League of Legends has numerous champions with unique abilities. However, not all are really popular. A cute little kitty, for instance, does not sit well with G2 jungler “Jankos”.
Who is speaking? Marcin “Jankos” Jankowski is a long-time LoL pro who plays as a jungler for the team G2 Esports.
The LEC Summer Season is currently underway. In a post-match interview with Jankos, the jungler also discussed some tweets from the community.
One of these tweets stated: “Removing Yuumi would improve the state of the game in every patch.” And Jankos said: “I totally agree.”
Cute cat becomes unpopular: “Flawed design”
What kind of champ is this? The support champion Yuumi came into the game in 2019 and has a special feature: She can attach to other heroes, heal them, and even become invulnerable herself. The other champ then takes over the movement for the cat, who can rely on her abilities.
This has already led to curious situations over the years. A streamer even controlled Yuumi with his feet to play two champs simultaneously.
What does Jankos think? Marcin Jankowski is clearly not a fan of the support cat. For him, LoL would be better off without Yuumi: “I believe the champ’s design is flawed. It’s super unfun to play against,” he finds.
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With the right partners, he finds her far too strong: “Either she is useless because her team is useless. Or she is massively OP, hugely OP, because she can’t be killed. She just moves as a little parasite on the back of another champion.”
This protection and feeding seems to clearly rub the pro the wrong way: “Many champs synergize so well with her that she simply can’t die. Perma-heal, so much damage, CC – how do you play against that? I think this champ is flawed in design and should be removed or banned.”
In conclusion, he adds: “At least from pro games. If people want to play her in solo queue because they like her, cool. I don’t care. But I think in pro play it’s just disgusting.”
Is he alone in this? No, numerous players are not necessarily enthusiastic about Yuumi – and have not been for a long time. Already in 2020, one of the best LoL players, “Perkz”, demanded that Yuumi must disappear. He said back then: “I would really wish that Riot admits they messed up and simply removes the champ from the game.”
He referred to her as “unskilled and anti-fun” back then – precisely because Yuumi can simply jump invulnerable from hero to hero.
Also, in the LoL subreddit, there is again a discussion about Yuumi following the Jankos interview (via reddit). There, Yuumi is referred to as an “easy” champ, for whom you don’t have to do much – and that is not well received. Furthermore, playing against or with Yuumi is neither fun.
Some players there may not directly wish for her removal, but at least an adjustment of the cat. What do you think about this topic? Do you like Yuumi, or is the champ nothing for you? Let us know in the comments!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Lord of the Rings Online was released in 2007. Now the developers talked about the future and promise improvements in some areas.
What kind of game is this? The Lord of the Rings Online takes place in the world of Middle-earth and is one of the best-rated MMORPGs on Steam 2022.
For its 15th anniversary, the game took a remarkable turn by offering numerous content all at once for Free2Play players. This also led to a jump in player numbers.
What’s next? On this topic, Executive Producer Rob “Severlin” Ciccollini spoke in a Q&A about the future of “Lord of the Rings Online”.
In a video lasting about an hour, “Severlin” answered various questions from the community. The discussion mainly focused on the big planned autumn update, in which the game is expected to receive some additional content.
Improved graphics, more endgame – What HdRO plans
HdRO on the graphics: In terms of visuals, the game aims to improve, but there are difficulties. “We are currently looking into something that will refresh our graphics code and some artwork,” explains Severlin.
“Our goal is to tackle and update some outdated art so that it becomes one of the best.” However, one should not expect results too quickly: “I can tell you that it is incredibly slow to arrange a large project like this, and I apologize for that,” Severlin said. Legal and organizational issues would slow down the process.
There is also ongoing work on character creation, specifically on human races: “We are working on a large number of customization options for characters,” said Severlin. Part of the art update will also concern avatars, “making them look better without changing them too much,” said the producer. They should look “very good,” but not completely different. However, everything is still a work in progress, just like improvements to the user interface.
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What about the endgame? Here Severlin was a bit more specific. The Executive Producer admits that there has been too little to do for endgame players lately. But that is set to change: “We are in a transition phase because we have hired many new people who are now stepping up and whom we are training, which is very exciting. The result is that we are in a different situation than with a small core group like we had in the past,” Severlin explains.
This now enables us to deliver more for the endgame: “In the next updates, we will try to get a handle on that. We like to have mid-game content, but we can’t have so much that your main character feels like there is nothing to do. So we definitely need content for the endgame.”
The update in autumn is expected to be roughly the size of the “War of the Three Peaks” expansion. Plans include a new 6-player dungeon, a new skirmish, and the so-called “Delving System”. The latter involves the ability to adjust difficulties and obtain better rewards for missions.
Additionally, a new leveling experience for levels 1 to 30 is planned, along with server improvements. However, more information is expected soon: A major announcement about The Lord of the Rings Online is planned for the end of August, with DevCom on August 22.
Destiny has a huge collection of weapon and armor exotics that Guardians can collect throughout their careers. Some of them worked perfectly at launch, while others had to be adjusted repeatedly. So far, Bungie has managed to tame every exotic except for oneand we’re not talking about the “Queen of Bugs” Telesto.
Which exotic is it? It is the solar fusion rifle from Destiny 1 named “Infinity”. This weapon from the Rasputin factory caused horror and terror in the first year of the loot shooter, although not many Guardians had access to this weapon. At that time, year 1 exotic weapons were bound to quests that could only be obtained randomly by completing loot runs.
An unassuming fusion rifle
Only eager loot run hunters got to enjoy this fusion rifle and its untamed destructive fury. Therefore, hardly anyone remembers this exceptional talent.
An untamable exceptional talent of an exotic weapon
Why was the exotic so powerful? Those who know fusion rifles know that they must first charge up to fire rounds. Depending on the weapon, this can take longer or shorter. However, this was not the case with Infinity. Once charged, this fusion rifle fired the entire magazine without delay.
Even in the case of missed shots due to the heavy recoil, Guardians had nothing to worry about, as they were refunded in 90% of the cases. And as if that wasn’t enough, Guardians also had a total of 8 shots available in the magazine with this fusion rifle.
If this doesn’t sound wild enough for you, we dug up a clip from 2014 for this case:
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In PvE as well as in PvP, no one stood a chance against this weapon until Bungie intervened and tried to tame the beast.
Bungie had to pull the plug once and for all: In the first year of Destiny 1, Bungie understood how powerful the weapon was and tried to rein it in. Adjustments, such as reducing the magazine size and changing certain perks, aimed to address the issue, but it was not enough.
In Destiny 2, Infinity made its way back. However, in a less brutal form, of course. There it is known as “Merciless”. The fully automatic firing mode was removed, but a rapidly increasing rate of fire was added, with non-lethal shots. Missed shots are also not refunded this time.
Interestingly, Merciless was also able to dominate Calus, the raid boss of the Leviathan for a while. But Bungie quickly put a stop to the fusion rifle, and it was easier than with Infinity in Destiny 1.
But enough of the nostalgic storytelling. Were you around at that time? And if so, did you cause terror in Destiny 1 with it? Feel free to let us know in the comments how you felt about this weapon or whether this fusion rifle should stay where it is.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
At the end of August, the final of the GO Fest 2022 will take place in Pokémon GO. We summarize all information about the global event.
When will the GO Fest final 2022 take place? The closing event for the Pokémon GO Fest 2022 will run on Saturday, August 27. After three local GO Fests in Berlin, Seattle, and Sapporo, this will again be a global variant for all players worldwide.
Do I need a ticket? The event will bring content that will only be unlocked for ticket holders.
If you have already participated in the global GO Fest in June 2022 with a ticket, you do not need an additional ticket. You will receive the closing ticket at no extra cost.
Alternatively, there is a separate ticket for the closing event. It will cost $10.99 (approximately 10 – 11 Euros) and will be available at a later time.
Do I need a ticket for all bonuses? There has been no detailed announcement of the bonuses that will be available during the closing event. However, it is conceivable that some bonuses will also be obtainable without a ticket – at least that was the case in past GO Fests.
What does the closing event of GO Fest 2022 bring?
This content is already known: After the first appearance of the first Ultra Beast at GO Fest 2022, various monsters appeared at the local GO Fests over the past weeks.
So far, all these monsters have been event-exclusive. However, they will return for the global GO Fest and all 4 will be catchable.
The Pokémon Presents stream showcased the 4 beasts.
In addition, it is expected that the Zenith form of Shaymin will play a role. Although it has not been specifically announced yet, it was shown in the Pokémon Presents stream in connection with the GO Fest.
This Shaymin form has also only been catchable at the local GO Fests up to now. The regular Shaymin version, however, was already catchable at the global GO Fest.
It is certain that there will be a special research for the closing event that all players with a ticket can complete. It is likely that Zenith Shaymin will be included.
Return of the Professor? In terms of story, we will probably experience the return of Professor Willow – or at least find out what exactly happened to him. The conclusion of the story surrounding the Ultra Research Team member “Rin” and Willow has been announced for the event.
Are there additional bonuses? These are all the known contents so far, but it is to be assumed that further details and bonuses for the event will be published ahead of the GO Fest closing event.
As soon as more information is available, we will keep you updated at this point!
In 2021, a bizarre legal dispute arose in the state of California. A company sued Call of Duty, claiming to have discovered copyright infringements in the story campaign of “Infinite Warfare”. The lawsuit was so far-fetched that the responsible lawyer had to compensate Activision – for not having played enough CoD.
Infinite Warfare was the Call of Duty from 2016 and took place quite far into the future. The story features outrageous scenes in space and plays with the fear of getting lost in the vastness of space.
Perhaps this was not the most original idea even at the time of its release in 2016. However, a company from the USA took it a step further. Brooks Entertainment sued Activision-Blizzard, the corporation behind Call of Duty, for damages: They claimed ideas were stolen.
This was the accusation: The suing company and their lawyer claimed that the main character of Infinite Warfare, Sean Brooks, is based on the CEO of Brooks Entertainment: Shon Brooks.
Furthermore, they claimed that ideas from two mobile games of the company were used in Infinite Warfare. According to Brooks Entertainment, they own the rights to the financial mobile games “Save One Bank” and “Stock Picker”.
The lawsuit described several situations under which they intended to assert copyright infringements.
The plaintiffs described a scripted combat scene taking place in a “High Fashion Couture” shopping mall, where they allegedly saw the CEO “Shon Brooks” in the role of the CoD character “Sean Brooks”. There were several such comparisons.
This is how the case turned out: The lawsuit was dismissed by the court. Moreover, the lawyer of Brooks Entertainment was instructed to compensate Activision-Blizzard for the unnecessary effort.
In the USA, there is the option for a defendant to file a motion for the sanctioning of the plaintiff if the lawsuit is unnecessary and based on random or false evidence (via Kotaku.com).
If this motion is approved, the subject of the proceedings cannot be brought to court again, and compensation for expenses is also possible.
Why does the lawyer have to pay? The accusation was too far from the truth, and it could have been easily verified whether copyright infringements occurred.
The court stated that the plaintiff’s lawyer should have played Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare more before filing the unfounded lawsuit. Only the first 1.5 hours needed to be completed for verification.
Thus, Sean Brooks is not actually the main character of the game, but Commander Nick Reyes. Furthermore, the character Sean Brooks was not involved in the combat scene in the shopping mall, as claimed in the lawsuit.
Additionally, Infinite Warfare was referred to by the plaintiffs as a first and third-person shooter, even though it is purely a first-person shooter.
All in all, the court saw no reason for the lawsuit and even stated that it was a waste of resources.
Is it just the Old Gods hiding behind the story of World of Warcraft Dragonflight? Many prophecies fit well with the story of the new expansion …
When it comes to the story of World of Warcraft, numerous theories continually arise. Especially the whispers of the Old Gods from previous expansions are frequently referenced when it comes to major developments in the history of Azeroth. This seems to be the case again with the new expansion Dragonflight.
Many of the old quotes are now being wildly discussed again – and they seem to fit exceptionally well.
Which quotes are we talking about? Mainly quotes from Il’gynoth. He was a boss in the “Legion” expansion and later again in “Battle for Azeroth.” He is a servant of the Old Gods and thus belongs to the cosmic force of the Void. The Void has the ability to see all possible future variants but cannot recognize which of them will truly come to pass. Therefore, it is quite possible that quotes from these creatures are complete nonsense that will never come true – or exactly what the heroes of Azeroth are soon to face.
Since their introduction, these quotes have been wildly discussed time and again, and that is also the case with Dragonflight. In the World of Warcraft subreddit, some details have been compiled.
Il’gynoth talks a lot when the day is long. And some of it just fits way too well.
„Five keys to open our way. Five torches to light our path.”
(“Five Keys to open our way. Five torches to light our path.”)
The number 5 appears repeatedly in World of Warcraft. For example, in Legion there were already 5 Pillars of Creation, in Shadowlands 5 leaders of the major covenants, and in Dragonflight there are 5 Dragonflights with their 5 aspects.
The quote is particularly interesting in connection with a second quote, as Il’gynoth later says:
„Five lanterns, now darkened. The flame they seek will light the masters’ way.”
(“Five lanterns, now darkened. The flame they seek will light the masters’ way.”)
This also fits exceptionally well with the aspects. They lost a significant part of their power with the end of Cataclysm – in other words, their “lantern has darkened” in a metaphorical sense. With the return to the Dragon Isles, the aspects are also trying to regain their power in order to watch over Azeroth once more – they are seeking a new “flame” to rekindle their strength.
This quote also fits wonderfully with the cinematic of the Dragonflight expansion. After all, the beacon of Tyr shines brightly, and Azeroth itself, as seen at the beginning by the sea, glows with magical brilliance. It is quite possible that this refers to the corruption that is gnawing at Azeroth underground and slowly but surely bringing it closer to complete corruption.
Start video
WoW: Here is the spectacular cinematic for the new expansion Dragonflight
„From the earth, he draws strength. Our earth. Our strength.”
(“From the earth, he draws strength. Our earth. Our strength.”)
There are mainly two possible candidates for beings that draw strength from the earth. The first is Galakrond. This gigantic dragon has been dead for many millennia, yet his skeleton still exists. Datamining discovered years ago that there is a new map of the Dragonblight where the skeleton is missing – even though this has never been implemented. However, the NPC Rafaam has also appeared, who had already awakened Galakrond in Hearthstone. He might intend to do the same in WoW …
The second candidate could be Wrathion. He is one of the remaining black dragons, who traditionally were the Earth Warders. Like Neltharion (Deathwing), he draws his strength from the earth and could thus connect with the corruption – after all, the earth is tainted by the Old Gods, which could also fit with the next quote:
„The boy-king serves at the master’s table. Three lies will he offer you.”
(“The boy-king serves at the master’s table. Three lies will he offer you.”)
Although in the past much pointed to Anduin, who is already referred to as the “boy-king”, the title would also apply to Wrathion. For Wrathion is still extremely young but might be able to take control of the black dragonflight and thereby become a “king”. Through his connection to the earth – and thus possibly to the Void – he could become a servant of the Old Gods.
Wrathion and Anduin are friends – but is one of them corrupted?
„At the hour of her third death she ushers in our coming.”
(‘At the hour of her third death she ushers in our coming.‘)
For a long time, it was suspected that this referred to Azeroth – but it could just as easily refer to Queen Azshara. She “died” the first time when her kingdom fell and she made a pact with N’Zoth. The second time she “died” in battle against the heroes in Naz’jatar and was taken to Ny’alotha. From there, she escapes (thanks to our help) and declares that she must go “to the true throne of power.” A throne that may lie deep beneath the Dragon Isles. After several years, Azshara will surely reappear sooner or later.
The Theme of “Awakening”
One last point is the overall theme of the Dragonflight expansion. Blizzard has already explained that it will be about “awakening” – at first glance, about the awakening of Azeroth, the awakening of the new power of the dragons, and generally the elemental energies that are slowly flooding the planet. However, in previous expansions, the theme always had a second, darker meaning, which in this case would be the awakening of something dark.
Who knows if the forces of the Void will stir again and if the end of Dragonflight won’t later lead to the next cosmic threat of the Old Gods. After all, Blizzard generally alternates between “cosmic, large-scale” threats and then returns to a somewhat simpler, Azeroth-based theme.
More interesting information about World of Warcraft can be found here:
How likely is all of this? Ultimately, this is of course just speculation, as it has been in past years. However, there are already hints in the game data of the Alpha that we will push underground into the Dragon Isles during the course of the expansion and likely find quite a bit there – thematically at least aligning with the Old Gods and their corruption, as well as a possible return of the gigantic primordial dragon Galakrond.
But even if none of this comes true, the entire quotations show an interesting detail: They are quite well-written and ensure that one can always spin new theories that never mention anything concrete but are specific enough to allow many interpretations. Just like cool prophecies should be.
And finally, speculating is simply fun. After all, there are many possibilities for how WoW could now develop …
What do you think, in what direction will the Dragonflight expansion develop? Will it be about Old Gods, Azshara, or Galakrond? Or will Blizzard steer clear of these themes for now?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
MeinMMO interviewed the developer team of the new legend “Vantage” in Apex Legends. We discussed the best strategies for Vantage, the most effective counter-play, and her adorable companion Echo.
In Apex Legends, the new season “Hunted” starts on August 9th. Players have already gotten a glimpse of the new legend coming with the new season: Vantage.
Vantage and her male bat Echo are true survivors. Vantage is a young sniper participating in the Apex Games to fight for justice for her mother.
MeinMMO spoke with the developers of Vantage and asked questions about the new legend. The interviewees were:
Chris Winder – Lead Legend Designer
Kevin Lee – Senior Writer
On the left, you see Chris Winder (Lead Legend Designer) and on the right Kevin Lee (Senior Writer)
“Some players will take some time to get used to her”
MeinMMO: At the beginning, what type of Apex player would you recommend Vantage for? More for beginners or for advanced players?
Chris Winder: With Vantage, we wanted to create a character for players who want to utilize greater distances in the game […]. So we definitely recommend it to players who like to lean back a bit and support their team, maybe scout the area, keep an eye out for other teams, and share their information with their team.
And I think the other group that will appreciate Vantage are players who enjoy moving around. She has her tactics that allow her to access many different places, not just vertically but also laterally when needed. The ability to explore new movement mechanics in Apex – we already have some of those – players who enjoy that will find joy in Vantage.
Start video
Vantage im Apex Legends Charakter-Trailer
MeinMMO: You’ve already talked about Vantage’s strategies. Could you give us some tips on how to use this movement mechanic and her strength? How can you play Vantage most effectively?
Chris Winder: I think some players will take some time to get used to it, unlike other movement mechanics that are executed immediately upon initiation. With the hero Horizon, you start right away, you throw an item on the ground and float upwards. Or you grab onto a building with Pathfinder’s hook the moment you see it and take off. Vantage takes a little time. For one, to charge her tactical ability to initiate the launch, but also to place Echo [her bat] in the right position.
He [Echo] is quite fast, so you can get him to where you need him in time. But I think over time, good Vantage players will start to think about where they should position Echo in every situation.
So if I need to get away or need to gain height at that moment, I know that is the best spot. So either on top of a building or maybe along an exit corridor, in case the team is on my tail, so I have an escape route. Or I might position Echo toward my team when they are destroying a few shields or I’m dealing some damage, then I can rejoin my team.
If you think strategically in advance and place Echo in those positions, you’ll get the most benefit from the tactical ability compared to others.
In the launch trailer for “Hunted,” you can see Vantage in the Apex Games
Start video
Apex Legends – Hunted Launch Trailer
What to do when playing against a Vantage?
MeinMMO: If there’s a Vantage on the other team. What is the best counter for me? Which legend would be the best to beat Vantage?
Chris Winder: […] We definitely had some good Vantage vs. Vantage fights during testing […]. Sometimes you see a Vantage targeting another, so they can effectively engage at equal distance. That is an interesting mechanic made possible by the ultimate ability, because the damage does not remain the same but multiplies.
This is Vantage’s ultimate: “Sniper’s Mark” – After a first successful hit, the opponent remains marked for 10 seconds. After that, the damage of each subsequent shot on the target increases. The damage from other teammates to the marked target also increases.
If you make the first shot, then the second shot is significant. Sometimes you can let yourself get hit by the opponent’s first shot and if you believe you are safe enough to fire your own second shot before the other does. […] So that is one way.
I think another counter would be other movement legends that can close the distance to Vantage. Maybe you can isolate her if she is in a position where she is a bit separated from her team, and in such situations, you could attack her.
Some characters could take advantage of that. However, they need to be quick because Vantage can, as I mentioned earlier, get out of that situation if she finds herself in trouble. But yes, those could be some good counters.
MeinMMO: Some players – myself included – have noticed some parallels between her and Bloodhound. […] Was that intended?
Kevin Lee: Yes, I think when we were working on it, it was somewhat inevitable. We saw those parallels already. And at first, we thought: “Oh no. We don’t want Vantage to be designed just like Bloodhound.”
But then we realized that she is so much different, and that created a lot of interesting character dynamics between the two. Because even though they have the two similarities of being hunters and having pets, they are very different. Bloodhound is very serious, with a strong focus on honor and bravery. And Arthur is not exactly the cuddliest raven you can imagine […]
Echo in Stories from the Outlands: Survive, YouTube
In contrast, Vantage is funny, optimistic, and very capable. She is not naive, but simply not as experienced and skilled […] as Bloodhound. And Echo is just a somewhat playful creature, funny and with a broad personality range.
And so we found that while there are overlaps, there are also enough differences that create a really interesting character dynamic between the two. We are really convinced that she could bring forth a lot of great stories and things.
MeinMMO: Have you already planned Echo’s personality, or should the player give him some personality?
Kevin Lee: It is definitely balanced. We wanted him to be somewhat cute and sweet so that everyone falls in love with him. But we also wanted to emphasize that he is a wild creature. Just like Vantage came from a very survival-oriented lifestyle and is now experiencing civilization for the first time.
Echo has a similar journey. He has lived in the wilderness all his life and is now in this situation with the Apex Games, and that’s why he is sweet and cuddly with Vantage. But he is […] incredibly protective and is still a wild creature. He listens to the whistle, but he doesn’t “sit” or “stay” (laughs).
We thank Chris Winder and Kevin Lee for the interview and wish them much success in developing new legends for Apex Legends.
What do you think of Vantage and Echo? Feel free to write it in the comments.
In the brutally tough SF MMORPG EVE Online, pilots fly valuable ships and trust no one. But a video from August 2022 now tells the story of a legendary pilot who entrusted a fraudster with his most valuable ship. The surprising thing: this one story in the otherwise heartless MMORPG EVE Online actually has a happy ending.
What kind of video is this?
The site PCGamer has created a 16-minute video in which those involved look back at a legendary heist in 2017. They describe in detail how the fraud occurred, why they acted as they did at the time, and how they view it today (via PCGamer).
Fraud is part of EVE: The space simulation does nothing to protect players from fraudsters. On the contrary: a clever scam is something that is respected and cherished in EVE. Many stories revolve around legendary incidents of fraud and betrayal. But the large scam of 2017 was different in many respects. The fraud extended over 16 months and, in the end, even made the fraudster feel remorse.
The fraudster himself wrote a post about the incident on reddit: “The 300 billion ISK heist, of which I almost wish I had never committed.”
Pilot and his unique spaceship become legends in EVE Online
What was the scam about? In EVE Online, the famous pilot TikkTokk Tokkzikk flies: After years of playing, he fulfilled his dream and bought an extremely rare ship, a “Chremoas Frigate”: a special reward for the “Alliance Tournament XI” event from 2013, which is therefore only available in limited numbers in EVE Online.
The ship is designed with a cloaking device for “small group PvP” and is actually totally overpowered, as even the EVE developers admit.
But TikkTokk was such a good player and could assess the risks so well before each battle that he collected 400 kills, which were reflected as markings on his ship. He gathered these kills without losing the ship. His Chremoas became legendary.
The spaceship itself is already valuable – but with 400 kill marks, it became unique in the EVE Online universe.
What was the scam? A player infiltrated the group of pilots called the Amamake Police with the character “Samantha Myth” and became part of the elite PvP unit. This is unusual because the elite PvP unit does not let anyone in easily and every elite player in EVE is notoriously paranoid.
In the video, Samantha Myth mentions that the difficult part was getting into the group at all. It would have caused too much distrust if he had actively sought out the close-knit group of pilots to which TikkTokk belongs. So, he just hung around passively for a long time, hoping to be approached by a member of the Amamake Police. Eventually, that happened.
A friend of TikkTokk, Casper24, invited him:
I met Samantha Myth in an in-game channel where he linked a few pretty cool kills that you can click on to see what ship he used and what he killed. And I thought: Okay, he looks like a really nice guy and so we invited him to fly with us. We decide who flies with us this way, as we don’t want to be scammed.
Casper24
TikkTokk says: Because Casper was flying with the “new guy”, he assumed that Samantha Myth was fine – after all, he was now a friend of his friend.
Fraudster becomes the best friend of the later victim over 18 months
Over 18 months, Samantha Myth gained TikkTokk’s trust, becoming his companion in the game and his friend. His tactic was to be a “solid, reliable player” who was always approachable and available for any task.
To prepare for the scam, Samantha Myth bought himself an expensive ship for a lot of ISK, the in-game currency, a “Whiplash”, and then started lending this ship to crew members for free.
By bringing in this “why don’t you try flying my ship this week” thing to the group, he established a new practice, as he says.
After 18 months, it was time for TikkTokk to trust him with his own ship. By that time, it had become normal to fly each other’s valuable possessions and lend their own.
There are also legendary stories in other MMORPGs like WoW:
Start video
Virtual epidemic nearly destroyed WoW – How did this happen?
Pilot learns from the forum that he has been scammed for months, is bitterly disappointed
This is how TikkTokk learned about the scam: The pilot woke up one morning thinking everything was fine: In a few days, his friend would return the ship to him, but friends alerted him that he should definitely check reddit.
Thus, TikkTokk read on reddit about the scam he had fallen for. He knew immediately: This is real, I was betrayed by a friend. Even by his “best friend in the game”, as he says in the video.
TikkTokk wrote on reddit: Worse than the loss of the ship is the loss of friendship. Because the fraudster had become his best friend in the game over the last year and a half. Yes, even more than that – playing with Samantha Myth at his side had become part of his EVE Online experience.
The player behind Samantha Myth continues to appear only through his game character and remains anonymous.
Today, TikkTokk explains in the video: After the scam, he seriously considered quitting and leaving the MMORPG. He doubted everything in 2017:
Had the friend lied to him for 18 months?
Was nothing real, was everything just played?
He even feared that this betrayal could change who he is. Because up until then, he had been a trusting person. The betrayal made him doubt his own beliefs.
Here you can see the complete video from PC Gamer about the scam in EVE Online:
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Fraudster returns the money to the victim to get his ship back
This is how the story ended: The special thing about the story is that Tikktokk’s disappointment at having lost a friend was so sincere and authentic that the otherwise merciless community of the MMORPG took his side.
Normally, in EVE it is said, “The honest person is the fool – and the fraudster is the hero”, but now TikkTokk was seen as the real heart winner.
The fraudster was also moved by the words of the victim. Ultimately, the fraudster approached TikkTokk and returned the money he had received from the sale of the ship, allowing TikkTokk to buy back his beloved ship.
After I talked to Samantha Myth on Skype for 2 weeks, he asked me if he could do anything to repair our friendship. I told him that I just wanted my Chremoas back and if he could help with that, I wouldn’t hold any bad feelings toward him. Then he sent me 120 billion ISK, the sum he received for the sale of the ship.
TikkTokk
This is how victims and perpetrators view it today: The fraudster said that ultimately, he just wanted to show that he could pull off the scam; it wasn’t even about the money:
When it was all over, I said: Hey, let’s handle this cool. You have to understand that I didn’t do it for the money or to be a jerk. I just did it to prove I could.
Samantha Myth
TikkTokk says today: He always knew that the day would come when he would lose the ship.
What he didn’t expect, however, was the immense support from people who empathized with him. Ultimately, one can never say how people would behave. Today he is almost grateful that he was scammed back then, because it made him realize how many people in the game cared about his well-being.
To the fraudster, he says: “If we ever meet in real life, you owe me a beer.”
More stories from the world of EVE Online can be found here from MeinMMO:
In the MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online, you must choose one of 6 different classes during character creation. But which is the most popular? Participate in our survey on MeinMMO.
What classes are in ESO? At launch, there were only 4 different classes: the Dragonknight, the Nightblade, the Templar, and the Sorcerer. With Update 14 and the first major chapter Morrowind, the classes were expanded with the Warden. The last class added with Update 22 Elsweyr is the Necromancer.
Here we have summarized the characteristics of each class:
Nightblade – This is the assassin class in ESO. They can turn invisible and deal significant burst damage.
Necromancer – The Necromancer summons undead and can use their corpses for additional abilities.
Dragonknight – The Dragonknight is distinguished by fire and poison abilities. They also have many dots.
Templar – The abilities of the Templar are all cloaked in radiant light, and they possess many healing abilities.
Sorcerer – The Sorcerer employs daedric summoning and has many lightning spells.
Warden – The Warden is a nature-connected class in ESO and can summon creatures of the forest in battle.
The NightbladeThe NecromancerThe DragonknightThe SorcererThe TemplarThe WardenAll classes in ESO.
Your favorite class in ESO
Here on MeinMMO, you can now vote on which class you think is the best and the coolest.
Diese Umfrage ist geschlossen.
The survey will be open until September 2nd at 5:30 PM and will then be evaluated and presented by us.
If you are interested in more about ESO, this might also appeal to you:
Do you want to know more about the classes in ESO? Do you want to know how to play each class and are looking for good builds for beginners? Then check out our role guides:
In November 2021, YouTuber Max “HandOfBlood” Knabe, also known as Hänno, announced his intention to establish the LoL team Eintracht Spandau in eSports. Since then, they have been mixing it up in the Strauss Prime League. But Hänno wanted more, announcing that he aimed to win the EU Masters within 2 years. Now, the playoffs have come to an end.
The fans love it; they cheer for their team over Twitch and at public viewings
But it’s not just about storytelling; the gameplay performance should match
No later than in 2 years, they want to win the EU Masters, says Hänno
After a rather mediocre summer split, Eintracht made a strong comeback, winning the big Berlin derby against BIG
However, it ended in the playoffs against Schalke 04
In the video, we introduce you to the LoL team of HandOfBlood:
Start video
Everything you need to know about the LoL team Eintracht Spandau – in 4 minutes
After a strong start, they couldn’t capitalize on the advantage
This is how the playoffs work: Up to 5 rounds are played, and whoever wins at least 3 of them wins. The match Eintracht Spandau vs. Schalke 04 was exciting until the end, although the Royals were able to win the best-of-five.
This is how the game went: Spandau got off to a strong start, securing the first game confidently. On Eintracht’s Twitch channel, where the matches are commented on by their in-house streamer Broeki in the “fan mile”, they appeared confident of victory:
They asked the chat whether they prefer to win 3:0 or 3:1. After all, the latter would offer more content.
But in the second game, the tables turned. Schalke picked up momentum, repeatedly winning in team fights. They equalized and eventually took the lead in game 3.
Eintracht played aggressively, confidently going into fights. They took many risks that didn’t always pay off. However, in the fourth round, Eintracht fought their way back into the game.
Even in the decisive fifth round, they managed to gain an early advantage. But S04 secured an early Baron buff and a gold advantage. In the end, they managed to prevail in the top lane. With the advantage in numbers, they ultimately claimed victory.
Why is this disappointing? Especially bitter is the exit in the playoffs, especially after having already reached the Masters in spring, even if only to the group stage. They would have certainly liked to build on that strong first season with another entry.
An additional disappointment for fans is that there will now be no derby against BIG in the playoffs. Instead, they will compete against S04 on 09.08. Some fans might even come up with the idea to cheer for the Berlin rivals this time. (via Twitter)
But they remain optimistic: Despite everything, the split was really great, and they fought until the end. They thank their fans for the support and ask them to show a lot of love to the players, as they gave their all. (via Twitter)
The fighting statement: “That was just the beginning” (via Twitter).
Did you wish for a victory for Hänno and his Eintracht, or was the defeat against Schalke 04 deserved? Will you follow the European Masters even without Eintracht?
Playoffs for qualification for the EU Masters are also currently taking place in France. Favorite Karmine Corp was recently eliminated after a mixed season – despite having a legendary player on the roster.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The editorial team thinks they can do better and is pulling the podcast in its current form. However, it’s worth staying tuned because there will be more! You can find out how this came about and what the future holds here.
The MeinMMO podcast was founded by us two years ago and it’s now time for us to pull the emergency brake. The truth is that the podcast does have steady growth, but it is slow and laborious. Too slow.
In its current form, we will not be able to continue our gaming podcast. However, that does not mean we are completely giving up on it and letting it die. Staying in touch with us will be worth it for you!
There are still many cool stories in gaming that we want to tell you. The way we present them will have to change in order to reach more of you. So we are going back to the drawing board and redesigning everything here. We cannot say yet how big the changes will be.
What I can tell you is: We will take you along on the journey and not leave you hanging. We did not want to just disappear in silence and leave you wondering.
In the podcast, you will hear from Michael Graf and me, Leya Jankowski, what led to this decision. We will be as transparent as possible with you. Michael Graf is the Head of Podcast at Webedia Gaming (MeinMMO, GameStar, GamePro).
Suggestions and wishes? Feel free to share!
You can already help us by giving us feedback:
What have you liked about our podcast so far?
What did you not like at all?
How much time do you have for listening to the podcast?
Which podcasts do you usually listen to? (Whether gaming podcast or not)
What makes a modern podcast for you?
Feel free to write to us here in the comments or reach me directly via email: [email protected]
Thank you very much for your support and we will hear from you!
Final Fantasy XIV offers players a wide variety of mounts. Some of them are so crazy that they are actually great. Here are 5 more of them.
In the years since the release, over 200 different mounts have appeared in Final Fantasy XIV, which can either be earned or purchased in the MMORPG shop.
With such a large number of noble steeds, there are always a few that are not quite so noble. Or, on the contrary, really crazy. In this list, we present you with another 5 of them and explain how you can obtain them.
The first article on the craziest mounts in FFXIV can be found here:
Chocobo carriages are a proven and widely used means of transport in Eorzea, whose popularity naturally also attracted imitators. Imitators, such as the hippowagons, which are not pulled by cute yellow birds, but by hippos.
Even though the hippos are not exactly the epitome of elegance when running and flying looks quite crazy, they are capable. Despite their considerable weight, a hippo in real life can reach speeds of up to 50 km per hour. Woe to the one who is unlucky enough to get in the way of a hippowagon.
How do I get the Hippowagon? The carriage is available from the NPC Ghanta in Thavnair X: 21 / Y: 28 for 18 Arkasodara-Pana, once you have reached the corresponding reputation level with the Arkasodara tribe.
You can conveniently earn Pana through the Arkasodara tribe quests. You earn one Pana per quest.
Wivre
We humans are strange beings. We always want exactly what we cannot have or what we should not have. And in the end, we get it anyway. This was also the case with the Wivre mount.
The ungainly creatures not only look strange with their horn, but are also notorious for being vicious and unruly. It is a well-known fact that taming a Wivre is a long, annoying, and often deadly process. However, after the Mamool Ja managed to tame a few animals, there was no stopping for the adventurers of Eorzea.
How do I get Wivre? The difficulty of taming a Wivre is reflected in the difficulty of obtaining one. You need a whopping 50,000 two-colored gemstones for the horn, which you earn by completing FATEs in Shadowbringers and Endwalker areas. You get a maximum of 14 stones per FATE.
However, since you can only hold a maximum of 1,000 stones at a time, you will need to regularly exchange them for trading certificates, which you can trade with the gemstone vendors in Endwalker areas. You need 500 of such certificates for one Wivre.
Or you can let someone else do the work and buy the item at the market board.
Papa Paissa
Actually, the story of Papa Paissa is quite tragic. He and his wife were so hardworking that they ended up having a total of 8 children. The problem was that you have to feed all those hungry mouths somehow, and Gil unfortunately doesn’t grow on trees.
To secure his large family financially, Papa Paissa offered his services as a mount to wealthy adventurers. So, if you don’t mind having to cling to the fur of the Paissa like a madman at dangerous heights to avoid falling to your doom.
How do I get Papa Paissa? The mount is available in the FFXIV cash shop. It costs €16.80 there.
Monitor
FFXIV is notorious for having many things and beings that can fly that really shouldn’t be able to. The long list, which so far has included pigs, tyrannosaurs, giraffes, beds, and other mounts, is now expanded by a screen.
The Monitor is a mysterious machine developed by the Omicrons that seems to be used for analysis. However, how it is able to shrink and absorb its riders for transport, so that they are inside of it, is a mystery. Use at your own risk.
How do I get the Monitor? To obtain this mount, you first need 12 Chi bolts, which you can turn in at the NPC Nexvaaz in Radz-at-Han (X: 10.6 / Y: 10). You get bolts by successfully completing the FATE “From the Memory of: Destruction.”
This occurs in the area of Ultima Thule (X: 34.4 / Y: 21.4) and is a rare FATE. If you want the Monitor, it is advisable to join a hunt contact circle. The spawns of such FATEs are usually communicated there, even across servers.
More about mounts in FFXIV on MeinMMO can be found here:
While with most other mounts, you can at least roughly see what they are, with the snowman it’s a mystery surrounded by many questions. Is it a living being or a machine? How exactly can it fly? Why is it hollow inside? And above all… how cold is it to ride it when it is prepared with Everfrost Crystals?
The questions about how to even see where you are riding can easily be answered. To avoid crashing into the nearest monitor or hippo-wagon while riding, you have to keep your head held high and bounce around that way. Not a particularly elegant way of movement, even though the snowman itself is actually quite cute.
How do I get the Snowman? Originally, this mount was one of the rewards for the Starlight Festival 2020. By now, you can find it in the FFXIV cash shop for €8.40.
If you want to grab a snowman but are patient, you can wait for a sale event. At the latest, with the start of the next Starlight Festival in December, the old rewards in the shop will be temporarily reduced in price.
Which mounts do you find funny or crazy? Let us know in the comments.
In August, several events are taking place in FFXIV. You can find all the info in our ticker:
Some players called for a boycott of Apex Legends in August. Apparently, no one wants to join the boycott. Player numbers on Steam remain excellent, and Apex is one of the top games on the platform.
What should the boycott look like? As #NoApexAugust already reveals, participants in the boycott should not play Apex Legends in August. The hashtag spread particularly on Reddit and Twitter.
Why did users call for a boycott? Some players were so frustrated with Apex Legends that they wanted to emphasize their complaints about bugs or other technical issues through their boycott.
Starting August 9, Apex Legends will launch its new season, “Hunted.” Here you can see the launch trailer:
Start video
Apex Legends – Hunted Launch Trailer
“No Apex August” more like “More Apex August”
What do users say about #NoApexAugust? Among the top posts on Twitter under #NoApexAugust, the following comments can be found (via Twitter):
@oltz Degree: “That’s a good reason for #NoApexAugust, isn’t it? EA makes too much money not to upgrade the servers,” below is a TikTok video complaining about Apex’s tick rate.
@alphaINTEL: “Play Apex if you want to play Apex. Don’t play Apex if you don’t want to play it. It’s your life. Do what makes you happy.”
@FrankiiSlime: “#noapexaugust is definitely not going to work if everyone just jumps back in after a month. You have to completely stop playing until the issues are fixed or refuse to spend money until the problems are fixed.”
@Garregrrt: “Day 2 of #NoApexAugust saw another HUGE start with +7k players compared to last week!” Below is a graphic showing the growing player numbers from July 26, 2022 (336,273) to August 2, 2022 (343,481).
User @RingLeaderGibby summarized the situation as follows: “‘No Apex August’ more like ‘More Apex August'”.
The user @ZSportsHub posted the picture with the headline “18 hours and 12 minutes in #NoApexAugust”:
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Over the past 30 days, the viewer count has increased and seems to be continuing to grow (steamcharts.com).
The website only counts players on the Steam platform, excluding all console and Origin players. Nevertheless, the numbers are a good indicator of how successful a game currently is among gamers.
Why was the boycott unsuccessful? Some players seem to participate in the boycott #NoApexAugust and posted pictures of them uninstalling the game. However, the tweets show that some found it difficult to hold out.
Many also mock the boycott attempt or find the criticism of the game unfounded. Given the player numbers, it can be assumed that the Apex gamers who are actually participating in the boycott are significantly in the minority.
What do you think of #NoApexAugust? Feel free to let us know in the comments.
In a Battle Royale like Call of Duty: Warzone, anything goes, every dirty trick is allowed to gain an advantage over your opponents. One trick with the parachute is so ridiculous that it’s almost genius. Almost.
We at MeinMMO have written many articles about insane tricks in Call of Duty: Warzone. Some more helpful than others.
While the last trick with the parachute is more material for hardcore players, the latest parachute shenanigans fall into the category of mishaps and failures. But like in the old TV show, the resolution at the end provides the “wow” moment.
Warzone “Trick”: No parachute = No noise
If you land anywhere with the parachute in Warzone, you always have a problem: It makes a hell of a noise.
No matter if the enemy is a meter away, in the basement of the house you land on, or camping in the bathroom: first, there’s the announcement that an enemy is landing nearby, and then you hear the use of the parachute.
So a clever player thought on reddit: There must be a better way! And with his clip, he brought a lot of joy and also demonstrated that not everything has to go smoothly for a clean kill:
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User Sycamonia plays on Caldera and is with his team at Peek, up on the volcano of the island. To get a sniper who is terrorizing the area, Sycamonia uses one of the redeploy balloons.
The thing shoots players high into the air, allowing for repositioning. Ideal for surprising an enemy in an elevated position… or to gift the enemy a free kill.
In Sycamonia’s case, everything went smoothly. At least the result was correct. To avoid being detected, Sycamonia didn’t open the parachute and landed belly-first next to the sniper.
The enemy didn’t notice the landing, and after a self-revive later, Sycamonia could bag a delicious kill instead of the lousy Peek sniper. Stealth kill in a different way.
The thread to the clip managed to gather over 2,000 upvotes on Reddit, making it one of the largest topics of last week in the somewhat dormant Warzone subreddit.
Also, thread creator Sycamonia speaks up and hints that the action wasn’t intentional. The user talks about a bug and that it has often happened at that spot that the parachute didn’t open.
In this case, however, it was a good thing and possibly also something to take note of.
Otherwise, the mood in the thread is cheerful, and many users laugh about the Peek sniper who got taken out up there. They joke about it and speculate what might have happened with the sniper that they didn’t notice Sycamonia’s “landing”:
J_Krezz writes the comment with the most upvotes: “This guy plays on a TV with people around him, without headphones and a fire alarm is beeping”.
DefunctHunk_COD: “The perfect demonstration that not only sweats use Roze skins”
nateedaawg: “Intentional? No. Successful? Yes”.
Daddyofduty: “I bet the guy had no audio. That happens to me all the time. Sad times”.
Okay, we admit, a lot has to come together for the trick to work. The opponent shouldn’t necessarily be playing with headphones, and a console field of view helps as well. But then the trick secures easy kills!
It’s also nice to see that people are still having fun in Warzone.
During a tournament in the game MultiVersus, a streamer using Bugs Bunny defeated his opponent. The eSports player Hungrybox was thrilled. However, Bugs is so strong that the developers will soon nerf him.
Bugs Bunny is currently the absolute king in the game MultiVersus. In a tournament, streamer Blaizzy dismantled his opponent. Hungrybox reacted to the win in his stream and jumped out of his gaming chair.
The developers have already announced that Bugs Bunny will be nerfed. The rabbit seems to be simply too strong for Superman and others.
Bugs Bunny Takes Down Batman
What kind of tournament was that? In the semifinals of the Coinbox No. 26 Tournaments in MultiVersus, Blaizzy and Zuul faced each other. In the 1 vs. 1 match, Blaizzy played Bugs Bunny while Zuul participated as Batman. Although Batman is also a quite good character in MultiVersus, he had no chance against the rabbit.
Here you can watch the Twitch clip where Hungrybox reacts to Blaizzy’s gameplay:
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How did Hungrybox react to Blaizzy’s victory? Hungrybox plays Super Smash Bros. professionally and is a Twitch streamer with 448,765 followers (via twitch). He reacted excitedly to Blaizzy’s gameplay.
Hungrybox watched with anticipation as Bugs took down Batman. Upon the rabbit’s victory, he jumped out of his chair and bounced around the room. Afterwards, he called for the moment to be clipped.
When will Bugs Bunny be nerfed? Tony Huynh, the Game Director of Multiversus, already posted on July 28, 2022, that Bugs Bunny would be nerfed after the EVO (Evolution Championship Series) (via twitter). The event is currently ongoing. Therefore, the nerf cannot be too far in the future.
What kind of game is MultiVersus? MultiVersus is a crossover fighting game. Similar to Super Smash Bros, players fight against each other.
The unique aspect of MultiVersus is that the game characters are figures from well-known movies and series. This includes superheroes from DC like Batman or Wonder Woman, as well as characters from Scooby Doo, Arya Stark from Game of Thrones, or classic Warner Brothers characters like Bugs Bunny and Taz, the Tasmanian Devil.
The open beta is live, and players can play for free. Look for the game in your platform shop on Steam, Epic, or on PlayStation and Xbox.
Here you can see a trailer for MultiVersus:
Start video
MultiVersus – Gameplay-Trailer zum neuen Fighting-Game
How did the tournament end? At the end of the tournament, Blaizzy came in second place. The winner was VoiD. Nevertheless, Blaizzy gained a growing number of viewers on Twitch from the competition.
What did Blaizzy say? On Twitter, Blaizzy thanked the host of the tournament and for the support of the viewers on August 4, 2022. He also posted a picture. He achieved a milestone on Twitch: Blaizzy reached 75 average viewers in the last 30 days (via twitter).
Even though Blaizzy did not win the tournament, the match seemed worth it for him. Especially since he owns a relatively smaller channel on Twitch, the milestone was beneficial for him to grow as a streamer.
What do you think of Blaizzy’s Bugs gameplay? Feel free to let us know in the comments.
Diablo Immortal has been heavily criticized for Pay2Win since its release. Important items can easily be purchased, and those who pay often win more frequently in PvP. Many fans are wondering: Why isn’t something like this banned? MeinMMO asked a lawyer.
However, the paid content is not always obvious. Some of the mechanics can only be seen after one has already paid.
There are fans who mock the Pay2Win discussion, as the “Pay2Win” aspect is not relevant for everyone. Nevertheless, the discussion about the corresponding content is substantial.
Diablo Immortal was not released in Belgium and the Netherlands due to its monetization, just like Lost Ark before it. At that time, we asked the lawyer Christian Solmecke whether Lost Ark could also be banned in Germany, and now we followed up for Diablo Immortal.
Who is Christian Solmecke? Solmecke is a specialist in internet and media law and works as a lawyer and partner at the Cologne law firm Wilde Beuger Solmecke, short WBS. Previously, he worked as a journalist, including at Westdeutscher Rundfunk. His portfolio also includes:
Solmecke is also the managing director of the German Institute for Communication and Law in the Internet (“DIKRI”) and the cloud-based law practice software Legalvisio.de.
Solmecke became known as the “internet lawyer” with his YouTube channel. He frequently addresses current topics in the areas of internet and gaming and answers questions in his videos. We were also able to ask him some questions on the topic.
The biggest criticism point regarding Pay2Win are the legendary gems in Diablo Immortal. In the video, we reveal how exactly they work:
Start video
Diablo Immortal: What are legendary gems? Facts and locations in 3 minutes
“Players would have no monetary value in the real world”
MeinMMO: According to some players, Diablo Immortal is “predatory” when it comes to microtransactions and “Pay2Win”. Why is something like this allowed in Germany?
Solmecke: There has been a long-standing discussion about so-called “loot boxes”. Even with Diablo Immortal, it ultimately comes down to the same problem – you pay real money for a chance to receive virtual gameplay advantages that depend on luck. The question is being debated whether such things should be classified as gambling and banned or not. Anyone who organizes or participates in gambling without government approval is committing an offense.
Gambling means that you acquire a chance to win by risking money, and the winnings depend largely on chance and not on the skill of the player. Some jurists see it this way, but the majority of jurists argue particularly with the following argument against it: Players would have no monetary value in the real world, which is why it does not qualify as gambling. Until now, there have also been no known verdicts against game manufacturers in Germany, and the German authorities and lawmakers have so far held back and focused more on protecting young people from excessive influence.
Different in other countries, where at least loot boxes have been banned as illegal gambling for a longer time – e.g. the Netherlands and Belgium. In addition, currently (June 2022), 20 European consumer protection organizations, including the Federal Association of Consumer Centers (vzbv), have called for regulation of loot boxes – for example, through more transparency of the algorithms and better youth protection.
MeinMMO: After deeper immersion in the game, several players have reversed their transactions, for instance, through Google. Is such a thing always possible without issues?
Solmecke: According to the Google Play refund policies, it is possible to reverse some in-app purchases within 48 hours, sometimes even longer.
Whether this always works is unclear, because Google writes here little transparently: “Depending on the details of the purchase, you may be able to receive a refund” and then provides instructions for a “request” for a refund.
In the MeinMMO podcast, we talk about crime in online gaming:
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MeinMMO: How far can a game or a company go before a product is banned in Germany due to monetization?
Solmecke: So far, there have been no bans in Germany. The youth protection laws are likely to be the most problematic here. The goal of the relevant provisions of the Youth Media Protection State Treaty is to prevent unsuitable or harmful offers from negatively influencing minors.
Generally, “descriptors” are sufficient here, meaning indications of such elements. Only in exceptional cases may it be that corresponding games are approved by the USK only from 12, 16, or even 18 years of age. The evaluation depends on the individual case.
MeinMMO: Have there already been cases where companies had to pay fines in Germany or the EU for exploiting customers?
Solmecke: No, I am not aware of this. Due to the high gambling factor, Belgium and the Netherlands have, however, banned the release of Diablo Immortal citing their loot box laws.
MeinMMO: Thank you for the answers!
Despite the ongoing discussion about Pay2Win and whether Diablo Immortal should be banned, Blizzard’s new MMO is extremely successful. After some delay, it was also released in China and can report strong numbers:
The end date of Season 26 in Diablo 3 has been officially announced by Blizzard and is much later than we previously thought. You may have to wait until September for the start of Season 27.
What’s happening in Diablo 3? Since April 15, Season 26 in Diablo 3 has been running. Typically, these seasons last about three months before they are – after a brief break – replaced by the next chapter with different content and changes. However, the current phase has already exceeded its duration, and as Blizzard explains, it will last much longer.
We will provide you with the latest information from Blizzard and how it affects the start date of Season 27.
When does Season 26 end?
This is what Blizzard says: In the forum post, Community Manager FilthieRich explains that Season 26 ends on August 21 at 5:00 PM (via forums.blizzard.com).
An end on August 21 is significantly later than previously thought. This prolongs the current content significantly.
When does Season 27 start?
Usually, there is a gap of one to two weeks between the end and the start of a season.
This is what we suspect: If S26 indeed ends on August 21 and is not extended again, then the earliest start date for Season 27 would be August 26. Since seasons always start on a Friday and end on a Sunday, that would be the next possible date.
With a lot of bad luck, the start could even fall on September 2.
If you want to open many gifts in Pokémon GO, you should plan a little time. But with a simple trick, you can shorten the animations.
What is the problem? When you open gifts from friends in Pokémon GO, each gift must be opened individually with a click. Then there is a somewhat longer opening animation, followed by the presentation of the newly acquired content.
Such an option is still missing in Pokémon GO. But at least there is a small trick to shorten the animation a bit.
Tap on an “X” that isn’t there when opening Pokémon GO gifts
This is the trick: You can shorten the animation when opening gifts by tapping exactly where the “X” was after clicking “Open”.
We’ll briefly show you the process here:
Tap on the X-spot when opening the gift – and it’s already done
In the first step, you have to tap on the gift as usual.
Next, you take the open button as usual.
Now you deviate: Instead of watching the opening animation and tapping through the rewards, you immediately tap where the “X” button was.
If everything worked as planned, the animation will completely break off and take you back to the display screen of the friend from whom you received the gift.
Now you can send your gift back to the friend as usual or scroll on to the next friend.
If you want to check what was actually in the gift, you can select your “Journal” in the Trainer view. There you will find all opened gifts from your friends, including their contents.
With this trick, you may not completely avoid the time loss when opening gifts, but at least everything goes a little faster.
Why should I even open gifts? Generally, it is worth opening them for the items you can get from them. Especially the 7 km eggs stand out. They can contain exciting monsters from time to time, like recently in the Hisui event.
Another exciting bonus is the XP gain from friendships. Whenever you reach a new friendship level, you get a big load of experience points. If you also coordinate this with a lucky egg, you can make really big jumps towards the next level.
Regularly sending gifts is one of the interactions that can improve your friendship level. You can find out exactly how XP gain from friendships works here.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Swede Martin “Rekkles” Larsson is considered one of the best ADC players in League of Legends, that Europe has ever produced. He joined the French LoL team “Karmine Corp” in November 2021, which won the EU Masters for the third time with him. However, in the summer of 2022, the team failed in the 1st round of the French league LFL. The head coach speaks of a disastrous season.
Who is this?
Rekkles was considered the franchise player for Fnatic in LoL for five and a half years: an exceptionally strong ADC player, who could decide matches for his team with his consistent and calm demeanor, a true star who has been playing LoL for 10 years now.
In 2020 he went to Fnatic’s long-time rivals G2 but could not lead the team to victory and left G2 after just one year.
Karmine Corp wins 3 seasons in a row the EU Championship, now nothing is working
What has caused the team’s failure now? Karmine Corp had just scraped into the LFL playoffs with a mixed 9-9 in the regular season and had to face GameWard in the first series, the number 4 in France.
This series was lost 1-3.
Karmine Corp is thus out of the French playoffs and has no chance to qualify for the EU Masters, which they had won the last 3 seasons.
Disastrous split, I regret a lot, I take full responsibility for the failure in the summer splits.
After prosperous years, 2022 marked the downturn
What was the reason? Karmine Corp is criticized on reddit for being extremely unbalanced:
with “Rekkles” they have an outstanding ADC
Toplaner “Cabochard” is also excellent
but the Turk “113” is considered one of the worst junglers in the league
Midlaner “Saken” apparently has a motivation problem
Supporter “Hantera” is also said not to be very strong
The second leagues in League of Legends are much more exciting in 2022 than before. This is also due to teams like Eintracht Spandau:
Start video
Everything you need to know about the LoL team Eintracht Spandau – in 4 minutes
Ultimately, it is believed on reddit that the LFL has become too strong to dominate solely with the sidelanes. Without a strong central duo in mid and jungle, teams cannot win the LFL anymore. The level of the LFL has risen in recent months and Karmine Corp apparently saw a drop in performance.
The fans of Karmine Corp, who already saw their team in the professional league LEC, are now feeling down: after the very successful last years, the summer of 2022 is a low point.
Rekkles must chalk up the next year of his LoL career as a failure.
The LFL and the German LoL league “Prime” benefit from changes in the League of Legends system:
From Amouranth’s perspective, she is just playing by the rules of the system and using them to her advantage:
I don’t care, because I’m looking at the world and that’s just how it is. Companies use attractive women to attract customers and stay in people’s memories. I find that annoying, but that’s the way the world is, and instead of getting bitter about it, I decided to profit from it.
How successfully Amouranth uses the “system” to make profits is evident from her excellent income:
From Amouranth’s perspective, she is just playing by the rules of the system and using them to her advantage:
I don’t care, because I’m looking at the world and that’s just how it is. Companies use attractive women to attract customers and stay in people’s memories. I find that annoying, but that’s the way the world is, and instead of getting bitter about it, I decided to profit from it.
How successfully Amouranth uses the “system” to make profits is evident from her excellent income:
From Amouranth’s perspective, she is just playing by the rules of the system and using them to her advantage:
I don’t care, because I’m looking at the world and that’s just how it is. Companies use attractive women to attract customers and stay in people’s memories. I find that annoying, but that’s the way the world is, and instead of getting bitter about it, I decided to profit from it.
How successfully Amouranth uses the “system” to make profits is evident from her excellent income:
The streamer Kaitlyn “Amouranth” Siragusa has become the biggest influencer on the streaming platform Twitch. She achieved this in a bikini, as she tells in a recent interview. That wasn’t her plan, but the opportunity was too good to pass up. Amouranth explains: Companies took advantage of attractive women for their purposes. Although she didn’t like it, she decided to use it to her advantage.
How successful is Amouranth on Twitch?
Amouranth had an average of around 9,500 viewers on Twitch last year. Therefore, her average viewer numbers are not “that” impressive. Based on these numbers, she would only be number 349 on Twitch, about on the level of the German streamer MckyTv.
The streamer streamed almost 4,000 hours last year, which is even more hours than marathon streamers like xQc, Tyler1, or Trainwreck can offer. Although Amouranth isn’t always fully present, as is known.
Amouranth is one of the streamers who was banned from the Twitch platform for a while when she went too far:
“A lot of girls started doing it and I thought: I could do that too”
This is what the streamer says about her success: In an interview with the site Refinery29 Amouranth explains how she became successful. Because she actually hadn’t planned to start as a “bikini streamer” in that way. That only came with time.
At the beginning of her career on Twitch, she showcased cosplay and focused more on artistic streams. But over time, that changed and her content became more sexually charged. In doing so, she followed a trend she could observe at the time.
She explains.
I never planned that. But the opportunity was quite good and a lot of girls started doing it, so I thought: Wow, I could do that too!
Amouranth
When Amouranth started showing herself in a bikini and coined the term “Hot Tub” on Twitch, her streams became more successful and profitable:
It was easy to tell that it worked for me, as my viewer numbers shot up from 4,000 to over 10,000, sometimes to 20,000 or 30,000.
Amouranth
This is how it affected her viewer numbers:
In 2018 and 2019, the streamer had quite consistently 2,000 viewers on average – although she was already on air for 4,000 hours a year.
Still in 2020, Amouranth had only 3,032 viewers on average.
In 2021, with the switch to the bikini, her viewer numbers increased to 9,700.
The breakthrough came when Twitch allowed “sexy in the eyes of others”
What does Twitch think? For a while, it was unclear whether Twitch would allow this trend of bikini streams or take strict action against it. Ultimately, Twitch decided in 2021 to make this statement (via twitch):
Although we have guidelines against sexually explicit content, it is not against our rules to be perceived as sexy by others, and Twitch will not take action against women or anyone on the platform who is perceived as attractive.
Twitch
How does Amouranth view the criticism? In response to criticism of her videos that she would sexualize herself and only satisfy and exploit the lower needs of men, Amouranth says: These are prejudices from certain viewers.
These people need to become less sensitive to the human body, especially the female body:
If they could just get used to seeing girls in bikinis, they might stop freaking out or behaving oddly. I think: That’s my body. I’m a person. You have a body too. Let’s all deal with it and move on.
How successfully Amouranth uses the “system” to make profits is evident from her excellent income:
From Amouranth’s perspective, she is just playing by the rules of the system and using them to her advantage:
I don’t care, because I’m looking at the world and that’s just how it is. Companies use attractive women to attract customers and stay in people’s memories. I find that annoying, but that’s the way the world is, and instead of getting bitter about it, I decided to profit from it.
How successfully Amouranth uses the “system” to make profits is evident from her excellent income:
From Amouranth’s perspective, she is just playing by the rules of the system and using them to her advantage:
I don’t care, because I’m looking at the world and that’s just how it is. Companies use attractive women to attract customers and stay in people’s memories. I find that annoying, but that’s the way the world is, and instead of getting bitter about it, I decided to profit from it.
How successfully Amouranth uses the “system” to make profits is evident from her excellent income:
