Elden Ring is developed by FromSoftware, the creators behind successful games like Dark Souls 1-3, Bloodborne, and Sekiro. Unlike these titles, the action RPG is, for the first time, based in a true open world. Can that work? MeinMMO author Tarek Zehrer tries to answer this question.
For several years, the gaming industry has been experiencing an “open-world boom.” Numerous games, especially from the AAA sector, with high production and development costs now feature an open game world.
More and more franchises are opting for ever-larger sandboxes with sometimes massive dimensions. Even the Halo franchise has now transitioned to an open world with Halo Infinite.
Now, developer FromSoftware is also following this path and offers a massive open world with the Lands Between in Elden Ring for the first time. How that is supposed to work and whether it will go well, I want to analyze here.
Open worlds often cause skepticism
Here’s why some view it critically: Titles like The Witcher 3, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, or The Elder Scrolls 5 Skyrim are among the best games of the last 10 years and are often explicitly praised for their game worlds.
However, the open-world concept is also frequently viewed critically nowadays. This is especially evident with the notorious “Ubisoft formula.”
What does that mean? This term comes from large franchises by Ubisoft, like Assassin’s Creed or Far Cry. Especially the newer installments like Far Cry 6 or Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Few other franchises stand for repetitive gameplay as much as these two.
They are characterized by oversized game worlds flooded with tasks that players usually engage in the same activities with minimal differences:
- X lookout towers that reveal parts of the map
- X outposts to conquer
- X collectibles, whether flags, feathers, posters, or other items.
Such games are often designed to keep the player busy, and their contents often feel like a means to artificially stretch playtime. The scales are also often criticized these days, as many find the size of some maps simply to be oversized.
The maps of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Valhalla have areas based on calculations of nearly 100 km² or even more. This, by the way, corresponds to over 14,000 football fields.
A video shows you the comparison of various maps by size:
Some players are nearly exhausted by now, and thus a warning light goes off for some as soon as a new open-world game is mentioned. The concern is also present with Elden Ring.
But is this concern justified? How has it been until now?
The level design of Soulsborne games
How was it before Elden Ring? The game worlds of FromSoftware games work all by similar principles:
- They are usually tight, nested, and full of secrets. You fight your way from area to area, continuously unlocking new shortcuts and paths.
- There are only a few places where you can venture without danger.
- Although the areas are connected, typically you explore region by region in a linear manner.
- They are more like connected hubs than truly open world environments.
Nonetheless, they are considered by many fans to be among the best game settings ever created. The narrow corridors, confusing paths, and numerous enemies lurking around every corner create a sense of threat.
In the end, the design is mostly believable and consistent, making the game world feel “realistic”.
By cleverly placing secret passages, treasures, traps, and other secrets, these worlds simultaneously encourage careful exploration until one eventually navigates the labyrinths with ease.
Whether it’s the dark Lordran from Dark Souls 1, Yharnam from Bloodborne, or the Japanese setting of Sekiro – they all have beautiful, gruesome, and twisted areas to explore. The story is primarily told through items and the environment.
The Lands Between of Elden Ring
This is how the game world of Elden Ring is structured: The world of Elden Ring is projected to be incredibly vast based on initial findings from the network test and calculations from fans.
- It is divided into a total of 6 different regions that are supposed to differ in their structure and appearance.
- There is a day and night cycle, dynamic weather, and events.
- The areas can be freely explored and tackled in any order.
- However, it is possible that some locations may not be accessible immediately.
- Thanks to a horse, players can move freely across the world.
This horse can be summoned at any time or disappears once you jump off its back. You can even fight from your horse’s back and leap over steep slopes in gigantic jumps.
We also know some weird creatures that we can encounter in the game world. Here you can check out some scenes from the gameplay in the first area called Limgrave:
How much Ubisoft formula is in Elden Ring?
With its game world, Elden Ring attempts to strike a balance: on one hand, it wants to retain the familiar and very successful gameplay formula from Dark Souls, Sekiro, and Bloodborne.
On the other hand, it seeks to explore new paths with the open world. The dangers of this are evident:
- Does the game world offer enough to discover?
- How diverse is its design?
- How varied are the side quests?
- Is moving through the world enjoyable?
- Do the contents feel stretched as a result?
Or, in short: Could Elden Ring “fail” in its new open world and turn into boring busywork?
This is how they want to avoid that: Thanks to reports and known gameplay scenes from the network test, we can partially answer this question.
Unlike games like Far Cry or Assassin’s Creed, the map does not overflow with countless icons or question marks marking “interesting places.” Instead, you can set your own markers and must explore the world to uncover its secrets and treasures.
Side quests are also not displayed through a journal or anything similar. You interact directly with NPCs and do not follow a fixed quest structure, as far as we know so far.
The inhabitants of the Lands Between act dynamically at times. They do not just stay at fixed points but also move throughout the game world. So it can happen that you are suddenly attacked by a dragon at random locations.
Currently, it seems that FromSoftware, despite the open world, will remain true to their previous virtues:
- The story is not told linearly.
- You mostly have to figure out for yourself what the world and its characters are about.
- Reading item descriptions and hints is important to gain additional information.
So they are again relying on a game world that gradually tells its story through level design, its NPCs, and items rather than overwhelming players with elaborate dialogues.
Elden Ring could thus avoid typical open-world pitfalls. Especially through dynamic events and random encounters, like with the dragon, they aim to create variety and make the world feel alive.
Additionally, it’s not that the level design from the earlier games is completely a thing of the past. On the contrary, a significant part of Elden Ring relies precisely on that.
Legacy Dungeons remind of the best in Dark Souls & Bloodborne
What does the Lands Between offer aside from the open world? This is where the dungeons of Elden Ring come into play. There will likely be two different types:
- Smaller dungeons distributed throughout the game world that can be freely explored.
- Legacy dungeons are the large, significant dungeons of Elden Ring. These are part of the main story and are simultaneously important locations in the Lands Between.
These are legacy dungeons: The first known legacy dungeon in Elden Ring resembles the castle Lothric from Dark Souls 3. These dungeons can indeed be compared in their structure and designs with several areas from previous FromSoftware games.
They are tight, nested, full of secrets and dangers, and in the end, a boss awaits you.
Thanks to the new freedom of movement enabled by new gameplay mechanics like manual jumping, it can also be expected that there will be further opportunities for exploration. This will likely affect the placement of items and hidden objects.
Conclusion: I count myself among those who love FromSoftware’s games for their excellent level design. Few worlds have captivated me, despite their dangers, and motivated me to explore every corner, like those of Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro.
Accordingly, I am one of those who were rather skeptical about the announcement of a completely open world. However, based on all the information we have so far about the game world and the first area of Elden Ring, I am cautiously optimistic.
For if FromSoftware can genuinely translate their skills in level design into an open-world model, a game world that is genuinely exciting and encourages players to discover its secrets might await us. Additionally, we won’t have to forgo the well-known level design, which simply shifts to the dungeons.
Of course, it is not possible to provide a final answer a month before the release, and there are several pitfalls in which the game might stumble. Who knows if the rest of the game world can maintain that quality?
Currently, it seems to me that Elden Ring follows only a few of the now “worn-out” open-world trends. Much more seems to maintain their own line and create their own version of an open world.
Additionally, there is also the multiplayer with co-op and PvP, which should also provide variety. So I am optimistic and looking forward to the Lands Between.
Tarek Zehrer
Freelance author at MeinMMO
When will Elden Ring be released? The action RPG is set to release on February 25 for Steam, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One.
What do you think about this topic? Are you concerned about the open world? Or are you already excited to explore the Lands Between?
If you want to read more about the game – we have looked into how much looting and leveling actually exists in Elden Ring
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Do you like the article? Then let us know!
What do we know about the new ‘Star Wars’ shooter? All information and backgrounds
EA has announced that it will develop three new games in the “Star Wars” universe. All of them are being developed by Respawn Entertainment. A shooter has also been announced. MeinMMO explains what this means and why fans of shooters and Star Wars alike might have reason to rejoice.
On January 25, EA announced that Respawn Entertainment will be responsible for three new “Star Wars” games:
- The successor to the single-player action-adventure Jedi Fallen Order is coming.
- A strategy game is being developed by the new studio Bit Reactor, in collaboration with Respawn.
- Peter Hirschmann is leading the development of a first-person shooter.
But who is Peter Hirschmann? And what does that tell us about the potential direction of the game? Is this the leaked single-player shooter, or is the announced FPS a different game?
We explain why Respawn Entertainment is an important name in the shooter genre and who the named developers are. From this information, we try to figure out what the shooter in the “Star Wars” universe might look like – and why you should expect two shooters.
What we already know about the “Star Wars” shooter
There is little information in EA’s announcement that a “Star Wars” shooter is being developed. However, they already provide many hints about what we can expect from the new game. The announcement stated the following about the announced shooter:
The development leadership of Respawn’s completely new Star Wars first-person shooter will be taken over by Peter Hirschmann, Game Director at Respawn, who already has a long and successful history with the “Star Wars” franchise. […]
“Working with Lucasfilm Games on a new FPS in the Star Wars galaxy is a dream come true for me because this is a story I’ve always wanted to tell,” said Peter Hirschmann, Game Director at Respawn. Peter worked as Vice President of Development at LucasArts and was the Executive Producer of the original “Star Wars Battlefront” games. Hirschmann and his team at Respawn have just begun development.
EA in the official statement
From these sentences, we can already read some information.
- Respawn Entertainment itself is responsible for the development of a Star Wars shooter.
- This shooter will be played from a first-person perspective.
- Peter Hirschmann is taking charge of development and has previously developed “Star Wars” shooters.
- The shooter will likely tell a new story, so it may have a campaign.
- A new story also implies that it will not be a retelling of or a (direct) sequel to known “Star Wars” stories.
- Development of the game has only just begun, so a lot of time will pass before release.
The separate mention of the Battlefront games is a clear indication that this is not Star Wars Battlefront 3. The game was also never in development, says journalist Jeff Grubb on Twitter.
Furthermore, it is said that it will not be a VR game (via Twitter). These rumors arose because Hirschmann’s last project with his team at Respawn was the VR FPS Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond.
Based on the current information, it is reasonable to assume that the new shooter will offer a multiplayer mode. This is supported not only by Hirschmann’s and Respawn’s expertise in the area of multiplayer shooters. Allegedly, another shooter project in the Star Wars universe is also being developed at Respawn, which focuses on a single-player experience.
Respawn is reportedly working on two “Star Wars” shooters
Journalist Jeff Grubb reported on January 13, 2022, that Respawn is working on a single-player shooter set in the Star Wars universe. This shooter is said to place great emphasis on “mobility” and “style” and will not be released before 2024 or 2025 (via VentureBeat).
Following the new announcements, he clarified on Twitter that the announced shooter is a different project than the one he described.
Fans of shooters and Star Wars can therefore look forward to two new shooters – even if both will likely not be released for a few years.
The developer studio Respawn, which is said to be responsible for both shooters, has already gained a lot of experience in the genre. They are responsible for some of the biggest shooters on the market.
“Star Wars” shooter comes from the developers behind Apex Legends and Call of Duty
Who are the developers? Respawn Entertainment is well-known in 2022 primarily due to Apex Legends. The free-to-play “battle royale” will celebrate its 3rd anniversary in February and is one of the most popular shooters on the market today. On Steam, it is among the most played games. It is also a big hit on Twitch.
Although Apex Legends is the first major success of the developer studio, they already had a small but loyal fan base before. Respawn is also responsible for the Titanfall games. In particular, Titanfall 2 is an absolute hidden gem among shooter fans thanks to its popular campaign and fast-paced multiplayer. However, Respawn never achieved success with Titanfall – it was a critical darling that received too little attention at the time.
The shooter expertise that the developers have shown with Apex Legends and Titanfall did not come out of nowhere. Most of the developers at Respawn Entertainment, including the founders, were originally the core of the developer studio Infinity Ward.
Respawn founders invented Call of Duty: As Infinity Ward, today’s developers of Respawn were responsible for the first “Call of Duty” games. After Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, there was an equally public and ugly dispute between Activision and the “fathers of Call of Duty”, Vince Zampella and Jason West (via gamestar).
Zampella and West were fired in 2010 and subsequently founded Respawn Entertainment with many other former colleagues. Infinity Ward, which developed the new CoD Modern Warfare for Activision in 2019, did so under the old name and with many new developers.
These “Star Wars” shooters already existed
Since 1983, there have been video games in the “Star Wars” universe; the very first was a first-person shooter. In Star Wars Arcade, gamers could replay Luke Skywalker’s attack on the Death Star in Episode 4 in arcades. In the cockpit of the X-Wing, players moved a reticle and shot at the villains in what is considered primitive graphics today.
This is how it looked in motion:
In the nearly 40 years since the arcade game, there have been many more “Star Wars” video games. Surprisingly few of them were shooters. Apart from games that also took place in the cockpit of a starfighter, there were primarily two game series and one separate title that have combined Star Wars and shooters: The Jedi Knight series, the Battlefront games, and Republic Commando.
The Jedi Knight series
First up is the “Jedi Knight” series, also known as the “Kyle Katarn” games due to the shared protagonist. Four games have been released in this series. To this day, they remain some of the favorite games among Star Wars fans. The first of these was Star Wars: Dark Forces from 1995, and the most recent, Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy from 2003.
Where Dark Forces was a pure FPS, the series became increasingly known for its popular lightsaber gameplay. Jedi Knight II, paradoxically the third part of the series, was only half an FPS. The most recent installment, Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, was almost entirely an action-adventure with lightsabers.
The Battlefront games
Also noteworthy is Star Wars Battlefront. There are four games, which have now been oddly named. There were Star Wars Battlefront and Star Wars Battlefront 2 from the developer Pandemic Studios (released in 2004 and 2005), as well as Star Wars Battlefront and Star Wars Battlefront II from DICE (released in 2015 and 2017).
These shooters were heavily inspired by the Battlefield games, placing great emphasis on gigantic multiplayer matches with many players. Infantry battles were also represented, as well as space battles, and famous heroes from the universe were playable.
Republic Commando
A often-overlooked Star Wars shooter is Star Wars Republic Commando, which was released in 2005. In this single-player FPS, you played as a squad of clone soldiers, where you could give commands to the team. Thus, the shooter had a strategic layer that not many other shooters have copied to this day.
For this reason, Republic Commando has a cult status, especially among Star Wars fans. Although it received average reviews and had few buyers, the gameplay resonated well with them.
These are the shooters that have already appeared in the “Star Wars” universe. Whether the new shooters will directly connect to any of these games is doubtful.
We can most likely assume that the new shooters will not be Battlefront 3. The fact that a new story is to be told with the announced shooter also suggests that it will not be related to Jedi Knight or Republic Commando. However, these are just speculations.
What do you think about the announcements? Which “Star Wars” game are you most looking forward to? And what do you wish for from the upcoming “Star Wars” shooters? Let us know in the comments.
On the same day as the EA announcements, Blizzard also presented a new game. It is a survival game that is still early in development. MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus has smartly discovered some details that we do not want to withhold from you:
5 details about the new survival game from Blizzard that you may have overlooked
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Dead by Daylight celebrates Lunar New Year – it rains blood points and skins
Dead by Daylight celebrates the Chinese New Year – and releases a lot of stuff. There are many unlockable cosmetics and blood points waiting.
In Dead by Daylight, the Patch 5.5 has just started, bringing new story content to the SAW franchise. This also marks the beginning of the “Lunar New Year” event, which this year is called “The Lurking Stripes.” For killers and survivors, this means more blood points, new in-game tasks, and a whole range of unlockable cosmetics.
What do you have to do during the event? The event works very similarly to previous events in Dead by Daylight. During the event, Red Envelopes appear in the blood webs of all characters. These can be activated as offerings at the start of a match.
The red envelopes can also be opened by other players. In this case, both players (the opener and the owner) receive a reward in the form of blood points. Additionally, the owner receives one of the cosmetic rewards at the end of the match.
In simpler terms: If you want to grab the cosmetic rewards, you need to use Red Envelopes as offerings and then open them yourself or have another player do it.
What can be unlocked? There are several rewards in the form of cosmetic items, both for killers and survivors.
New clothing is available for the killers Clown, Artist, and Nurse, as well as a new weapon for the Trapper.
Survivors can look forward to new clothing for David King, Jane Romero, and Kate Denson.
In addition, there are various charms that can be used for decoration by both sides. All items are showcased in this trailer:
Apart from that, there are also thematically appropriate toolboxes and Fire-Crackers during the event, which can be used to distract the killer (or simply to celebrate).
How long does the event last? The event runs from January 25th to February 8th. All players have this time to earn the various rewards and benefit from the bonus blood points.
By the way, daily login is also worthwhile, as currently, there are 50,000 blood points just for logging in every day.
How does the community feel about this? Generally, the mood among players seems to be rather positive that an event is coming and that there are more blood points – especially since the current patch has significantly increased the blood points from another source. However, there are also some loud voices who believe that Dead by Daylight is becoming too complacent and has no new ideas for events. The event resembles many other events and brings very few new ideas.
But while we’re on the subject of skins – another killer has exactly lost that. The Cannibal can no longer use his skin masks of survivors since Patch 5.5. The reason for the removal was the racist actions of some players.
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The Crucible is currently frustrating Destiny 2 players immensely: „Broken and unfair“
The Crucible in Destiny 2 remains an activity that players participate in very regularly. Especially the Iron Banner event and the Trials are highly popular. However, the Destiny 2 community is not satisfied with this. Despite BattlEye, annoying cheaters make PvP unfair, and the poorly balanced matchmaking adds to the difficulty.
Despite the anti-cheat system “BattlEye,” cheaters remain an issue in Destiny 2. Anyone expecting a fair game will be disappointed and will continue to experience inconsistencies.
- Players get one-shot with hand cannons across the entire map
- Enemies can see through walls and know exactly where you are
- Even with several safe hits, some enemies cannot be killed
What players are currently criticizing in PvP: Players report that they feel new cheaters are coming in due to Free2Play. Although it has improved slightly with BattlEye, this fight between developers and cheat providers is by no means settled.
To make matters worse, the matches have become extremely unbalanced. It feels like every second match ends with what is known as the “Mercy Rule.” In their opinion, this is partly due to overpowered weapons and abilities. However, the main reason is the flawed matchmaking system that Bungie currently uses.
On reddit, Destiny 2 player Why_Cry_ has vented his frustrations:
It seems that lately, 80% of my games are lost from the start due to the way Bungie balances the teams. I constantly have 4 or 5 below-average/new/inexperienced players on my team while the opposing team has a mix of average to good players.
The PvP community largely agrees: The reddit post received nearly 5,000 upvotes, indicating strong resonance in the Destiny 2 PvP community.
Many players reported similar experiences below the article. The issues were particularly noticeable in the Iron Banner. The matchmaking is by no means balanced for the players.
Many players, like the user itzlgk, have had very similar experiences.
Connections have been terrible for months, and lobby balancing seems to rely solely on skill based on my experience and Dtracker. I’m a ~2.8KD ‘sweat’ and it brings 100% potatoes [PvP players with less skill] into my team and tries to make me carry them all against a team of average players.
At this point, we would also like to briefly recommend our current shooter podcast. There, shooter fans will learn which releases to expect in early 2022. After a 2-click authentication, you can already listen to it.
This is how Bungie can save PvP now: On reddit, players are now proposing a logical and simple suggestion on how Bungie could optimally balance PvP for every player.
The selected players, especially when there are many solo players in the lobby, should be evenly distributed across both teams. This way, we would see fewer Mercy Rules and more close games.
Why_Cry_, the creator of the reddit post, simply suggests random balancing for this:
Honestly, random balancing would be better than what we have now. Right now, it selects the worst outcome in 90% of cases. If it were random, it would be more like 50%.
Is the Elo system the better solution? A matchmaking system based on a player’s Elo value would also be another option to solve the problem.
The Elo system would rank all players according to their skill and match them according to their Elo value. The higher the Elo, the better the player. If this applies to both teams, it should also make the lobbies more balanced.
Cheaters are still a problem in Destiny 2
When it comes to cheaters in Destiny 2, players are currently looking a bit enviously at other shooters like CoD Warzone. Some PvP players have commented and mentioned: “In COD: Warzone, it is also the case that cheaters can play but can’t deal damage to players anymore.”
Instead of BattlEye, the new anti-cheat system RICOCHET monitors the game here. At least the system has proven to be extremely effective, and players sometimes refer to it as a “stunning success”. Even though there are still flying cars in the Battle Royale.
However, this won’t be a solution for Destiny 2 because RICOCHET is actually an analysis tool and does not intervene directly in the game. Even if it sounds good that cheaters can no longer deal damage, this was apparently only a bug of the anti-cheat system in CoD Warzone and thus not permanent.
One thing is for sure: the PvP players in Destiny 2 are currently not satisfied at all. So it is no wonder that players come to the conclusion that Bungie must urgently , dedicate full attention to its best mode before Witch Queen launches on February 22.
They even go so far as to say that the Crucible will die out if cheaters and the unbalanced matchmaking system remain in the game any longer.
What does Bungie say about this? Bungie’s community manager has already spoken out and stated that they are aware of this imbalance. Dmg04 wrote on Twitter: “I can say that turning off skill-based matchmaking has led to numerous complications in match creation and lobby balancing. We hope to have news in the coming months about what we plan to do to address the feedback.”
What is your opinion? Do you agree with the statement that the matchmaking system in Destiny 2 is actually too unbalanced?
And how are your current experiences with cheaters in PvP? Do you find BattlEye is sufficient to effectively curb cheaters? Has it gotten better or worse? Or do you say: No matter what system, there will always be cheaters? Let us know in the comments.
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Call of Duty is likely to bring a completely new Warzone – Just the way you wish it
Well-informed sources have hinted at a continuation of the popular Battle Royale Call of Duty: Warzone – an entirely new game with its own content. A kind of reboot. MeinMMO wanted to know from you what you would think of a reboot. And many of you are in favor.
First players have started discussing whether the free Call of Duty: Warzone would benefit from a complete reboot.
The old content is gone: weapons, cosmetics, maybe even the current and old maps – everything is to be scrapped and replaced with a completely new version of Warzone. Essentially CoD: Warzone 2.
On MeinMMO, we launched a survey on January 24, and it has now emerged that the developers are apparently indeed planning a continuation of the Battle Royale – if one trusts the credible leaks.
Reboot of Warzone? Many on MeinMMO want that
For many users on MeinMMO, it is clear: “We want the reboot.” Here you can find the article with the survey and here are the results (as of January 26, 2022, 12:00 PM):
Out of 1,175 votes, 772 users are in favor of a reboot. However, there are differing opinions on what such a “reboot” might look like.
MeinMMO reader “Lieblingsleguan” for example thinks that the old weapons and cosmetics could disappear. But the existing maps should remain in the game:
The only thing that could be reused would be the maps. Think about it, we would then have Verdansk, Rebirth, Caldera, and the rumored new map. Always two of them as part of the weekly playlist and two would be off. I would think that’s great.
On our Facebook page for Call of Duty, user “To Mi” has his own ideas for a Warzone reboot. He tends to lean more towards a return to the initial state:
I would be in favor as well. Just Warzone with the weapons & operators from CoD MW. It was much better back then. It was clear that all the integrations of the other CoD parts would ruin Warzone. With so many gadgets & weapons, the balance just becomes unmanageable at some point.
Feel free to leave a comment about how you envision a new Warzone. Do you want an entirely new experience or rather an improved version of the current Battle Royale?
What is known about Warzone 2?
We don’t know too much yet about a possible CoD: Warzone 2. Trustworthy sources have revealed the following, without it being officially confirmed yet:
- Warzone 2 will be released in 2023 (not as a premium title)
- The new Warzone will no longer come for the old consoles Xbox One and PlayStation 4
- Entirely new game with new content – no old weapons or similar
The release information comes from renowned gaming journalist Jason Schreier and the info about consoles and content comes from established leaker “Tom Henderson”.
A possible release is therefore still at least a year away. Which shooter hits you can expect by then, we discussed in our current podcast.
In 2023, there could be again 2 major CoD titles coming. Treyarch is developing a reboot of the popular “Black Ops” series and a currently unknown studio is working on Warzone 2.
How the next year will unfold for CoD fans is still uncertain. First, the release of CoD 2022 is ahead – Find out here what we already know about Call of Duty: 2022.
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Players are currently angry at New World because they are supposedly “hiding” player counts – and that is absolutely nonsense
New World released the new patch 1.3 on January 25th. This mainly took care of the endgame, but also brought some bugs and discussions. One of these discussions revolves around Amazon’s “hiding player numbers.” However, this issue is being artificially inflated, says MeinMMO editor Alexander Leitsch.
With the new patch 1.3, New World has made some changes. One of them likely concerns the reading of player numbers. Because while previously external websites like NWDB could apparently read the exact player numbers per server, this is no longer possible since the update. The website now only gives estimates for regions but no exact numbers anymore.
There is no reason for this or an official statement from Amazon.
- Some players – and likely ex-players – saw this as a sign that New World is absolutely at the end, and is even close to maintenance mode. After all, Amazon must be hiding player numbers now.
- The topic is particularly hot on the MMORPG subreddit, where a thread on this issue is currently at number 1 and has received over 100 comments (via reddit). Many are particularly upset that a thread on this topic was deleted in the official New World forum.
- However, there is also a thread in the New World subreddit with over 300 comments (via reddit).
I find this discussion nonsense and see it primarily as a form of disaster tourism that seems to be growing in video games, especially in MMOs. Because New World does indeed have many problems that can be discussed, but this change is not one of them.
Nevertheless, many people are jumping on the news as if Amazon announced the discontinuation of New World. And that’s nonsense.
Player numbers still visible on Steam, disadvantages only with server transfers
The alleged hiding of numbers is not tenable at all.
On the one hand, player numbers can still be read easily via Steam, as New World is only playable through this platform. In the last 24 hours, there were 78,279 concurrent players online, and the average in the last 30 days was still 69,755 (via Steamcharts).
On the other hand, the exact numbers per server have never been made public. Websites like NWDB obtained the numbers independently. However, it is unclear how that was even possible because there is no official interface or API.
Amazon has simply closed a type of data leak that was never intended for the public.
What bothers me the most is the censorship accusation against Amazon. Because in the official forum, a thread was deleted in which player numbers were heatedly discussed. Unfortunately, we now only know the title of the thread, but just from that one can tell what tone was set there:
“Dead Game removed ability to see how dead it is” – translated into English: “Dead Game removed the ability to see how dead it is.”
If someone were to write such a comment with us, it would also be deleted. It is not constructive, it does not encourage discussion, but I see directly: This is only bashing, and the thread will escalate. And it likely did.
The change regarding player numbers does indeed have a disadvantage that I do not want to downplay. If you want to switch servers, you can no longer see how populated the other servers are.
However, anyone who is deeply engaged with the game knows the busy servers. Moreover, most players will probably switch to servers where they already know people rather than simply going by numbers.
Criticism of New World is justified, but not for this accusation
After the article, some will surely label me a fanboy who wants to defend the game at all costs. But that is by no means my intention, as there are enough things that can be discussed:
- With the new patch, about 20 new bugs were introduced, including problems with chat, inability to craft from storage, or servers where the dungeons no longer work (via New World Forum).
- One can discuss the dungeons themselves, which I have done. I am strongly bothered by the orbs needed to enter the dungeons.
- There is also a need to discuss balance issues, bug fixing in general, and desync, which often leads to rubberbanding.
But getting hung up on the topic of player numbers and wishing for the death of a game is for me rather a sign that some players have no interest anymore in games evolving.
They would rather see the world burn. And this has become a significant flaw among MMORPG fans in recent years.
By the way, the player numbers in New World are by no means as bad as many think. Because they often get hung up on the average player numbers or the peak numbers. But those are always just snapshots.
If there are 78,279 players online at one time, there are several hundred thousand throughout the day. New World never drops below the mark of at least 40,000 concurrent players at any single second during the weekend.
For comparison:
- Everquest 2 has 29,000 players, Lord of the Rings Online has 108,000, and Dungeons and Dragons has 46,000 players. However, those are players who log in once a month.
- RuneScape fluctuates with two versions (Old School and RuneScape 3), both of which also have a mobile version, between about 75,000 and 120,000 concurrent players (via misplaceditems).
These games have been around for years, some for decades, and are constantly being developed further. New World is moving at a similar level. By the way, I mentioned these examples because they are pretty much the only ones where I can access firm numbers from the developers. The other developers refrain from doing so, probably for good reasons, as current discussions show.
What do you think about the situation in New World? Have you already tried the new patch? And what are your thoughts on the player numbers? Please feel free to leave a comment.
Those interested in the upcoming updates of New World have already received an interesting preview here:
New World: Developers reveal new details about upcoming updates – announce important PvP feature
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WoW: In Patch 9.2 you need to unlock flying again – Here’s how it goes
In patch 9.2 of World of Warcraft, you can fly again – but not right from the start. We reveal what you need to do for the flying skill this time.
Slowly but surely, the patch 9.2 Eternity’s End is coming into view. Blizzard is still making many changes with each new PTR version, but gradually the content seems to be finalizing. Adjustments have once again been made on how you can unlock flying in patch 9.2. As usual, this accelerates your travel speed and progression in the game.
Where do you need to unlock flying? Only in the new area Zereth Mortis. The zone is only accessible with patch 9.2 and must be entered on foot in the first days. You can only fly there after a certain time, so all players can initially explore the area on foot or with ground mounts. Flying in the rest of Shadowlands has been possible for a while already.
How do you unlock flying? As is often the case, the flying ability in Zereth Mortis is tied to an achievement, currently named “Unlocking the Secrets” in English. This is a meta achievement, meaning that several sub-achievements must be completed to unlock it. In total, there are six smaller achievements that must be collected to be able to fly.
What do you need to do? Even though six achievements may sound like a lot, most tasks can be completed relatively quickly, as you can see here:
- Explore Zereth Mortis: Reveal the entire map of Zereth Mortis, except for the island where the raid “Mausoleum of the First” can be found.
- Curious Collections: Discover 5 different hidden treasures in Zereth Mortis.
- Path to Enlightenment: Complete three side quest chains in Zereth Mortis.
- Tales of the Exile: Read all the “Firim in Exile” books available in Zereth Mortis.
- Adventures in Zereth Mortis: Defeat 10 of the special challenges in Zereth Mortis (Rare enemies).
- A Means to an End: Complete the campaign of Zereth Mortis up to chapter 5.
At first glance, this may seem like a lot of work, but you will likely complete most of these achievements by day 1 or 2 while questing in Zereth Mortis. You will find treasures and rare enemies almost “in passing,” and the side quests and books will also be discovered along the way. Only the last step will be possible starting with the beginning of week 3, as the 5th story chapter is accessible in the third week.
In general, you should be able to fly in patch 9.2 after 15 days (the start of week 3).
Does every character have to unlock it? No. The progress on the achievement “Unlocking the Secrets” is account-wide. Once you fulfill the requirements with one character – for example, your main character – then those requirements are also completed for all other characters. So you can fly in Zereth Mortis with all characters and only have to complete the achievement once.
What do you think about having to unlock flying for the new area as well? A good solution, since it goes relatively quickly? Or should the Shadowlands flying have counted here directly?
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Twitch banned one of the most famous German streamers in 2020 – Now Flying Uwe is suddenly back
In May 2020, one of the largest German streamers on Twitch was permanently banned from the platform. It is about Uwe “Flying Uwe” Schüder (34), who had violated the guidelines almost 2 years ago and was thus expelled from the platform forever – supposedly. Because now, on January 26, he has suddenly been unbanned.
Why was the streamer banned?
- Flying Uwe was often called by an anonymous number during a livestream. Because of these calls, the livestream kept getting interrupted.
- The streamer became so angry about this that he insulted and threatened the caller wildly. After that, the calls stopped.
- With the threats and insults, Uwe Schüder violated Twitch’s guidelines and was permanently banned from the platform.
- Flying Uwe then filed an appeal, but Twitch rejected the appeal. His Twitch colleague MontanaBlack called the ban a “mindfuck” for Schüder and hoped that his colleague could return to Twitch.
The Unbanning of Flying Uwe from Nowhere
After almost 2 years, the site StreamerBans suddenly shared the following message on Twitter: “Twitch partner ‘flyinguwe87’ has been unbanned after 1 year, 8 months, and a week.” Twitch itself has not yet commented on this spontaneous decision.
Although Flying Uwe was actually permanently banned, he is now allowed to stream on the platform again. Even he can hardly believe it and even forgot his Twitch name in the excitement:
Among the tweets, there are congratulations and mostly joyful reactions to the unbanning of the then big German streamer. He could at least entertain an average of 1,300 to 2,100 viewers on Twitch and has over 1 million subscribers on YouTube.
Here are the reactions under the tweets:
- crowie is over the moon: “Incredible, I wish you all the best! Welcome back, big guy!”
- Jeff also celebrates: “Finally! It was about time. I’m happy for you.”
- mondzahn hopes for soon streams: “Omg, soon ‘Mario Kart’ streams?”
Speaking of “Mario Kart” streams: His colleague MontanaBlack is also publicly excited on Twitter about the unbanning. He welcomes him back. The two have often streamed Mario Kart together in the past.
Viewers might look forward to a comeback. Flying Uwe has definitely not yet said how he wants to proceed now and whether he will actually start streaming on Twitch again. So, it remains to be seen.
Twitch streamer totally desperate – bans and accidentally deletes all his fans
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Fortnite: Have you seen the hidden weapon in the new pizza trailer?
Epic Games has released a new trailer for Fortnite. The focus was on the new pizza item, which has been in the game since January 25. However, a new weapon was also discovered, which could only be spotted upon closer inspection. Have you seen it too?
What kind of weapon is it? In the trailer, there was a wild shootout in Tilted Towers. There, an unknown skin used a submachine gun that looks like an Uzi. However, this is not the well-known Uzi with flame camouflage.
The weapon shown in the pizza trailer is larger, but it does not differ in functionality from the known submachine guns in any way. Its sudden appearance in the trailer could mean that you will soon become acquainted with it.
What can the weapon do? The weapon appears to fire rapidly based on the trailer and has a large magazine in terms of appearance. However, how it performs in the game and whether it is worth it is still unknown to us.
Epic often hides new items in their trailers
The trailers from Epic Games often hide hints of items or skins that have not yet been revealed. This teases content that may be added in the current season.
If you haven’t thoroughly watched the trailer, pay close attention; you will discover more than you think:
Was anything else discovered? The new weapon was used by an unknown skin that resembles Raven and probably belongs to his cult. Shiina, a well-known leaker for Fortnite, had already revealed since the update 19.10 that a new skin bundle is expected.
However, when this bundle will be released is as unknown as the release date of the new weapon.
Before you continue reading, we would like to recommend our latest podcast. There, shooter fans will find out which releases they can expect in early 2022. After a 2-click authentication, you can already listen to it:
What has Epic already hidden in the past? In Chapter 2 Season 8, new and unknown weapons were also discovered in trailers, such as the double crossbow or the giant cube monsters. This has given many players the chance to find out in advance what content they can expect in the current season.
Additionally, this raises the excitement since Fortnite is often accompanied by phases of content drought.
Nevertheless, you should wait and see what Epic has planned. Usually, plans can change and weapons or skins may be released later than initially anticipated.
What do you think of such hidden content that Epic intentionally integrates into its videos? Do you find them interesting and does it increase your desire to continue playing Fortnite excessively? Let us know what you think!
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Apex Legends gives away heroes worth 22 euros – Here’s how to get them
The popular battle royale Apex Legends is giving away three heroes from its selection throughout February 2022. They are worth a total of 22 euros and there will also be free loot boxes available. However, those who want to get everything for free need to act quickly. Find out here on MeinMMO how you can snag the free goodies in Apex Legends.
Which legends are free? In February 2022, Apex Legends celebrates its anniversary with Season 12. The game was released almost out of nowhere on February 4, 2019, and revolutionized the battle royale world with numerous cool new ideas, such as the ping system.
Another top feature is the playable heroes, known as legends, each with unique abilities.
However, the new heroes had to be grinded out or purchased for 7.5 euros. But soon, three legends will be completely free:
In total, these three heroes are worth over 22 euros. But anyone who wants them needs to pay close attention.
Loot boxes worth 10 euros are free
When are the free legends available? Anyone wanting the three heroes should mark the following dates in their calendar. Because only during this time can you get the respective hero:
- Week 1 (February 8 – 15) for Octane
- Week 2 (February 15 – 22) for Wattson
- Week 3 (February 22 – March 1) for Valkyrie
Log in during the mentioned times to get the hero and more goodies. However, note that each legend is only available in the specified week. So, if you get Wattson in week 2, and you haven’t had Octane, you won’t get him in week 2.
Unfortunately, those who already have the heroes won’t receive anything additional.
What else can you get? What is always available are three additional loot boxes, each containing items that match the respective character. At the end of the month with Valkyrie, there’s even an additional box with legendary items.
The boxes are worth a total of 10 euros, so if you grab all three heroes and the 10 boxes, you save 32 euros!
This event is ideal for newcomers to the game. By the way, you can find out why this is a good idea here: More and more people are playing Apex Legends on Steam, and now I understand why.
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FIFA 22 Icons – All icons with their ratings in the list
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Pokémon GO: All Raids and Raid Hours in January 2022 – Today with Regice
In Pokémon GO you will encounter powerful raid bosses Heatran, Genesect, Regice, Mega-Glaceon and Mega-Gradon in January 2022. We show you the dates for the boss changes and the raid hours in the overview.
What kind of overview is this? Raids on various difficulty levels in Pokémon GO change regularly. New raid bosses replace old ones and can be fought by you. New mega raids are also coming. Every Wednesday, a raid hour takes place with a focus on a level-5 Pokémon.
In this overview, we show you the most important raid dates in January 2022.
Update from January 26: Today, the raid hour with Regice is happening in Pokémon GO.
Raid hours and bosses in January 2022
Note down these dates for raid hours:
| Date | Bosses |
(Module) | |
| January 26 | Regice* |
Boss changes and Mega Raids:
| Until January 7 | Kyurem* in Level-5 Raids |
| Until January 7 | Mega-Glaceon* in Mega Raids |
| January 7 to January 15 | Heatran* in Level-5 Raids |
| January 7 to February 1 | Mega-Aerodactyl* in Mega Raids |
| January 15 to January 24 | Genesect with Module in Level-5 Raids |
| January 24 to February 1 | Regice* in Level-5 Raids |
The best counters for the raids in January 2022
Kyurem Counter: Kyurem is weak against Fighting, Rock, Steel, Dragon and Fairy types. As attackers, use (Shadow) Metagross, Terrakion, (Shadow) Machamp, Lucario, Mega-Aerodactyl, and (Shadow) Hariyama.
In our Counter Guide to Kyurem in Pokémon GO, we show you more strong counters against the boss.
Heatran Counter: In battle, Heatran is very vulnerable to Ground attackers. Fighting and Water Pokémon are also effective. Use attackers like Garchomp, Rhyperior, Thundurus (also in its Therian form), Groudon, or (Shadow) Swampert in raids.
In our Counter Guide against Heatran, we show you the best attackers.
Genesect Counter: Against Genesect with module, especially Fire attackers are effective. It is recommended to use Pokémon like Mega-Charizard Y, Mega-Charizard X, (Shadow) Entei, Reshiram, Mega-Houndoom, or (Shadow) Arcanine.
You can find more attackers in our Counter Guide to Genesect in Pokémon GO.
Regice Counter: Fighting, Rock, Fire and Steel types are strong in the battle against Regice. We recommend attackers like Mega-Charizard Y, (Shadow) Metagross, (Shadow) Moltres, (Shadow) Machamp, (Shadow) Entei, or Terrakion.
Counters for Mega Raids in January
Mega-Glaceon Counter: Mega-Glaceon is very vulnerable to Fire attacks. But Fighting, Flying, Poison, Rock, Bug and Steel types also have good chances in battle. Use Mega-Charizard Y, (Shadow) Entei, (Shadow) Moltres, Mega-Charizard X, Mega-Houndoom, or Reshiram. Mega-Glaceon is available as boss until January 7.
Mega-Aerodactyl Counter: Against Mega-Aerodactyl, it is best to use Rock, Steel, Water, Electric or Ice attackers. The strongest counters are (Shadow) Metagross, Mega-Blastoise, (Shadow) Raikou, (Shadow) Swampert, Mega-Voltenso or (Shadow) Zapdos.
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5 Details about the new survival game by Blizzard that you have overlooked
Blizzard suddenly announced an untitled new survival game on the evening of January 25. There is very little information available about it, but some details from the announcement reveal more. MeinMMO analyzes.
What are these details? We took a closer look at the announcement for Blizzard’s new survival game. In addition to the search for the developers, there are so far only 2 images.
However, both in the images and in the written paragraphs themselves, there are a few details that could hint at contents and features. Additionally, there are some statements about the game that could at least narrow down a release somewhat.
MeinMMO explains which details you probably missed – and what they mean.
1. The setting apparently mixes modern elements with fantasy
In the teaser image for the currently unknown game, a city with skyscrapers can be seen in the upper left. This suggests that the basis for at least some characters is likely the real or a reality-inspired world. We are probably playing humans.
This is also supported by the bicycle leaning against a stone, which looks like it comes from a modern city.
The connection to the actual game world is then indicated by a kind of portal, which can also be seen in the image. Some roots create a gate, behind which lies another world. One can see a floating castle, a river, and green meadows.
The connection between this fantasy world and the real one somewhat resembles Alice in Wonderland.
2. There are likely dragons or something similar
The second teaser image shows an armed warrior or huntress. She wears some bones and teeth or claws as jewelry or armor. Unless they are made of clay and purely from imagination, they indicate foes or at least prey.
The “helmet” has the characteristic shape of a dragon’s head. The claws also resemble the shape and size of those of a smaller dragon or wyvern. It is thus likely that dragons or draconids can be found in the world.
Whether they will be friends or foes remains to be seen. We do not yet know if the tracker is a playable character or an opponent. Perhaps they can even be tamed, similar to dinosaurs in ARK.
3. Combat will involve classic swords, axes, and bows
In addition, 3 different weapons can be identified with the huntress:
- a short sword or long dagger
- a great axe/Danish axe
- arrows
Since she does not use rifles or other modern or even futuristic weapons, it is likely that the combat system relies more on high-fantasy elements – similar to World of Warcraft or Diablo.
The worn armor also suggests that the equipment is more fantasy-oriented. What we do not yet know is whether this involves classic loot or typical crafting for survival games.
4. There is magic
The floating castle is already a hint of magic but could also be due to a kind of Nether or anomaly there in the sky. A concrete hint of magic, however, is the foot tracks that the tracker investigates.
These glow with a substance reminiscent of the source from the Divinity series: bluish, shimmering, and somehow not of this world. The tracks themselves are marked with this substance and lead to a mirror.
There they suddenly stop and disappear. Since no body is found there, the suspicion arises that this mirror serves as a portal. Magic mirrors are clearly a sign of magic.
5. The game is likely to be a multiplayer or MMO
This information should come as no surprise for a modern Blizzard game. The developers speak of a “place full of heroes,” which is already a clear hint that you will be playing alongside other players – or against them.
The world itself is to become a “large world full of possibility.” In modern survival games, it is common to give players the freedom to play as they wish. Such sandbox features often include crafting and building, freely distributable skill points, and classless systems.
However, it is still unknown whether the world will play like an MMO in the style of World of Warcraft, or whether you can rent your own servers. Survival games typically rely on individual servers that can also be operated privately. This would also be conceivable here, but it has not yet been confirmed.
Release – When is the game coming?
In the announcement, Blizzard is still looking for employees, particularly for design and art, but also developers. Accordingly, the release may still take some time.
However, the unknown game is already playable, as Blizzard CEO Mike Ybarra explained in a tweet. He said he has already played it with the team – which also hints at multiplayer. This also means that the game exists not just as a pure concept but already has a framework.
Even if the release may still take a few years, it is possible that a beta or early access could already be seen in 2023. This is pure speculation, but early access is a popular model in survival games, with hits like Rust or ARK having already been successful. Some even permanently.
So far, only PC and “console” are known as platforms. The Xbox is likely secure due to the deal with Microsoft, while the PlayStation is at least not ruled out. Details on this are still missing.
If you are interested in the genre, you should keep an eye out in 2022. Even if Blizzard’s project still takes a long time, there are many new titles this year worth looking out for:
7 new survival games to look forward to in 2022
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With an unusual gadget, you can now enjoy your favorite games more comfortably
Are you tired of controlling everything in the game with your hands? Elgato has now introduced a foot pedal that allows you to control your games using your feet.
Imagine you want to switch the camera in your stream or take an important screenshot. But your hands are full and you can’t press the crucial button.
This is where the new foot pedal from Elgato comes into play. You just need to activate the pedal with your foot, and the camera is switched, the microphone is muted, or the screenshot is taken. And you do not even need an excellent MMO mouse for that.
MeinMMO introduces the product and explains who the foot pedal could be suitable for.
With a foot pedal, you can control apps, games, and programs
What kind of product is this? The manufacturer Elgato is primarily known for its Stream Deck and other streaming accessories. Now Elgato has introduced another product called the “Stream Deck Pedal”. It is a foot pedal that you can connect directly to your gaming PC.
Overall, the device offers a large pedal in the center and two small pedals on the left and right side. The device connects with a USB-C cable and plugs directly into your PC. It also comes with 3 sets of springs so you can adjust the pedal to your feet.
Such gadgets like the pedal are not unusual. For example, a company has introduced a mouse that you can control with your thoughts. And that is just one of many crazy ideas that developers come up with to make gamers’ hobbies more enjoyable.
What does it bring me? The “Stream Deck Pedal” takes tasks off your hands that you can’t or don’t want to do with your mouse and keyboard. The device has a total of three buttons that you can activate with your feet.
Elgato itself explains that you can use the pedal for a wide range of tasks:
- For example, you can use the pedal when you want to mute your microphone, but your hands are full.
- You can assign important functions of your game, like reloading your weapon or a movement, to the pedal.
- You can also use the pedal for your stream when you are gaming or showcasing a product.
- Theoretically, you can even create complex macros and execute them with a foot press.
Overall, the “Stream Deck Pedal” is supposed to support more than 200 apps and programs. The device is compatible with Windows 10 and above or with macOS 10.13 or newer.
You can see the pedal in action in the official Twitter post. Here, the developers show what you can do with the device:
How much does the device cost and where can I buy it? You can pre-order the device for 89.99 euros, and it is available both directly from Elgato and from Amazon and other retailers. The device is not yet available on Amazon, but that should change in the coming hours.
In addition to Elgato, other manufacturers also offer pedals for gamers
What alternatives are there? In addition to Elgato, other manufacturers also offer such additional products for gamers. For example, the manufacturer Sodial also offers a system with three pedals for gamers. Priced at around 30 euros, this product is significantly cheaper than the Elgato device. On Amazon, the reviews are quite positive, and one user states that the device is well-suited for MMOs.
A more expensive alternative would be the USB foot switch from Olympus. Here, you also get 3 pedals that you can easily configure. According to reviewers, the Olympus foot switch is easy to use, but the software is not very good. At a price of around 90 euros, you pay about the same as for the Elgato Stream Deck Pedal.
A similar product is also offered by the well-known manufacturer Philips. Here you also get the ACC2310, a USB foot switch with 3 pedals that you can configure freely. However, with a price of around 120 euros, the Philips pedal is also the most expensive.
More gadgets for gamers: And if you want to give your hands a real break while your feet take over the tasks, then check out a particularly gadget. Because it is supposed to take care of your hands. MeinMMO introduces the device in the following article:
New gadget is supposed to take care of your most important gaming tool: your hands
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In Lost Ark you can now smash your opponents with brush and paint – This is how the new class works
Both abilities consume the same amount of energy, which, as described, can be recharged by dealing damage to opponents.
The community loves the new class
How is the Painter received? On the Korean servers, the class is incredibly well received. It even caused Lost Ark to recently break its player record with 260,000 people logged in simultaneously.
The general feedback from the Korean community is positive, and most fans are very enthusiastic about the new class. Feedback from Europe varies significantly. There, the Painter has not yet appeared and will not do so at launch, but some players are expressing discontent.
This is not necessarily surprising, as the childlike-sweet style of the Specialist class is likely more popular on average in Korea than it is in Europe or Germany. Many fans here share negative feelings even about the appearance of the class.
What do the fans say? The comments under a video in which a Korean YouTuber introduces the class in detail and cheerfully translates some of the skills into English are overwhelmingly positive. People seem to love the Painter (via YouTube).
- The user Mordarim writes: “Oh man, this class looks like so much fun. I hope we get it soon on the EU/NA servers.”
- Kyo Senpai is also excited: “This class looks incredible. I can’t wait to try it.”
- User rostz wants to switch his main class directly: “The friendship with my Bard has to end. Now the Painter is my best friend.”
- Thebloodman is fascinated by the skills: “This teleport looks like it’s going to be crazy fun!”
What do you think of the new class in Lost Ark? Would you give the Painter a chance when she arrives here, or are you rather negatively surprised by the latest class in Lost Ark? Feel free to let us know in the comments here at MeinMMO.
If you want to learn more, check out a new trailer for Lost Ark showcasing the stories awaiting you in the world of Arkesia.
Each activation of the ability consumes one of the charged orbs. You can choose to activate the ability with Z, which brings your group a 10% DPS buff, or with X, to heal yourself.
Both abilities consume the same amount of energy, which, as described, can be recharged by dealing damage to opponents.
The community loves the new class
How is the Painter received? On the Korean servers, the class is incredibly well received. It even caused Lost Ark to recently break its player record with 260,000 people logged in simultaneously.
The general feedback from the Korean community is positive, and most fans are very enthusiastic about the new class. Feedback from Europe varies significantly. There, the Painter has not yet appeared and will not do so at launch, but some players are expressing discontent.
This is not necessarily surprising, as the childlike-sweet style of the Specialist class is likely more popular on average in Korea than it is in Europe or Germany. Many fans here share negative feelings even about the appearance of the class.
What do the fans say? The comments under a video in which a Korean YouTuber introduces the class in detail and cheerfully translates some of the skills into English are overwhelmingly positive. People seem to love the Painter (via YouTube).
- The user Mordarim writes: “Oh man, this class looks like so much fun. I hope we get it soon on the EU/NA servers.”
- Kyo Senpai is also excited: “This class looks incredible. I can’t wait to try it.”
- User rostz wants to switch his main class directly: “The friendship with my Bard has to end. Now the Painter is my best friend.”
- Thebloodman is fascinated by the skills: “This teleport looks like it’s going to be crazy fun!”
What do you think of the new class in Lost Ark? Would you give the Painter a chance when she arrives here, or are you rather negatively surprised by the latest class in Lost Ark? Feel free to let us know in the comments here at MeinMMO.
If you want to learn more, check out a new trailer for Lost Ark showcasing the stories awaiting you in the world of Arkesia.
On January 12th, the latest class in the MMORPG Lost Ark started with the Painter or Artist, depending on the translation. At least in Korea, players can now defeat various monsters with color. We explain how the new class works here at MeinMMO.
What kind of class is it? The new class added to Lost Ark is called Painter or Artist, depending on the Korean translation. So they are artists and only playable as female characters.
It introduces a completely new base class; aside from Gunner, Warrior, Mage, and Co, it is a specialization of the base class Specialist. Specialists are female, slightly childlike beings with cat ears. Accordingly, the Painter is also equipped with cat ears and appears small and young.
The new Specialist base class is expected to be further expanded in 2022. So far, the developers at Smilegate have teased a type of Weather Mage, which is also supposed to appear in Korea later this year.
How does the Painter play? The Painter offers an exciting combination of support class and DPS class. To ensure this variety, the new class switches between black and white ink, which she splatters on her brush.
If you expand your skills toward damage, the lady mixes in a bit of red to signal that it’s going to hurt. You can immediately see from the striking colors and sometimes long casting times whether the Painter will deal damage or support you.
This mix makes the Painter particularly interesting for fans of support classes who don’t want to lag too far behind in damage, as Bard players currently have to endure. The Painter can also easily outpace the Paladin in terms of damage.
She has only a few disadvantages and offers much more mobility than her two support colleagues. Therefore, she is also suitable for those of you who like to play DPS classes but don’t need to be at the top of the DPS board while enjoying to support your friends.
When is she coming to us? This is still uncertain. Many suspect that Amazon will focus in 2022 on bringing in the Summoner, which was supposed to be there from the beginning but was then scrapped.
Amazon also stated that they want to work on the gender lock in the game and loosen it further. The female version of the Berserker, which has also been announced, is likely to take priority as well.
Here you can see the skills of the new class:
The Painter is an optimal addition to any group
What can the Painter offer the group? Apart from dealing damage and healing yourself, as a Painter, you can help your group in many other situations. Many skills of the new class apply a debuff to the target, causing the entire group to deal 10% more damage to the opponent.
In addition, she can use her identity skill to unleash a buff, granting the entire group another 10% more damage. Thus, it is very easy for the Painter to provide the whole group with 20% more DPS. That alone would already be very strong, but she can do much more.
Similar to her support colleague, the Bard, the Painter can also provide speed bonuses and mana regeneration. Even a heal for the group is present in her skill kit.
However, the Painter truly shines in terms of shields. The new class has a total of five different abilities that provide enormous shields to the entire group. Thus, she can absorb much damage for the group and is perfect for boss fights.
The special something: Now the Painter already deals more damage than the Bard and the Paladin and can do many of the things that her support colleagues can do just as well or even better. But it doesn’t stop there, as the Painter has another support ace up her sleeve.
The Painter can place portals for her group. She can freely place these on the battlefield without having to stand in that location. You can essentially throw these portals. Group members can then use the portals to teleport to your location without delay.
This is especially useful in boss fights, as the Painter can already leave the danger zone and can catch up with her DPS partners using a portal. This brings the advantage that damage classes can continue to deal damage to the boss until the last second instead of fleeing from dangerous mechanics.
How does her identity skill work? Every class in Lost Ark comes with a special ability, known as the identity skill in this MMORPG. The Painter deals damage to charge it and can then charge up to three orbs for her ability.
Each activation of the ability consumes one of the charged orbs. You can choose to activate the ability with Z, which brings your group a 10% DPS buff, or with X, to heal yourself.
Both abilities consume the same amount of energy, which, as described, can be recharged by dealing damage to opponents.
The community loves the new class
How is the Painter received? On the Korean servers, the class is incredibly well received. It even caused Lost Ark to recently break its player record with 260,000 people logged in simultaneously.
The general feedback from the Korean community is positive, and most fans are very enthusiastic about the new class. Feedback from Europe varies significantly. There, the Painter has not yet appeared and will not do so at launch, but some players are expressing discontent.
This is not necessarily surprising, as the childlike-sweet style of the Specialist class is likely more popular on average in Korea than it is in Europe or Germany. Many fans here share negative feelings even about the appearance of the class.
What do the fans say? The comments under a video in which a Korean YouTuber introduces the class in detail and cheerfully translates some of the skills into English are overwhelmingly positive. People seem to love the Painter (via YouTube).
- The user Mordarim writes: “Oh man, this class looks like so much fun. I hope we get it soon on the EU/NA servers.”
- Kyo Senpai is also excited: “This class looks incredible. I can’t wait to try it.”
- User rostz wants to switch his main class directly: “The friendship with my Bard has to end. Now the Painter is my best friend.”
- Thebloodman is fascinated by the skills: “This teleport looks like it’s going to be crazy fun!”
What do you think of the new class in Lost Ark? Would you give the Painter a chance when she arrives here, or are you rather negatively surprised by the latest class in Lost Ark? Feel free to let us know in the comments here at MeinMMO.
If you want to learn more, check out a new trailer for Lost Ark showcasing the stories awaiting you in the world of Arkesia.
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Pokémon GO: Research Breakthrough in February with Shiny Psiau – “I can hardly wait”
In Pokémon GO you can find a new Shiny in your research breakthrough starting February. We at MeinMMO have looked at which monster you can look forward to in February 2022 and how trainers on social media are reacting to this news.
What is the research breakthrough? Trainers in Pokémon GO have the opportunity to receive and complete research tasks daily. For each day a quest has been completed, there is a stamp. Those who collect seven of them can look forward to a special reward in the form of a research breakthrough.
In this, you will encounter a specific Pokémon that changes monthly. On the evening of January 25, 2022, Niantic announced the monster for the research breakthrough in February 2022.
Research breakthrough in February with Psiau
Which monster is in the research breakthrough? In February, you can encounter the Psychic-type Pokémon Psiau in the research breakthrough. This Pokémon has only been available from eggs or occasionally in raids. Starting February, it will also be available in its shiny form for the first time.
The Pokémon from Generation 6 can be evolved into Psiaugon with the help of 50 candies, which visually differ by gender.
When can you get Psiau? Psiau will be available in the research breakthrough starting February 1, 2022, at 10:00 PM local time. You have until March 1, 2022, at 10:00 PM local time to encounter it there.
How do you achieve the research breakthrough? To unlock your research breakthrough, you must have completed at least one field research task on seven days. You can track your progress in the “Field” view of the game. Once you have collected all the daily stamps, you can claim your research breakthrough.
What does Shiny Psiau look like? The shiny version is easily recognizable by its pink body. Its evolution is yellow.
This is how the community reacts to the research breakthrough with Psiau
The new research breakthrough is hotly discussed on social media. Many trainers are excited about the Psychic-type Pokémon. Especially the release of the shiny variant is well received by some. The following comments can be found on reddit (via reddit.com):
- GhostHarbester: “I have always loved this family and I am very excited that the Shinys are coming to PoGo. The gold/white really goes well with any gender.”
- Stogoe: “The yellow is really bright. I wish they had given them a usable moveset for PvP.
Maybe one day…”
- NarutoSakura1: “FINALLY! I can’t wait! I already loved the female shiny Psiaugon.”
- Shadow-Raptor: “What a beautiful shiny and Pokémon in general.”
However, some trainers also find it a shame that Niantic is releasing the shiny Psiau via a research breakthrough, as this limits the chances of obtaining a shiny. Theonewhoknock_s writes: “Why does Niantic release Shinys through a research breakthrough? We get 4 chances.”
What do you think of the new research breakthrough? Are you hoping for a shiny Psiau or is the Psychic-type Pokémon not really your thing? Feel free to share your opinion here on MeinMMO in the comments and connect with other trainers.
With the start of part 2 of the power plant event, Team GO Rocket has changed their teams. We show you all new Crypto-Pokémon at a glance.
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Report says: CoD Warzone 2 is already in planning – “New game for better hardware”
Call of Duty: Warzone is a free battle royale that will receive new content alongside the current paid titles of CoD. However, according to an insider report, this will only last until 2023: That year, Warzone 2 is expected to be released. What is currently known about it will be shown to you on MeinMMO.
Two regularly well-informed individuals have made first statements regarding a successor to Call of Duty: Warzone:
The sequel to the successful battle royale is expected to be released in 2023 and will only run on current consoles and PC. Furthermore, old content that Warzone has accumulated since its release will disappear: “Completely new game for better hardware,” says Henderson on Twitter.
Schreier shows plans for Call of Duty
What does Schreier say? In the report, Schreier confirms that Call of Duty will appear on PlayStation at least this year and in 2023. He claims to have learned this from anonymous sources involved in the deal.
Additionally, the journalist revealed further details about the developers of the next CoD releases:
- CoD 2022 is being developed by Infinity Ward
- CoD 2023 is being developed by Treyarch
- Warzone 2 is coming in 2023 from an unknown studio
The statements from the renowned gaming expert are consistent with the leaks that have already emerged. However, he does not confirm the expected setting “Modern Warfare II” for 2022.
According to leaks, “Modern Warfare II” is coming in 2022 and a reboot of the “Black Ops” series is expected in 2023. The now confirmed development studios also point to this leak.
What does Henderson say? The well-informed leaker has shared a few more details about Warzone 2 following Schreier’s statements.
The game is supposed to be a completely new Warzone, developed exclusively for the current console generation and PC.
Weapons, cosmetics, maps, engine – nothing will remain as it is, and the battle royale will be completely revamped. A “real” Warzone 2.
Recently on MeinMMO, we discussed other major shooter releases in our podcast. Here you can find our current podcast.
Not much is known yet about the possible sequel to Warzone. A similar release timing in the year as with Warzone 1 is possible – that one came out in March 2020. So it could be that close in a year.
However, if CoD follows the same announcement strategy as it did for the first release of the battle royale, there will be no prior information about the game. Warzone was only known through leaks and then hit the market somewhat suddenly.
By the way: What the MeinMMO community thinks about a restart of Warzone, we wanted to know from you a few days ago. And the result is clear.
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Naraka: Bladepoint could be the best Battle Royale on Steam if it weren’t so frustrating
Naraka: Bladepoint is a unique game that blends Battle Royale with intense sword fighting. However, the entry point is almost unfairly difficult for newcomers. MyMMO author Marko Jevtic is glad that he stuck with it.
It’s a superficial comparison, but it’s not completely wrong to call Naraka: Bladepoint a “Sekiro meets Battle Royale“.
The game offers an incredibly deep and refined combat system, which is uniquely available on the market—even for absolute action lovers like me. As another unique feature, Naraka is also a Battle Royale. This mix not only works very well on Steam, it also excites me at its core.
Naraka plays as great as it sounds. However, the exciting Battle Royale mode is also the game’s biggest problem. As a beginner, you have an incredibly hard time learning the brilliant combat system in this frustrating format.
Brilliant Combat System Wrapped in a Frustrating Game Mode
At first glance, Naraka looks like a Soulsborne game, specifically Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. In a way, Naraka plays like FromSoftware’s game, but the fights are not as ‘grounded’ as in Sekiro.
Your characters race across the map during fights, can run up walls several meters with the push of a button, effortlessly switch positions with double jumps and a grappling hook, and initiate combos at dizzying heights.
This creates a lot of mechanical depth that is almost as enjoyable to watch as it is to play. The big problem is, however, that as a newcomer, you will hardly have the chance to learn the combat system.
Even though I have conquered games like Bayonetta on the highest difficulty and have seen the ending of Sekiro several times, other Naraka players have easily demolished me. They have moves and tricks that I couldn’t even understand while watching. I was never taught all this by the game – not even by the well-meaning bots.
I was regularly completely destroyed by my opponents in a matter of moments – taking with it my confidence and desire to continue. Because a match in Naraka is a significant time investment:
- The matchmaking often makes me wait several minutes.
- After this time, I end up in the lobby and wait for the game to start.
- Even if I loot purposefully in the game and look for opponents, several minutes can pass before I find another player.
- If I see a player as a beginner, the chance is high that I will be torn apart in no time.
This gameplay loop is demotivating and frustrating for newcomers like me. Players in Naraka give me more sweat on my forehead than most end bosses in other games. Moreover, I don’t feel that I have a fair chance to improve in Battle Royale.
The Casual Mode is Slowly Turning Me into a Hardcore Player
Fortunately, there is a fun alternative: The bloodbath mode in Naraka is a sort of team deathmatch where players fight against each other with quick respawns on a small section of the map.
This mode bypasses the long wait times of Battle Royale and allows you to learn the combat system. The action in the bloodbath repeats quickly and often, but the core gameplay in Naraka is so fantastically dynamic and exciting that I want to play more and more of this outstanding combat system.
The best part: The experience from the casual mode noticeably helps in Battle Royale. Although the best players still destroy me, they do not do it as quickly and easily as they did in the first days. Therefore, I can’t wait to start the game again and continue refining my skills. Until I eventually become the player who ruins the entry for a beginner.
Also in Elden Ring, the latest game from FromSoftware, I am looking forward to the PvP multiplayer. If you want to learn more about it, we have gathered all the info for you:
Elden Ring: All info on coop and PvP – This is how the multiplayer works
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WoW has a new shop mount again – Maybe you already own it
A new year, a new shop mount in World of Warcraft. We reveal what the latest mount in Blizzard’s MMORPG is all about.
By now, it’s almost a ritual that repeats every few months. Although the new content in World of Warcraft is still pending, there is already a new mount in the in-game shop of the game. From now on, you can purchase “Wen Lo, the Spirit of the River” – or perhaps even get it for free.
What kind of mount is this? “Wen Lo, the Spirit of the River” is a blue tiger in spectral form, which visually fits best with shamans or monks. In general, the tiger strongly resembles the design of Pandaria and is presented in this setting.
The Asian-influenced setting and the tiger are no coincidence, as the Chinese calendar marks the beginning of the “Year of the Tiger” – Blizzard has been bringing a thematically appropriate mount to the shop for this occasion for years.
How much does the mount cost? That entirely depends on how you want to acquire this mount. If you want to buy it directly for real money, you will pay a hefty €25 to then ride the mount through Azeroth and the Shadowlands. As is usual with shop mounts, the ability of the mount adjusts to the player’s riding skill – it can therefore be used as both a ground and flying mount.
Alternatively, you can get Wen Lo as a bonus if you subscribe for 6 months – or already have an active subscription of that duration. In the latter case, the mount will be unlocked over the next few days. As usual, this may take a little while and won’t happen for all players at the same time, so it’s best to be a little patient.
How does the community react? As has become customary, the general reaction to the shop mount is quite negative. Especially in times of content drought, many players react rather sensitively to the implementation of new shop content. The comments under the English video on YouTube reflect this as well. Here are a few excerpts from the first reactions:
- “/target World of Warcraft /spit”
- “You have no shame whatsoever.”
- “Bobby’s latest cash grab.”
- “That wasn’t your big WoW announcement for this week, was it? … OR WAS IT?!”
Even though dislikes are no longer visible officially on YouTube, it is still possible with different browser addons – yesterday there were around 85% negative ratings.
What do you think of this mount? Is it a cool thing you’ll be getting? Or are all the shop mounts really getting on your nerves?
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Players show first gameplay: This is what the new MMO for Avatar looks like
Disney and Tencent have jointly announced a new Avatar MMORPG for iOS and Android, but there has been little to see so far. Now, numerous YouTubers have shared first gameplay insights into the game.
What kind of game is this? Avatar: Reckoning has been announced as a new “MMO RPG Shooter” for mobile devices, which is supposed to offer both single-player and multiplayer elements. However, there have been few official details so far.
However, some players have shown, using a test version, what you can approximately expect from the game.
The introduction to the game is somewhat reminiscent of the film that started the entire franchise: You arrive as part of a human military unit on the planet Pandora. There, you take on an “Avatar” – a kind of shell that corresponds to the Na’vi, the blue inhabitants of the planet.
You can see what it all looks like, for example, in the gameplay video from “Techzamazing” on YouTube:
What is included in Avatar: Reckoning for iOS and Android?
At the start, you go through a longer introduction that teaches you the basic mechanics of the game. This mainly takes place on the military base, but it doesn’t take too long before you also encounter the first Na’vi and, a little later, other allies.
- The game offers a story with a strong focus on shooter elements
- There are also melee weapons
- Climbing passages are also part of the challenges
- In the character editor, you can customize your own avatar
- You will go through flying segments and can control mechs
- The game relies on touch controls with buttons for weapons, jumps, and more
In addition, you can go on missions together with other players. Enemies include the numerous creatures you can encounter on the planet Pandora.
Boss fights also seem to be on the agenda – in the gameplay video from “VinIsHere”, battles against creatures such as the “Hammerhead Titanothere” or the “Viperwolf Leader” are shown.
What else is known about the game? There is still little information about the game. What is certain is that it will be a purely mobile experience that will be based on Unreal Engine 4. On PC, it is only playable through workarounds like “Google Play Games”, if at all.
Avatar: Reckoning will bring multiplayer elements in PvP and PvE, but when you can play them is still uncertain: So far, only “2022” has been given as the release date, and there is no more detailed timeframe yet.
However, “Reckoning” is not the only place where you will soon encounter the blue aliens again. Among other things, the film sequel “Avatar 2” has been announced for December 16, 2022.
Furthermore, during the Ubisoft Forward 2021, the new game “Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora” was announced. This is an action-adventure, whose trailer stirred excitement among fans with great visuals.
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