A graphics card that you can’t even game with was recently sold for 4650 euros

A graphics card was sold on eBay for over 4000 euros. Yet, you can’t even game with it. But what kind of GPU is this?

Graphics cards are still quite expensive or hardly available at the moment. It’s no surprise that gamers are using every opportunity to get a graphics card at reasonable prices. Because currently, the chances of getting a graphics card are very low.

Now a graphics card was sold on eBay for 4650 euros. It is a unique prototype, supposedly the only prototype that works, according to the seller.

Intel graphics card sold for 4650 euros

What was sold? An Intel graphics card, known by the codename “Larrabee”, was sold on eBay for 4650 euros. The graphics card is something special, as it was never officially released for sale.

The seller writes about the graphics card on eBay:

The first and only functioning Larrabee prototype in the world.

If you are a serious collector, this is probably your only chance to get this piece of history. The [card] outputs video on every connection, so it works completely. Unfortunately, I do not have drivers for it [the graphics card].

At least behind the statement about the “only functioning prototype in the world” lie big question marks. Because there are several YouTube videos showing a functioning graphics card of this type ( YouTube and YouTube).

This is what the completed listing on eBay looks like.

What kind of graphics card is this anyway? The manufacturer Intel developed a graphics card under the codename “Larrabee”. However, Intel decided in 2009 not to manufacture the graphics card for the regular market. It was meant to be just a graphics card for its own research and lab purposes.

The performance of the Larrabee graphics card was about one tera-FLOP. Nvidia’s Fermi generation already offered twice the performance, and ATI was also significantly faster with the Radeon 5870.

This is probably why Intel chose not to go for a wide release, as they could not keep up with the competition from ATI, AMD, and Nvidia even at the presentation.

Does the graphics card still work today? There are no official drivers or software for the graphics card, as it is just a prototype. Intel likely provided internal software for developers, which, however, never went public.

A YouTube video shows how the Intel Larrabee graphics card can boot Windows 10 without any issues and is then recognized by Windows. However, gaming with the graphics card is probably nearly impossible. Intel never officially developed the graphics card as a gaming graphics card.

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The Larrabee graphics card in action in the YouTube video.

Other graphics cards are also being purchased, even though they are of little use for gaming

For example, a graphics card that is now 8 years old is still a bestseller on Amazon. This is mainly because the graphics card is available and can be purchased at a reasonably decent price. However, you should not buy such a graphics card if you want to game:

The currently best-selling graphics card on Amazon is actually not suitable for gaming

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

WoW: Season of Mastery Receives Even More Loot and XP

New World: February patch will solve many critical problems – Very well received by players

The developers of New World have released the first patch notes for the big update in February. Patch 1.4 is set to fix many bugs, make combat smoother, and boost PvP. Many players on the forum and reddit are excited about the update.

What new content does the February patch bring? Update 1.4 will not bring any new content. After new quests and a new weapon were released in November and dungeon mutators and endgame adjustments were released in January, the focus of the new update is on bug fixes and rewards.

But that’s exactly what players appreciate.

What are the main changes? The major focus of the update is primarily on adjustments to the combat system.

It will now be possible to switch weapons while moving, dodging, or using consumables. The weapon switch was a major point of criticism, as it was essentially interrupted by all actions.

Additionally, you can queue a skill immediately after switching weapons. So if you switch weapons and then press “Q” immediately, the “Q” will be executed by the new weapon, not the old one.

Generally, the animations for dodging will also be shortened. Blocking and dodging will now overwrite skills if activated within the first 2 frames of the animation. These changes are intended to make the combat system overall smoother.

Moreover, there will be several balance adjustments regarding rewards and weapons, which are generating many positive reactions in the community.

Outpost Rush becomes truly lucrative

What changes are coming to Outpost Rush? The PvP mode is receiving some updates and will now arguably be the most lucrative mode in the game:

  • A victory in Outpost Rush now grants 100 Shadow Shards, while a defeat grants 50. Shadow Shards are important for obtaining endgame equipment at 625.
  • Players will now earn faction tokens for participating in Outpost Rush.
  • There will now be a chance for a fourth piece of equipment in the reward chests, which will be a piece of jewelry.
  • The damage dealt to other players will now be included in the scoreboard.
  • If multiple players capture a point, it will now happen faster (up to 10 players).
  • The chance for a competence increase at the end of the match will be increased.
  • Several bugs will be fixed and adjustments will be made to the mobs on the map.

On reddit, players are celebrating these adjustments as they make Outpost Rush really interesting. The user Jacob_Kemp writes:

If it goes well, this will be the best patch ever. Outpost Rush will provide a repeatable, unlimited supply of Shadow Shards, faction tokens, and competence increases, and even potentially good equipment with named gear drops and the reduction of non-PvP perks. And of course, they also provide gold and Azoth.

via reddit

Outpost Rush also grants two Ruby Gypsum, which can also be used to increase competence.

New World Outpost Rush
In Outpost Rush, you fight in PvPvE for fortresses, but also for resources on the map.

Faster crafting and more useful fire staff

What other changes are well received? Players are praising several small things from the previous patch notes, including:

  • Jumping over small objects will no longer consume the entire animation, which should make movement faster
  • A new trade-only chat will be introduced
  • The experience required to level up Arcana, Armoring, Weaponsmithing, Jewelcrafting, and Carpentry will be reduced by 10%
  • Projectiles from the fire staff will be larger, and fireballs can now land critical hits
  • Fixes for the ice gauntlet
  • A significant overhaul of the musket
  • Several bug fixes and reworks for dungeon enemies

Overall, the patch is receiving many positive comments. The reddit user Humledurr heavily criticized New World in recent months, but now has renewed hope for the game: “I have complained a lot about New World lately, but this is really promising! It actually gives me new confidence in the game. I still need to try it out before I’m convinced.”

Was that really all? No, the previous patch notes are only the beginning of the February update. More bug fixes will be announced in the coming days. You can find the previous patch notes in the New World forum.

When does the PTR go live? Anyone who wants to try out the changes can visit the PTR starting February 3rd at 7:00 PM German time. A large part of the bug fixes and changes to the combat system will already be implemented there.

When will the patch go live on the live server? The update is expected to be released sometime in February. No specific date has been given, but it was recently stated that there should be at least two weeks between the PTR and the live version.

The developers also provided an outlook on future updates two weeks ago. Included was an important feature for PvP:

New World: Developers reveal new details about upcoming updates – announce important PvP feature

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Pokémon GO: The new field research in February 2022 – All rewards

In Pokémon GO, with the change of the month, the field research tasks and their rewards have also been adjusted. We at MeinMMO have taken a look at which quests you can secure in February and what rewards are hidden behind them.

What kind of tasks are there? If you spin a PokéStop in Pokémon GO, you will receive a so-called field research task. The quests and rewards are always adjusted with the change of the month, which is why there will be new tasks in February as well.

Once you have earned the research, you can find it under the “Field” category, which you can open by clicking on the binoculars. You can hold up to 4 tasks for processing there. So if you want to collect more tasks, you must first redeem some or delete them. Otherwise, you have unlimited time to solve them.

Field Research in February 2022 – All Rewards

As in every month, the field research can also be divided into different categories in February 2022, such as Catching, Throwing, or Battling. With the help of the overview from Leekduck, we have summarized all tasks and their rewards below (via leekduck.com).

All Pokémon that you can encounter in their shiny form are marked with an (*).

All Field Research for Catching

ResearchReward
Catch 5 PokémonEncounter with
Pidgey*
Pidove*
Doduo*
Catch 7 PokémonEncounter with
Magikarp*
Catch 5 different
species of Pokémon
Encounter with
Paras*
Krabby*
Krabhammer
Shuckle*
Catch 5 Pokémon
with weather boost
Encounter with
Vulpix*
Seadot*
Hippopotas*
Snorunt*
Catch a Dragon-type PokémonEncounter with
Dratini*
Bagon*
Use 5 berries when
catching Pokémon
Encounter with
Tangela*

All Field Research for Throwing

ResearchReward
Land 5 curveball throws
in a row
Encounter with
Kastadur*
Land 5 good throwsEncounter with
Dummisel*
Land 3 excellent throwsEncounter with
Snubbull*
Lileep*
Anorith*
Land 3 excellent throws
in a row
Encounter with
Onix*
Land 5 excellent
curveball throws in a row
Encounter with
Pandir* (Fur pattern 4)
Land 3 fantastic throws
in a row
Encounter with
Kaumalat*

All Field Research for Battling

ResearchReward
Win a raidEncounter with
Panzaeron*
Win a level 3 raid
or higher
Encounter with
Amonitas*
Kabuto*
Win 5 raidsEncounter with
Aerodactyl*
Battle in the
GO Battle League
Encounter with
Meditite*
Defeat 2 Team GO
Rocket Grunts
Encounter with
Nidorina
Nidorino

