer is also needed for many challenges which are only temporarily active.
You thus had the chance to be quite naughty over Christmas and have a blast on the battlefield.
How are players reacting to the fix? Players are looking forward to Epic Games finally taking action to fix the bug. Players comment on Twitter with the following statements:
@oShven – “Lol, it’s about time, let’s be honest, that unlimited glitch had to be patched”
@YouTubeThunderr – “Thank God honestly, you make it too easy to find this crap, and this Goku crap was way too OP. Just never bring this crap back”
@FrostSchneider – “Glad to hear that. Trying to chase unlimited jumpers was kind of ridiculous”
The fix of this hammer is just the beginning. Epic Games also has a collaboration with My Hero Academia that also has a broken weapon. This has been disabled since the end of 2022 and players still do not know when the fix will be released. It remains to be seen if the team will also provide new information regarding this.
How did you find the bug? Did you exploit it over Christmas or were you the victim and desperately tried to run away? Feel free to leave us a comment!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Starfall is a new MMORPG being developed based on Minecraft. It follows the idea of servers like Hypixel, which has already captivated over 18 million different players. However, Starfall aims to change many of the basic game systems completely, thereby distinguishing itself from Minecraft.
What kind of game is this? Starfall is supposed to become a full-fledged MMORPG that you can download and which then automatically installs Minecraft along with the appropriate mods. However, a purchased version of Minecraft is a necessary prerequisite, as is the case with the mentioned Hypixel.
Starfall itself, however, will rely on a Free2Play concept with a cosmetic in-game shop.
The story revolves around magical crystals falling from the sky and landing on Earth. These crystals are said to be very valuable and useful. The game world is set in a fantasy environment with dragons, orcs, and a lot of magic; however, there will also be steampunk elements such as airships. With these, islands in the clouds can also be visited.
Currently, there are not many details or initial gameplay available. It is only said that the MMORPG will offer housing, place high value on social contacts, and probably include a function for “player made dungeons.”
Additionally, the announcement of a closed alpha mentions a 5 versus 5 PvP mode. The combat system is supposed to be action-packed and significantly different from Minecraft.
Today, on January 10, 2023, a livestream (via Twitch) with a Q&A session about the game is supposed to take place. It is being developed by an indie team made up of gamers, artists, writers, and game designers. They are said to have been working on the project for “some years.”
The team is led by Chrissy Costanza as CEO. Some of you may already know her, as she was recently involved in the music for the LoL World Championship 2019 and 2017.
“Minecraft allows us to create content faster and respond to feedback”
Why is the game being developed in Minecraft? In the official introduction, it is stated that Minecraft as a platform brings many advantages. It should be significantly easier to develop new content for the MMORPG than if one were to rely on traditional development.
Furthermore, many gamers already own the game and can easily install Starfall. Minecraft is positioned as something like the “engine,” while they want to change everything about it.
How does Starfall want to differentiate itself from other mods? In reddit, the developers explained that Starfall is supposed to be played quite differently than Minecraft. They want to:
Offer a completely different combat system
Change the animations in the game
Provide a classic marketplace
Completely adapt the UI
This way, Starfall should not feel like traditional Minecraft. However, the basic “block style” will be retained. This is particularly useful for housing and the creation of huge cities.
What do you think about the basic idea of the game? Does Starfall appeal to you? Or do you need more details first?
In Pokémon GO the event “Sparkling Fantasy” is running from today, January 10th, bringing you a lot of encounters with Dragon and Fairy Pokémon. We at MeinMMO have looked at which of these are particularly worthwhile.
What event is it? Just in time for the start of the event “Sparkling Fantasy”, you will also find plenty of thematically appropriate spawns in Pokémon GO. In the wild, in raids, and in research, you can encounter a variety of Fairy and Dragon Pokémon.
Some of them are really worth it, which is why you shouldn’t miss your chance to catch them. We have summarized which ones they are and why you should definitely catch them.
These 8 monsters you shouldn’t miss
What does the ranking show? In the following ranking, we show you 8 Pokémon that are particularly worthwhile for the “Sparkling Fantasy” event due to strong evolutions, their rarity, or their shinies. The order is based on where you can find them during the event.
1. Trasla
Trasla
Why is the Pokémon worthwhile? Trasla is a Psychic and Fairy Pokémon from Generation 3 that can evolve into two powerful monsters: Galagladi and Guardevoir.
Where can you find it during the event? Trasla will be available in the wild during the “Sparkling Fantasy” event. With a bit of luck, you may even encounter a shiny version.
2. Togetic
Togetic
Why is the Pokémon worthwhile? Another monster you should secure is Togetic. This Fairy and Flying Pokémon from Generation 2 can evolve into Togekiss, which, along with Guardevoir, is one of the best Fairy attackers in the game. Furthermore, Togekiss can score in the Master League.
Where can you find it during the event? Like Trasla, Togetic can also be found in the wild throughout the event. Keep an eye out for a shiny version as well.
3. eF-eM
eF-eM
Why is the Pokémon worthwhile? The Flying and Dragon Pokémon eF-eM is one of the monsters that you see only relatively rarely in Pokémon GO. Since it recently also has a shiny variant and beyond that has a solid evolution with UHaFnir, you shouldn’t miss your chance.
Where can you find it during the event? During the “Sparkling Fantasy” event, you will find eF-eM in the wild with a bit of luck. However, unlike monsters like Trasla or Togetic, it will spawn a bit less frequently.
4. Kapuno
Kapuno
Why is the Pokémon worthwhile? With Kapuno, you can secure a strong Dark and Dragon Pokémon in the coming days. The small monster from Generation 5 can evolve into Trikephalo, one of the best Dark attackers in Pokémon GO.
Where can you find it during the event? Until January 16, 2023, you can find Kapuno in the wild and in level 1 raids. Be on the lookout for a shiny version as well.
Why is the Pokémon worthwhile? Dedenne is an Electric and Fairy Pokémon from Generation 6 that visually resembles a small yellow mouse. The monster has no pre-evolutions or evolutions and is not particularly strong.
As part of the event, it celebrates its shiny debut, which will particularly please shiny hunters. So, if you don’t want to miss out on the shiny variant, be on the lookout for a brown specimen.
Where can you find it during the event? You can find Dedenne during the event in the wild, in research tasks, and in level 3 raids.
6. Milza
Milza
Why is the Pokémon worthwhile? You will get a strong Dragon Pokémon when you catch Milza. The small green monster from Generation 5 has an evolution in Maxax that ranks among the 10 best Dragon attackers in the game.
Moreover, Milza, like eF-eM, is a rather rare monster in the game and you can only find it outside of events with a fair amount of luck. Since the GO Fest last year, you can also catch the little dragon in its shiny form.
Where can you find it during the event? Milza can be found in level 1 raids during the “Sparkling Fantasy” event.
Where you can encounter Milza after the event and what else you should know about the little dragon, we have summarized for you in the following article:
Why is the Pokémon worthwhile? Zekrom is a legendary Electric Pokémon from Generation 5 that has no pre-evolutions or evolutions. Due to its high attack value and strong moveset, it is among the best Electric attackers in Pokémon GO.
If you catch the monster by January 18, 2023, it will receive the event attack Cross Thunder, which deals considerable damage in raids and gym battles.
Where can you find it during the event? During the event, Zekrom defends the level 5 raids. A perfect opportunity to encounter the legendary Pokémon is the raid hour on January 11 with Zekrom.
Why is the Pokémon worthwhile? The game receives a new Mega Evolution with the start of the “Sparkling Fantasy” event: Mega-Brutalanda. This is a temporary evolution of the Dragon and Flying Pokémon Brutalanda, which can evolve from Kindwurm.
Brutalanda is already among the best Dragon attackers in Pokémon GO. With its Mega Evolution, it is now even stronger and should not be missed in your team.
Where can you find it during the event? Mega-Brutalanda will be available in Mega Raids throughout the event. After the victory, you will receive a certain amount of Mega Energy as well as an encounter with Brutalanda. If you have gathered enough energy, you can evolve your Mega yourself from it.
By the way: To increase your chances of a strong specimen, you can also find a lot of Kindwurm in the wild and in field research over the next few days. You can then evolve this into Brutalanda. Both Kindwurm and Brutalanda can also be caught in their shiny forms with a bit of luck.
Pokémon GO: The strongest attackers of all types in the video
How do you like the spawns for the “Sparkling Fantasy” event? Which monster do you definitely want to secure? And which Pokémon would you have liked to see in addition? Let us know here at MeinMMO in the comments and exchange ideas with other trainers on this topic.
In Fortnite today, on January 10th, the servers are down on all platforms (PC, Mac, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, Android). The maintenance work is being used to upload a hotfix to the servers.
What is happening today in Fortnite? Once again, the servers in Fortnite are being shut down. However, this is a shorter update that is meant to fix some issues in the game and even brings back a disabled weapon. When you can play again, you will find out from us.
Update, 11:00 AM: The servers are back online and you can log in again. The new update can be downloaded and is a total of 977.8 MB on the PS5. Epic Games has not yet published any patch notes.
Fortnite: Server Down – When and how long are they offline?
This is the downtime in the morning: The servers will be shut down according to Epic Games at around 10:00 AM German time to install a hotfix. The matchmaking will already be disabled 30 minutes prior, so you will not be able to search for new rounds from 9:30 AM.
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When can you play again? Epic Games itself speaks of a somewhat shorter maintenance, you should be able to log in again in no more than an hour. If the servers do stay in idle mode longer, we will keep you updated on this.
When will the patch notes come? Epic Games usually publishes a short list of patch notes on their site after the update. If that happens, we will list them here in a clear and concise manner.
What new content does the hotfix bring?
What’s new for the battle royale mode? Fortnite has had to endure some bugs and issues over Christmas, such as server disconnects or even the broken shockwave hammer that players exploit in matches. The developer wants to address these issues today, so we assume no new content will be implemented this week.
What do you think about today’s update? Are you excited about what Epic Games has prepared for the live event? Feel free to let us know your opinion in the comments!
In the meantime, you can read about a well-known Fortnite pro:
Blizzard has released a new skin for Widowmaker in the shop of Overwatch 2. The sniper is transformed into a “Medusa” with snakes on her head. However, pro gamer Kephrii claims that these very snakes give away your position and bring more disadvantages.
What kind of skin is this? The Medusa skin for Widowmaker was introduced with the new “Battle for Olympus” event in Overwatch 2. You can get it individually through the gallery for 1,900 coins or in a bundle with a highlight intro and a charm for 2,200 coins.
With the skin, Widowmaker takes on the appearance of the Gorgon from Greek mythology. Their trademark is snakes instead of hair and a gaze that turns people to stone when they look directly at the Medusa.
How can the skin betray you? The problem with the skin is that the snakes on Widowmaker’s head keep hissing. This sound is heard not only by yourself but also by your opponent, as former Overwatch professional Brian “Kephrii” St. Pierre demonstrates:
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The hissing can, according to him and one of his colleagues, give away your position and even cause your opponent not to hear as well. Since the sounds are right at the head, you have them directly in your ears.
Footsteps from enemies could thus be covered or sound wrong. The discussion about whether this really is a problem, however, is gaining traction. Because many fans of Overwatch 2 claim: it’s not that bad at all.
Here we show you the trailer for Season 2 of Overwatch 2 – featuring some of the new skins from Greek mythology:
Start video
Overwatch 2: The 2nd season brings new heroes – and quite crazy skins
“Ever tried having fun instead of complaining?”
While the snake sounds may indeed be quite disturbing with sensitive sound settings, as in Kephrii’s test, other players claim that such things wouldn’t be noticeable in a real match.
There is constantly shooting and so much action that no one has the time to pay attention to such a quiet hiss. The Twitter user @appy_1 for instance says:
It is never as quiet [as in the test] in a real game and I doubt that it has such a significant impact amidst the already loud weapons being fired, abilities, voice-lines, map sounds, payload, and so forth.
The concerns that this harms gameplay are not as great as you make them out to be.
Many other users agree and say that in actual matches in Overwatch, there is simply too much happening to focus on such sounds. Others simply suggest: “Then just don’t buy or use the skin.”
In the professional arena, however, things look different. Here, professionals often rely heavily on sound and pay attention to every little noise to gain an advantage. For example, Valorant pro Scott “Vyx” Ishikawa on Twitter states: “While this may not be the biggest issue in Overwatch, I believe it is still a problem. Competitive integrity should always be the highest priority.”
Especially concerning competitive gameplay, Overwatch 2 actually makes a big effort to keep everything as fair and transparent as possible. Something that many players appreciate:
In Final Fantasy XIV a new patch 6.3 will soon go online. We at MeinMMO have compiled what content you can unlock and how to do it.
