The MOBA Dota 2 has a large e-sports scene with many professional players all over the world. There is even the “Dota 2 Champions League Seasons”. However, two teams got a little too close, and a silly idea has now led to permanent account bans for 10 professionals.
On December 18, 2022, PGL announced that Dota 2 developer Valve has permanently banned a total of 10 professionals from the current competition. PGL is the organizer of major e-sports events and also announced that they will be banning the players:
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These were players from the teams “Luna Gaming” and “S9”. The reason given was account sharing and that one had impersonated a person who one is not.
Now, the players “Koma” from Luna Gaming and “SuperNova” from S9 have addressed their bans in a video, and it turned out: What started as a joke and an idiotic idea, the players went through with and ended up receiving their bans.
Luna Gaming took over a match from S9 and they played with the accounts of the other team.
Start video
DOTA 2: Cave Johnson Announcer Pack Trailer
Dota 2: Silly joke destroys professional careers
The video with the statement from Koma and SuperNova was in Russian (via youtube.com). The website cyber.sports.ru completely transcribed the video (via cyber.sports.ru).
How did the bans come about? The team Luna Gaming had already qualified for the playoffs in the current Dota season. A success, but the team was a bit down because they would have fewer games in the near future.
On the other side was S9. They took over the group position from Luna Gaming but could not really impress and were also already of the opinion that they could not achieve anything in the current tournament.
The two teams know each other, and while they were sitting together on a Discord server, a joking idea came up: The players from Luna Gaming should take over matches from S9.
After some back and forth, the players went through with it. Luna Gaming would receive half of the prize money if successful and they could even train.
So Luna Gaming took over a game from S9 against NO SORRY. But already after the first match, the NO SORRY team did not want to continue playing. One player had received a tip – it was about the opposing team having an observer at NO SORRY and that the opposing players are not who they claim to be.
Nova and Koma insist that there was no observer. But the player swap actually took place.
Due to the rumors surrounding the player swap, DOTA developer Valve stepped in. Although the players tried to delete the corresponding evidence, the admins of the Dota 2 Champions League ultimately uncovered the truth and banned all 10 professional accounts involved.
Elden Ring and God of War were the big winners at the Game Awards 2022. However, the event’s awards were largely tied to certain genres. The software and hardware experts at “Digital Foundry” see an exclusive PlayStation game at the forefront in terms of graphics.
Elden Ring and God of War Ragnarök were the big winners of the Game Awards 2022, which took place on the night of December 8.
Elden Ring was awarded Game of the Year, also receiving awards for its Art Direction and Game Direction. God of War came to the competition with 10 nominations and secured six of them – including awards for Best Story and Best Soundtrack.
According to the experts at “Digital Foundry”, a title from 2022 is entirely missing from the list, which, however, has quite an advantage over the Game Award hits in terms of graphics: the action RPG Horizon: Forbidden West.
Which games the experts see as the top 3 in terms of graphics, we show you on MeinMMO.
Start video
These are the 5 MMO highlights of the Game Awards 2022 and their trailers
Top Graphics 2022 – Victory goes to a PS exclusive
What is Digital Foundry? It is an association of gaming experts who specialize in the technical aspects of games.
The think tank evaluates software beyond gameplay mechanics and pays increased attention to aspects like graphics or performance. Hardware is also part of the program.
Recently, Digital Foundry published a video analysis of CoD: Warzone 2. The video discussed whether players on a standard PS4 would have disadvantages compared to a PS4 Pro or Xbox One X.
Which games had the top graphics in 2022? In a video, Digital Foundry presented their graphic gems of 2022, and none of the games even won a prize at the Game Awards:
1st Place: Horizon: Forbidden West
2nd Place: Callisto Protocol
3rd Place: Portal RTX
What speaks for the games? In the analysis, the experts also discuss the reasons for their selection. We summarize this briefly for you for each title:
Portal RTX
The 15-year-old game Portal received some love from its developers in 2022 and was re-released with ray tracing/path tracing graphics.
Portal RTX uses the latest graphic techniques and impresses the experts with its dynamic lighting. They argue that light is an important factor of immersion, and a small incorrect shadow or lack of lighting quickly reminds one that one is in a video game.
The lighting in Portal RTX is precise, seamless, and interacts perfectly with the environment, making the experts impressed by the revamped graphics.
Callisto Protocol
The disturbing horror game actually deserved to rank higher, according to the experts. However, technical issues at release prevented that. The graphics were received so well by Digital Foundry that it had to be included in the top 3.
The experts say Callisto Protocol still uses the older Unreal Engine 4, but you wouldn’t know it just by looking at the game. They were thrilled that the game could showcase high-quality graphics at every corner and that the old engine had been pushed to its limits.
Moreover, the animations of the characters in the game were praised. The transfer of motion captures from the actors into the game was “incredible”. Some playable sections already feel like cutscenes.
Horizon: Forbidden West
The winner in Digital Foundry’s graphics ranking stands out particularly due to the characters in the game. Expert John Linneman goes so far as to say: “They now look and move really like real people”. You can find images of the game in our preview report.
You can interpret the body language and recognize emotional impressions on the faces. The many clothing details complete the overall impression convincingly. You actually feel like you are talking to a person and not a lifeless dummy.
But the world is also “incredibly detailed” and designed such that better hardware will provide an additional boost – particularly evident in the differences between the PS4 and PS5 versions.
Additionally, water, lighting, or the tracks that characters and even small animals leave in the grass contribute to impressive effects.
A player posted a picture on reddit featuring Pokémon that are still missing in Pokémon GO. Do you know which ones they are?
In Pokémon GO, there are many different pocket monsters that fans already know from the main games. Additionally, more and more variations of the little monsters are being added, which adorn themselves with cosmetic items like hats and bows, distinguishing them from their normal versions.
Only during the Winter Holidays Part 2 did we see Eevee and its evolutions wearing a holiday hat. However, there are still numerous Pokémon from past generations that are missing in Pokémon GO.
A trainer on reddit has now created a picture with the missing pocket monsters and sparked discussions. Players are mainly wondering why some rather unremarkable monsters are absent.
Start video
Pokémon GO: The strongest attackers of all types in the video
Missing pocket monsters in Pokémon GO
What is this picture? The reddit user martins06 has depicted only Pokémon from Hoenn (Generation 3), Sinnoh (Generation 4), Unova (Generation 5), Kalos (Generation 6), and Alola (Generation 7) in the picture with the missing monsters.
Additionally, the list includes Galar and Hisui forms as well as evolutions of Pokémon originating from any of these regions in their original forms.
Which Pokémon are missing in Pokémon GO? A total of 78 different Pokémon or Pokémon forms can be seen in the picture. We’re embedding the post along with the picture here:
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If you would like to read the German names of the missing Pokémon corresponding to the illustrations, you can expand the following box.
We have listed the German names according to the image from left to right and then from top to bottom. Evolutions or different forms of a Pokémon are listed underneath each other.
German names of the missing Pokémon
Kecleon
Rotom, Heat Rotom, Frost Rotom, Wash Rotom
Phione, Manaphy, Arceus
Flampivian in Trance Mode
Ignivor, Ramaoth
Keldeo
White Kyurem, Black Kyurem
Meloetta Dance Form
Galar-Corason, Gorgasonn
Galar-Flampivian in Trance Mode
Vivillon Fantasy Pattern, Vivillon Pokéball Pattern
Which Pokémon are not in the picture? Not all Pokémon that are still missing in Pokémon GO can be seen in the picture created by reddit user martins06. Some were deliberately left out, which he noted in his post.
Pokémon from Galar, Hisui, and Paldea that were released with the games Sword/ Shield, Legends: Arceus, and Scarlet and Violet are not included in the list. Mega evolutions and special forms like Ash’s Greninja are also missing.
In the comments of the post, it was also noted that the creator of the list forgot the original forms of the legendary Pokémon Dialga and Palkia (via reddit).
What do players say about the missing Pokémon? In the comments, the absence of unremarkable pocket monsters like Mähikel stands out.
Players are wondering why the grass-type Pokémon is not yet in the game – after all, it is not strong enough to threaten the balance. There hasn’t been a coherent explanation from the trainers as to why the pocket monster is currently still missing. (via reddit).
Likewise, the flying-fighting Pokémon Resladero, Gramokles, and Minigma are discussed by the trainers.
