For over a month, the gates to the new EA FC 26 have been open. However, according to the community, the football hit has already taken a significant step back after the current patch. Or is it perhaps the community that is the problem?
What kind of step back is this? At the heart of the recently released patch 1.1.0 is the focus on improving the defense – a misguided approach for some, at least according to FTP_Cucuy on Reddit: “Congratulations to everyone who complained! We have FC25 again.”
The starting point for this is EA’s reaction to the feedback from many players who have complained for days about the nearly impossible defending against highly skilled dribblers. Some even completely gave up their defense in the meantime.
Even the developers felt this response and explicitly mentioned it in the patch notes on ea.com: “We received your feedback that experienced dribblers in attack are too strong, and we want to offer you an improved defensive option for dealing with them,” said EA.
However, since this reaction to criticism does not sit well with many in the fanbase, players in another Reddit thread posed the fundamental question: Is EA FC’s true problem not the developer, but perhaps the community itself?
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EA FC 26 shows many changes for the career mode that provide more dynamics
“You will never be happy and will always have something to complain about.”
Is the community really the problem? User orisadagoat summarizes the entire above topic in one question on Reddit: “You asked for the defense to be improved, and now that people are using their improved defense, you complain about it?”
A ping-pong game between developers and their community. Fans complain, Electronic Arts tries to improve it, but does not hit the perfect point, and everything starts all over again.
The Reddit user adds: “You will never be happy and will always have something to complain about.” A thought shared by another, but the developers are not entirely seen as innocent lambs:
I agree 99 percent with what you said, except for the part where you absolved EA of responsibility. What you said about the community is true, but ultimately the responsibility lies with EA. They are shortsighted. The game is full of bugs, and I’m convinced that every single update makes the game more and more a mix of the previous FC edition and less of itself.
In the end, the question remains whether EA can ever find the right middle ground – between what is technically possible, gameplay-balanced, and satisfactory for the community.
Who is now the problem of EA FC 26? Whether EA or the community is the bigger problem is hard to answer. What is certain is: As long as both sides hold on to different ideas, there will hardly be a patch in the future that makes everyone happy. However, the fact that the community of EA FC 26 is not complaining for the first time about supposedly game-changing content can also be read here: A new map in EA FC is currently annoying everyone, and the community is asking: “Why does this happen every year?”.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
With the recent layoffs and the end of New World, Amazon admits that the project of becoming a “big player in the gaming industry” has failed. MeinMMO editor Karsten Scholz sheds light on the failures.
And things are not looking good for the ambitious MMORPG for the Lord of the Rings, which was to be created under contract with Embracer at Amazon Games (and on which the hopes of many fans rested). Although an official confirmation of the cancellation of the development is still pending, the studios in Irvine and San Diego have lost substantial resources due to the recent wave of layoffs at Amazon.
Additionally, there are statements from affected developers indicating that the Lord of the Rings project may have been canceled. Ashleigh Amrine (Senior Gameplay Engineer and Tech Lead at Amazon Games) posted on linkedin.com:
This morning, along with my incredibly talented colleagues from New World and our still young Lord of the Rings game, I was part of the wave of layoffs at Amazon Games. It is always hard to see such a strong team go through something like this—I was lucky to work with some of the most capable, creative, and kindest developers I have ever met.
When comparing this current statement to an older screenshot on Reddit, it is noticeable that a part has been removed, specifically after the still young Lord of the Rings game: “You all would have loved it.” A clear indication that it is no longer coming.
Perhaps Ashleigh Amrine had to adjust that part because there is still no official confirmation for the end of the Lord of the Rings MMORPG—publicly traded companies can see such announcements quickly have a noticeable impact on the stock prices of affected parties. Maybe the project is not completely off the table. We will only know once Amazon Games comments on it.
Nighthaven will be the last update for New World; here is the trailer:
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Der Launch-Trailer zu Nighthaven zeigt die neue schaurige Zone von New World
New World had a strong launch but struggled due to troubled development from the outset with many problems. Player numbers dropped quickly. Various issues remained in the game for years. The new studio had simply bitten off more than it could chew in the challenging MMORPG genre.
Since 2016, Amazon Games has hardly been able to publish anything tangible besides New World: a game adaptation for the series “The Grand Tour Game” and a Twitch extension for Dragon’s Lair.
However, the list of canceled projects is long. Besides Breakaway and Crucible, Nova, Intensity, and the Lord of the Rings MMORPG that was to be developed in collaboration with the Chinese partner Leyou Technologies are also on it. And now, of course, also New World and possibly the second Lord of the Rings game.
With the publishing sector, they were able to build a second pillar and publish and support well-known MMORPGs like Lost Ark and Throne and Liberty in the West.
But even there, Amazon Games received a lot of criticism from the community. Partly due to the peculiarities of Asian online role-playing games, which, despite extensive adjustments for the Western market, could not be completely eradicated. Partly, they made avoidable mistakes; here are a few examples:
During a Gamescom presentation of New World in 2021 on Twitch, they received a timeout when “Lost Ark” was typed in the chat. Apparently, someone wanted everyone to focus on New World.
Announcements for New World accidentally ended up on the Lost Ark channels, and vice versa.
For a while, proper patch notes for the updates of Lost Ark were missing.
There was trouble surrounding a withheld roadmap that had already gone live in Russia.
All of this impressively shows that even a mega-corporation cannot simply buy success in a desired field. With the recent adjustments for New World and a strong brand like the Lord of the Rings behind it, Amazon Games seemed to be on the right path. Now … how wrong one can be.
Another MMORPG is still doing really well, thanks to a new expansion:
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Numerous reactions on various platforms clearly show how hard the sudden end of New World affects a large part of the community. The comments of many MeinMMO readers under our article about the end of the MMORPG by Amazon Games reflect that this news is moving.
KenSasaki writes: “Absolutely fatal, what’s happening right now. I have never played New World, I have to say directly, but when you look at the situation as a whole, it’s all terrifying. That’s exactly why so many players are afraid to jump into completely new/current MMOs; everyone wants to be able to enjoy something long-term with an MMO and not have to fear that ‘after a few years, it’s all gone.’”
EsmaraldV explains: “Wow … this is really a bad news … New World is currently so much fun and is on such a good path … the current DLC and NW in general are among the best content I have played in MMORPGs … and just now, at its peak, it’s being shut down? This is just a kick in the gut! If they had shut it down before the DLC, I wouldn’t have cared much, but now that it’s finally fun?! I don’t understand…”
Nyxaro feels the same way: “Finally, New World is fun again and then this. Unbelievable … then I guess I have to go look for a good game … too bad. Definitely nothing more from Amazon. I’ll cancel Prime too.”
skp adds, looking at an official statement regarding the Lord of the Rings MMORPG: “MMORPGs need patience, vision, and persistence—all things that Amazon apparently cannot deliver. Therefore, I honestly don’t care what they announce—trust is gone for now.”