This is 6.3: The new update will be released on January 10 and, as usual, brings a bunch of content. Fans can either follow the main story or engage in the new 24-man raid.
So that you can get started with the content right away, we have compiled an overview for you. In this article, you will find the unlockable content from patch 6.3 that will be available from next week and the locations of their starter quests.
You can watch the trailer for patch 6.3 here, but be careful: There are major spoilers.
Start video
Final Fantasy XIV Trailer for Update 6.3
24-Man Raid Euphrosyne
New gear from the Euphrosyne raid
What can I expect here? Euphrosyne is the second part of the quest line “Myths of Eorzea”. It continues the story of the quests and brings a new 24-man raid where you must fight against known gods. This time, you will encounter goddesses like Halone and Nophica, which fans are particularly excited about. As a reward, there will be new equipment, playing cards, music rolls, and upgrade materials for the current “Stone Armor”.
Name of the Start Quest: Return to the Realm of Shadows
Location: Mor Dhona (X:23.9 Y:9.1)
NPC: Deryk
Prerequisite: The prerequisite quest “Reinforcements for the Scholars” must be completed.
Continuation of the Story
In update 6.3, it’s back to Garlemald.
What can I expect here? As always, the main story of FFXIV will continue with further quests in the new update. The center of the story of the patches is the mysterious woman Zero. From the existing screenshots, it can be seen that this time the journey will take fans back to Garlemald. There will be a reunion with Jullus and the twins Alphinaud and Alisaie.
Little tip: In the previous patch, players who took the storytelling quests as a reaper got additional dialogue. Therefore, it is advisable to switch to reaper again in 6.3 if you want to have longer conversations.
Name of the Start Quest: Call from the Void
Location: Radz-at-Han (X:4.4 Y:9.8)
NPC: Varshahn
Prerequisite: The currently final quest of the main story “Buried Memory” must be completed.
Warning: Patch 6.3 will, as usual, also bring a new trial. However, it is still secret and will be unlocked automatically during the main story. So you don’t have to worry about missing it.
New Dungeon: Lapis Manalis
One of the bosses from the dungeon Lapis Manalis
What can I expect here? The new dungeon is located in a remote corner of the cold mountains of Garlemald. There used to be a village there where people lived who had made pacts with the unsent. To get to the bottom of the story, you will have to fight your way through snowy mountain passes and caves.
Name of the Start Quest: Still Unknown
Location: Still Unknown
NPC: Still Unknown
Prerequisite: As the dungeon is part of the main story of the update, it can be expected that it will be unlocked through the corresponding quests.
Tataru’s Prosperity Factory
What can I expect here? Tataru’s pursuit of world domination… uh, her trade empire continues. In the latest quests, it goes to the far east to Kugane for a meeting with Hancock. He wants to negotiate a deal with Tataru that will benefit both sides. However, what the player character has to do with it is unclear.
Name of the Start Quest: Dizziness in the Ruby Sea
Location: Old Sharlayan (X:11.8 Y:9.8)
NPC: Mehdjina
Prerequisite: The prerequisite quest “Prosperity that Connects the World!” must be completed. Additionally, the quest “A Brave Sacrifice” from the 4 animal saints must also be completed.
Delivery Requests: Anden
What can I expect here? In delivery requests, you need to actively support specific NPCs with your abilities as a craftsman and gatherer. In patch 6.15 it was a “mommy”, in the upcoming 6.3 update, it will be a green pile of leaves called Anden. He used to be a shepherd who took care of his sheep but was turned by pesky pixies.
Name of the Start Quest: Something is Grumbling in the Grass
Location: Crystarium (X:9.3 Y:11.3)
NPC: Staring Sheep
Prerequisite: The last quest of the main story of Endwalker must be completed, as well as the side quest “Happy Gathering of Collectibles.”
New Side Quests
What can I expect here? This quest is a side story of FFXIV. It’s about a guard in Radz-at-Han who occasionally meets a peaceful unsent during his rounds. In the new quest, you will learn how the story continues. This quest is especially interesting for lore fans.
Name of the Start Quest: Deeper Insights into the Void
Location: Radz-at-Han (X:7.3 Y:9.0)
NPC: Sky Guard
Prerequisite: The prerequisite quest “Insights into the Void” and a main story quest from 6.3 must be completed.
The Island Paradise
What can I expect here? The “slow and relaxed” side content Island Paradise is getting an update. With patch 6.3 there will be new plants to grow and animals you can catch for your pen. You will also be able to build new structures. However, there’s a quest to complete first.
Name of the Start Quest: Visit from the Far East
Location: Desolate Island (X:12.4 Y:28.7)
NPC: Postilius
Prerequisite: The prerequisite quest “Retired Pioneers” and the Island Paradise must have reached the necessary minimum level.
Patch 6.3 will offer more content, but you should keep in mind that not all of it will go online next week. Some of it will be spread out over the coming weeks and months in patches 6.31 and 6.35. This includes:
Omega (fatal) – Release with Patch 6.31 on January 24
Deep dungeon Eureka Orthos – Release with Patch 6.35
Tool Improvements: Mowen Tools – Release with Patch 6.35
Requests from Loporrit – Release with Patch 6.35
All content can be found in the full patch notes for 6.3. There you will also find information about job changes, adjustments in the UI or other game systems, info about the new PvP arena, and other content of patch 6.3.
What do you think of patch 6.3? Which content will you tackle first? Let us know in the comments. If you are not done with update 6.2 yet, we have something for you:
Blizzard has reintroduced the option to skip the profession introduction with the NPC Haephesta in WoW Dragonflight. This is worthwhile for every second character you play – even if you want to enjoy the story.
This is how you save time: As soon as you arrive on the Dragon Isles with a new character, you will be introduced early on the Coast of Awakening with the Craftsmen Consortium and the NPC Haephesta. There you will learn more about the new crafting system of Dragonflight.
The first quests of the series lead you to the Ruby Life Shrine, where Haephesta, along with Miguel and Thomas Heller, will show you how craftsman equipment and specializations work.
At this point, you can skip all subsequent quests for the craft if you have previously visited Khadin with a character and exchanged Dragon Shards of Knowledge. This was already possible at the release of Dragonflight, but was then disabled due to issues.
Now, 6 weeks after the release, you can use the skip again. This saves you a lengthy quest chain that would otherwise certainly take an hour – or more if you factor in travel times and detours. You won’t miss much, except a bit of banter between Miguel and Thomas.
Which quest should I not do? In order to skip all the quests, you must not complete the quest “Craftsman’s Mail”. You receive this in a series after three other quests at the Ruby Life Shrine:
A Gift for Miguel
Professional Equipment
This is my specialty
Craftsman’s Mail
During the quest, you have the option to skip all subsequent quests with Haephesta through a dialog and go directly to Khadin in the realms of Ohn’ahra to exchange Dragon Shards. But that is your only chance. If you complete the quest, you must also do all the following ones.
WoW: Dragonflight revises professions – All features explained in under 2 minutes
Skipping Crafting Quests – Here’s Why It’s Worth It
If you don’t want to experience the story between the craftsman couple again, skipping is worthwhile for time savings as well as leveling your professions significantly. Because you can start accumulating knowledge earlier.
You will receive knowledge for your professions from various sources, including Dragon Shards of Knowledge, which you can find in Agitated Earth or expedition bags. However, this is only possible after completing the quests for the shards with Khadin.
If you skip the quests, you can already start collecting the shards “on the side” – at the latest on level 70, when you would actually still have to complete the introduction quests.
Nevertheless, it may happen that you reach a limit where you can no longer or only with difficulty continue to skill your profession. In this case, you can either wait until the next Darkmoon Faire and pick up skill points there, or farm reputation.
Because the various factions provide both knowledge and new recipes for your professions. This is even faster if one of your characters has already reached a high level of reputation. Here you can find out where you need reputation for your profession:
Today, on January 10, the Spotlight Hour with Swablu starts in Pokémon GO. We will show you all the information about the times, bonuses, and shinies of the event.
What kind of event is this? Every Tuesday, Pokémon GO hosts a Spotlight Hour for you. For 60 minutes, a selected Pokémon is the focus and appears significantly more frequently in the wild. The event is accompanied by a bonus that can affect XP, Stardust, or candies.
Today you will encounter Swablu during the Spotlight Hour and can look forward to a bonus that brings you more Stardust.
Spotlight Hour on January 10 – Start, Bonuses, Shiny
When does it start? The event begins at the usual time at 6:00 PM. It is active for one hour and ends at 7:00 PM.
What bonuses are there? During the event, you will encounter Swablu almost everywhere in the wild. If you want to achieve even more spawns of the Pokémon, you can also light incense.
Additionally, you will receive double Stardust for catching Pokémon.
This is the second Spotlight Hour in 2023. In January, three more events of this kind will start with these contents:
Can you catch shiny Swablu? Yes, the shiny version of Swablu is already active in Pokémon GO. If you’re lucky, you might catch one during the Spotlight Hour. However, the chances are not increased during the event.
Swablu and its evolution Altaria in shiny comparison
Is it worth it to participate in the Spotlight Hour today? The event is mainly worthwhile today if you want to take advantage of the Stardust bonus and fill your resources. Swablu is not particularly strong as an attacker. Its evolution Altaria, on the other hand, can at least reach the upper middle tier in the Super League and Hyper League in PvP.
Just for the Stardust bonus, many trainers will participate in the Spotlight Hour today.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
On January 16, the new series of The Last of Us starts in Germany on Sky and WOW. MeinMMO editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski saw all 9 episodes already, thanks to a press screener from Sky. This is her spoiler-free review as a fan of the video games.
The Last of Us is one of the best games of the last ten years for me. The plot may not be particularly original. However, it convinces through the relationship of the main characters and the atmosphere, which is both oppressive and hopeful.
After seeing the first trailers for the series, I was convinced that at least a good adaptation was coming our way. However, I did not expect it to exceed my expectations. It manages to tell some things even better than the game.
Start video
The new trailer for The Last of Us series shows: It will break our hearts over and over again
Hopelessness Captured Impressively
The starting point of The Last of Us is an epidemic that breaks down civilization. What captivates me about this universe is that the mass disease is not caused by a virus. The culprit behind the misery is a type of fungus: the Cordyceps or also known as Kernkeule in German.
These fungi are parasites that infect insects and spiders. They disturb the nervous system of the host, thus directing the muscles and will of the animals. The Last of Us extends this characteristic of nature and here the fungus infects humans. It turns them into mindless zombies, always in search of new hosts, thus biting off more and more of humanity.
The series takes its time to portray the mushroom apocalypse scenario and the people in it. Those who play The Last of Us have to read through numerous notes that explain in detail what has happened to humanity. The adaptation shows us right at the beginning why we as a species would have no chance against this biological catastrophe.
The desperate rescue attempts evoke an indescribable sense of discomfort because everything seems so logical and realistic. This makes it all the more impressive how fiercely humanity fights for its survival.
I often recognize the handwriting of co-author Craig Mazin, who created the series Chernobyl. It deals with the nuclear catastrophe of Chernobyl and hits you in the gut persistently. These blows are also felt in the series of The Last of Us, often only through scenery and imagery.
Who is writing here anyway? Leya has already completed several playthroughs of The Last of Us. She played the first part multiple times on the PS3, PS4, and recently again the remaster on the PS5. There is hardly anything she loves more than storytelling and she believes that The Last of Us has a depth worth dissecting and analyzing. Getting to do that again with the series is a dream for her.
Perfect Casting of the Main Roles
The relationship between the two main characters Joel and Ellie is the heart of the story.
The cynical Joel is in his late 40s, brutal, and a smuggler in the apocalypse. His latest cargo is a 14-year-old girl named Ellie. She is quick-witted and brings a somewhat childlike admiration for the world, despite being born in the apocalypse.
After watching the series, I can say with certainty: There could not have been a better casting than Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in the main roles.
Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Joel (Pedro Pascal)
The two have the right chemistry with each other to tell this story. I believe them every second, whether they are angry at each other, afraid for each other, or whether they understand and like each other.
Especially Bella Ramsey impressed me. It feels as if the role of Ellie was written for her. The quick-wittedness and impulsiveness of Ellie never seem forced with her. She even managed to bring tears to my eyes at moments when the game could never reach me like that.
Joel and Ellie are of course crucial figures. However, it should be noted that the supporting roles in the series can blossom in ways they never could in the game. Because even they get time to unfold, like the scenario itself.
The Series Utilizes the Strength of the Medium but Cannot Compensate for Its Weakness
The series of The Last of Us knows the advantages of its medium, which is consumed passively, and makes full use of it. As a player, I would be bored to death if I had to watch a supporting character manage their bitter daily life in the epidemic for half an hour. The series turns this into highlights.
After all, the game is an action-adventure. I want to loot, slay zombies! Feel my adrenaline kick when my life hangs by a thread and I only have one bullet left in the gun.
However, this is exactly the great strength in the series. Everything can have an impact on you, and the creators allow time for emotional subplots. In the game, I love to look around and let the destroyed world affect me. I become particularly melancholic when I come across devastated children’s rooms or when a teddy bear lies in the dirt – the series captures all of this at a high level.
The adaptation remains close to the original and does not tell a completely new story.
What is the great strength of the game – or all video games – is: You are actively involved. I am the one who sends Joel and Ellie on their journey, accompanying them from a first-person perspective.
I pull the trigger of the rusty gun at the end.
This feeling can of course not be captured by the series. This makes the storytelling in The Last of Us, the game, so special. Even the different perspectives you see in the game cannot be conveyed by the series. However, this is just a minor downside.
Here quickly the most important facts about the series:
Start/Release: On the night of January 15 to 16
Channel: Exclusively on Sky
Director: Kantemir Balagov (Pilot), Ali Abbasi, Jasmila Žbanic, Neil Druckmann
Writers: Neil Druckmann, Craig Mazin
Number of episodes: 9, each lasting about 45 minutes. The pilot episode lasts 85 minutes
If you now feel even more excited about adaptations into series, we have a list for you through which you will find out what is still to come this year:
Where you can buy a PS5 now, you can find out here in the ticker on MeinMMO. We show you the retailers and offers for the PlayStation 5 that are currently delivering. Here you can read when you can buy a PS5 at MediaMarkt, Amazon, and others.
Update on January 10 at 08:15 AM: A very good morning to everyone. It has never been easier to buy a PS5 since it was released. From the start, Sony’s latest console has been very popular and has sold out everywhere within minutes at all times. A global pandemic and further extensive circumstances have meant that the PS5 was in short supply even two years after its release in November 2020. Only in December 2022 did Sony launch a campaign aimed at satisfying all customers. All consoles ordered last month are supposed to be delivered by the end of January. Buyers who ordered after Christmas will receive their PS5 by the end of February at the latest. In the following list, you will find all retailers participating in Sony’s ordering campaign.
By the way: If you order from MediaMarkt or Saturn and have a store nearby, there’s a good chance you can pick up your bundle after just a few days, and not have to wait until the end of January or February. Both retailers are also currently running another gaming promotion. When you buy 3 games, you get the cheapest one for free.
You can now order a PS5 bundle from these retailers. Delivery or pickup will take place by February 28, 2023 at the latest
The offers listed here are equipped with so-called affiliate links. By purchasing through one of these links, you support MeinMMO: Without affecting the price, we receive a small commission from the provider.
But not all retailers participate in the promotion and continue to offer the classic drops as we know them. So if you don’t want to wait, you can get your console a little faster this way. Therefore, we will keep you updated on all drops and other campaigns and offers. As of now, you can order immediately from the following retailers:
A gamer buys a new case and power supply. On reddit, he complains that his old cable no longer fits his computer. The community is shocked and astonished, as the situation could have ended badly.
If you want to upgrade your gaming PC, you can do so in various ways:
Either you install a new graphics card, which is often the most expensive upgrade.
Alternatively, you can buy a new RAM or a new, fast SSD for your system.
Or you buy a new case to give your hardware more “breathing room”.
A gamer decided to buy a new case and power supply. However, while upgrading the system, he stumbled upon a problem, which he then shared with the community. And they are quite relieved that the manufacturer prevented a worse outcome.
Note:Our title image is symbolic and does not represent the person mentioned in this article.
Gamer cannot connect new power supply with old cable
What is the problem? A gamer bought a new power supply and case. After assembling, he had apparently wanted to use the old power cable of the case.
Because the used case has its own power connection with cable management for the power supply. So he writes somewhat annoyed on reddit:
Be Quiet power supply [PSU] and case not compatible? Dark Base Pro 900 internal PSU cable does not fit Dark Power PSU? WTF? What am I missing?
In his picture, you can see how he holds the old cable next to the new power supply. And you can immediately tell that the new connector is much larger.
The power supply and case seem not to match anymore during assembly. And the user is quite loud about it.
But many are relieved, because had he actually connected the cables, far worse could have happened.
The special connection prevents the gamer from setting his apartment on fire
How does the community react? People clearly and decisively tell him: If he had actually plugged the cable in and powered on the computer, he could have said goodbye to his computer and probably his apartment. Someone writes:
This is a feature, not a bug. It prevents you from connecting a low amperage cable to a high amperage power supply and burning your house down.
And another adds:
It’s a special cable designed for higher power draw to prevent you from burning your devices or your house down.
In the worst case, he could have had an apartment fire because he connected the wrong parts together.
But the manufacturer has already built in a fuse here and designed the cables so that they don’t fit together in the first place, preventing such mistakes from happening. Some don’t even want to know how many people unknowingly mix cables at home and then wonder about high property damage.
Can the user’s problem be solved? In fact, the gamer has thought of a very special combination of power supply and case. Because the Dark Power Pro, the power supply the gamer chose, has a special power connection. However, the case requires another connection, so they do not fit together (via reddit.com):
Dark Power Pro has such a high wattage that it needs a different connector – normally, this wouldn’t be a problem, as most cases do not use an internal power cable to house the power supply elsewhere, but you chose something special for both parts, causing the incompatibility. Dark Base Pro works with most power supplies, and Dark Power PSU works with most tower cases, but they are not compatible with each other.
The new case internally relies on a cable with a C14 connector, while the power supply requires a C20 connector because the power supply delivers over 1000 watts. For this reason, the cables do not fit together.
And yes, the problem can be solved by the user contacting BeQuiet. The manufacturer will then send him an alternative plate for the case so that he can use the right cable.
Therefore, if you are buying a new power supply or a special case, make sure to follow the manual and always use the provided cables. This way you can be absolutely sure that the cables for the corresponding model are certified. Because in the worst case, you not only damage replaceable hardware, but also harm people who are irreplaceable.
What a wrong cable can cause: What a wrong or damaged cable can cause, a YouTuber tested. He warns against cheap cables and explains why a wrong or cheap cable can be really dangerous for you and your hardware:
In Pokémon GO the event “Twinkling Fantasy” is coming up. We take a look at the contents and show what you can expect in terms of spawns, shinies, raids, and more.
It changes the spawns, introduces a new shiny, and also features an exciting Mega Raid Boss with Salamence. Additionally, you can look forward to some bonuses.
When does the event start? Twinkling Fantasy starts on Tuesday, January 10, 2023, at 08:00 local time. It runs until January 16 at 22:00.
So you have a little over a week to take advantage of the event’s bonuses. We will show you what to expect.
New shiny and powerful Mega Raid Boss in Twinkling Fantasy
Which shiny is new? Twinkling Fantasy will for the first time introduce the shiny version of Dedenne into the game. The Pokémon is of the Electric and Fairy type.
Dedenne can appear during the event in the wild, in field research tasks, and also in level-3 raids. Whether you catch the shiny form depends on chance – as always, the odds are low.
Who is the Mega Raid Boss? Mega Salamence will appear for the first time in Mega Raids during the event and is likely to become a sought-after target. It is among the best Dragon attackers and also provides an attack bonus to other dragons during raids. Thus, it will be a very useful monster for future raids. Additionally, there is a chance to catch the shiny.
Zekrom as a level-5 boss: In the level 5 raids, you will also find Zekrom as a boss. It is one of the top Electric attackers in Pokémon GO. During the event and until January 18 at 10:00, it learns the exclusive move “Fusion Bolt”. Additionally, you may also encounter it as shiny.
The best attackers against Zekrom are shown in the raid guide.
What bonuses does “Twinkling Fantasy” bring to Pokémon GO?
These are the bonuses: During the event, you can grab some bonuses to get extra XP. The special thing is: The event relies on catching bonuses.
These include the following throw bonus: For every catch with an excellent throw, you receive double XP. So aiming well is worth it. Additionally, there are the following bonuses:
Additional candies for catches with nice, great, or excellent throws
An increased chance for XL candies starting from trainer level 31 when a Pokémon is caught with a nice, great, or excellent throw
Snapshots during the event can yield encounters with a fairy or dragon Pokémon
The collector challenge “Twinkling Fantasy” rewards you with 50 Mega Energy for Salamence, a charged TM, and a fast TM
What other content will appear during the event remains to be seen. Last weekend, Pokémon GO surprised trainers with a long-awaited release: Kecleon suddenly appeared and made headlines.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In League of Legends, Brieu “LEC Wooloo” Seeger is considered a reliable source for player transfers between teams. He has now explained on Twitter which role is the most rewarding in LoL. According to him, players in the midlane in the USA, Europe, and South Korea earn the most money.
Who is the expert?
The Belgian made a name for himself by reliably predicting on Twitter who would transfer from one LoL team to another during the off-season. Official announcements about player transfers are usually not allowed until a certain deadline, but in reality, it is often clear weeks in advance where players will go.
LEC Wooloo is now practically the unofficial transfer ticker that fans and professionals follow. A few years ago, e-sports journalist Jacob Wolf held this position: Wolf had previously worked for the e-sports site ESPN, but covering LoL as an e-sport did not pay off commercially and he was let go.
Therefore, the Belgian is now the go-to expert for everything you need to know about LoL transfers.
Start video
The Life of Faker – Why He is a Living Legend
Which role is the highest paid in LoL? The expert says he has evaluated sources:
“The information from my sources shows that most of the time (but not always!), the midlane is the highest-paid position on an LEC team.
Additionally: The highest salaries I know for 2022 go to midlaners in the LCS and LCK.”
He is essentially saying that the midlane is the most lucrative position in South Korea, Europe, and North America.
Midlaners shine the most, hence they have the highest hype
Why is that? LEC Wooloo says it’s because midlaners have the highest “advertising value”: The position is in the middle of the map and also a carry role, which allows for creating in-game highlights and thus generating more hype.
Is it traditionally like this? Yes, this aligns with many other stories. Traditionally, the mid-laner is the “star of the show”. Heroes like assassins or mages are played there, who can secure kills in a very short time with skill combinations.
While an ADC-carry is usually quiet for most of the game and only fully blossoms in the late game, a midlaner can already shine in early stages.
Midlaners are also the players from whom most highlight reels circulate on YouTube and who regularly win popularity contests:
In the USA, Bjergsen was long the most popular player
In Europe, “Caps” and “Perkz” are probably the two most popular players, both are midlaners, leading to problems when they wanted to play on the same team
In South Korea and worldwide, Faker is certainly number 1.
These stars have one thing in common: they are all midlaners.
Even though midlaners are the stars – Every role has been MVP in the finals at some point
However, the mix of who really plays the outstanding role in a team is much broader. In the last 6 World Championships, the MVP has been awarded to 4 different roles:
2017, Ruler, a botlaner, won
2018, Ning, a jungler, won
2018, it was Tian, again a jungler
2020, Canyon, the third jungler in a row, took the title
2021, Scout, a midlaner, surprised with the win
2022, Kingen took the MVP title, even a top-laner
The last supporter to win an MVP title was quite a while ago: It was the legendary Mata in 2014:
In WoW: Dragonflight restoration druids and preservation Evokers dominate season 1 of the Mythic+ dungeons. They also outpace other healers in raids and PvP. Some players are calling for adjustments.
What happened?Some dungeons in WoW are currently considered almost unplayable and are receiving multiple nerfs as a result. Healers in particular have complained about how difficult it has become to master Mythic+ with Dragonflight. Only two classes seem unaffected.
The platform Raider.IO recently published a statistic showing which classes most frequently complete high keystones in Mythic+ dungeons. The data indicates that two classes clearly stand out among healers.
Restoration druids are by far the most popular healers for high keystones. They make up over 40% of all healers. They are followed by preservation Evokers at around 25.9%.
The third place is taken by holy priests with 14.8%, followed by holy paladins with 10.7%. After that, there is a significant gap to the lower spots: restoration shamans make up only 4.2% of the Mythic+ population at the highest level.
The statistics come from RaiderIO and show the distribution of healers among 7625 rated M+ 20 keystones.
Discipline priests are still represented at 2.2%. The absolute last place is taken by mistweaver monks, with only 1.9% found in the high Mythic+ groups.
In PvP, druids and Evokers are also currently at the top of the popularity scale. However, the distribution of healers here is somewhat more balanced. MyMMO demon Cortyn has found great joy in PvP with WoW, even though they can’t do it.
Mobility is the key to success
Why are these two classes so popular? The unique feature that gives druids and Evokers a significant advantage is their mobility. Most of a druid’s healing comes from healing-over-time spells (“HoTs”), so they do not have to stay in one place to heal effectively.
This is particularly advantageous in mythic dungeons when groups are trying to take down many monsters at once to save time. Their mobility also allows druids to evade certain harmful mechanics more easily. With the ability “Wild Growth,” they also have an extremely effective spell for group healing. Talents like “Revitalize,” which help the group with resource regeneration, round out their toolkit.
Preservation Evokers also possess strong abilities and talents. They are particularly good at avoiding damage. Their toolkit allows them to maneuver their allies out of dangerous situations. Thanks to talents like Zephyr or Time Spiral, they can temporarily increase their group’s movement speed or enable their allies to use movement abilities regardless of cooldowns.
Moreover, Evokers can cast while moving and do so significantly more often than other classes with similar abilities. This places them high in terms of mobility.
You can see the most popular M+ dungeons from Season 1 here in the video:
Start video
WoW Dragonflight: All Dungeons of Season 1 in the Ranking
This is what the community says: Players are somewhat disheartened that only two classes seem “playable” – although this topic is often discussed among DPS classes as well. However, some users believe that the solution is not nerfs for the strong classes, but buffs for all others.
It is said, on reddit: “Resto druids and preservation Evokers are so strong because they can reliably complete the content. If you make them weaker, the content won’t be as easy. There are deficits that need to be addressed. Nerfs ruin the game, buffs help everyone.”
Blizzard has already made some adjustments to the classes and is bringing significant buffs for 9 classes, including some healers. More updates will certainly come in the future. However, how strong they will be remains to be seen.
It is also quite possible that the distribution of healers will change again with the rotation of the M+ dungeons at the beginning of the next season. If the content has different mechanics that require particularly strong single-target or group healing, then other healers could be in the spotlight.
What do you think? Should Blizzard swing the nerf bat here? Or is the whole thing not so dramatic? Does it look completely different at lower keystone levels? Share your experiences with the community and leave us a comment.
On January 8, some German journalists spoke about what happened on New Year’s Eve in several cities in Germany: riots, attacks, and general chaos. Eva Quadbeck uses the age-old debate about violent video games as an explanation.
Who is the journalist?
Eva Quadbeck studied history and has been working as a correspondent for Rheinische Post in Berlin since 2002. There, she rose to editorial director and deputy editor-in-chief.
Since 2019, she has been working at the RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland, which is responsible for national content, and currently leads the main editorial team.
Quadbeck co-authored a biography of former German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and is frequently a guest on discussion shows in the media.
This is what the discussion is about: On New Year’s Eve 2023, riots occurred in various German cities. The two most frequently discussed are Berlin and Borna (Saxony).
In Berlin, 18 police officers are said to have been injured, one of them seriously, as reported by Der Tagesspiegel. According to the report, the fire department had 15 injuries, one of which required hospitalization.
In the capital, there are reports of attacks on firefighters with steel rods and firecrackers. Families and children are also said to have been injured in fireworks-related attacks, and there was increased destruction of property and shops.
In contrast, in Borna about 200 people reportedly walked through the city center, attacking police officers and emergency personnel “with firecrackers and rockets” and shouting “Heil Hitler” (via Berliner Morgenpost). There too, there was destruction, including damaged street signs.
The discussion took a strange turn towards video games with violence and “realism,” as Call of Duty exemplifies:
Start video
Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 – Launch Trailer
“Young men sit in front of these games and kill”
This is what Quadbeck says about it: In the discussion surrounding New Year’s Eve in the press club from January 8, 2022, Hasnain Kazim, Eva Quadbeck, Jasper von Altenbockum, and Ulrike Winkelmann talk about the reasons and explanations for the riots. The show can be watched in the ARD media library.
The arguments of the discussants are often very nuanced. In past discussions, according to Kazim and Winkelmann, some people quickly resorted to words like “foreigners” or “Nazis”.
According to the discussion, it cannot be denied that mostly individuals with a migration background committed the attacks in Berlin and that right-wing terms were used in Borna. However, this is only part of a larger picture. About halfway through the show, at minute 21:35, Eva Quadbeck throws in (via Twitter):
When it comes to the keyword disinhibition, I would like to add something. One must not overlook which video games are being played. And with what realism people slaughter each other there. And without batting an eye, especially young men sit in front of these games and kill and hunt others.
And also, at times, the reality is no longer seen when one is on the street, and then either confronts the police or emergency personnel, this could at least be an explanation. Not an excuse, but an explanation.
Where does the argument come from? Since at least the 2000s, the “killer game debate” has accompanied gaming. Above all, politicians repeatedly look for a justification for violence among young people in violent video games. However, recent studies have shown for some time that video games actually have the opposite effect.
Nevertheless, especially shooters are still used as scapegoats. In 2016, for example, the public broadcaster funk took up the discussion again and blamed “killer games” for rampages:
Gaming has long since arrived in the mainstream of society, and several studies have claimed that video games even promote certain skills. Research is still trying to establish concrete effects. We already spoke with 2 scientists about what actually makes gaming fascinating:
AI Art is a controversial topic on the internet. Some artists fear for their jobs, while others are excited to see their ideas realized in great images. One artist has now encountered problems on reddit because his works do not appear human enough to the moderators.
Who is the artist? Minh Anh Nguyen, also known by his artist name Ben Moran, hails from Vietnam and calls himself a professional “Digital Artist.”
Moran’s works predominantly depict people or figures in a fantasy environment, often with an Asian touch and a certain manga style. Sci-Fi motifs like mechs and cyberpunk are also part of the artist’s portfolio. You can find his portfolio on DeviantArt.
One of the artist’s latest works is titled: “A Muse in Warzone” and was commissioned as a book cover for the fantasy series “Beneath the Dragoneye Moons” by Selkie Smith. However, this very work has now resulted in Moran being banned in the art subreddit:
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Why was Moran banned? According to the moderator, the problem is that Moran’s style resembles art created by an AI too much. Such art is banned in the relevant subreddit, which is why the thread was closed and Moran himself was banned.
When asked for a solution to the problem, the artist received a rather unfriendly response, which he showed on Twitter. Moran explained that he does not use AI assistance and can even provide Photoshop files and his portfolio as proof. The corresponding moderator replied:
I don’t believe you. Even if you did “paint” it yourself, it is so obviously an AI-influenced design that it doesn’t matter. If you are truly a “serious” artist, you need to adopt another style because A) no one will believe you when you say this is not AI, and B) an AI can create this in seconds better than you can in hours. Sorry, but that’s how the world works.
Moran was subsequently muted and cannot respond or contact the moderators for 28 days. Other users on Twitter have tried to clarify the matter for Moran and were permanently banned for it.
In another thread on reddit featuring Moran’s works, users complain about the behavior: “200 IQ: Ban everything that looks even remotely like AI immediately without warning. 300 IQ: Reject any evidence to the contrary. 400 IQ: Make sure it’s a commissioned cover for a pretty popular book.”
In an interview with the U.S. site Vice, another moderator of the subreddit explains: only humans work there, and mistakes can happen. Moderators are unpaid, volunteer workers. The admins provide no assistance. The subreddit was temporarily set to private to prevent trolls from having a platform. Reddit itself, according to Vice, does not want to comment on this.
For some time now, there have been projects by artificial intelligence that create art through input of a theme. Among the most well-known image AIs are Dall-E and MidJourney.
The AIs are often used as a toy, for example, to see what the last selfie looks like that was ever taken on Earth. The AI accesses existing images to create a new image from them. This is heavily debated in the art scene, as there are still no clear rules regarding image rights.
Moran himself stated in a comment that art AIs are not a threat to artists, but can contribute to the development of art as a whole. MeinMMO editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski shares a similar view:
Sir Whoopass: Immortal Death lets you as a knight make a lot of bad decisions. The game takes typical elements from the RPG genre and doesn’t take itself too seriously. It has 86% positive ratings on Steam and costs €15.
What kind of game is Sir Whoopass: Immortal Death? The game is an RPG with hack and slash elements and an open world that pokes fun at itself. It draws on typical elements from the RPG genre and parodies it.
This game was recommended to us by MeinMMO user Erik. Thank you for that!
What is Sir Whoopass: Immortal Death about? You plunge into adventure as a knight and search for the legendary villain-slaying artifact to bring down the immortal.
However, the villain sends all sorts of monsters and wicked beings into the game world of “Wildwood,” which you take down in bloody gameplay.
Even if you want to prove yourself as a true hero in the role of Sir Whoopass, you will make bad decisions multiple times in the game, and chaos will follow you everywhere.
Here you can see a trailer for Sir Whoopass: Immortal Death:
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Sir Whoopass – (Yet another) Gameplay Teaser Trailer
What is the gameplay like in Sir Whoopass: Immortal Death? You fight your way through numerous enemies, such as rats, orcs, or skeletons. A dragon, of course, is also a must in the game according to fantasy clichés.
Level up your knight continuously and choose the best weapon depending on your favored combat strategy. Explore the different dungeons in Wildwood and loot the rewards. Additionally, you need to solve some puzzles.
There’s also a bit of “Grand Theft Auto” vibe in the game. Because you’re not just walking around, but you have a medieval car that you can zoom around in.
Here are some screenshots from the game
Your hero can also be outfitted with stylish items: You can give him a stylish top hat or put a fitting crown on him.
You will be accompanied on your journey as Sir Whoopass by a narrator in voice-over, who narrates the hero’s story narratively.
A note: German is not supported in the game. You can only play Sir Whoopass: Immortal Death in English.
Update on January 18, 2023: The game will receive a major update on February 3, 2023, and will support additional languages in the game. From then on, you can also play Sir Whoopass: Immortal Death in German.
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How do players rate Sir Whoopass: Immortal Death? Overall, the RPG has a very positive reception on Steam. However, it should be noted that there are only 304 reviews so far, which is quite few. Of those, 86% are positive (as of January 9, 2023, via Steam).
jmmaddox: “It’s a very unique game. It’s fun, it’s funny, without being frustratingly hard. This is a game that entertains, which is what games should do. Thank you for making this gem!”.
Dunfast: “The Witcher, but in the Shrek universe”.
WhiffPunish: “Great game! The combat is janky, the map doesn’t really tell you much. Sometimes you pull off a hard combo on a boss and kill him in two hits. But it’s a really fun game that isn’t too complex. Kill things and loot, or blow stuff up and loot.”.
However, it is sometimes criticized in reviews that technical problems occur, and the game is overall quite short. Nevertheless, most users praise Sir Whoopass: Immortal Death in their reviews and have a lot of fun with it.
How much does Sir Whoopass: Immortal Death cost? Currently, you can get the RPG for €15.99 on Steam.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is a well-known game from the developer studio Rockstar Games, which had its release on Steam in December 2019. Recently, the western shooter reached a new player count record on the platform. But why now?
Why is the game so successful right now? One fact that may have contributed to the current success of Red Dead Redemption 2 is the Winter Sale on Steam. This ran from December 22, 2022, to January 5, 2023, and provided players with numerous titles at a special price.
Among them was also Red Dead Redemption 2, which was available for €19.79 and therefore 67% cheaper. This is the lowest price at which players could get the western shooter on Steam (via SteamDB).
Here you can see a trailer of Red Dead Redemption 2:
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Red Dead Redemption 2: Official Trailer
So many players does Read Dead Redemption 2 have
Using the analytics website SteamDB, the player numbers of the game on the platform can be traced.
The new player count record was set on January 8, 2023: the all-time peak number of players reached 69,134 people.
The last peak in the graph shows the new record of player numbers
In addition, Red Dead Redemption is among the top sellers on Steam in the first week of January, ranking 6th. The week before, the game was still in 7th place (via SteamDB), showing an increase here as well.
Reviews on Steam have improved recently
Moreover, the game is still very popular in the Steam community. Of the total 314,653 ratings, 89% are positive.
Looking at the recent reviews, with a volume of 19,959 opinions, these are even slightly better at 92% (as of January 9, 2023, via Steam).
The game generally has a very good reputation, is especially known for its gripping story, and impresses with great graphics. Therefore, the third-person shooter could have attracted many new players at the special price.
How much does the game currently cost on Steam? Currently, you can get Red Dead Redemption for the regular purchase price on Steam for €59.99 (as of January 9, 2023). The Ultimate Edition costs €89.99 and includes additional bonuses, such as:
