MeinMMO shows you the details of the anti-cheat system of Call of Duty: Vanguard and the Battle Royale Warzone. The system is called “RICOCHET” and is designed to enhance the security of the CoD servers and your accounts, as well as detect suspicious behavior on the PC via a kernel driver.
Why is there a new anti-cheat system for CoD? Cheaters are a major problem in modern CoD games and have ruined matches for many players in recent months, actually years.
Previously, there were only isolated cheaters in short multiplayer matches, but the problem became increasingly annoying with the introduction of “Battle Royale” formats into the CoD franchise.
Particularly the popular Call of Duty: Warzone suffers from many cheaters and wants to change that with the new anti-cheat system “RICOCHET”.
Which fronts the new security systems attack and how the kernel driver works on the PC, you will find out here on MeinMMO.
RICOCHET relies on server update and kernel driver
RICOCHET consists of several parts:
Server-side analysis tools
Improved investigation processes
Increased account security
Kernel driver on the PC
The first 3 tools went online with the release of CoD: Vanguard and launched in Warzone with the Pacific update. The kernel driver is now also available in Warzone but will come to Vanguard later.
What is a kernel driver? The kernel is a part of your operating system that you don’t notice much, but it underpins important system functions. For example, the interfaces between the operating system and your hardware run together here. The kernel then ensures efficient distribution of system resources.
Kernel applications require a high permission level in your system, and this permission is also utilized by the kernel driver of Call of Duty. Since cheat programs can also operate at this level of the system, the kernel driver needs these extensive permissions to have a chance to detect suspicious interactions of applications with CoD games.
However, the detection of cheat programs is not guaranteed by this.
How does RICOCHET work? There are not many details about the functioning of the new system. Every detail about the workings of the new anti-cheat could help cheat program developers create new cheating software.
However, the CoD developers emphasize that RICOCHET is not just about the new kernel driver on the PC. Rather, it is a comprehensive process and monitoring upgrade in the background, and the kernel driver is just one part of the measures.
How secure is the system? This cannot currently be assessed. In a FAQ about RICOCHET, it states under the question, “Will the cheating problem be solved with this?” that there are many different types of cheating and no fixed guidelines on what cheating actually is.
The system is intended to be continuously developed under this premise to provide comprehensive protection against fraud.
CoD also emphasizes that two-factor authentication remains an important part of account security. Log in here at callofduty.com to set up your 2FA. Reporting cheaters in-game also helps the responsible parties.
We embed here the short overview trailer for the new anti-cheat:
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What does the RICOCHET driver do? The driver is a small program on your PC that monitors software and applications that interact with Call of Duty. It only collects data related to the respective CoD games. This data is intended to help detect suspicious software behavior.
For example, developers can check which application interactions occurred with caught cheaters and use that experience to detect other cheaters.
Does the kernel driver run all the time? Call of Duty explains in the blog about anti-cheat that monitoring is only active when a CoD game with RICOCHET protection is running.
Do I have to download an extra program to play CoD? No, the kernel driver of RICOCHET is part of Warzone and later also of Vanguard. Once you download one of the games, you have the driver on your PC.
Can I uninstall the driver? Only together with the respective games. The RICOCHET driver is part of the installation files and cannot be uninstalled separately.
Is there a RICOCHET program on the consoles? The kernel driver is exclusively for PC, and there is no additional monitoring on the PlayStation and Xbox consoles. However, the server-side measures of RICOCHET also apply to the consoles.
If you would like to take a look at the English FAQ about the RICOCHET system yourself, you can find it at Activision Support (via support.activision.com).
With the anti-cheat system, Call of Duty conveys a signal of a breakthrough in the battle against cheaters. How effective the measures are cannot currently be assessed, and CoD remains cautious about their effectiveness for now. But in any case, it is a step in the right direction for fairer matches.
What do you think? Can RICOCHET meet the expectations? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments on MeinMMO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
V Rising is a new survival game for PC on Steam in the works. The special thing is: you play a vampire with your own castle. A new gameplay video shows how you fight as a vampire in the game.
At its core, V Rising is a survival game with reversed roles, as you yourself are “the danger” that players typically run from. But you are also fighting for survival, which is harder during the day, because sunlight burns you.
The studio behind V Rising is Stunlock Studios, which has created Bloodline Champions and Battlerite. The action influences of the games are reflected in the new project, which is heavily reminiscent of ARPGs like Diablo in terms of gameplay.
This is what the new gameplay shows: In a new video, the developers show how you fight as a vampire in V Rising. You have various approaches at your disposal:
Ranged combat with ranged weapons like crossbows
Melee with swords, spears, glaives, and scythes
Magic, allowing you to merge with shadows and attack opponents from behind
Cavalry combat
The action bar displays various skills that you can use. In addition to “normal” opponents like humans and wildlife, you will also face other players and even bosses, which were already visible in the first gameplay. We have included the nearly two-minute video here for you:
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What else is in V Rising? The unique features of V Rising are mainly the vampire-gothic setting and the action-packed gameplay. However, the new game includes even more features:
You build your own castle, which serves as a personal player base. 50 castles are supposed to be possible per server.
Full loot – if you die, you lose your loot and must go pick it up again.
A day-night cycle that determines when and where you can hunt. At night, you are stronger as a vampire, which significantly differs from other survival games.
PvP and clans are also expected to play a major role.
One of the most important features in the game is blood. You get it from humans and, in an emergency, from animals. The blood of special opponents like scholars enhances certain abilities of your vampire.
If you’re interested in survival games, vampires, or action RPGs, you should keep an eye on V Rising.
If you’re interested in more survival games, this might appeal to you:
When and where can I play V Rising? V Rising is set to release for PC on Steam, with the closed beta expected to start in early 2022. You can sign up on the official website for it. A preparatory beta already started in December 2021 to ensure everything goes smoothly for the upcoming test.
V Rising could thus be the first new survival game that you can play in 2022. You can find more in our list:
Since release, Battlefield 2042 has faced criticism regarding numerous features. However, the development team is constantly working on improvements and implementing changes. Some of these have received very positive feedback – like the latest mode, which limits the number of players in matches.
What kind of mode is this? “64 Players Conquest and Breakthrough” essentially does exactly what it says: the All-Out Warfare mode is limited to 64 players per match instead of 128. This mode is only available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, as Xbox One and PS4 are already limited to 64 players.
The reduced number and size lead to less chaos and fewer annoying snipers, while keeping the action high. Additionally, the performance is reportedly significantly better. About 15 FPS more are said to be possible in the new mode. MeinMMO reveals the optimal settings for the best performance.
How long can I play the mode? Since today, December 14th, the 64-player mode is available. The team has not yet revealed how long it will last. In the corresponding tweet, it is mentioned that the mode is only “available for a limited time” in the game. However, players are already responding positively to it.
Start video
Everything you need to know about the new Battlefield 2042 – in 2 minutes
“Battlefield 2042 is slowly reaching a playable state”
This is how the mode is received: The feedback on the new mode is almost universally positive. The plan of having 128 players per match at launch was one of the major points of criticism. Fans say, for instance: “Battlefield 2042 is slowly reaching a playable state (via reddit).
However, the mode is not a “magical fix” that suddenly makes the game good. There are still issues that need to be resolved, and disputes arise from time to time, such as over new skins in the game.
The 64-player mode is received just as well as the previously released Rush mode. This is still available, but now through the Portal menu. There, you can sign up directly for matchmaking in Rush.
The desire for both Rush and the 64-player mode to be permanently included in the game is expressed repeatedly. Whether this will happen, however, remains to be seen.
What’s next? DICE is constantly working on improving Battlefield 2042, and as it currently looks, player feedback is being taken into account. Despite the problematic launch, the development team seemingly aims to salvage the game.
This is also evident from statements regarding the release, patches, and the ongoing work on the game. They are “serious about Battlefield 2042” and what is currently being done is the foundation for a successful future:
Holiday lights, snowmen, and decorated Christmas trees – such things are not usually associated with the tactical shooter Rainbow Six Siege. But this is exactly what the new winter event is all about.
What kind of event is this? Normally, Rainbow Six revolves around themes like counter-terrorism, special units, and missions around the world. But the new winter event is called “Snow Brawl” and transforms Rainbow Six Siege into a winter battlefield.
There are no rifles, pistols, or explosives used here, as you would normally find in the shooter’s multiplayer battles. No, in “Snow Brawl” the weapons are: snowballs and snowball launchers.
When does Snow Brawl run? Snow Brawl is available from today, December 14, until January 4. You have three weeks to soak your opponents thoroughly with a hefty amount of snow.
Two teams face off in the Rainbow snowball fight
This is how Snow Brawl works: You can choose from two different groups:
On one side, there are the offensive “Orange Blizzards,” consisting of winter variants of the operators Ash, Blackbeard, Buck, Montagne, and Osa.
On the other side are the defensive “Blue Blades” with Castle, Frost, Rook, Vigil, and the latest operator Thorn.
These teams then face off on the snowfield in a Capture-The-Flag mode. The rules are simple: Grab the flag from the enemy base and bring it to your own to score points.
It looks like a casual, fun affair. You can watch it more closely here in the trailer:
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If you want to prevent your enemies from transporting the flag, a well-aimed snowball to the face will do the trick. It takes three hits to knock out opponents and send them back to respawn.
What else does the event offer? Besides the snowball fight, you can also get winter cosmetics – either by completing certain challenges or by using R6 Credits or reputation.
What do you think of the new event? Can it excite you for a round of snowball throwing? Let us know in the comments!
Rainbow Six Siege has been around for a few years now. MyMMO editor Benedict Grothaus, however, thinks: It doesn’t need a sequel.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Destiny 2 a festive Weekly Reset is approaching as the Dawning 2021 begins. We at MeinMMO will keep you updated on what’s happening this week at the Tower, what is still going on with the 30th anniversary, and what new things there are to discover this week.
This week: It’s festive in Destiny 2 as Bungie kicks off the Dawning 2021. The first snowflake of the season floats down from the sky to the Tower, and the festive Christmas event smells of cookies and the new “Dendrit-Glint” armor. But dress warmly for it, because the snowball fights are returning to the event in 2021.
In the ongoing 30th Anniversary Event, a new rotation for the “Trials of Eternity” on the Legend difficulty starts this week, so you’ll encounter new enemies there. This is especially important if you want to complete the Triumph seal for “30 Years of Bungie”.
Additionally, Bungie is currently dealing with a very serious topic, recently brought back into discussion following an interview with former employees.
A new Dawning 2021 Sparrow looks like a locomotive.
With the reset comes a change that players have been waiting for:
The new dungeon “The Shattered Sorrow” can be played as often as you like after today’s Weekly Reset, just like it was already the case with the Prophecy Dungeon, hence the restriction that you can only run the dungeon once per character and week has been lifted.
Update 15.12.2021: Changes to dungeon loot have been postponed, as the community manager mentioned on Twitter. However, this is to be implemented on Thursday, December 16th, in a quick hotfix.
Players are currently exploring the anniversary event in the dungeon, with the new “Artful Armor” and the new weapons, such as the Eyasluna hand cannon and the Gjallarhorn being exclusively obtained from the dungeon for owners of the anniversary DLC. The armor is also exclusive as it features a valuable fifth mod slot, which could become very important in the future.
In this strike in the Cosmodrome, you fight your way through to the giant servitor Sepiks Prime. After he is killed, he was recovered, rebuilt, and fortified with SIVA. On the way to him, you will have to fight through plenty of enemies. The 100K is also doable at lower difficulty levels.
This week, there is also double loot and thus a bonus boost in the Nightfalls.
These are the Nightfall weapons available currently:
The Comedian, Void shotgun (Master)
Shadow Price, Arc auto rifle (Master)
Playlist strikes have these modifiers:
Arc Singe
Grenadier
Hot Step
The Singe modifier accompanies you all week, while the others change daily.
Sepiks Prime awaits you in the Nightfall “Devil’s Lair”.
In the Vault of Glass, the challenge “The Only Oracle For You” takes place. It’s a challenging task and somewhat demanding. The goal is to shoot each oracle only once. Good communication and organization are therefore essential.
As a reward, in challenge mode, you will get the Time-Lost Weapon “Praedyth’s Revenge” (sniper rifle). The weapon will guarantee 2 perks per slot. However, keep in mind that hard and normal mode share the loot.
The armor focus in the raid this week is: Mobility
Crucible – These are the PvP playlists:
Private Match
Rumble
Control
Elimination
Glory Survival
Glory Survival: Freelance
Dynamic Control
Mayhem
Ascendant Challenge:
Petra Venj has positioned herself in Rheasilva, as the 3rd curse week is active in the Dreaming City this week. Additionally, there is the 4th Ascendant Challenge called “Keep of the Refined” upcoming this week.
In the “Trials of Eternity” new enemies await.
Sources for top loot in Season 15 of Destiny 2
This is the new max level: In the Season of the Lost, the maximum power level of your gear is 1,330. Thus, the power level has only increased by +10 compared to the previous Season 14.
So you are not busy with the annoying levels but can dive straight into the endgame.
This top loot (Pinnacle Gear) brings you over 1,320:
Earn at least 100,000 points in the Nightfall: Trial by Fire (+2)
During the anniversary event, there are of course also some cosmetics to earn. Nevertheless, Tess has as always some cosmetic items on offer that might still be missing from your collection.
This is what you can get for Glimmer this week from Tess:
The ship “Silverwing Kestrel” is available for 2,000 Glimmer.
The exotic weapon ornament “Rustborn” for the sword “Black Talon”
Exotic Sparrow “Cold of Winter”
Exotic emote “Snowball Fight”
Legendary emote “Ski Swing”
Ghost projection “Confused Projection”
Teleport effect “Stacked”
and as a shader “Justified Cobalt”
Are you already in a festive mood? Do you like the new event with its armors? And how are the new activities “Trials of Eternity” and the dungeon “The Shattered Sorrow” coming along after the first week and your first experiences? Have you managed to snag a favorite weapon with your preferred god roll?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
With the Steam Deck, Valve has introduced a gaming PC in handheld format. The device is expected to run the SteamOS operating system. But what is it exactly and what does it mean for me as a gamer?
What is the Steam Deck? The Steam Deck is a gaming PC that looks like a Nintendo Switch. Therefore, the Deck has often been compared to Nintendo’s console. However, Valve aims to offer a full-fledged gaming experience in a mobile format. You are not limited to a restricted pool of games on the Steam Deck like on the Switch; instead, you can install basically all games on the Steam Deck.
Valve is not using Windows for its Steam Deck but rather an operating system called SteamOS. This has sparked discussions after the announcement, about what you can actually play on the device.
MeinMMO explains what SteamOS is and what is behind it. Additionally, there is an alternative for your future Steam Deck aside from SteamOS.
A customized Linux will be used as the operating system on the Steam Deck
What operating system does the Steam Deck use? The Steam Deck runs on SteamOS, which is based on Linux. Thus, no customized version of Windows is involved. SteamOS is already installed on every delivered device, and you can start gaming right away.
However, there is one limitation: While Linux is open-source, the Steam client is proprietary software that offers you certain features like the store and chat.
SteamOS has previously relied on the Debian distribution, but with version 3.0, Valve now uses Arch Linux for SteamOS. SteamOS 3.0 is expected to be released with the launch of the Steam Deck in spring 2022.
MeinMMO presents the advantages and disadvantages of SteamOS and explains what distinguishes the two operating systems. We will update the list for you as soon as there is more information about the Steam Deck.
What advantages does SteamOS offer?
SteamOS is free: Basically, it is worth noting that SteamOS is available free of charge for everyone. You do not pay any licensing fees for Windows when purchasing the Steam Deck and can download SteamOS anytime free of charge.
SteamOS is safer than Windows: Linux is significantly more secure than Windows, as there is much less malware available for Linux compared to the widely used Windows system. However, it is also true for any other operating system: The more third-party software you install, the more potential attack vectors your system has for potential threats.
Data protection: Another point in favor of SteamOS is that Linux is generally more data-friendly. While Windows constantly queries data and wants telemetry data from you, Linux usually leaves you alone in most cases. However, the more programs you install, the more apps will also want your data.
Suitable user interface: Valve has developed a suitable “User Interface” (UI) for SteamOS. This means a pleasant experience for you as menu sizes are appropriate.
Small size: SteamOS only requires about 250 megabytes on your hard drive, making it very lean compared to Windows 10.
Linux will become more attractive for developers: The more users use SteamOS, the more attractive the operating system and thus Linux will become for game developers. If the Steam Deck is successful, Linux could develop into an alternative or at least a hidden gem compared to Windows.
What disadvantages does SteamOS have?
Not all games work: On SteamOS and generally on Linux, other stores either do not work at all or work very poorly. Therefore, you basically have to do without other stores like Ubisoft’s or Battle.net.
Valve refers to this as “Verified for the Steam Deck” and aims to check all games so that gamers can see which games work on the Steam Deck and which don’t (via steamdeck.com).
Not every program works: This leads us to another disadvantage: Some programs require specific, licensed components. These may include Windows runtime libraries that cannot be easily installed on Linux. This is where Proton comes into play. Proton aims to provide the relevant runtime libraries or supply alternative libraries.
Fundamentally, you can use the Steam Deck like a regular PC and install anything you want. However, not everything may work, as some programs currently only function under Windows or do not offer a client for Linux. For example, you can install Discord on Linux without any issues.
What is Proton? Proton is an open-source software from Valve that allows Windows commands to run on Linux. Simply put, Windows commands are “translated” into Linux by the system. For DirectX, the Vulkan interface is used, for example.
Steep learning curve: Like any operating system, SteamOS also requires time to learn. SteamOS or Linux offers you many opportunities and options but does not hold your hand.
What about performance? Anyone who has gamed under Linux knows that performance is often weaker than under Windows. This is partly due to the fact that Wine/Proton has to translate Windows commands for Linux, which takes additional processing power. While there are already some unofficial benchmarks for the Steam Deck, these still say little about the final performance of the Steam Deck.
Conclusion
SteamOS is primarily a statement to all users who appreciate open-source software and want to move away from Windows. And it comes with all the advantages and disadvantages that a Linux operating system has.
Because Linux is open-source, secure, and offers you plenty of freedom, but you also have to live with the fact that not all programs work without limitations. Additionally, you should theoretically expect a slightly weaker performance compared to Windows.
However, Steam had already stated that almost all games are expected to run on SteamOS, thanks to the compatibility layer Proton, which Valve developed.
Windows as an alternative to SteamOS
Do I have to use SteamOS on the Steam Deck? No. Valve has already stated that you can do whatever you want with your Steam Deck. There is also the possibility of installing Windows 11 on the Steam Deck. However, you should note that there is currently no customized version of Windows for the Steam Deck. Therefore, the menus of Windows 11 on the Steam Deck might look broken. But that is just speculation.
The manufacturer AMD, which supplies the hardware for the Steam Deck, has already explained together with Valve that it would also provide the necessary drivers for a Windows installation.
Alternatives to the Steam Deck: If you like the idea of gaming on the go, we from MeinMMO present you with a handful of alternatives to the Steam Deck that you can already buy:
The submachine gun PPSh-41 from Vanguard is considered by many players to be the new best SMG in Call of Duty: Warzone shortly after the Pacific update. MeinMMO shows you why the Soviet weapon leaves such a strong impression on Caldera.
What kind of weapon is this? The PPSh-41 originated from Soviet arms factories and went into mass production in 1940 during the early stages of World War II. The submachine gun was very popular among soldiers because it combined high firepower with good reliability.
Similar properties are offered by the PPSh-41 from CoD: Vanguard in the free battle royale Warzone. Although the SMG has already undergone a nerf, it still stays on track and brings you a lot of damage with pleasant control.
MeinMMO shows you a tested weapon setup and the pros and cons that the rapid-fire SMG presents in Warzone.
CoD Warzone: PPSh setup for your close combat situations
What does a strong setup look like? Grab attachments that reduce the noticeable recoil of the base weapon and find a good balance between “aim time” and control:
Muzzle: Mercury Silencer
Barrel: Empress 140mm Rapid
Optic: Slate Reflector
Stock: ZAC Folding
Underbarrel: SMLE Pistol Grip
Magazine: 7.62mm Gorenko 71 Rounds
Ammunition: Hollow Point
Grip: Fabric Grip
Perk 1: Fleet
Perk 2: Quick
Attachments in English
Muzzle: Mercury Silencer
Barrel: Empress 140mm Rapid
Optic: Slate Reflector
Stock: ZAC Folding
Underbarrel: SMLE Pistol Grip
Magazine: 7.62mm Gorenko 71 Rounds
Ammunition: Hollow Point
Grip: Fabric Grip
Perk 1: Fleet
Perk 2: Quick
The setup is recommended by Warzone pro “IceManIsaac”. He is clearly impressed by the PPSh-41 from Vanguard and enjoys playing the SMG. If you want to check out gameplay of the setup, we embed the English video from “IceManIsaac” here:
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However, the PPSh-41 was the strongest SMG among the new Vanguard weapons in Warzone before the remodeling and continues to be a top choice.
The PPSh-41 is a close-combat fighter with the suggested setup, specialized for house fights or battles at close ranges.
Because of its high fire rate, missed shots do not matter as much and only slightly increase the time-to-kill. The fire rate, along with strong control in close combat and the large magazine, make it easy to play the SMG.
What disadvantages does the PPSh-41 have? As mentioned, the PPSh is a close-combat weapon, and once your opponents are at a medium distance from you, the SMG loses its punch.
It can still be controlled well, but you will noticeably need more bullets for a kill.
Due to the high fire rate and large magazines, one tends to burn through ammunition. Without resupply, you can only reload the hefty 71-round magazine twice.
Who should use the PPSh? Currently, the PPSh is considered the best SMG option for direct close combat. If you’re looking for sniper support, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
But if you want a nimble submachine gun for your close combat duels, grab the PPSh now before another nerf hits the weapon.
The weapon meta of Call of Duty: Warzone is in strong flux and it is still not quite clear in which direction it is heading. We will keep you updated on MeinMMO and will update our list of the best weapons in Warzone accordingly.
Feel free to tell us which weapons you are using after the launch of the new map of Warzone and discuss with us in the comments about alternatives.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Pokémon GO today, on December 14th, the Spotlight Hour with Magmar starts. There is a bonus and the chance for Shinies. We will show you the start time, the Shinies, and whether the event is worth it.
What kind of event is it? Today, on December 14th, 2021, a Spotlight Hour takes place for trainers in Pokémon GO. The Spotlight Hour runs once a week and rotates with the featured Pokémon. During the event, you will encounter the corresponding Pokémon nearly everywhere in the wild.
The Spotlight Hour today brings the Fire-type Pokémon Magmar into the spotlight. It is from the first generation. We will show you everything you need to know about it.
Spotlight Hour with Magmar – Start, Bonuses, and Shiny
When does it start? As usual, the Spotlight Hour begins today at 6:00 PM and lasts for one hour. You can benefit from the active bonuses and spawns until 7:00 PM. After that, everything returns to normal.
What bonuses are there? For evolving Pokémon, you will receive double XP during the Spotlight Hour. So if you have some evolutions saved up, you can start them during the event and receive additional experience points.
Additionally, you will find Magmar spawns everywhere in the wild during the event. If you can’t get enough of them, you can use incense. It will primarily attract Magmar.
Can you catch Shiny Magmar? Yes, Shiny Magmar has been in the game for a while. We will show you in the following graphic what the Shiny family looks like around Magmar in Pokémon GO.
Shiny Magby, Shiny Magmar, and Shiny Magbrant
Is the Spotlight Hour with Magmar worth it?
How strong is it: Let’s consider Magmar and its evolution Magbrant. Both are not particularly strong attackers in Pokémon GO. As a Fire-type attacker, Magbrant is still “okay” in raids but faces much stronger competition from Reshiram, Skelebra, and Heatran.
In trainer battles, Magbrant can be completely disregarded. Just because of the Pokémon’s strength, we cannot recommend the Spotlight Hour today.
The increased XP for evolving Pokémon is interesting for trainers at lower levels.
Use the Spotlight Hour today especially if you still need candies.
Will you be using the event today, and if so, with what goal? Share your opinion here on MeinMMO in the comments and exchange views with other trainers in the community.
In FIFA 22, the new Versus event is currently running with the teams “Fire” and “Ice”. These include different versions of the same football players – but some players were hoping for more exciting differences.
The catch: As previously announced, the same players were in both teams – but with altered stats. However, this is also where the problem lies: The differences between the cards are sometimes very marginal. And this is currently causing dissatisfaction in the FIFA community.
Players hoped for more significant differences in the Versus event
This is what the community says: Looking around the FIFA subreddit, the “Versus” event is currently the dominant topic. Various posts deal with the new “Ice” team, which apparently offers little added value for some players compared to the “Fire” team.
“Team 2 is literally Team 1, with two values changing by +/- 2. What was the thought process behind this? Very confusing,” writes user Adzzii in his post on the topic (via reddit).
User “FrancescoliBestUruEv” even calls it the worst promo of all time from his perspective: “It doesn’t make sense, almost every card is the same” (via reddit).
“People would have liked it if they hadn’t had the concept of two teams. The two teams raised the expectations. If they had only released one team with these players, it would have been an average promo,” writes user JJ-Bittenbinder (via reddit).
Basically, fans see too few differences between the teams. The idea actually had potential. For instance, user “SRJT16” suggests that it would have worked better if there had been position swaps between the teams. For example, an LM-Rashford card in the Ice team and a ST-Rashford card in the Fire team (via reddit).
Another topic is the approach that the teams could either have had 5-star skills or 5-star weak foots.
This concept is even reflected in the Pulisic SBC related to the event, where you could choose exactly between the two. However, this was only implemented to a limited extent for the rest of the cards.
The 5-star choice principle was applied to Pulisic
There are some cards where the stars have been adjusted. For instance, Ice-Gabriel-Jesus has a 4/4 star combination, while Fire-Gabriel-Jesus has 5/3.
Similarly, Valverde has an Ice card with a 5-star weak foot, while the Fire version has only 4 stars. However, it’s not that the other version has 5-star skills.
And then there are cards like Rashford – he has the same 5/3 star combination in both teams. The same applies to Koundé (2/3), Correa (4/4), or Mbabu (3/3). So not all cards have had adjustments made consistently regarding the stars.
So now we actually have two teams, where only very few cards show really relevant differences from one another. Apparently, the FIFA community expected more.
What do you think about this topic? Does the new event appeal to you, or would you have wished for a different implementation? Let us know in the comments!
After a few messages, HasanAbi invited Rhyzohm to a Discord call to discuss the matter.
https://youtu.be/4RIZgYG-Hhg
Rhyzohm argued that it is not okay to use Cracker casually. People should not be judged based on skin color and origin. HasanAbi has too large of a reach, and the viewers receive the message from Rhyzohm that it is okay to just throw around such words.
HasanAbi replied that the word is indeed mean, but not as bad as, for example, the N-word. White people have always held the position of power in America, especially oppressing black people.
The streamer said that there cannot be racism against white people and he wants to awaken people in that sense.
The word “Cracker” is said to be responsible for HasanAbi’s ban
After the debate with the viewer, HasanAbi was banned on Twitch. He himself wrote a tweet in which he stated that the word “Cracker” is to blame.
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Twitch itself has not commented on the incident so far. Therefore, it is not known whether it was really the word or something else that was responsible for HasanAbi’s ban.
The streamer Hasan “HasanAbi” Piker (30) was banned from Twitch on December 14. According to his statements, the word “Cracker” was the reason. MeinMMO reports what exactly happened.
This is the background:
Two moderators in HasanAbi’s Twitch chat were banned on December 11 for using the word “Cracker” – a term that is now used to insult white people. The streamer found that completely exaggerated and justified it by saying that both were not white (via Twitter).
HasanAbi then tried to get a statement from another streamer “Myth” by asking what he thought of the word “Cracker” and that his mods were banned for it. Myth is also black (via YouTube, from minute 0:50). The comments under the video suggest that HasanAbi wanted to elicit a statement from Myth that would support his side.
HasanAbi repeatedly brought up the topic on his Twitter account. He said that Twitch should also consider the word “Nazi” as a reason for a ban, as people use it against white, racist individuals and it is both racist and unacceptable, according to the streamer (via Twitter).
This is behind the term “Cracker”: In the United States, the term is partly considered a racist insult for white people, comparable to the N-word for black people.
Literally translated, it means “cracker”. There are various origins of the term. A common reference from earlier eras corresponds to the “cracking of whips” used by slave drivers for punishment or for driving.
HasanAbi holds Cracker debate with viewer
On December 14, HasanAbi started a stream in which a viewer “Rhyzohm” spammed in his chat. The viewer does not understand why the word “Cracker” is used so casually, as HasanAbi does.
After a few messages, HasanAbi invited Rhyzohm to a Discord call to discuss the matter.
https://youtu.be/4RIZgYG-Hhg
Rhyzohm argued that it is not okay to use Cracker casually. People should not be judged based on skin color and origin. HasanAbi has too large of a reach, and the viewers receive the message from Rhyzohm that it is okay to just throw around such words.
HasanAbi replied that the word is indeed mean, but not as bad as, for example, the N-word. White people have always held the position of power in America, especially oppressing black people.
The streamer said that there cannot be racism against white people and he wants to awaken people in that sense.
The word “Cracker” is said to be responsible for HasanAbi’s ban
After the debate with the viewer, HasanAbi was banned on Twitch. He himself wrote a tweet in which he stated that the word “Cracker” is to blame.
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Twitch itself has not commented on the incident so far. Therefore, it is not known whether it was really the word or something else that was responsible for HasanAbi’s ban.
This evening, Destiny 2 starts its Christmas event, the “Dawning 2021”. Cookies will be baked again to earn cool items. MeinMMO tells you what the new “Dendritic Glimmer“-armor ornaments look like and what gift rewards await you during the event.
As every year in December, it will be winter in Destiny 2. The “Dawning 2021” (eng. The Dawning), the traditional Christmas event begins, and the Tower shines in festive lights for it. The Guardians meet Eva Levante again and bake delicious cookies with her for the NPCs during the event, complete new quests, and earn frosty gifts for it.
Who can participate in the event? Every Guardian is invited to join in the activities of the Dawning 2021. To participate in the event, you do not need to own any DLC or a season pass. It is sufficient to have played the first introductory mission in the Cosmodrome to take part.
Here you can watch the official trailer for the Dawning event 2021:
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Eva Levante, the Destiny 2 “Space-Aunt”, awaits all interested Guardians in the Tower and has brought her oven with her, so you can bake and deliver delicious cookies for the NPCs. In total, there are 11 new triumphs that you can complete. Additionally, Eva has special quests and bounties ready for you, for which you will be rewarded with various items and weapons.
The sword “Zephyr”, from the Dawning 2017, returns – this time with Stasis instead of Arc and the new perk “Cold Steel”, which ensures that charged hits slow down targets.
The submachine gun “Cold Front”, the Solar machine gun “Avalanche”, and the Void fusion rifle “Glacioclasmus” are also among the rewards.
And as always, many wintery-frosty items, emotes, and effects.
When does the Dawning event start? The Dawning begins today after the weekly reset at 6:00 PM. Traditionally, Bungie celebrates Christmas for a total of three weeks, from December 14 to January 4, 2022.
You have enough time to collect all the rewards and farm your Godrolls, such as an Avalanche with the new perks “One-for-All” and “Adrenaline Junkie” or “First Shot”.
The machine gun “Avalanche” with the perks “Auto-loading Holster” and “Dragonfly”.
How does the event work? You earn rewards by completing triumphs and baking and delivering fresh Dawning cookies. While playing Destiny 2, you collect recipes and ingredients. These can then be baked in the holiday oven that Eva brings. Each NPC has their favorite cookies. If you gift them the right kind, you will also receive a gift in return.
Zavala loves explosive “Gjallarhorns: Commander Zavala, for example, is looking forward to fresh “Gjallarhorn” cookies from you this year. For this, you only need an Aether Cane, a Tasty Explosion, and some Dawning Essence.
In 2021, there will surely be new recipes and ingredients added. To give you an overview of what delicious items are available and what you need for the recipes, here is the complete list from last year:
Among the rewards that you can earn through baking cookies, the Void fusion rifle “Glacioclasmus” has already caused a lot of excitement in advance.
This old Dawning weapon is particularly hyped: Players have supposedly discovered that thanks to two perks, it could be the absolute must-have of this year’s event. The weapon is said to drop in 2021 with the perks “One-for-All” and “Reservoir Burst”.
The Void fusion rifle “Glacioclasmus” is said to be completely OP in 2021.
“One-for-All” would reload the magazine from reserves with weapon kills, while “Reservoir Burst” would grant the next shot additional damage and cause enemies to explode on death. A really deadly combo that would make “Glacioclasmus” a very strong weapon, especially since fusion rifles are currently supported with mods like “Particle Deconstruction” through the seasonal artifact.
In the shop, you can also expect new Dawning armor for all three classes in 2021.
2022 begins a new chapter and Destiny 2 will change for it:
This is what Tess offers you at the “Dawning 2021”in the Eververse
In addition to various icy emotes, such as “Ski Jump” or “Snowhare”, Tess also offers special Dawning armor as ornaments in the Eververse.
On Twitter, DestinyNews has already published the first picture of the new armor ornament set for 2021, revealing frosty shimmering armors.
The new “Dendritic Glimmer-armor ornaments.
What do the armor ornaments cost? If their prices haven’t changed, you can again purchase the universal armor ornament sets of the three classes for 6,000 Glimmer (in-game earned currency) each or 1,500 Silver.
The snowballs return in 2021 as well: Bungie fulfills another Guardian wish at this year’s Dawning event. Snowballs are returning to Destiny 2 and will cause Stasis damage and effects. So you can again hold snowball fights and throw frost effects around.
“Long Winter”: Extends the duration of slowing effects from snowballs.
“Even Longer Winter”: Increases the slowing effect on enemies that have taken damage from snowballs.
“The Longest Winter”: Snowballs freeze combatants who have taken damage from them instantly.
“Stay Cool”: Snowballs leave a Stasis mine upon impact.
Are you participating in the event and baking cookies for the Destiny 2 NPCs to get all the Christmas event items? Or would you rather get the brand new “Artful Armor” in the dungeon “The Preservation” to be well-prepared for the launch of “The Witch Queen”? What do you think about the return of snowball fights?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The legendary developer Peter Molyneux has introduced his latest project, Legacy. The game is set to be released in 2022 and will be fully built on NFTs, blockchain, and cryptocurrencies – the first “Blockchain Business Sim,” as it is called.
Who is Peter Molyneux? Gamers owe titles like Black & White, Fable, and Dungeon Keeper to Molyneux. The now 62-year-old developer has been working on many well-known games since 1982.
He also became known as the creator of the “God Games,” a genre in which you create your own world as a god. His first game of this kind was Populous. Molyneux has previously worked at the well-known studios Bullfrog (EA) and Lionhead (Microsoft).
In 2012, he founded 22cans, his own studio, with which he is now creating his latest creation. This was presented at the Galaverse on December 11th.
What kind of game is this? Legacy is a type of construction simulation where you manage your own city along with factories and workers. You buy a piece of land, build an industry there, and produce goods.
You can trade these goods with other players and design what you actually produce and how the environment looks that belongs to your company. You trade with other players and adapt to build dominance in the open market.
By using “Legacy Keys,” you can hire NPC workers who take over production for you. We don’t know yet how the production chains will look exactly, but the automation sounds a lot like games like Factorio or Satisfactory.
The goal is to optimize production. With your products and in competition with other players, you can eventually receive LegacyCoin – a cryptocurrency created specifically for Legacy. This is set to be released in 2022, though no platform has been specified yet.
The cover image of Legacy. The website with the trailer is currently unreachable.
Making money with NFTs and cryptocurrency
How can I make money? LegacyCoin is a cryptocurrency that, according to the developer, is based on the Ethereum blockchain. Thus, it has a value in real money, at least insofar as the cryptocurrency itself is backed.
Cryptocurrencies can usually be exchanged in so-called wallets for other assets or even valuable items like gold and traditional currencies. In some cases, you can even purchase directly with cryptocurrency.
Legacy builds on the fact that you earn the appropriate coin. This principle is called “pay to earn,” meaning: play to earn. Everything you earn in Legacy should actually belong to you.
What are NFTs? “Non-Fungible Tokens” are digital items made unique by a signature. Each NFT only exists once. They are a type of digital collectible that clearly belongs to the respective owner through the signature. Thanks to the blockchain, each NFT is unique and cannot be copied or forged.
Normally, you have no actual claim to items from service games. Items, for instance, that you earn in an MMO are still part of the game and belong to the publisher. You only “borrow” them.
NFTs work more like digital goods that you own and can sell or trade. Similar to how the Steam marketplace has worked for years. There you can trade skins and more from Counter-Strike or, back then, the cards from the failed Artifact.
NFTs emerged some time ago among streamers who sold exclusive images or other collectible items of themselves to their viewers and fans. The well-known streamer Indiefoxx, for example, sold clips after her ban from Twitch.
Among gamers, NFTs are controversial to despised. There have already been cases of fraud and there is great concern that such incidents could occur in gaming on a large scale. Additionally, speculation in connection with blockchain and cryptocurrencies does not sit well with many fans.
The fact that developers like Molyneux are now jumping on the bandwagon and explicitly creating NFT games raises the worry that traditional games will become too uninteresting for studios. But what do you think? Participate in our survey on MeinMMO:
The new hack & slash MMO Lost Ark won’t be long in coming. But what might remind you of Diablo at first glance is actually very different upon closer inspection. That’s why we’ve got 7 things you should know before diving in.
What is Lost Ark? Even though its ISO perspective and hack ‘n’ slash battles may remind you of Diablo, at its core, Lost Ark is an MMORPG. This means there are many more mechanics and role-playing elements awaiting you than you might be used to from Diablo and its counterparts.
Lost Ark was released in 2018 in South Korea and has since become one of the most popular online games there. The game impresses with a visually appealing graphics engine, especially for Unreal Engine 3 standards, and breathtakingly action-packed battles.
In the endgame, you can expect raids, boss fights, PvP, and housing – all things that Diablo fans may not typically anticipate. Therefore, we want to explain and summarize these mechanics for you.
[toc]
1. Lost Ark is an MMORPG and you can definitely tell
What does that mean? In broad terms, this means that a role-playing experience in Lost Ark is focused on significantly more mechanics than, for example, Diablo. However, both games share a strong and well-presented story, which is also one of Lost Ark’s strengths.
However, the gameplay looks different, as you will spend much more time optimizing your character in many areas, using methods that might confuse players familiar with Diablo at first. You might chop down trees, fish, or even go treasure hunting with your friends.
The typical maps from hack ‘n’ slash games are absent in Lost Ark. The MMORPG opts for an open world that is always accessible to you and all other players. This means that monsters respawn after a short time, so you can’t completely clear the maps like you’re used to.
A lot of bang for your buck: Diablo has beautiful, fluid, and well-animated skill effects, and yes, relatively many of them. However, Lost Ark relies on an explosion of effects that is unparalleled. If you’re adventuring with 4 or even 8 players and things get intense in battle, it can be challenging to keep an eye on your character.
Effects like these are not uncommon – and that’s just one character
Lost Ark is even more colorful and vibrant in its darker territories than Diablo is in its friendlier areas. Ultimately, it’s a matter of taste, and Lost Ark can create a dark atmosphere when needed. However, the general color palette is much brighter.
2. Class and Group Diversity
Many more classes, many more skills: In Lost Ark, you can choose from 15 classes in the European version. The Korean version already has 21. This means there are significantly more options to customize your class than is the case in Diablo.
Additionally, the variety of skills is likely to be an exciting innovation for Diablo fans. You can equip up to 8 skills and change and swap them at any time outside of battles. Each class has up to 30 skills available.
You can then distribute your skill points to these skills and improve them in three stages. Each stage offers you 2 or 3 options to further develop your ability in another direction.
This concept should sound familiar to Diablo fans, but it works a little differently than you might be used to. You only need a minimum level to unlock the skill.
So if you unlock your new favorite skill at level 45, you can immediately and for free reset all skill points spent and assign them to the newly acquired skill. This means you can have it immediately at maximum strength without needing to level up further to unlock it.
Little new in groups: Even though there are many more classes, the group structures in Lost Ark are relatively similar. You can expect comparatively little new here.
In Lost Ark, the maximum group size is also limited to four players. These groups usually consist of 3 DPS classes and one supporter. However, in Lost Ark, it’s important that you don’t have 3 of the same DPS in your party.
Each class brings unique buffs that cannot stack. So it may be beneficial not to bring the top DPS character multiple times because the group benefits from increased damage when you bring a different DPS and make use of their unique buff.
3. PvP has a different significance
How does PvP work in Lost Ark? Even though Lost Ark is a free-to-play game and some in-game advantages can be purchased, the PvP in the MMORPG is normalized. This means that your equipment or money doesn’t count here; instead, all players’ stats are set to the same level.
This makes PvP rely on tactics, your build, and skill rather than pure stats. Although there is PvP in Diablo, it’s more of an event held among guilds and friends.
Various PvP modes: While Diablo has an arena where you can fight against one another, Lost Ark offers different PvP modes.
You can challenge people to duels in the open world, which are not normalized, or you can enter the arena.
In the arena, you can choose between:
1v1
3v3 where all three team members fight simultaneously
3v3, which is played in sequential 1v1 matches
Lost Ark also offers a leaderboard and different rankings in PvP. Furthermore, the abilities in the MMORPG vary depending on whether used in PvE or PvP. All of this might sound new to Diablo fans but can offer an exciting long-term motivation.
4. Challenging Raids
Insights into the endgame: While in Diablo’s endgame, you spend most of your time battling through rifts and trying to reach a higher paragon level, it’s different in Lost Ark.
The grinding for the perfect set and the best gear is the only similarity, albeit not in detail. One aspect of the endgame in Lost Ark are the Guardian Raids, which can be incredibly challenging.
Here, you focus on killing a large boss with a group of 4 to 8 people. The boss will wipe the floor with you if you don’t pay close attention and learn the mechanics. Players from Diablo 3 know these fights only with a maximum of 4 players and not at the mechanical level that Lost Ark offers.
You can watch one of the raiding experiences in Lost Ark in this video:
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What else is there? In addition to the Guardian Raids, the PvE endgame in Lost Ark also includes Chaos Dungeons. These are more comparable to rifts from Diablo, as you can run them more frequently and without much difficulty, always on the lookout for better loot.
Therefore, players from Diablo should feel most at home in the Chaos Dungeons, while the Guardian Raids are much more significantly different from what you know from Diablo.
5. Maintaining Your Own Island
What can housing do? Once you’ve completed the first turning point in the story, you’ll be around level 25. From then on, a completely new map opens up for you, along with the opportunity to design your own home.
This home is not just limited to a house, but you get a completely own island in Lost Ark. On it, there are some fixed buildings and a lot of items that you can freely place.
You can also invite up to 50 friends to your island and spend time together with the NPCs living on your island.
What’s the benefit? What is often just a side activity in many MMORPGs should not be ignored in Lost Ark. Gradually, you gather a whole crew of NPCs on your island, which you can then send out on missions.
They are gone for varying amounts of time and will bring you rewards when they return. Additionally, you can craft on your island and strengthen your relationships with the NPCs, for example, by taking them on a boosting tour.
Housing in general should be an aspect that Diablo players may not really think about, but it’s something you can’t completely ignore in Lost Ark. So definitely something you should know.
You can mostly design your island freely
6. Polyamory Without Limits
Relationships with NPCs: If you already wondered how to improve relationships with NPCs in the above section and what that even offers, this is your section.
Also completely new for Diablo players, one of the more important elements in Lost Ark are relationships. Throughout the story, you’ll meet more and more key characters.
With many of them, you can establish a relationship by completing side quests for them or bringing them gifts that they like. Your character is not limited to one partner but can pursue as many relationships as you wish.
Moreover, there’s no preference for gender in Lost Ark, as it doesn’t matter whom you have your eye on. Eventually, all NPCs will be charmed by you, regardless of their gender.
What’s the benefit? As you level up in friendship with an NPC, this not only unlocks new quests focused on that NPC but also grants you rewards every time your friendship rank with the character improves.
This process is particularly fast in the early game, and you can earn up to 30,000 silver per rank and NPC, with minimal effort often required for just clicking through some dialogues.
In the beginning of the game, you should definitely not ignore this mechanic, which Diablo fans are likely unfamiliar with. Flirt as much as you can!
This lovely lady will cook for you if she likes you. Whether that’s good remains to be seen.
7. More Content for Completionists
A lot of collectibles: Lost Ark offers you an open world that, while still divided into zones, allows you to return frequently. The game introduces you to an exploration tome in the first city, which you should fill gradually.
This thick book tracks everything you do on the map and is a dream for any completionist. Alongside viewpoints that you need to look for, there are well-hidden Mokoko seeds that you can collect throughout the world.
Additionally, it includes NPCs you’ve interacted with, quests you’ve completed, and a collectible card system that offers gameplay advantages when you collect a full set.
In general, there’s a lot to collect in Lost Ark beyond the story and side quests. The world itself has plenty to explore, and thanks to the tome, your efforts are rewarded.
These collectible items in Lost Ark not only provide cosmetic advantages, like companions and transmogs available in Diablo. They also offer genuine gameplay benefits.
What’s the benefit? It’s a nice way to track your progress. However, there are also concrete advantages for those who want to explore the whole world. In addition to the stat bonuses you earn through the collectible cards, you also receive a significant amount of experience points.
Especially the Mokoko seeds provide you with a noteworthy amount of adventurer EXP, which could be somewhat compared to the paragon level in Diablo.
Your adventure level is basically your account level and provides bonuses across all your characters. Collecting the Mokoko seeds goes directly into this EXP bar, making life easier for you with other characters in the future.
These were the 7 biggest differences between Diablo and Lost Ark that you should know about. If you want to check out the MMORPG, you’re now prepared. Of course, there are also some similarities that might stand out to you.
If you think of anything else you’d like to know as a Diablo fan before diving into Lost Ark, feel free to leave a comment here on MeinMMO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The LoL series Arcane has conquered many top lists. But has the hype remained? One month after release, it is clear: Arcane has made series history.
About a month ago, surprisingly for many, Netflix released the series based on League of Legends. Arcane hit like a bomb, and even the first 3 episodes received massive praise. The series is now complete, and not only LoL fans have watched it, but pretty much everyone else as well.
There have been so many reviews that it’s clear: Arcane has made history in terms of video game adaptations and is one of the best series of all time.
What are the ratings like? On two of the largest review platforms for series and films, Arcane has performed fantastically.
On “Rotten Tomatoes”, the series receives a 100% from critics. This is not so unusual on this platform, but the high user score is. A solid 97% comes from the audience.
Similarly excellent is how Arcane has positioned itself on the rating site “IMDb”. Arcane receives a whopping 9.1 out of 10 points, securing 15th place on the best list (via IMDb) of all series on the site – even ahead of series like “Sherlock” or “Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood” and just behind major series like “Game of Thrones”.
Individual episodes even score even better and achieve ratings of 9.8 – absolutely outstanding.
15th place on the list of series of all time on IMDb (as of 14.12.21).
It is particularly impressive that Arcane achieves such a rating, despite the foundation – League of Legends – being extremely controversial in the gaming community. Since League of Legends has a bad reputation due to its “toxic community,” there are many gamers who can’t relate to the game at all. Still, this doesn’t seem to have resulted in blind “downvoting” of the series Arcane.
Check out our video review of Arcane – Everything is fantastic except the ending:
Start video
Everything about Arcane is fantastic, except for the ending – Review
What do the ratings say? Basically, Arcane is praised from almost all sides. Particularly the animation technique, for which Studio Fortiche also received a lot of positive feedback for the LoL trailers, is repeatedly highlighted. The facial expressions, the color representation – all of this feels coherent.
In addition, there are convincing characters and solid world-building that draws the viewer slowly into the world without lingering for long with elaborate explanations. Even the villains are very well-developed characters in Arcane, allowing viewers to empathize with the rogues until the end.
More updates on Arcane can be found here on MeinMMO:
Is there criticism? The little criticism that exists mainly refers to the beginning of Arcane or the ending. The beginning is a bit slow for some, and it takes time for the series to gain momentum. Only at the end of episode 3 do many feel truly “captivated”.
On the other end of the spectrum, the finale has received some criticism. For some, the ending is a blatant cliffhanger, although the significance of the ending is often discussed – even on our site.
Can you understand why Arcane has made such an impact? Do you find the rating appropriate? Or is it completely over the top?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
With Season 1 of Call of Duty: Vanguard came some new content to the game. This includes the new incendiary grenade. Thanks to this new primary equipment, the maps quickly resemble a famous meme. Players say: This is not okay.
The incendiary grenade is another new toy available to players of CoD Vanguard with Season 1. It has quickly proven to be very strong, which is why it has been viewed as OP early on. Moreover, this primary equipment is the third fire grenade in the game, alongside the thermite grenade and the Molotov cocktail. The community finds this simply too much – especially since the incendiary grenade makes the game almost unplayable on some maps.
Unlock the incendiary grenade – Here’s how
You currently unlock the incendiary grenade through the Season 1 Battle Pass. Like with all other weapons, you don’t even need to buy the Season 1 Battle Pass: the incendiary grenade is a free part of the Battle Pass. You just need to level it up enough to unlock the grenade.
You unlock the incendiary grenade for free at level 39 of the Battle Pass.
Incendiary grenade combines strengths of smoke grenade and thermite
What makes this grenade so strong? Even if they can collect good kills: the incendiary grenade is not one of the deadliest grenades in the game. However, it is very good at disrupting the opponents’ gameplay flow: it obscures vision and slows down or prevents aggressive pushes by the opponents. Thus, the incendiary grenade works like an effective mix of a smoke grenade and thermite.
Moreover, there is no proper counter for the grenade: CoD Vanguard does not have a trophy system that could deflect these grenades. Thus, you can spam these annoying grenades without any real resistance.
Especially the small maps like Shipment or Das Haus quickly become a hellish sea of flames. It is almost impossible to see anything other than smoke and fire. This video on Reddit shows this opaque chaos very well:
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What can be seen in the video? As the video shows, thanks to incendiary grenade spam, there is almost nothing to see. Spraying sparks, dense fog, and raging fires make clear visibility of the action almost impossible most of the time. Additionally, noticeable stutters and nasty performance drops are visible.
As the official in-game description says: The incendiary grenade “shrouds an area in white mist and burns anyone who approaches.” Not only does this description remind CoD fans of white phosphorus, the most annoying killstreak in Modern Warfare (via reddit), but this grenade is a smaller version of it that refreshes itself with every respawn. With certain perks and field equipment, one can use several of these grenades per life.
New best grenade makes the game almost unplayable for fans
The incendiary grenade is currently a problem in the popular playlist ShipHaus 24/7. Here, only the smallest maps in the game are played, which have also quickly turned into an incomprehensible chaos due to the incendiary grenade. But even on larger maps, the grenade is an issue. Especially in game modes like Hardpoint or Domination, the incendiary grenade makes capturing and defending points significantly easier. If you also bring a smoke grenade in your loadout, a lot of visibility is obscured.
How do fans react? Fans are not impressed by the incendiary grenade. On Reddit, there are many ironic comparisons to the “This is fine” meme, in which a dog comfortably sips coffee in a burning house (via knowyourmeme.com). The dog does not recognize the serious problems in his current situation – just like the developers of CoD Vanguard, fans imply. Otherwise, the reactions are almost uniformly negative.
Ian-Campbell wonders: “Why is this in the game?” (via reddit)
likkyball says: “My PS4 will not survive [all these effects].” (via reddit)
hound368 finds: “The developers have no sense of the game. What were they thinking when adding this new grenade?” (via reddit)
OrganizationWinter53 says: “The video worries me, and it makes me not want to play the game again.” (via reddit)
Especially because there is no proper counter for the incendiary grenade without a trophy system, fans have only two solutions for the current fire hell: either stop playing the popular small maps or quit playing CoD Vanguard altogether.
Even though there is no official reaction from Sledgehammer Games yet: it’s more likely that hell will freeze over than that the developers will completely stand idly by.
What do you think about the new grenade? Do you like using it? Or do you think it ruins the game? Has it perhaps not even caught your attention negatively? Let us know in the comments.
With all this fire, one can quickly forget that the Christmas season is approaching. However, there will soon be a fitting winter event in Call of Duty Vanguard and Warzone:
In February 2022, although Lost Ark will be released, former developers of the same game also have an action MMO in the pipeline. Undecember (PC, Android, iOS) is the name of this hack’n’slay game, launching in the first quarter of 2022.
What is Undecember? The game with the somewhat peculiar name is a classic hack’n’slay MMO. At first glance, it strongly resembles Diablo IV and Path of Exile. The title comes from the South Korean team at Need Games, which also includes former developers of the action hit Lost Ark.
Undecember relies on a very dark atmosphere and appears somewhat creepy in many places. You can clearly see after just a few seconds of gameplay which games it’s drawing inspiration from.
In Undecember, you can expect no MMORPG, but an MMO in the sense of Path of Exile or Diablo. Therefore, the game has less to do with Lost Ark, even though it introduces a few more MMORPG mechanics than PoE.
What features are included? Undecember combines classic hack’n’slay mechanics with some MMORPG features and includes the following systems:
ISO perspective with action-packed battles
Hub areas where you can trade and chat with other players. In the maps, you will then be traveling only with your group, as in Path of Exile
Dungeons, raids, and PvP “borrows” from MMORPGs
A classless character system with an extensive skill tree
A rune system that determines your active skills
The grind for better equipment is central
Slick animations from experienced developers who also worked on Lost Ark and Lineage 2 Revolution
Thanks to Free2Play, everyone can easily try it out
Cross-platform capabilities
You can see gameplay in this video:
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When can you play? Originally, Undecember was supposed to be released in 2021, but the date had to be postponed, like many others. Now the game will be released on January 13 in South Korea and shortly thereafter in the rest of the world.
The global release is scheduled for the first quarter of 2022, but there is not yet a specific date. You can play on the PC via Steam and on mobile devices with iOS or Android.
Undecember only has an English voice-over, but at least offers all texts in German.
The first reactions are mixed
What is the mood around the game? The global release of Undecember took many people by surprise and has some fans feeling positive. However, the general tone on reddit is mixed.
This is mainly because many see Undecember as a mobile game that has been ported to PC. Whether the development actually took place this way, we cannot assess at this point.
Nevertheless, there are also some voices that are looking forward to the game and would like to check it out when it is finally released.
What do fans say? In the various reddit threads on the subject, there are comments with somewhat mixed sentiments:
User SinnerSupreme writes (via reddit): “A mobile game has a tough standing in this genre; it reminds me a lot of Diablo Immortal.”
CiplakIndeed1 writes: “The game looks really cool, but what’s up with the name? They could have just named it January.”
Stunning-Tea adds and says: “If you feel like trying out a mobile Diablo game, you’re in luck. Undecember is just right for you.”
What do you think of Undecember? Have you already had contact with the game and are looking forward to it or are you hearing about it for the first time? Feel free to let us know in the comments here on MeinMMO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Call of Duty kicks off the Christmas event “Festive Fervor” in CoD: Vanguard and Battle Royale: Warzone in just a few days. You can unlock themed cosmetics, try out special game modes, and battle unique NPCs. One of them has a problem with campers.
Currently, Festive Fervor is disabled in Warzone – Krampus has caused match crashes.
Not much longer until Christmas, and Call of Duty is hosting a festive event again this year with matching cosmetics, small gifts, and Christmas-crazy game modes. “Festive Fervor” starts on December 17 and offers you, among other things:
Cosmetic event
Special game modes
Shipment becomes Shipmas
Base in zombie mode is decorated
NPCs with good and bad intentions in some game modes
Free weekend in Vanguard
New Christmas-themed bundles
Discounts on old skin bundles
MeinMMO shows you the flow and content of the Christmas event for Call of Duty for Vanguard and Warzone. There’s also a festive trailer that we’ll embed here:
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You can view the roadmap for the event “Festive Fervor” here:
CoD Warzone: Festive Fervor brings rewarding Christmas trees
What happens in Warzone during the event? A total of 3 new mechanics sneak onto Caldera and Rebirth Island that may slightly change the dynamics of matches during the event:
Christmas trees with prime loot
Krampus goes on a bounty hunt
Screaming elves give away items
Lootable Christmas trees: On the map, Christmas trees are marked, and if you visit the festively decorated fir trees and stay nearby, loot boxes or special festive boxes with a higher chance of good loot will magically appear.
The festive boxes can also be found everywhere else on the map and provide increased drop chances for legendary items as well as coal pieces for naughty soldiers. The boxes look like gifts.
Angry Krampus: The grumpy Christmas grouch starts hunting a random player a few minutes after a match begins. If you catch the NPC, you’ll get extra bonuses for your game round.
His hunt lasts 3 minutes, and if Krampus doesn’t complete his bounty, he will pick the next team.
Helpful elves: Also roaming the maps – elves that shout at you if you get too close within 10 meters and drop rewards if you shoot them.
Gifts await under the tree.
Additionally, you can unlock up to 7 thematic cosmetics through specific tasks. There will be 6 tasks in Warzone, and if you complete all 6, you will receive a weapon blueprint for an LMG as a bonus.
CoD Vanguard: Festive Fervor unleashes Christmas NPCs on you
What happens in Vanguard during the event? During the event, a few crazy NPCs apparently roam the game, some of whom even target campers directly. In addition, there are a few festively decorated areas and a new game mode:
Armageddon as a game mode
Elves hide on the maps
Krampus hunts lazy operators
Festively decorated map in multiplayer and zombies
Armageddon: The game mode works similarly to “Drop Zone,” which is already known from earlier CoD games.
A zone appears that your team must capture, and killstreaks appear in supply crates. The longer teams hold the zone, the more killstreaks you get for the team. After a while, the zone will change its position.
Unlike “Drop Zone,” however, only kills count as objective points in Armageddon, and you get extra points if you take down an opponent with a killstreak.
Elves: The “Elf Team Six” wanders around in various game modes waiting to be spotted by you. If you shoot an elf, you earn match points and rewards like killstreaks.
However, it also sounds in the blog that the elves become angry if you don’t catch them.
A tattooed elf with a dagger doesn’t look too nice…
Krampus: The angry Christmas grump is actually a pretty nice guy in Vanguard.
In game modes with objectives like “Domination” or “Hardpoint,” Krampus hunts players who accumulate too few points through captures. Apparently, this applies to all game modes except the event mode “Armageddon”.
Even in team deathmatch, Krampus is on the prowl and targets victims who camp too long at one spot.
Krampus can be killed – but if he gets too close, he annihilates you with a special Krampus executor.
Festive decoration: There are a few things that will be decorated with Christmas decorations.
This includes the small chaos map Shipment, which becomes “Shipmas” during the event. But also the headquarters in zombie mode “The Beginning” is supposed to evoke festive feelings.
The trailer also features the attack dogs from the killstreaks, dressed in Rudolf-like costumes.
Shipment is in holiday fever
Free weekend and bundle offers
As an additional little extra, CoD: Vanguard opens its servers for all interested players with the start of the event:
CoD: Vanguard playable for free from 12/16 to 12/21
If you want to take a look at the new CoD or level weapons from Warzone, you’ll have a long weekend for that.
If you also have some budget left from your Christmas shopping, there will be many discounted skin bundles in Warzone, Vanguard, and Cold War during the event that want to take your coins.
Warzone and Vanguard celebrate the holidays with a colorful event where the crazy NPCs in particular sound like fun. It remains to be seen whether the mechanics will provide a certain lightening up, but the idea behind it already sounds quite interesting.
In New World, the winter event is supposed to start today, December 14th. This was indicated in the patch notes on the PTR server. But so far, there is no new update in sight. When will the release of patch 1.2 be?
When will patch 1.2 be released? On December 3rd, the developers announced the big update 1.2. This brings some adjustments to the endgame and PvP, balance changes, and the winter event.
In the preliminary patch notes for 1.2 it states that the winter event is supposed to start on December 14th. That would be today. But so far the developers have not shown any signs of releasing a new patch.
Community Manager Luxendra responded to inquiries in the forum and emphasized that things from the patch notes for the PTR can change: “The information from the PTR patch notes can change. When we announce an upcoming patch, you will find it in the ‘Official News’ section.
This suggests that there will probably be no update today.
Updates usually come out on Thursday – Is the winter event being delayed by a week?
What else is noteworthy? The developers of New World have been releasing their updates on Thursdays for several weeks now. The first 3 updates were released on a Wednesday. However, Tuesday was not a patch day for New World.
Many are now speculating that patch 1.2 was actually supposed to be released last Thursday, December 9th. The winter event would have been implemented, but only activated a few days later.
However, due to the extensive feedback on the PTR, there were too many changes that needed to be tested before the release, such as the price reduction for crafting gypsum, the new perks, and some general bug fixes that were announced in the forum a few days later.
When is the release of update 1.2 and the winter event? The release of patch 1.2 seems most likely to be this Wednesday or Thursday. The winter event will probably go live at the same time.
However, there are also speculations suggesting that the winter event will continue to be activated later. A delay of a whole week, until December 21st, is possible.
For those who want to prepare for the upcoming patch 1.2, here are some useful tips:
In Pokémon GO you can now achieve the new achievement “Walk Star” after a raid. However, it has nothing to do with the actual raid. Players are questioning why this was even activated.
What are these achievements? Since June 2021, you can earn achievements in Pokémon GO during raids. Examples of achievements that are displayed after a successful battle include dealing the most damage or using the most charge attacks.
Now the developers have added another achievement that players are not yet convinced about. It simply does not fit the raid battle.
Achievement for “Walk Star” in Pokémon GO
This is the new achievement: On reddit, user flandy93 shows a screenshot of the new raid achievement. It is called “Walk Star” and the screenshot highlights the trainer who walked 65 kilometers the day before. We will embed the thread with the screenshot here:
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This is why it’s curious: Up until now, we knew the achievement messages for the following accomplishments:
Trainers who use the last attack in the raid
Deal the most damage
Keep a single Pokémon in play the longest
Use the largest Pokémon in battle
Participate in the raid from the furthest distance
Use a Mega Evolution
Change the clothing or pose of the avatar
Use the most charge attacks in the battle
All these achievements are directly related to the battle, with the clothing or pose of the avatar being quite a generous interpretation. What the kilometers walked the day before have to do with the raid just won is unclear.
This is how players react: On reddit, trainers are surprised about the achievement. “I’m not quite sure why this is super relevant for raiding, but okay. The background is kind of cute,” writes justobsolete in the comments. Below, user jackyu17 asks, “But what does this have to do with raiding?”
Player xristosxi393 tries to see into the future and writes: “The next raid achievement will be Pro Scanner. It rewards trainers for scanning X PokéStops in the last hour.”
As a possible explanation for the unusual achievement, kiwidesign writes: “In my opinion, they are incorporating this random stuff so that everyone can achieve their medal to platinum status. On the other hand, it would be harder for some people, especially new players.” This refers to the medal “Raid Expert.” To complete it, you should land on the raid battle display for trainer achievements.
In 2009, League of Legends was released and caused a MOBA hype. Several other games followed, including Heroes of Newerth in 2010. However, this will be discontinued next year, as the developers have now announced.
When will HoN be discontinued? Heroes of Newerth is set to continue running until June 20, 2022. After that, it will be shut down and the servers will be taken offline.
The shutdown does not come as a complete surprise, as the developers already announced in 2019 that update 4.7.3 would be the last major content patch. After that, only balance changes and bug fixes should follow.
The developers thanked the players on Facebook for supporting them for 12 years.
The farewell post from the HoN developers (via Facebook).
Heroes of Newerth was inspired by DOTA and was released as a full-price title
What kind of game is it? Heroes of Newerth was officially released in May 2010, a few months after League of Legends. The gameplay of both games is very similar:
In both games, two teams with five players each battle against each other.
You take on the role of a champion, and the goal is to destroy the enemy base.
Both games feature three lanes where minions travel and towers stand.
However, Heroes of Newerth is more closely related to the DOTA mod. The game is darker and not as beginner-friendly as LoL. It also relies on the “deny” technique. Players can intentionally kill their own minions and towers to prevent the opponent from gaining gold and experience points.
Another major difference was the payment model. While LoL was released as a free-to-play title, players initially had to purchase Heroes of Newerth as a full-price title. In return, they had all champions unlocked from the start.
This is also reflected in the initial player numbers. LoL exploded right from the start, while HoN remained stable for many years but never reached the highest tiers:
The monthly active users of MOBAs from 2011 to 2015 via SuperData.
Balance issues and the release of DOTA damaged HoN
Why did HoN fail? Upon release, Heroes of Newerth was well received. Although it had fewer players due to the price barrier, it was positively received, especially by DOTA fans and players who wished for more depth in LoL. Some referred to HoN as the best DOTA clone on the market.
In 2011, the game transitioned to a free-to-play model and experienced a “small boom,” as can be seen in the graphic above.
However, around this time, champions were reportedly released that were much too powerful. These champions had to be purchased separately, even for players who had already paid the full price for Heroes of Newerth. This did not go over well.
Interest in the MOBA began to decline around 2014. There were two main reasons for this:
On one hand, DOTA 2 from Valve became increasingly popular. Many DOTA fans who had previously played Heroes of Newerth switched from the “clone” to the “original”.
Does HoN still have players today? Yes, matches still start relatively quickly. There is also a YouTube channel that summarizes the “Top Plays of the Week” and receives over 20,000 views each week with its videos. Additionally, outside of this channel, there are still some videos on YouTube related to this MOBA.
If you want to see some gameplay of HoN, you can check out the video by YouTuber Gorgc. He tried Heroes of Newerth for the first time in June 2021:
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What do you think about the discontinuation of Heroes of Newerth? Have you tried this MOBA in the past, and will you miss it? Or are you completely satisfied with alternatives like LoL, DOTA, and Smite? Feel free to share in the comments.
MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus recently played LoL again after a long break and was even pleasantly surprised:
