The release of the mobile MMOARPG Diablo Immortal will no longer take place in 2021. The delay is due to changes in PvP and PvE, as well as controller support.
For everyone eagerly awaiting a proper Diablo for mobile platforms (iOS and Android), there is bad news. Blizzard actually planned to release the mobile installment Diablo Immortal still in 2021. However, as revealed during the earning calls for the second quarter of 2021, that will not happen. So when is the game supposed to come out?
When will Diablo Immortal be released? In the new development update on the official game page, the developers now mention a new release window. According to the current status, Diablo Immortal is expected to release in the first half of 2022.
The reasons for the delay of Diablo Immortal’s release
After the closed alpha, it seems there are still some areas in the game that the team is not entirely satisfied with and wants to continue working on based on tester feedback.
Those who want to play Diablo on mobile platforms will have to wait until 2022
Here are the reasons: For example, changes in PvP, PvE, and controller support are cited. Here are the key communicated details:
The already promising battleground system in PvP has a good foundation, but it still needs further improvement. They plan to take a closer look at matchmaking, rankings, class balance, time to kill, and other important elements.
The endgame PvP “Cycle of Strife” will be further improved and optimized.
Players, according to Blizzard, desire longer-term goals and activities that enrich the social experience. Therefore, raids will be introduced in the PvE Helliquary system – as challenges for 8 players.
The bounty system will also become more significant and rewarding, and challenge rifts will provide new upgrade materials that can only be obtained there.
Higher paragon levels should become more worthwhile.
Top-tier equipment and legendary gear should become more exciting and desirable – especially after reaching the level cap.
Furthermore, there will be adjustments to the weekly XP cap, so that this mechanic will not be as harsh.
Diablo Immortal will also be playable with a controller to make it more accessible. However, there are still some challenges to overcome in the implementation.
However, all of these changes take time, which means that the originally targeted release in 2021 cannot be maintained. But according to Blizzard, the new release window should allow for substantial improvements to be made to the entire game.
What do you think of the reasons for the delay? And how do you generally view the mobile installment Diablo Immortal? Will you check out the game or do you only have eyes and ears for the upcoming Diablo 4? Let us know and other readers of MeinMMO in the comments.
Yesterday, the beta of New World ended. We want to summarize what happened during the testing phase and draw a final conclusion with you before the release on 28.09.2021.
This was the beta: On July 20th, the beta for Amazon’s new MMORPG started. All players who pre-ordered the game or were lucky in the key giveaway could participate. The beta servers will close their doors tomorrow, and you need to patiently wait for 28.09.2021, as that is when New World will be released.
The beta had the full functionality of the game, even though it was not yet the final version of New World. The MMO has been postponed several times, but is now expected to offer the following key features at release:
A class system without classes, where you are what you wear
A crafting system that allows you to create the best gear yourself
PvP battles with up to 100 players in various modes
A story told in the open world
What happened in the beta? Unusually for a beta, it lands in the top 3 on Steam: Shortly after the beta began, New World attracted 187,726 players simultaneously, even surpassing GTA V.
At the beginning, most players probably did not play at all but spent their time in the sometimes hours of waiting queues. This was because the servers of New World were not equipped to handle the immense influx of players at first, but Amazon soon managed to get the problem under control.
A conclusion is also drawn by the YouTuber m4xfps in this video:
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.
The hype around New World and the anticipation for the MMO is as great for a new MMO as it was at the beginning of 2019, when the online shooter Anthem was released. Hopefully, things will turn out better for New World than they did for Anthem back then.
How satisfied are you? Shortly after the start of the beta, we asked you in a survey what you thought of the beta so far. The results were clear, as two-thirds of you voted “good” or “great!” This led to lengthy discussions in the comments, showing that not all players were satisfied with the beta.
A large portion of our users commented that the game could have benefited from a longer development time. Nevertheless, there is consensus: New World is fundamentally not a bad game. It will provide variety in the Western MMORPG market.
What is your conclusion? Tell us, what is your final verdict on the beta? Will you give New World a chance when it launches at the end of the month, or did the beta even make you hesitant? Do you already know which faction and weapons you want to play? What did you particularly like about PvP and PvE – and what not at all? Do you think the game will be successful or fade away? We look forward to your comments!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In The Division 2, there has largely been silence. The development of the online shooter was apparently mostly scaled back in 2020, but in March 2021, Ubisoft promised: It will continue after all. However, players have been waiting for news for 5 months, yet the brand “The Division” seems to be so important for Ubisoft.
This is how it went for the “The Division” brand in the last 5 years: Part 1 of “The Division” was released in March 2016 and was initially well received, but then sharply criticized. Although the shooter had atmosphere and a good campaign, it lacked substance in the endgame and polish. The Division 1 was characterized by bugs and exploits.
However, the team made a turnaround and was able to significantly improve The Division 1 over the years. Especially the DLCs were praised. They brought completely new ways to play The Division.
When it was recognized at Massive that The Division 1 was a commercial hit, work immediately began on “The Division 2” – which then was released in 2019.
Division 2 was initially received with enthusiasm, but the second part of the shooter series was also harshly criticized. However, unlike The Division 1, no major turnaround was achieved this time. Sales figures were weak – Ubisoft itself viewed the game as “too close to The Division 1” without significantly improving the fundamental concept.
Actually, the development of The Division was already completed with the 2020 expansion “The Warlords of New York”. Since nothing new was announced, it was thought that Massive would now focus on games like Avatar. But then it was said: New content is coming.
Pandemic and Free Promotion Apparently Saved The Division 2
This was the promise: In March 2021, Massive spoke up again. Now it was stated: March 2020 had suddenly become the peak of the game – it seems that during the beginning of the Corona pandemic and due to a clever promotional coup by Ubisoft, many players rediscovered The Division 2. Never had The Division 2 more players than in March 2020:
Players were promised that new content for The Division 2 was coming, led by experienced veterans and supported by Ubisoft Bucharest.
A “completely new game mode for The Division” would be introduced. And it would give agents new ways to progress.
The 40 million players were an argument for continuing the development of The Division 2
New Update for The Division 2 Not Until End of 2021
This was the problem: However, it was also stated that they were still in the “very early phase of development” and that the update was “still several months away”. Players should expect it at the end of 2021.
Apparently, Massive had completely scaled back the development of new content for The Division 2 in 2020 and had just now started up again.
The Division 2 Practically Dead, While the Brand is So Important
This is now the situation: The brand “The Division” is in a strange situation. Because the “base game” may have had a boom in March 2020, it feels like nothing has happened in The Division 2 for months and it will probably still be some time before anything happens.
The originally weak sales figures of The Division 2 led to a halt in content planning, which players are now waiting out. After “The Warlords of New York” in March 2020, Massive had apparently actually scaled back the core work on The Division 2 for a long time and only ramped it back up in March 2021.
The brand “The Division” has become increasingly important for Ubisoft in recent years:
Therefore, it is strategically important for Ubisoft and Massive that The Division 2 gets back on track. Whether they will succeed in waking up the sleeping game again is currently uncertain. A “The Division 3” is a long way off.
Many felt strongly reminded of The Division during the Corona pandemic, perhaps even too strongly:
Speedrunner NickRawcliffe seems to have found great enjoyment in the survival MMO Valheim . He constantly seeks ways to master the game creatively. In his latest attempt, he completed Valheim… but backward.
This means Rawcliffe kills the last boss Yagluth first and the first boss Eikthyr last. However, since this wouldn’t be much of a challenge with an existing character, he created a new character for this.
Why is this impressive? Actually, you need to defeat the first boss Eikthyr to craft your first pickaxe. This tool and the upgraded forms are needed repeatedly later on to progress further.
Generally, Valheim is structured so that you must defeat a boss to complete a “chapter” and then continue. You need specific items from them to unlock new resources and recipes.
How long did it take him? The “speed” run took a remarkable 45 hours, with more than half of that time spent just on summoning the third boss, the Bone Mass. He summarized his run in a handy 17-minute video:
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.
How did NickRawcliffe manage it? In his video, Rawcliffe explains some of the tricks he used to find and defeat the bosses or to craft tools that he technically shouldn’t have:
for his first pickaxe, he used a troll with a club, which he lured to ore deposits so it would “mine” for him – Thus, he obtained equipment and tools made of bronze
He defeated the final boss Yagluth with a trick by hiding underground and attacking the boss through the ground
for Bone Mass, actually the third and one of the hardest bosses, he had to wander through swamps for a remarkable 27 hours to find rare chests that could even more rarely contain the bones needed to summon the boss
normally such bones are found in crypts – but you can only enter them once the second boss has been defeated (which comes after Bone Mass in this run)
Okay, cool – But why?! Valheim has been available since February 2021 and has yet to receive a major content update. Players who remain loyal to the survival MMO are constantly looking for new ways to spend time in the game:
The developers are currently working on completing the first update “Hearth and Home”. This is supposed to primarily expand the building and crafting aspect of the game, which is already one of Valheim’s more popular features. They have already revealed more about it in a blog post:
But that’s not all: With the new update, the mothership started to suck up Slurpy Swamp with a beam above the map. Apparently, the entire location is supposed to be abducted over the coming days – and it might not be the only one. This is pointed out in the official update info (via Epicgames.com).
However, already now the ongoing abduction of the location is noticeable.
Slurpy Swamp is floating towards the mothership
This is happening at Slurpy Swamp: The entire location has been captured by the mothership’s tractor beam. When you enter it, you’ll immediately notice: There’s reduced gravity here. So you can jump around wildly, just like inside the mothership.
The sight is quite crazy: Among other things, boulders, houses, trucks or boxes are currently floating upwards at Slurpy Swamp. Even the slurp juice that comes out of the pipes is flowing skyward.
Gameplay-wise, you can take advantage of this: You can jump from platform to platform and seek cover in unusual places.
Slurpy Swamp is being pulled upwards
What’s next? The update info mentions that the aliens are now implementing their grand plan: “The abduction of certain locations”. The fact that multiple POIs are being mentioned suggests that Slurpy will not be the last target.
However, the Slurp Factory will likely still have some business with the mothership: “Abducting an entire location doesn’t just happen overnight. So check back periodically during the week to see the progress of the abduction,” the announcement states.
The (former) head of Blizzard, J. Allen Brack, has stepped down. In his place, two vice presidents are now following in his footsteps: Jennifer “Jen” Oneal and Mike Ybarra. Both are not long with Blizzard, but have many years of experience in game development.
Who are the two heads? On August 3, 2021, Blizzard announced that head J. Allen Brack was leaving the company. This means one of the last known figures of the “old” Blizzard has now also departed.
Following Brack are now the two vice presidents Jennifer Oneal and Mike Ybarra as the new heads of the company, as Blizzard confirmed in the announcement itself. Shortly before, Activision head Bobby Kotick also announced: People will be fired.
The two new heads have not been with Blizzard for long, but already have many years of experience in the industry and in game development.
Together over 46 years of experience in the gaming industry
Who is Jen Oneal? The former developer and studio head of Vicarious Visions has been with Blizzard since January 2021. However, her studio has been part of Activision since 2005. During her time in the industry, she worked on:
since 1998 as a tester
for the first time as a coordinator on Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine (LucasArts; 1999)
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 as producer
Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure as producer
several Tony Hawk games as producer and Head of Studio
Destiny 2 together with Bungie
Jen Oneal came to Blizzard through Diablo. Her studio was supposed to assist Blizzard in developing Diablo 2: Resurrected and was integrated in January 2021. The idea was to connect the studio overall with the Diablo franchise, also with Diablo 4.
Oneal is also highly engaged in promoting women in the industry. Since 2015, she has been a member of the Young Women’s Leadership Initiative, and since 2017, she has been a member of the Women Presidents Organization (via Linkedin.com).
The title image is sourced from the career page of Blizzard (via Blizzard.com).
Who is Mike Ybarra? Before his career at Blizzard, Mike Ybarra worked over 19 years at Microsoft and another 2 years at software developer Hewlett-Packard. At Microsoft, he was early on as a manager and worked on:
Age of Empires Online
Ryse: Son of Rome (Legendary Editions)
Sunset Overdrive
Quantum Break
Ybarra joined Blizzard in November 2019, so he has also only been with the company for nearly 2 years. There, he has so far also served as a manager and as executive vice president. As some players discovered, Ybarra even seems to enjoy playing WoW himself (via WoW forums).
How Blizzard will develop under the new leadership remains to be seen. Both Oneal and Ybarra have extensive experience with inclusiveness and equality.
Blizzard’s biggest brand, World of Warcraft, is currently also wavering. Players are repeatedly dissatisfied with the content and recently more so with the payment system:
In Destiny 2, a new Weekly Reset is approaching. Today, on August 3rd, the last Iron Banner of Season 14 and for the first time, the legendary weapon “Destiny’s Call” in its final form are available in the game. What else the Action-MMO has to offer is revealed by MeinMMO.
This is happening in Destiny 2: The Solstice of Heroes 2021 is now over, if you managed to reach the majestic armor (purple), you can still earn the white glow even after the event. From today, Lord Saladin will visit the Tower. He brings the last Iron Banner event of Season 14.
Bungie has already announced that you will also be able to hunt for the current weapons in the next season and even a few new guns will enter the loot pool of the Iron Lords. So if you want to get leveled up, you shouldn’t miss the 4 pinnacle bounties.
The challenge “Out of the Way” is currently available in the Glass Chamber. Prevent the Templar boss from teleporting even once. At least one Guardian (usually the relic holder) will jump into the blue-red marked spots in the arena.
As a reward, there is a time-warped weapon in the Challenge Mode of the Raid. This week finally brings the Destiny’s Call. It will definitely come with explosive payload and fireflies – an explosive mix!
Throughout the week, you’ll receive a bonus on Crucible Glory. So if you want to quickly rank up with Lord Shaxx – for example for the seasonal challenges – you should head to PvP.
You can also replay all previous Fire Trials on Pinnacle. Good for those still working on their Conqueror title.
The loot pool in the Nightfall has completely rotated. Accordingly, the fusion rifle Plug One.1 may be up for grabs.
Playlist Strikes have these modifiers:
Arc Burn
Grenadier
Iron
The elemental modifier will remain the same until the next Weekly Reset, the others rotate daily.
Glassway on Pinnacle is one of the hardest PvE content in all of Destiny 2.
Crucible: These are the PvP playlists:
Private Match
Rumble
Control
Elimination
Glory Survival
Glory Survival: Freelance
Mayhem
Iron Banner
Petra Venj can conveniently be found right at the spawn point of the Dreaming City. The whole zone has the 2nd curse week. You can prove yourselves in the 3rd Ascendant Challenge.
Sources for Pinnacle 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 rises to 1,320. In Season 15, the level will only increase by +10, so if you’re diligent now, you’ll save yourself the grind in the future.
Here you can find Pinnacle Loot that can take you over 1,310:
Reach at least 100,000 points as a team in the Nightfall: Fire Trial (+2)
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 the appropriate focus (+1)
Hawthorne’s Clan Quest
Glory Dust Highlights of the Eververse
Duality with a stylish ornament.
Here’s what’s on offer with Tess:
The exotic ship “Tachyon-4”
The exotic Sparrow “Cosmos Star”
The exotic Ghost shell “Canopus Shell”
The exotic emote “Read the Map”
The exotic ornament “Binary Function” for Duality
The seasonal chest armor for Hunters, Titans, and Warlocks
Next week, the seasonal finale will finally start. From August 10th, the “Epilogue” of Season 14 begins, preparing us for the yet unnamed Season 15. If you want to prepare optimally, here is a practical guide:
There is new information about the Pro Clubs mode in FIFA 22. You can find out what new features to expect this year here.
What kind of mode is this? In Pro Clubs mode, you can team up with other players in a club. Ideally, each player takes on a single player, resulting in matches with up to 11 against 11 players.
In recent years, Pro Clubs fans have wished for more comprehensive changes to the mode. EA Sports has now announced what is planned for this year.
This is new in Pro Clubs in FIFA 22
New possibilities in Pro Clubs: In FIFA 22, it will be possible for the first time to create female avatars in Pro Clubs mode. This allows men and women to play side by side in Pro Clubs mode. In the past, this was only possible in the Volta mode.
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.
In addition, you will finally have the chance to customize your club’s stadium in Pro Clubs. This includes changes to the stands, pitch patterns, chants, and choreographies – similar to what you already know from Ultimate Team.
Pro Clubs fans have long wished for this customization option.
More like a role-playing game: In Pro Clubs, you can improve your players based on a skill tree. This progression system has been overhauled for FIFA 22 and now resembles a role-playing game more. With the help of levels and skill points, you can improve your pros in the areas that are most needed on the field. For example, you can improve your strikers’ finishing, while midfielders might focus more on ball distribution.
There will also be special perks that you can unlock for your pros and teams. These will further enhance your players’ abilities and can grant them advantages depending on the game situation.
Today there was a new update in Fortnite with version 17.30. With the update, the new item Prop-ifier sneaked into the game and was quickly disabled again. We show you where to find the item and what makes it special.
What happened today? Today, on August 3rd, update 17.30 was released in Fortnite. There was a usual server downtime. Epic Games announced one of the contents of the update in advance, which was the item Grab-itron. However, once the servers were back online, players found a surprise.
At NPCs on the map, the item Prop-ifier was for sale. But a few hours later, the Prop-ifier was removed. What the weapon can do and how to use it best, you can find out here.
The new Prop-ifier in Fortnite patch 17.30
What kind of item is this? The new item that was secretly added and then disabled is called Prop-ifier. With this item, you can transform into various objects, thereby gaining a playful advantage. Whether it’s a doghouse or a vase, the Prop-ifier offers all that and much more.
The Twitter account FortniteBRFeed highlighted the new weapon with a video. Just a few hours after it was revealed that the device had secretly made its way into Fortnite, it was removed again. At 14:57, the Twitter account of FortniteBRFeed pointed out that the Prop-ifier had been disabled and was not intended for release at that time.
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.
Unfortunately, it was not yet intended to use the item now
Where can one find the item? The good piece was sold for 600 gold and was offered by random NPCs. Since the item was offered randomly, there is no exact vendor location.
The best way to use the new item would be defensively, attempting to disguise oneself in hopeless situations to avoid confrontation. Alternatively, one can camouflage and try a surprise attack to eliminate unsuspecting opponents.
Is there something to keep in mind? Since the item needs to recharge, you cannot spam the function and must wait for the next recharge. Another point to consider would be the space consumption. You occupy one item slot, which you could have filled with a good weapon or consumables.
Nevertheless, this is a good and useful item that will be versatile. What do you think of the new secret weapon that was suddenly removed again? Do you find it practical or rather a fun gimmick? Let us know.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
If you are a fan of old-school role-playing games, but do not like to play alone, Nevergrind Online (PC) might be exactly the game you’ve been waiting for. We at MeinMMO summarize the most important things for you.
What is Nevergrind Online actually? Nevergrind is an old-school RPG in the style of Dragon Warrior or Wizardry. In first-person perspective, you can explore dungeons, solve quests, and more. You do not have to do all of this alone, as you can experience Nevergrind in co-op mode with up to four players. Additionally, Nevergrind promises the following features:
12 races and 14 classes
Attributes that you can distribute freely
12 different skills for each of the classes
A variety of different equipment sets
Procedurally generated dungeons
14 different areas
A hardcore mode with permadeath feature
How does the game work? Once you have created a character, you can explore the kingdom of Edenburg. There you will find various buildings with different functions. The most important one is the tavern, where you can find quests and leaderboards. There is also a guild hall to improve communication with your friends.
In the city, you equip yourself accordingly and also prepare for your quests that you can then experience together with other players.
In this video, the developer talks about the latest progress and shows gameplay:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZx5211OyRs
When can you play it? Nevergrind Online is expected to launch on April 20, 2022, on Steam (via Steam). However, a closed alpha phase is already running. You can participate in this closed alpha by simply contacting the developer via Discord.
The co-op adventure is currently not finished and the closed alpha is not “feature complete”. Not all features that are supposed to be in the game at launch have been implemented yet. The game is also being developed by a single person, and the closed alpha will be one of the first opportunities to try out the game.
What do the players say? So far, according to the developer, only about 70 people have been able to try the game. The response on social media is therefore not particularly wide-reaching. However, the community that has already begun to form around the game is very excited about the title.
For example, the user ZKuerten writes (via Twitter): “Oh wow! I did not know there was already a playable version. I need to try it as soon as possible!”
In response to a screenshot, the user DRPGBook (via Twitter): “Wow, the ice zone looks incredibly good!”
The user dumeganz writes (via Twitter): “The textures look so good, you really think it goes much deeper into the dungeon”
We could not find any negative comments during our research. This suggests that the game could cover a niche that may not be large, but is friendly.
What do you think of Nevergrind Online? Is this old-school RPG something for you? Will you participate in the alpha? Let us know in the comments.
A BlizzCon clip made headlines. The woman shown now says: She didn’t find it that wild, the audience’s reaction back then was worse.
In recent weeks, there has been a lot of talk at Activision Blizzard about the sexism and discrimination scandal. Particularly, the development team of World of Warcraft is under criticism. Alongside serious allegations against the already dismissed Alex Afrasiabi, a video has also gained symbolic importance: A clip from BlizzCon 2010, where a woman asks a question about character design in WoW. The video went viral and serves as a prime example of everything that is going wrong with the developers of WoW.
What kind of video is it?The video comes from BlizzCon 2010. Even back then, there were “Q&A” panels where players could ask their questions directly to the developers. Particularly the passage with a woman has now uncomfortably stood out. She praised the developers for having so many strong female roles in World of Warcraft, but asked if they all had to look like they came out of a “Victoria’s Secret” catalog.
At first glance, there is audible applause from the women in the audience, but then the booing from the men takes the dominant role. The developers do not take it particularly seriously and ask “Which catalog should they come from?” Shortly after, it is clarified that they understand her and are trying to include many different types of women in the game.
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.
Since then, the video has nonetheless been taken as evidence that there is a “Bro Culture” at Blizzard.
What has happened now? The magazine Kotaku has tracked down the woman and conducted an interview with her. Xantia talked a lot about the current and past incidents and provided some interesting insights. She also clarified how she perceived the whole situation back then.
It’s really strange to see that this whole thing is being covered by the press concerning a question I asked 11 years ago.
When asked what she thought when the developers brushed her off so simply, Xantia replied:
I’ll tell you, it’s actually funny, I didn’t think too much about it back then because it’s so discouraging. You go up there, you’re nervous because you’re being filmed, you’re live-streamed, and you’re standing in front of an audience of several thousand people. It’s hard to clearly articulate your thoughts. And I managed to sum it up, came to the question, and they turn it into a joke.
I kind of like how I laugh there and then they just carry on. I thought, okay, I guess I’m not getting a chance at a follow-up question. Okay, I’m being sent away, wonderful.
She mentions that afterwards some women and a few men came up to her and said they liked her question and considered it important.
What stuck much more in Xantia’s mind was the audience’s reaction back then:
Honestly, the sound of so many guys booing me bothered me way more than being sent away. You had this initial cheer from the women in the crowd and then a huge wave of boos.
Despite everything, that didn’t weigh on Xantia as heavily as some portray today.
I didn’t think much about it because there has always been a certain amount of sexism in the games industry, and you just learn to roll your eyes and ignore it and enjoy the things [in the games] that you like.
Xantia criticizes ex-developer: However, Xantia criticizes Greg Street, whom many know as “Ghostcrawler”. He was once an important WoW developer but is now working on the LoL-MMO for Riot. He had commented on the incident in a series of tweets, later regretted the whole thing, and also explained that they didn’t perceive it that closely at the time because they couldn’t see the face of the questioner well due to the lighting. To this, Xantia said:
I believe Greg Street now knows who I am. Cool. Okay. Also, that wasn’t really an apology, but do what you gotta do. Whatever lets you sleep at night.
I joked about it with a friend when I saw it and everything he wrote: ‘Oh, I couldn’t see her reaction, I couldn’t see her face’ and how he’s now disappointed by it all. But hey, your ears worked just fine. Didn’t you hear the hundreds of people booing me? What would it have cost you to say: ‘Hey, guys, that’s really not cool?’ When you justify and explain yourself to that extent, it stops being an apology.
Xantia wanted to work at Blizzard: For many, it might be hard to imagine, but despite the incident, Xantia wanted to work at Blizzard and applied in 2012 for a position in the “Strategic Initiatives Department,” but ultimately was rejected. In the end, however, she is probably glad about it:
I was quite shaken [about the rejection] back then, but hey, you can have so much luck in failure. It feels like I just dodged a bullet.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Soon the 3rd Hyperbonus will start in Pokémon GO and it is still not known which Pokémon will be the focus of this event. MeinMMO author Franzi Korittke explains why she thinks it’s the right time for a release with Hoopa.
When does the 3rd Hyperbonus start? The 3rd Hyperbonus starts on August 20, 2021 at 10:00 AM and ends on August 31, 2021 at 8:00 PM local time.
What is the problem? At the Pokémon GO Fest 2021, participating trainers had the opportunity to solve global challenges and earn additional events. They succeeded, which is why the 1st Hyperbonus is currently taking place. This revolves around the theme of “time”.
Starting August 6, the 2nd Hyperbonus will begin, which focuses on the theme of “space”. For both events, the focus was communicated early and trainers could guess which legendary monsters would be waiting for them in the raids.
Unlike the first two Hyperbonus events, Niantic has not disclosed any information so far about the 3rd Hyperbonus. Everything is still strictly secret, leading to many speculations about this event. Alongside the creator Pokémon Arceus, some trainers suspect a release of Hoopa.
The ideal time to finally release Hoopa
I, Franzi from MeinMMO, have been playing Pokémon GO daily for almost two years and will show you why a release of Hoopa during the 3rd Hyperbonus would be the perfect timing from my perspective.
That’s why the event fits perfectly: There is currently only little information available about the 3rd Hyperbonus, which was earned during the GO Fest 2021. Since it is linked to the GO Fest, I could imagine that Niantic intends to release a monster that was also a theme of this event.
One Pokémon played a central role on that day, but could not be caught: the mysterious Pokémon Hoopa. Pokémon GO made repeated references to this event. For instance, it was responsible for the countless legendary raids on the second event day.
Additionally, after the first event day, Niantic adjusted the loading screen and integrated Hoopa into it. In the past, Pokémon that appeared in the loading screen were also released in the game shortly thereafter. This could be observed with Feelinara, for instance. So it could be an indication that Hoopa is finally coming to the game.
Does it thematically fit as well? Yes, thematically Hoopa can also be aligned with Dialga and Palkia. These two cause changes in the time and space phenomena during the 1st and 2nd Hyperbonus. And Hoopa also addresses the themes of time and space in a certain way. It can transport things from one place to another using its rings.
All of these criteria indicate that, in my view, the perfect time for a release of Hoopa would be the event for the 3rd Hyperbonus. Which Pokémon will actually be found in the last Hyperbonus remains to be seen. As soon as Niantic provides new information, you will find out here, on MeinMMO.
What do you think about a release of Hoopa? Will it happen during the 3rd Hyperbonus or do you hope for another Pokémon? Feel free to share your opinion on MeinMMO in the comments.
Gengar is a spooky Speedster in Pokémon Unite with a heavy attack combo and lots of damage. MeinMMO shows you how to master the Poltergeist with this build and guide.
What kind of Pokémon is Gengar? Gengar is the classic among Ghost-type Pokémon and has been part of the monster universe since the first generation. Its shape consists almost entirely of a wicked face and has surely caused quite a stir in the dreams of many Pokémon fans.
In Pokémon Unite, Gengar is a Speedster with high damage but very little synergy with other Pokémon. As Gengar, you prefer to do your own thing and use your combos to strike at the right moment. MeinMMO shows you in the guide how to benefit from the strong attacks of the spooky Speedster:
We have put together a quick overview of the strongest attacks and items:
Where does the guide come from? To create the guide, we looked at gameplay for Gengar and experienced the Speedster in-game. Author Maik Schneider also looks back on many thousands of matches in third-person MOBA SMITE and has already played a few dozen matches in Pokémon Unite.
What abilities should Gengar use? The attack mix of Sludge Bomb and HEX provides the best synergies in Gengar’s strongest role on the mid-lane.
Sludge Bomb is a “ranged” attack, dealing damage on impact and poisoning enemies. The poison makes the target a victim of HEX, a “dash” attack. If you attack the poisoned enemy with HEX, the damage increases, and the cooldown is significantly reduced. You can use HEX almost immediately again as either a escape or another attack. This works with other status changes too – to trigger the effect of HEX, the enemy does not necessarily have to be poisoned.
Attack Cooldown:
First Slot
Will-O-Wisp / Ranged – 5 Seconds
Shadow Ball / Ranged – 4.5 Seconds
Sludge Bomb / Area – 8 Seconds
Second Slot
Lick / Area – 7 Seconds
Dream Eater / Ranged – 8 Seconds
HEX / Dash – 7.5 Seconds
The other two attacks “Shadow Ball” and “Dream Eater” lack behind in damage. Although strong combos are possible when you cooperate with other players, the combo of Sludge Bomb and HEX is considerably better on the mid-lane.
What held items suit Gengar? Gengar’s held items should either increase its mobility or strengthen its special attack:
Float Stone (ATK/Speed): Increases movement speed when you are not in combat
Wise Glasses (SP-ATK): Increases your special attack value
Sp. Atk Specs (SP-ATK): Increases special attack value when you land points
Shell Bell (SP-ATK/Cooldown): If you hit with an attack, you will be healed
What battle items suit Gengar? Here you can think about whether you want more mobility or rather an attack boost:
X Attack: Increases the attack for a few seconds
Eject Button: Small jump in the desired direction
Gengar: A Speedster with high damage but little synergy
What makes Gengar strong? Gengar’s moveset brings you hard hits and a lot of force. Its biggest strength lies in the interplay of the attacks “HEX” with “Sludge Bomb”. While Sludge Bomb inflicts poison on your opponents, you can use the status change to strengthen HEX and almost completely bypass its cooldown.
Strong for a Speedster are also the passive skills. “Levitate” allows you to move faster outside of combat, and as a third basic attack, you have a small dash that shoots you a few meters towards your target.
It is also worth mentioning Gengar’s Unite attack. You become briefly invisible and gain increased movement speed. If you activate the Unite move a second time, you deal area damage around you and slow down enemies – also a fitting move for a Speedster.
What can Gengar not do well? Gengar is not the fastest among Speedsters and also does not have a fast-recharging dash that it could use for escape or movement. HEX is often too valuable, and the recharge takes long to just start the cooldown.
Additionally, Gengar only evolves at level 9. Before that, you are stuck with the weak Ghastly and evolve into Haunter at level 5. You still need to gain 4 levels to start the Gengar evolution. Many competitors with 3 evolutions reach their final form as early as level 7.
As a Speedster, you are also very “squishy”. That means you have relatively little health and defense. If another Speedster catches you and you have all skills on cooldown, you are quickly done for. This also applies if your attack goes awry or an unexpected enemy joins a fight. You must play Gengar very carefully because you can only take a few hits – Gengar offers high damage but also high risk.
Finally, Gengar is not a good team player. With good communication and/or a lot of experience with the synergies between the monsters in Pokémon Unite, Gengar can also enhance other Pokémon. But generally, you help yourself more and benefit from the skills of others. If you allow tanks or supporters to help you on a lane and level Gengar up faster, this can indeed be strong.
Pros and Cons of Gengar
Pro
Strong damage
Interaction of the skills HEX and Sludge Bomb
Suitable passive skills for a Speedster
Strong Unite move for a Speedster
Contra
Slower compared to other Speedsters
No real escape
Little synergy with other Pokémon
Late evolution to Gengar
Who should play Gengar? Role, Lane, Traits
Which lane is suitable for Gengar? Gengar’s main role as a Speedster is the jungle, that is, the mid-lane. As long as you are Ghastly, you should avoid player battles as much as possible and focus on jungle monsters. From level 5 onward, you can drop by the lanes as Haunter and help finish off enemy players. With level 7 and the HEX skill, you can really get to work.
Gengar can also score points as an offensive support for Pokémon with more defense. With “Lick”, you can pull enemies towards you early on, and “Will-O-Wisp” can deal solid damage to NPC opponents on the lane due to “burning” and can even hit multiple enemies.
However, the synergies with other Pokémon are limited, and the jungle/the mid-lane is the most suitable playground for Gengar.
Who is Gengar suitable for? The Ghost-type Pokémon is not for beginners. If you are not familiar with MOBAs or do not yet know how matches unfold in Pokémon Unite, it is better to leave Gengar in the Pokéball. Because you need a good feel for when you are needed in a match.
When the team fight inevitably comes with the appearance of Zapdos, you also need to hold back and should only land regular hits with Sludge Bomb. If you go into battle with HEX, it can end quickly.
A good mix of aggression and restraint is required with Gengar. A mix that most often has been acquired as an experienced player.
Details about Gengar:
Role: Speedster
Lane: Mid-lane
Type: Special Attack
Basic Attack: Melee
Third Attack: Dash towards enemy
Gengar Guide – How to play the spooky Speedster
As Ghastly up to level 5: First, activate the attack Will-O-Wisp with fire. While you’re still a small Ghastly, hold back. You can’t afford player fights because everything knocks you out. At the beginning, go into the jungle (mid-lane) and level up until level 5. Observe the fights on the lanes via the mini-map and assess which side has more trouble holding the lane. But stay in the background and farm jungle monsters.
As Haunter up to level 7: With your evolution to Haunter, you can choose Sludge Bomb and have a strong ranged attack. If a lane needs help, you can do a lot with the attack. However, do not go all out on offense; you are still very “squishy” and an easy target if you get too close to the enemy.
If the lanes are somewhat holding up, you should continue to collect levels while going through the jungle. Keep moving, kill jungle monsters, and help out without going down.
From level 7 as Haunter/Gengar: As soon as you have unlocked the attack HEX, you can get started. Your strong combo, for which Gengar is so cursed, is ready. Throw your Sludge Bomb at an enemy and then attack the poisoned enemy with HEX. Depending on the situation, either attack again with HEX or use the second HEX attack to escape towards your allies.
Continue hunting jungle monsters when the match dynamics allow it. But pay close attention to the lanes and possible enemies who are moving alone. From now on, you need to hone your instincts for lane fights and the paths of the enemies:
Am I helping a lane with a breakthrough?
Is the lane surviving the attack, or do I need to help?
Am I waiting at the edge of the lane for an enemy who is straying from the group?
Am I catching the enemy with low energy?
Am I continuing to kill many jungle monsters to gain an EXP advantage for the team?
Before the team fight occurs and all 10 players go after each other, the “jungler” on the mid-lane needs to be at the right place at the right time. This makes the role particularly difficult for beginners since you have to “read” the match to make the right decisions for your team.
As Gengar in team fights: Your strong combo also helps in team fights but can quickly backfire. Bombard the battlefield from the second row with your Sludge Bombs and wait for the right opportunities to take down enemies. If an enemy strays too far from the battlefield or many opponents have already used their attacks, jump in with HEX after a Sludge Bomb and escape with the second HEX.
You can also run into the group with your Unite move, cause damage, and exit with the HEX move. But always try to maintain a respectful distance from the fight. One wrong step and your Speedster will get taken out.
If you want to see some mid-lane gameplay of Gengar, we’ll embed a YouTube video here:
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.
Pokémon Unite focuses on the battle between monsters and lets you compete with the familiar characters from the vast Pokémon universe. For fans who enjoy the MOBA-like rules, Pokémon Unite could be a gaming gem that provides long-lasting motivation.
In light of the sexism scandal surrounding Activision Blizzard, a new development is emerging. According to a blog post from Blizzard, the president of Blizzard, J. Allen Brack, is leaving the company. Brack was previously an important figure in the MMORPG World of Warcraft.
Where does the information come from? Gaming journalist Jason Schreier tweeted the news at 2:15 PM German time.
He writes: “Blizzard president J. Allen Brack is leaving the company. Activision Blizzard just informed the employees of this. Jen Oneal and Mike Ybarra will take over as ‘Co-Leaders of Blizzard.'”.
How certain is this? This is very certain. Jason Schreier is regarded as a well-connected industry insider. He recently published internal emails that were circulating at Blizzard. Therefore, it is certain that he has sources at Activision Blizzard.
When such news is communicated to the entire Blizzard staff, it is plausible that someone would immediately pass this information to Schreier. Blizzard apparently leaks like a sieve.
Blizzard confirms rumor immediately
Update: The news is now official. In a blog post, Blizzard announces that J. Allen Brack is stepping down (via Blizzard).
He will be replaced by a new mixed leadership duo. The job description is referred to as “Co-Leader”:
Jen Oneal joined Blizzard in January 2021. Until then, she led the Activision studio Vicarious Visions. This merged into Blizzard to work on Diablo 2 Resurrected. So far, she has supported the “Diablo” and “Overwatch” brands at Blizzard as Executive Vice President of Development.
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.
Mike Ybarra has been with Blizzard since 2019, coming from Xbox, and is primarily responsible for technology and Battle.net. He was previously “Executive Vice President and General Manager of Platform and Technology.”
The focus of both leaders is to make Blizzard the “safest and most welcoming workplace for women and people of all genders, ethnicities, sexual orientations, or backgrounds.”
It is clear: This change in leadership is clearly a response to the sexism scandal that has been occupying Blizzard for days.
Before him, one of Blizzard’s founders, Mike Morhaime, served for years as the “CEO” of the company. Observers had already seen Brack continuing only as “president” as a loss of power for Blizzard to Activision.
J. Allen Brack had positioned himself as an opponent of this macho culture at Blizzard in an internal statement. However, a video from a BlizzCon many years ago has turned against him. It casts a negative light on Brack:
New leadership duo reportedly signals a new beginning
What’s behind it: The new male/female leadership duo can now be seen as a sign that Blizzard wants to make a fresh start. Ybarra has only been with Blizzard for 2 years, and Oneal has been there for even less than half a year.
The “old guard” at Blizzard seems to be compromised by the events of the last few weeks. Many veterans from the old days no longer work at Blizzard anyway, as there has been an exodus of executives in recent years.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Today, on August 3rd, the Spotlight Hour with Magnemite starts in Pokémon GO. As a bonus, you will receive more Stardust during the event. We will show you all the information you need to know for the start today.
What is a Spotlight Hour? Those of you who are veterans are already familiar with the event. Every Tuesday evening, a Spotlight Hour runs in Pokémon GO. During this time, a selected Pokémon is the focus of the event for an hour. It spawns nearly everywhere in the wild and is also attracted by the incense module.
There is also a bonus that affects the amount of Stardust you receive today. Thus, the event is interesting for both beginners and veterans, as Stardust is always important in the game to strengthen your Pokémon.
Spotlight Hour with Magnemite – Start time and bonus
When does it start? As you already know from past events, the Spotlight Hour starts today again at 6:00 PM local time. The event will be active for one hour and ends around 7:00 PM local time. After that, the bonuses will expire, and the spawns in the wild will normalize again.
What bonus is there? Today, everything revolves around Stardust. Because for catching Pokémon, you will receive double the amount of Stardust during the event. So make good use of the small event today if you want to fill up your dust supply. If you want, you can also ignite a Star Piece to earn even more dust.
If you combine the event with incense, you can expect many Magnemite spawns and plenty of dust.
Is there Shiny Magnemite? Yes! If you’re lucky, you can encounter and catch shiny Magnemite during the Spotlight Hour. The shiny has been in the game for a long time, but was temporarily unavailable in Pokémon GO.
In the following graphic, you can see the Magnemite family in both its normal and shiny form:
You can see Magnemite, Magneton, and Magnezone in their normal and shiny forms in the picture.
Is the Spotlight Hour worth it today?
What it brings you: The Stardust bonus alone is likely to be the biggest motivation for most of you to participate in the event today. Whether trading Pokémon with friends or powering up your own Pokémon, you always need dust.
Additionally, collecting candy from Magnemite pays off. Because evolving into Magnezone makes it one of the strongest Electric attackers in Pokémon GO. Having a few strong specimens in your collection will greatly enhance your performance in raids.
Will you participate in the Spotlight Hour with Magnemite today or are you skipping the event this time? Let us know your opinion here on MeinMMO in the comments and exchange thoughts with other trainers.
The shooterFortnite: Battle Royale is hosting another concert with a well-known artist. This time we are expecting a performance by Ariana Grande. You can find out how and when to participate here. You will also receive a keepsake after the event.
What can we expect?As leaks revealed weeks beforehand, there is again a concert event in Fortnite. Similar to what happened with Marshmello and Travis Scott before, but this time with the singer and actress Ariana Grande.
You will dive into different areas during the concert and experience them live while Ariana Grande performs her songs. There you will be able to hear her most popular tracks and see how the environment constantly changes.
As teased in Fortnite through a trailer, you will experience different areas during the concert similar to what happened with Travis Scott.
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.
Here is the teaser trailer for Ariana Grande’s concert.
Ariana Grande – Save the Date
When does the concert take place? The concerts will take place from August 7 to 9. In the list, you will find the times so you can see which time suits you.
Your options to participate in the event would be:
Show 1 – Saturday, August 7, 00:00 CEST
Show 2 – Saturday, August 7, 20:00 CEST
Show 3 – Sunday, August 8, 06:00 CEST
Show 4 – Sunday, August 8, 16:00 CEST
Show 5 – Monday, August 9, 00:00 CEST
The battle buses will be ready 30 minutes before the start, so be there an hour early. From past events, we have learned that server issues can occur due to overloads.
Tip: In the game, you have the option to select your desired day and always have the date and time in view as a reminder.
Rift Tour Challenges and Bonus Items
These items are available as bonuses: In order for all fans to participate, the Rift Tour will be split over three days, allowing everyone the opportunity to participate and obtain the exclusive glider “Fluffy Cloud Cuddler”. Additionally, the Rift Tour by Ariana Grande includes extra quests in which items can be earned. These are:
Fluffy Cloud Cuddler
The tasks are as follows:
Remember the date twice in the “Rift Tour” tab and play a match
Interact with the “Rift Tour” posters
Use an alien hologram area at the top of the party UFO
Keep in mind that interesting items related to the event will be offered in the in-game shop during the Rift Tour. This includes the iconic skin of Ariana Grande herself and her back bling “Piggy Smallz”.
What do you think of a new concert in Fortnite? Are you excited like Ariana Grande’s fans or do you just want to grab the free cosmetics? Let us know!
The new MMORPG New World from Amazon recently ended its two-week Closed Beta. We at MeinMMO took a look at the problems the game is still facing and what needs to be improved before release.
How did the beta go? The beta for New World started on July 20 and was immediately very popular. Up to 187,726 players were playing at the start of the beta, which propelled New World to 3rd place in the Steam charts, even before the actual release. Many streamers were also present on Twitch, bringing over 170,000 followers to the New World category.
However, the beta was also plagued by some technical issues. Especially at the beginning, Amazon’s servers were not very stable, and players were sometimes stuck in queues for up to seven hours to play on their chosen server.
Even when players managed to log in, there were crashes in some instances, a major debate about overheated graphics cards, and performance issues. Many of these problems are typical “beta ailments”, but there are also issues that are more deeply rooted in the game. Three of these are particularly important to the community.
Note: The following three headings are quotes from the reddit about New World (via reddit). They are intentionally exaggerated and will be explained in more detail in the text.
“One must be really dumb to not complete a quest”
What is the problem? The headline is a bit harsh, I admit. But the mission and quest design is one of the biggest problems of the upcoming MMORPG: The quests in New World feel unfinished.
This could be attributed to the original concept of the game. Most PvE content found its way into the game only over the past year. Many tasks simply follow the same pattern, with running being the key word.
You run to a quest giver
Then you run to the enemies you need to kill or the items you need to collect. Other quests are a rarity
Then you run back to the quest giver
The highlight of this design are the quests that literally just make you run. For example, from one town to another to deliver something, and then back again.
The quests are monotonous, if not boring, and almost never serve a deeper purpose than to be a quest and grant experience points. This is not only disappointing but is also a critical point for players who focus on solo PvE content when deciding whether or not to buy the game.
The quest texts in New World are also a bit too generic.
Why it needs to be fixed: If the quests in a game do not work, a large part of the PvE content is automatically eliminated. New World offers many different ways to level up, but for players who prefer a classic route and want to level up through quests, the current situation is critical.
Especially in a new game with current standards, one almost expects quests that go deeper than “kill 10 wolves” or “collect 20 berries”. New World clearly falls short of expectations, which causes disappointment among the player base.
How likely is it to be fixed by release? The quest issue is a problem that runs deeper than just changing a few numbers for balancing. Since the release is less than a month away, it is unlikely that this problem will be addressed before launch.
However, it is conceivable that Amazon will make adjustments later on and improve the quests in the medium to long term. This would be especially important to provide new players with a better experience. It is important for New World to attract new players in the long term and to retain them even after the hype.
This is the status: Amazon should be aware of the problem with the quests. It will likely be fixed or at least improved at some point, but we do not expect much to happen before September 28.
“The combat system is a spam fest where you just hit whatever is ready”
What is the problem? The combat system in New World has undergone a lot of changes and revisions. At the moment, it is okay, but okay is not enough to keep players engaged for long.
It is controversial to really count the combat system as a problem since it also has some fans. Nevertheless, it faces a lot of criticism. The core features of the combat system are as follows:
Two weapons that you can switch between
Each weapon has three different skills
It is important to dodge and block, but it takes relatively long
Even normal attacks put you in an animation lock
Animation lock occurs when you start an attack and are then “stuck” in the animation until the attack is over, regardless of what happens. In a game where blocking and dodging are important, this is a fatal mistake for many players.
However, many fans appreciate the combat system precisely because individual actions take a relatively long time. Some believe it makes for more thoughtful gameplay, requiring players to make careful decisions about attacks, memorize attack patterns, and be more tactical.
The opposing faction believes that due to the ability to switch weapons and the long time it takes for the character to block, players are more likely to just press all the buttons until the enemy falls over. (via reddit)
Why it needs to be fixed: Even though many players like the combat system of New World, it is not very helpful for a new game if the other half of the player base finds such an essential part of the game unsatisfying.
This also plays a role in PvP. New World offers many modes in PvP, where many players are supposed to meet. Dying here because you simply cannot hit your opponent even when you are right in front of them is frustrating.
Amazon would need to make some adjustments to the combat system to make it more appealing to new players and those who do not want to memorize their opponents. Simply put: In an MMORPG where you spend half of your time fighting, combat should be enjoyable for everyone.
Just because the bear is big and right in front of you doesn’t mean you will hit it in New World.
How likely is it to be fixed by release? One month is little time to make such profound changes to a game. However, Amazon has been working on the combat system for quite some time and has already revised it multiple times. It is conceivable that some adjustments will be made before the game ultimately releases.
This is the status: The combat system is not necessarily beginner-friendly. The biggest criticisms of combat could be resolved by adjusting some numbers. We cannot say for certain whether Amazon will address this, but it’s definitely a point that can be changed more easily than the quest design.
“Traveling through the world becomes just tedious at a certain point”
What is the problem? The ‘New World’ is beautiful to look at and large. In the first few hours of play, the island is still impressive, and even later on, players often stop to simply take in the scenery. However, after playing the game for several hours, players quickly become accustomed to the environment, and the issue arises.
There are not enough fast travel points. Most of your time is spent simply walking. There are no mounts, and the fast travel points are not particularly generously distributed.
There are also hardly any spontaneous events like in Guild Wars 2 or the upcoming Lost Ark. So, you spend a large part of your time just walking.
As a result, what should be a highlight of New World, namely the world itself, eventually becomes a tedious aspect of the game, especially in terms of gameplay. This is particularly problematic for players who intend to play New World for a long time.
Why it needs to be fixed: Traveling through the world must be enjoyable, and it should be quick when you need to rush to help a friend. It’s not good for an open-world game if moving through that open world is not fun.
Compared to the other two problems, this is something that still frustrates long-term players and does not get any better in the endgame or with more experience. Here, Amazon must urgently improve.
The map of New World is huge, and you need to cover a lot of it on foot.
How likely is it to be fixed by release? Setting fast travel points in the world or adjusting walking speed or stamina is fortunately not rocket science. It is conceivable that Amazon will take player feedback from the beta and is already working on this issue in order to have it resolved by launch.
In the longer term, mounts could be a possibility, but Amazon has already confirmed that they will not be present at launch. (via Gamestar)
This is the status: The problem of traveling in the world of New World is present and varies in severity, but in our view, it is not too difficult to resolve. We hope that Amazon will improve this before release.
When is New World coming out? The game from Amazon is set to release on September 28, 2021, and will hopefully have implemented much of the feedback from the beta. How much exactly will be improved is still unclear at this point, however, New World is an important release for Amazon.
What still needs to be fixed? In addition to the three major points mentioned, there are many minor issues that New World should take from the beta and improve. These are quality-of-life issues, such as allowing the inventory to be used while running.
Furthermore, Amazon needs to work on the game’s performance as there were recurring issues during the beta. We can assume that many of these minor issues can be resolved before release.
What do you think about New World? Do you see any other problems that the studio needs to address? Let us know in the comments.
Streamer Asmongold, who has mixed feelings about the game, also described it as “trash” while still saying it’s a “good game”.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Twitch streamer Asmongold is actually known for his content about World of Warcraft. However, for over a month now, he has been playing almost exclusively another MMORPG: Final Fantasy XIV. Apparently successfully: he is the biggest streamer on Twitch in the last month.
Who is the streamer? Asmongold, also known by the names “Zack” or “Zackrawrr”, is a well-known Twitch streamer. For years, he was the largest WoW streamer in the world and could regularly attract tens of thousands of viewers with his content.
His way of interacting with the community and sometimes speaking critically about WoW and Blizzard is highly polarizing. Many people either love or hate him.
Asmongold in a more serious video, where he appears simply as “Zack”.
How is Asmongold doing on Twitch: In the last 30 days, Asmongold has been the biggest streamer on Twitch based on viewer hours – ahead of stars like xQc or the Brazilian loud_coringa (via sullygnome.com; as of August 2, 2021):
In July, Asmongold had 14,571,728 viewer hours.
With his second channel “Zackrawrr”, another 1,555,359 hours are added.
In comparison: in June he still had 7,655,019 hours on the main channel.
The hours have roughly doubled, and the average viewers increased from 52,702 to 86,479.
In July, Asmongold also set a new sub-record with 40,000 subs. He had never had so many before (via Twitter).
Rank 2 in July was Félix “xQc” Lengyel with 14,033,450 hours.
Viewer hours are the summed time that viewers spend with a streamer. If about 10 people watch for 2 hours, that’s 20 viewer hours. The value gives a pretty accurate indication of how popular a streamer is, as it reflects the actual time watched.
What is Asmongold showing now? Throughout Asmongold’s gameplay broadcasts in July, you can still see some WoW streams at the beginning, but from July 8th on, only Final Fantasy, Just Chatting, and a few evenings of Dungeons & Dragons, a pen and paper game, are shown.
On his second channel, he also shows almost exclusively and daily the new MMO New World, even if he regularly complains about it. However, nearly half of the time on the main channel went to FFXIV.
Final Fantasy might be treating Asmongold too well …
Why is Asmongold playing FFXIV now? Asmongold has repeatedly had issues with World of Warcraft and at times stopped creating content or streaming altogether. At the beginning of July, in search of alternatives, he played FFXIV for the first time and was immediately impressed by it.
Is he returning to WoW? It is not the first time Asmongold has taken a break from WoW or even streaming altogether. He has repeatedly had differences with the game, but he has always come back.
In the current situation around Blizzard, the major sexism scandal and his general dissatisfaction with WoW, it could take longer this time. He announced some time ago that he wants to change his content and try out things “away from WoW” by experimenting with other things.
Asmongold said: “I would rather kill my stream than watch WoW die.” You can read more about this here on MeinMMO:
The last league match in the American League of Legends by Team Solo Mid turned into a fun spectacle. Neither of the LoL teams had anything to play for, so everyone just played around. In the end, there were 47 kills and a loss for TSM, the best team in the USA.
Why was the game so strange? It was the last game of the regular season in LoL between Team Solo Mid and Dignitas. For both teams, the game had absolutely no significance, as the outcome had no impact on the standings:
Team Solo Mid was firmly in first place in the LCS – they could not be displaced from the top spot
Dignitas was firmly in sixth place in the LCS – whether they won or lost was completely irrelevant
A Clown Fiesta refers to such a strange spectacle where no one really knows what’s going on: In LoL, it represents a game that “gets out of hand” or that “apparently no one takes seriously anymore”.
All pros played a role they don’t usually play
This was the result: All 10 players in the match played a role they usually do not play. It’s about as if Bayern Munich started with Lewandowski in goal and Neuer as striker:
TSM Top Laner Huni suddenly played in the jungle
The German Midlaner PowerOfEvil played as Support Rakan
This is how the game ended: Dignitas was able to decide the match in just 26 minutes with 30 to 17 kills. The 47 kills are almost double the league average of 25 this year.
The probably best player of the match was Dignitas’ ADC, Neo, who played in the jungle as Gragas and secured 18 assists.
Sony has announced the new games that PS Plus subscribers will receive for free in August. As always, there are 3 games for PS4 and PS5. These are now available for free download in the PS Store. We at MeinMMO will introduce them to you.
Here are the 3 new PS Plus games for August 2021: If you have an active subscription to PlayStation Plus or plan to get one soon, you can expect the following lineup of monthly free games in August:
Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville (PS4)
Tennis World Tour 2 (PS4)
Hunter’s Arena: Legends (PS4 and PS5)
In August, you can download all 3 Plus games regardless of your platform. Hunter’s Arena: Legends will be available for Plus users in both versions.
When and where can you download the new PS Plus games? The 3 new free titles are available to subscribers starting now (August 3) for download at no additional cost in the PlayStation Store.
Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville
What is Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville? The game is a third-person shooter based on the popular strategy game Plants vs. Zombies. You take on the role of a plant or a zombie and engage in action-packed battles on the fields of Neighborville, either in single-player or multiplayer, including local split-screen.
You have the choice of up to 23 different classes with unique abilities, categorized into Attacker, Supporter, Defender, or Swarm. With these classes, you can compete in competitive PvP modes like Turf Takeover or Deathmatch against others. Alternatively, you can explore the open zones of Neighborville in PvE, collect items, and complete quests.
You should check out Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborvilleif you are up for colorful and chaotic shooter fun with friends. The game is suitable for both newcomers and fans of the series who have already proven themselves in the Garden Warfare games.
What is Tennis World Tour 2? With Tennis World Tour 2, the name says it all. In this sports game, you take control of a tennis player who must compete in tournaments against others. The tournaments take place all over the world in real stadiums, and you will face international tennis stars like Rafael Nadal or Ashleigh Barty.
The game also offers various modes where you can swing your tennis racket. From the short “Tie-Break Tens” competition, where the winner is decided after just 10 points, to the longer career mode that involves managing the season, staff, equipment, and sponsors.
You should check out Tennis World Tour 2 if you are in the mood for some relaxed rounds of tennis with a touch of management. In this sports game, you can create your own champion.
Hunter’s Arena: Legends
What is Hunter’s Arena: Legends? Unlike many others in the genre, this battle royale focuses on melee combat, which is fought with swords, spears, or even just fists. To be victorious at the end of a match, you must wisely use your combos, parry effectively, and counter when necessary. You can choose from 17 different characters, each with their own skills and features. There is also a leveling system with unlockable abilities.
Hunter’s Arena: Legends also emphasizes PvPvE gameplay. This means that in a match, you will not only compete against other players but also against monsters and bosses located on the map. There are dungeons and a type of raids that you can undertake during matches.
You should check out Hunter’s Arena: Legends if you only have 30 minutes to spare and still want to engage in cool and action-packed battles with dungeons and raids. Hunter’s Arena: Legends packages elements that you are usually familiar with from MMOs into fast-paced rounds that conclude in just 30 minutes.
This is what you need: The only requirement is an active membership with PlayStation Plus, meaning a PS Plus subscription. For a 12-month subscription, you will typically pay €59.99, but there are also numerous sales where you can get it cheaper. Keep in mind: The annual costs become higher with a shorter subscription duration.
As a subscriber, you will receive 2 selected free PS Plus games for PlayStation 4 and one free title for PS5 every month. The games will be available for digital download in the PS Store for specific periods and will not cost you anything additional (aside from the regular subscription fees). Once you have added these games to your library, you can play them without limitations as long as you maintain an active membership—even if it has expired in the meantime.
Here are more advantages of PlayStation Plus at a glance: In addition to the monthly games, subscribers to PS Plus enjoy several additional benefits, including:
Access to free trials, where you can try full games for free
How about you? What do you think of the new PS Plus lineup for August 2021? Is there any title that particularly catches your interest or one you’re especially looking forward to? Or does Sony’s current selection of games leave you cold? Share your opinion with us and other users of MeinMMO in the comments.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
