Mean Space Tyrant survives “3 million $” World War in EVE Online, vows revenge

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 4 minutes

The great war in MMORPG Eve Online has ended after 55 weeks, and there is a clear winner. An alliance of players set out to destroy the space tyrant Alex “The Mittani” Gianturco and his “Imperium”. However, they won the war in which ships worth 3 million US dollars were destroyed.

What was the reason for the war? On July 5, 2020, the war in EVE Online broke out, which is now known as “World War Bee II”.

A group of about 52,000 player accounts, the “PAPI” coalition, took it upon themselves to drive “The Mittani” and his alliance “The Imperium” (known as Goonswarm) out of EVE Online. In a statement, one of the fleet commanders, Vily, said at the time to the US side Polygon:

“When we started the war, we knew that we would carry it through to the end. For us, this is a war of annihilation. This is a war to the death. We aim to remove The Mittani and the Imperium from EVE Online. We are here to cleanse them.”

Vily’s personal motive was clear: revenge. Vily was a commander for the Imperium in 2014 but had to go into the military in real life, and when he returned to the MMORPG, he had been booted out. For this, he wanted his retribution years later by bringing down the Imperium. A classic case of “You will see what you get from this.”

Wars between players are a big event in the MMORPG EVE Online, which are covered by the developers in news broadcasts. There was already the “World War Bee” in 2016:

“Do you know what is not embarrassing? Winning!”

Who is this space tyrant? Alex Gianturco, known as “The Mittani”, is probably the most famous and notorious player of EVE Online. He is a former lawyer who retired early from his job and has been living the MMORPG EVE Online for many years.

The Mittani is such a big deal in EVE Online that strategies of his teams partly rely on the fact that everyone wants to kill him.

He likes to portray himself as a rogue who leads an empire, plays with the psyche of his opponents, and seizes control of the universe through clever propaganda and manipulation.

The Mittani recognized early on how important it is to constantly entertain and motivate the players in EVE Online. With memes, stories, and ruthless propaganda, his troops are constantly reminded how essential it is to log in again and take up their tasks in EVE Online, to be a “busy bee in the swarm”.

“The Mittani” runs a Twitch channel. In one scene, it is mentioned: The enemies mocked that “the Imperium” stages itself with talk shows and memes and other things to maintain morale. That is embarrassing.

He then asks the camera: “Do you know what is not embarrassing? Winning!”, before The Mittani shows his best “Evil Space Lord” laugh.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from Twitch that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the Twitch content

3 million US dollars in ships destroyed in 55 weeks of war

What are the numbers of the war?

More on the topic
In 1 Stunde alles verloren, was er in 14 Jahren EVE Online aufgebaut hat
von Schuhmann

Retrieved everything lost in 13 months in 2 weeks

This is how the war went: At the beginning of the war, the PAPI coalition was able to quickly push back the Imperium and gain a lot of space, but they were never able to deal the death blow to the Imperium. Ultimately, the attackers ran out of steam. They occupied too much territory, spreading themselves thin and becoming vulnerable.

While the Imperium was able to continue recruiting and keeping its pilots motivated, the attackers lost morale over the course of 13 months.

Since August 2, the Imperium has now clearly been on the winning path, reclaiming on a large scale the systems in EVE Online that they had gradually lost in the previous months:

  • More than 90 systems have been reclaimed by the Imperium since August 2.
  • According to CCP, the Imperium would have reclaimed the territories they lost in 13 months in less than 2 weeks.

This is what the losers say: Commander Dunk Dinkle of Brave Collective admitted defeat to his fleet. He says:

“As I said before: War is decided by morale, not by ships. The will to fight of our coalition has faded, the war is over. The Imperium has withstood the biggest and fiercest attack in the history of EVE and has not yielded. I congratulate all pilots of the Imperium and especially their leaders, they have kept their community intact over the long year.”

Space tyrant seeks revenge

This is what the winner of the war says: The “Imperium” apparently does not see the war as over at all. After 13 months on the defensive, they don’t think about laying down their arms just because the opponents no longer feel like it. From The Mittani it is said:

“You have chosen this path. You have been given every chance to choose a different path. […] My people thirst for revenge. You have failed and you have failed miserably.”

Apparently, it is now time for the Imperium to loot and pillage.

As the developers of EVE Online indicate, both sides still have their most powerful warships; perhaps we will still experience some major battles in the aftershocks of the war.

EVE Online consistently writes great stories:

Player in EVE Online hoards $5,000 worth of items for 16 years, makes a fateful mistake

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

New MMORPG Elyon starts its last beta before release – Here’s how to participate

Matthis Dillmann Matthis Dillmann Reading time 3 minutes

The MMORPG Elyon launches today on August 18, 2021, entering the second closed beta. This is the final test before the release in September. So if you want to try the game, you should take this opportunity.

What is Elyon? Elyon is the new MMORPG from the Korean development team Bluehole Studio, who also created TERA and PUBG. After several revisions, it is now an action-oriented game with little emphasis on grinding. The development team even says that they will make several improvements compared to TERA and other MMORPGs.

In Elyon, the two factions Vulpin and Ontari fight against each other in a steampunk setting with airships and mechs for control of the “Elyon” portal, which is supposed to lead to paradise. The game offers dungeons and raids in PvE and aims to impress in PvP with massive “Realm vs. Realm” battles.

How long does the beta last? The closed beta starts today, August 18, 2021, at 4:00 PM and runs until August 23, 2021, at 10:00 AM. This is the last opportunity to test the game for free. The beta is not under NDA, so the game can be streamed.

Initially, there will be 3 servers in the regions of Europe and North America. If the demand is very high, the development team has already announced that they can add 2 more servers.

An overview of the gameplay and classes is provided in the following video. Here you can take a look to see if you are interested in the appearance of the game:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLZ-zJ0jL4c

This is how you can participate in the beta and what’s new

How can you participate in the beta? The application phase for the beta is over, but you can still join the test in two ways:

  • If you pre-order the game, you will automatically gain access to the closed beta test. You can pre-order Elyon via the official website (via Elyon.Playkakaogames.com) or also via the Steam page of Elyon (via Steam).
  • Once the test is running, you can grab access through Twitch Drops. Elyon and Twitch have started a collaboration for this. You just need to watch a Twitch channel where Elyon Drops are active, and you will receive a beta access after only an hour. The necessary account linking can be done on Elyon’s site (via Elyon.Playkakaogames.com/twitchdrops)

More about Elyon can be found here:

Will I keep my character after the beta? No, characters and all progress made will be deleted after the beta test. All players will have to start fresh upon release.

What’s included in the beta? The available content of the beta test is expected to be closer to that of the Korean version. So you do not just play the same content as in the first beta. New content includes:

  • The new class “Slayer”
  • German, English, French, and Spanish localization
  • Special beta events
  • A new content about the dimension portals
  • Changed abilities and balancing
  • Access to the cash shop and free “Rubys”, which are the shop currency

The access to the cash shop is particularly interesting, as it has recently been in focus in the community, after the cash shop for Europe was introduced. The development team had recently removed a pay-to-win feature that existed in the Korean shop. This allowed for equipment upgrades for real money.

However, there are still items in the shop that can provide an unfair advantage if one does not want to spend money. Particularly a variety of improvements, such as more inventory slots and companions that can assist you in combat, are to be available in the shop. This keeps players skeptical about how much pay-to-win will be a factor in Elyon.

If you are still unsure whether Elyon is for you, you can use the beta to gather your own experiences. MyMMO editor Alexander Leitsch concludes in his preview of Elyon that it won’t be a flop, but also not a huge hit.

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

WoW changes rules for group finder, clears out boosters

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

Boosters now have a harder time promoting their services in World of Warcraft. A small rule complicates the promotion of sell runs.

Those who enjoy visiting “Mythic+” dungeons in World of Warcraft and cannot rely on a full group have to go random. However, finding a promising group can be quite difficult, as there is a lot of advertising in the group finder. This is prohibited, but still appears – but now Blizzard is putting a stop to it.

What is the problem? Those looking for companions for a raid or a “Mythic+” group must wade through dozens of group offers depending on the time of day. Particularly annoying: A large portion of these groups has additions like “WTS”, “FAST LOOT” or “EASY BOOSTING” in the description. These are not really groups that want to tackle a dungeon together but sales offers, where a corresponding player is pulled through these contents for gold – or even real money.

Those looking for regular groups must first sift through “false” groups for several minutes or automatically tidy up using various addons.

What has changed? A small but crucial detail. In the future, it will no longer be possible to create groups for “Mythic+” and Shadowlands raids as long as the character is not level 60. Only those who have reached the maximum level in World of Warcraft will be able to create groups in these categories.

WoW GM Game Master Goblin cry gold title title 1280x720
Boosters now need to find other ways to offer their services.

Why is this important? Often, advertising for corresponding offers like “Sell Runs” or “Boosting services” is done through low-level characters that cannot even visit these contents yet. Then, this “throwaway character” is used to connect buyers and sellers. Reporting these characters made little sense so far since players simply create new characters. Now, this is no longer so easy, as the new advertising character must reach level 60 first.

More current news about World of Warcraft can be found here:

Is boosting prohibited? No, fundamentally, it is absolutely fine to offer to pull other players through dungeons or raids for in-game gold. However, promoting such groups in the group search is prohibited, as it has led to players having a hard time finding the “right” groups. Promoting a boost in the trade channel is still allowed and not sanctioned.

Whether this change fulfills a significant purpose will become clear in the next few days. But it is at least a step in the right direction to keep the group finder clean and useful.

Many players are currently waiting for Patch 9.1.5 – there are already some hints in the game data.

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

The Scuf Instinct Pro is the first good alternative to the Xbox Elite Controller

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 4 minutes

Manufacturer Scuf has introduced two new high-end controllers, the Instinct and the Instinct Pro, priced between 150 and 170 euros. MeinMMO explains how good the controllers are and for whom they are an option.

The manufacturer Scuf is considered a hidden gem among console gamers for customizable gaming controllers.

Now, the manufacturer has released two new controllers with the Instinct and the Instinct Pro, which represent the spearhead in terms of price among controllers.

The first reviewers have tested the controller and explain why it is a real alternative to the Xbox Elite Controller, which is considered the best controller for the Xbox Series X.

But how good is the controller actually? MeinMMO has looked at the first reviews of the gaming controller and reveals why the new Scuf Instinct Pro is a true alternative to the Xbox Elite Controller.

The Scuf Instinct Pro offers plenty of comfort features for around 170 euros

You can currently get the Xbox controller from Scuf in two variants: On one hand, there is the standard Scuf Instinct and a Pro version that offers a few more features.

This difference is also noticeable in the price: you pay 170 US dollars (about 145 euros) for the Instinct, while you must pay 200 US dollars for the Pro version. In the official shop, you pay at least 179.99 euros for the Instinct and 209.99 euros for the Instinct Pro.

The price of the Pro version is significantly higher than the Xbox Elite Controller, for which you currently pay around 160 euros (via geizhals.de)

Oops, unfortunately this affiliate widget is no longer available.

These features come with the Scuf Instinct Pro:

  • Instant triggers activate like a mouse click for faster shots (only the PRO version).
  • High-performance grip, providing a comfortable, non-slip feel for longer gaming sessions (only the PRO version).
  • Four switchable paddles allow faster reactions and can be configured to 16 functions.
  • With the profile switch, you can save three mapping configurations for different games.
  • Wireless and wired connection options in case the battery dies.
  • The detachable faceplate makes it easier to change designs and thumbsticks.
  • Interchangeable thumbsticks in different shapes and sizes allow for personalization and replacement when something breaks.
  • The grips of the controller
  • The back of the controller with triggers

Scuf Instinct Pro proves to be a strong alternative to the Xbox Elite Controller in testing

What do the testers say? The first reviewers are mostly positive about the Scuf Instinct Pro.

For instance, the testers at Gamespot describe the Scuf Instinct Pro controller as “the first great alternative to the Xbox Elite Controller” (via Gamespot.com). The reviewers explain that the controller offers great ergonomics and easy-to-use back paddles. Especially the so-called “Instant Trigger” features are praised.

Similarly, the testers at Gizmodo see it that way (via gizmodo.com). The Scuf controller “does not reinvent the wheel but enhances the already good Xbox controller with additional meaningful features. The shortcut buttons are very easy to reach, and the remapping of the buttons is also easy. The ability to swap the faceplate of the controller also offers users some level of personalization.

The tester from gfinityesports also praises the new high-end controller (via gfinityesports.com). The controller includes many comfort features such as an instant trigger for quick shots and a mute button for voice chat. However, headsets work only with a wired headset.

What do the testers criticize: The biggest criticism from all reviewers is the price: With the Scuf Instinct Pro, you pay at least 200 US dollars, and the price increases with additional upgrades and customization options. This also exceeds the price of the Xbox Elite Controller, which you can now get for 160 euros.

Is the Scuf Impact Pro worth it? All testers independently agree that with the Scuf Impact Pro, you get a strong and genuine alternative to the Xbox Elite Controller. The controller offers excellent ergonomics, great build quality, and easy-to-use paddles.

If you’re looking for a highly configurable and quality controller for competitive gaming, you won’t go wrong. The only downside is the high price, as you must pay at least 179.99 euros for the controller.

Where can you buy the controller? Currently, you can purchase the Instinct and the Instinct Pro only directly from the official Scuf store (via scufgaming.com)

Pro or Custom Controllers for the PS5 are still not in sight

Are there any new controllers for the PS5 yet? While there are now some custom controllers for the Xbox Series X|S, you can currently only use the official DualSense controller for playing PS5 games. There are no other controllers that are approved for the PS5 and support the features available yet.

At least Scuf announced via Twitter in May 2021 that they were already working on their own controller for the PlayStation 5

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the Twitter content

This controller was supposed to be released in the summer of 2021, but none has been released yet. With the Impact (Pro), Scuf has at least now delivered next-gen controllers for the Xbox Series X.

Although the DualSense controller is also praised by many testers, some users still wish for controllers from third-party manufacturers, as was the case with the PlayStation 4:

Testers praise the DualSense controller – Here are the reasons

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

New Sandbox MMO mixes Minecraft with Animal Crossing – Seeking Beta Testers

Maik Schneider Maik Schneider Reading time 3 minutes

The new sandbox MMO Project X mixes elements of Minecraft and Animal Crossing into a cute hustle with a focus on social interactions. The game utilizes mechanics from mobile games and is set to be released for iOS, Android, and PC. If you want to take a closer look at the cute world, you can now sign up for the beta.

What kind of game is Project X? The developer studio “Dazzle Rocks” from Finland is developing the sandbox MMO with a focus on the mobile edition. The game is mainly about exploring, building, and having adventures with friends or other players.

You arrive on the Lost Islands and receive your own island, which you are supposed to design excitingly. In the game, there is a kind of social network with which you present your creations to other players, who can then visit and play on your island. It’s about creating adventures and sharing them with others.

The progress mechanics are quite similar to those of many other mobile-first titles. You have a currency that you earn through quests and can gradually unlock more and more items. But you also collect resources and craft other useful items, furniture, house blocks – whatever you need at the moment.

For a first look at the game, we’re embedding a gameplay video from the beta from July:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

What is the current status of the game? In the email for the beta registration, the developers state that the current beta is still a very early state of the game. However, a larger release could take place this year. However, this is not very concrete. It might just be an extension of the beta.

The developers emphasize on their homepage that Project X is to be continuously developed for years, bringing long-term motivation through new gameplay opportunities and fresh landscapes (via dazzle.rocks).

When does the beta start? The beta of Project X has already been running for a few weeks. The developers are continually adding new players, and thus the MMO continues to grow.

What do Minecraft and Animal Crossing have in common? Similar to Minecraft, you are constantly on the lookout for new resources during your “building phases” and shape the world according to your ideas. However, this doesn’t go as far as in Minecraft. While you can partially dismantle your surroundings, there are no deep pits down to the bedrock in Project X. There will, however, be a PvE component, you can breed animals, and Project X is also set to be released for PC (via mmorpg.org.pl).

Like in Minecraft, you should have the freedom to choose what you want to do next.

You can then share your created world with other players just like in Animal Crossing. In fact, the social aspects are supposed to play a significant role in the game. You take photos of your house / fortress / maze, post it in the game’s internal social network, and hope for plenty of visitors.

With them, you can explore your island, and if the visitors liked it, they can leave a tip.

More about new games:

That a focus on building one’s own world and social interaction can work well in MMOs has been impressively proven by Animal Crossing. MeinMMO author Eilyn Rapp has also spent a lot of time in Animal Crossing and even found real friends to play with.

Project X further develops the idea and gives players even more freedom over their creations. Does that sound like something you want to try as well? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments.

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

Heiteira before Turtok in Pokémon Unite released — The community is outraged

Sayumi (Lena) Sayumi (Lena) Reading time 3 minutes

The MOBA Pokémon Unite by TiMi Studios has been playable since July and has released a new Pokémon since then. This Wednesday, on August 18, the game will receive its second new fighter. To everyone’s surprise, it is not Blastoise, but Blissey.

Update on August 18: Blissey’s attacks have been corrected and additional information has been added.

Why the surprise? Everyone was firmly expecting Blastoise as the next fighter, as he was announced by the official Twitter account along with Gardevoir before the release. However, Blissey is now being promoted as the new fighter for August 18, about which no official word was ever mentioned before.

Blastoise has been part of the main games since the first generation and has gained many fans who are eagerly awaiting the release of the turtle in Pokémon Unite. His two other starting colleagues, Charizard and Venusaur, have been in the game since the beginning. This only increases the community’s desire to finally see and play Blastoise in Unite. Whether the Water-type Pokémon will be the next addition to the game remains to be seen. The surprising appearance of Blissey has thrown all predictions out the window.

https://twitter.com/PokemonUnite/status/1427253815720386570?s=20

What the Pokémon Unite Community Says

The community mostly agrees under the Blissey Twitter post: That should have been Blastoise!

CinderaceXI wrote:

So you really hate Blastoise.

via Twitter

UnknownMS20 is also of the opinion:

Literally, I love the game, except that the Blastoise hype is overshadowed by Blissey. I don’t hate the release, but I hate the fact that it’s not the Pokémon we’ve been waiting for. I’m not bringing joy to my teammates, but spreading depression because there was no Blastoise.

via Twitter

AlexOmega3030 also agrees:

I’m happy about the new healer, but… where is my BOY!!!

via Twitter

ThatSaiyanGamer thinks:

However, there are also individual voices that we could find after some search that are happy about the second healer in the game. Patterrz wrote:

Finally. A second healer.

via Twitter

Myfirsteevee is also of the opinion:

We needed another healer. Blissey will be a great addition to any team. (…)

via Twitter

Blissey had not been highlighted previously and was only leaked by data miners. Additionally, the tweet that contained the announcement of Blastoise was recalled again via retweet before Gardevoir’s release. Everyone was absolutely sure that Blastoise would follow next.

More on the topic
Pokémon Unite: Tier List with the best items – Which one fits my Pokémon?
von Sayumi (Lena)

Blissey is another Support Pokémon

Pokemon Unite Blissey stats

What can Blissey do? Blissey’s first basic attack is “Pound”. It strikes in a targeted direction, dealing damage to all Pokémon within the range of Pound and reducing their movement speed. Pound can be replaced at level 6 by either “Egg Bomb” or “Helping Hand”.

  • Egg Bomb: Throws an egg at the targeted location, which then explodes. This damages nearby enemies and knocks them away. The upgraded version additionally reduces the movement speed of the opponents.
  • Helping Hand: Increases Blissey’s own movement speed and basic attack speed and that of an ally. During the duration of Helping Hand, all basic attacks become charged basic attacks, which are even stronger. The upgraded version increases the damage of basic attacks during the duration.

Blissey’s second basic attack is called “Heal Pulse”. With it, Blissey can heal herself and a teammate over time. The attack is replaced at level 4 by either “Safeguard” or “Soft-Boiled”.

  • Safeguard: Frees a teammate from status changes and makes them immune to obstacles for a short time. Upgrading their Safeguard gives the teammate a shield.
  • Soft-Boiled: Throws an egg to a teammate and heals them and herself with it. Blissey can hold and use this attack up to three times. Upgraded even more.

Blissey’s Unite Move “Bliss Assistance” allows it to rush to an allied Pokémon, which then receives a shield. Additionally, both attack stats of the Pokémon are increased. All Pokémon in the path of Bliss Assistance are knocked back. Furthermore, the damage taken by the teammate is shared between Blissey and them while the Unite Move is active.

What do you think of Blissey? Did you also expect Blastoise? Will you try Blissey, or do you prefer to play other Pokémon types? Feel free to tell us in the comments.

All 17 Medals in Pokémon Unite – How to obtain them and what they mean

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

Destiny 2 concludes the story of Season 14 with a mini-quest, rewarding you with an exotic ship

Sven Galitzki Sven Galitzki Reading time 3 minutes

In Destiny 2, the final week of the outgoing Season 14 has begun. A short quest concludes the seasonal story, and you can secure a new exotic ship with little to no effort.

Warning, Spoiler! Continue at your own risk!

What is currently happening in Destiny 2? Since the Weekly Reset on August 17th, the last week of Season 14 – the season of the Splicer – is underway in Bungie’s action MMO. There may not be any major events, occurrences, or surprises for players, but the seasonal story is being brought to a close with a small, final quest.

A new era of peace begins

Here’s how the final quest of Season 14 goes: The new quest is quite small and consists of only a few steps, essentially leading you to the H.E.L.M. hub and the Tower itself. First, talk to the Splicer Servitor in H.E.L.M.. There you will receive the final reward, as well as some words from Ikora and Mithrax about recent events and the fate of Lakshmi-2 (yes, she is really dead).

Additionally, there is another subtle hint regarding the fate of the factions. They have fled the city, so there will be no more faction rallies. With this, Bungie has incorporated the removal of group fights into the lore.

The memorial in the Tower with banners of the Vanguard and the Fallen House of Light

To wrap up, you will go back to the Tower, where you should visit the memorial (right in front of the central landing zone), which was erected in honor of the Eliksni and humans who fell in the final battle. There you will hear a final message over the comms – and that’s it.

In short: A turbulent season is coming to a calm end, signaling a new era of peace between at least one Fallen house and the Guardians, and rewarding you with a new exotic ship as a conclusion. No further events or similar activities have been triggered – not even the mysterious Oracles from the beginning of the season. So nothing more should come before the new Season 15.

Forbidden Memory – The final reward of Season 14

What is special about the ship? Right in H.E.L.M., there’s a new exotic ship from the Splicer Servitor, in the typical Fallen style – the Forbidden Memory. This has been visible in the data for some time, and many speculated that it would be a reward at the end of the epilogue, but that did not happen. Now we also know why.

The exotic ship Forbidden Memory

Collectors should definitely log in this week, as you won’t have to lift a finger for this ship.

What’s next? Currently, most players are likely looking forward to August 24th. With the Weekly Reset, both the new Season 15 begins, and Bungie is set to hold the most important stream of the year and announce the next major expansion “Witch Queen”. So hopefully things will finally get exciting in and around Destiny 2 again soon.

Also interesting:

What do you think about the end of Season 14? Did the epilogue combined with the new mini-quest provide you with a satisfying conclusion? Were you expecting more or something different – perhaps a real live event like at the end of Season 10? Let us know in the comments, as well as other readers of MeinMMO.

By the way, we are currently looking for reinforcement. Would this be something for you? MeinMMO is looking for a writer (m/f/d) in remote work for multiplayer shooters

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

World of Warships capsizes with gambling loot boxes – Outrage in the community

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 4 minutes

The tactical MMO World of Warships by Wargaming is currently facing serious trouble. It’s about the persistent issue of loot box gambling and Free2Play monetization. Read here on MeinMMO what is currently wrong and how Wargaming has responded so far.

What is the situation in World of Warships? Currently, there is significant discontent among the World of Warships community. This has gone so far that 22 out of 74 Community Contributors have left the lucrative program.

Update from August 18: We have updated the article with a statement from Wargaming. You can find it at the end of the article.

What are Community Contributors?
A Community Contributor is a content creator who is treated preferentially by Wargaming. They receive new ships to test, free goodies for giveaways, and sometimes even invitations to exclusive events. It is a coveted position that only a few content creators will ever have access to.

Even the streamer and contributor TheMightyJingles, who has been immortalized as a captain in the game, has had enough and has resigned from his Contributor status (via Twitter). But what is the reason for all the trouble?

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the Twitter content

Loot boxes and lack of communication alienate community contributors

What are the reasons for the trouble? Two situations are primarily responsible for all the stress right now. A lack of communication from Wargaming and aggressive monetization in World of Warships.

This is what happened with LittleWhiteMouse: First of all, there was an unpleasant incident regarding the content creator LittleWhiteMouse. She was popular in the community for her profound, detailed, and humorous ship reviews and was even supposed to officially design a Canadian ship for Wargaming for Canada Day 2020.

However, after she had put months of work into the project, Wargaming apparently suddenly knew nothing about it due to miscommunication, and the Canadian ship that eventually came to the shop officially had very little in common with the idea of LittleWhiteMouse. Her inquiry regarding this matter to Wargaming was reportedly answered rather curtly.

And although eventually an official apology (via Warships Forum) was made, LittleWhiteMouse had had enough and subsequently left the Community Contributor Program. This caused discontent among the other contributors, which stemmed from another problem.

This is what the loot boxes are about: Another annoyance that is currently upsetting fans and content creators is the increasingly aggressive monetization in World of Warships. The game is Free2Play, and Wargaming makes money through premium subscriptions, cosmetic goodies for the ships, and special premium ships.

What are premium ships?
While you can unlock most ships in the game in-game, there are special ships that are only available in the shop for real money. These ships come fully equipped and have a kind of booster for more experience points and currency. However, they are (mostly) not better than the regular ships in the game, but often represent coveted collectibles.

Previously, premium ships could be acquired simply for real money. While you would often spend 100 or more euros on such an end-game premium package, you knew exactly what you were getting. Nowadays, coveted premium ships, like the USS Missouri, are increasingly found in special loot boxes that you can purchase with the real money currency doubloons.

So to get the premium ship of your choice, you may need to buy several boxes and thus participate in a kind of gambling. Since the boxes are only available for doubloons, which are an abstract in-game currency, it is easy to lose track of how much money you have already spent on the boxes. Additionally, players are encouraged to buy a few more boxes if the coveted ship is not immediately found in the first boxes.

All of this reminds one of the great loot box debate surrounding Star Wars Battlefront 2, which caused a lot of trouble for EA in 2017 and led to widespread societal discontent regarding loot boxes and gambling.

This – for many an unpleasant development – as well as the miscommunication with LittleWhiteMouse and other content creators has now led to a situation where many influencers are turning away from World of Warships.

Player numbers for World of Warships remain stable – At least on Steam

Does this affect player numbers? No, not at the moment. The visible numbers on Steam Charts for World of Warships show no significant fluctuation and appear stable in recent days (via steamcharts). However, this is not a complete picture – should the content creators stay away from the game in the long run, it could lead to a loss of player numbers in the long term.

Furthermore, this only refers to the numbers on Steam; part of the players plays Warships in the Wargaming launcher, and there are no known numbers for that player volume.

Statement from Wargaming

What does Wargaming say? The shitstorm surrounding the game has not gone unnoticed by the developers, and there have already been initial reactions. In the World of Warships forum, community manager YabbaCoe wrote the following statement on behalf of the World of Warships team:

Hello everyone,

We are very sorry that AprilWhiteMouse and other CCs are no longer part of our Community Contributor Program, and we want them to know that we will miss them. We respect their decision and want to thank them for their contributions, dedication, and passion for the game and the program over the years. We wish them all the best and hope they will still stay in contact with us; we will always be there for them.

We are aware that there are several reasons that have brought us to this situation and that we have upset and disappointed many of our CCs and players. While some of these reasons are self-explanatory and we are continuing to work hard to resolve them, there are some specific points that we would like to address:

– We value community feedback on the point that Missouri is only available through random bundles in 0.10.7. We have discussed this since last week and decided to add an alternative way to acquire the ship. Details will be released shortly in our dev blog.

– Regarding the Missouri, we understand that there is an open question as to whether its earnings match those of the pre-update version, especially considering the bonuses for signal flags and camouflage. We are carefully analyzing its adjusted earnings post-update and will communicate our decision about whether any adjustments to the mission need to be made.

– Regardless of AprilWhiteMouse’s CC membership status, we remain committed to releasing HMCS Huron in 2022. She has been included in our production plans and is expected to release in late summer 2022.

Best regards,

The WoWS Team

Statement from the WoWS Team on forum.worldofwarships.com

The community reacted negatively to the statement in the forum. They asked if that was “all” and if the remaining points concerning the community’s current concerns would simply be ignored.

How do you like the team’s statement? Please share your opinion here on MeinMMO in the comments.

There has been trouble with monetization in Warships before. The otherwise cool monster ships of Godzilla and King Kong were criticized for their high prices.

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

Dead by Daylight is getting Pinhead as a killer – He is super nasty

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 4 minutes

The latest killer from Dead by Daylight is indeed Pinhead. We reveal what this nasty priest from another dimension can do.

For several days now, Dead by Daylight has been teasing the next killer. All hints pointed to Pinhead – and now it’s confirmed. The test server is active, and killer fans can slip into the tortured skin of the “Cenobite” – that’s what Pinhead will be called in Dead by Daylight.

Who is Pinhead? Pinhead comes from the “Hellraiser” films and is the leader and priest of the Cenobites, a cult from a hellish dimension. This cult seeks to achieve a new level of enlightenment and existence through sadomasochism and resorts to extremely brutal means, which is also reflected in Pinhead’s appearance. His face has been cut with razor blades in vertical and horizontal lines, with nails hammered into his head at the intersections – hence the name “Pinhead”.

What abilities does Pinhead have? Pinhead has a normal movement speed of 4.6 m/s (115 %), a terror radius of 32 m, and is classified as a large killer. He also has several abilities that are quite complex and all revolve around chains and puzzles.

His first ability is opening a portal. As long as the ability key is held down, the distance from Pinhead to the location of the portal extends (similar to teleporting with the Nurse). When Pinhead releases the key, the perspective jumps to the portal. From there, a chain can be summoned, which is manually controlled. If the chain hits a survivor, they scream and are slowed down. Shortly after, a second and third chain appear, causing even stronger slowdowns.

Dead by Daylight Cenobite Pinhead in Menu
The Cenobite stands on chains. And pain. And pain through chains.

The survivors can free themselves from the chains by performing a “Break Free” action.

Pinhead’s second, rather passive ability is the “Lament Configuration” – the puzzle box that appears repeatedly in the films. This box spawns somewhere on the map and must be found by the survivors.

If no survivor picks up the box within a certain time, a chain hunt begins. Gradually, more and more chains appear that attack survivors independently, slow them down, and reveal their positions through loud screams.

The chain hunt ends when a survivor picks up the box.

The survivor carrying the box cannot drop it. As long as the box is in their possession, they suffer from the “Oblivious” effect and are attacked by chains at regular intervals. The survivor can solve the puzzle of the box, which takes several seconds. While the survivor solves the puzzle, the Cenobite can teleport directly to the survivor.

If the puzzle is successfully solved, the box temporarily disappears and has a cooldown before it spawns again in the world, and the cycle begins anew.

If the Cenobite finds the box, he can pick it up and solve it as well. Then all survivors are automatically bound by chains and reveal their positions through loud screams.

All of this sounds more complicated than it is – a gameplay video from YouTuber “not Otzdarva” shows Pinhead’s abilities in action:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

New perks, but no new survivor

These are Pinhead’s perks: Like all killers, Pinhead comes with three standalone perks. These perks are initially only available for Pinhead but can later be unlocked as “teachable” versions for other killers in the blood web. Pinhead’s perks are:

  • Deadlock – When a generator is fully repaired, the Entity immediately blocks the generator with the highest progress for 20 / 25 / 30 seconds. The aura of the affected generator is shown to the killer in white.
  • Hex: Plaything – The first time you hook a survivor, they become cursed, and a dull totem becomes the hex totem. The affected survivor suffers from the “Oblivious” effect as long as they are affected by the curse. The cursed survivor can see the aura of the hex totem within a radius of 24 / 20 / 16 meters. For the first 90 seconds after activation, only the cursed survivor can cleanse the totem.
  • Scourge Hook: Gift of Pain – At the beginning of the match, four random hooks are replaced with “Scourge Hooks”. The aura of these hooks is seen by the killer in white. When a survivor is rescued from a scourge hook, they suffer from the “Mangled” and “Hemorrhage” effects (they bleed more frequently and take longer to heal) until they are fully healed. Once healed, they suffer a 7 % / 8 % / 9 % penalty to the speed of healing and repair actions until they are injured again.

Keep in mind with all the information that this is still data from the PTB, which is the test server. Details could still change before the release of the Hellraiser chapter.

More current news about Dead by Daylight can be found here on MeinMMO:

Is there no survivor? According to current information, there is no survivor in the “Hellraiser” chapter. At least, they are currently not playable on the PTR, and no perks have been found in the game data. It is therefore conceivable that the chapter consists solely of the new killer.

What do you think of the next chapter of Dead by Daylight? A really cool addition? Or is it rather a trash killer?

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

Guild Wars 2: Leak reveals all new elite specializations of End of Dragons

Mark Sellner Mark Sellner Reading time 3 minutes

On the night of August 18, data miners shared some hidden files in the code of Guild Wars 2 on reddit, giving the first insights into the new elite specializations. We from MeinMMO summarize.

What was leaked? In Guild Wars 2, base classes receive a new weapon with each elite specialization that they can wield. As part of the first beta for the new elite specializations, you can already play the Mesmer, the Necromancer, and the Guardian.

What new weapon a class receives often says a lot about the direction of the specialization. For example, the Virtuoso, the new elite specialization of the Mesmer, receives a dagger as a new weapon and can summon appropriate daggers.

The new leak now shows you the weapons that the remaining 6 elite specializations will receive, and it looks like this:

  • The Thief will receive a scepter
  • As an Engineer, you will soon wield a mace in battle
  • The Elementalist will soon swing a hammer
  • Rangers will also be granted a hammer
  • Warriors are apparently armed with pistols in End of Dragons
  • Revenants will have access to the greatsword

However, more about the names of the elite specializations or even their abilities is currently not known.

GW2 Elite Specialization EoD Teaser
This is what the teaser for the new elite specialization of the Necromancer looked like

The leaks are nearly watertight

How reliable is the leak? This looks very credible. Data miners found correspondingly clear indications in the code of the latest update. Unless ArenaNet intentionally left false trails in the code of the game, we can assume that the information from the leak is correct. (via reddit)

How did the leak come about? In Guild Wars 2, you can link any item in the chat with a click. When you hover over it with the mouse, you see the item and can retrieve more information about it. For this to work, each item in the game has a so-called chat code.

To fully utilize the beta of the currently known 3 elite specializations, the beta characters were given a special equipment chest containing all weapons that the corresponding class can use.

However, ArenaNet seems to have already brought these equipment chests into the game for the new elite specializations. Data miners found the chat codes of the boxes and were able to display what is inside. Accordingly, there was a weapon in each of the chests that the class could not previously carry.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content
The trailer for End of Dragons, the new Guild Wars 2 expansion

The community speculates

What do the players say? On reddit, users are voting the post with the leaks up considerably. Already at 11 PM on August 17, it has nearly 400 votes, which is comparatively a lot for Guild Wars 2. The community is now speculating about how the elite specializations could look:

  • The user Etrae writes on reddit: ‘I’ve always wanted a spellcasting thief. I thought he would get a focus, but a scepter works too. I’m so ready for it.’
  • Player Orihkeks writes on reddit: ‘Rangers with hammers and Revenants with greatswords make me happy. These are exactly the weapons I wished for both.’
  • Disappointed, user Sandzibar writes on reddit: ‘No longbows?.. Why does ArenaNet hate longbows so much?’

It remains to be seen how the elite specializations will ultimately play, but we can already make assumptions. With a balance update in May 2021, the “Boon-Thief” build was significantly weakened. This is a support thief who could celebrate his great comeback with the announcement of the scepter.

More about Guild Wars 2 on MeinMMO

Big question marks are still the hammers for Elementalists and Rangers. Some fans fear another specialization of the Elementalist that focuses on melee combat, which was already critical with its last two elite specializations. The “Guild Wars 2” veteran Zapfelsaft writes on Discord: ‘If the hammer for the Elementalist is pure melee again, I will definitely not play Ele anymore.’

What do you think of the leaks and the weapons for the new elite specializations? Are you eager to try them out and do you have a special favorite? Feel free to leave us a comment.

By the way: Everything we know about the new expansion End of Dragons can be found here.

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

The closed beta of Diablo 2 Resurrected is over – This is what the players say about the conclusion

Benedict Grothaus Benedict Grothaus Reading time 3 minutes

The early access of Diablo 2 Resurrected has ended and now the community is discussing how it was. Especially veterans were able to relive their nostalgia, but there was also some criticism in certain areas.

How was the beta received? Since August 13, the early access beta of Diablo 2 Resurrected has been running and ended punctually at 7:00 PM German time on August 17. Many players gave their feedback shortly before the end.

The consensus is largely positive, despite initial server issues in the beta. The spirit of the original seems to have been well captured. Familiar faces in the Diablo community such as the YouTuber and Twitch streamer Rhykker have been playing diligently and were quite satisfied with what was offered to them. However, he has yet to provide a final verdict.

Therefore, the community is now actively discussing the strengths and weaknesses of the game. Even veterans praise: “Looks promising. I really enjoy the improved graphics” (via reddit.com). Even the controller support is praised in some areas.

However, there is one major point of criticism, which primarily affects the console versions. Unlike Diablo 2, the remaster is also available on Xbox and PlayStation, but without one important feature.

Even the cinematics have been revised – Here Act 1.

Gameplay and graphics convince, console version is rather “meh”

This is the criticism: One of the bigger discussions on reddit is currently about the topic of lobbies on consoles (via reddit.com). This feature is missing on Xbox and PlayStation, but is actually quite important.

With lobbies, you can create and name your own games. This allows you to find players to quest, trade, engage in PvP, or farm specific bosses. This is easily possible on PC, but not on consoles.

Xbox and PlayStation currently only allow direct invites to friends. If you are looking for specific activities, you must first find each other through the platform’s friend list. The community advises: Diablo 2 will be more of a single-player experience on consoles, not multiplayer, and they recommend waiting until the release. Then you can get a better picture.

What has been well received nonetheless? In particular, the graphics are repeatedly praised. The outdated look of the original has apparently been appropriately polished with the new technology, and the community has praised the attention to detail in Resurrected before:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from Reddit that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the Reddit content

Rhykker mentioned in one of his streams that builds and similar things in Resurrected will be exactly as they were in the original Diablo 2, because nothing has changed here. He obviously appreciates that and has played through the given content with multiple classes.

Even console players praise the gameplay and how smooth everything feels. claxel says on reddit: “I am also a PS5 player. I enjoyed it: smooth, fun, and nostalgic. I will play it to hell and back!” (via reddit.com)

More about Diablo on MeinMMO:

Open Beta starts soon

What happens next? After the end of the closed beta, the open beta will follow. Everyone can participate in this, even without a Twitch drop or a pre-order. The open beta begins on August 20 at 7:00 PM and ends on August 23 at 7:00 PM.

Free beta of Diablo 2 Resurrected starts on PS4, Xbox, PC – Start, download, registration

All progress from the closed beta will be transferred, but will be deleted upon release. Diablo 2 Resurrected will be released on September 23 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

Did you play the closed beta? What is your verdict?

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

Was Outriders more expensive than expected? Developer says: We are not getting any money

Benedict Grothaus Benedict Grothaus Reading time 2 minutes

Why exactly the payments have been delayed is not precisely known, only suspected. However, it is also not clear how well the game has actually performed in terms of sales – because the studio does not know that either.

The GameStar review of Outriders.

“We do not know the sales figures”

Why is no money coming? Sebastian Wojciechowski, the president of the management board of PCF Group SA, the parent company of People Can Fly, says on the subject:

“We have no sales figures for Outriders. We estimate something between 2 and 3 million units sold and thought that this result would ensure the profitability of the project. The absence of payment likely means […], that is not the case.”

Outriders was very well received on Steam at release, but it also appeared directly on release in the Xbox Game Pass. Subscribers did not have to purchase the game, and since there are neither paid DLCs nor microtransactions, there was little incentive for Game Pass users to spend money on Outriders.

Wojciechowski notes that possibly partnerships were not considered or the publisher’s costs were higher than expected. The absence of payment, therefore, means that the costs have not yet been covered. These include production, quality assurance, sales, and marketing.

More about Outriders on MeinMMO:

What happens next? Wojciechowski believes that despite the bad news, profit-sharing will be paid out this year. He intends to continue working on supporting Outriders for the time being. However, he cannot provide any details yet.

Previously, the development team spoke about the future of Outriders and possible DLCs, which were, however, closely tied to the success of the shooter:

It’s up to you whether Outriders gets a DLC and new classes

People Can Fly, the developer studio behind Outriders, has stated that they have not yet received any profit-sharing for the loot shooter. This was supposed to be due now, but according to the studio, it has not materialized. One of the heads thinks: Outriders was probably more expensive than expected.

This is the situation:

This is what the developer says: People Can Fly published a report on the current situation on August 16 (via PeopleCanFly.com). It was originally planned to distribute the profit-sharing 45 days after the first quarter.

That would have been on August 15. According to the studio, this did not happen. Outriders is distributed by Square Enix. The publisher is responsible for sales and marketing.

Why exactly the payments have been delayed is not precisely known, only suspected. However, it is also not clear how well the game has actually performed in terms of sales – because the studio does not know that either.

The GameStar review of Outriders.

“We do not know the sales figures”

Why is no money coming? Sebastian Wojciechowski, the president of the management board of PCF Group SA, the parent company of People Can Fly, says on the subject:

“We have no sales figures for Outriders. We estimate something between 2 and 3 million units sold and thought that this result would ensure the profitability of the project. The absence of payment likely means […], that is not the case.”

Outriders was very well received on Steam at release, but it also appeared directly on release in the Xbox Game Pass. Subscribers did not have to purchase the game, and since there are neither paid DLCs nor microtransactions, there was little incentive for Game Pass users to spend money on Outriders.

Wojciechowski notes that possibly partnerships were not considered or the publisher’s costs were higher than expected. The absence of payment, therefore, means that the costs have not yet been covered. These include production, quality assurance, sales, and marketing.

More about Outriders on MeinMMO:

What happens next? Wojciechowski believes that despite the bad news, profit-sharing will be paid out this year. He intends to continue working on supporting Outriders for the time being. However, he cannot provide any details yet.

Previously, the development team spoke about the future of Outriders and possible DLCs, which were, however, closely tied to the success of the shooter:

It’s up to you whether Outriders gets a DLC and new classes

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Forbes
  2. IGN
  3. PCGamer
  4. People Can Fly

Twitch streamer plays 54 hours without a break Apex Legends, unexpectedly reaches the Top 750

Maik Schneider Maik Schneider Reading time 3 minutes

The Twitch streamer Timmy “iiTzTimmy” An has an incredible gaming session behind him. He played 54 hours straight on stream without a break and worked his way up from the “Bronze” rank to the highest rank “Apex Predator”.

Who doesn’t know this – after the announcement “Let’s go all out this weekend”, you find yourself on Friday night with a belly full of chips and beer on the nearest couch, hoping not to be the first one to fall asleep. The Twitch streamer “iiTzTimmy” can only laugh about it.

In an intense stream that ran for about 54 hours almost without a pause, the streamer fought his way up the ranking of Battle Royale Apex Legends from the lowest rank “Bronze” to the master level “Predator”. Only the top 750 players on a platform are allowed to bear this title, and “iiTzTimmy” definitely deserves it.

Stream at the Limit – “iiTzTimmy” Pushes Through for 54 Hours

What was going on? iiTzTimmy has been streaming on his current Twitch channel for just over 4 years and broke through to 1 million followers through this stream. Earlier this year, he made a name for himself with strong performances, achieving the Master rank of Apex in 33 hours or setting the former world record for the most damage in a round of Apex (via YouTube).

Timmy was also part of the Valorant team of shroud, where the shooter veteran himself played.

But currently, Timmy is all about Apex Legends – and how. It took 54 hours for the 21-year-old to completely go through the ranks. In the first hours, he showcased his skills and pulled off some impressive gameplay maneuvers with his legend “Pathfinder”, like this one:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from Twitch that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the Twitch content

But time was working against iiTzTimmy. With each rank reached, stronger opponents enter the match. Additionally, every further hour drains concentration and mental state. Tired comes dumb, that applies to pro players like iiTzTimmy as well. Just before the end of his stream, it looks like this:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from Twitch that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the Twitch content

Joy with energy didn’t really come at the end either. It seemed more like a relief. Yet, iiTzTimmy manages, after more than 54 hours on stream, to reach the Predator rank and land in 613th place among the best players on his platform:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from Twitch that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the Twitch content

How did he manage that? Talent and willpower. Initially, the opponents are still easy and his mind is alert. But despite many hours of streaming, during which he apparently didn’t take a longer break, Timmy pulls through the challenge, shows off his skills in Apex Legends, and an incredible staying power. Check out iiTzTimmy’s channel (via Twitch) if you want to see his skills for yourself.

In a tweet, he thanked everyone for the support:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the Twitter content

Why does he do this? A classic case of: “Because he can”. But professionally, the stream has pushed him forward as well. Overall, Timmy managed to generate more than 100,000 new followers over the 54 hours and broke the 1 million mark (via twitchtracker.com). A significant leap and certainly a worthwhile endeavor for the streamer.

More about long streams on Twitch:

In terms of pushing through and delivering performance, Timmy has set the bar high. But the shooter expert is still not up to par with the subathon streams of some colleagues. Streamer Ludwig once streamed for 31 days straight, as each sub increased the stream length by a certain amount of time. Also a torture for the streamer, but at least Ludwig went to sleep.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. PC Gamer
  2. PC Games N

Destiny 2: Weekly Reset on 17.08. – The final week of Season 14 begins

Philipp Hansen Philipp Hansen Reading time 3 minutes

Destiny 2 is about to enter the new Season 15. Today, on August 17th, the last Weekly Reset in the Season of the Splicer begins. Guardians are wondering what Bungie’s action-MMO has in store for the conclusion and how to transition into the next chapter?

This is what the last week looks like: Exactly one week ago, on August 10th, Season 14 entered its epilogue. The conclusion event featuring a flashy cutscene goes into its final round today. The new quest “Heroes’ Memorial” brings the ongoing Season of the Splicer to a close. Guardians hope to find answers to 2 mysteries.

First, speak with our Fallen friend Mithrax at the Servitor in the H.E.L.M. Right at the start of this little quest, you’ll score an exotic reward – but we don’t want to reveal too much.

By the way, you only have this week (until August 24th) to complete some important tasks:

  • Hand in all your Vanguard tokens to Zavala in the Tower. The NPC will be restructured and all his tokens will be completely deleted on August 24th.
  • If you manage to complete a total of 75 seasonal challenges in Season 14, you will receive the “large pile of glimmer“.
  • Use the last days to level up your Season Pass to unlock rewards. You can claim them later as long as you earn them now. Here are the highlights from the Season of the Splicer Pass:
Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

Many players still have questions: What about Osiris, which enemy is attacking the hacking Vex, and what does Savathûn plan next? We will get answers at the latest in Season 15 starting next week. But what else is coming up this week?

The important information about activities from 08/17 to 08/24.

The Nightfall: The Ordeal strike awaits.

  • Fallen S.A.B.E.R
  • On the Grandmaster difficulty, you can also repeat all previous Nightfalls. Good for anyone still working on their Conqueror title.
  • The sniper rifle Uzume RR4 awaits as a reward in the Nightfall loot pool.

Playlist Strikes have these modifiers:

  • Voidburn
  • Stasis Shank
  • Grounded

The elemental modifier remains the same until the next Weekly Reset, while the others rotate daily.

In the raid “Glass Chamber“, this happens:

  • The raid challenge in the Glass Chamber: This time you can prove yourself against Atheon in “Ensemble Refrain”: In each of the 3 Oracle waves, each player may only destroy one Oracle.
  • The reward awaits in Challenge Mode, the time-warped weapon “Corrective Measure” – next season, all SMGs are getting a buff, so secure a strong one now.

The Crucible: These are the PvP playlists:

  • Private Match
  • Rumble
  • Control
  • Elimination
  • Glory Survival
  • Glory Survival: Freelance
  • Showdown

Petra Venj is located at the pavilion in the area “The Shore” in the Dreaming City. The curse cycle restarts and Curse Week 1 is active. The 5th Ascendant Challenge is also active.

If you’re interested in Destiny, Call of Duty, Battlefield, or multiplayer shooters in general and want to become a part of MeinMMO, now is your chance. Find all the information about the job opening here:

More on the topic
MeinMMO is looking for a writer (m/f/d) in the home office for multiplayer shooter
von Sven Galitzki

Sources for top loot in Season 14 of Destiny 2

This is the new max level: In the Season of the Splicer , the maximum power level of your gear is 1,320. In Season 15, the level will only increase by +10; if you hustle now, you can save yourself the grind in the future.

Here you can find top loot (Pinnacle Gear) that can take you over 1,310:

  • Reach at least 100,000 points as a team in Nightfall: Ordeal (+2)
  • Simulation: Exo Challenge (+2)
  • Omen Mission (+2)
  • Prophecy Dungeon (+2)
  • Sign Mission (+2)
  • Trials of Osiris (up to +2)
  • Raid “Glass Chamber” (+2)
  • Imperium Hunt for Upgrade (+2)
  • Erasure Mission – with corrupted keycode (+2)
  • Complete solar bounty quests with Eva in the Tower (+1)
  • Open 3 conflux chests with keycodes in Override (+1)
  • Complete 8 bounties for the Servitor Splicer (+1)
  • Complete 3 Gambit matches (+1)
  • Complete 3 Crucible matches in Control (+1)
  • Complete 3 Strikes with focal points (+1)
  • Hawthorne’s Clan Task

Glimmer highlights of the Eververses

Xenophage in Tex Mechanica Western-style, anyone?

This is what Tess has to offer:

  • The exotic Sparrow “Lonely Howl”
  • The exotic Ghost shell “Sphere Weaver Shell”
  • The exotic emote “I’m checking this out”
  • The exotic emote “Sploosh”
  • Exotic Hunter ornament “Astro-pants” for St4mp-F3R
  • The exotic Titan ornament “Execute: Resurrect” for Phoenix Cradle
  • Exotic Warlock ornament “Monarch Signal” for Crown of Tempests
  • The exotic ornament “Settler” for Xenophage

More about Season 15 in Destiny 2:

The next Weekly Reset on August 24th will be particularly exciting. Not only does Season 15 start on that day, about which Bungie is keeping a big secret, but a showcase will also take place on the same day, revealing more about the future of Destiny 2 and likely the expansion Witch Queen.

Destiny 2 announces the most important stream of the year for all Guardians

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

Favorite for Youth Word 2021 comes from Gaming: What does “SUS” mean?

Kevin Willing Kevin Willing Reading time 2 minutes

‘You’ve probably heard or read “You are sus” or just “Sus” many times. In 2021, “Sus” was among the top choices for the Youth Word of 2021, but what does Sus mean exactly and where does it come from?

The top 10 youth words of this year leave many people outside the gaming bubble puzzled. Among the favorites of German youth this year are:

  • Sheesh
  • Wednesday
  • Accurate
  • Bro
  • Same
  • Low earner
  • Cringe
  • Wild
  • Papatastic
  • Sus

Of course, some candidates for the Youth Word of 2021 are self-explanatory or widely known: Cringe or Sheesh are part of the everyday vocabulary of youth today. Sus or even Papatastic are often only known to groups involved in the gaming cosmos.

Speaking of cosmos: The term Sus comes from a game with crazy colorful astronauts who fight each other in space — does it ring a bell?

What does Sus mean and where does the word come from?

This is the meaning of Sus: Sus is used as an abbreviation and means “suspicious”. In its original English form, it is “suspicious”, hence the use of the first 3 letters.

The word was originally used in the multiplayer game Among Us to describe a player suspected of turning against their teammates.

What is Among Us? In Among Us, players take on the roles of astronauts. As cute-looking space travelers, they must complete various tasks on a space station. However, not everyone has the same goals: one or a few players are called imposters and must secretly eliminate all other peaceful astronauts and sabotage their work.

If a player is caught sabotaging a task or murdering fellow players, they write Sus and the color of the suit in the chat. This way, all players know who they need to vote out into space at the next internal vote. If all imposters are dead in space, the innocents win.

among-us-gameplay-steam
Among Us at the start of a round (Source: Steam)

This is how Sus is used in conversation: After the remarkable success of Among Us, which has also captivated many non-gamers, the use of Sus (via Google.books) has increased significantly in chat. However, it no longer means the same thing as in the game Among Us. It’s more about expressing doubt about something.

Example

Someone posts in an Instagram story:

‘I bake the best cake in the world, no one tastes better’

If you respond with Sus, it jokingly expresses that you don’t believe him or her about the best cake in the world or question it. But maybe you use the word Sus in a completely different way. Let us know in the comments.

More on the topic

In 2019, a term from gaming culture sneaked into the selection of youth words: A term from WoW is one of the most searched youth words of 2019

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

Minecraft: The hype around YouTuber Dream is getting crazier – Now a US Senator congratulates him

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The Minecraft YouTuber and Twitch streamer Dream appears anonymously and generally conceals his face. This seems to further fuel his popularity. Now, even the important US Senator Ted Cruz has congratulated him on his birthday. His daughter asked him to do so. The political commentator and Twitch streamer Hasan Piker cannot handle this at all and calls for protest.

Why is Dream so popular?

  • The Minecraft YouTuber “Dream” has made a name for himself with extraordinary content ideas and a pleasant voice. He has transformed well-known YouTube formats related to Minecraft and achieved enormous success: He doesn’t do a regular speedrun in Minecraft but a speedrun where he is sabotaged by a friend.
  • In recent months, there was a cheating scandal surrounding Dream, but that did not diminish his fame. Dream explained to fans that it was all an accident and many did not hold it against him.
  • Dream’s popularity is also bolstered by the fact that he appears completely anonymously and masked. This allows fans to project onto him, seeing everything they want in him. When he recently showed his hair, it was comparable to an international state of emergency on Twitter.

This congratulation is now causing trouble: The controversial and conservative US Senator Ted Cruz (Texas) has now congratulated Dream on Twitter for his birthday. Cruz says: His daughter asked him to do so.

Cruz has two daughters, one is 10 years old, the other 13. Fans of Dream are likely to fall into that age range.

The tweet has received 34,110 likes.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from Twitch that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the Twitch content

“OH NO!”

This is the backlash: One person who has nothing to do with Ted Cruz is the Twitch streamer Hasan “HasanAbi” Piker, who represents a distinctly leftist politics. In a live stream on Twitch, he sees the tweet and is completely baffled. It apparently bothers him that Cruz is catering to a “young” audience.

Piker posted a counter-tweet on Twitter: Ted Cruz is a “permanent defeat” for Texas. People should now use this tweet as “ratio”.

“Ratio” is when a follow-up tweet receives more likes than an original tweet. It is seen as a sign that the original tweet was received “negatively” – it is essentially a substitute for a “dislike” button on Twitter.

In fact, HasanAbi’s counter-tweet has now received 86,500 likes.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the Twitter content

Fear that young Minecraft fans could be politically influenced

This is the background: Hasan Piker has clashed with Dream in the past. Piker accused Dream of associating with the creator of Minecraft, Markus “Notch” Persson. Persson came under scrutiny when statements from him that were seen as transphobic or racist became known.

Dream defended himself against these accusations, but later spoke live on stream with HasanAbi and ultimately admitted that there was something to Piker’s criticism.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content
Ted Cruz is a controversial figure for comedians like John Oliver.

It shows that even a seemingly harmless game like Minecraft has a social and political dimension. Hasan Piker, in particular, sees a danger in young Minecraft players being influenced by conservative or, from his perspective, even dangerous forces. A similar discussion took place in Germany in 2020:

Böhmermann pushes German Twitch star into the right-wing corner – He defends himself

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

Will we finally get good graphics cards for less than 300 € thanks to Intel?

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 3 minutes

Intel’s new high-end graphics cards are expected to be serious competition for AMD and Nvidia starting in 2022. MeinMMO has summarized the first reactions for you.

Intel has introduced its new high-end graphics cards under the brand name “Arc”: The company aims to release its new graphics cards in spring 2022 and has presented an extensive release plan for the coming years.

What do users think about Intel’s approach? The initial feedback from users is quite positive, as many hope that Intel’s graphics cards could bring movement to a market dominated by large companies.

However, there are also quite skeptical voices that want to wait and see. The skeptics still see several stumbling blocks in Intel’s way.

MeinMMO summarizes the first user reactions for you and explains what is currently still being debated.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content
The official presentation video from Intel about the graphics card “Arc”

Users express optimism on YouTube and Reddit, hoping for serious competition

With Intel’s presentation, the hope among interested buyers grows that a new entrant in the market could indeed revitalize business. This is because Nvidia and AMD have dominated the graphics card market for years.

A user on Reddit writes (via reddit.com):

We urgently need competition in the GPU space!

And other users see the possibility of purchasing an Intel GPU for their PC. Gender_Ender writes on Reddit (via reddit.com):

Intel Xe [low-end graphics cards] in laptops are already quite good, and Intel drivers have high quality on both Windows and Linux, so I’m excited. If there are enough high-end Intel GPUs until prices normalize again, who knows. I might just end up upgrading with an Intel GPU.

With DG1, Intel launched its first graphics cards in the low-end sector. The new graphics cards, developed under the codename DG2, are primarily aimed at a wide buyer market.

Users hope for Intel graphics cards under €300

Some users wish for: There is mainly a desire for strong competition against Nvidia and AMD in the entry-level segment. Many do not want to spend more than €300 on a graphics card, which is currently difficult. Because neither AMD nor Nvidia has released a graphics card for a low price. For example, you can get AMD’s Radeon RX 6600 XT, currently the smallest Radeon graphics card, for at least €420.

As a result, many users hope for some good graphics cards for under €300 again. So far, there isn’t a single graphics card that could cover the demand of users. For example, Plane Candy writes on Reddit (via reddit.com):

I can’t wait. This is a huge opportunity. The market for less than $300 is practically dead right now (even at MSRP). They [Intel] could easily dominate by simply offering decent GPUs with support for modern features or at least force Nvidia and AMD to actually release mid-range to lower-tier products.

This is especially true for countries where people do not want or cannot spend much money on a graphics card. People in countries like India or Brazil prefer affordable rather than high-performance graphics cards, with which one can still play current titles properly.

Will Intel’s new high-end graphics card be the next GPU you can’t buy?

What users fear: Intel stated that the new graphics cards could be purchased starting in the first quarter of 2022.

However, some users express skepticism under the official YouTube video and on Reddit about whether that will actually work out (via Youtube.com).

Many see the problem not in the possible price or in the performance, for which there are still no reliable benchmarks available, but rather in the availability. This has been an unpleasant side effect of every graphics card release so far.

Brian Eckley writes under the official YouTube video (via Youtube.com):

I think it’s great. Will I be able to buy it without being pushed to the end of the line by middlemen or miners? Will the price be reasonable, meaning I won’t be charged for an issue like “scarcity” (…)?

In recent months, it has been impossible to really buy a graphics card at all, and if so, only for completely inflated prices. After the launch of the RTX 3080, numerous graphics cards ended up at outrageous prices on eBay.

Now some users fear that the same could happen with the new Intel graphics card.

What do you think? Will you give Intel’s new graphics cards a chance starting in 2022, or would you rather stick with established competitors like AMD and Nvidia? Or do you not care as long as you get a fast graphics card?

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

New Class in Lost Ark Breaks Records – Over 240,000 People Played the MMORPG Simultaneously

Mark Sellner Mark Sellner Reading time 3 minutes

On August 11, the latest and 21st class of the MMORPG Lost Ark was released on the Korean servers. The Sorceress attracted over 240,000 fans simultaneously into the game on the same day, breaking records. We at MeinMMO summarize:

What is happening in Lost Ark? Throughout the summer, the major update wave called Astalgia is running in the Korean MMORPG. As part of these updates, Lost Ark regularly receives new content, such as raids, mounts, or most recently even a new class.

The number of players in Lost Ark has already increased in recent months. However, with the release of the new Sorceress, the previous record of about 200,000 concurrent players was increased by 40,000, as reported by the Korean site gamemeca.

How does this compare to other MMORPGs? To put these huge numbers in perspective, we summarize for you:

  • Bless Unleashed is currently celebrated as a hit and could attract up to 75,000 players simultaneously (via steamcharts.com)
  • New World managed to draw around 200,000 fans into the game during its beta, making it rank number 3 on Steam
  • Final Fantasy XIV also only reaches 67,000 concurrent players according to Steamcharts

While we cannot rely solely on the Steam numbers for Bless and FFXIV due to separate launchers, we can directly compare with the new hit New World. Lost Ark managed to attract more users in South Korea alone than other MMORPGs worldwide.

How does the developer react? “Astalgia” will run until September and is supposed to continuously provide Lost Ark with new content. That so many people are drawn in makes the developer Smilegate happy. The CEO of Smilegate, Joon Ho Sung, said in an interview with gamemeca (via naver.com):

I am surprised by the gratitude, support, and love from the adventurers who seem to become increasingly enthusiastic. I will do my best to create a wonderful work that can be played with pride.

In this video, you can see the Sorceress in action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apaNS4MDf18

When will we get the Sorceress?

The new class might be expected at launch: Lost Ark has long kept a secret about the 15th class that will be available on the EU servers at launch. It seems they have now decided on the Striker, who is supposed to fill this gap.

With this, they continue to address the criticism of the gender lock since the Striker is a male version of the Wardancer.

More about Lost Ark on MeinMMO:

However, fans have not completely given up hope that the Sorceress might surprise us at launch in Europe. She is the first and only true mage in Lost Ark, and many people wish for her. Smilegate and Amazon could attract many players with an announcement of the Sorceress in Europe and generate even more hype for the MMORPG.

Which classes are missing? We already know that the following classes will initially not be playable in our version:

  • The Arcana
  • The Lance-Master
  • The Reaper
  • The Destroyer
  • The Scouter

However, it can be assumed that these classes will be added to our version sooner or later. This means: No matter when they come, eventually we too can enjoy the Sorceress.

What do you think of the player surge? Are you also excited for the Sorceress, or are you satisfied with the Striker as the 15th class for Europe? Feel free to write us a comment.

Many are looking forward to Lost Ark, but when does the beta for the new MMORPG start?

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

How FIFA 22 for Nintendo Switch differs from the NextGen versions

Julian Schröder Julian Schröder Reading time 2 minutes

This year, FIFA 22 is being released again in a stripped-down version for the Nintendo Switch. What compromises there are can be found here.

FIFA 22 will be released on October 1 for numerous platforms in different versions and with various contents. The versions for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, and Google Stadia receive graphical updates and most of the new features, such as the new HyperMotion technology, which aims to provide more realism on the virtual pitch.

However, the editions for last-gen consoles PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, as well as the PC, must do without HyperMotion, but otherwise receive several new improvements, such as the enhanced goalkeepers, new tactics, and the other gameplay improvements.

The only version that has not received any new content for 3 years is the Nintendo Switch version of FIFA 22, which is also known as “FIFA 22 Legacy Edition.”

We explain what compromises must be made with this version.

What FIFA 22 offers for the Nintendo Switch

This is new in FIFA 22 for Nintendo Switch: The only new content for the Switch version of FIFA 22 are new stadiums, as well as the updated rosters and jerseys for the new 2021/22 season. Players will run in the new, updated jerseys, and the teams’ rosters and player ratings have also been adjusted to be on par with the FIFA versions of other platforms.

What does not change: By now, the Switch version of FIFA has been a legacy version without major updates for the third time. This means that with FIFA 22 for Nintendo Switch, you are essentially playing FIFA 19 in terms of gameplay and modes – just with new jerseys and rosters.

The cover reveals the differences.

But at least EA has reduced the price. FIFA 22 Legacy Edition for Nintendo Switch will no longer be a full-price title and will be available for €39.99.

What do you think of FIFA 22 on the Switch? Which platform will you get the latest FIFA title for? Let us know in the comments!

We have summarized all the changes coming to Ultimate Team here for you:

FIFA 22 completely changes the Weekend League – All new features in Ultimate Team

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

Pokémon GO: Spotlight Hour today with pink Shellos and candy bonus

Franzi Korittke Franzi Korittke Reading time 2 minutes

Today, on August 17, 2021, the weekly Spotlight Hour takes place in Pokémon GO. This week you will encounter Shellos (Western Sea). We took a look at what to expect from this event and whether it’s worth it.

What is a Spotlight Hour? The Spotlight Hour is a weekly short event in Pokémon GO. It takes place every Tuesday and lasts one hour. During this time, a specific Pokémon is in focus, which consequently spawns more frequently in the wild. Additionally, you can enjoy a bonus.

This week’s Spotlight Hour features the Pokémon Shellos from the Western Sea. Moreover, you will receive double candies for catching Pokémon during this event.

Spotlight Hour with Shellos (Western Sea) – Start Time and Bonus

When does it start? As in every week, the Spotlight Hour starts today at 6:00 PM local time and ends at 7:00 PM local time.

This bonus awaits you: In addition to numerous pink Shellos that you will see on your map during this time, you will receive double candies for catching Pokémon. To get even more Pokémon, you can set a incense or lure module. This will also attract more Shellos from the Western Sea.

Are there Shiny Shellos? No, you cannot encounter Shellos in its shiny form in the game yet.

By the way: This Pokémon has two different regional forms. The Shellos from the Eastern Sea is blue and the one from the Western Sea is pink. Today, you can only encounter the pink variant.

Shellos & Gastrodon Western Sea (left) and Eastern Sea (right)

Is the Spotlight Hour worth it today?

The pink Shellos is a regional Pokémon that you cannot normally get in Germany. It is native to the Western Hemisphere. So if you don’t have this monster in your PokéDex yet, you should definitely take this opportunity. With the double candies, you also have the chance to evolve it directly into Gastrodon (Western Sea).

However, both monsters are rather uninteresting for the PvP League and raids. And even shiny hunters will have no luck in today’s Spotlight Hour.

More about Pokémon GO:

How do you find today’s Spotlight Hour? Will you catch the pink Shellos, or will you skip this week? Feel free to share your opinion with us here on MeinMMO, in the comments.

In a few days, the 3rd Hyper Bonus begins and brings you 7 cool new Galar Pokémon. We’ve taken a look at what they are and will show you.

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