With Overwatch 2, players will have to adapt. Bastion and Sombra are being completely changed and significantly overhauled.
At Blizzard, several games are currently in development, and one of them is Overwatch 2. The reboot of the hero shooter not only brings comprehensive PvE elements but also the overhaul of many existing heroes. While some characters need only a few adjustments, two heroes are being drastically revamped: Sombra and Bastion.
New abilities, new design, and hopefully more fun.
What is changing about Bastion? With Overwatch 2, Bastion is undergoing a significant overhaul. He will not only lose his self-healing but will also receive a new ultimate that can bring widespread destruction.
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The self-healing is completely removed. Bastion can no longer repair himself.
Instead, Bastion has a new secondary firing action (right-click) during Configuration: Recon. He fires large bullets that bounce off surfaces, stick to enemy heroes, and explode after a short delay, pushing enemies back.
The spread of the weapon during Configuration: Recon has been completely removed. The rate of fire has been drastically reduced. This is intended to make Bastion feel like a “pseudo-sniper” in this form.
Bastion can now move at reduced speed during Configuration: Sentry. However, the transformation now has a cooldown, so it cannot be used permanently – but he has infinite ammunition.
The old ultimate is gone. Instead, Bastion transforms into an “Artillery Form” and can fire 3 powerful projectiles across the entire map. After a short time, the shells will hit and deal high damage.
All these changes should make Bastion a more versatile fighter, who does not just function as a “one-trick pony” and needs multiple heroes to support him.
What is changing about Sombra? The hacker Sombra is also being revamped. Her hacks are especially in focus here, as Sombra’s crowd control (CC) abilities are being weakened – something many heroes face in Overwatch 2.
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Hacking now has a drastically reduced cooldown – only about 4 seconds.
Hacking now consists of two different components:
The first component works as you already know – the opponent’s abilities are disabled, but only for one second.
The second component displays hacked enemies through walls for the entire team. This effect lasts significantly longer.
Sombra now deals 50% more damage to targets she has hacked.
Sombra’s ultimate no longer removes all shields. Instead, the attack now inflicts 40% of the targets’ current health points as damage and applies the hacking effect.
Sombra can now hack while she is invisible. During the hack, she briefly becomes visible, but then disappears again immediately.
Overall, Sombra is also meant to become more versatile and have more damage potential, without being able to disable the entire enemy team for several seconds.
If you want more news about Overwatch, you will find it here:
When do the changes go live? For most players, these changes will only go live with the launch of Overwatch 2 – however, there is still no exact date for that. Some changes will already be visible in the Overwatch League – such as the new format, as soon all teams in Overwatch will play with only 5 players instead of 6.
It is likely that there will be a whole series of further reworks in Overwatch 2, as the game’s balance is heavily being revised.
What do you think of the two reworks? Are you excited about the new versions of Bastion and Sombra? Or do the changes not sound that exciting?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Everyone has to start somewhere in a game and might not know what they might regret later. MeinMMO author Lena wants to share 5 beginner tips that she wishes she had known at the beginning of Genshin Impact.
In Genshin Impact, thousands of new adventurers start their journey in Teyvat, the world of the game, every day. They set off to save their sibling. They are lovingly supported by companion Paimon and are taught in the tutorial how to play the game.
A huge world full of new things, dangers, and mechanics awaits you in Genshin Impact, of which you as a beginner have no idea. The game doesn’t really explain the truly relevant things further, gives you a nudge, and you’re already in the midst of it.
I want to give you 5 tips that I really wish I had known beforehand as a beginner. Because I had no idea, I did many things that I now regret. And you can avoid those.
Who is speaking here? MeinMMO author Lena, who has been addicted to the game since August 2020 and made many mistakes as a beginner that she wants to help you avoid with these tips. She has already invested about 600 hours in Genshin Impact and explored all of Teyvat.
Are you a beginner and want to know what to pay attention to in order to be well-prepared later? Then you are in the right place. Are you already an advanced player and want to indulge in nostalgia and your “mistakes”? Then you are also in the right place.
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Artifacts don’t really matter at first
What are artifacts? Artifacts can be compared to equipment like shoes, pants, or headgear in other games. A character can and should be equipped with five artifacts as they determine how strong your character is later.
Why are artifacts not that important at the beginning? You will find many artifacts in chests at the beginning and receive some from bosses. They are enough to accompany you until Adventure Rank 45 (AR 45). Just make sure to complete artifact sets to gain a small bonus. More is not necessary.
What’s special about Adventure Rank 45? After Adventure Rank 45, you are guaranteed to receive at least one 5-star artifact in a sphere. That’s what you’re aiming for, and you want to have as many good artifacts as possible from them.
How do artifacts work? Each artifact belongs to a specific type, which in turn can have certain stats.
The artifacts and their possible stats
Slot 1: Flower, always has health points (HP) as the main stat; you can’t get anything else on it.
Slot 2: Feather, always has attack (ATK) as the main stat; nothing else can be obtained on it either.
Slot 3: Hourglass, can have the following stats as main stats:
HP %
ATK %
Defense % (DEF %)
Elemental Mastery, determines the damage caused by elemental reactions
Energy Recharge %
Slot 4: Cup, can have the following stats as main stats:
HP %
ATK %
DEF %
Elemental Mastery
Elemental Damage Bonus, gives the corresponding element a damage bonus
Physical Damage Bonus, neutral base attacks and heavy hits deal more damage
Slot 5: Crown
HP %
ATK %
DEF %
Elemental Mastery
Critical Hit Rate (CRT), determines how often you can land critical hits
Critical Damage (CD), determines how high the damage of the critical hit is
Healing Bonus %, determines how much more HP a healing skill restores
Every main stat of the hourglass, cup, and crown has a certain probability of being on the artifact (via Genshin Impact Wiki). So, it is possible that you might have to farm for the right artifact for weeks or months.
Additionally, each artifact has up to four sub-stats. Any artifact type can receive anything as a sub-stat that it can also have as a main stat, except for Elemental Damage Bonus and Physical Damage Bonus.
You level the stats and thus the artifacts themselves by sacrificing other artifacts for them or through the items “Wondrous Essence” and “Wondrous Salve.” You obtain both items through quests or in the Housing of Genshin Impact.
A literally typical example of an artifact.
Where do you get artifacts? You get artifacts from the so-called spheres. These are the dungeons in Genshin Impact. You can find spheres all over the map and can recognize them by the diamond with the circle inside. You can comfortably teleport to each sphere you have discovered.
Moreover, bosses can also drop artifacts. This includes two artifact sets that you cannot get in spheres: “Gladiator’s Finale” and “Wanderer’s Troupe” (via Honey Impact).
When is an artifact “good”? That’s not so easy to answer, as different stats are important for different characters. Basically, I keep artifacts whose sub-stats I particularly like. These include CRT, CD, ATK %, Elemental Mastery, and Energy Recharge. Many characters benefit from these stats, and it can never hurt to set them aside.
The artifact can become good
It is a good artifact
With main stats, I generally keep everything I don’t already have in multiple copies, but even then, I have a hard time getting rid of anything with potential. At first, I didn’t pay attention to this and simply used everything rigorously for leveling when I thought I had a great artifact. Better to wait patiently and level when possible rather than wasting valuable artifacts.
One last tip: When deciding on characters, it’s best to choose a specific path. Try not to mix builds. For example, take Diluc, who is a Pyro DPS. You want a lot of ATK, CRT, CD, and Pyro Damage on him. Don’t also have HP % as a main stat. This would only waste damage potential.
What are “Ley Line Outcrops”? The yellow Ley Line Outcrop (available from AR 12) gives you Mora, the currency of Teyvat, and the blue one (available from AR 8) gives you experience point cards. Mora and XP cards are used to level up your characters. Nothing happens without them.
When you pull up your map, you can recognize Ley Line Outcrops by a kind of cloud in a circle. In Mondstadt, Liyue, and Inazuma, you can find two of them each. One blue and one yellow. The enemies vary depending on the area, but not the rewards.
The rewards increase based on your world and adventure level (via Genshin Impact Wiki). Unfortunately, I completely ignored this at the beginning and rushed straight to the bosses. I didn’t realize how valuable Mora and XP cards would become throughout the game.
My tip: Treat yourself to the Ley Line Outcrops, especially at the beginning. There isn’t much else meaningful to do with the resin yet, and Mora and XP cards are never bad, no matter how little you get at first. It’s better than leaving the resin lying around. What is resin? I’ll explain that to you in the next section.
Ley Line Outcrops on the map
Ley Line Outcrops in the overworld
Resin! Resin! Resin! – Use it or collect it
What is resin? Resin is used to loot bosses, weekly bosses, spheres, and Ley Line Outcrops. So, you need resin whenever you want to progress in the game. At first, it seems like you have enough with the daily 160 resin. But the further you progress, the more you will notice that resin becomes scarcer than you initially assumed.
If you want to fully level a character, you may need to defeat a boss about 20 times to obtain the material required for your character. For example, Amber needs 46 Flickering Flower Seeds as material, which only drop from the Flickering Tree. You usually get 2-3 of such materials per run. A boss consumes 40 resin.
What is fragile resin? The item “fragile resin” is very valuable. It restores 60 resin. So, don’t use it too generously at the beginning and save it to farm artifacts diligently starting from Adventure Rank 45.
How do you get fragile resin? You can obtain resin through the adventure pass, events, quests, and by leveling up your adventure rank.
What is “enriched resin”? Enriched resin can be crafted at the alchemy table for 40 resin. This resin makes farming Ley Line Outcrops and spheres more efficient, as it counts for two runs when you use it. So, you get double loot for one run. However, you cannot use it for bosses.
My tip: Make sure not to make the same mistake I did and craft enriched resin when you want to take down bosses that day. I also craft enriched resin whenever I don’t have time to do spheres. This way, the 160 resin available daily is used wisely and not wasted.
That’s why Adventure Rank 45 is so relevant for artifacts. Before that, you’re essentially wasting your resin on artifacts that you will end up swapping out 98% of the time.
Important and valuable items, especially in the endgame.
Leveling Characters’ Talents
What do characters’ talents provide? One thing you might not pay attention to initially is the characters’ talents and that they can even be leveled up. The basic attack, elemental, and special abilities can be leveled up using additional materials, making them significantly stronger.
All talents can be raised to level 10. If you pull a character twice, you unlock constellations that give your character additional abilities and bonuses. Constellation 3 and 5 increase the talent level of the elemental and special abilities of all characters by three levels. The maximum level of these talents is currently 13.
Where do you get the necessary materials? The necessary materials for talent upgrade can be obtained in spheres, just like artifacts. However, there is a special rule regarding this. Some materials are only available on certain days of the week. I recommend the free tool Seelie.inmagi (via Seelie.inmagi), which helps you keep track of them.
Starting from talent level 7, you must also defeat weekly bosses, as they drop unique items that you need additionally for the talent upgrades. Talent Level 10 even requires a special item: the “Crown of Wisdom.” It is among the rarest items in Genshin Impact and you can only obtain it through special events or quests.
My tip: Make sure to read the talents thoroughly. Most characters benefit especially from their elemental and special abilities. Level 6 is a good average for all three talent tiers. However, if a skill is particularly important, it might be worth leveling it up to level 8 or higher.
Kill everything you encounter
Don’t run away: One thing Genshin Impact has taught me is that you should never run away from enemies. They drop valuable materials for you. You need them to level up characters, talents, and weapons.
The more you collect daily on the side, the better it is for you later. Additionally, enemies drop rarer materials the higher your world level is, as the monster levels also increase with it.
Who is Bennett?Bennett is one of the best characters in the game. With his support and buff capabilities, he is currently unique and a valuable addition to any team. He has been around since the release of Genshin Impact, providing decent healing and a strong attack boost.
Why is Bennett’s 6th constellation tricky? Unbeknownst to me, I quickly had the luck to unlock Bennett’s 6th constellation, only to later find out what it really meant: You can no longer perform neutral physical attacks when standing in Bennett’s special ability.
Because his constellation grants the character Pyro power, which means your attacks then belong to the fire type. You don’t want this on certain characters like Razor.
Of course, it can also be useful if you play Bennett in a pure Pyro team. It additionally increases the Pyro damage of characters with one-handed, two-handed, and polearm weapons standing in Bennett’s special ability by 15%.
Just be aware that certain team combinations won’t work as well once you activate this constellation. It limits your Bennett.
Think carefully beforehand about whether you want to unlock Bennett’s 6th constellation. There’s no going back afterward.
Of course, I just want to help you with these tips and not dictate how to play. When I look at my resin management at the start, I still want to hit myself today. Now in the endgame, I regret that I managed it as if it were as common as sand.
Are you beginners and have these tips helped you, or are you already advanced players and also knew nothing about these things at the beginning? Feel free to let us know in the comments.
By the way, we also have an article about 7 beginner tips. It covers more information that can be very useful for you as a beginner.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Destiny 2 has allegedly been secretly revealing which weapons will dominate in the future for a year. Players now believe that they already know the meta of the next expansion.
What’s coming: At the beginning of 2022, Destiny 2 will release the expansion “Witch Queen”. Even now, months beforehand, the Guardians want to have figured out which weapon category will really take off and dominate the meta.
Behind closed doors, Bungie continually determines which guns will be the boss killers of tomorrow. However, players now claim to have cracked the code and are prophesying rocket launchers as the winners – how did they come to this conclusion?
This is how Bungie determines the meta: At the beginning of a new chapter, meaning with a new season, Bungie releases extensive balance changes and introduces a new seasonal artifact. This contains modifications, or mods, that can turn a weapon category into a boss killer overnight.
Without the weapons supported by the artifact, it is usually difficult to survive in the endgame. Bungie also determines how you fight the annoying champion enemies. This enforced meta is not to everyone’s liking, but it brings variety to the loadouts every few months.
What does meta mean? The term is usually used as an abbreviation for “most effective tactics available.” Hence, the most effective tactics at disposal. If something is meta, then according to the current patch, it belongs to the strongest weapons or skills that have significantly more advantages than disadvantages – thus, many informed players use the meta.
Put on your tin foil hats – Which weapons are expected to be meta in “Witch Queen”?
This code has been cracked by players: Bungie is said to always reveal in the previous season which weapons will be heavily favored in the next artifact. According to the codebreakers (via reddit), the quest weapon of the previous season determines the meta of the next season.
All year long, the Destiny developer has followed this pattern: A quest weapon for everyone that then performs strongly in the next season. Here’s how that went with quest weapons in detail for 2021:
Season 13 brought the grenade launcher “Plunderer’s Salvo” at the beginning of 2021. One season later, Breach and Clear was the hottest mod in the game. Grenade launchers were meta, with exotics like Anarchy stronger than ever.
Season 14 brought the fusion rifle “Dismantle”. In the current season 15, fusion rifles are the strongest boss killers, melting even raid final bosses in seconds.
This all actually started at the end of 2020 with season 12 and the quest sniper “Venerated”. Although sniper rifles were not directly meta due to a mod, there was much general support for the precise weapons in the artifact.
Hegemony will be available in Season 15 for everyone at Shaxx, the Vagabond, and Zavala.
Which weapon is expected to be strong in 2020? If Bungie follows the pattern, we would expect rocket launchers to be the top tier in the next season. Because currently, you can earn the quest rocket launcher Hegemony.
Season 16 will start in Destiny 2 on February 22, 2022, along with the “Witch Queen” expansion. The ongoing Season of the Lost will thus last six months – the longest season ever.
How likely is the prediction?
There are concerns: Clearly, a trend can be recognized here, and it already makes some sense. However, it could just as easily be coincidences.
A conclusion that would make Sherlock Holmes envious followed as an answer:
Because last season there was a very good fusion rifle [as a quest reward]. Just like last season we had a grenade launcher mod and before that [the season] a good grenade launcher came.
What do you think – are you already farming for rocket launcher god rolls? We recommend acquiring Hegemony either way. A strong alternative is also Hitzkopf from the Nightfall and Heze-Rache from the “Glass Chamber” raid. Would you enjoy such an explosive meta?
The idea that Bungie rewards dedicated players who are present season after season with strong weapons that can then be used in the future is something we want to believe. Because the meta is indeed largely determined by the seasonal artifact. If a large portion of the Guardians were to lack the appropriate weapon, anger would be inevitable.
Also on MeinMMO, you have already speculated about this: Our reader D1vet asked at the beginning of September: “Why is a rocket launcher being introduced as a ritual weapon in the season when fusion rifles and linear fusion rifles will be pushed with the mod?”
A conclusion that would make Sherlock Holmes envious followed as an answer:
Because last season there was a very good fusion rifle [as a quest reward]. Just like last season we had a grenade launcher mod and before that [the season] a good grenade launcher came.
What do you think – are you already farming for rocket launcher god rolls? We recommend acquiring Hegemony either way. A strong alternative is also Hitzkopf from the Nightfall and Heze-Rache from the “Glass Chamber” raid. Would you enjoy such an explosive meta?
The developers of Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout are celebrating: They have made it into the Guinness Book of Records 2022. Their game is the “most downloaded PS Plus game” of all time. This puts it ahead of major shooters like Call of Duty or Destiny 2.
What record is that?
PS Plus is Sony’s paid service that allows you to use the online features of PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.
Every month, Sony also offers “free downloadable games”: These games can be downloaded for free by subscribers for one month and then kept forever.
This is what the developers say: In a blog post, they highlight how successful their game is:
They were nominated for a BAFTA award
There is a separate documentary from ESPN
And now they have made it into the “Guinness Book of World Records”
Mediatonic thanks the fans for the honor of standing alongside sports legends, great human achievements, and the dog/cat duo that can ride a scooter extremely fast.
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Which games has Fall Guys beaten? Already at the end of August 2020, Sony announced that Fall Guys has won this title. However, Sony did not disclose exact numbers.
In April 2020, Sony released an infographic stating that the most successful games in the Plus offering at that time were:
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Remastered
Sonic Forces
Shadow of the Colossus
Call of Duty: Black Ops 3
Destiny 2
If you don’t have PS Plus but still want to play online, we have created this list on MeinMMO:
Just a few days after the release, the grey market for Diablo 2: Resurrected is already running on eBay. Rune words and items are already being offered: The best ones cost more than 100 € and that in the softcore area.
In the history of Diablo 2, there have been many highly sought-after items and rune words that were traded in the game. Many were also “duped” or “scammed.”
Over and over, items in Diablo 2 were traded for “real money” over markets like eBay. On reddit, a user recounted that he earned nearly 5000 $ through Diablo 2 and eBay in the early days of Diablo 2 in about 3 months (via reddit).
129.90 € for a powerful hat in Diablo 2
What can you find on eBay now? Diablo 2 Resurrected was released only on September 23, 2021. But even now, after just a few days, the first items are appearing on eBay:
The most valuable item is the “Harlequin Crest” Shako. A unique head item that grants life, mana, and skill bonus points. It especially has a high value in “Magic Find,” making it attractive for players looking to hunt for loot.
The item was sold on September 25 for 129.90 €.
The item is listed on eBay for 129 Euros and had already been sold once on September 25. The seller allegedly has more of such items available.
On the English-speaking eBay, a user wants 250 $ (around 213 €) for the “Ber Rune”: This has always been considered the most valuable rune in Diablo 2, because it is used in various powerful rune words.
It is noteworthy that the items are all still being offered for the “softcore” area in Diablo 2.
Is that legal? No, trading items for real money has been as old as Diablo 2, but it has always been frowned upon. Therefore, such transactions take place in secret.
The seller of the “Shaco” writes, for example: “Don’t say anything in-game. I will drop the ordered items for you.”
Such trading always requires a little trust as well. Because as old as real money trading are the scammers who will rip you off.
The extent to which the hunt for items in Diablo 2 can take place was experienced by a Twitch streamer who was looking for the “Holy Grail”:
The MMORPG Guild Wars 2 plans significant changes to the matchmaking of the “World vs. World” system. The changes were to be tested in a beta that started on Friday. The beta was initially supposed to last a week, but very soon the experiment was over: the beta was canceled prematurely. The issues were too great.
This was the plan for the beta:
The beta was to run from September 24 to October 1.
The idea was to change the “World vs. World” of Guild Wars 2: a new matchmaking system was to be introduced to sort players, guilds, and even alliances into new teams.
With the changes, ArenaNet wanted to address the changed server population. The idea was that fairer teams would emerge; at least until October 1, when the beta was supposed to end and return to the original state.
This went wrong: However, the beta did not last until October 1, but ended on the same day it started. ArenaNet canceled the experiment on Friday evening.
ArenaNet stated that they encountered a variety of problems and therefore decided to revert to the old system.
Shortly after the beta started, ArenaNet admitted on Twitter that “players are being matched into the wrong match-ups”.
They are looking into the problem. However, shortly thereafter, the message came that the beta was canceled and the system would be reset.
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Immediately after the beta started, it was already known: There were problems.
Players are disappointed but understanding
Here are the reactions: Players are largely disappointed with the change. A lot of mockery is directed at ArenaNet, since they have been working on this change for 4 years. It is said in the official forum post that things should first be tested internally before being released.
However, there are also some who defend ArenaNet: Here users say that this is why it is called a “beta TEST”, and one must expect that things go wrong. Furthermore, they appreciate that ArenaNet ended the experiment quickly rather than allowing WvW to be broken over the weekend.
Our author Mark addresses the new expansion of Guild Wars 2 in an opinion piece:
The Halloween Event 2021 starts in Pokémon GO in October. But what is happening there and what bonuses can you expect? We will show you an overview here with the information we know so far.
What is it about? Every year, Pokémon GO celebrates an event in the game during Halloween time. Traditionally, spooky Pokémon of Ghost or Dark type are in focus. They constitute a large part of the event’s content.
So far, there are few details about the Halloween Event 2021, but Niantic has announced new information for October.
What happens at Halloween in Pokémon GO? Facts and rumors
What is known? We know for sure that Pokémon GO will start a Halloween Event in 2021. Niantic has officially confirmed this. Below, we present the information that has already been confirmed:
When does the event take place? The Halloween Event 2021 starts in Pokémon GO on Friday, October 15. It will be active for more than two weeks and ends, fittingly for the end of the month, on Sunday, October 31.
Spawns in the wild: It is known that costumed Pokémon will appear in the wild. Which costumes they will wear and which Pokémon have been selected to wear the costumes is still unclear.
Special research: The developers will provide all participating players with a new special research. While the rewards are not yet known, it is clear that the research is “all in the spirit of Halloween.”
In the latest blog post, it is stated that more details about the event should follow soon (via nianticlabs.com). However, data miners have already provided more information about the event content.
What do leaks show? Data miners have thoroughly searched the code of Pokémon GO and found exciting changes for the Halloween Event.
In the mentioned special research, Professor Willow talks to the trainers about a discovery in the forest. He would have come across an unusual tree while researching and then discovered that it was a Trombork. The Pokémon was surrounded by small Paragoni. These two new Pokémon will probably make their debut at the Halloween Event:
In 2020, there were candy bonuses, Gengar and Zobiris in costumes, the debut of Galar-Makabaja, Kryppuk (also as Shiny), Darkrai raids, research, and more.
In 2019, Makabaja returned to the game, first Darkrai raids appeared, candy bonuses, a special research, and new crypto Pokémon.
In 2018, there were candy bonuses, the first special research with Kryppuk, and the first Giratina raids.
In 2017, Zobiris, Banette, and other ghost Pokémon from the Hoenn region appeared for the first time, along with Pikachu in costumes, candy bonuses, and a Mimigma hat for trainers.
In 2016, there were candy bonuses, and ghost Pokémon from the 1st generation appeared more frequently.
Based on this history, one can assume that Niantic will also unlock a candy bonus for Halloween in 2021.
How do you like the outlook for the Halloween Event 2021 in Pokémon GO so far? Are you excited about the new Pokémon and the special research, and do you perhaps even have specific wishes for the event? Then share your thoughts with us here on MeinMMO in the comments and discuss it with the community.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Twitch streamer Asmongold has been active in Final Fantasy XIV for several months and discusses the game from the perspective of a long-time WoW veteran. He believes that FFXIV has evolved the formula of WoW.
The frequency of his streams has decreased since then, but he still comes back to the MMORPG from Square Enix time and again. In one such stream, he draws a comparison between FFXIV, WoW, and EverQuest.
This is what Asmongold said: In the stream, Asmongold noted that Final Fantasy XIV is a kind of “evolution” of WoW. It has evolved the MMORPG formula in the way that WoW did back then with EverQuest.
Final Fantasy has basically done what WoW did with EverQuest. […] WoW took all the annoying, time-wasting mechanics in EverQuest and removed them. And now Final Fantasy has taken all the annoying, time-wasting mechanics out of WoW and has removed them as well.
It has thus identified part of the gameplay mechanics as “problematic”, just as WoW did with EverQuest, and adjusted them accordingly.
FFXIV director says: Players have too little time
What’s behind this: Asmongold is right with his observation regarding time. Years ago, the director of FFXIV, Naoki Yoshida, commented that time is one of the most important resources for players that developers have to compete for.
The head of the MMORPG stated that players today have too little time. Therefore, he sees not only other MMORPGs as his competition, but also TV series, movies, and other forms of entertainment, Yoshida said.
The modern gamers are very busy – they need to split their limited time among the various types of entertainment that they consume besides gaming.
Naoki Yoshida
According to Yoshida, the lack of time is one of the main reasons why new MMORPGs have so many problems establishing themselves in the market. The content of FFXIV is therefore designed to “respect the players’ time”. It often comes in small, easily digestible chunks like dailies or dungeons, which help players with little time to keep up and not fall too far behind. Otherwise, it would only lead to frustration.
Of course, there is also content that requires a lot of grind, such as the “Relic” weapons, which differ in each expansion. But even this grind can be paced by the players as they see fit.
Some burn through it in a short time,
others take their time and farm over several weeks or even months.
In the end, however, they all receive their rewards, provided they complete the necessary tasks of course.
What do you think of Yoshida’s philosophy? Does his assessment regarding time resonate with you? How do you prefer to play your MMORPGs: slowly and steadily or do you prefer higher speed? Let us know in the comments.
Another major content creator from WoW has also started with FFXIV, and his first impression of it is rather mixed:
The revamped goalkeepers are one of the innovations that are noticeably present in FIFA 22. But not all players are happy about the suddenly improved keepers.
What’s going on in FIFA 22?
The game hasn’t really been officially released yet; it officially kicks off on October 1st. However, the Early Access is already available, which EA Play members can use for ten hours each.
This time-limited gaming phase was already enough to spark a big discussion point in the FIFA community.
No wonder: it doesn’t take long to notice that something has changed with the goalkeepers compared to previous years. Usually, everyone in one of their first games will quickly think: “Uff – how did he save that?”
What’s new: For FIFA 22, both the goalkeeper AI has been revamped and numerous new animations for the keepers have been added. Accordingly, the goalkeepers behave differently than before. And: You can see movements and saves from them that you haven’t seen before.
A strange deflection of the ball, a reliable dive into the corner of the goal, a lightning-fast block with the foot: The keepers master numerous actions with which they prevent goals that would have been a sure score in previous games.
On the other hand, there are situations where you see a new animation, yet the goalkeeper still gets beaten. For example, when the keeper is struck powerfully and the ball somehow rolls into the net. Or when both teams are scrambling in the box and the ball somehow rolls into the goal rather than into the hands of the goalkeeper.
However: Overall, one can at least observe in this early phase that the goalkeepers are a significantly stronger factor in preventing goals than in the past. And this is currently sparking large discussions among the players.
Overcoming the goalkeepers is more difficult in FIFA 22
“75-rated goalkeeper plays like Prime Moment Casillas”
This is what the community says: When you look around in the FIFA subreddit, there are some posts that deal with the goalkeepers in FIFA 22. However, there are differing evaluations of the new keepers.
Some players are happy that the keepers in FIFA 22 reliably prevent goals. They felt the goalkeepers in previous years were too weak and appreciate the improvement.
Others consider the goalkeepers nearly overpowered and are frustrated that numerous attacks do not lead to scoring. They find it unrealistic how strong the goalkeepers are at preventing goals.
Accordingly, there are currently two camps discussing the keepers in the community – and whether the performance of the goalkeepers should remain as it is.
“I’m confused, I thought we all wanted better goalkeepers because they’ve been bad for years? This is the first year I think the goalkeepers are actually good. Normally they are useless, whether they are TOTY or not. Hopefully they won’t be nerfed,” writes a user (via reddit).
“My 81-rated goalkeeper shouldn’t be able to make some of the saves I’ve seen from him,” is one of the replies (via reddit).
“After the terrible performances that the goalkeepers have shown in previous FIFA titles, they are finally playing like real goalkeepers. If you keep complaining about it, they will be nerfed and we’re back to square one,” wrote a user (via reddit), which sparked discussion in the comments.
“I would agree if a 75-rated goalkeeper didn’t play like Prime Moments Casillas,” someone countered (via reddit).
“Did the keepers need to be improved compared to last year? Yes. Are the goalkeepers way too overpowering in certain situations now? Yes. I really don’t understand why people can’t grasp that we need a middle ground” (via reddit).
In detail, there is also talk about chances that would be nearly impossible for goalkeepers to pull off in real life – but can be done in FIFA 22. For instance, when a striker faces the goalkeeper in a one-on-one situation, strikes the ball hard, and yet the goal is still denied by a lightning-fast reflex.
It will be interesting to see how the situations develop in the coming days. After all, previous FIFA titles have repeatedly had mechanics that allowed players to reliably defeat the keepers. Just think of the ball roll, which allowed players to simply round the keepers in the past. It’s possible that players will find tricks again this year to reliably score goals – but currently, the keepers are keeping the goal tight.
Overall, this discussion also falls into a thematic field that has concerned the community for years: the contrast between gameplay and realistic football, and to what extent FIFA manages to implement that. Recently, however, an e-sports player even criticized the game’s realism:
At an event, Nintendo announced that it is producing a new Mario movie. Actor Chris Pratt is slated to play Mario. The internet was full of head-shaking and complaints about this casting. For many of us in Europe, the excitement is hard to understand. Why does the internet hate Chris Pratt so much?
This was the reaction on the internet to Chris Pratt as Mario: The reaction was largely negative online. There are many comments on Twitter suggesting that people do not agree with casting Chris Pratt as Mario.
A well-known gaming YouTuber had a laughing fit alone at the idea of Pratt voicing Mario. This was intensified by the fact that Pratt was introduced at the announcement with the words, “Mario will talk a lot in the movie” and “He’s so cool.”
Especially on Twitter, there are many tweets with several tens of thousands of likes expressing annoyance about the casting:
One tweet says: “You survived two recessions and a pandemic just to now have to endure Chris Pratt as Mario” (via twitter).
One tweet even calls for fans to pressure a studio so hard that they are forced to change the film – just like the internet did with “Sonic” (via twitter)
Another tweet shows Chris Pratt as Mario and people pointing at him saying: “I’m so done with that guy.”
This is not the first time Chris Pratt has faced so much backlash online. In 2020, there was already the campaign “Worst Chris in Hollywood”: It was noted that there were now many actors named Chris: Chris Evans (Captain America), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), and Chris Pratt (Starlord) all starred in Marvel films. Additionally, there was Chris Pine (Captain Kirk).
However, among the 4 Chrises, it was said that Chris Pratt was clearly the “worst.”
“Hollywood’s last desperate attempt to create a star”
What is the internet’s problem with Chris Pratt? According to Kotaku, there are several things that bother people online about Chris Pratt (via kotaku):
He’s simply in “too many films” – Chris Pratt is said to be “Hollywood’s last desperate attempt to create a classic film star,” according to Kotaku. Between 2015 and 2019, Pratt starred in 9 films. He played a central role as Starlord in Marvel films and had a similar role as an action star in the “Jurassic World” films. Those were “sympathetic protagonists in action films with clear weaknesses and cool quotes.”
However, he also played roles that many feel just did not suit him, such as a ripped special ops soldier in “Zero Dark Thirty” or a star in a sci-fi romance with Jennifer Lawrence. Some online feel Chris Pratt is simply everywhere now.
Additionally, Chris Pratt is a member of a church that is considered “anti-LGBTQ” (via twitter). This caused an uproar in 2019. While Pratt countered this view and was defended by many colleagues.
Thirdly, Chris Pratt is so much “not Italian” and seems simply unsuitable for the role of Mario. Moreover, the actual voice of Mario, Charles Martinet, would be available and involved in the film in some way.
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The TV series Arcane is set in the universe of League of Legends and initially revolves around the story of the two sisters Vi and Jinx. The series premieres on November 7 on Netflix and features a new story trailer.
This is what Arcane is about: The animated series based on LoL is set in the past according to its timeline and tells the origin stories of several LoL characters. The shining, advanced city of Piltover is considered the melting pot of art, craftsmanship, and trade in Valoran. It is a cultural center where the brightest inventors and most talented craftsmen come together.
However, wealth also has its downsides, and the downside of Piltover is Zhaun, a district that lies beneath the city. With the invention of Hextech, the balance between the two cities threatens to tip. Now anyone can harness the power of magic regardless of talent.
The central focus of Arcane is on the two sisters Vi and Jinx, who both grew up in the slums of Zhaun. The TV series tells their origin story, but other champions from Piltover and Zhaun also appear in it. These include Caitlyn, Jayce, and Victor, for example.
You can watch the new stylish trailer here:
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The co-creator of Arcane, Alex Yee, states that the series is a story of dualities. It shows how the characters are divided between the two parts of the city and how their values change accordingly. Each of them has their own merits but also flaws and vices.
You can be the hero in your own story, but in someone else’s story, you are the villain.
Alex Yee
When does the series start? The premiere of Arcane has been set for November 7. The series will be divided into three narrative arcs, which will be released over three weeks. The second part will be released on November 13 and the third on November 20.
You can expect that the series will start a few hours after the end of League’s 2021 World Championship, which takes place on November 6.
For more about TV series and movies based on video games, visit here:
Fans are thrilled – “We have been asking for this for years”
These are the reactions so far: Like with the previous trailer for Arcane, many fans are excited. On the official YouTube channel of League of Legends, the new trailer has garnered over 3 million views and nearly 150,000 likes since its release yesterday. The number of thumbs down is just over 1,000.
In the official LoL subreddit, the thread about the trailer (via reddit) has an impressive 16,000 upvotes and over 1,200 comments filled with enthusiasm and anticipation:
TheDarkRyze wrote: “The drawings and animations are absolutely stunning.” (1379 Upvotes)
ScapegoatSkunk said: “[…] It looks like something that will attract both League fans and non-fans. It looks fantastic.” (777 Upvotes)
Rekken and Yu said: “We have been asking for this for years. Finally. It’s here.” (3200 Upvotes)
JasonParadise wrote: “These animations! I’m so hyped. The lore of Runeterra is my favorite part of League of Legends and this feels like a massive expansion of it.” (6800 Upvotes)
Who is involved in the production? The Netflix series is produced by the French animation studio Fortiche Productions. Longtime LoL fans will perk up at that name.
After all, the studio has created several stunning cinematics for LoL that have accumulated millions of views on YouTube, such as the KD/A video for the song POP/STARS or the video Jinxed.
The series was fully financed by Riot, as this gave the developer complete control over it. According to Jarred Kennedy, the Head of IP Business at Riot, this was necessary to ensure the required creative supervision.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
September 2021 is dominated by two major releases: the classic remaster Diablo 2 Resurrected and the MMO New World. In our MeinMMO Podcast, we talk about what makes these two games and their story special.
This is our topic: At the end of September, two big multiplayer games will be released that many gaming fans are looking forward to.
The first is the remaster Diablo 2 Resurrected, which revitalizes a popular action RPG classic. In it, you fight against hordes of demons that have infested the world and are terrorizing and tormenting humanity. Your task is to defeat the three Prime Evils, Baal, Mephisto, and Diablo, and put an end to their conquest of Sanctuary.
The second is the MMO New World, developed by Amazon Games. You awaken on a mysterious island where everything revolves around a magical mineral called Azoth. It grants islanders special powers, influences them, and even makes death not as permanent as it usually is.
In the current podcast episode, we discuss the two new releases in detail and their stories. We also share our expert opinion on both games and you are kindly invited to join the discussion. What do you think of the new games? Let us know in the comments.
In addition to news, we also regularly offer special episodes where we focus on a specific topic. For example, we talked with an expert about the current state of e-sports.
Suggestions or feedback?
This is how you can contribute: You can actively participate in improving the podcast. If you have feedback such as suggestions or criticism, or simply want to submit a cool topic suggestion that needs to be discussed, then feel free to visit our Discord server.
Alternatively, you can also directly send an email to [email protected] and share your thoughts with us. Share your opinion with us and discuss with us!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In League of Legends, the new champion Vex arrives with patch 11.9. The grumpy mage is too strong at launch and gets nerfed shortly after the release with a hotfix.
This is the new mage:
Vex is a Yordle mage designed as “emo”. Everything annoys her in some way. She can’t stand hyperactive champions bouncing around her.
Her abilities are designed to counter “agile champions” and eliminate them quickly. Vex herself is also agile, which is unusual for a mage. She fights in melee and can jump across the map.
It was speculated in advance that her ultimate could be too strong, as it can be activated multiple times in a row. However, in live play, it was more her passive and her Q that caused a lot of trouble: Vex seemed easy to play, but dealt a lot of damage, especially in the mid and late game.
How strong Vex was at the start: In the first 24 hours after release, Vex had a win rate of 50.67%. That doesn’t sound like much, but normally champions in LoL start with low win rates because everyone wants to try them, including players who aren’t good at that type of champion.
In the hands of real midlane experts, like Korean world champion Rookie, Vex turns into a killing machine.
Rookie played Vex in a stream and dominated the lane against Katarina. He said he could literally play Vex with just one hand (via twitter).
Videos circulated quickly on Reddit showing how the mage was achieving kills non-stop and leaping across the map with her ultimate in a rage.
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These are the nerfs: Vex’s power level was evidently a problem that manifested not only in spectacular videos or forum discussions, but also reflected in solid data used by Riot Games for balancing.
On Saturday, September 25, less than 24 hours after Vex’s release, the first nerf came:
The passive damage bonus of Vex was significantly reduced, from 30 -180 (and 25% bonus to ability power) to 30 -140 (and 20% bonus to AP).
The base damage of ability Q was decreased in mid and late game.
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During the week of September 20 to 26, the upcoming new MMORPG New World remains at the top of the coverage. This is joined by quirky news from ESO, WoW, and other online role-playing games. We have once again compiled all the important MMORPG news of the week for you here at MeinMMO.
The highlight of the week: Just before the release, New World is highly favored by MMORPG fans:
Shroud of the Avatar fixes maps and loot (via MassivelyOP)
Funcom allows fans to create a table-top for Secret World (via MassivelyOP)
This was the news this week from the world of MMORPGs at a glance. What was your personal highlight? Did you experience something exciting this week? Or did we forget something important? Let us know in the comments.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The new MMORPG Into the Echo from the Canadian developer Etlok Studios Inc. aims for greatness. The game is set to revolutionize the MMORPG genre, being fundamentally different and combining the sense of discovery from the classics with new technologies.
What kind of game is this? Into the Echo is a new MMORPG set on the planet Raava. Many millions of years ago, a strange cosmic event occurred on Raava, granting the planet’s inhabitants a unique ability known as Qen.
With the founding of the great “Order of the Silver Birch”, peace was established on the planet after many power struggles, which is now threatened. Strange things are happening on Raava, and the inhabitants can only survive the impending danger if they work together.
To uncover the planet’s secrets, you will travel through time and must solve problems together with other players. The game is being developed in Unreal Engine 5. A short teaser trailer can be found here:
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What will the gameplay be like? Not much is currently known about how Into the Echo will play. While there will be the usual PvE and PvP content, the developers aim to move away from the standard formula prevalent in MMORPGs today.
We could try to recreate all the mechanics from the games we grew up with. But in truth, the reason we loved those games was not just their mechanics, but the psychology behind that experience. There was always a sense of the unknown, the mystery lurking around every corner, just waiting to be discovered. The harmony between expectations, speculations, and excitement gave us the sense of fun we long for every time we start a new game.
Therefore, the team’s goal is to capture the feeling and excitement of the old MMORPG classics and apply them to new technology. Into the Echo is meant to be a game “that players would want to live in.” The game’s development system is expected to contribute significantly to that.
The developers have not provided explicit information about this, but a blog entry explains how the underlying idea is supposed to work. The linear leveling system that you’re familiar with from other MMORPGs and games will be replaced with a system the developers refer to as “Hub-and-Spoke,” like the spokes of a wheel. It works somewhat like this:
We basically took everything that can be leveled (e.g. skills) and split it into individual “spokes.” Progress within a “spoke” is measured by category value markers instead of the usual numerical scales. […] While some “spokes” depend on each other, players essentially have complete freedom over which ones they want to level up. Some will choose to master certain abilities completely, while others will prefer to take a bit from everything. As a result, a single player should no longer be defined by a number, but they will have a unique signature that indicates who they are and what they want to become.
Example of two players investing different amounts of time in the game, but being able to play together due to overlaps in their character developmentsSignatures of two players who have developed their characters differentlyExamples of different orientations of the development system of Into the Echo and additional images.
The different types of content in Into the Echo will therefore contain specific skill requirements instead of the usual character or item levels. The system also has the advantage that there will be virtually unlimited “spokes” that the developers can introduce into the game alongside new content. Therefore, they do not have to worry about destroying the previous systems, Kolte said.
Here’s how to sign up for the Pre-Alpha: As the game is still in a very early development phase, you can currently only sign up for a Pre-Alpha test. To do this, you need to go to the official site of Into the Echo and scroll down a bit.
There you will find the “Sign up for our pre-alpha” button that will direct you to the sign-up page. After confirming your email address, you can log in and will be redirected to your profile hub. There you can apply for the key by answering various questions. For instance, Into the Echo will ask you about your playstyle and whether you have ever played an MMO before.
However, while the concept of the MMORPG itself sounds interesting, it is still largely just a concept. There is no date for the first tests and no concrete gameplay that interested gamers can visualize. Accordingly, it remains to be seen whether Into the Echo can realize its ambitions in reality.
How does Into the Echo sound to you so far? Is it interesting, overly ambitious, or completely boring? Will you keep an eye on it? Let us know in the comments.
Correspondingly funny are also the comments. When asked by The_Mechanist24 what the hell is going on, BigMeanMcBean dryly responds: “The floor is wet.” WebHEad1287 expresses gratitude: “Thank goodness we were warned about it!”
Mister_Eaze seems to be onto something and states: “That’s why it’s called Infinite! Now it all makes sense.” He is immediately reprimanded by another user for spreading spoilers.
The warning signs are not the only thing that seems to be going a little crazy.
Melee Power Level over 9000
What kind of bug is this? User CraftZ49 showcases a stand-off with another player. At first, everything is calm, but suddenly he overwhelms his opponent with a wave of raging melee attacks.
He literally pounds on the player as if he were a raw Wiener Schnitzel. Or as if they had done something very bad to him.
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Apparently, the bug allows players to perform an unlimited number of melee attacks in a row. This is not only pretty overpowered but also looks quite ridiculous.
Fans of the books like NegNog comment: “John in the books” referring to the fact that many Halo books portray Master Chief and the Spartans as much more powerful than in the games.
Alt-of-Frenzius notes: “I hope we can adjust the melee attack speed in custom matches. Just imagine rounds where it’s all about pain and flying fists as if it were a bar fight.”
So far, apart from these amusing bugs, no major issues seem to have arisen. At least these bugs have provided some laughs.
When will Halo Infinite be released? The multiplayer shooter will launch on December 8, 2021, as a free-to-play title.
If you want to play the campaign of Halo Infinite, you need either the Game Pass or you have to pay the full price. Until then, further playtests are to be held.
Recently, the next playtests for Halo Infinite have begun, and with them, some really funny bugs have come to light. Players are having a great time over spawning warning signs or bizarre melee attacks.
What kind of test is this? This is a technical playtest for the upcoming multiplayer shooter Halo Infinite, which will be released at the end of the year. Selected participants can join in on these testing phases at specific times and try out part of the game.
This weekend, it’s happening again, and some players could once again dive into the fray. Some bugs have also occurred.
While bugs are often annoying and unpleasant, some errors from the beta are really funny and create bizarre situations. We’ll show you some examples that the community is thoroughly enjoying.
Grenade + Warning Signs = Infinite Warning Signs?
What kind of bug is this? Some players have noticed a strange bug that occurs when throwing an electro-grenade at the warning signs that warn of freshly mopped floors.
Somehow, upon contact with the grenade, more and more warning signs spawn. And it seems like this happens every time.
The resulting chaos can be seen here in the video from reddit user natdog805:
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Correspondingly funny are also the comments. When asked by The_Mechanist24 what the hell is going on, BigMeanMcBean dryly responds: “The floor is wet.” WebHEad1287 expresses gratitude: “Thank goodness we were warned about it!”
Mister_Eaze seems to be onto something and states: “That’s why it’s called Infinite! Now it all makes sense.” He is immediately reprimanded by another user for spreading spoilers.
The warning signs are not the only thing that seems to be going a little crazy.
Melee Power Level over 9000
What kind of bug is this? User CraftZ49 showcases a stand-off with another player. At first, everything is calm, but suddenly he overwhelms his opponent with a wave of raging melee attacks.
He literally pounds on the player as if he were a raw Wiener Schnitzel. Or as if they had done something very bad to him.
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Apparently, the bug allows players to perform an unlimited number of melee attacks in a row. This is not only pretty overpowered but also looks quite ridiculous.
Fans of the books like NegNog comment: “John in the books” referring to the fact that many Halo books portray Master Chief and the Spartans as much more powerful than in the games.
Alt-of-Frenzius notes: “I hope we can adjust the melee attack speed in custom matches. Just imagine rounds where it’s all about pain and flying fists as if it were a bar fight.”
So far, apart from these amusing bugs, no major issues seem to have arisen. At least these bugs have provided some laughs.
When will Halo Infinite be released? The multiplayer shooter will launch on December 8, 2021, as a free-to-play title.
If you want to play the campaign of Halo Infinite, you need either the Game Pass or you have to pay the full price. Until then, further playtests are to be held.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
If arrogant survivors in Dead by Daylight still lose, the killers rejoice. How beautifully this can unfold, we show here.
Survivors and killer players are at odds in Dead by Daylight. Not surprisingly, the game’s goal for one is to eliminate the other. However, it often leads to unsportsmanlike behavior, where one side trolls the other.
From the killer’s perspective, survivors are those who particularly love to click wildly with the flashlight to annoy. This is usually paired with a situation where the survivor feels safe, and the killer has to watch helplessly.
It becomes entertaining when the survivors overestimate themselves or forget their surroundings or the killer’s abilities because they already feel safe.
The Dead by Daylight community frequently shares small clips of in-game incidents on the game’s subreddit. Especially the clips in the “Just Leave!” category aim to highlight that it is advisable for survivors to escape rather than mock the killer player a bit longer and endanger their escape.
A beautiful example comes from this Huntress:
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The match is basically over. The Huntress has already killed 3 of the 4 survivors, and only one Meg is left. However, she has found the Hatch and could escape immediately – but she doesn’t. Instead, she wildly clicks around with the flashlight to mock the killer.
The Huntress, on the other hand, does not take long to play and seems to walk away – only to enter the house from behind. While Meg happily continues clicking with the flashlight into the night, she doesn’t even notice that the Huntress simply closes the Hatch behind her.
Embarrassed by her own mistake, Meg then does what such players tend to do: disconnect.
Another example of this kind, although not quite as fatal, shows this Leatherface player. After Quentin was rescued from the hook before his eyes, he tries to “bodyblock” the killer a bit – a generally good idea, as he has “Borrowed Time” and can intercept a blow.
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However, after he receives a hit from the chainsaw, Quentin turns around to point at the killer – something he will regret immediately. As he stands still and points, he immediately receives a second hit and goes down. Otherwise, he could have easily escaped, as the killer would have been stuck in the “Tantrum” animation for quite a while.
A third clip shows Michael Myers on the map “The Game”. The game is basically over as well; only Jake lives, and he has already found the Hatch. However, instead of fleeing, he mocks Michael a bit with “Teabagging”. Michael remains calm and goes behind a pillar. Slowly, Jake ventures further to mock the killer – and even makes noise in the end. The killer seizes this moment to go to the Hatch and close it in front of the survivor’s eyes.
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However, there are also situations where survivors just get lucky – and that is well-deserved. Especially with “facecamping” killers who do not move away from the hook at all, that’s sometimes nice.
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In the last clip, you see a Feng Min, who is hanging on a hook together with her entire team. She risks self-rescue (which has only a 4% chance of success) – and succeeds. Thanks to the perk “Dead Hard,” she escapes the killer’s first blow, and a final chase ensues. Although Michael Myers manages to knock Feng down shortly after, she falls exactly onto the opening Hatch and escapes at the last second.
Have you also experienced such exciting moments when you thought about the killer or the survivors: “You deserve that”?
Another survivor had as much luck as you will never have in the game.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
We have selected the 10 rarest companions in Final Fantasy XIVthat only a very small percentage of players own. How many of these have you collected?
In FFXIV, after many years of content updates, there are nearly countless quantities of collectible items, including companions. These small, often cute creatures follow you around in cities and open areas and can sometimes even interact with each other.
Currently, there are a total of 408 companions in FFXIV, and their numbers increase with each update. In this list, we have compiled which of them are the rarest.
This is how the ranking was created: The rarity of the companions is determined by the site FFXIVcollect.com . For this, the official FFXIV site Lodestone is scanned. The profiles of players are then searched, and all companions that a character owns are recorded.
Subsequently, the number of all characters with the corresponding companions in their possession is tallied, and from this the rarity value is determined. Since companions cannot be hidden unlike achievements, this value is reliable.
Place 10: Fairy Hound Puppy
4.3 % of all characters
A reward for the achievement “I Was There III” for 300 assists in the PvP mode FEAST.
Just as not everything that glitters is gold, not everything that appears cute is harmless. Particularly with non-ascendants like the Fairy Hound Puppy, one should be extra cautious. Raised in the harsh living conditions of the world of darkness, the puppies have relatively little interest in your company.
However, if you prove to be brave and don’t flinch at their bites and growls, they will slowly warm up to you. Over time, a close friendship can develop from the initial mistrust, as loyal companions like the Fairy Hound Puppies are rare.
Place 9: Sand Fox
2.7 % of all characters
Exchange for 400 Dream Leaves at the NPC Master Reineke in Frohenhalde (X: 5.7 / Y: 6.1)
Even if the little fox doesn’t look like it, it is a distant descendant of a very powerful and thousands of years old fox spirit named Sotan. Once, he dreamed of being trained by his powerful ancestor and learning from his wisdom, but sadly his pleas were rejected. And so, he ended up with you instead.
The grim-looking fox actually has a sweet tooth. While he is not picky with food and will gobble up anything you give him, he likes birch syrup the most. For this sweet treat, he will even perform little tricks for you.
Place 8: Penguin Prince
2.6 % of all characters
A reward for the achievement Grand Marshal of the Little I for a double-digit number of victories in 4 different “Battle of the Companions” tournaments
Although the little penguin is still in its infancy, it already has big plans. As a prince, it intends to one day rule its own kingdom and has set off on a journey to look for subjects for its royal court.
However, its journey has taken it to Gold Saucer, where it ended up in the Battle of the Companions. Since the mini-game is not very popular among adventurers, its search will likely take a while. By then, it may have grown a bit as well.
Place 7: Anteater
2.3 % of all characters
Exchange for 400 Dream Leaves at the NPC Master Reineke in Frohenhalde (X: 5.7 / Y: 6.1)
Although this anteater is still very young, it has reached a considerable size and is even larger than some Lalafell. The reason is simple: the anteater’s appetite is so enormous that it can gulp down kilo quantities of ants.
Perhaps it is their size that contributes to the rumors that the cute creatures are actually very dangerous. In some areas, they are referred to as “widow-makers,” as they are allegedly responsible for the disappearance of migrant workers. Yet they look so cute and innocent…
Place 6: Elvaan Puppet
2.2 % of all characters
A reward for the gold rating in the FATE “Through the Forest Head-First” in Eureka Pagos
This puppet was originally created by a Sharlayan scholar, who spent many nights over dusty books to do so. After the downfall of the island of Val, the toy made its way to Eureka, and individual specimens are now repeatedly collected there by wandering adventurers.
Some claim that the doll was designed based on the appearance of the ancestors of the graceful Elezen. The slender (though small) body shape and the long ears make this theory seem plausible. Former FFXI players will only smile and nod.
Place 5: Cassie Tater
1.9 % of all characters
Random drop from a bunny box in Eureka Pagos
The extremely fashion-conscious tater originally came from a seed of the infamous Morbol Capricious Cassie, which roams the area of Eureka Pagos. However, even though the companion may look cute in its dress with pom-poms on the tentacles, it unfortunately does nothing to change the horrible smell it carries everywhere.
However, this can also have its advantages. With the tater by your side, others will keep a wide berth around you. This way, you will always find space at the overcrowded market boards of Limsa Lominsa. However, you will not get the Cassie earring, which was highly sought after by many FFXIV players due to its stats, from the tater.
Place 4: Gold Beaver
1.6 % of all characters
Random drop in the content “The Carousel of Lyhe Ghiah”
It is not entirely clear whether this is a real beaver that has been coated with gold or a gold nugget that has been shaped into a beaver and animated. The question divides the minds of scientists, and the beavers themselves unfortunately don’t provide any useful answers.
However, it is clear that they magically appear in the dungeons of Lyhe Ghiah when someone finds something they are searching for or when their heartfelt wish has been granted. This is something that happens relatively rarely in Lyhe Ghiah. Most of the time, uninvited guests are shown the door and must find a new exit into the dungeons.
Place 3: Hell Hound Puppy
1.4 % of characters
A reward for the achievement “This Will Shock You III” for defeating 300 opponents in the PvP mode “The Feast”.
The little beast may look cute and is actually still a puppy, but it still belongs to the non-ascendants and originated from the dark world. So, initially, you should be cautious and not pet it directly.
However, the story of the puppy is actually very tragic. After its birth, it and its siblings were abandoned by their mother. Alone and forced to survive, they had to kill and eat each other until only one remained. Now the last puppy has ventured out into the big world to find someone who will love it.
Place 2: Blind Eye
0.8 % of all characters
A reward for the achievement “Fighter of the Companions II” for 50 played matches (for RP) in the Battle of the Companions in Gold Saucer
Although the concept is quite funny, the Battle of the Companions is a content in FFXIV that is rarely utilized. Two players let their companions battle against each other in an arena and must strategize to achieve victory. The fact that the Blind Eye is already the second Companion on our list shows that FFXIV players seem to have little interest in the mini-game.
The Blind Eye itself is actually a non-ascendant from the dark world. While it is the weakest type of these creatures, one should not underestimate it. Their strength is closely tied to how powerful their host-eye mother was, and they can hit hard, even though they look like walking potatoes.
Place 1: Clinging Momora Mora
0.7 % of all characters
A reward for the achievement “Fisherman on a Great Voyage IV”, for which you must earn 1,000,000 points in the content “On a Great Voyage”.
This companion is a running gag among fishermen in FFXIV because it annoys many players quite a bit. With the release of the fishing content “On a Great Voyage”, countless enthusiasts have set sail on ships and fished to their heart’s content.
The Momora Mora has been caught so often that players even created memes about it (via reddit). Based on this, the development team has probably decided to immortalize the memes in the game forever. Therefore, the Clinging Momora Mora now exists as a reward for achievements, and you cannot escape from it.
If considering companions that can be purchased for real money, such as by buying art books and soundtracks, the ranking is as follows:
Place 10: New Tataru Doll (1.6 %) – Available as a bonus with the purchase of the art book “The Art of Revolution – Eastern Memories”
Place 9: Gold Beaver (1.6 %) – Random drop in the content “The Carousel of Lyhe Ghiah”.
Place 8: Wind-up Bahamut (1.4 %) – Available as a bonus with the purchase of the soundtrack “A Realm Reborn”
Place 7: Wind-up Edward (1.4 %) – Available as a bonus with the purchase of the soundtrack “Heavensward”
Place 6: Hell Hound Puppy (1.4 %) – Reward for the achievement “This Will Shock You III” for defeating 300 opponents in the PvP mode “The Feast”.
Place 5: Mechanical Dalamud (0.8 %) – Available as a bonus with the purchase of the soundtrack “Before the Meteor”
Place 4: Blind Eye (0.8 %) – Reward for the achievement “Fighter of the Companions II” for 50 played matches (for RP) in the Battle of the Companions in Gold Saucer
Place 3: Clinging Momora Mora (0.7 %) – Reward for the achievement “Fisherman on a Great Voyage IV”, for which you must earn 1,000,000 points in the content “On a Great Voyage”.
Place 2: Lyna Doll (0.2 %) – Available as a bonus with the purchase of the soundtrack “Death Unto Dawn”
Place 1: Runar Doll (under 0.1 %) – Available as a bonus with the purchase of the art book “The Art of Reflection – Histories Unwritten”.
Which of these companions do you have? Do you generally not buy merchandise, or have you received such bonus companions in the past? Did you expect the ranking to be like this, or were you surprised? Let us know in the comments.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Since the unveiling of Battlefield 2042 in June, EA and DICE have been relatively reserved. There are hardly any concrete details about the game itself, no new videos or information. Fans are starting to become restless.
What is the problem? With a flashy trailer and initial information, Battlefield 2042 was revealed during E3 2021. The hype was huge, and so was the anticipation of many players.
In July, there was another presentation of the Portal mode with EA Play. This announcement further fueled the hype, as remakes of the most popular Battlefield maps and numerous other content from earlier installments are making a return in a new form.
The mood in the community was good, and anticipation was high. However, the situation has changed since then.
Radio Silence Disappoints Players: 101 Days Since the Last Developer Panel
What has changed? Aside from an alpha playtest in mid-August under NDA, from which numerous pieces of information were leaked: Not much. There has been no concrete information about the game, no gameplay, and no reveals. This is making fans nervous, as can be seen in the subreddit for Battlefield 2042. (via reddit.com)
A good example of why players have become skeptical is the open beta. Since the announcement, EA has not provided a concrete release date. For months, it was said: The beta will come in September.
But then the release of the game was postponed, and it was only stated that more information about the beta would follow. Now we have September 25th, and there is still no official statement from EA or developer DICE.
Numerous posts point out that disappointment over the radio silence is considerable at least in part of the community. Players criticize the strange marketing strategy of publisher Electronic Arts. The demand: Tell us what’s going on!
User JoeKatana points out in his post how long ago EA Play took place: “I just realized that it has been about 101 days since we had a proper panel from the developers. These panels would certainly make the wait until the launch more bearable.” (via reddit.com)
Many other commentators feel similarly and wonder why there has been no more news about the Battlefield installment.
User Carbideninja is not bothered by the lack of beta start times but rather by the tension this radio silence has created: “The way they first presented BF2042 to the community, […] how they completely stopped positive marketing and put the whole community in a pessimistic mood is frankly terrible.”
GreenyMyMan compared the pre-launch roadmap of Battlefield 2042 with that of its predecessor:
In direct comparison, it is evident how little was planned in advance for Battlefield 2042 compared to its predecessor.
User ethang45 writes about this: “The BFV marketing was interesting. […] 2042 began marketing from a position of strength and always maintained a good run, even with little new information.”
In general, there is a discussion about the overall hype before releases and whether it has simply diminished because the fascination for new players is overall declining. However, these are merely conjectures from individual players and are hard to substantiate with facts.
Looking at the mood among commentators, there certainly seemed to be a hype that is now gradually subsiding due to the lack of news.
Is this all just a tactic? In another reddit post, there is speculation discussing whether this is simply EA’s marketing strategy: Keep people on edge and hoping for new information. During the waiting time, discussions about the product continue, and speculation keeps the hype going. (via reddit.com)
The trick here is not to let the fan sentiment drop negatively. And according to some players, it may already be too late for that. Whether this applies to all players is speculation.
When can we expect new information? It is currently difficult to say. According to insider Tom Henderson, the open beta starts in early October. Allegedly, there will be a preview for content creators like streamers and media representatives beforehand.
If the information is accurate, you can expect new information by October 4th at the latest.
When is the release date for Battlefield 2042 after the delay? The official release is now set for November 19, 2021. Originally, it was scheduled for October 22.
How do you feel about it? Do you feel the same way as the commentators? Or is the amount of information before release not that important to you? What do you think about the hype discussion? Feel free to discuss with us in the comments.
The Horadric Cube plays a major role in Diablo 2 Resurrected. You can use it to craft various useful items. In this guide, we from MeinMMO provide you with an overview of the recipes.
What exactly is the Horadric Cube and what do you need it for? Once you have this item in your possession, it remains permanently in your inventory and accompanies you on your journeys. You can store additional items in the inventory and craft items.
Where can you find it? You receive the Horadric Cube after completing Act 2. Once you own it, there are also several other quests that you can complete.
We will tell you in this overview what items you can craft and what you need for it.
[toc]
Update from February 18, 2026: We have supplemented the recipes with the new ones that were added with Reign of the Warlock.
Start video
Diablo 2: Resurrected introduces the new class of the Warlock in the gameplay trailer
All Recipes for the Horadric Cube
What items can be crafted? With the cube, you can create various categories of items. Whether potions, gems, runes, or magical items – with the right ingredients, you can craft a lot of useful things.
Categories for Recipes and ilvl Explained
Here is an overview of the categories:
Potion Upgrades
Gem Upgrades
Rune Upgrades
Ammunition
Magical Items
Socket Recipes (Weapons, Armor, Rune Preparation)
Recipes for Socketed Magical Weapons
Item Upgrades
Recycling Recipes
Repair
Stats and Talents
Quest Items
Levels and Events
Many of the items you craft have what is known as ilvl.
What is the ilvl? Every item in Diablo 2 has what is called an internal item level (ilvl). This determines which magical properties an item can have. It has nothing to do with the requirement level of an item. Now, let’s get to the recipes.
Reign of the Warlock: Recipes for Breaking Spells
With the new Horadric Cube recipes, breaking spells gain additional affixes that can provide you with significant advantages but also come with certain risks. With them, you can transform a latent spell into a renewed spell.
While latent spells have a fixed disadvantage, with the renewed spell, the drawback is reset. It may be higher or lower at times, and the new value is determined randomly.
Required Items
Result
Latent Putrid Air Perfect Emerald Ko Rune Western Worldstone Shard
Renewed Putrid Air
Giant Spell Required Level: 75
Monster’s poison immunity is removed Poison resistance – 70-90 %
One of the following: 5-15 % Poison Skill Damage – 5-10 % Enemy’s Poison Resistance
One of the following: 4-25 % better chance to find magical items 20-55 % extra gold from monsters
One of the following: 10-65 Life 10-75 Mana
One of the following: 5-10 % faster run/walk 12-24 % faster recharge after hit + 3-8 to all attributes
One of the following: Magic damage reduced by 5-10 Damage reduced by 5-10
1x Corrupted Essence of Suffering, 1x Charged Essence of Hatred, 1x Burning Essence of Terror, 1x Sore Essence of Destruction
Sign of Absolution: Resets Stats and Talents completely
Where to find the essences? The 4 essences are dropped by different bosses:
Burning Essence of Terror: Diablo
Charged Essence of Hatred: Mephisto (Difficulty: Hell)
Corrupted Essence of Suffering: Andariel and Duriel (Difficulty: Hell)
Foul Essence of Destruction: Baal (Difficulty: Hell)
Quest Items
Required Items
Result
(Quest) Staff of Kings + Viper Amulet
Horadric Staff
(Quest) Khalim’s Eye + Heart + Brain + Flail
Khalim’s Will
What are the quest items needed for? They are important for Acts 2 and 3:
You need the Horadric Staff to open Tal Rasha’s Tomb in the second Act of the story.
Khalim’s Will is needed to enter the last area of the third Act.
Levels and Events
Required Items
Result
(Cow Level) Wirret’s Leg + 1 Scroll of Town Portal
Portal to the Secret Cow Level
What is the Cow Level about? It was included as a joke by the developers in Diablo 2. You can only open the portal if you are in Act 1 in the town. You must have already killed Diablo beforehand.
Once you have killed the Cow King, you cannot open the portal again with that character.
Required Items
Result
Key of Hatred + Key of Terror + Key of Destruction
Red Portal to the Halls of Lilith, the Crucible of Pain, or the Forgotten Sands
What is actually new in Diablo 2 Resurrected? While it is a remake of the over 20-year-old classic, there are still a few innovations and adjustments. There are changes in gameplay, revamped graphic effects, and loot has also been adjusted.