All Field Research for Friends & Your Buddy

ResearchReward
Collect 5 hearts with
your buddy
Encounter with
Fleknoil*
Earn 2 candies by
walking with your
buddy
Encounter with
Scoppel*
Earn 3 candies by
walking with your
buddy
Encounter with
Flunschlik
Trade a PokémonEncounter with
Starmie*
Open 3 giftsEncounter with
Parfi
Flauschling

All Field Research about Evolving & Power-Ups

ResearchReward
Evolve a PokémonEncounter with
Eevee*
Use 3 power-ups
on Pokémon
Encounter with
Bulbasaur*
Charmander*
Squirtle*
Use 5 power-ups
on Pokémon
Encounter with
Chikorita*
Cyndaquil*
Totodile*
Use 7 power-ups
on Pokémon
Encounter with
Treecko*
Torchic*
Mudkip*

All Field Research about Snapshots, Eggs & PokéStops

ResearchReward
Hatch an eggEncounter with
Mantyke
Hatch 2 eggsEncounter with
Tanheal*
Masqerain*
Take a snapshot
of a wild Pokémon
Encounter with
Bellsprout
Yanma*
Hoothoot*
Vileplume*
Oddish*
Roselia*
Spin 3 PokéStops
or Gyms
Encounter with
Treecko*
Spin 5 PokéStops
or Gyms
Encounter with
Taillow*

Which monsters are most worth it?

This month, Pandir is particularly worthwhile again. The monster can currently only be found in field research and has different fur patterns. This month you will encounter the fur color 4. With a bit of luck, you may even encounter a shiny.

Additionally, Kaumalat and Dratini are worth it due to their strong evolutions. These belong to the best attackers in Pokémon GO, so a strong specimen should not be missing from your collection.

Field Research Breakthrough in February 2022

In addition to the field research tasks, the research breakthrough has also changed as usual in February. If you redeem at least one field research on each of the 7 days, the research breakthrough will be unlocked and bring you another encounter.

In February 2022, you can encounter the Psychic Pokémon Psiau. It can evolve into Psiaugon. This can be visually distinguished as male and female. Of course, it is now finally available as shiny. You can recognize shiny Psiau by its pink body.

Psiau, Psiaugon (male) and Psiaugon (female) normal (top) and as shiny (bottom)

Here you can find out why trainers are looking forward to the research breakthrough with Psiau.

What do you think of the field researches in February? Which ones do you definitely want to secure? Feel free to write your opinion here on MeinMMO in the comments and exchange views with other trainers about it.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

What was the longest LoL game of all time?

Matches in League of Legends can vary significantly in duration. Sometimes a match ends after just a few minutes because one team dominates, and sometimes it lasts over an hour. But what has actually been the longest LoL match so far? We will reveal it to you.

What was the longest LoL match? The answer to that is not so easy. Theoretically, any player can start a match on their own and play indefinitely. However, looking at eSports, there is a clear answer.

The longest match there lasted 94 minutes and 40 seconds. The record was set in January 2018 during the first week of the Korean LCK. At that time, the teams T1 with superstar Faker and Jin Air Green Wings faced off. Numerous records were broken during the match, including:

  • The most minion kills in a match was collected by Jin-seong “Teddy” Park with 1,460 CS. He collected nearly 500 more minions than the previous record held by Zven.
  • 9 Barons were defeated in a match.
  • A total of 355,000 gold was farmed.

However, there were surprisingly few kills. The match ended with a score of 15:8 kills for Jin Air. A score that one often sees in matches lasting 25 minutes.

You can still watch the record match today on YouTube:

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A Ranked Match Lasted Almost 3 Hours

What records are known? In 2017, the developers responded to the question of what the longest LoL match to date was. They reported on a match in the solo queue that lasted 2:42:28, almost three hours. This took place in Oceania in 2017 (via LoL).

However, this value only applied to the longest match in the last 12 months. It’s quite possible that there was a ranked match in the previous or following years that lasted longer.

What do you think of these times? Did you think that a ranked match could last so long? And what has been your personal record match so far? Feel free to write it in the comments.

The abbreviation OTP is frequently used in LoL, but what does it actually mean? We reveal it to you in this article:

LoL: What does OTP mean and who does it apply to?

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Player wants to really ‘feel’ GTA 5, then totally overdoes it

A YouTuber wanted more realism while playing GTA 5. The right vibrations are not provided by a reinforced controller, but by an extreme modification of his desk. The viewers love it.

What is it about? GTA 5 has a huge selection of vehicles such as supercars or motorcycles. However, players like the YouTuber Teenenggr prefer it to be realistic. It’s not enough to feel the vibrations of the vehicles through a cheap controller and to hear the powerful engines. No, it has to be bigger. And better.

He therefore quickly built a completely exaggerated realism amplifier to his desk to truly feel his motorcycle.

Engine as a vibration amplifier? Viewers love it

What the YouTuber shows: At first, he plays Grand Theft Auto V normally at his desk. He rides around with the character Franklin on a motorcycle, does burnouts, and then comes to a stop. Then he enters a fictitious cheat code that says: I want to feel the motorcycle. Suddenly, an engine appears next to his monitor.

Then follow some funny scenes in which the YouTuber demonstrates how he connected the engine and the controls for it.

One controller is apparently connected to his game and detects how strongly a vehicle accelerates in the game. The controller is then connected to the throttle of the engine and raises the actual engine’s RPM when the vehicle in the game reaches a higher RPM.

It should be noted that the engine on the desk is a real engine, probably from a scooter. When it revs up, the tabletop vibrates intensely.

After a few tests, he rides through Los Santos on the bike and has to hold his keyboard down tightly so that it doesn’t vibrate away from under his hand.

In a race, this works very well. But apparently, the YouTuber is unhappy with the sound and vibrations and then quickly removes the exhaust. The engine now roars properly and pushes the table from its spot when he accelerates for a longer time.

We embed the video of the action here. On his channel, you can find more wild experiments like a recoil simulator for his mouse when he plays shooters.

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What do the viewers say? On the YouTube channel of Teenenggr, the video is received very well. Generally, people are happy that the engineer has taken on a new project. But the small details also receive praise.

One user writes, “With the rubber chicken as a starter, you got me.” Additionally, the moment when the Shin-Chan figure loses its head is also well received.

Others joke that Samsung should pay the YouTuber for the stress test of the monitor.

How do you like the project? Do you enjoy watching such crazy ideas that allow you to experience your video games in a completely different way, or are you more interested in modifications that you can really implement at home?

Let us know your opinion on the video here on MeinMMO in the comments and discuss with other players about it.

Fans of GTA 5 and its story should definitely check out our giveaway

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

New World: New patch fixes exploit with an item that should boost the economy – Patch notes

New World has released the new patch 1.3.1 today. This fixes several bugs related to the major monthly update. Included is a fix for the bag of juniper berries, which some players had exploited.

What are the highlights of the update? The new update is very small and only addresses bug fixes that were introduced with the monthly patch 1.3. The biggest change concerns the bag of juniper berries. It is currently dropped 3 times a day by random mobs and brought between 50 and 150 Talers before the patch.

However, some players seem to have exploited the system by repeatedly creating new characters and temporarily storing the gold. Therefore, Amazon is introducing a fix that now provides Talers based on the level:

  • Level 1-9 – 1-5 Talers
  • Level 10-19 – 5-15 Talers
  • Level 20-29 – 10-30 Talers
  • Level 30-39 – 20-50 Talers
  • Level 40-49 – 30-75 Talers
  • Level 50-59 – 40-150 Talers
  • Level 60 – 50-200 Talers

Further bug fixes have been made regarding housing, dropping items, and various weapons.

When will the patch be applied? The update was released today, February 3rd, at 8:00 AM German time. The maintenance is expected to last two hours, until 10:00 AM.

New World Patch 1.3.1 – Patch Notes

General Bug Fixes

  • Fixed a bug where quickly dropping and picking up items could cause them to disappear from the bag and inventory.
  • Fixed a bug where the collision geometry at region edges could disappear.
  • To prevent an exploit regarding the limited-time bags of juniper berries and to introduce a level of progression and potential extra Talers for players in the endgame, we have adjusted the Talers rewards as follows:
    • Level 1-9 – 1-5 Talers
    • Level 10-19 – 5-15 Talers
    • Level 20-29 – 10-30 Talers
    • Level 30-39 – 20-50 Talers
    • Level 40-49 – 30-75 Talers
    • Level 50-59 – 40-150 Talers
    • Level 60 – 50-200 Talers
  • The way data is stored in the housing system has been revised. This is to prevent players from losing their homes or items within them.
  • Fixed a bug where players, after leaving the game and logging back in, could not fast travel home or respawn at home.
  • Known issues: The weekly mutators schedule may not cycle properly. We have added additional code to address this issue.
  • Speculative bug fix:
    • Fixed a bug where the UI would briefly select the wrong item after scrolling. Now, the item selected is always the one under the cursor at the time of the click. We suspect this caused players to accidentally break down the wrong item.

Combat Updates

  • Void Gauntlet
    • Fixed a bug where “Healing Dodge” reset the shortest active cooldown.
  • Rapier
    • Fixed a bug where sheathing the rapier after triggering dodge gave players a permanent bonus to movement speed.
  • Ice Gauntlet
    • Fixed a bug where “Mighty Storm” of the Ice Gauntlet increased damage for all player types, not just Ice Storm.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. New World

GTA 5: Win fan packages with rare ‘Chop The Dog’ plush toy and T-shirts

We are giving away three fan packages with rare merchandise for GTA 5. Included are T-shirts, stickers, and Franklin’s loyal companion, the Rottweiler Chop. Join in and give the cute plush toys a new home.

Why is there “now” Chop the Dog? Recently, Rockstar Games released the “The Contract” update for GTA Online. In it, you meet Franklin and Lamar again, whom you know from the story of GTA Online.

Chop is Lamar’s Rottweiler, Franklin’s buddy. In the single-player story, you are responsible for the dog for a certain time, can play with him and throw the ball. Now Franklin has returned with The Contract to the players in GTA Online, and to the surprise of many fans, he also brought Chop along.

Meanwhile, the plush figures of Chop, which were available for purchase a few years ago, are collector’s items. And right now, with the quick Rottweiler taking on a new role, it is a good opportunity to get yourself some plush toys.

This is what you can win: In collaboration with Rockstar Games, we are giving away a total of 3 fan packages with GTA 5 merchandise containing the following items:

  • “Chop The Dog” plush toy
  • “Love Fist” T-shirt (size L)
  • “Pogo Space Monkey” keychain
  • GTA-5 sticker set
gta 5 merchandise package
These are the items you can win

This is how you can participate: To register for participation, you first need a MeinMMO account. Log in with it, refresh the page, and you will see the participation form for the raffle further down.

Update: The giveaway has ended.

The winners will be contacted by us via email at the address used for registration. For the delivery of the prizes, we will forward the full name and address of the winners to Rockstar Games. The data will only be used for shipping purposes and will be deleted afterwards.

The giveaway ends on February 6.

Good luck!

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Preach says: Final Fantasy XIV is the best thing that could happen to WoW

The streamer Preach talks about the changes to World of Warcraft. He believes that some of it can be attributed to FFXIV.

Many things are currently changing in World of Warcraft. Especially the news that Horde and Alliance will soon embark on adventures together has drawn many streamers and content creators to express their opinions. Preach is no exception. He believes that this might partly be the “fault” of Final Fantasy XIV.

Who is speaking? Preach, sometimes also known as “Preach Gaming”, is a fairly prominent streamer who has accompanied World of Warcraft for many years and has conducted interviews with the developers. He has always advocated for the community’s wishes and asked critical questions. However, in recent months, with the emergence of the sexism scandal, Preach has turned away from World of Warcraft and now treats the game as a secondary matter. However, he continues to cover major announcements.

What does Preach say? Preach is among the numerous streamers and players who have turned away from World of Warcraft in recent years and have given the competitor Final Fantasy XIV a chance. Like many others, he has found a new home in the MMORPG from Square Enix. After all, there has been quite a large exodus of players who, disappointed with WoW, have looked for other MMORPGs.

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Preach discussed the announcement of Cross-Faction play and said the following:

Perhaps the flow of [players] towards Final Fantasy is the best thing that could happen to World of Warcraft. Maybe it’s the best thing that could ever happen. That’s great. I think that’s awesome.

Preach refers to what he has said multiple times in his streams. He believes that Final Fantasy has contributed in some way to the changes currently happening in World of Warcraft. The mere fact that WoW players had a comparable alternative and could thus “let go” of WoW is, in his opinion, causing the developers to rethink their strategies. Considering that Final Fantasy XIV was originally influenced by World of Warcraft, it’s nice to see how the games would now grow together.

Later, he adds:

I hope this opens the door for some really big, cool raids, perhaps with multi-guilds, raids for 40 characters. That would be cool because you would have access to all [players]. If something really big in the story involves the factions, that would be outstanding.

Will this have story implications? Although Preach hopes that the introduction of this cross-play feature will have an impact on the story, it seems that this is not the case for now. Blizzard has already announced that this feature will likely not be justified or necessary within the story. After all, there is currently a truce between the Horde and Alliance, although some parties within the factions (survivors of the Night Elves or Genn Greymane) do not think much of this.

One should not expect large “story raids” that require the presence of both factions, as this would also contradict the goal of optionality.

Do you agree with Preach that perhaps Final Fantasy played an important role in the changes occurring in WoW? Or do you see no connection?

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. dexerto.com

I played 45 hours of Dying Light 2 – How brutal is the cut version still?

On February 4, Dying Light 2 will be released. MeinMMO author Tarek Zehrer was able to test an early version of the survival game – the cut version. How much the cut affects the game and how he liked the zombie slasher otherwise can be found out here.

Genre: Survival Action RPG | Developer: Techland | Platform: PC via Epic Games Store and Steam, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5 and PS4 | Release: February 4, 2022

[toc]

What is Dying Light 2? It is a survival game with an open world and action focus. Players take on the role of Aiden, a survivor of the zombie apocalypse that broke out over 20 years ago in the world of Dying Light.

  • While Dying Light 1 sends players to Harran, a city reminiscent of Rio de Janeiro, the sequel brings us to “The City”. Our goal: The search for Aiden’s sister.
  • In this search, we find ourselves caught between several factions, have to do favors for information, find allies, and above all: loot and take out zombies/bandits. In the vast open world, we move primarily through a parkour system. However, there is also a glider that you unlock during the game.
  • You collect equipment, improve your abilities in combat and parkour. Additionally, you make decisions that affect the game world.

But how does Dying Light play? Is the story any good? How much does the cut version affect the game? In my preview, I want to answer these questions for you.

Start video
Everything you need to know about the new survival game Dying Light 2 – with gameplay

Cut vs. Uncut – How it Plays and What the Story is Like

Update: Anyone who purchased Dying Light 2 through Steam, Epic, or Techland’s own digital sales received the uncut version automatically. More on this here: Dying Light 2 is indeed uncut in Germany for at least one platform.

What was playable? I had access to a complete early PC version of Dying Light 2. In the game itself, there were theoretically no limits, I could do whatever I wanted.

Since it is a beta, one can only make limited statements about the technical state of the game. I played the Steam version. However, I found hardly any shortcomings and only encountered one bug, which is supposed to be fixed by release.

Unfortunately, the servers were not online yet to test the co-op mode. I have only played solo so far. In doing so, I played for nearly 40 hours and tried nearly all the content that had been unlocked by then.

First, I want to address a big topic for the community: the differences between the cut and uncut versions. I was able to try both, but spent most of my time in the cut version.

Cut Primarily Affects Human NPCs

What gets censored in our version? The cut version of Dying Light 2 differs from the standard version in two aspects:

  • Human enemies cannot be decapitated or dismembered
  • Neutral NPCs cannot be killed

Is that noticeable while playing? The short answer: it depends. If you are one of those who likes to push the limits in this type of game, the cuts might be bothersome.

I personally am not someone who runs around in open-world games slaughtering neutral NPCs. That humans cannot be decapitated is also not a problem for me personally.

However, I have noticed, and this has been confirmed by other testers: It seems that other gore effects, such as blood, are also reduced in the cut version. This is also not a huge difference, but something that does bother me retrospectively.

However, if you hadn’t told me it was the cut version: I probably wouldn’t have noticed. Whether cut or uncut: Dying Light 2 is brutal and has moments that feel like a horror game.

This depends largely on the time of day in the game, as the horror begins at night.

More on the topic
Don’t buy the wrong Dying Light 2: What co-op players should pay attention to
von Tarek Zehrer

At Night, Dying Light 2 Sometimes Feels Like Real Horror

Why is the night so dangerous: Unlike many other open-world games, the day-night cycle in Dying Light 2 has a crucial impact. The differences are huge. In Dying Light 2, zombies are primarily nocturnal. While this was only true for some specific types in the first part, now most zombies follow a daily rhythm.

  • During the day, most zombies “sleep” in houses, while the streets are swarming with them at night. Then, more dangerous variants also come to light. As a player, it is advisable to keep on the rooftops at night and avoid being on the streets as much as possible.
  • If you are spotted by so-called screamers, they make a hell of a noise and summon the entire zombie neighborhood onto you. If that happens, a so-called “hunt” begins. All zombies in the vicinity hunt you down if they can see you.
  • The longer it takes to shake them off, the higher the hunt level rises. There are a total of four levels, with each comes more and more dangerous zombies. Usually, there is only one way to protect yourself from them: safe houses.

In the game world, there are small and large refuges for humans equipped with UV lamps. These UV lamps are dangerous to zombies, which is why they cannot enter these illuminated areas. Thus, you must keep an eye out for the next place illuminated by UV lamps during a hunt.

Additionally, you are also infected. If you spend too much time in the darkness, your immunity runs out and you turn into a zombie, which means game over. You have only a limited amount of time before you need to return to the light. The time pressure creates additional stress and can even lead to slight panic, especially if you’ve focused too much on looting and have no time left to get to the light.

Why should one be out at night? Well. When zombies leave their homes at night, they are not full of zombies anymore. Valuable loot awaits to be found there. There are several quests and side activities that can only be completed at night.

But just because most zombies are on the streets, doesn’t mean there won’t be any problems indoors. Some homebodies can usually still be found.

All these factors make the night in Dying Light 2 feel threatening, and being chased by a horde of zombies is quite a kick, especially at the beginning when you are still poorly equipped.

But how does Dying Light 2 play?

Dying Light 2 Mixes Survival Horror with Action Gameplay and RPG Elements

How does Dying Light 2 play? First of all, I must say that I did not play Dying Light 1 back then. The game is on the index in Germany and I was too lazy to order it from abroad.

Now, after playing a good chunk of Dying Light 2, I have to say: That was a mistake. Because Dying Light 2 mixes elements that I really enjoy.

  • The combat system is easy to control but gains more depth through additional skills. I played with a controller, which I prefer for story-focused action games.
  • Parkour feels incredibly fluid with some practice. It’s a lot of fun to move through the game world and look as cool as possible while doing so. It reminded me a lot of Mirror’s Edge (or Assassin’s Creed when it still focused on parkour).
  • These two systems are influenced by the skill system, with which you unlock more climbing and combat abilities.
  • You gain experience by fighting and climbing. Both values receive continuous experience points for their respective activities.
  • Through crafting, you can create useful items like medicine and various boosters that help you. You can also make various mods for your weapons.

All systems are meaningfully interconnected. Your gameplay automatically ensures that you improve your character and unlock more skills. Thus, you become stronger, which in turn allows you to find better equipment.

Every loot in the game world, from rice to alcohol, has a use, either as crafting material or for sale. All of this does not feel overwhelming, but is learned quickly.

In close combat, you have one-handed and two-handed weapons at your disposal. There are also bows and items like grenades, Molotov cocktails, C4 explosives, UV light sticks, throwing knives, and various baits. With the right blueprints, these can also be crafted.

With these tools, you can either charge straight into battle or take a tactical approach and distract zombie hordes. Be cautious when using grenades and such, as the noise attracts zombies to your position.

However, many of these points can also be criticized in Dying Light 2. The equipment system is not particularly deep, and you cannot build real builds. Some potential has been left untapped here.

Dying Light 2 Tells Interesting Stories and Has Tough Decisions

What role does the story play? The focus on the narrative is surprisingly strong for a zombie game. At the start, I was immediately thrown into conflicts between the factions. I had to make moral decisions right away and consider who I wanted to ally with and who could be trusted.

The plot may not win an Oscar and the presentation usually happens plainly through dialogues. However, I had no major expectations for the story and was pleasantly surprised.

There were some interesting characters and twists that kept it exciting. Aiden’s goals often conflict with the goals of other characters, or they help each other out because both sides benefit.

It can indeed happen that you must make decisions for or against a faction. However, I haven’t been able to officially join any so far. Aiden is regarded by the inhabitants as an outsider who must first earn trust. This allows us to navigate and find ourselves with Aiden in this unfamiliar city.

It is hard to estimate how far along I am after around 45 hours. According to other tests, I should be in the last third of the main story. It is said to take around 80 hours to complete everything.

Start video
New cinematic trailer shows how hard it is to remain human in Dying Light 2

What about side missions? There are several, and some of them offer really interesting stories. While some missions are multi-stage quests, others are simply short dialogues in which you learn more about the people.

Techland has made an effort to make the game world and its inhabitants feel believable. However, there are also plenty of simple collect quests that have never bored me because it is simply too much fun to dash through the game world via parkour.

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“The City” Is a Huge Open-World Playground

This is how the open world is structured: While the game world is open, you cannot just jump from one part of the city to another. You can only leave the first area called Old Villedor by progressing in the main story.

Old Villedor is located away from the center. Here the buildings are mostly a maximum of 2-3 stories high and it seems to be primarily residential areas. Later, I managed to reach the Central Loop. This is the city center. Here there are many skyscrapers and some wooded areas.

Due to the varying heights of the buildings, street widths, and many other factors, the gameplay changes depending on the district. While you can seamlessly run over rooftops in Old Villedor, it is more challenging to stay on the rooftops in the center.

However, you quickly receive a glider that allows you to overcome these hurdles. In the game world, you can find ventilation shafts that provide uplift and can elevate you into the air.

The game world is designed quite varied except for some repetitive assets and interiors. There is almost always something to find and see. Nice details like graffiti scattered throughout the city also add to this, reminding me of games like The Division.

Some parts of the city occasionally resemble each other strongly, and interiors sometimes seem copied. More effort was needed here because some parts of the game world feel very…generic.

Technically Mostly Clean, Only One (Almost) “Gamebreaking” Bug

What about the tech? My Steam version runs mostly without problems. However, it seems that in the early version, some graphic features like upscaling or ray tracing do not work smoothly yet.

While upscaling provides a decent performance boost, it has visibly degraded the visuals in some areas, while ray tracing consumes considerable performance without making a significant difference.

Now and then there were framerate drops, but apart from that, I had no major issues. Until a bug appeared that blocked my progress.

What kind of bug is that? It pertains to the travel from Old Villedor to the Central Loop. At one point, I fast traveled back from the Loop to Old Villedor. Then I realized: I couldn’t get back into the Central Loop to continue the story.

There was no fast travel point, and the original path was only open on a story mission that was no longer accessible. Therefore, my game progress was blocked.

Fortunately, I found a trick with the glider to get back. Before that, however, I had reluctantly completed nearly everything there was to do in Old Villedor. Annoying, but this bug should not be in the game at release. The developers have explained to me that many bugs will be fixed at release – including this one.

Some players might be bothered by the graphics, which appear somewhat outdated. Personally, it did not bother me at all; I find the quality sufficient.

My Conclusion So Far: So far, I am really positively surprised by Dying Light 2. The story keeps me well entertained, the combat and parkour systems are a lot of fun, and the RPG elements are integrated thoughtfully. I am also usually not the biggest fan of survival elements, but here I enjoy them.

The plot is not on the level of anything like The Last of Us, but compared to many other open-world games, it’s clear that effort has been put in.

Especially impressive is how progress is designed in the game. Everything I do moves me forward in some way and makes my character stronger. The more skills I unlock, the more options I have in combat, and the more depth the parkour and combat systems gain.

If the story doesn’t suddenly decline at any point, it is at least solid and entertaining, fitting the otherwise praiseworthy gameplay.

I can recommend Dying Light to anyone who enjoys fast-paced action, loves collecting loot, likes parkour systems in games, and enjoys bashing zombies. Plus, there’s an entertaining story and plenty of content. I am already looking forward to testing the co-op mode.

Tarek Zehrer

Freelance author at MeinMMO

By the way: The preload for Dying Light is already running. You can already download it to start on time.

What Happens After Release? According to developer Techland, Dying Light 2 will be provided with new content for over 5 years. This will include both free and paid DLCs.

You can find a roadmap until June with the known DLCs overview

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

LoL: Fans already love the new champ: “Step on me, please”

Riot Games has introduced a new champion in League of Legends, the 159th in LoL. The dark support Renata Glasc revolves around money and manipulation. Some fans are already praising it: This is the best champion concept League of Legends has ever had.

What is the idea behind the new champion?

  • Riot Games said about the new champs for 2022 that they looked at the roster of enchanters in LoL: These are supporters who assist and buff their partners in the bot lane. The existing enchanters are all colorful and cheerful beings – they wanted to contrast that with something “dark and gloomy”: A supporter who secretly despises their ADC for taking all the glory.
  • Out came Renata Glasc, the Chem-Baroness. The parents of the entrepreneur were selfless alchemists and philanthropists, which always rubbed young Renata the wrong way, as she sought power and wealth. Her parents were ultimately killed by business rivals; Renata lost an arm in the attack, and since then, nothing has been worse for her than weakness and poverty. She is described as a greedy and cunning entrepreneur who devises long-term plans to achieve her goals, radiating a confident arrogance along the lines of “Get out of the way, low-income earners”.
  • Her manipulative nature is also reflected in her abilities. Her “R”, hostile takeover, ensures that enemies fight each other.
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Fans love that they can see muscles and wrinkles on Renata Glasc

What do people like about the new champion? Actually, Renata Glasc’s abilities are being discussed quite controversially. Especially her “W” ability is viewed critically, as it involves a revival and many have a problem with that in LoL.

But almost everyone highly praises the champion concept behind Renata Glasc:

  • The champion is seen as a desperately needed change. As LoL is teeming with slim, young women – Renata Glasc, on the other hand, is older, broad-shouldered, and muscular. Fans love that her wrinkles and muscles are visible. One user claims this is the best champion concept that Riot Games has brought to LoL.
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  • She is seen as a “dominant female figure” and is nicknamed “Mom”.
  • There is already fantasizing about a “girl power” bot lane with Renata Glasc and Samira.
  • The fantasy of manipulating opponents and pitting them against each other seems to be well received. Strangely, many even seem to like the idea of being manipulated by Renata Glasc, taking out their own teammates.

The anticipation for the new champion is expressed on Reddit in a post titled “Step on me, please”.

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“Step on me, please” refers to a trope in Asian mangas where aggressive large women step on submissive men who throw themselves on the ground.

Apparently, this is a type of hero that has been missing in LoL.

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Renata Glasc’s voiceover also receives much praise; her voice lines reveal her complex past, her relationship with the death of her parents, and her thoroughly capitalist and manipulative nature.

There are some very cynical and malicious gems, especially when listening to her interactions with other characters from her city Zhaun. For example, she tells Viktor that he seems to have forgotten which money made him what he is.

In the MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV, there was a rogue who also sparked such “step on me” reactions, even from the game’s mastermind, Naoki Yoshida:

That’s why the Final Fantasy XIV head says to a woman “Step on me”

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
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Is Dying Light 2 the next survival hit? This is what the ratings on Metacritic say

The zombie sequel “Dying Light 2” celebrates its release on February 4, 2022. There are already first reviews and ratings on Metacritic. We summarize the first impressions of Dying Light 2 here for you.

This is what the ratings say on Metacritic: Currently, Dying Light 2 receives slightly different scores depending on the platform.

  • On PC, it currently stands at 79 out of 100 points, based on 23 critic reviews
  • On Xbox Series X, it also has 79 points, with 26 critic reviews
  • On PS5, it is currently at 77 points, based on 45 critic reviews

For PS4 and Xbox One, no Metascores are available yet.

Overall, the sequel has a slightly higher score compared to its predecessor “Dying Light”. The original had a Metascore of 75 on PC, and 74 on PS4 and Xbox One.

Important: In Germany, the game will be released in a cut version, the differences are shown here.

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The ratings for Dying Light 2 at a glance

These are the scores for Dying Light 2: Even before the release, some critics and media were able to test the game. Their ratings will now be included in the Metascore.

In the following overview, you will find 15 ratings of the game organized by platform. The highest and lowest ratings are always included.

Dying Light 2 (PC) on Metacritic – The Points

  • Gamegrin – 95
  • CG Magazine – 90
  • IGN France – 90
  • MGG Spain – 87
  • CD-Action – 85
  • PC Gamer – 84
  • MGG – 80
  • God is a Geek – 80
  • Dexerto – 75
  • GameWatcher – 75
  • PC Invasion – 70
  • GamesRadar+ – 70
  • Shacknews – 70
  • NME – 60
  • PCGamesN – 60

Dying Light 2 (PS5) on Metacritic – The Points

  • Hobby Consoles – 95
  • Trusted Reviews – 90
  • Attack of the Fanboy – 90
  • Dual Shockers – 90
  • Atomix – 88
  • Gamepressure – 85
  • Gaming Trend – 85
  • VG247 – 80
  • Daily Star – 80
  • Wccftech – 80
  • Destructoid – 75
  • Inverse – 70
  • VideoGamer – 70
  • VGC – 60
  • Guardian – 40

Dying Light 2 (Xbox Series X) on Metacritic – The Points

  • Xbox Tavern – 98
  • Game Informer – 95
  • GameSpew – 90
  • Games.CH – 86
  • LevelUp – 85
  • Jeuxvideo.com – 85
  • Windows Central – 80
  • Eurogamer Italy – 80
  • Gfinity – 70
  • MMORPG.com – 70
  • IGN – 70
  • Screen Rant – 70
  • EGM – 60
  • Game Rant – 50
  • Pure Xbox – 50

What do the critics say in the reviews?

Here we summarize some of the reviews on Metacritic for you.

Overall, Dying Light 2 seems to score in areas where its predecessor already received praise. This particularly applies to the fluid gameplay. The parkour elements are highlighted, which allow for quick and creative exploration of the post-apocalyptic open world. The combat elements, especially focused on melee combat, are also described positively.

However, criticism is directed at the story, which did not captivate some, as well as a lack of variety and innovation. Additionally, several testers reported encountering bugs that disturbed the gaming experience.

Praise for the open world and movement, criticism for bugs – IGN

Travis Northup wrote the review for IGN, giving it a 7 out of 10 and initially highlighting the exciting, well-designed open world that invites exploration. This is particularly enjoyable, just like the thrilling battles.

The clear highlight of Dying Light 2 is its liberating and smooth parkour system.

Travis Northup – IGN

You essentially play “the floor is lava”, as enemies constantly inhabit the ground below, away from the rooftops, which must be avoided. Various parkour skills unlocked during the game provide fun.

However, Northup expresses clear criticism of bugs that would hinder the gaming experience:

If your tolerance for bugs is low, I do not recommend jumping into Dying Light 2 on the first day. Or day 10. Maybe day 30? I managed to play it to the end, but only just. […] Techland is aware of all these issues and is reportedly working hard on patches to fix them, but if the story is any indication, it will take more than a few real day-night cycles to resolve these many problems.

Travis Northup – IGN

Interestingly, the developers have already emphasized that players should wait until the release to play, even if they have already gotten their hands on a retail version. Here, there are still fixes coming that will be included in a day-one patch.

“Great gameplay, surprisingly strong story, but open-world monotony” – GameStar

The colleagues at GameStar emphasize in the review that the story can be seen more as a plus point. The main storyline is well done, and the side quests are particularly exciting, featuring fantastically written characters. Moreover, the parkour gameplay is praised. You can find the GameStar review here (via GameStar).

However, criticism is directed at the fact that the decisions in Dying Light 2 do not have the significance one might hope for. Additionally, the open world is not quite as diverse as it initially seems:

In the first section of Dying Light 2, I did not notice this so clearly. But as the game world opens up further, one thing becomes particularly clear: The open world has a significant problem with variety. 

Rémy Bournizel – Gamestar

Here you can also see Dying Light 2 in the video review by GameStar:

“It could have been so incredibly good” – GamePro

In the GamePro review, it sounds similar that especially the first 10 hours in Dying Light 2 would do everything right. However, the story would weaken as the game progresses, particularly towards the end. Especially the protagonist remains bland. Parkour and combat system are praised here as well, but monotony is criticized.

You can find the GamePro review here (via GamePro).

Worldbuilding, characters, decisions, impactful fights, and the parkour system initially convinced me. However, as the playtime lengthened, the framework began to crumble. Very little is made of the characters and the world. Fights lack variety to keep players engaged throughout the long playtime, and parkour became quite exhausting for me (as I assigned all areas to the Peacekeepers).

Stephan Zielke – GamePro

Familiarities in Bigger and Better – DualShockers

The review by Kyle Knight for DualShockers turns out very positively with a score of 90. Especially the combat system is convincing, as it has significantly improved compared to its predecessor. Fans of the first part would feel right at home in the new game.

Dying Light 2: Stay Human is a sequel of epic proportions. Everything that fans loved about the original title is still present, but now with a larger story, new features, and a massive open world full of areas to explore and loot.

Kyle Knight, Dual Shockers

“Not able to capitalize on the strengths of its excellent parkour and combat mechanics” – PCGamesN

One of the more critical reviews (60) comes from Dustin Bailey for PCGamesN, who highlights gameplay elements positively but feels there was overall too little to do in the game. He describes spending 30 hours with the game, of which he liked 10, tolerated 10, and had little patience with the last 10.

Bugs, repetitive side content, poor storytelling, and the unfulfilled promise of the choice and consequence system prevent Dying Light 2 from capitalizing on the strengths of its excellent parkour and combat mechanics.

Dustin Bailey – PCGamesN

What do you think of the new Dying Light 2? Are you excited about the game, or is it not for you? And if you grab it – which version will you choose? If you are still unsure about your purchase, check this out: Dying Light 2 in a brief check – Why you should play it and for whom it is worth

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

FIFA 22: TOTW 20 is live – The highlight comes from the Premier League

In FIFA 22 the new TOTW 20 is now live and we know which players made the team. You can find everything about the new Team of the Week here.

What is the TOTW? The Team of the Week consists of 23 players each week who have excelled with strong performances on the real football pitches. These players then receive so-called “Inform cards”, where the stats get a boost.

New in FUT 22 is also that there is an additional “Featured” card, which has a stronger boost than the normal TOTW cards.

How to get TOTW cards: With a large portion of luck you can pack Inform cards from packs. Alternatively, the cards are also available on the FUT transfer market, where they can be quite expensive.

How to earn the necessary coins, you can find out from our trading tips.

The TOTW 20 in FIFA 22 – All Inform Players

This is the TOTW 20: Alongside the strong new card of Sadio Mané (91), who can impress especially with pace and dribbling, there unfortunately aren’t many highlights in the new Team of the Week. Only Di Maria (88) gets a decent RF card with good pace and strong dribbling and passing stats.

This week, Toko Ekambi is the featured player. He receives an upgrade from 78 to 84.

TOTW 20 Starting XI:

  • GK: Ryan (84)
  • LB: Barisic (81)
  • RB: Alvaro Tejero (78)
  • CB: Torres (76)
  • LB: Adekugbe (76)
  • RM: Otavio (84)
  • LM: Jahanbakhsh (79)
  • CDM: Frei (79)
  • LF: Mané (91)
  • RF: Di Maria (88)
  • ST: Toko Ekambi (84)

TOTW 20 Bench:

  • GK: Ilic (76)
  • CDM: Brannagan (75)
  • ST: Rondon (81)
  • ST: Dykes (77)
  • ST: Ruben Castro (77)
  • ST: Atik (77)
  • ST: Sissoko (76)
  • LB: Mishra (67)
  • CM: Reeves (72)
  • LM: Mileusnic (72)
  • ST: Charles (75)
  • RF: Achahbar (73)

Sadio Mané receives the strongest card

You can tell that the new TOTW reflects that there were no games last weekend in most major leagues. Nevertheless, some players delivered strong performances, and among them is Sadio Mané.

The Senegalese player from FC Liverpool receives his second Inform card in FUT 22. The card offers really strong stats and could be a dangerous weapon on the left wing. The biggest jumps he makes are in the following areas:

  • Shooting: 84 -> 86
  • Passing: 82 -> 84

What do you think of the new TOTW? Are you satisfied with the selection? Feel free to let us know in the comments!

If you want to know who could land in the Future Stars event on Friday, take a look here:

FIFA 22 Future Stars – Leaks and predictions promise intense cards

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

FIFA 22: A defender is so awesome that players can deploy him everywhere

Normally, players in FIFA 22 only have a few positions where they are truly useful. However, Joao Cancelo’s TOTY card turns this system upside down.

Which card is it? The Portuguese full-back Joao Cancelo from Manchester City has been chosen as this year’s left back of the Team of the Year.

Since TOTY cards are generally extremely strong cards, it is no surprise that Cancelo has very high stats. This is also reflected in his price: One must currently shell out about 850,000 coins to get the card on the transfer market (via futbin).

Nevertheless, some players have either packed the Portuguese or invested the necessary coins to secure him. And they have noticed that this card is much more than just a damned strong full-back.

Players can do whatever they want with Cancelo

What makes the Cancelo card special: The TOTY card of Cancelo essentially has no weaknesses. The lowest stat is the shooting stat with 85, which is mainly brought down by the finishing detail.

FIFA 22 Cancelo
Cancelo can do everything

Otherwise, Cancelo has basically everything that even the strongest icon cards make look outdated. He even boasts a “weak” foot with 5 stars and skill moves with 4 stars, despite being a defensive player.

Players in the FIFA subreddit have also noticed this, having freed Cancelo from his defensive roots to use him in almost any other position. Apparently with success.

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Several threads are discussing the card. “TOTY Cancelo is absolutely ridiculous,” says a post by user “joaofelix9”, who describes his experience with the card: “Play him wherever you want, CDM, CAM, ST, on the wing, it doesn’t matter. This guy is damn ridiculous, he intercepts everything like a magnet and moves like Messi with the ball while he glides over the pitch and even has a solid shot. Completely crazy,” said the user (via reddit).

Another user describes how Cancelo helped him to an extremely successful Weekend League as a striker (via reddit).

Also, “Canadian Carlos” has pushed the Portuguese forward to find out: “He is unbelievable in front of goal. I wasn’t even aware that he had 5-star weak foot, but with a finisher, he overshadowed TOTGS Ronaldo and WW Martial” (via reddit).

Moreover, having such a defensively strong player in attack is very helpful. He can immediately regain possession when the ball is lost.

Cancelo indeed seems to be able to do everything. Or, as user Watermelonite writes: “Personally, I prefer him as LB, RB, CAM, CM, CDM, CAM, LM, RM, or ST” (via reddit).

Only as a goalkeeper does it seem that nobody has used him yet.

How to get the card? Unfortunately, it’s not easy. Cancelo is the third cheapest card in the TOTY – only Hakimi for about 700,000 and goalkeeper Donnarumma for 224,000 come behind him – but he is still hard to obtain. Getting over 800,000 coins requires a lot of work in Rivals and Weekend League.

The main problem is that the chance of getting TOTY cards in packs is negligibly small. One should not hope to pack the coveted cards – it takes an insane amount of luck to do so.

Furthermore, the TOTY event ends this week, removing the cards from packs. However, they will be replaced by the Future Stars, which are also likely to be very strong. Who knows – maybe there will be a card that can do basically everything again.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

LoL: A support champion is now so strong that he dominates the top lane in ranked games

In League of Legends, the champion Janna received a minor rework two weeks ago. This was supposed to make her a more useful supporter again. However, the change and some adjustments in the meta led to Janna now being played alone on the top lane and dominating it.

How is Janna doing right now? Janna has been increasingly played on the top lane since patch 12.2 and even dominates it.

Currently, Janna is the champion with the highest win rate in the game, at least when looking at ranked games (via u.gg):

  • From platinum+, she wins on average 55.96% of her matches. In second place is Veigar with a win rate of “only” 54.02%.
  • As a support, Janna also ranks 5th with a win rate of 53.53%.
  • In the Challenger tier, the highest rank in the game, even 66.27% of all matches with Janna on the top lane are won.

Janna is so strong that a nerf is already being requested on the reddit of League of Legends. However, since patch 12.3 was released today, February 2nd, without any changes, it could take another two weeks for an adjustment.

Minor rework and new strategy make Janna suddenly super strong

What changes were made to Janna? With patch 12.2, Janna received a minor rework. Her shield on “E”, the range of her “W”, and her base attack damage were buffed. Her movement speed was also slightly increased.

Although there was also a small nerf to her attack range and her bonus damage from movement speed, this does not seem to have negatively affected her performance on the top lane.

What makes Janna so strong? Janna is not played as a classic top laner, but as a roamer. This is due to her high movement speed and the fact that she is useful in every gank with her shield, her knockup, and the slow.

Additionally, she does not need items and therefore no gold to be strong. She is already strong from the beginning and only needs a partner to deal damage.

With the new Janna playstyle, you do not farm, do not push towers, and do not even fight on the top lane. You constantly roam the map and attack enemy champions.

Even Smite is used as a summoner spell, which is otherwise only carried by junglers. The idea behind this is to annoy the enemy jungler with this spell.

This video by YouTuber HappyChimeNoises shows you exactly how Top lane Smite Janna is played:

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Is Janna the only reason? No. Currently, several problems are coming together:

  • Many top laners, especially tanks like Renekton or Tahm Kench, can no longer decide a match alone. Therefore, it is not so bad that they get farm and towers.
  • Another reason is the new bounty system from Season 12. If a champion has more minion kills, the bounty on them increases. While Janna roams and kills enemies, the top laner constantly collects minion kills. If they are defeated once and Janna gets the shutdown, the gold difference hardly matters anymore.

Can only Janna do this? Years ago, there was the meme of “River-Shen”, where a Shen constantly roamed the map and killed enemies instead of farming in the top lane. Janna is now doing exactly that, but much better.

Currently, there is no champion that reaches the level of “Top lane Janna”. However, some users on reddit fear that in the future, champions like Karma or Pyke could take on this role if Janna is nerfed.

What do you think about the new meta with Janna in the top lane? Does the playstyle appeal to you or should Riot act quickly against it? Write it in the comments.

With the next patch, Riot Games could change something in the meta. However, that is not yet certain. However, we already know the next champion to be released with patch 12.4:

LoL shows new champ – The abilities of the “evil supporter”, Renata Glasc

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

The biggest Twitch streamer explains why he will not play Lost Ark

Michael “shroud” Grzesiek is currently the largest streamer for the MMORPG New World on Twitch. Although he claims to be going through an MMO phase and desires new games from the genre, he will not play the upcoming Lost Ark. He is bothered by two things.

What bothers shroud? In a livestream, shroud was asked if he would play the new MMORPG Lost Ark. It is set to release on February 11 and especially draws attention with its isometric perspective and sheer amount of content. It is the largest new MMORPG of 2022.

However, shroud is not very impressed. He is particularly bothered by two things:

  • The visuals
  • The combat system

To indulge in his MMO phase, he is now considering playing old classics like Star Wars: The Old Republic, WoW, or City of Heroes on a private server.

“It’s a shame that I’m not interested in the game”

What does shroud exactly say about Lost Ark? In response to the question of why he is not interested in Lost Ark, shroud answered: “I’m not a fan of the style, of this exaggerated style.”

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shroud refers to the often very large and colorful animations that the attacks in the game have. Some of our readers, like Osiris80, do not appreciate them either, seeing it more as a kind of mobile MMO.

Besides the visuals, there is another point of criticism for him: the combat system. He finds it “simply not appealing” enough. However, he does not elaborate on this point.

After that, the Twitch streamer explained that he is currently going through an MMO phase:

The phase I am in right now is very much characterized by MMOs. I really just want to play MMOs. I am in a weird MMO phase.

However, Lost Ark is not one of these games. Shroud himself states that it is “a shame” that he cannot get excited about the MMORPG because it would have been a good filler.

His streamer colleague Asmongold sees things differently:

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Twitch streamer explains why the MMORPG Lost Ark could soon replace New World
von Schuhmann

shroud continues to show a lot of New World

What games is shroud playing right now? Immediately after the Q&A, shroud played New World and showcased dungeons with the new mutators.

The MMO from Amazon is his most streamed game on Twitch. Since early September 2021, he has spent over 435 hours livestreaming New World (via Sullygnome).

Only the games Valorant (337 hours) and Escape from Tarkov (174 hours) have received similar attention. In terms of MMORPGs, shroud has also shown WoW and 7 hours of Lost Ark in beta in November.

What fascinates shroud about New World? shroud is a grinder through and through. New World offers him plenty of tasks and a loot spiral with which he can spend hundreds of hours.

Just in December, he praised the upcoming dungeon mutators, also because you need skill and the right equipment for them. Even in the livestream, he frequently showcases grinding in the form of dungeons and the gypsum system to enhance his skills and item level.

What do you think of the two MMORPGs? Which one appeals to you more – Lost Ark or New World? Feel free to write it in the comments.

If you haven’t had fun with New World so far, then shroud might have the right answer for you:

shroud praises New World and explains why you are not having fun with it

If you haven’t had fun with New World so far, then shroud might have the right answer for you:

shroud praises New World and explains why you are not having fun with it

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Dexerto

Pokémon GO: Charizard Counters – The 20 Best Attackers in the Raid Guide

The best counters against Charizard in Pokémon GO in the guide. We show you the best attackers and movesets. With these, you can defeat Charizard in raids.

What kind of Pokémon is Charizard? Charizard comes from the first generation of Pokémon and belongs to the Fire and Flying types. It is the evolution of Charmander and Charmeleon. Charizard also has Mega forms that you can fight in raids. The regular Charizard can be encountered regularly in level 3 raids.

Here we show you the best counters against Charizard and which types it is weak against (type effectiveness).

Defeating Charizard in raids with these counters

  1. Mega Aerodactyl with Stone Throw and Rock Slide
  2. Shadow Tyranitar with Catapult and Stone Edge
  3. Rampardos with Catapult and Rock Slide
  4. Rhyperior with Catapult and Rock Wrecker
  5. Shadow Aerodactyl with Stone Throw and Rock Slide
  6. Terrakion with Catapult and Rock Slide
  7. Shadow Gardevoir with Stone Throw and Rock Slide
  8. Tyranitar with Catapult and Stone Edge
  9. Brockoloss with Catapult and Rock Slide
  10. Aerodactyl with Stone Throw and Rock Slide
  11. Shadow Steelix with Catapult and Stone Edge
  12. Landorus with Stone Throw and Rock Slide
  13. Gardevoir with Stone Throw and Rock Slide
  14. Mega Ampharos with Volt Switch and Power Gem
  15. Alolan Golem with Stone Throw and Stone Edge
  16. Golem with Stone Throw and Stone Edge
  17. Aeropteryx with Wing Attack and Ancient Power
  18. Shadow Zapdos with Thunder Shock and Ancient Power
  19. Mega Blastoise with Water Gun and Hydro Pump
  20. Shadow Raikou with Thunder Shock and Volt Switch

Weaknesses of Charizard: The Pokémon belongs to the Fire and Flying types and is weak against Rock, Water, and Electric. So focus on attacks and Pokémon of these types in raids to defeat Charizard.

Is there a Shiny Charizard? You can find and catch Shiny Charizard in Pokémon GO. With some luck, you’ll find the Shiny right after a raid.

Charizard and Shiny Charizard comparison – Shiny on the right side

How many trainers are needed? If you have the top counter Pokémon and have reached a reasonably high level (40+) in Pokémon GO, you can defeat Charizard alone or with another person. With lower levels but strong counters, you should rely on more trainers.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Fortnite brings back the heavy shotgun – How strong is it now?

In Fortnite a weapon has been taken out of the vault again after an update. However, it has been changed in such a way that it now enjoys more advantages than the previous model. We show you what has changed and what makes the “new” shotgun so powerful now.

What kind of weapon is this? This is a modified version of the heavy shotgun. The pump was introduced in Chapter 1 and was later put into the vault. Items in the vault no longer appear in the game until Epic brings them back.

Before its change, you fired shotgun shells and rained down high damage at a not-so-fast fire rate. Now Epic after Patch 19.20 has made some adjustments that make this weapon the ultimate shotgun alternative.

Shotgun resembles a sniper without a scope

The reddit user MikinzuLegends is amazed at how the changes impact the game. He grabbed a common rarity variant and immediately fired at motionless players.

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The damage dealt was enormous for a shotgun. Not only that, the range was comparable to that of a regular rifle. Skilled hands can definitely bring great havoc with this weapon and even outperform sniper shooters.

What has changed? The shotgun fires not pellets, but bolts that can cover long distances. Visually the red dot sight has been removed from the predecessor model. In addition, the weapon has the following stats:

  • You can find the weapon in chests, on the ground, supply drops, and from sharks.
  • The fire rate is 1.3 seconds.
  • Damage of a common version is 81, headshots are 142, and reload time is 4.8 seconds.
  • Damage of a legendary version is 99, headshots are 173, and reload time is 3.9 seconds.

So, if you can handle this weapon, you will also do well against enemies from long distances.

If you are not familiar with the new weapons from Chapter 3, we have an article for you:

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What does the community say? Players on reddit point out that the weapon is definitely deadly, but requires skill. One user writes in a comment:

I haven’t had the opportunity to try it out yet, so is it an “all-or-nothing” weapon where you either deal a lot of damage or hit nothing at all? It seems like it’s powerful for good players and useless for others.

comments Effective-Interest28

However, it’s not so easy to categorize the weapon. Even experienced players will surely need time to achieve success with it. Reddit user Shoujon points out:

No, it’s a bit different as you have to focus completely and stand still, otherwise you fire like a sniper with a no scope. So even good players are forced to stand still until they can deal devastating damage.

says Shoujon

If you haven’t tried this weapon yet, you should definitely give it a shot. Maybe you have a knack for slug shotguns and this gun will become your new favorite weapon. Let us know in the comments what you think about it.

In line with new content, we also have an article with all the masks for Haven if you want to know how to get them.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Is an ergonomic desk worth it for gaming as well? We tried it out

Ergonomic desks are supposed to offer many advantages for work and gaming. MeinMMO was allowed to try out such a desk. MeinMMO editor Benedikt Schlotmann set up the desk and explains whether his daily routine has changed.

Anyone who has to sit a lot at their desk in the office or now in the home office knows this: After a long day of work, you have annoying back or neck pain, or your body thanks you in other ways for sitting for so long – for example, through fatigue or concentration issues. Nowadays, there are also devices that aim to take care of tired hands.

A new trend, however, are so-called ergonomic desks. These desks can be adjusted in height, allowing you to work standing up or better adjust the desk to your sitting height. This is supposed to offer various advantages:

  • You relieve your back muscles and spine by being able to stand up intermittently
  • Those who stand at their desk move their body by shifting from one leg to the other – thus boosting their metabolism
  • Those who sit at their ergonomic desk can adjust the height of the top to their arms. This way, you sit at a right angle and not hunched over at the table.

What kind of device is this? MeinMMO received an ergonomic desk from FlexiSpot, the E8, as a loan to try out. MeinMMO introduces you to the desk and also explains what advantages and disadvantages such an ergonomic desk has.

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This article does not replace a personal consultation with a doctor. If you have health problems from sitting or work, please consult your trusted physician. You can find extensive health tips from the Federal Ministry of Health (via bundesgesundheitsministerium.de), in a conversation with your personal family doctor or orthopedist.

Important health tips from experts can also be found in the Plus report on health at GameStar.

Simple assembly and high-quality workmanship

What does the delivery include? The desk comes in three large packages. In principle, any tabletop can be mounted on the desk. This is advantageous if you (like me) have become fond of your previous tabletop. The delivery includes everything needed for assembly, including an Allen key.

However, the regular delivery does not include wheels for the desk. After all, the assembled desk is so heavy that I could barely carry it through the apartment alone. However, FlexiSpot offers a lot of accessories for the desk on their own website. These include

  • additional wheels for around 30 Euros.
  • Cable channels for the underside for around 30 Euros as well.
  • And an additional cable management system, allowing you to bundle the cables from your monitor and others to transport them downwards. Here, too, 30 Euros will be required.

What does the desk offer? The E8 from FlexiSpot relies on 2 motors in the columns. This provides high stability and is generally recommended when you are looking for an adjustable desk.

The memory control is also a sensible feature. If you have found your ideal height, you can save it and activate it again later.

The desk also has room for a tabletop with dimensions of 120-200cm(B)×60-80cm(T). If you want multiple large monitors on your desk, 80 cm might get tight.

Technical data of the E8 FlexiSpot:

official specifications
Motor2
Load capacity120 kg
Height adjustment60-125 cm
Own weight (without tabletop)32.1 kg
Dimensions for tabletop120-200 cm(B)×60-80 cm(T)
Memory controlYes
Anti-collision systemYes

How was the assembly? The assembly went surprisingly quickly. I took about 20 minutes to attach the legs and the electronics to the torso of the desk. After that, I attached the tabletop to the frame.

However, the manufacturer also made it easy for me: The screws are clearly sorted and packed in separate bags, and the instructions are written in clear English. Therefore, no one expects a Swedish-style instruction manual for the desk where all screws feel the same. The manufacturer has everything clearly spelled out, so you know exactly where everything goes.

Most screws also immediately slide into the matching hole and sit tight. I did not need an additional screwdriver, everything worked with the included tool.

I did notice one disadvantage during the assembly: The desk is incredibly heavy. After all, we’re talking about over 30 kg, and I would advise you not to carry the heavy boxes or the desk around without help. It’s not fun at all.

The high weight also makes the desk less flexible. Especially since the desk has no wheels and stands firmly on its feet. On the other hand, the desk also appears very robust and stable due to its high weight.

But how does the desk perform in practice?

The assembly is as simple as it gets. Everything is clearly marked, and there are no additional mechanisms to consider during assembly.

The ergonomic desk is a sensible addition to my daily walk

I come up with the best ideas when I’m moving. Whether I’m walking to the supermarket in the evening or taking a walk through the nature reserve behind my house, it gets my thoughts going. I often have something to write with me and jot down sudden ideas.

Being able to stand while working has a similar effect for me. My circulation gets going from standing, and I am noticeably more focused, jotting down the occasional flash of inspiration. Of course, the fresh air from the walk cannot be offered by standing, but my posture while standing is significantly better than if I sit for eight hours straight.

Here, in the end, the tabletop is attached. The black rubber pads (top left) prevent the tabletop from scratching the metal and cushion the weight of the tabletop.

Another advantage is that you can perfectly adjust the desk height to your body height while sitting. Normal desks come with standard dimensions, and in the worst case, your arms are bent or angled on the surface. With the ergonomic desk, you can adjust the height to your needs.

The desk has a minimum height of 60 cm and can be adjusted up to a height of 120 centimeters. Therefore, you have enough options, depending on your height or how high you want the desk to be.

Another positive side effect: The desk is so high when standing that the cats can no longer easily reach the tabletop (and annoy me while I work).

How easy was the adjustment for me? At first, the body still wants to return to its daily routine. After all, sitting is much more comfortable, and on the chair, you can sit cross-legged.

In the first few days, I had no desire to try out the new “advantage”. It was only after a trip to the kitchen that the desire arose to simply stop standing. And this is actually noticeable.

The FlexiSpot E8 fully assembled. Now only the tabletop is missing.

Gaming while standing – how well does it work?

How is gaming while standing? Especially games like Apex Legends or other fast shooters can get quite hectic. But here, it is an advantage for me if I can also stand. My posture is better, and my arm on the desk doesn’t cramp.

Especially when I happen to be gaming for an extended period because I got lost in planning my city in Anno 1800, I feel more enduring and especially more alert than if I were sitting the whole time in a dim room.

Standing or regular movement is important

What speaks for an ergonomic desk? In general, many studies find that prolonged sitting can be harmful. For example, a study by the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana found that sitting too much can negatively affect health (via pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).

The Ärztezeitung also reported that people who work while standing are said to be significantly more productive (via aerztezeitung.de).

There are also many other points in favor of working while standing.

  • Working while standing impacts breathing as the upper body is stretched
  • Working while standing offers you a natural posture
  • The legs are not as heavily burdened while standing since they are not constantly bent
  • Working while standing promotes creativity thanks to improved blood circulation   

Should I buy such a desk now? In general, I would advise against spontaneously investing money in furniture that is supposed to help your health. Consult with your doctor or get advice from a furniture expert if you want to buy an ergonomic desk.

Because you can also make mistakes while standing. If you lean forward while standing, for example, you just shift the pain instead of preventing it. Therefore, talk to the right experts if you want to improve your situation.

The FlexiSpot E8 is expensive, but the investment can pay off

What has the desk brought me? As simple as it sounds, I have become significantly more mobile at my desk in everyday life. It has become a routine to walk around the living room while thinking and then get back at the PC.

For me, an ergonomic desk represents a significant improvement. If you have tried things like office chairs, seat cushions, or ergonomic mice, then a desk like this may also appeal to you.

Is the E8 from FlexiSpot worth it? Prices for the E8 from FlexiSpot start at 449 Euros just for the desk frame, with an official manufacturer’s tabletop costing around 100 Euros extra. You can also purchase additional accessories.

449 Euros may sound like a lot at first, but I must clearly state that the device is really well made. The motor is hardly audible when I move the desk, and the device feels robust due to its high weight, so even two rambunctious cats won’t be able to tip it over. With memory control and the automatic stop system, there are also two important functions integrated into the desk that an ergonomic desk should have.

In addition, the assembly is incredibly simple, which should please all users who are already frustrated at the first glance of an IKEA instruction manual. The two motors also ensure high stability when moving the desk, rounding out the overall picture. The high total weight has its pros and cons.

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Moreover, the desk accompanies you daily in the home office or while gaming. Therefore, you should consider the money as a long-term investment in your health.

More on gaming furniture: Are you uncertain whether such an ergonomic desk is something for you? Other manufacturers want to solve all the problems you might have with their gaming desk at once:

New gaming desk wants to solve all your problems at the desk simultaneously

The manufacturer provided MeinMMO with the model as a loan.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Twitch streamer Trymacs founds a football team with colleagues and fans – Here’s how you can participate

Maximilian “Trymacs” Stemmler is one of the largest streamers in Germany and enjoys his success thanks to FIFA. The 27-year-old now wants to found his own real football team and invites not only streamer colleagues but also fans.

This year, streamer Trymacs is planning several projects. On the one hand, he has started a new round of Rust with 40 other streamers. On the other hand, he also wants to get up from the gaming chair and move: Stemmler is now founding his own football team, to which he is also inviting his fans. The project is set to start in early summer 2022.

Trymacs founds football team – Here’s how it will go

What is planned? In summer 2022, the German Twitch star Trymacs wants to set up his own football team. It is meant to consist mainly of streamers with whom he gets along well personally. It is already planned to compete against the team of streamer colleague Jens “Knossi” Knossalla.

Trymacs also wants to broadcast the upcoming home football matches and tournaments in a livestream. However, for a Hamburg district league game, the streamer is also expecting on-site viewers. He additionally wants to publish the highlights of the matches on YouTube.

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Who will play? So far, it is only known that streamer colleague Rumathra and Gamerstime will be involved. The team will be strengthened by Trymacs’ brother and his roommate.

Trymacs is offering two more spots to fans. In a wildcard raffle, you can apply via Instagram. The participation conditions on Instagram state:

You should come from Hamburg and the surrounding area, play every weekend. It doesn’t matter how good you are. You should be somehow cool! Later we will have a Top 10 and the community will vote on who should participate. […] Profile should be public, not mandatory, just helps.

As already mentioned, it will also be against Knossi’s team on the pitch. The entertainer has already challenged Trymacs. However, it is only known so far that this match should take place.

But Twitch’s FIFA star EliasN97 has also announced interest in real football. Elias Nerlich, another one of the largest streamers in Germany, recently founded his own team. With his club Delay Sports, he also wants to succeed on the real pitch.

What do you think? Do you think football in the hands of streamers is worth watching or would you give the whole thing no chance at all? Also tell us how you would name Trymacs’ still nameless football team!

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.