On Amazon Prime, there is a package with new loot for the MMORPG Lost Ark available since today. As usual, you will find a Crystalline Aura and the rare Amethyst Shards. As a special item in May, there is a chest to improve your relationship with NPCs.
What is currently available at Prime Gaming? You get a package of three different items:
Crystalline Aura – Duration 5 days
Amethyst Shards – 500 pieces
Relic Relationship Chest
You can claim the items by visiting Amazon Prime Gaming (via Amazon). The items are expected to remain active until May 31, before new loot comes to Prime Gaming.
We will explain below what these items are and how you can link your Lost Ark and Amazon accounts.
What does the Crystalline Aura do? The aura gives you some useful bonuses for 5 days, including:
Fast travel is free
Fee for overseas ships is reduced by 50%
One additional attempt for daily relationship actions
Health point regeneration is increased by 10%
Two additional Bifrost slots
Cooldown for the Song of Return is reduced by 50%
Various waiting times at your fortress are reduced and the experience points in the training area are increased
You temporarily receive the title Crystal Benefactor
30 days of this aura would normally cost you 450 crystals in the shop. This alternatively costs around 5,000 gold in-game currency or about 11 euros in real money currency.
What are Amethyst Shards? Amethyst Shards are a currency that you can only obtain through achievements, Twitch drops, or Prime Gaming. You can exchange them for Crystalline Aura, emotes, mounts, or companions.
We have created a dedicated guide for you on this:
This is how it works: You just need to link your Lost Ark and Amazon accounts to receive the rewards. To do this, go to the official Prime Gaming website.
First, you need to log in with your Prime account (two-factor authentication is required here).
Then you link your Prime account with your Steam account that you use to play Lost Ark.
You should now be able to redeem the contents on the website.
What do you think of the new rewards? Do you like the mount better than the pets from last time? Feel free to write it in the comments.
The future of Lost Ark looks bright. What exactly awaits you in the coming years, we have summarized here:
Ashes of Creation was originally set to be released in 2019 and was considered the biggest MMORPG hope in the West. The CEO himself stated that it would be one of the greatest MMOs ever. In spring 2021, there were first glimpses of the game’s Alpha, which led to great disappointment. But what does it look like a year later?
What defines the game? Ashes of Creation is a sandbox MMORPG that aims to appeal to both PvP and PvE fans. A major innovation is the so-called Node System.
The entire open game world is divided into zones, each containing a city. This city starts as a small collection of tents and can grow into a huge metropolis. Players must complete tasks in the city and the surrounding area. However, cities can also be attacked, destroyed, and conquered at specific times.
You level up your character through grinding and quests.
The individual areas are expected to contain additional quests for the cities, as well as random dungeons and world bosses that you can defeat with other players.
One special aspect of the game is the CEO, Steven Sharif. He is not a trained developer, but made millions with a Ponzi scheme. He was passionately fond of ArcheAge but was frustrated with many aspects and wanted to implement his own game. He invested several millions to finance Ashes of Creation.
What is the status of a release? Ashes of Creation was actually supposed to be released in 2019 but has been delayed repeatedly. In 2021, Alpha 1 started, which demonstrated that the MMORPG is still far from release.
A first glimpse of the Alpha version of Ashes of Creation is offered in this video by streamer Asmongold:
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Separation from Russian Publisher and Many Revisions
What is the current status of the game? Ashes of Creation is still in Alpha, and the MMORPG is currently not playable at all. Alpha 1 ended after a few weeks on August 15, 2021. Since then, the servers have been permanently offline.
Many were particularly disappointed because Ashes of Creation was seen as a major western MMORPG hope but showed too little progress after four years of development.
A discussion also arose about the topic of Alpha in general, as while many MMORPGs already showcase a kind of demo version of the game in Alpha, Ashes of Creation’s Alpha was actually intended for testing and finding issues.
Why is the game developing so slowly? For years, CEO Steven Sharif searched for new employees for his studio. Some positions were only filled after years. With the team’s expansion, new office spaces were also needed, which, according to dev blogs, took some time.
The Corona pandemic, which has occupied us for two years, has likely also had an impact.
However, much indicates overall that the developer has taken on too many features and game systems. On paper, Ashes of Creation still sounds extremely ambitious – which takes a lot of time in implementation.
Current images related to the Alpha of Ashes of Creation.
Regular progress, but no release in sight
What has changed since Alpha 1 in the game? Quite a bit. Since August, new mounts, areas, assets, and content have been presented. In October, a lot was about weather effects in the game world.
In early January 2022, the transition of the engine from Unreal Engine 4 to the new Unreal Engine 5 was announced. This is expected to make the MMORPG overall prettier and strengthen performance.
Additionally, the character editor has been completely overhauled. There are now more sliders for various settings, more options for hair, beards, tattoos, or scars, as well as interesting features like the “Family System.” This allows you to take the presets from two characters and create a new character based on the basic bodies of those characters – as if they had conceived a child.
A glimpse of the new character editor is provided in this video:
Start video
Ashes of Creation shows character creation in alpha gameplay – looks damn realistic
In the last studio update in April, dynamic events were introduced. These can occur anywhere in the world. In such an event, for example, goblins attack the cities, and players must defend against them.
These events are expected to announce themselves through various pre-events, such as when a plague slowly spreads in a region. Players can prevent these events early, but if they do not respond, the danger is supposed to increase. While the events run according to a scheme and a timer, there should be no large board with an event notice, but rather they should integrate naturally into the world.
Such events are also meant to appeal to PvE players.
When can we finally play? Although there are regular updates from the developers, it is currently unknown when Alpha 2 will start and when players can once again get hands-on with the MMORPG.
After Alpha 2, several beta events are expected to follow, which will likely run for a longer period. A release in 2022 is virtually ruled out. Much indicates that Ashes of Creation will rather appear in 2023 or even 2024.
Ashes of Creation is still regarded as a great hope, but the hype is fading
Why is Ashes of Creation so eagerly awaited? Fans of MMORPGs are still waiting for the next big game. New World did not convince many at release, and Lost Ark does not appeal to every player with its isometric perspective and unfamiliar controls.
However, Ashes of Creation offers the typical third-person view, emphasizes a more colorful world, promises a combat system for every type of player, and many freedoms that especially appeal to sandbox players. Moreover, the social interaction in the cities is supposed to lead to players being long-term attached to the game and their guilds within it.
However, many players have now realized that Ashes of Creation must also make compromises. In addition, the significant focus on PvP in the endgame was underestimated by many at first.
Due to the Alpha content, the hype around the game has temporarily subsided, but upon release, Ashes of Creation will certainly be an exciting MMORPG and will surely attract attention.
What do you think of Ashes of Creation? What do you say about the latest content? Does the MMORPG appeal to you?
If you want to play a new MMORPG in 2022, you can look forward to these 12 new games:
On May 3, 2022, the dungeon crawler “Loot River” (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X) was released on Steam and in the Game Pass. A year ago, the basic idea for the game sounded fantastic and a bit crazy: a mix of Diablo’s gameplay, enhanced by the unique mechanics of Tetris. However, in the reviews on Steam, Loot River seems to be falling short.
What kind of game is this?
“Loot River” was presented at the Summer Game Fest in June 2021 – this is the “replacement E3,” which consists of hours of crazy trailers being shown. Loot River stood out back then with a quirky concept.
Loot River is essentially a typical “rogue-like” dungeon crawler with procedurally generated dungeons, but as an extra twist, they tossed in “Tetris” into the idea mixer and hit “go.”
The developer Mirko Straka stated at the Summer Game Fest: “Imagine if Diablo and Tetris had a baby” – that was a strong pitch.
This was how the game was presented a year ago – the segment starts at 2:46:37
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The idea was to make a loot game where you can slide the platform you’re moving on to be more flexible.
This apparently worked excellently as the “first pitch of a game” and the idea initially sounded incredibly appealing and exciting: You kill monsters and when they get too close, you can simply slide the platform elsewhere like in Tetris, and the monsters can no longer reach you.
This is how it really goes now: The show aired 11 months ago and the Summer Game Fest made potential players curious. Now the game is finally released on Steam. However, the Steam reviews are rather mediocre.
After one day, the game, which costs €22.49, has only 64% positive reviews – these are “mixed reviews,” falling in the range of 3- or 4+.
What do players who like Loot River say? There are also some who really enjoy the game and are exactly into this crazy combo. One user says:
“I’ve always been a fan of games that mix different unique mechanics, and Loot River definitely does that – it combines a dungeon rogue-like including puzzles with a souls-like combat system in an interesting dark fantasy world.”
Another refers to the game as the “Dark Souls of Tetris games.”
Others are also excited about the crazy genre mix and the challenging difficulty of the game.
At the moment, however, it seems that the general verdict would be: “Great idea, lots of potential, but still lacks content and polish in the mechanics.”
At least we now know how it would look if Diablo and Tetris had a baby: kind of quirky.
For those who want to play a game that is “kind of like Diablo,” we have the correct list on MeinMMO:
The new Field Research (Quests) in May 2022 for Pokémon GO are here. We show you which ones are worth it.
What is new? Developer Niantic regularly changes which content players can earn from Field Research in Pokémon GO.
There are new quests this month again, and we show you which of them are worth your time and which you can ignore.
[toc]
Field Research in May 2022: Catching
Catching Research: The following researches focus on catching specific amounts of Pokémon or using items.
Catch 5 Pokémon
Reward: Encounter with Zwirrlicht*, Shuppet* or Traunfugil*
Catch 7 Pokémon
Reward: Encounter with Karpador*
Catch 5 different species of Pokémon
Reward: Encounter with Owei*
Catch a Dragon-type Pokémon
Reward: Encounter with Dratini* or Kindwurm*
Catch 5 Pokémon with weather boost
Reward: Encounter with Vulpix*, Quapsel*, Hippopotas* or Shnebedeck*
Use 5 berries when catching Pokémon
Reward: Encounter with Ledyba*, Webarak* or Yanma*
Which ones are worth it? Especially the task with Dragon-type Pokémon can be worthwhile for you, as Brutalanda and Dragoran are among the best Dragon attackers in Pokémon GO.
Field Research in May 2022: Throwing
Throwing Research: In this type of research, it’s important to land good, great, or excellent throws. Sometimes even multiple in a row.
Land 5 good throws
Reward: Encounter with Dummisel*
Land 3 great throws
Reward: Encounter with Snubbull*, Liliep* or Anorith*
Land 3 great throws in a row
Reward: Encounter with Onix*
Land 5 great curveball throws in a row
Reward: Encounter with Pandir*
Land an excellent throw
Reward: Encounter with Dratini*
Land 3 excellent throws in a row
Reward: Encounter with Kaumalat*
Which ones are worth it? For collectors among you, it’s worth completing the Pandir quest. This month, Form #7 is available as a reward. Additionally, Dratini and Kaumalat are interesting Pokémon, as their evolutions Dragoran and also Knakrack are among the best Dragon attackers. Knakrack is also among the best Ground attackers in Pokémon GO.
Field Research in May 2022: Fighting
Fighting Research: In these quests, you are supposed to fight against other trainers or also in raids.
Win a raid
Reward: Encounter with Galar-Zigzachs*
Win a level 3 raid or higher
Reward: Encounter with Amonitas* or Kabuto*
Win 5 raids
Reward: Encounter with Aerodactyl*
Fight in the battle league
Reward: Encounter with Hydropi*
Which ones are worth it? For collectors, the quest that gives you an encounter with Galar-Zigzachs is worth it. This Pokémon is quite rare, and the shiny is highly valued among collectors.
Field Research in May 2022: Hatching and Power-Ups
Egg and Power-Up Research: Here, you should hatch various amounts of eggs or power up your Pokémon.
Hatch an egg
Reward: Encounter with Mantax* or Klikk*
Hatch 2 eggs
Reward: Encounter with Tanhel*
Use 3 power-ups on Pokémon
Reward: Encounter with Bisasam*, Glumanda* or Schiggy*
Use 5 power-ups on Pokémon
Reward: Encounter with Endivie*, Karnimani* or Feurigel*
Use 7 power-ups on Pokémon
Reward: Encounter with Geckarbor*, Flemmli* or Hydropi*
Which ones are worth it? Tanhel and Klikk are quite rare Pokémon that you can get from these tasks.
Field Research in May 2022: General
General Quests: For these quests, you are supposed to redeem cryptos, take snapshots or spin photo discs.
Take a snapshot of a Pokémon in the wild
Reward: Encounter with Hoppspross*, Yanma* or Kramurx*
Which ones are worth it? Exciting Pokémon in these quests are Mogelbaum, Trasla, and also Machomei. If you find quests of this type, it’s worth completing them. You’ll get strong attackers for your collection.
How do you like the quests for this month? Do you think that Niantic made a good selection with the Pokémon and the rewards, or do you feel that it’s too little and wish for a major overhaul of the Field Research soon?
The Overwatch streamer Daniela “Deku” was not pleased at all, because when she wanted to provide her viewers with a new emote, Twitch decided against it and prohibited the use of the emote.
This is the situation:
The streamer Deku primarily plays Overwatch and has an average of 141 viewers. She also has about 760 subscribers, and it was for them that she wanted to upload a new animated emote: a dancing white dog.
The dog presents its rear and tail to the camera, bouncing up and down.
Impossible, thinks Twitch, and does not allow the streamer to use this emote. They wrote to her that the dog emote violates the platform’s guidelines. It shows sexual content or nudity.
Furthermore, it is prohibited to upload sexualized bodies, bodily fluids, and animated images of rear ends. Deku couldn’t let this slide and took appropriate action (via Twitter).
Not only emotes can be banned, but also streamers:
Start video
The 5 biggest Twitch bans that caused a lot of commotion
Twitch streamer Deku fights back against the measure
What did the streamer do? Deku tried to upload the emote a second time, just mirrored (via Twitter). To her disappointment, Twitch recognized the clever attempt and blocked the little dog again.
Here you can see the dog emote in action:
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“Twitch really said: ‘Yes, we allow a half-naked woman on Twitch while she licks ear microphones, but a dancing dog wagging its tail is going too far.'”, tweeted Deku.
With this, she referred to the well-known Twitch streamer Amouranth, who often presents herself quite revealing in her live streams and licks a microphone to convey a pleasant feeling to the viewers.
Deku ultimately published her dancing dog after all (via Twitter): On BetterTTV, a site that allows streamers to connect their Twitch account with it and upload additional free emotes. Through the site, all viewers who have the BetterTTV browser extension can use the respective emotes without having to pay for them.
Currently, FIFA 22 is included in PS Plus, and you should give the game a chance – whether you are a newcomer or a returning player. We show you 5 reasons why you should definitely download FIFA 22 on your PS4 or PS5.
FIFA should probably be a term known to anyone who has something to do with video games. The football simulation is released annually with new squads, improved graphics, new animations, enhanced modes, and gameplay upgrades.
Now there is the current (really good) series installment in PS Plus, and we tell you why you should try it out.
Start video
FIFA 22: 10 helpful tips that will improve your gameplay
1. There’s something for everyone among the numerous modes
These modes are available: Whether you prefer to play alone, compete against other FIFA players, or go for goals with a friend, FIFA 22 truly has something for everyone.
You can grab a club in Career Mode and act as a manager to sign your favorite players and try to lead your club to the top of the league. Or you can create your own player in Player Career, control only this one, and attempt your luck at a club of your choice.
In FIFA 22, VOLTA brings back street football. In this mode, you can compete online as well as offline in small fields with just a handful of players and have a gaming experience that is much more arcade-oriented.
However, the main reason to play FIFA is likely the various online modes. Because there, the rule is:
2. FIFA 22 is perfect for those who want to compete with others
If you like to play competitively and want to fight your way to the top of the leaderboards, then FIFA 22 has the right modes for you with Online Seasons or Ultimate Team.
In Online Seasons, you can simply choose from licensed clubs and play your way from League 10 to the top. This can even be done with another player, which adds a special appeal. Because competing for victories and worrying about promotion or relegation is particularly fun when playing together.
It’s also competitive in Ultimate Team. Here, you collect so-called FUT cards and create your own team from current and former top stars. This is particularly challenging at the beginning of a FIFA season because there are not many top cards available and the prices for the best players are correspondingly high.
However, things are different now: There are tons of top cards that don’t cost many coins or can simply be earned through tasks.
3. Now is the perfect time to start with Ultimate Team
Currently, it’s a really good time to take a look at Ultimate Team. Because rarely has one been able to assemble a top team for so few coins. The prices for many cards are at rock bottom, and the big Team-of-the-Season event ensures that prices continue to fall.
So check out Ultimate Team and put together a strong starter team and compete in Division Rivals to earn rewards in the form of card packs. However, if you are after the best rewards, you should qualify for FUT Champions.
Here are a few really strong gold cards to start with:
What has always distinguished FIFA is the fun of competing against friends on your own sofa. And that hasn’t changed in FIFA 22. Here, you can play with up to 4 players simultaneously, organize tournaments, or just play 1v1.
Additionally, there is a selection of fun modes like Surprise Ball, where the ball grants the player various abilities like maximum boost or maximum shot. Or Survival, where after each goal, a player gets sent off. In these modes, realism is set aside, and fun takes center stage, which can provide a lot of enjoyment on the sofa with friends.
5. Be sure to try Pro Clubs with your friends
Since FIFA 22 is currently included in PS Plus, your PlayStation friends likely also have PS Plus and thus access to the game. It’s a great opportunity to try Pro Clubs together. There, you will create a club together, where each of you controls an individual player and you form a team together. The more friends you can rally, the more fun Pro Clubs will be.
You earn experience points, improve your player, and try to climb up in the various leagues. It guarantees exciting football evenings with friends on the console.
Have you already tried FIFA 22? Or are you already an experienced player? Feel free to let us know in the comments!
If you’re diving into FUT, you should definitely check out the current Icon Swaps 3. There you can score extremely strong Icon cards without spending coins. Here are some tips for you:
In Destiny 2, the Guardian Games 2022 are currently enticing with a new powerful weapon that offers a unique advantage. However, those who wanted to quickly snag a good roll at the event’s start were disappointed. A bug has crept in, preventing players from farming additional variants of the weapon. MeinMMO tells you what happened.
Update 05.04.2022 – 23:00: : The bug has since been fixed. Further down the article, you will find the exact details and the information from Bungie.
Guardians in Destiny 2 have warmed up to earn platinum strike medals for their class. Besides this basic class combat, the new Void submachine gun “The Title” was especially an interesting carrot for players. So many checked out the Guardian Games 2022 last night.
How strong exactly? That’s what the Guardians naturally wanted to find out for themselves, and they lined up with Eva to get the Guardian Games quest “Class Primus” and then snag the first version of the submachine gun “The Title”.
The weapon initially dropped as planned, after completing the quest, for every player with the perks “Vorpal Weapon” and “Grave Robber”.
But then it was already over, because a bug had crept into the Guardian Games 2022 and caused long faces. “Vorpal Weapon” and “Grave Robber” were supposed to be the only perks that many players could receive from the submachine gun during the Guardian Games 2022.
This roll of “The Title” could be obtained, but then it was over.
What bug has crept in? Anyone who tried to farm further rolls of the weapon after the quest with Eva was disappointed. Due to faulty drop rates, players were unable to farm any additional rolls of the weapon apart from this first variant, and Bungie is already aware of this bug.
Bungie’s community manager, Liana Ruppert, took to Twitter and confirmed the bug last night.
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Thus, Bungie informed the Guardians about the bug.
Players are disappointed: This information is especially disappointing for players because the weapon is the only highlight of the Guardian Games 2022 for many, and exactly this is now bugged.
So anyone who spent their time in activities and sought as many bronze, gold, and platinum medals as possible for the weapon was not rewarded. The effort for platinum medals is particularly high.
Players spent many medals to obtain the weapon, only to receive nothing.
So the player Ace935 writes on Twitter about his experience:
I played for about 3 hours between legendary lost sectors and the new playlist, earned laurels and received platinum medals, […] and got nothing but the quest reward.
When will the issue be fixed? Currently, there is no exact time known when Bungie will address the problem. However, the developer is currently asking players to initially report their experience in the Bungie Help Forum if they have also not received the weapon. But it can be assumed that a hotfix for this problem will be provided as soon as possible.
Update 04.05.2022 – 23:00 Uhr: Bungie has announced that the issue with the drop rates has now been resolved. The developer shared the following on Twitter: “The submachine gun ‘The Title’ will now randomly drop again with medallion submissions. The higher the medal, the higher the drop chance.”