Do you wish for one of the Pokémon in the picture or are you waiting for the pocket monsters from Galar and Paldea instead? Let us know here on MeinMMO in the comments!
If you want to know which events are waiting for you in January 2023 and what bonuses they bring, you can find out on MeinMMO:
Even the PvE demon Cortyn suddenly plays PvP in WoW: Dragonflight. The reason? The entry is simpler than ever.
If you are like me, you haven’t thought much of PvP in World of Warcraft until now. I’ll be honest, since the days of “Vanilla”, when we engaged in zergs in the same Alterac Valley for 6 hours, I rarely warmed up to PvP. Sometimes I have to “torture” myself into it when I see a nice reward, like an exclusive mount that is only available for a short time. However, it is clearly my collector’s instinct in the foreground, not the fun of PvP.
With Dragonflight, World of Warcraft has done a lot right and I suddenly found enjoyment in content that I previously found tedious. Therefore, I even gave PvP a chance – and it is as pleasant and easy as it hasn’t been in years.
PvP gear is essential, but easy to obtain
Anyone wanting to start PvP in Dragonflight should urgently acquire a PvP set. This is not a “recommendation” but an absolute necessity if you want even the slightest chance. The reason is that all PvP gear in battlegrounds and arenas scales to a higher item level. Even the green gear crafted from professions, which only has an item level of 340 in PvE, suddenly has an item level of 398 in PvP.
The “War Mode” PvP set is also worth it for initial steps in the arena and battleground.
Another factor is that PvP gear almost always has “Versatility” and the trinkets even have a set bonus that grants even more stamina and stats.
So don’t expect to have even the slightest chance in PvP with your PvE gear – generally, other players, even with good PvE gear, will have around 100,000 hit points more when they use PvP gear.
What PvP equipment is available?
In principle, there are 5 different armor sets to play PvP in Dragonflight. The differences are quite small, but represent a simple and easily understandable progression.
Crafted (green) PvP armor: PvP item level 398
War Mode gear for Bloody Tokens: PvP item level 408
Honor gear: PvP item level 411
Upgraded War Mode gear: PvP item level 421
Conquest gear: PvP item level 424
Note that PvP armors from world quests can have different item levels. However, this only affects the “PvE” item level of the armor. The PvP portion is always the same and does not change. So you do not have to rely on random upgrades.
The Gladiator set is available for conquest – it has a weekly and seasonal cap.
Similar applies to Honor and Conquest gear. You can upgrade these for honor points, but that only improves the PvE portion of the item. The PvP value of the armor remains identical when upgrading.
In other words: If you once bought an item for honor or conquest, it already has its full effectiveness in PvP. You do not have to spend time painstakingly upgrading gear or fighting for every item level.
PvP gear in Dragonflight is surprisingly simple and that makes the entry easy.
The first 5 hours are the worst
The only “problem” is that you first need solid starting gear. You cannot avoid earning this in one way or another.
Bloody beginners who have some gold can simply buy the 398 gear in the auction house or commission a craftsman of your choice. The materials are quite cheap, but currently very few craftsmen have the necessary recipes.
Those who leveled in War Mode and regularly collected an “Air Drop” can buy a solid set at item level 408 in Valdrakken in the PvP vault for Bloody Tokens or at least plug gaps in their gear.
My Draenei is now killing quite solidly – even nasty rogues!
If you have a high tolerance for frustration, you can also simply play battlegrounds to earn honor and directly buy the honor set for item level 411. However, keep in mind that you might rather be a burden on your team if you are only wearing PvE gear.
If you choose the honor path, the experience at first is rather painful, as other players simply run over you. However, this changes drastically as soon as you have collected your honor gear. Then battles become significantly fairer and you can also confidently dive into other modes, such as the arena or the “Mixed Solo”.
More about World of Warcraft can be found here on MeinMMO:
I’ll say it frankly: I’m a loser in PvP. While I still put up a decent figure as a demon hunter, I mostly feel like I have a big target on my head with my shadow priest and get blown away within 5 seconds without being able to cast a single spell.
At least that was my shadow priest experience over the last 10 years. Thanks to the new talent system, which also allows multiple saveable configurations, I now have a pure PvP build, which is really fun.
Especially the “Mixed Solo”, a game mode that you can only sign up for alone and where you compete against each other in ever-changing groups, is a lot of fun. Each round usually lasts only a few seconds, as the match ends when a single player is defeated.
If even I was able to casually reach a rating of 1475 in one evening (which, with all due respect, isn’t high, but more than I expected), then you can too. Especially since that’s enough to get an item with an item level of 392 from the weekly chest.
If you’re a PvP grump – give it a try with Dragonflight. It’s really worth it and could lead you to discover a whole new way of playing in World of Warcraft.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Maximilian “Trymacs” Stemmler is one of the most successful streamers on German Twitch. In a stream, he talked about New Year’s resolutions – and developed a crazy strategy to actually follow through with them.
Nicolas Stemmler, the brother of Twitch streamer Trymacs, publishes videos on psychological topics under the name How To Be Human. In one video, he dedicated himself to good resolutions for the new year and gave tips on how to stay motivated (via YouTube).
Trymacs reacted to the video in the stream and was inspired for his own resolutions.
Start video
Sido leaks new song from Twitch streamer Tanzverbot – raps for the first time in a real language
With Pay2Win to the New Year’s Resolutions
What resolutions are we talking about? In the video from Trymacs’ brother, it is about motivating oneself with rewards to stick to the resolutions better. This has the streamer pondering: Trymacs reflects on how he could reward himself for regular jogging.
Trymacs is not too keen on the first suggestion from his community to reward himself by watching a series on Netflix. After all, one could just do that anyway, says the streamer. Then, a viewer has the bright idea:
How does Trymacs want to reward himself? From his chat, Trymacs receives the suggestion to reward himself with wall upgrades in the mobile game Clash of Clans. The streamer is immediately on board. For each round of jogging, he wants to upgrade a wall in the game with the in-game currency gems to the next level – that would cost €20 each time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8yBIocnQlg
Trymacs talks about New Year’s resolutions
How is the idea received? Trymacs’ community is rather divided on whether the streamer can really stick to jogging with this motivation. In the comments under a clip of the streams, opinions differ:
Some joke that Trymacs will surely go jogging 20 times a day now to be able to upgrade his walls and might soon even be fit for a marathon. Others have less confidence in the streamer: they believe the walls will never reach the highest level.
What do you think about the idea of rewarding oneself with gaming? Feel free to leave a comment with your resolutions for the new year.
That Trymacs actually has perseverance has already been demonstrated by the streamer. In October, he let his chat vote on whether he should stop streaming FIFA 23 and promptly uninstalled the game. In fact, it has not been seen in his streams since then.
Whether Trymacs will also stick to jogging remains to be seen.
Call of Duty has accompanied our author Maik Schneider for ages. Over the years, a little wishful thinking has developed. He has always wanted to see his favorite killstreak in action, and Modern Warfare 2 fulfills his wish.
Killstreaks are the cherries on top of the “Call of Duty” sundae. We’d rather not talk too much about the taste, slightly salty with a toxic note.
For good performance and kills in a row, the shooter gives me some nasty war toys in my inventory – helpful reconnaissance drones, juggernauts with radio reception, controllable mini-tanks with a thirst for blood.
For years, however, the deployable automatic turret has been my absolute favorite. For 7 kills without dying, I can place it somewhere on the map and take out careless opponents without lifting a finger.
For years, I can’t help but think about a small glitch – what if I could combine the turret with flying devices to turn the self-targeting turret into a flying death machine?
In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, this is finally possible.
CoD MW2: Glitch lets the turret fly
What kind of glitch is this? You can combine the field upgrade “recon drone” with the automatic turret. A few simple steps, and suddenly the otherwise ground-bound device is flying over the maps.
The following video shows how easy it is:
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It’s just a small detail and a bug in the game. But somehow, it makes me happy to see the flying turret. I can check that off my list.
How powerful is it? It’s just a gimmick and does not provide any real advantages. The VTOL jet comes with 8 kills in a row – it does basically the same, automatically targeting enemies and flying over the map.
You don’t even have to control the VTOL; I manually place the turret where I want it to be.
Moreover, the biggest advantage of the turret is lost. It gets destroyed when the reconnaissance drone runs out of fuel. However, the turret seems to stay in its place forever, as long as it is not specifically destroyed by enemies.
Start video
CoD MW2: 3 tips for quickly leveling up your weapons
It’s a glitch and somewhat silly, but I’m still celebrating the flying turret in CoD MW2.
Do you have a similar story to share or a specific gadget you’d love to see in Call of Duty? Has this glitch perhaps occurred before and I just missed it? Leave a comment on the topic.
Some NPCs exist in almost every MMORPG. Which ones would you be? Test it in our quiz!
What is this about? MMORPGs often give us the option to take on the role of a hero. Whether a chosen one or just a random adventurer, we are at the center of the story, experiencing adventures and saving the world at the end of the day.
The quiz originally appeared in May 2022 on MeinMMO.
But what if instead we were just regular NPCs? MMORPG worlds are inhabited by many different characters, each with their own tasks, no matter how small or insignificant they may be. Without them, something would just be missing in the games.
If you are neither the heroes nor the main villains, who would you be then? What typical role would you take on as an NPC in an MMORPG?
That’s exactly why we created a fun personality quiz. Answer the questions below to find out.
How does the quiz work? In this quiz, you need to answer 10 different questions that revolve around your personality as an NPC. You can vote for the answers that fit you best.
Each answer awards points for different end results. At the end, these points are totaled, and you receive your answer.
We all know the NPCs represented in this quiz. You meet them in almost every MMORPG, and some of them can hardly stand the players anymore. Nevertheless, they are still integral parts of the MMORPG worlds.
Note that you can’t take back your answers once they are submitted. If you want to make a different decision, you’ll have to restart the quiz from the beginning.
If you want to take the quiz multiple times, it’s best to refresh the page.
Post in the comments what results you got!
Have fun!
Dieses Quiz ist geschlossen.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Steam Deck has been freely available for some time now, and MeinMMO author Irina Moritz has looked into how her favorite MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV runs on it.
Since my school days, handhelds have always been a staple in my bag. I have liked these gaming devices for their mobility and compactness.
Some of my favorite games are only available for the Nintendo (3)DS and the PlayStation Portable, and it made me a bit sad that handhelds have been gradually pushed out of the gaming market by smartphones over time.
When the Nintendo Switch was announced, I got it without hesitation. However, I struggled for a long time with the decision about the Steam Deck. The main reason was that I had already been working from home before the pandemic, and the “portable” advantage of handhelds became irrelevant. I can just as well play Steam games on my PC.
How much I loved those stupid things.
AAA-MMORPG on a Handheld – A Strange Feeling
I have been following the development of handhelds for the past 20 years and still have some of them lying around in my drawer. One would think that I should not be surprised by the technological advancements and performance of the Steam Deck.
Nonetheless, it was a strange feeling to play such a large MMORPG like FFXIV on a handheld. Almost as if it shouldn’t be possible. Once I got somewhat used to the controls, there were no more problems. FFXIV runs smoothly and easily on the Steam Deck.
At startup, you are greeted by the usual login screen. No big surprises here. On the top left, the Steam Deck runs a system analysis.
The FPS fluctuate according to internal Steam Deck analysis between 60 and 30, dropping below 30 in areas like Limsa. The GPU utilization is about 50% – 70%. In dungeons and raids, there are no noticeable performance drops that would affect gameplay.
The battery situation looks a little gloomier. After long fiddling with the graphics settings, I managed to squeeze up to 4 hours of life out of the Steam Deck. It’s helpful to set the FPS cap to 30 and lower the effects, but whether it is worth it is something each person has to decide for themselves.
Through graphical settings like brightness and FPS, you can extend the battery life, although not by much.
Since I have only used the Steam Deck at home for shorter sessions, I didn’t really care about battery life. Using it on the go is quite difficult to impossible for FFXIV, since a stable internet connection is needed, and that isn’t quite possible in Germany in 2022 (unless you establish a hotspot through your smartphone or similar).
I see “on-the-go use” only possible during longer visits. For example, the next time I spend my vacation with family, I will definitely pack the Steam Deck. While I won’t be able to collect the weekly raid drops, doing dailies before sleeping and farming stones for the week will be no problem.
Start video
Final Fantasy: New trailer for update 6.2 shows the Animal Crossing island that so many have been waiting for
Controller players will feel at home, I have suffered
The first thing that awaits you when you want to play FFXIV on the Steam Deck are the settings. Even before logging in, you should upload your character setups to SE’s server so that you don’t spend more time setting up your user interface than necessary.
Settings like UI, macros, gear sets, etc., are saved locally on your PCs and consoles in FFXIV. However, there is an option to upload them to SE’s server. To save myself some extra work, I backed up the data and downloaded it on the Steam Deck.
You can easily upload your character settings by right-clicking in the character selection and then download and adjust them on another device.
However, that did not mean that I could start gaming right away. There were two reasons for that.
On the one hand, I had to adjust the resolution and position of the individual UI elements. The screen of the Steam Deck has an unusual resolution of 1280×800, making it much smaller than my 2560×1440 PC screen.
I had to resize and move various UI elements first before I could see anything properly. Those of you playing on 4K TVs or larger screens should particularly prepare for this.
On the other hand, I had to spend a lot of time adjusting the controller controls and setting up the famous cross command menu of FFXIV. Since I had only played the MMORPG with mouse and keyboard until now, the controller was basically uncharted territory for me.
The automatic button layout of the controller is totally bananas. Keyboard players can thus expect to spend a lot of time adjusting and distributing skills.
It also took a good while until I distributed the skills for all my combat jobs, crafters, and gatherers. Just to redistribute them again because I realized that my layout was absolutely terrible.
Actually, I was practically born with a controller in my hand. I got my first console when I was 6 years old and have since played almost exclusively on consoles. However, the controller controls of FFXIV are still a challenge for me, not because they are bad. On the contrary, among MMORPGs, they are considered one of the best. But because they are very unconventional and require a lot of muscle memory.
If you are PC players who have only played with mouse and keyboard until now, it’s best to pick a controller guide beforehand. There are many very useful key combinations and shortcuts not explained by the game. You can also search for layout suggestions for your job skills and adjust them as you wish. From experience, I can tell you that total finger salad results from the first attempt.
Chatting is by the way not exactly a 5-star experience on the Steam Deck’s onscreen keyboard.
Controller players should quickly feel comfortable with the Steam Deck controls. The only adjustment will be the controller type. The Steam Deck uses the Xbox layout, while many FFXIV controller players will probably be playing on Sony consoles and will have to get used to it a bit.
Perfect for Relaxing on the Couch
While I also play a lot of other games on the Steam Deck, flexibility was the main reason I wanted to play FFXIV on it. The advantage of handhelds is that you can take them virtually anywhere.
While this flexibility is limited for an always-online MMORPG, it still has its uses. If I want to just lounge in bed and do a few dailies, I can do that now. The Steam Deck is perfect for more relaxed FFXIV content like:
Leveling
Farming
Crafting
Treasure maps
Island paradise etc.
You can also easily run random content and the 24-player raids, provided you are accustomed to the controller controls. It took me a while and several rounds at the training dummy before I ventured into the content (and even afterwards, I still played total nonsense).
However, I will initially avoid the harder content like Ex-Trials or Savage. On the one hand, I don’t have the necessary muscle memory with the controller controls to deliver the same performance as on PC. On the other hand, the smaller screen of the Steam Deck can be quite a disadvantage in fights with many mechanics.
No matter how much I love my PC, when you work at the same spot every day in a home office where you also game in the evening, it eventually becomes too much. It is also not always possible to switch to the couch, since the TV and consoles have to be shared with a partner (or with children in families).
The Steam Deck is therefore a versatile alternative for me, offering FFXIV alongside other options. I wouldn’t buy the device just for the MMORPG, but it’s a significant advantage that I can play my main MMO on it.
Before some of you whip out your credit cards to order a Steam Deck and play FFXIV on it, you should urgently check your account first. The account system of the MMORPG can become a problem.
The thing is: FFXIV accounts are managed centrally through the Mogry Station. This ensures, among other things, that you can use one account for multiple platforms.
So you can link your Square Enix account with your PlayStation account. If you acquire FFXIV for PC and PS5, you can play on both devices with the same character since there is unrestricted crossplay in the MMORPG. In that case, no additional monthly fees need to be paid.
Controller players should have no issues with the controls.
The problem now is that this is not possible with Steam and PC, as strange as it may sound. The MMORPG has separate Steam and PC accounts that are not compatible with each other. Anyone who has FFXIV on Steam cannot link this account with the proprietary PC version of FFXIV.
In plain terms: If you don’t play FFXIV through Steam, you won’t be able to use the MMORPG on the Steam Deck with your existing account. At least not directly.
Even if you buy FFXIV on Steam, the Steam version cannot be linked to your account through the Mogry Station. You then have two options:
You create a new account that runs through Steam. Of course, that’s annoying because you lose all your progress and theoretically have to pay monthly again. I wouldn’t recommend that to anyone.
The second option involves roundabout methods. For example, there’s the solution of installing Windows on the Steam Deck and then installing the PC version of FFXIV. There are also more options, but they involve using third-party tools that are officially banned. The use is therefore at your own risk.
I can’t tell you the reason for this strict separation, but there is no user-friendly solution from Square Enix for it, which can be very frustrating for PC players.
So be careful if you’re looking forward to playing FFXIV on the Steam Deck. In my circle of acquaintances, there are various people who had to find a workaround because they have a PC account.
Have you tried FFXIV on the Steam Deck yourself? Let us know in the comments.
If you are interested in other MMORPGs on Valve’s handheld, you can check out our article:
2022 ended with some strong games, but 2023 is going to be really exciting, at least according to MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus. Because especially regarding his passion, survival games, the coming year brings a huge load of potential hits.
Whenever I look at the upcoming releases for 2023, I bite my lip impatiently. There are just a few titles that I urgently want to play. And it’s not because the past months have been bad in any way.
But the survival sector was somewhat neglected. V Rising came as a surprising summer hit on Steam, Dying Light 2 also entertained for a few hours. Otherwise, there isn’t really a noteworthy title in the genre to be found in 2022.
But 2023 is bringing a lot. Throughout the entire year, so many titles are coming that I want to check out that I don’t know how to fit them all in.
You can find the upcoming survival games of 2023 in detail in my list here. Here I’m just presenting 5 highlights that I’m really looking forward to. In the video, you can find the 5 game highlights of 2023 from the editorial team, including some from my list here:
Start video
The 5 Game Highlights 2023 that the MeinMMO editorial team is looking forward to
1. Return to Moria
Normally I don’t reveal the absolute highlight in my lists right away, but for my most anticipated survival game of 2023, I’ll make an exception.
A group of dwarves builds their base underground in the mountains of Middle-earth, forges masterful armor, and has to defend themselves against the dark dangers from below. I can hardly think of anything that would make the game better for me.
That I can also play in co-op and at least invite my colleague Maik Schneider to join … uh, play along, tops it all off. But I’d better let the images speak for the game; here’s the trailer:
Start video
Der Gameplay-Trailer zu Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria
2. Nightingale
Nightingale is almost on par with Return to Moria for me. It captured me, much like the Lord of the Rings game, from the first images. The indie game features a unique “Gaslight Fantasy” setting in Victorian style. I have a huge weakness for that.
The story is rather straightforward: the Earth is threatened to be destroyed by a cosmic storm or something like that, and with the help of portals and magic, we are to explore worlds to find a new home.
Along the way, we encounter all sorts of mystical creatures like fairies and fight for our survival. What makes Nightingale special for me, besides the setting, is that historical figures like the famous scientist Marie Curie are also supposed to play a role!
Nightingale completely forgoes PvP, so all worlds can be explored alone or with friends at one’s own pace – even largely peacefully, as mentioned in the interview.
Nightingale was supposed to start early access in 2022, but now it’s not coming until sometime in 2023. Visually, the game already looks impressive and somewhat resembles New World:
Start video
Nightingale shows new trailer with PvE gameplay, looks more and more like Valheim
3. Sons of the Forest
I’ve read and seen more about The Forest than I’ve actually played. The first part is known for its episodic, story-driven gameplay with different endings. However, after seeing all the endings in videos and reading the story on the wiki, multiple playthroughs didn’t seem that interesting to me anymore.
Nevertheless, The Forest is counted among the best survival games ever, also regarding ratings. With over 95% positive reviews on Steam and hundreds of thousands of players, it’s definitely a popular game.
And indeed, I find this grotesque scenario of an island full of mutants and cannibals, dangerous places, and secrets appealing. It has a post-apocalyptic vibe without the typically “dirty” raider flair that Fallout or S.T.A.L.K.E.R. bring.
Accordingly, I’m looking forward to seeing the story of The Forest continued in Sons of the Forest. Because apparently little Timmy has grown up and is returning to this mysterious island…
See new gameplay of Sons of the Forest, the sequel to the survival hit ‘The Forest’”
4. Among the Trolls
My personal list wouldn’t be complete without at least one strange indie game you probably haven’t heard of. Strictly speaking, Among the Trolls is no longer an indie game, because the publisher 505 Games (Death Stranding, Rocket League, Terraria) is now behind it, but the title originated as an independent project.
There isn’t much information about the game yet, except that it will combine survival features such as survival, crafting, and base building with RPG elements such as character stats. Magic also plays a role.
Nordic mythology has always held a special place for me and earns bonus points, plus Among the Trolls looks really stylish. It’s supposed to come out sometime in 2023:
Start video
Among the Trolls: Upcoming Survival Game on Steam Relies on Nordic Mythology – Shows Cinematic Graphics in the Trailer
5. Dune: Awakening
I would like to conclude the list with a potential blockbuster. Behind Dune: Awakening is the massive Dune franchise and the experienced studio Funcom, which has already had considerable success with Conan Exiles.
Dune: Awakening has everything a survival game needs: an open world to explore, harsh survival due to water scarcity in the world, a good combat system, and of course crafting. There’s also a good portion of story, featuring characters known from the Dune books and movies.
However, the survival game takes it a step further and introduces MMO(RPG) elements such as guilds, skills, and an economy system revolving around the famous spice. Colleague Maik Schneider sums it all up pretty well:
Personally, I’m a bigger fan of Conan the Barbarian or Riddick, but Dune delivers exactly the dirty dystopia that I’m a big fan of. For that reason, and because Maik will surely “persuade” me to check out Dune: Awakening, I’ll be looking at it.
In fact, it’s still not quite known when Dune: Awakening will be released. It is expected to come out sometime in 2023 for PC. And it already has a good chance of landing in my top list of the best post-apocalyptic games. The trailer already looks really good:
Start video
Dune: Awakening – First Gameplay Trailer for the new Survival MMO
What about the big releases?
Of course, I know that 2023 also has some AAA productions and major sequels lined up. However, in my list, I wanted to point out some of the highlights that are found a bit off the beaten path. Still, I’ll briefly mention the big productions that will surely keep me busy next year:
I just hope that I can fit all these games in somehow…
Because 2023 also brings another really big blockbuster: Diablo 4. Yes, I know, it’s not a survival game. Still, it will surely keep me occupied long enough that I won’t be able to extensively play all the new releases in the genre. Even if you probably won’t like what I have to say about the new action RPG:
Apex Legends professional gifted his Twitch viewers new gaming PCs for Christmas, donated thousands of dollars for a tournament, and even financed a dog’s surgery.
What is the action? The Apex Legends professional “HisWattson” made a very special Christmas gift to his community. He used his advertising revenue on Twitch, which totaled around 25,000 US dollars.
Initially, HisWattson didn’t want to run ads on his Twitch channel. But then he came up with the idea to use the money to bring joy to his community. With the money, he gifted some of his viewers new gaming PCs and donated the rest to charity.
Recently, a new legend was introduced in Apex Legends. You can check out what Catalyst is capable of in this trailer:
Start video
Apex Legends Character Trailer – Catalyst
Streamer gives out gifts for Christmas – Community celebrates him for it
How did he organize his big giveaway? HisWattson came up with the idea in October 2022 to run ads but save his advertising revenue to give back to his community. He wanted to support his viewers who couldn’t afford new gaming equipment.
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For the action, he partnered with hardware manufacturer MSI, who organized the logistical aspect. Just before Christmas, HisWattson updated on Twitter, announcing that he had already distributed gaming PCs worth 20,000 US dollars.
He also decided to raffle off a gaming PC on Twitter. The remaining money was donated to charity. He supported a tournament financially that is specifically held for members of the BIPoC community.
He bought smaller gifts that were distributed to children and even paid for the surgery of a sick dog.
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How does the community react? His viewers, as well as the larger gaming community, celebrate the action. Under HisWattson’s tweets, there are numerous positive comments praising him for his action. The well-known e-sports journalist Jake Lucky also picked up the story and shared it on his Twitter channel.
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Who is HisWattson? The Apex Legends professional is named Jacob McMillin and plays for the team FURIA esports. With his team, he ranked eleventh in the ALGS 2022 Split One Pro League – North America. Additionally, his team secured third place in the JBL Quantum Cup 2022 – North America.
Furthermore, he regularly streams gameplay of Apex Legends and Overwatch 2 on his Twitch channel.
HisWattson demonstrates with this action that Twitch streamers, who are often criticized for their selfishness and behavior, can also carry out good deeds.
What do you think of the action for Christmas? Do you think other streamers should take a leaf out of his book? Feel free to leave us a comment with your opinion!
The Twitch streamer QTCinderella (28) made a name for herself on Twitch in 2022 as a successful streamer. Her viewer numbers have increased by 70%, she has hosted successful events, and she is finally more than just “Ludwig’s girlfriend”, but she is not happy about it. On the contrary: she says she is worse off than ever before in a YouTube video. The reason for this are the constant cases of swatting that she has faced alongside Ludwig Ahgren.
How successful was QTCinderella on Twitch in 2022? Quite successful: All statistics of the streamer QTCinderella show a steep upward trend:
She has an average of almost 5,900 viewers when she is live. This is an increase of 72% compared to the previous year. Her total watch hours have also skyrocketed by 45%.
Especially the event “Streamer Awards” in March 2022 was a huge success for the 28-year-old. At its peak, she had 381,000 viewers and the awards were a major topic on Twitch.
Streamer says: She was often introduced as “Ludwig’s girlfriend”
This is what the streamer says: In a YouTube video with AnthonyPadilla, QTCinderella talks about “the darkest time in her life.” She explains how hard she had to work to make a name for herself: For a time, she was only known as “Ludwig’s girlfriend” and was introduced that way too.
She says: That is exactly why she never wanted to be with someone from the industry. But the guy was just too sweet.
Now it is like this: When both are streaming and Ludwig says in his stream that he is hungry, 500 people in her chat will tell her: “Make Ludwig a sandwich.”
The Twitch streamer Ludwig Ahgren had his big breakthrough on Twitch – with a “Subathon” from March 14 to April 13, 2021, breaking a significant record at the age of 27. Ludwig has now capitalized on his good name with a YouTube deal and is considered one of the innovative, smart minds in the streaming scene.
But the success that QTCinderella has now with her own events and streams does not make her happy:
I think it is only a matter of time before I quit because I’m losing my mind. My therapist says he has never seen an industry that causes as much trauma as this one.
Streamer says: She wakes up at night and shakes Ludwig because she thinks they are being swatted
How are her problems expressed? The streamer says she and Ludwig have been “swatted”. This involves people calling the police and saying that there is a dramatic situation, such as a hostage situation, and they want to trigger a police raid on a residence.
“We were swatted and I had some really traumatic things happen in my life […] Since then I get a sinking feeling in my stomach every time a car passes our house – or when a light comes on outside. As soon as I hear helicopters, I have that feeling. There have been times when I’ve woken up in the middle of the night and shaken Ludwig because I thought we were being swatted, but there was nothing.”
The streamer says she does not know when she will be able to sleep through the night again. She has more suicidal thoughts than ever in her life. Everything is very frightening.
Ludwig and QTCinderella were swatted 3 times during “Subathon” 2021
In one scene, she describes what it is like to be swatted:
It is Easter morning, half past five, it is day 27 [of Ludwig’s Subathon], I am exhausted. I think to myself: I can go to sleep. I wake up at 5 a.m. and the lights are so bright through my bathroom window that they illuminate the whole room. I am frozen in my bed and I only hear: “This is the LAPD, come out with your hands up.” And every time you go out there, you think: If anyone makes a move here, I’m dead. There are so many guns – Every single time. They never bring fewer guns. I am the only one awake and I have to wake everyone else up. I walk past a window and they are going crazy on the megaphone: “Come out! We are going to shoot, we are going to shoot!”, so I fall down and crawl […]
The segment in the video starts at around 20:43 minutes:
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In the Twitch stream, the swatting is not mentioned
This adds to the streamer’s burden: QTCinderella is particularly upset that they were swatted for the third time in the scene and that this was sometimes done by the same police officers and no one thinks to warn them in advance.
The problem is also that afterwards, in the stream, they have to pretend that everything is normal. Because talking about being swatted would give people satisfaction. Currently, there is no public discussion about swatting.
In the scene, QTCinderella had to explain why she interrupted Ludwig’s stream during the swatting and said: She tripped over a cable when she wanted to bring Ludwig an Easter gift.
Start video
Twitch: Who were actually the first successful streamers?
This is behind it: “Swatting” is apparently a much bigger problem than what is perceived in public because streamers cover it up to prevent copycats.
When Ludwig was swatted three times alone during his streaming marathon in March/April 2021, one can understand that it puts an extreme burden on streamers – especially since in big cities like Los Angeles, the situation seems to be much more drastic than in places where streamers live more secluded and have a more personal relationship with the local law enforcement.
For female streamers, life is already hard with the constant sexualization, which QTCinderella also talks about, but female streamers who are with one of the top streamers on the platform seem especially burdened by the swatting.
The streamer Adept also once shared how much she and the biggest Twitch streamer in the world suffered:
The much-maligned MMORPG New World seems to be getting back on its feet before 2023: The recent reviews on Steam are climbing to 81%, making it one of the best MMORPGs on the PC platform.
What milestone has New World just reached?
The recent reviews on Steam, meaning player ratings from the last 30 days, have increased to 81% positive.
The mark of “80%” is a magical threshold for MMORPGs. Only a few large MMORPGs receive the “Very Positive” rating.
This is particularly impressive for New World because many had written off the game after its rough release in 2021: At that time, many thought the MMORPG “needed another year” – apparently the developers made good use of that year.
Start video
5 Tips if you want to start with New World in 2023
“New World is already great and still has so much potential”
What do the testers say who have played it now? One player says after 250 hours (via steam) that he has been looking for an MMORPG for a long time that gives him the same thrill as back then with Everquest 2. But no MMORPG can bring back the feeling of early hours in Ultima Online, Everquest, or WoW.
New World does offer: a fun combat system, decent graphics, and a good job, crafting, and housing system:
Just try it and don’t care what people say. By playing them, you allow MMOs to get better, and this one deserves a chance because it’s already great and has a lot of potential.
Mefjus, Steam review
Another tester with nearly 760 hours says (via steam):
You can feel the improvements compared to the release; grinding doesn’t feel as exhausting anymore, and you don’t wait endlessly in front of instances for suitable people to run them, thanks to the finder tool. The return was worth it.
uhunisch, Steam review
Are there also negative reviews? Yes, of course. Overall, the MMORPG still stands at 69% Steam reviews.
Often, the currently negative reviews are about “side issues”: Someone was banned, someone thinks Amazon is bad, someone has technical problems, someone was flamed for speaking German.
The factual criticism of the game is something like: Quests and PvP were not so great, the running paths are boring, and there are still too many bugs.
On Steam, a new game with an ambitious genre mix has been released. Cygnus Enterprises is a single-player game and a top-down shooter that combines RPG elements and base building. MeinMMO briefly introduces you to the early access game.
The gaming platform Steam is a treasure trove for gamers. Every single day, new PC games are released, but today we won’t discuss the quality of some titles.
In such a jungle of offers, it can be difficult to discover the good niche games that unexpectedly cost you two weeks of free time.
The early access game Cygnus Enterprises could be such a game. In its current state, it offers little content. However, many commentators on Steam see a lot of potential in the game. For us, that’s a good enough reason to briefly introduce the single-player title.
What is the game about? You land on a distant planet and are tasked with bringing an old base up to standard. The environment features lush flora and fauna – one alien is more colorful than the other, green landscapes shape your surroundings.
To gather the necessary resources, you complete missions and collect loot from all corners of the thriving planet. Gradually, you bring the base back to life, hire and employ workers, and build new buildings to expand your capabilities.
The whole thing is supported by a main story that guides you through 17 handcrafted missions, where you learn more about the planet and its inhabitants.
You can watch a trailer here:
Start video
Steam: Cygnus Enterprises – Trailer
How does it work? You shoot your way through the world in top-down view and collect all kinds of resources to repair and expand your base. The base also includes defense structures in case creatures come too close to your base.
Variety in the shooter gameplay is provided by 6 different RPG classes with their own skill trees. The leveling system is very open, allowing you to mix abilities from different classes and create your own builds.
You earn resources and therefore progress through the main and side missions. The side missions are often popular to repeat so that you can continue playing even if the main story is already completed.
Expanding the base, facing special boss enemies, different biomes, character customization, and a crafting system are also core features.
Cygnus Enterprises is available for €24.99 in early access. The developers state that it currently takes about 12 hours to play the complete campaign.
What do players say about it? Currently, the game is still quite unknown, but it has already gathered some fans on Steam. Of the 63 user reviews, 74% are positive, which corresponds to the rating “Mostly Positive” (via steam.com / As of: 28.12.22).
Players particularly praise the refreshing gameplay because the crazy genre mix fits well. User “Be_The_Chosen_One” says:
The game is a mix of different genres. A new experience that feels fresh and interesting as there is always a new aspect of the game to discover. From building my base to leveling up my character to automating my setup so it can sustain itself.
It is also praised for its good graphics and the aliens that are said to be so cute that you can only deal with them with a guilty conscience.
However, performance with high graphics settings and currently a bit low content is often criticized. Some expected an open world from the trailer and were disappointed that the missions are rather linear.
In World of Warcraft the perfect week for powerful equipment has just begun. We will tell you how to get really strong loot.
Even though World of Warcraft Dragonflight has been released for a month now, many players are still hunting for the best equipment. Of course, the first season is still relatively fresh, and the particularly challenging ‘Mythic+’ dungeons present significant challenges. Every item with a high item level is worth its weight in gold, making your character much stronger.
But especially this ‘WoW week’, which started on 28.12.2022, offers really strong loot and it’s ‘almost’ for free.
How do you get the loot? You must have reached at least level 70 and have an acceptable basic gear. In Valdrakken (or the Adventure Guide), you can accept a quest that requires you to complete 4 dungeons on mythic difficulty. It does not matter whether you complete these dungeons from ‘normal Mythic’ (‘M0’) or at a higher Keystone level (‘M+’). Once you have completed 4 dungeons, you can turn in the quest in Valdrakken and receive your reward chest.
What loot can be found in it? The reward chest contains a loot piece from the Vault of the Incarnations on heroic difficulty. That means, in the ‘worst-case scenario’, you will receive an item with item level 402. However, it can also be significantly higher. In the best-case scenario, you may even get some of the ‘rare’ loot pieces, which can reach up to item level 418! This should be a significant upgrade for most characters.
Why are there different item levels? This is because the loot in the Vault of the Incarnations is “tiered”. The first bosses drop items with a slightly lower item level, while the later bosses hold better loot. This is meant to ensure that the later bosses feel more rewarding, as they are usually also somewhat more difficult to handle.
The quest exists due to the dungeon event this week. You have the chance to complete this quest until next Tuesday (03.01.2023). This is also advantageous for second characters, as some of the ‘M+’ dungeons – such as the Temple of the Jade Serpent – can be completed in a few minutes and even with poor equipment at a lower level.
Which item did you get in your reward chest? Were you able to upgrade your character?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The anti-cheat system of Call of Duty: Warzone 2 analyzes statistics and checks the hardware and software of its players. However, the report system contributes to the evaluation of who is supposed to be a cheater in CoD Warzone 2, which could become a problem for some really good players.
The story of Call of Duty: Warzone is also a story about cheaters. Especially in the first two years, the free battle royale suffered from a cheating plague that only began to diminish with the introduction of the specially developed anti-cheat system RICOCHET.
However, even a good anti-cheat system is not a perfect solution these days: cheat developers find new methods to bypass the technology, and anti-cheat solutions must evolve every single day to avoid losing control.
That’s why RICOCHET can be supported by you. Through the report system, you can report suspicious players. While the reported players are not permanently banned, they may receive a “shadow ban.” For really good players, this can sometimes be a problem.
Start video
3 mistakes in CoD Warzone 2 that you should definitely avoid
CoD Warzone 2: Reports can ruin gaming enjoyment
What is a shadow ban? Since permanent bans in Call of Duty are only lifted in major exceptional cases, suspicious accounts initially receive a shadow ban.
Imagine 2 football fields:
On one field, all normal players are playing, passing the balls to each other, having a great day.
On the second field, players with a shadow ban are playing. Here, half of the players are using cheats, while others are using forbidden studded shoes or are firing super shots on goal like in Captain Tsubasa.
Players with a shadow ban enter their own matchmaking and play only with and against each other. This is how Activision Blizzard wants to separate the suspicious players from the non-suspicious ones.
You can even check at any time if you have received a shadow ban. Typical signs are:
Good players say: Losers report them as cheaters, ruining their CoD Warzone
What is the problem here? There are constantly reports of false bans in CoD Warzone. After the release of Warzone 2, there was even a small “unbanning wave” because false accounts were affected by a perma-ban.
Reports of false bans in Call of Duty are always a double-edged sword. If cheaters hide their cheats or only use weak aids, it is rarely possible to say for certain if cheating is taking place.
Permanently banned accounts are only manually handled by the security team at Call of Duty. While errors can occur here as well, this aims to reduce the risk of permanently banning the wrong accounts.
Shadow bans work differently. Theoretically, any one of us can trigger such a ban and this is exactly where the problem lies.
If a player is reported too often via the report function in the game, it can lead to an automated shadow ban. For really good players, this can cost them their entire gaming enjoyment. Because good gameplay is sometimes hard to distinguish from cheating.
There are also two additional disturbing factors:
Rage
Killcam
Sometimes players are reported because one is upset about their own performance in that moment. The report button gets pressed quickly when something seems off in the killcam.
The killcam itself also leads to problems, as it is inaccurate. What may look like cheating in the brief replay can arise from small inaccuracies in the creation of the killcams. In reality, it is clean gameplay.
Currently, the shadow ban issue is heating up again. A Warzone streamer has been stuck in a shadow ban since Christmas, was unbanned, and immediately received another shadow ban.
His tweet on the subject went through the roof and was seen and commented on by significantly more users than his usual tweets:
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The streamer writes: “Letting the public decide who a cheater is through a simple reporting system, after they have taken hits [in the game], is the dumbest thing I have ever experienced.”
Some users ask if he has any evidence of his innocence? Others support the streamer and also find the reporting system problematic. Some even say the shadow ban system is currently broken and not functioning correctly.
What do you think about this topic? Which anti-cheat measures do you consider sensible, which perhaps over the top? Leave a comment on the topic.
In a livestream, the YouTuber Josh Strife Hayes discussed the topic of monetization in MMORPGs. Pay2Win in real money shops is always a recurring theme. However, Hayes quickly points out to his viewers why level boosts or resets with new expansions can even be important for the games.
Note: The article was originally published in April 2022, but because it is timeless and encourages discussion, we have brought it back up.
What does Hayes say about monetization? At the beginning, the YouTuber first outlined the development of monetization. Initially, there was just the purchase of the games, then came subscriptions, and now real money shops are hardly thinkable without in the genre.
Then he asks his viewers if they find it acceptable for items that make players stronger to be sold directly for real money. As expected, most answered “No”.
However, he continues his thought experiment:
If all your friends have already been playing an MMORPG for hundreds of hours and you want to join in, then you would have to invest hundreds of hours to catch up to them – but you don’t even know if you will actually like the game in the endgame.
That’s why, from Hayes’ perspective, there are three ways to tackle the power creep problem:
One ensures regular resets, for instance through a new expansion that devalues the gear and possibly even the level that has been farmed – as is the case in WoW.
One relies on horizontal progression, where one simply doesn’t become stronger – as is the case in Guild Wars 2.
You can listen to the corresponding section here on YouTube:
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Who is Josh Strife Hayes? The YouTuber started making guide videos for Neverwinter Online in 2017, his favorite MMORPG for many years, which he later criticized on YouTube. He has been playing MMORPGs for years, particularly enjoying RuneScape and Final Fantasy XIV. He became known for his series “Worst MMOs”, in which he searches for the worst MMOs ever.
“If I took many hours to get the best equipment, I expect everyone to go through the same process”
How is Hayes’ statement received? Very mixed. Some say that boosts aren’t a problem at all. They understand why these “catch-up mechanics” would be implemented, says the user Nitebones. He likes the WoW boosters that elevate you to the level of the current expansion.
Andreas Björkman is also fine with boosters, as long as they do not directly affect the maximum power level or in-game currency. These would have a certain prestige value, which could be nullified.
However, there are also many users who view Hayes’ statement critically. Tiago writes:
Maybe it’s a bit selfish, but if I have worked for hours to reach the max level in a game and get the best equipment, I expect everyone else to go through the same process as I did. It feels much more rewarding to work for it than just to pay for it.
However, there is one thing all users agree on: No item that makes you stronger than something that can be earned should be sold for real money. It must always be possible to earn strength as well.
Much praise for ESO and GW2: Additionally, there is a lot of praise in the comments for the two MMORPGs Guild Wars 2 and The Elder Scrolls Online. Both have had the same maximum level and gear tier for years. These are also not devalued by new addons.
Instead, they rely on horizontal progression. In ESO, there are regularly sets with new effects, and Guild Wars 2 allows players to unlock and level new abilities like gliding, mounts, or the Jade Bots. There are also occasionally new stat combos.
What do you think about the topic of boosters and catch-up in MMORPGs? Is it acceptable to sell such things in the shop? And where are your limits? Or should everyone orient themselves to the subscription and addon model of WoW?
Those hoping for new MMORPGs in 2023 can find all games that have officially announced their release for this year here:
On Twitter, the list of the 10 most viewed Twitch streamers in 2022 who stream from the USA was published. Our author Schuhmann says: The list shows that gaming was not in a good place in 2022.
What kind of list is this? The list from Streamcharts shows the “most viewed Twitch channels” from the USA with their viewing hours and also shows how long each streamer was actually on air.
The 3 winners on the list are:
HasanAbi: He was on air for 2,447 hours and had 80.05 million viewed hours
Asmongold was only on air for 1,146 hours and had 79.28 million viewed hours
Trainwreckstv was on air for 2,504 hours and had 74.83 million hours.
Start video
Career and life of Asmongold in 3 minutes – What makes him special?
Political streams, gambling, and Johnny Depp dominate Twitch 2022
Although 31-year-old Hasan Piker also played a bit of Valorant, CoD, and Elden Ring, most of his time on the channel was spent in “Just Chatting”: He is a political streamer, a kind of CNN for the “Twitch” generation – moreover, he covers every Twitch drama he can find.
Trainwreck actually comes from gaming and is a gaming streamer, but in 2022 he showed few typical games.
There is currently a lot of discussion about the list.
Asmongold shows only a few MMORPGs, a lot of Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard
What’s up with Asmongold, isn’t he a WoW nerd? The statistics for Asmongold are misleading.
Despite having an enormously high number of viewed hours, considering that he streams the other half as often as the others, he only showed relatively few games on his channel in 2022: he played significantly more than the other two top streamers, especially the MMORPGs Lost Ark and WoW, but the majority of his views also comes from “Just Chatting.”
Asmongold has taken advantage of the trial of Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard for his success like no other this year. Most of the WoW streams he did were on his secondary channel, which does not factor into the statistics.
Adin Ross is a controversial streamer, kind of in the direction of “Logan Paul”, spent a lot of time in Just Chatting and gambling in 2022
Are there even any gaming streamers on the list? Yes, of course. Outside of the top 3, it looks better. There are the typical “One Game Only” and “Whatever is trending” streamers:
Tarik at 4 primarily shows only Valorant, he is the big climber in 2022.
NickMercs is a shooter streamer through and through.
ImperialHal keeps the flag of Apex Legends high.
Where are xQc and shroud? They stream from Canada and have their own list: xQc has almost 3 times as many viewer hours as HasanAbi, he would therefore dominate the US list.
xQc would also break the US list, but streams from Canada.
Also, the extremely strong Spanish-speaking streamers are missing from the list.
What do the streamers say about the list? HasanAbi seems to be proud of first place. YouTuber Ludwig points out that Asmongold would sweep him away if you added the numbers from his secondary channel to his main channel, to which the hot-blooded commentator replies: “How about you just get lost?”
Trainwreck congratulates everyone else but, as is his style, points out again how great it is that he comes in third place, even though he hasn’t streamed for 3 months. He also thanks his fans for their support despite “all the bullshit”: By “bullshit,” he apparently means criticism of him for enticing young people to gamble and getting paid princely sums for it. Even Twitch has now banned Stake.
Asmongold acts as if he doesn’t belong on the list at all. Says he doesn’t even know how he ends up on the list. That would be like making Elon Musk the “Streamer of the Year” just because people published Bitcoin scams on him. Asmongold apparently forgot that he mercilessly milked the “Johnny Depp” trial and achieved record values on Twitch here.
The permanently banned DrDisrespect from Twitch makes another appearance from exile and comments: “Sweet numbers” – implying that if he were still on Twitch, he would of course dominate everyone.
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Was 2022 such a bad year for gaming?? If you follow Twitch, yes. The only two new games in the list of the top 15 games were Lost Ark (rank 13) and Elden Ring (rank 15), which was only relevant for a short time.
Otherwise, old games (Valorant, Apex Legends, Fortnite) and really old games (LoL, GTA 5, CS:GO, Minecraft, DOTA 2) dominate the list of top games over the year.
In 2022, very few new big games came out – games like Battlefield 2042 disappointed, New World was not the anticipated hit, and many others were postponed to 2023.
There wasn’t a single game that sparked a real hype. Therefore, many viewers and top streamers are apparently turning to other topics.
Maybe in 2023, there will be more strong games on Twitch:
Escape from Tarkov has released its new patch 0.13 on the servers. Included is the map “Streets of Tarkov,” which has been in development for more than 2.5 years. Additionally, there is a Wipe tag – the progress of all players will be reset. Why today is the perfect day for the hardcore shooter and an excerpt from the patch notes can be found on MeinMMO.
The developers confirm: The patch 0.13 is now online (via twitter.com)
The nasty PvEvP shooter Escape from Tarkov is a small phenomenon. The shooter is extremely difficult, runs only through its own launcher, and regularly resets the progress of all players. Nevertheless, Tarkov is very successful and has occasionally created small hype in recent years.
It has even defined the sub-genre of extraction shooters and significantly influenced much larger shooters – Call of Duty released its DMZ mode, and Battlefield also attempted “Hazard Zone.”
Hard-hitting realism, deep gameplay mechanics, and a constantly high heart rate – this is how Escape from Tarkov convinces its players. With patch 0.13, a new era for the shooter begins, as the next wipe is coming, and a long-awaited map is finally entering the game – “Streets of Tarkov.”
MeinMMO shows you what happens during a wipe and excerpts from the patch notes. You can watch the trailer for the patch and the new map here:
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Escape from Tarkov – Trailer for Patch 0.13
Escape from Tarkov: Patch 0.13 brings a wipe and Streets of Tarkov
What happens during a wipe? Escape from Tarkov regularly deletes the game progress for all players. Everyone must restart, repeat the reputation missions from the traders, collect equipment, and hoard keys. This is part of Tarkov, and it is well received.
You start only with the basic inventory, which is determined by the purchased game version.
Why is this the perfect time for Tarkov? All players are more or less at the same level, gradually working on their missions and spreading across the different maps.
The top players will spend the next few days getting their equipment back into shape and grinding the named map “Streets of Tarkov.”
If you are a newcomer or returning to Tarkov, you can enter the game on the map customs area without immediately getting headshot by the toughest characters in the game.
What do the patch notes show? The highlight of the update is the new map “Streets of Tarkov” – players have been waiting for the new region for over 2.5 years. Here you fight your way through the streets of the city, with many enterable buildings, dangerous NPCs, and an unprecedented degree of detail richness.
For more info about the map, check out the trailer above. In the future, the map is to be further expanded.
However, 0.13 has even more to offer and brings a long list of patch notes. A few highlights we list here:
Expanded mechanics for repairing and improving equipment
New skills for light armor and heavy armor
New charisma skill that saves you money
New attachments and weapons added
Rule set for own PvE game (only AI) has been expanded
Extraction shooters shift the focus from pure kill-hunting to more equipment-based missions. Encounters with other players are more of a coincidence, and due to the large maps with their many details, no fight is like the other – a special dynamic emerges.
In FIFA 23, the prices for strong cards are currently lower than ever. This means you can get a lot for your coins right now. We show you 5 particularly strong options that don’t cost too many coins here.
In Ultimate Team, new, extremely strong special cards are released weekly. The problem is: the best cards cost absurdly many coins and are hardly affordable. However, there are significantly cheaper and still exciting cards with excellent stats.
And that’s exactly what we want to show you here. You will see 5 candidates that currently (as of December 24, 2022) cost less than 50,000 coins, are strong in gameplay, and therefore offer good value for money.
We did not search for specific positions or leagues, but primarily focused on stats and costs.
Soufiane Boufal (88) – Path to Glory
Price: approximately 27,000 coins
What makes Soufiane Boufal special: With Boufal, you get an incredibly cheap striker, who is most likely affordable due to his nationality and league. But don’t be fooled by the price, because Boufal has the stats of a top striker in FIFA 23.
His greatest strengths include the 5 stars for weak foot, combined with very good shooting stats, making him a threat to any goalkeeper. Additionally, he is very fast, has 4-star skill moves, and phenomenal dribbling stats.
Only his physique is somewhat weak, so it’s better to dribble past opposing defenders.
Edin Dzeko (88) – Rulebreakers
Price: approximately 28,000 coins
What makes Edin Dzeko special: The Rulebreakers card of Dzeko was significantly more expensive not too long ago than it is now. And for good reason, as the card offers top stats and is simply damn good.
Combined with a Hunter chemistry card, Dzeko is not only incredibly fast, but he also has ridiculously strong shooting stats that are almost exclusively in the high 90s range. Additionally, he is completely two-footed, making him a real goal machine.
Ivan Perisic (87) – Team of the Tournament
Price: approximately 35,000 coins
What makes Ivan Perisic special: The TOTT card of Ivan Perišic is a versatile card that can help you in offensive midfield as well as on the wings. The card has strong stats all around and is not really bad anywhere.
If you then apply an Engine chemistry style, Perisic becomes really fast, his passing stats rise into the 90 range, and his dribbling is further improved. Thus, you have a winger who should provide a good number of assists and has no trouble scoring himself, thanks to his strong shooting stats and the 5 stars for weak foot.
What makes Zambo Anguissa special: A somewhat lesser-known name in world football might be Zambo Anguissa, but the professional from Cameroon already has an extremely strong card in FIFA 23 that should provide absolute defensive security in the CDM position.
He is probably so cheap because his nationality, league, and club are a bit harder to link. However, if you already have a few “Serie A” players in your club, then Zambo Anguissa is the perfect choice for defensive midfield.
Thomas Lemar (86) – Road to the Knockouts
Price: approximately 45,000 coins
What makes Lemar special: Lemar is a classic central midfielder that you should rather use offensively, as his defensive stats are not quite as developed. However, as a ball distributor in midfield who can also join the attack when needed, he makes an outstanding figure.
Because especially his speed, passing and dribbling stats make him a real weapon in midfield. Moreover, the high/high work rates are perfect, so Lemar really is everywhere on the field.
If you want free content and are coincidentally a Prime customer at Amazon, you can get the current Prime Gaming Pack:
A month has passed since the release of WoW: Dragonflight. But how is WoW doing, actually?
World of Warcraft is one of the oldest MMORPGs on the market and has experienced many highs and lows. Especially in recent years, players have had rather disappointing memories. With “Battle for Azeroth”, the community largely agreed that it went downhill. Shadowlands exacerbated the problems.
In November, Dragonflight was released, marking the ninth expansion of World of Warcraft. Signs point to a new beginning. But how is WoW doing a month after the release of the expansion? Is the content already exhausted? What does the future hold? We at MeinMMO are taking a close look at this.
This is how World of Warcraft Dragonflight is doing after a month
Exactly a month has passed since the release of WoW: Dragonflight. Although the launch night was a bit bumpy and problems made playing difficult in the first hours, frustration quickly turned into:
Dragonflight has convinced.
Initial skepticism regarding dragon riding decreased with each hour of gameplay. Once players got used to the “new flying”, they didn’t want to switch back.
The game world also impressed. While there are “only” 4 new areas, they are significantly larger and more extensive than in previous expansions. Especially the multitude of quests was sometimes overwhelming, prompting Blizzard to dramatically increase the maximum quest log so that heroes had enough space for all tasks – and even that was sometimes not enough.
There has even been some rather unusual praise. Many players celebrate that they no longer have to “log in” to WoW – there are simply no obligations. Instead, everything is optional and everyone can pursue exactly the goals that are important to them. Whether it’s “grinding reputation with Furorion”, extensive fishing adventures with spontaneous windfall or participating in the big hunt – there are many small events, the usual world quests, and at the same time many hidden contents, like Otto the otter.
However, the “standard” content is solid again. The 8 new dungeons are interesting and feature exciting new mechanics. The first raid with the final boss Raszageth has also turned out really cool and has kept even the professional guilds on mythical difficulty busy for a long time. Up until December 23rd, the raid bosses held up against the pros from Echo, Team Liquid, Method, and others.
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WoW shows new cinematic: This is how the battle against Raszageth ends
The Problems of World of Warcraft
Even though quite rosy times have begun in World of Warcraft, not everything is perfect. There are still a number of annoying bugs and errors that affect developers and players. At the same time, the fact that WoW is currently doing “a lot differently” is also a burden for some veterans. Some of the biggest “problems” are:
Aimlessness of players: Not everyone can cope well with the fact that World of Warcraft currently offers few “strict goals”. Those who rely on a clear guide or just a well-defined “to-do” list might feel a bit lost on the Dragon Isles. Because in WoW, a lot is currently possible, but none of it is really mandatory.
Dragon riding requires getting used to: For almost 15 years, WoW veterans have become accustomed to “classic” flying. Therefore, not everyone copes well with dragon flying, which requires a lot more action. Simply “autorun and afk” doesn’t work with dragon flying. Those who are not open to new things here and do not give the system at least a fair chance may feel overwhelmed.
Bugs and server problems: Even after weeks, there are still some disturbing issues. Thus, from time to time, the auction houses, the servers for trade orders, or the group search for PvE and PvP are affected by issues. Also, “fast flying” into walls or trees can cause a disconnect.
Lost trust: Last but not least, many do not fully trust the developers yet. There is great concern that WoW will revert to the “old pattern” again in the next patch. It will take time until trust is once again established in the community.
The Future of WoW Dragonflight – This is how it continues in 2023
Dragonflight has launched with a pretty solid abundance of content and a large game world – but WoW expansions almost always do that. What will be important is how the ninth addon plans to deliver more content. Blizzard has also promised drastic improvements there and has already brought the first patch (10.0.5) to the PTR almost immediately after the launch of the expansion.
This patch is quite small but brings a number of interesting features:
The Forbidden Island will be a “new” area – it is the starting island of the Dracthyr, to which players will now return.
Orcs and humans will get their traditional armor, allowing these quests to finally be continued.
The trading post is a new, permanent system through which players can unlock numerous cosmetic rewards. Some refer to this as a “battle pass” – but that is just a very superficial view. The feature is completely free and rewards active players.
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But that is just the beginning. Throughout 2023, Dragonflight aims to release a total of 6 patches. Two of those will be the usual “big chunks” that will bring new zones, new raids, and a new season. The other patches are smaller, bringing new story content and improvements. In doing so, the developers want to leave plenty of room for feedback and be able to respond to the community’s wishes and needs quite spontaneously.
All information about the aggressive release plan for new WoW content in 2023 can be found in our large roadmap for WoW in 2023.
How the fate of the aspects continues, we will surely find out in 2023.
Conclusion: WoW is stronger than it has been in a long time
Summarizing all these points, WoW: Dragonflight stands quite solid a month after its release. Although there haven’t been any official player counts for years, if you look at the official forums, the subreddit, or simply the chat channels in the game, the mood is more positive than it has been in years.
Dragonflight had a good start and the potential to herald a real turning point for World of Warcraft. If the developers utilize the strong start of Dragonflight and release upcoming content with a similar philosophy – and at a faster pace – then 2023 could be the best year for World of Warcraft since Legion.
Exciting times for all WoW fans – and even abstinent veterans might want to take another look at their old favorite game. It may have changed for the better.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