Some may not accept the premature end of New World. Shortly after the announcement, a petition for the rescue of the MMORPG was launched on change.org, which is now hoping for numerous signatures.
Start video
MeinMMO at GameStar News: Our MMORPG expert analyzes the current success of New World
What remains of Amazon Games?
Unfortunately, not much. With the immensely successful launch of New World, a historical mark was set on Steam that will likely remain in the top 15 for a long time. However, that cannot be bought today.
The online role-playing game has so much potential (especially with the current realignment) that in a few years, we will surely look back on New World, as is currently the case with comparable fan favorites like Wildstar or Warhammer Online. Just like the saying goes: Too soon dead to truly tap into the potential that was there.
If the premature end of the MMO for Lord of the Rings turns out to be true, it will be Amazon Games’ likely last chance to develop a sustainable hit on its own.
Then there are only the successes as a publisher left, with the immensely successful launch of Lost Ark on Steam, which may still be complemented by—projects like the new Tomb Raider from Crystal Dynamics that have not yet been canceled.
It leaves, after about 10 years, a sad balance. All the more so when considering the possibilities Amazon brings on paper, particularly regarding Twitch synergies, capital, and server technologies. How difficult it is to achieve sustainable success despite such conditions is shown by the example of Xbox: Microsoft’s billions are finally paying off, the Xbox Game Pass is more valuable than ever
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In a Twitch stream by content creator Tyler “Tyler1” Steinkamp, not only did he play League of Legends, but allegedly his daughter did too. She is only 1.5 years old.
Who is it about? The Twitch streamer and professional League of Legends player Tyler1 plays most LoL and World of Warcraft when he goes live for his over 5.4 million followers (source: sullygnome.com).
Tyler1 has been active on Twitch since around 2014, but he only gained greater popularity in 2016. At that time, he was also banned in LoL due to his previously toxic behavior towards other players, which was too much for Riot Games. However, he was able to return at the beginning of 2018.
Start video
These are the 5 most relevant German streamers on Twitch in 2024, according to Google
“You need coaching”
How does Tyler1’s daughter play? In a livestream, Tyler1’s wife entered the streaming room with their two daughters. The approximately 1.5-year-old Saiyler crawled onto Tyler1’s lap, and he immediately set out to introduce her to LoL.
He allegedly lets her have the mouse and keyboard so she can finish the game. However, it doesn’t work; the game is lost, and Tyler1 comments on his daughter’s performance: “Honestly, you need coaching. Honestly, you are terrible.” However, the Twitch streamer says all of this in a loving tone.
It should be clear that it is not really his daughter, but Tyler1 himself playing. Both the viewers and the comments under the clip on Reddit played along and pretended she was using the mouse and keyboard.
Viewers are excited about Tyler1’s daughter: Although allegedly Tyler1’s daughter loses the game, the community is still happy. There are many positive comments under the Reddit clip:
Rawka_Skywaka believes Tyler1’s daughter is even better than he is (source: Reddit): “I haven’t played League in 6 years. She is probably better than me.”
Accomplished-Bit7003 also finds (source: Reddit): “That is adorable.”
Other voices are particularly excited about the direction Tyler1 has developed. Where he would have been so angry about a lost game in previous years that it led to a meltdown, he now seems unaffected by it. Especially in light of the fact that he was completely banned from LoL for 2 years.
The user misecant writes, for example, that he is positively shocked that it is precisely Tyler1 who has turned out to be one of the most balanced and honest people and leads a fulfilling married life (source: Reddit): “Just … hats off, my friend.”
In ARC Raiders, players do not have unlimited time to loot and disappear. A round timer indicates when you need to go underground again. But what happens if you don’t leave in time? MyMMO reveals the solution.
What happens if you stay? As the round timer in ARC Raiders runs low, players need to hurry to one of the last remaining evacuation points. These decrease during the rounds until usually only one remains at the end.
However, if you forget about the time, you will not simply be greeted by a black screen. The developers have come up with something for this. If you exceed the round timer, you will see a meteor fall on the world. This will wipe out all life. But there is a trick to survive nonetheless.
Here are some important tips for ARC Raiders:
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Wichtige Tipps für ARC Raiders, um die ersten Runden zu überleben
A trick extends the time
What is this trick? With a trick, you can survive the meteor strike. The developers have indeed built in a grace period that is triggered when an elevator is called. As long as this is happening and the elevator is on its way, players can still live, even if the meteor has already struck the ground.
So if you call the elevator with one second remaining, all players, whether at the elevator or not, have time until it leaves. Then the developers’ grace period ends. A Reddit user has shown what this looks like in his video:
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Is it worth it? Staying until the end is highly risky and does not have any real advantages compared to leaving the game early. Especially when there is only one elevator left and little time remaining, it can also become extremely dangerous in the last minute.
If you cannot call the elevator in time due to a fight, all characters involved will die. Camping until the last moment is therefore not advisable.
That the developers have come up with a creative solution for the end of the rounds is a nice little feature that probably only a few players will experience. Most players flee back underground early to secure their loot. You can find more things you should know before purchasing here: 7 things you need to know before buying ARC Raiders
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Amazon is cutting a total of 14,000 jobs, and Twitch is affected as well. A former Twitch chief expresses harsh criticism of the plans.
Who is this former Twitch chief? It is Marcus Graham. He worked at Twitch from 2011 to 2022. During this time, he served as Director of Creator Development, among other roles. Under the name “djWheat,” he still streams on the platform today.
Graham commented on the massive wave of layoffs currently taking place at Amazon:
The layoffs affect several business units of the company, including Amazon Web Services, Prime Video, and Twitch.
A total of 14,000 administrative positions are to be eliminated, which is 4% of the entire workforce in this area.
According to an exclusive report from Reuters, this number could rise to as many as 30,000.
The reason for these layoffs is the new course set by Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. He claims to want to reduce bureaucracy and automate certain processes. For this, they intend to increasingly rely on Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Start video
Expert explains: Twitch is heading for a disaster and must ban controversial content
Employees are being replaced by “robots” or people that “don’t give a f**k”
What does Graham say about these layoffs? In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he sharply criticizes Amazon for replacing loyal and experienced employees with AI.
“For everyone who says: ‘Well, the T&S at Twitch was bad anyway, so this is good’ … here is the reality.” T&S likely refers to Twitch’s Trust & Safety team.
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Graham refers to another post on X, which discusses an employee who was let go during the layoffs at Twitch. This employee had worked at Twitch for 11 years and established the fraud program that protects Twitch users from fraud.
I was the one who made sure that bad actors – who steal and abuse revenue on Twitch – were kept off the platform. Apparently, I did my job too well, because they fired me.
“Tarfu gave a damn,” writes Graham in his post. “For 11 years he fought on behalf of Twitch creators, viewers, and mods. That’s gone. Now it is gonna be a robot or someone who doesn’t give a fuck… and that is bad for all”
Twitch is currently facing heavy criticism from many sides. For example, there was an incident involving streamer Emiru at TwitchCon 2025 in the USA. She felt particularly “hurt and upset” regarding how Twitch and the organizers handled the situation.
Currently, there is an event in Pokémon GO with various monsters and bonuses. One of them is really strong if you have unlocked it.
What kind of event is this? On Monday, October 27, 2025, at 10:00 AM, the second part of the Halloween event 2025 in Pokémon GO started. It runs until Sunday, November 2, 2025, at 8:00 PM.
In addition to various Pokémon, some of which are also available in costumed variants, the event also brings a special GO Pass. And it has a bonus that you shouldn’t underestimate.
Start video
Pokémon GO: The Season “Stories of Transformation” in the Trailer
Send monsters, receive candy
What is this bonus? If you reach level 25 on the pass, you will receive a bonus on candies for monsters that you send to the professor. In the free version, you get double the amount of sending candies as well as double the chance for XL candies when sending.
In the paid Deluxe version, it’s three times the amount of candies and three times the chance for XL candies when sending.
A trainer on Reddit created a table where you can see exactly how high the chance of receiving XL candies when transferring is. This also depends on the level of the monster you are sending.
What does the table mean? If you have monsters that are at least level 26, then with the bonus of the GO Pass you have a 100% chance of receiving XL candies when sending to the professor. According to the trainer’s table, you will always receive 2 XL candies.
If you possess the Deluxe Pass, then only a monster level of 23 is enough to guarantee receiving XL candies. Here, you receive 3 instead of 2 XL candies.
If you have reached rank 40 on the pass, you should take the opportunity to send monsters for which you need XL candies. This can be especially worthwhile for legendary monsters that you haven’t sent yet.
How can I tell the level of a monster? In the game, you do not have a direct way to see the level of a monster. However, you can look at how much stardust it costs to level up and then tell what level your Pokémon is on.
A level-up in Pokémon GO always increases the level of a monster by 0.5 levels. The cost to raise a monster from level 26 to 26.5 is 4,000 stardust and 4 candies. Prior to that, the candy costs are 3 or, depending on the level, even lower.
If you have a monster and see that the candy costs of a level-up are 4 or more, then you know that the monster is already at least level 26 and can benefit from the bonus.
If you own the Deluxe version of the Pass, pay attention to the stardust costs. These start at level 23 with 3,500. If leveling up costs you at least 3,500 stardust, then you know that you are benefiting from the bonus.
As October ends in a few days, the new month of November is also waiting with some events, raids, spotlight hours, and other content. What exactly they are and when they take place, you can find out in our overview with all events in November 2025 in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A player proves that something else in Dungeons & Dragons can be more important than a clear character sheet and creates a keepsake that looks like it belongs in a museum.
What does the player show? The player caironio shows the D&D community on Reddit a sheet of paper that would probably give goosebumps to a very organized player who values clarity.
With an attached proof photo, he shows the character sheet of his assassin rogue, for which he has used the same paper for 3 years from level 3 to level 20.
3 years and 17 level-ups mean a lot of changes that come with many new notes and just as much erasing, which all long-time players will be aware of. Yet the paper actually held up until the end.
This keepsake received almost 6,000 upvotes from enthusiastic players in the community, all showing a similar reaction: “The memories that this sheet of paper must hold are priceless” (MammothDesperate on Reddit).
Here you can see the trailer for the series adaptation of the D&D campaign “The Mighty Nein” by Critical Role, which also lasted 3 years:
Start video
The trailer for Critical Role’s The Mighty Nein on Amazon Prime shows the first conflicts that the “heroes” have to struggle with
Nothing else can be expected from a chaotic neutral rogue
What can be taken from the character sheet? Deciphering the character sheet is (besides the Italian language) easier said than done. After all, some aspects such as the attribute values and the equipment, but even more frequently the fluctuating gold balance and the hit points (oh, the poor, erased spot of the hit points) have been readjusted repeatedly.
Despite the mentioned eraser holes and a few torn spots, the paper held up and provides a few clues about the player’s rogue:
It is an assassin named “Mieze Franke,” who at level 20 had a dexterity of 20 and an even more impressive strength of 29, whose HP should break any rules. Yet, as mrmirscommunication points out on Reddit, that fits perfectly with a character with such a character sheet: “You wouldn’t expect anything else from a chaotic neutral elf rogue with a strength of 29, over 500 HP, and 4000 temporary HP. My God.”
How does the community react to the player’s paper? The community is really excited about the character sheet and all that it means for the player.
“Frame it and hang it up in the room where you play, it deserves its peace” is Maverick2664’s comment, and also lebiro believes that caironio has really created a wonderful keepsake with this decision: “The same paper throughout the entire campaign! That’s crazy. But what a cool souvenir from this whole time.”
Some players realize that such a memento is what they miss in digital gaming: “I definitely miss this since I switched to digital: the battle-scarred character sheet that you have at the end of a campaign” (BigriskLowrolls on Reddit).
But the duration of the campaign also shows some players what that could mean for their own campaigns: “I love how this person leveled from 3 to 20 in three years, while we’ve only reached level 5 since level 1 and haven’t even managed to finish the campaign” (Misses_Ding on Reddit).
With Visions of Eternity, the sixth expansion to the MMORPG Guild Wars 2 is now live. Accordingly, player numbers on Steam have reached a new high. The community is using this as an opportunity to especially target a group of players.
What peak did Guild Wars 2 reach on Steam? Yesterday, on October 28, 2025, at 5:00 PM CET, Visions of Eternity was released and has since attracted many players to the shores of Castora. As a result, the MMORPG reached a new all-time high of 9,536 concurrent players on Steam (via SteamDB, as of October 29, 2025, 10:40 AM CET).
The peak is only slightly above the player high in August with 9,512, but it’s important to consider that in August the beta for the new elite specializations was playable, which have now been introduced with the expansion. Since the announcement of the expansion in July 2025, the MMORPG has already been able to double its player numbers on Steam.
Since only a part of the total player base of Guild Wars 2 plays the game via Steam, this demonstrates the interest that Visions of Eternity has sparked in players. The player peak through the official launcher is likely to be significantly higher, although there are no official figures available.
The community is using this attention to address a group of players who unfortunately are not doing so well at the moment.
Start video
Guild Wars 2 shows the highlights of the new elite specializations in the trailer
“I welcome all New World refugees with open arms”
Which players is the community addressing? In a thread on Reddit, players are discussing the new milestone. Most celebrate the significant player increase due to the expansion, but this joy is somewhat dampened by another piece of news.
The Guild Wars 2 community is thus calling on disappointed players from New World to join them in their favorite MMORPG. New World and Guild Wars 2 have several things in common that could appeal to players.
For example, both New World and Guild Wars 2 do not rely on a clear-cut holy trinity of tank, healer, and attacker. Both MMORPGs also offer great freedom in terms of playstyle and many combination possibilities to experiment with builds using weapons and abilities. Exploration plays a significant role in both games. Additionally, the focus on a more action-oriented combat system is similar.
User Sidnature therefore writes on Reddit: “I have the feeling that the value will rise even higher in the next days or weeks, especially since Amazon just discontinued New World. Many New World players will be looking for a new home…”.
Sandvichh also agrees on Reddit: “New content has also been released for GW2. I welcome all New World refugees from the new world with open arms. It’s a shame what has happened.”.
In Elder Scrolls Online, the developers have now released the final major update for 2025. However, when you will be able to play it depends on your fellow players.
What kind of update is this? Elder Scrolls Online released the new update “Seasons of the Worm Cult – Part 2” on October 27, 2025. With this major update, the Content Pass 2025 comes to an end, which has provided the MMORPG with new content this year.
In the new area, the Eastern Sun’s Wane, you can expect new dangers such as new dungeons and bosses. There are also new quests that can be completed independently of the main storyline in the game. The only requirement is that you have completed the main quests of Seasons of the Worm Cult – Part 1 as well as the quest “The Crossing of the Wall.”
In addition to the new adventure, the developers have also made many improvements to the actual game and worked on balancing. But before you can start the new expansion, you must first work.
Here you can watch a trailer for the expansion:
Start video
The Elder Scrolls Online: Seasons of the Worm Cult – Part 1 – Release Trailer
It can only begin together
Why can’t you start directly? To access the new area of the Eastern Sun’s Wane, an event must first be completed on each server. In three phases, you must work together with other players on your server to achieve goals to break through the wall that separates the area.
Only after the wall has been breached after phase 3 will the new area open up, and you can begin with the expansion. You can view your server’s progress on a page created specifically for the event at ElderScrollsOnline.com.
What needs to be done? In the first phase, which is still running on some servers, you need to gather supplies, complete quests, and defeat cultists and Daedra. The goal is to organize the defense against the Worm Cult.
In the second phase, you will directly confront the Worm Cult. You will need to complete daily quests as well as defend the siege posts. There are also bosses in the open world to defeat.
In the third and final phase, you must storm the wall that separates the Eastern Sun’s Wane. Here, there is a new limited-time instance that opens exclusively for this event. If you succeed, you will unlock the new area after the phase.
How is the progress? Currently, all servers are either at the end of phase 1 or at the very beginning of phase 2. How long it will take until you can truly dive into the new story is unclear and depends on the players themselves.
A crypto scam on YouTube has more viewers than the official Nvidia stream. Unfortunately, such fraudulent attempts are not uncommon in 2025.
Nvidia GTC is a global conference for developers in the field of artificial intelligence, held annually. Officially, the event was shared on YouTube on October 28, 2025.
However, a simultaneous crypto scam had significantly more viewers than the official stream. This is reported by the English-language magazine TomsHardware.
A fake channel has more viewers than the official Nvidia channel on YouTube
What kind of scam is it? Those searching for Nvidia GTC DC on YouTube often ended up with a YouTube video from a channel posing as Nvidia. However, this was not an actual channel.
The channel promoted by YouTube was a crypto scam stream, where a fake Jensen Huang took the stage to promote a crypto scam. Viewers were asked to send supported cryptocurrencies via a QR code.
Especially crazy: The fake stream had significantly more viewers than the official stream: While approximately 12,000 people watched the official stream, the fake stream averaged 95,000 viewers. It is not known how many people fell for the scam.
Select a MMO video…
Fraud attempts with AI-generated fake videos have rapidly increased in recent years
What is behind it? The number of fraud attempts with AI-generated fake videos has rapidly increased in recent years – with partially exponential growth in 2024 and 2025. Modern deepfake technologies enable convincingly realistic imitations of voices, images, and videos, which criminals use to deliberately mislead victims.
Fake videos or audios in which celebrities or CEOs promote investments or authorize payments have particularly increased, as reported by ELC Security in its blog.
According to recent reports, the volume of AI-assisted fraud attempts has increased by 456 percent between May 2024 and April 2025. This is reported by the magazine Ad Hoc News.
And the line between human, machine, and AI is increasingly blurring on the Internet. AI has long been accused of amplifying spam and fraud, such as through image alterations or voice imitation to simulate a kidnapping.
An inventive user used AI to scam the company McDonald’s: A Brit explained in a podcast on YouTube how he was able to eat at McDonald’s for free for a year. To do this, he had fake negative reviews written, through which he tricked his way into vouchers. After a year, he was finally caught. You can read the whole story directly on MeinMMO: A user used ChatGPT to eat at McDonald’s for almost a year for free – His trick was a simple request
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
On October 17, an unpleasant and potentially dangerous incident occurred at TwitchCon in San Diego involving the streamer Emily “Emiru” Schunk. Twitch CEO Dan Clancy issued an initial statement, for which he later apologized in a second statement.
In a stream after the incident, Emiru criticized Twitch itself, as they had not provided enough security at the expo. According to Emiru, after the incident, no one from the Twitch team took care of her, which left her hurt and upset.
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Twitch CEO speaks about the incident involving Twitch streamer
What did Dan Clancy say about the assault? While the official Twitch account posted a statement on X, expressing sympathy and promising to enhance security measures, Twitch CEO Dan Clancy spoke separately.
In an on-site interview, tech journalist Taylor Lorenz asked the Twitch CEO about the events of TwitchCon.
Dan Clancy stated that Twitch streamers control their community in a way, for example, by banning certain viewers. This way, people can be excluded who the Twitch streamers do not want in their community.
Specifically regarding the incident with Emiru, the Twitch CEO mentioned that it was something “that deeply matters” and “would be investigated thoroughly” (Source: YouTube from minute 07:12). Dan Clancy then expressed his concern for Emiru, whom he sees as a friend.
When asked why the man seemed to easily bypass Emiru without being stopped by Twitch staff, Dan Clancy said that despite the efforts for safety, there would always be mistakes. Some challenges can only be identified afterward.
The statement was not well received by the Twitch community. Although it is merely part of the interview, most comments focus primarily on the remarks about Emiru. Viewers express dissatisfaction with the Twitch CEO’s comments, which some perceive as placing blame on the Twitch streamer.
You can watch the interview on YouTube here:
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What is the issue? The community’s criticism did not come suddenly, as there had been concerns expressed prior to TwitchCon.
Weeks before TwitchCon, Dexerto reported that Twitch streamers like QTCinderella, Valkyrae, and Pokimane were too afraid to attend the expo and thus completely opted out. They feared not receiving enough protection from Twitch.
Dan Clancy tried to reassure the Twitch streamers, stating that Twitch would not tolerate harassment and he would ensure that the event would be as safe as possible (Source: Dexerto). The incident involving Emiru has now cast the Twitch CEO’s comments in a different light.
Editor Christianna Silva criticized the security measures at TwitchCon in her article on Mashable.com, claiming they are too lax compared to other conventions such as PAX or Comic-Con. The event is said to lack a clear, consistent system for protecting creators.
This is particularly serious in the case of Twitch, as the nature of the platform can promote parasocial relationships through direct interaction with fans. However, these relationships are one-sided and can develop in a dangerous direction for Twitch streamers.
The safety of women on Twitch is repeatedly discussed by content creators and the community alike. The prior commitments to safety appear to many fans as empty promises in light of the events. They now feel confirmed that Twitch does not take the concerns seriously.
Dan Clancy speaks a second time
What did the Twitch CEO say afterward? On October 24, 2025, Dan Clancy issued an official statement on the X Account of Twitch.
Dan Clancy takes full responsibility for the incident involving Emiru. He acknowledges that Twitch failed in terms of participant safety and communication afterward. He also apologizes to Emiru.
An extensive analysis of the incident will be conducted to determine what went wrong.
Future measures are planned to ensure the safety of participants at TwitchCon, such as general security checks of the entire event.
Furthermore, the rules for IRL streaming at TwitchCon may be adjusted.
Lastly, the accessibility of the event is to be improved.
Whether and how Twitch will improve its safety measures remains to be seen. Listening to the community, it is bitterly necessary.
WoW demon Cortyn needs to vent frustration. Because a look into the alpha of Midnight shows: The Shadow Priest will have a hard time again.
Every year, the developers of World of Warcraft announce that there will be significant changes to the gameplay. Healing is set to change drastically, but all other classes will also receive major adjustments. Blizzard aims to achieve several goals:
The classes should become more accessible.
Each class should need to press a few less buttons.
Abilities should not be influenced by too many talents at the same time.
At its core, this is a good thought. Most classes in World of Warcraft are so complex that many players simply say: Then I’ll just use the 1-button rotation.
With high expectations, I looked at the Shadow Priest in the alpha and already after a few minutes had the impression: Something is not right. It doesn’t play smoothly, and somehow everything feels sluggish and more strenuous.
After reading a few more opinions and guides about it, like on icyveins, wowhead or even the Priest Discord, I’m quite sure: Blizzard is failing miserably at its own goals.
So excuse me if this Whiny Wednesday dives a bit deep into the details of Shadow Priests – but I just have to get it off my chest.
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WoW Midnight shows gameplay – All new features
Shadow Word: Pain – the well-known spell disappears
When you think of a classic Shadow Priest, which spells come to mind? Probably Mind Spike and Shadow Word: Pain. These are iconic spells that priests have had since Vanilla. Well, that is changing. Because Shadow Priests will forcibly lose the spell Shadow Word: Pain. The effect will remain, but the talent “Despair” will be changed. Instead of Vampiric Touch now “only” also casting Shadow Word: Pain on the target, Shadow Word: Pain will be completely removed from the spellbook through the talent.
What seems like a good decision at first glance, removing an unnecessary spell, will indeed cause a frown for any priest who has played this specialization for more than 10 minutes. Because Shadow Word: Pain is one of the few spells that can be cast while moving, as it is an instant cast. When you have to move in a boss fight to dodge abilities or cover long distances, Shadow Word: Pain is one of the few spells you can still press.
Even farming in the open world is super annoying. Because instead of pulling a few mobs while “on the run”, you’ll often have to stand still.
The already extremely immobile Shadow Priest specialization will only slow down further – at the cost of one of the most iconic spells there has ever been.
No Tentacle Strike is helping – the changes are a big mess.
The end of Voidform, the end of area damage
One thing that is completely unclear to me is the “rework” of Void Eruption. The spell temporarily puts the Shadow Priest into a Voidform, where he has temporary access to the spell “Void Bolt”. Void Bolt, in turn, has a clear purpose: It extends the duration of DoTs on the target and all targets in the immediate vicinity.
In other words: As long as you can cast Void Bolt, you do not have to refresh the DoTs and can use spells that deal direct damage.
The duration for which Voidform remains active – i.e., how long you can use Void Bolt – depended on how much Insanity you spend, as that would increase the duration of Voidform further.
The gameplay was clear: You had to try to stay in Voidform as long as possible to benefit from Void Bolt for as long as possible, which extended the duration of DoTs. This was core gameplay that was loved in Legion and then slowly returned to the game over many years until we had something similar at the end of The War Within.
This is the absolute core gameplay of Voidform: The fight against the timer that wants to end the spell. To not just cut this short, but to completely change it and take away the only advantage – the extension of the DoTs – feels so ill-considered and wrong that I almost want to pull the “Do they even play their own game” card. But I won’t. I have some dignity.
The new version of Voidform no longer has Void Bolt. Instead, you can use Void Torrent every few seconds – a spell that deals a little damage but provides no further interaction.
In plain terms: DoTs on multiple targets can no longer be maintained long-term. This in turn means: The Shadow Priest can no longer maintain DoTs on more than 6 targets simultaneously. A complete disaster for visiting “Mythic+” dungeons. Because who wants to take a class that is already overwhelmed when pulling 2 mob groups?
Shadow Priests have already been forced due to their poor AoE capabilities to play exactly one specific spec in endgame if they wanted to be taken into dungeons. How they are supposed to be taken into dungeons now – and still have fun – completely eludes me.
Fragility without compensation
The Shadow Priest is one of the most fragile classes in the game. Of course, after all, you are a cloth wearer, but you also have relatively few abilities to mitigate incoming damage. Why Shadow Priests can still survive for quite a while is due to their built-in life-drain mechanics. Not only can they summon Vampiric Touch if necessary to provide a little healing to the whole group, but they also heal themselves permanently through “Devouring Plague”.
Devouring Plague is the strongest DoT of the Shadow Priest, which not only deals high damage but also heals the priest for 50% of the damage dealt. While this is not world-shattering, it often makes the difference between life and death in raid fights as well as during questing.
Devouring Plague disappears in Midnight. Instead, there is Shadow Word: Madness. This is basically exactly the same spell, just without the self-healing. And I have no clue why anyone thought this was a good idea.
How much laughter will Shadow Priests still have in Midnight? Who knows …
Just an Alpha – But one with bad signs
Of course: Ultimately, the Shadow Priest in its condition in the Alpha of Midnight is exactly that – the condition during the Alpha. Until the release in less than half a year, a lot can still change.
But I am skeptical. Very skeptical. Because the current alpha version of the Shadow Priest, for which (hopefully) someone has put some serious thought into, does not meet the goals set by Blizzard itself and, what I find worse, is not fun at all. There are good approaches in it, like the Tentacle Strike. But who cares about a nice dining table in the living room when the house walls are being blown away?
It is unfortunately a tradition at World of Warcraft that annoys me tremendously. At the beginning of each expansion, the Shadow Priest is so drastically revamped that it simply isn’t enough for fine-tuning, and then for the first 6 months of an addon you play a class that simply doesn’t feel right. The fact that it is already clear that this will be the case with Midnight makes me roll my eyes in annoyance: Then let the Shadow Priest remain as he currently is. This is not perfect, but clearly better than what we are currently seeing in the Alpha.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The developers of Path of Exile wanted to bring a new season to one of their games every 2 months. Now the head explains whether there will be new content in 2025.
What kind of promise is that? With the release of Path of Exile 2, many fans have high hopes for alternating releases of the seasons in the game. They wanted the competitors Diablo 4 and Last Epoch to dive into a perfect rotation along with Path of Exile and its successor, releasing a new season at regular intervals.
The players’ wish would mean that they would have a new season to play every month, providing new content. While Diablo and Last Epoch have not yet responded to the fans’ plans, Path of Exile is already taking the lead. For some time now, new seasons have been starting alternately every two months.
Thus, the new season of Path of Exile “Keepers of the Flame” starts on October 31. Consequently, the new season of the successor should start in December. During a press preview for the new season, MeinMMO and other journalists inquired whether that will still be possible.
Here you can see the trailer for the new season “Keepers of the Flame”:
Select a MMO video…
A new season still in 2025
What about the next season? In a conversation with the game director of Path of Exile, Mark Roberts, he explained the status of the next season in Path of Exile 2. It is actually supposed to start in December, and with the Christmas holidays, there would be even less time for the developers to prepare the patch.
Game director Mark Roberts, however, believes in the timeline. As he reveals in the conversation, they are currently on a good path to release patch 0.4 for Path of Exile 2 and thus also the next season in 2025. Even though he does not want to make any promises, the developers’ target remains to release a new season of Path of Exile and Path of Exile 2 alternately every two months.
What could the contents be? With patch 0.4 for Path of Exile 2, there will likely be one or more new classes again. The developers have already hinted at this on another occasion. The current season of Path of Exile 2 did not receive a new class because all classes in the game have been completely overhauled.
Accordingly, the ARPG lags behind in terms of releasing new classes, especially if they want to fully release the title in the first half of 2026. Path of Exile 2 will celebrate its one-year anniversary in December, and fittingly for the birthday, a new patch could sweeten the Christmas season for many players.
That the developers of Path of Exile want to keep their promise is a good sign for the players. They can therefore look forward to a new season, hopefully in time for Christmas. But next, Path of Exile (1) is up. You can learn more about the innovations here: Path of Exile announces new season, finally brings the new trading system
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Battlefield 6 has started its first season and brought many new contents. One of these contents is the Battle Pass, and at first glance, it seems to be very fair compared to the competition.
Why is the Battle Pass fair? Once someone decides to purchase the Battle Pass in Battlefield 6, they only need to do it once during their entire playtime. The reason: A Battle Pass costs 1,100 Battlefield Coins (Price: €9.99), but those who manage to complete it will receive 1,100 points back.
This means that if you unlock the Battle Pass 100%, you always get back exactly the amount needed to buy the next Battle Pass. For many fans, this is a reason to celebrate, as other games in live service do not take this approach and still demand to pull out the credit card again after a few months despite being full-price titles to participate in the next season.
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Battlefield 6 bringt jetzt doch einen unrealistischen Skin?
Battle Pass of Battlefield 6 respects your wallet
How does the Battle Pass differ from others? The Battle Pass of Battlefield 6 is clearly inspired by Call of Duty, as the competition also offers the same amount of CoD Points to acquire the next Pass. Additionally, there is a Pro variant similar to the BlackCell bundle from CoD, which also promises more goodies at a price of €24.99.
But generally, it can be said that this system is fair. Some games offer little to no premium currency and force customers, if they are interested, to additionally purchase a Battle Pass every time despite the price of their game. This includes games like Destiny 2, Overwatch 2, and Diablo 4.
Fortnite is more friendly when it comes to dealing with its consumers. The shooter gives you 1,500 V-Bucks in the Battle Pass, but only 1,000 are needed to acquire the next Battle Pass. Those who don’t want to spend any money still receive 300 V-Bucks on the Free Track, allowing them to afford a premium pass after 4 seasons without spending a cent.
Helldivers 2, on the other hand, presents the fairest system, as the premium currency can be obtained through missions. Battle Passes are thus completely free for those who are willing to grind. Furthermore, the passes have no time limitation – so anyone who buys them has all the time in the world to complete them. Thus, there is no FOMO.
Those who dare to navigate through the live service jungle will find many different models, all set up differently – some more and some less customer-friendly.
What do fans say about this? They believe it is another victory for Battlefield, as the game already costs money. BMXBikr, however, mentions on Reddit that one point is much more important to him than the price, and that is the avoidance of FOMO. He looks towards Helldivers 2 and wishes for permanent passes. Users like itsFauxProphete and MajesticRat agree with him, as this would make the practice of live service much more consumer-friendly.
However, a look at the Battle Pass makes it clear that these are unfortunately still only temporary. Season 1 is supposed to end in 82 days (as of October 29, 2025). It is quite possible that this will then go into the vault to make room for the new season.
The 4th season of The Witcher is on the starting blocks. Fans must cope with a new lead actor, as Henry Cavill will no longer be seen as Geralt. The series will also change the character itself and move further away from the source material.
The Witcher will go on Netflix on October 30, 2025 for its fourth season. In it, the adventures of Geralt of Rivia continue, particularly the second novel “Baptism of Fire” serves as a template.
Henry Cavill is no longer in the lead role to the dismay of many fans, which even led to petitions from disappointed fans. The actor announced in 2022 on Instagram that he would leave the series after season 3. He did not specify a precise reason, but rumors suggested it might be because the production was increasingly drifting away from the literary source.
This originates from the Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. The writer has already stated in season 1 that he does not have too much say, but that would be normal. The question is how he feels about the new changes announced by the showrunner. Because the new lead actor Liam Hemsworth is not the only thing that is changing about Geralt.
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Netflix zeigt im Teaser für Staffel 4 den neuen Witcher im Kampf gegen ein Geistwesen
An emotional Witcher?
What does the showrunner say? In conversation with Dexerto, Lauren Schmidt-Hissrich discussed the fourth season and explained the differences between the old and the new Geralt.
The biggest changes mainly affect the character traits of the figure. Henry Cavill’s version was true to the source, mainly serious, cynical, and stoic. When something touches him, he shows hardly any external reaction. He is not a sociable type who enjoys coming out of his shell.
But that is supposed to change now. Schmidt-Hissrich explains:
Geralt is a bit funnier this season. He is a bit drier. He is also much more emotional. He goes through many different things that we haven’t seen in the past.
This change in mindset is said to be largely due to the new casting of Liam Hemsworth, who puts his own stamp on the character:
And I believe Liam has really succeeded in his portrayal of showing this vulnerable side that we haven’t seen before. We knew we were doing something big and making a big change. [But] he has such an ease about him as a person. He is so relaxed… someone used the word “effortless” yesterday, and I thought: “That’s exactly it. Everything about him is just effortless.” He came in and somehow calmed everyone down with his demeanor and calmness.
The collaboration with the new actor has been quite good so far. This is a good sign for productions of this magnitude. However, how it will affect the final result remains to be seen.
What is clear, however, is that not everyone will like this new direction of the character. Especially since it moves away from the source material – an aspect that is important to many. A warm Geralt is not necessarily what fans associate with the character. It would be interesting to know what Henry Cavill thinks about this. And we would love to know what your opinion on the topic is. Feel free to share it with us in the comments. While some are bothered by the recasting, others say: Don’t be mean to Liam and at least give him a chance
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In this list, we introduce you to 5 women who are more than meets the eye. Not just strong characters or important figures in the story, but above all, one thing: They all harbor a monster in their own way.
Female characters in video games have evolved significantly since the early games and now come in a wide variety – not just as heroines but also as antagonists and even dangerous entities.
This list includes 5 female characters from video games who either hide or suppress their monstrous side, or whose true nature only emerges later. They are not in any ranking but all deserve a mention. Here, no lady is pitted against another, as they are all monstrous in their own way yet iconic enough.
Here you can see the trailer for a new game from a horror series that is also featured in this list:
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Trailer zu Resident Evil Requiem, dem neuen Teil der Survival-Horror-Reihe
Even though these are women with a monstrous side, not all candidates have to come from a horror game. The first one is even from a game that is already accessible to children of all ages in Germany.
Samantha from Pokémon Sun and Moon
Samantha from Pokémon Sun and Moon (Source: YouTube)
One might think that Pokémon games, which are generally rated for children, cannot hide frightening content. However, in Pokémon Sun and Moon, which both released in November 2016 for the 3DS, Pokémon dared to delve into a comparatively dark story about a character that goes beyond merely “having control over a legendary Pokémon.”
We are talking about Samantha, the president of the Aether Foundation and the mother of the companion Lilly, who fled with her Cosmog from the experiments of the Aether Foundation.
Samantha, who presents herself as a calm and extremely polite individual, claims to love all Pokémon from every region, does not seem capable of causing harm to any Pokémon. However, she harbors a dark secret and a deep obsession that comes to light in the finale of the game through a (for a Pokémon game quite eerie) transformation.
She is so fanatically fascinated by these beings that she begins to lose her own identity and even pushes her children away. She does not shy away from putting Pokémon under immense stress or harming them to achieve her goals.
At the end of the game, Samantha vanishes into the Ultra Dimension, from which she will never return, seeking to gain control over all her beloved Ultra Beasts, but that is just the first step: Samantha is obsessed with creating a world where only she and her beloved beast Anego exist.
For this, she undergoes a somewhat jellyfish-like fusion with Anego, consisting of the woman and the Ultra Beast. She has multiple tentacles with eyes; her design shifts from bright and radiant to dark purple and black, and she appears to be covered in a gelatinous structure. Her movements also resemble those of a jellyfish more than a human.
Concept Art of Samantha’s new form (Source: PokéWiki)
Due to the art style of the Pokémon games, it is not particularly disgusting or grotesque, yet it serves as a somewhat cartoonish but thematically dark entry into body horror. And her fanaticism, conveyed in her words and gaze, makes the encounter truly frightening.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
South Korean engineers have developed a drone made entirely from eco-friendly cardboard and paper fibers. The drone is said to be significantly cheaper than conventional models.
South Korean engineers from WOW Future Tech have developed a drone called AirSense V2, which is said to be made entirely from eco-friendly cardboard and paper fibers. This is supposed to be the successor to the Paperwing drone (visible in the title image). The development is reportedly inspired by the war in Ukraine, where similar construction methods for drones are used due to resource scarcity (via defensenews.com).
The drones can be produced cheaply worldwide thanks to the material and cost about $1,400. This is said to be roughly a tenth of the price that military drones usually cost.
The advantage of these drones: Their repair is particularly simple: With tape and new layers of cardboard, they can be maintained cost-effectively. Cardboard is also sufficiently available in most countries and easy to recycle.
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Slate Auto presents new truck with electric motor
Drones are primarily intended for non-military purposes
Where will the drone be used?According to TomsHardware, the CEO of WOW Future Tech emphasizes the non-military applications of the cardboard drone. Sensors are mentioned as an example for measuring air quality.
Nonetheless, the South Korean Ministry of Defense has taken notice of the manufacturer and the innovative drone. Allegedly, there have already been tests where the drone is used for reconnaissance and training purposes.
The commercial marketing of the cardboard drone abroad is already expected to begin next year, according to the company’s CEO. Initially, however, it is hoped that the domestic capabilities of Korea will be strengthened.
For MeinMMO author Ody, a certain horror game on Steam is simply part of a proper Halloween. You can currently get this game for only €9.
The Quarry is a really good horror game for me. The game tells a story that keeps me engaged throughout – with characters that have really grown on me over time. And this is also true 3 years after I first played it.
The Quarry was released in 2022. Since then, I play it again every year around Halloween. Until November 3, 2025, you can get the game on Steam for €8.99 instead of €59.99.
Who is writing here? As a fan of old slasher horror films, Ody finds games like The Quarry very appealing. After all, he can easily avoid most of the foolishness that the main characters of such stories tend to do. Especially around Halloween, he is willing to overcome the fear that such games usually instill in him.
Here you can see the launch trailer for the game:
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The Quarry in the Launch Trailer
Characters you grow fond of and a captivating story
The Quarry leverages the strengths of the developer Supermassive Games, which they proved with Until Dawn. While the characters in Until Dawn felt a bit like caricatures of classic horror movie tropes, the characters in The Quarry felt more like real, complex people to me. Their fate mattered to me more, which made it all the more painful when someone met their end due to one of my mistakes.
Not only the characters, but also the story of The Quarry is really strong. Without wanting to reveal too much: It manages to play with expectations, surprise, and presents real dilemmas. Even after multiple playthroughs, the story never really bored me. Many of the choices you make throughout the game feel significant as well.
The cast of likable, albeit not perfect, characters is one of the game’s greatest strengths.
The Quarry deserved more love from the developers
I personally love The Quarry and can recommend it to everyone. However, not everything is perfect – at times the game feels somewhat unfinished. More development time or larger patches post-release could really have made a difference.
At times, there are noticeable graphic glitches, such as the ends of a character’s sleeves being virtually stitched to their top.
Some characters are surprisingly inactive, while others have significantly more to do. If you play in co-op with multiple people, it can happen that one person has nothing to do for long stretches.
One achievement in the game has apparently been bugged since release. It can only be achieved with a workaround and a bit of luck, which is really frustrating if you want to complete the game on Steam to 100 %.
For the following criticisms, I have to talk about the later story. If you want to avoid spoilers, please skip this section!
The werewolves, arguably the most dangerous adversaries in The Quarry, don’t seem entirely thought out. They have, in my opinion, a truly terrifying design, especially since they do not conform to the classic appearance. Instead of hairy humans with claws and wolf heads, they are naked creatures with reddish skin and some wolf-like features. But it somehow seems not entirely intentional.
At one point in the game, you find a piece of meat with a tuft of fur still attached. It is implied that this comes from a werewolf – but they don’t have fur. This feels like a game flaw that could have been fixed with more development time.
Ultimately, I can overlook all these criticisms. Because in the end, The Quarry still tells a story that keeps me engaged throughout. One reason why I have been playing this game for years.
The latest game by Supermassive Games was created in collaboration with the makers of Dead by Daylight. The game is currently also available at a discount. Whether it is worth checking out is revealed by MeinMMO demon Cortyn in their preview report: I thought I would make good decisions in horror games – now everyone is dead
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Shortly after the major layoffs at Amazon, the responsible parties of New World surprisingly announce that the MMORPG is coming to an end. This news comes at the worst possible time.
After four years of continuous content updates and a major new console version, we have reached a point where it is no longer sustainable to support the game with new content updates.
The recently launched Season 10 and the update: Night Oasis will serve as the last content release for New World on PC and consoles.
Furthermore, it is mentioned that with this decision in mind, the expansion Rise of the Angry Earth has been made available for free to PC players. In the coming weeks, further details about the end of New World will follow. However, the developers state that they intend to keep the MMORPG playable in 2026. There will be a corresponding announcement at least 6 months before the final end.
Lead developer Katy Kaszynski, who took over leadership from Scot Lane in May 2025, comments on X regarding the end:
It has been one of the greatest honors of my life to lead the development team of New World – the talent and creativity in this group are unmatched – and it has been a privilege to join all of you in Nighthaven. I am here and pushing buttons – you will still see me in Aeternum.
How does the community react to the news? Surprised. Shocked. With incomprehension. After all, New World had achieved a significant turnaround after difficult years, delighting its players. Thus, many players are commenting on the quasi-end of the MMORPG in various discussions on Reddit.
flowerboyyu writes on Reddit: “This is an absolutely terrible time. Just as New World was finally turning for the better and winning back players, the game is being cut / discontinued. It’s crazy to me that games like Rift and DDO can survive, but New World apparently cannot be saved. Wow, just wow.”
clocktowertank sarcastically comments on Reddit: “The players like it and are having fun. Quick, take it down. TAKE IT DOWN!!”
GodKingLebron expresses frustration on Reddit: “It’s so obvious that they calculated they might get a few last sales by releasing this update before laying off the people who worked on it and closing their game studio. Despicable. I wish I hadn’t bought the Battle Pass last week.”
Why the end? According to the official statement, it apparently no longer makes sense to invest much money and time into New World. However, there is likely more behind the end of New World, as the comprehensive layoff wave at Amazon makes clear, which MeinMMO reported on October 28, 2025.
It is obvious that a large part of the gaming sector of the corporation is being closed down. The studios in Irvine and San Diego are undergoing significant reductions. A spokesperson for Amazon stated to massivelyop.com that they want to continue overseeing Throne and Liberty and Lost Ark as publishers.
What about the Lord of the Rings MMORPG? There is currently no concrete information regarding the MMORPG based on Lord of the Rings that they wanted to develop for Embracer. Many fans suspect, however, that with the significantly reduced teams, such an ambitious project cannot be executed. The project is still listed on the official game overview at amazongamesstudios.com.
Nighthaven will be the last update for New World, here is the trailer:
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Der Launch-Trailer zu Nighthaven zeigt die neue schaurige Zone von New World
How does MeinMMO editor Karsten Scholz assess the situation? Looking back at the last 10 years during which Amazon has tried to become a big player in the gaming industry, this journey has already been filled with many hurdles, problems, and wrong decisions.
It somehow fits Amazon very well to bury New World exactly at the point when the MMORPG can noticeably experience positive momentum. And that they apparently made right decisions like the free provision of the expansion for PC players for the wrong reasons (after all, it’s dying soon, so we might as well release it).
I can understand the frustration of many players. I too had more fun in Aeternum lately than ever before. However, after this news, the motivation is at zero to log in again. Why should one still level up and gear their character? The servers will go offline anyway in the foreseeable future? There will be no new content. The player numbers are going to drop rapidly now.
At least now I know why no one at Amazon Games wanted to talk to us about the current high phase of the MMORPG. We had inquired shortly after the successful launch of the current season.
I am very curious as to when and in what form an official statement regarding the MMORPG for Lord of the Rings will be made. This brand is so large and beloved that it must be a kind of jackpot to be able to create a AAA game for it. At the same time, however, the pressure to deliver is naturally tremendous.
For my part, I would have loved to see how Amazon Games could develop a second MMORPG after the experiences they had with New World, especially one that they could also draw from a wealth of lore, stories, and characters. However, I also no longer believe that this will happen. Anyone who wants to revisit the path so far taken by Amazon Games should take a look here: Amazon has been trying to be a big player in gaming for 10 years; now it’s up to Lord of the Rings.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A teacher goes viral on TikTok and Instagram with his videos. They show his art classes and how he teaches his students. The videos have millions of views, as users think they recognize the man behind it.
What kind of teacher is this? The teacher Matt Taylor has gone viral with his TikTok account “thisismatttaylor”. In his videos, he talks about and shows his art classes. His motto is, “Life is chaotic. Art is beautiful. Let’s turn this chaos into a masterpiece.”
Matt Taylor is also active on Instagram. On his eponymous Instagram account, he has already gathered almost 30,000 followers.
His videos show nothing particularly extraordinary; nevertheless, they have garnered several million views on TikTok. This is because users think that an American actor is hiding behind the disguise of the teacher.
Select a MMO video…
“This must be for a movie”
Who could be hiding behind the account? TikTok users were very quick to find external similarities to the actor Kevin James. The comments are piling up with assumptions:
Angel Quintas suspects it is something for a movie (source: TikTok): “This must be for a movie”
Schatz224 pretends to slip in the comments (source: TikTok): “You are such a good art teacher, Kevin… I mean, Mister Matt Taylor.”
User Alex Bloom is also sure that it is Kevin James (source: TikTok): “I know it’s Kevin James, I just can’t prove it.”
Whether it is actually the actor Kevin James remains uncertain for now. Matt Taylor himself does not address the assumptions but continues to post one art video after another.
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The next film by Kevin James, “Solo Mio,” will be released in theaters in February 2026. However, it doesn’t seem to have anything to do with art classes or the teaching profession, but at least the character Kevin James plays is named Matt.