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But exactly this causes even more displeasure among players. Frustrated players even accused Bungie of intentionality behind the poor drop rate. Understandably, as the event only lasts three weeks, and every day that passes without a drop diminishes the chances of getting the desired god roll of the weapon.
On YouTube, player IoTheKingOfGames explains this as follows:
Bugged? More like you have to play 1000 hours just to get one. It’s intentional. It’s all about the “engagement” of the players. Bungie is good at this. Of course, it’s bugged. […] this is a recurring pattern with this company.
They say that every time something has a drop chance of 0.00000001%. They’re lying and just want us to play the game nonstop so they can show the “engagement” stats to their investors.
After all, “The Title” is thus the first weapon in Destiny 2, that nearly every player has in the same roll. Thus, it seems there is currently no player who can score with a perfect god roll of the weapon. Nevertheless, players hope for a quick resolution of the bug. As soon as Bungie announces anything about this, we will of course update this article for you.
Please report your experiences in the comments. Were you able to obtain further rolls of the weapon “The Title” during the Guardian Games 2022 despite the bug, or did the bug affect you as well? Let us know how you like the weapon so far.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
NFTs are highly controversial in gaming. Now, a Valorant pro has reportedly lost a lot of money. Because he followed a trend that can quickly backfire with NFTs.
NFTs are a new trend and equally controversial. Now, a well-known Valorant pro has lost a lot of money with NFTs. At least that’s what he claims on his social media channel.
Matt ”WARDELL” Yu, who is a professional player in the shooter Valorant, had invested in digital whales. These are images of whales that are supposed to be unique. He reportedly relied on a trend that can be quite costly for unsuspecting investors if the action backfires.
Pro is said to have lost 285,000 Euros, but it may not just be about money
What exactly happened? WARDELL claims on Twitter that he lost between 200,000 and 300,000 US dollars through NFTs. 300,000 US dollars is approximately 285,000 Euros. He supposedly invested the money in the “Catalina Whale” project.
“In the next few days, I will work on submitting a report about the person who stole over 200k, 300k now because of Catalina Whale PUMP 💥 (POW). My mental health hasn’t been the best in recent months, but I have to keep going.” (Matt ”WARDELL” Yu)
How exactly did he lose the money? In several posts, he explains that money was stolen from him and that he wants to take action against it. However, he does not explain how the theft occurred.
In his first post, he speaks of “Pump.” This refers to a risky trend where unsuspecting people can quickly lose a lot of money.
In another post, he has since explained that he confronted the thief. However, he does not go into much detail:
“I confronted the person who stole from me. I can’t wait to share this with all of you. So much juice.” (Matt ”WARDELL” Yu)
What does Pump even mean? “Pump” refers to a risky trend in NFTs. Well-known pros or celebrities buy certain NFTs or explain how great they are. Many followers or friends then join in and also purchase the NFTs or the currency. The NFTs then begin to increase significantly in value.
Such pump actions are often used to increase the value of NFTs. For instance, the “Azuki NFT collection” increased its value from 1 ETH to 20 ETH during such an action (via business2community.com).
The previous owners then have a chance to profit and sell their NFTs significantly above the value that existed before the pump action.
The new investors then possess thousands of coins and NFTs, which however lose significant value again or even become worthless due to the sales of the previous owners. This is referred to as “Pump and Dump.”
It’s probably about more than just money: The whole action is likely to have long-term consequences. Because for WARDELL, it’s probably about more than just the money he lost. On Twitter, he openly supported the NFT group behind Catalina Whale and regularly interacted with them. Presumably, he hoped to benefit from the NFT group in the long run.
It’s not the first time an NFT project has made negative headlines. For example, the owners of digital monkeys lost around 3 million Euros just by clicking on a link:
In the MMORPG World of Warcraft, the race for World First demands everything from the best guilds in the world – and apparently that is too much. As the leader of the guild “SK Pieces” based in Berlin states, they want to withdraw from this race after 10 years. The guild is disbanding. The price to compete at the top has simply become too high.
What kind of guild is this?
The guild “Pieces” has existed since 2010 in World of Warcraft. It has been competing for the “World First” since 2017. Here, the best guilds in World of Warcraft compete to be the first to defeat a raid boss on the highest difficulty level.
Its peak came in May 2019, when they achieved the World First Kill in the raid “Crucible of Storms”, a raid in “Battle for Azeroth”. In the current raid, the guild ranked 4th worldwide. For about 5 years, Pieces has been among the top 5 WoW guilds in the world.
A few months ago, “Pieces” joined the German esports organization SK Gaming and has since had “Berlin” as their location. However, this is actually an English-speaking guild.
To be the best in the world, one would have to sacrifice everything in real life
This is why the guild is disbanding: In a post on Twitter, the founder and leader of the guild, Luml, says it makes him sad to announce after 10 years that Pieces is disbanding:
The market has become so competitive when it comes to how many hours everyone has to invest that it is not sustainable without sacrificing everything in real life for the raid.
He thanks the guild members for their dedication and wishes them all the best in the rest of their lives. He himself will take a break and rethink his options for what he wants to do with his life.
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Latest raid lasted 19 days until World First – That was too long
Here’s what’s behind it: World First raiders prioritize everything for the raid during the “progress” period, pausing their lives and raiding with maximum commitment. However, it is usually just a sprint; it should only take days, a maximum of two weeks. The first two raids in Shadowlands were “cleared” in 8 and 7 days (via dotesports).
However, the current raid in WoW was perceived by the raiders as “too hard”; the race lasted too long and was too exhausting: It took 19 days until the World First raid – that significantly exceeded the “limit” of 14 days that most guilds set.
It drove guilds to despair: The Jailer.
The length of the “World First race” apparently disrupted the raiders’ schedule and led to significant problems: One of the top guilds had to abandon their attempt. Because the break in “real life” could not be extended indefinitely – WoW had to take a back seat.
Blizzard has now acknowledged the problems and promised not to overdo it in future raids. There were suspicions that Blizzard deliberately makes the “race for World First” so difficult to prolong it, allowing viewers to watch longer as the raiders struggle against the bosses:
The hardcore shooter Hell Let Loose was released in June 2019 on Steam as an early access title. In November 2018, MeinMMO editor Jürgen Horn explained why Hell Let Loose would become the anti-Battlefield. But how is the anti-Battlefield doing in 2022 and did it live up to its title after leaving beta status in 2021?
What are the current player numbers? When Hell Let Loose launched in early access in June 2019, the WW2 shooter had an average of 1,600 players on Steam. For over a year, the average player count remained below the 2,000 mark.
In 2021, Hell Let Loose saw a surge. Player numbers steadily increased, and the official release and exit from beta also resulted in a significant jump. In April 2022, an average of 6,300 players played the hardcore shooter (via steamcharts.com).
What does ‘anti-Battlefield’ mean? Hell Let Loose is a “World War II” shooter and, similar to Battlefield V, focuses on large battles.
However, instead of implementing relatively fast movement and quick gunfights like its competitors Battlefield V, Call of Duty: WW2, or CoD: Vanguard, Hell Let Loose focuses on realism and removes any aids from the player.
Why MeinMMO editor Jürgen Horn saw Hell Let Loose as the “anti-Battlefield” around 4 years ago can be read here:
Hell Let Loose sees an increase in players on Steam
How does Hell Let Loose compare? To better interpret the numbers, we need to take a look around Steam. It is noticeable that Hell Let Loose is in prominent company regarding player numbers.
Another WW2 shooter is in close proximity with Battlefield V. EA DICE’s shooter had an average of 9,277 players in April (via steamcharts.com). While the EA shooter lost about 1,700 players compared to the previous month, Hell Let Loose gained almost 600 players.
We also saw a rise in hardcore shooters with Squad. The title reached an average of 10,000 players for the first time in April and set a new record (via steamcharts.com). This is a development that is also conceivable for Hell Let Loose as it is also a hardcore shooter focused on realism.
In contrast, we see Battlefield 2042. After much was expected of the shooter in 2021, the player numbers are relatively modest with an average of 2,140 players in April 2022 (via steamcharts.com).
Unlike the two Battlefield titles, the hardcore shooters Hell Let Loose and Squad have seen a significant increase in their player numbers over the past months.
What kind of game is this? Hell Let Loose is a multiplayer shooter set in World War II. Up to 100 players compete against each other simultaneously in historical settings. The focus is on realism and strategy.
Hell Let Loose is considered a hardcore shooter. The game does not provide the player with any special aids. For example, there is no crosshair, no hit marker, or kill confirmation.
You are left to your own devices with your weaponry and teammates on the dark battlefield. Support from the commander, other squads, or artillery must be requested by your officer.
Generally, there is nothing in Hell Let Loose that does not belong in the setting. Bright skins or similar are avoided. The weapons behave like their real-world counterparts, and each soldier has a specific role. Therefore, communication and tactics are enormously important for success.
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Hell Let Loose im Trailer
Who is Hell Let Loose interesting for? Hell Let Loose is interesting for players who want to play a realistic shooter. Additionally, you should not be deterred by the World War II setting and the lack of aids.
In Hell Let Loose, a microphone is very important. Communication with team members is a significant part of the game. Many servers require players to have a microphone. However, those who engage can meet many players. Many servers are designed for a specific region or language.
Every day, there are well-filled servers on which only German is spoken or should be spoken. Of course, you can also play on English-speaking servers. A server browser gives you the opportunity to decide for yourself.
Hell Let Loose has not only recorded an increase in player numbers. The reviews on Steam are also very positive. Of over 46,000 player reviews, 87% are positive. The hardcore shooter is doing better in 2022 than ever before.
Have you tested Hell Let Loose and if so, how did you like the realistic gameplay in World War II?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Lost Ark there is a server maintenance taking place today, May 4th. A new update will also be deployed. We will reveal everything about the patch notes and the duration of the server downtime. Additionally, we received an interesting statement from Community Manager Roxx regarding the big May update.
Update 12:00 PM: The servers are back online!
What’s in the patch on May 4th? The new update focuses on minor bug fixes. The complete German patch notes are as follows:
Unlocking a character slot will no longer reduce the remaining number of available purchases for character slot expansion tickets. If you were unable to unlock all character slots due to this error, the correct number of remaining tickets will now be displayed to you.
Some incorrect entries in the emote list have been corrected.
The issue where the Feiton Powerpass could not be used if various world quests on the previous continents were not completed has been resolved. As long as the Feiton quest “Will” is completed, you can use the Powerpass.
A bug in the reporting system has been fixed.
The only surprising thing about the update is that it is being deployed on a Wednesday. The weekly maintenance usually takes place on Thursdays.
How long will the maintenance take? The servers will go offline at 9:00 AM German time. The maintenance for the update is expected to take between 4 and 7 hours, according to forum posts. Afterwards, the servers will be rebooted and the patch will be in the game.
Should there be an extension of the maintenance, we will keep you updated in this post.
Community Manager Roxx, however, points out that future weekly maintenance will again take place on Thursdays.
The patch is expected to be released in the third week of May, tentatively on May 19th. Until then, detailed information about the update and the specific release date will be shared.
We at MeinMMO will keep you updated on this matter.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The celebrated streamer Sykkuno switched from Twitch to YouTube on May 3rd. Not an easy decision, as Sykkuno later revealed. However, Twitch hurt his ego so much that he ultimately chose YouTube.
This is the situation:
In recent weeks, negotiations took place between the YouTube platform and Twitch regarding streamer Sykkuno. He was among the top streamers on Twitch, both were vying for the 31-year-old.
He is among the 45 most-followed channels on the platform.
Moreover, he does not curse in his streams and does not really participate in dramas in the community, does not react to them. Sykkuno is as family-friendly as it gets.
Even one of his friends found it strange that Twitch no longer used him for advertising, he was perfect for that.
You can watch the stream with his statements here:
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He also discussed the various offers and contracts from the platforms: First, Sykkuno went to Twitch, as he qualified to negotiate a better contract due to his fame and numbers.
His initial offer was “very bad,” the streamer said, and then asked if there was no better deal. In fact, they increased their offer, and it was then supposedly a “very, very good proposal” and even “pretty much equal to YouTube’s.”
Sykkuno said he then decided: He stays on Twitch. He was shocked that Twitch made him such a good offer and suspected they were afraid of losing another big streamer. Recently, the big streamer Ludwig went to YouTube:
Sykkuno saw the email: “I thought they were joking me”
The streamer then showed the email from Twitch: “Can you see this?” Sykkuno asked his viewers visibly disappointed. “This is an official email that I received from Twitch and when I got it, I had to contact so many people to ask if it was a phishing scam.”
I should be the 28th highest-earning creator on the platform. The 45th most followed of all time on the platform and they called me “Su[c]kkuno” in an official email.
Sykkuno
Sykkuno wondered if he might have too big of an ego, but he was shocked. He really thought he was being pranked and was afraid to click on the email because he might get a virus.
“They couldn’t even spell my name correctly,” said the streamer and felt thus not really appreciated. He was ready to work more hours for less money because he liked Twitch so much, but the spelling mistake cut deep.
He summarized afterwards:
“The main reason I went to YouTube is – yeah, they had the better offer, no doubt about it and they spelled my name correctly, that was a big plus, I liked that, it was nice.”
Blizzard announced a new strategy game in the Warcraft franchise yesterday: Warcraft Arclight Rumble (iOS, Android). There are now 5 minutes of gameplay available on YouTube. The discussion is once again controversial: Blizzard is accused of being late to the “mobile gaming” trend; others say Blizzard has always followed trends.
Who is the video from? The video featuring the first gameplay of Arclight Rumble comes from Towelliee, a Twitch streamer. He seems to be one of the first people from Blizzard to have access to the game that is being hotly debated. For many “core fans” of Blizzard, mobile is a red flag.
5 Minutes of Gameplay for Arclight Rumble
Here’s what he says about the game: The streamer explains in a 5-minute video:
Blizzard presented the game as a “tower offense” game, but in reality, it is more of an action-strategy game
You build your forces from leaders and minis – the leaders are known characters from Warcraft like Grom Hellscream, Jaina, or Baron Rivendale.
There is a large single-player campaign with 70 missions
Plus weekly and monthly challenges in the form of dungeons or epic raids
There are about 60 characters from the Warcraft universe, presented as in a tabletop board game, which you can level up and improve
Here is the first gameplay of Arclight Rumble:
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Arclight Rumble is Mobile-First – No Plans for PC at the Moment
Will it also come to PC? Aside from the YouTube video, Towelliee is also showcasing the game live on Twitch.
He announced there that currently there are no plans for a PC port, as he learned from Blizzard. Blizzard does not completely rule that out for the future, but has no plans in that direction.
The game is fundamentally designed for mobile and is also intended to be “mobile first.” Blizzard wants to invest more effort into Arclight Rumble.
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There are many indications that Arclight Rumble has been in development for a very long time: In recent years, there have been repeated reports of Activision being dissatisfied that Blizzard released too few games and took too long in development.
This is how Blizzard introduced the game in the trailer:
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Trailer for Warcraft: Arclight Rumble, the new mobile game from Blizzard
“Blizzard has always followed trends”
What is the reaction to the gameplay? Even in the discussion surrounding the trailer, it is evident that opinions about the game diverge widely:
Many say it’s “just not a game for them”. It looks boring
Some criticize Blizzard for being late to the party with such a “tower defense” game in 2022
However, there are also some who defend Blizzard: They say that Blizzard has never been an innovator, has always followed trends, and improved them. They want to at least give Warcraft a chance
We have also compiled a depiction of this discussion and the initial reactions in detail on MeinMMO:
Surprisingly, Pokémon GO brought a few strong Rocket changes to the game with the Air Event. However, it seems like that was just an accident. We show you what is no longer possible.
What are these changes? At the start of the Air Event on May 3, trainers noticed that there are secret Rocket changes in the game. Balloons arrive every hour, the Rocket Grunts are battling against other Pokémon, the difficulty of the battles is noticeably easier, and the Grunts found in balloons could reward trainers with shiny Shadow Pokémon.
These surprising changes have now been partially disabled, as trainers report.
Was this just a shiny glitch and not intentional?
This is now new: On the evening of May 3, more trainers reported that something has changed again with Team Rocket in Pokémon GO. User TrainerDaasC writes on reddit: “Crypto-Bluzuk and Crypto-Amonitas were removed from the Rocket lineup due to shiny Cryptos (accident) in the early time zones yesterday.”
He suspects that the two Pokémon were removed as Crypto encounters because there was a shiny glitch. According to his statement, the shiny Cryptos only existed for 5-6 hours in the early time zones.
Trainer UW_Unknown_Warrior also noticed changes and shares them on reddit. “I encountered 3 Rock-type Rocket Grunts. One from a balloon, two from stops. All started with a Snivy and not with Larvitar/Amonitas as reported. That’s a slap in the face.”
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Mega-Update in Pokémon GO
It is suspected: Actually, the Rocket Grunts are not supposed to distribute shiny Shadows. That’s why the joy was great when it actually worked.
Among other things, the new texts that Rocket Grunts told during their encounters were also removed. User BravoDelta23 writes on reddit: “The special texts are also gone. This makes me believe that this is a bug and someone released an old game master version. Again. This also happened during the Easter event. "
Player ThisNico responds: “The special text sounded like it was written for an event like the Johto tour or the GO Fest. I had at least one Rocket Grunt who spoke about confetti.”
It is quite possible that these secret changes were unintentional and were meant for another event.
The big GO Fest 2022 starts in June for Pokémon GO. One of the bonuses is “thematically appropriate confetti” for the respective habitat rotations. And Team GO Rocket is also expected to change slightly, at least for ticket holders.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
With Warcraft: Arclight Rumble, Blizzard announced a new mobile game on May 3rd. Reactions have been mixed. While some are excited about the new strategy game, many are criticizing the graphics and the layout of the maps. It doesn’t seem like Warcraft at all, many complain.
Overall, the game resembles a mix of tower defense and Clash Royale, with the characters and lore of Warcraft playing a role. You can deploy creatures like Murlocs or Tauren, unlock well-known heroes such as Grommash Hellscream or Jaina Proudmoore, and see iconic places from Warcraft.
But many don’t see this in the game, at least based on the initial reactions from reddit, GameStar, and here with us at MeinMMO. While there is also criticism for the general gameplay, the graphics are also criticized by those who are generally open to mobile games.
A video overview of the game is provided here:
Start video
Warcraft Arclight Rumble: All information about Blizzard’s new strategy game in 2 minutes
“I don’t associate the design with Warcraft”
What are the critics saying exactly? The community on MeinMMO is generally open to the game. This is illustrated by our survey, which had 1836 participants by 8:18 AM on May 4th:
679 of them (37 %) will definitely play the new Warcraft
647 – and thus 35 % of the participants – will definitely ignore the game
510 of them (28 %) are still undecided
You can participate in the survey yourself here:
Despite the relatively positive results in the survey, we are also receiving many negative comments regarding the graphics. MeinMMO reader Grona1992 writes:
That the game follows this trend was to be expected. But that it completely orients itself to the current market when it comes to design, I personally find sad. Sure, a World of Warcraft is not “realistic” or “hard” designed. […] But the design philosophy in the picture, I absolutely do not associate with Warcraft at all. And I actually saw the potential in that. A mobile game that brings real Warcraft feeling. I can imagine that I wouldn’t be the only one who would have celebrated it if the mobile game had looked just like the original WC3FT.
Our reader Bodicore thinks that the game looks overall cheap, as if it was purchased and then painted over with the Warcraft art style. Harschen also can’t get on board with the art style of the game. He sees it more as a rip-off of a Warcraft game.
With this opinion, our readers are not alone:
At GameStar, the reader KingConker writes: “Mobile game or not, but a game can’t look more loveless. […] Has Blizz now also unlearned good graphic design?”
Hinter7j also writes at GameStar: “While Genshin Impact creates a magnificent open world on mobile and approaches titles like Zelda and Elden Ring, we are getting this from Blizzard… hmm, yes.”
In reddit, the user xtrm writes: “Blizzard has made the most generic mobile game ever and then just wrote Warcraft on it.” Here too, there are several comments suggesting that the basic game was bought and later a Warcraft skin was applied to it.
What else is being criticized besides the graphics? The still somewhat unclear monetization concerns many players. Some fear it could lean towards pay-to-win.
Although Blizzard has already promised that the heroes will not be in loot boxes and there will be a daily cap for progress, those who want to invest little time in the game will be able to buy progress for real money. What this will look like specifically is still unclear.
Some are also confused that with the announcement, there was not immediately a beta launched or the game released right away. They fear that the mobile game might quickly be forgotten after the announcement.
There is a fundamental interest in Warcraft Mobile
Is everything about the game bad? No. Our survey shows that 37 % of the participants are indeed interested in the game. Praise is given for the idea of focusing a lot on co-op missions and PvE. Games like Clash Royale tend to focus more on PvP.
Many see Warcraft: Arclight Rumble as an opportunity to draw a younger generation of players to the franchise. This, in turn, would increase the chances of a Warcraft 4 being developed in the future. This is something the reddit user Rambo_One stated:
I am clearly not the target audience for this game, but I will probably download it and try it out. People are mad that it is not the next evolution of mobile games. This subreddit has been demanding an expansion of the Warcraft IP for years. From “We want a Warcraft single-player game” to “Skyrim in WoW?” to “Netflix Warcraft series, when?” People want the IP to expand but seem to dislike when it is expanded in a broader direction than just “same game, just slightly different”.
In general, mobile games are a huge market and, not least, strategy games like Clash of Clans are very popular. In 2021 alone, the mobile game generated nearly 490 million dollars in revenue; at its peak in 2015, it even surpassed 1.8 billion dollars (via BusinessOfApps).
For comparison:
Guild Wars 2 has generated about 700 million dollars since its release – in 10 years and after 3 expansions (via NCSoft).
Daybreak – the company that manages a total of 8 games, including Lord of the Rings Online, Planetside 2, DC Universe Online, and EverQuest 1 & 2 – had a total revenue of about 620 million dollars in 2021 (via EnadGlobal7).
Activision Blizzard King with games like WoW, Overwatch, Warzone, CoD Mobile, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, and Candy Crush generates about 2 billion dollars in revenue in a quarter (3 months) (via Activision).
That Blizzard wants to enter this market is therefore not surprising. Whether Warcraft: Arclight Rumble is the right game for that will be seen in the future. What is your opinion on the game? Is the graphics really that bad?
Somewhat more promising looks the upcoming Diablo Immortal for many. It now has a release date and even gets a PC version:
Nintendo released a new sports game for the Nintendo Switch on April 29, 2022: Nintendo Switch Sports. You can play volleyball, badminton, or tennis among other things. The motion-controlled Joycons help to make the gameplay as realistic as possible. The controllers are included with every Switch – but those are currently flying through the rooms, claiming the first victims.
Do you remember Wii Sports for the Nintendo Wii? The classic was released nearly 16 years ago and has since claimed many televisions.
The Wiimotes, the predecessors of today’s Joycons, were also equipped with motion control and flew through the living rooms of sports enthusiasts.
There is even a small compilation of clips showing players accidentally smashing the Wiimotes into their televisions:
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Even in the sports version for the Nintendo Switch, there are now the first broken monitors and hands. Nowadays, this is no longer recorded with private, pixelated cameras, but in full HD and live on Twitch.
Such as streamer 63man, who played a round of tennis. He swung hard in the match and accidentally released the Joycon, which smashed into his monitor with full force.
63man stared at his screen in shock for a few seconds before pointing the camera at the damage. You can see the accident and his reaction in this Twitch clip:
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The well-known Twitch streamer Northernlion also recorded collateral damage while playing the sports game.
However, he wasn’t playing tennis, but volleyball and tried to get the ball. In the attempt, he threw his Joycon across the room.
“I threw my controller into space, man. Did you see the controller flying?” he asked, chuckling afterward. Northernlion then stated that he might have injured his hand while trying to catch the Joycon.
See the incident here:
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But not only streamers have accidentally captured their mishaps live, a reddit user also posted a photo in a post that received nearly 20,000 upvotes. “My first broken TV while playing Switch Sports” titled the user Equivalent_Actuary_6 the reddit post:
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They find it funny and nostalgic. Many reminisce about the old days from 2006 to 2008, when many actively played Wii Sports and destroyed their monitors.
We have collected some fitting statements from reddit for you:
kellylc is nostalgic: ‘Dude, I feel like it’s 2007 again.’
Mykeprime also says: ‘And so it begins again.’
tehnoodnub said: ‘This is the content I was waiting for,’ to which Empty_Combinations_64 replied: ‘In short: This is basically Wii Sports.’
CRawr27 remembers: ‘I learned my lesson during the Wii days, but with a wall. I know better now…’
Many also point out that you should always tie the included Joycon straps around your wrist to prevent such accidents. However, such straps were already available during the Wiimote era. Not much seems to have changed in the 16 years.
Do you still remember Wii Sports or do you even have a Nintendo Switch with the new sports game? Maybe you’ve even already claimed a monitor? Feel free to share your stories in the comments.
You really want to buy a PS5? Today you might have the opportunity to do so at Amazon. MeinMMO presents you with all the important information for that.
At Amazon, the so-called “Prime-Spoiler” has just reappeared – a well-known indication that there may soon be consoles (“Prime members have priority access to the PlayStation 5”). In the past, this has reliably pointed to an upcoming drop of the coveted console.
Where can I find the PS5 on Amazon? This hint has only appeared on the product page of the PlayStation5 Digital Edition. However, it cannot be ruled out that other bundles and possibly also the disc version of the console will be included and sold with this.
When does the sale start on Amazon? It is expected that the PS5 consoles will be available on Amazon on Wednesday, May 4 – a typical day for drops from the retailer. The sale will likely take place early in the morning between 9:00 and 11:00 AM. Therefore, you should be near your computer or at least have a mobile phone within reach if you want to have a chance.
How can I increase my chances? Add the PS5 or the corresponding bundles to your wishlist on Amazon right now. This way, you often get to the bundles faster during the sale.
Update: May 4, 9:51 AM: So far, it has been quiet at Amazon, and no new bundles or the disc version have appeared. But we are keeping an eye out for you.
Update: May 4, 9:26 AM: The PS5 Digital Edition is now sold out. It is quite possible that a bundle or the disc version will follow shortly. We will keep you updated!
Update May 4, 9:11 AM: The digital edition of the PS5 is available on Amazon!
For the upcoming drop, you should be a Prime member. Although it is said that Prime members have “priority access,” the offers go so quickly that other people don’t get a chance to purchase. You can also try Amazon Prime for 30 days for free.
Didn’t get a PS5? If you didn’t get a PS5, check out our ticker. Here we keep you updated daily and explain how to best get a PS5 and show you drops related to the coveted console.
The offers listed here contain so-called affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, you support MeinMMO: Without affecting the price, we receive a small commission from the provider.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Minecraft there is a level cap. So a max level – after that, nothing further happens. You simply no longer earn experience points (XP). But how high is it? And why?
What is it about? If you mine ores or kill monsters in Minecraft, you gain experience points for it. If you collect enough of them, you level up. This works quite quickly at the early levels, but becomes increasingly tedious. If you die in the game, you lose part of your XP.
The max level in Minecraft is level 24,791, although it makes a difference whether you play “correctly” or accumulate XP through a command in the console.
How much XP can you gain at most?
This much XP is available with Command: The maximum level you can give yourself by adding XP through the “/xp” command is 2,147,483,647. That is the ultimate limit, more is not possible without modifications (via Minecraft Wiki).
For the IT people among you, that is probably a familiar number. Because it is the highest positive value for a system that uses 32-bit integers.
Reaching such a high level in Minecraft requires a lot of skill and especially patience. Because for each level, you need more and more experience points to level up. And usually, you die anyway from a nasty creeper, even before you reach level 100.
Did you think that the maximum level in Minecraft could be so high, or did you think that you would reach it sooner? What is the highest level you have ever achieved in Minecraft? Share your experiences with us here on MeinMMO in the comments.
Publisher Activision Blizzard has revealed a lot of insider information about the past financial year in its “2021 Annual Report” for its investors and has also talked about why Call of Duty: Vanguard fell short of expectations. The developers mention mainly 2 reasons.
Why did Call of Duty: Vanguard sell so poorly? In a report to the shareholders of Activision Blizzard, the responsible parties name two reasons for Vanguard’s underperformance compared to expectations:
The setting in World War II was not well received by the community
There were not as many innovations delivered as expected by the players
They also state that it was mainly due to their own mistakes and that the market was misjudged. If you want to view the English report yourself, you can read the information here: via publicnow.com (Document).
Vanguard is selling poorly, but 2022 could be the year for CoD
How poorly did Vanguard sell? Official sales figures are only available from certain regions.
It is known, for example, that the figures in the UK were 40% lower than the sales of its predecessor, Cold War (via gamesindustry.biz). And Cold War had already fallen behind Modern Warfare 2019.
The first quarterly report from Activision Blizzard shows a similar picture (via businesswire.com). Revenues from product sales of Activision games declined significantly.
While in the first 3 months of 2021, 675 million $ were generated from product sales, in the same period in 2022, it was only 386 million $.
Since Activision primarily has only Call of Duty as a major new title in its portfolio, these product sales are largely attributable to the CoD franchise. In-game sales and similar revenues are listed separately. These figures did not decrease as much – from 1.6 billion dollars in 2021 to 1.382 billion dollars in 2022.
The figures from Blizzard, such as for WoW Shadowlands, are listed separately and are not part of the above figures.
Is Vanguard a flop? Talking about a flop in a Call of Duty game is always a bit contentious. The franchise sells exceptionally well compared to other games.
Vanguard was the best-selling game in the USA in 2021 (via statista.com). In second place, CoD continues with Cold War, the CoD from 2020, which takes home the silver.
Even the modern CoDs, which are considered real flops – Black Ops 4 and Infinite Warfare – sold well over 14 million copies. These are figures that other games can only dream of.
A CoD can sell poorly. But there has not been a flop, in relation to the market, since the first major hype of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.
What’s next for the CoD franchise? The new report reveals that currently, 3,000 people are working on Call of Duty and they are bringing the sequel to the most successful CoD to date: Modern Warfare 2.
It is also already known that at least 3 CoD games are in development:
Modern Warfare 2 – Premium CoD 2022
Warzone 2 (name not officially confirmed) – Free2Play Battle Royale
Warcraft: Arclight Rumble is a new mobile game by Blizzard that aims to appeal primarily to strategy fans. From the initial presentation, the game sounds like a mix of tower defense, hero collector, and Clash Royale. Notably, the well-known Warcraft characters are expected to play a role. It is the first strategy game for Warcraft since the release of Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne in 2003.
What exactly is Arclight Rumble? In the game, players are tasked with assembling an army that partly consists of well-known Warcraft characters. With this army, you will face various challenges:
There are over 70 single-player missions
There will be weekly and monthly challenges, consisting of multi-part dungeons or larger raids
The missions can partially be played cooperatively with friends
There will be competitive challenges
You can organize yourselves into guilds
In early videos, players can be seen entering a mission and then placing their army piece by piece to face enemies and even larger raid bosses. As a player, you make the decisions about which characters belong to your army, how often you take the characters, and where you place them on the battlefield.
Synergies are expected to play a role.
Alongside normal army creatures, there will also be well-known heroes that you can collect, and villains that you can fight against. Characters such as Grommash Hellscream, Rend Blackhand, and Jaina Proudmoore have already been mentioned.
There are expected to be a total of 5 factions: Alliance, Horde, Blackrock, Undead, and Beasts.
The combat is somewhat reminiscent of the attacks in Clash of Clans on another village. However, you also have your own cannon that is attacked by enemies and that you need to defend. Rounds can also end if time runs out.
Overall, the developers emphasize that everything should be “chaotic” and “entertaining”. You can find the first reactions to the game here:
When is the release of Warcraft: Arclight Rumble? The game is set to be released in 2022, although no exact date has been provided. The release will be for Android and iOS, and you can already pre-register in the Play Store (via GooglePlay).
The closed beta is expected to begin “soon” in selected regions.
A first look at Arclight Rumble is provided by this trailer video:
Start video
Trailer for Warcraft: Arclight Rumble, the new mobile game from Blizzard
Blizzard promises a true Warcraft experience
What does Blizzard say about Arclight Rumble? The mobile game is said to be easy to learn, but hard to master. Blizzard emphasizes multiple times that the game is intended to provide a “true Warcraft experience” and has been developed by developers who have long been loyal to the franchise.
The two game directors of the game are Adam Kugler and Tom Chilton:
Adam Kugler has been with Blizzard since 2012 and was lead class designer for World of Warcraft until the Battle for Azeroth expansion.
Tom Chilton was the game director of World of Warcraft and has been with Blizzard since 2004. He worked on WoW until Legion and then took over the leadership of Warcraft: Arclight Rumble.
The technical director, Monte Krol, has been with Blizzard since around 2000 and has had influence on the development of Warcraft 3 and StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty. Experience is definitely present in the team.
Accordingly, there should be many references to events in Warcraft and WoW as well as to locations there. However, the game also works without prior knowledge of the Warcraft world.
What about monetization? Fundamentally, Arclight Rumble will be a free-to-play game. However, there is a large discussion about the topic of monetization.
Games like Clash Royale have earned a negative reputation because players can use money to expand their bases and troops faster, thus gaining real advantages.
How exactly the monetization of Warcraft: Arclight Rumble will look is currently not known. According to GameStar, Blizzard is said to have assured that only progress and not characters will be monetized. It should be possible to fill certain progress bars, but characters should not be in loot boxes.
Moreover, there should be a cap on daily progress that can also be achieved through gameplay.
What do you think about the new Warcraft game? Will you have fun with it or would you have preferred a completely different genre? Feel free to share it in the comments.
Another big mobile game, Diablo Immortal, is already being released by Blizzard in the summer and even with its own PC version:
