In the current Season 7 of Fortnite, a large countdown has appeared in the sky. This could indicate a new live event.
Here’s what’s happening in Fortnite: Today, on July 27, the new update 17.21 went live. This brought among other things the new Plasma Cannon and a nerf for the powerful Railgun.
At the same time, a huge countdown has also appeared in Fortnite. It is located in the center of the map and is counting down to the following time: Saturday, August 7, 00:05 AM German time.
The countdown can also now be seen in the game’s main menu. This approach is already known from Fortnite: For example, during the preceding Galactus live event, a countdown was also running. When it ended, Galactus appeared in the game and had to be fought in a live event.
Therefore, it is assumed that the current countdown also indicates another live event. Those who want to take part should prepare for a long night on Friday, August 6, to stay awake until 00:05 AM the following day.
What kind of event will it be?
So far, it is not known what exactly will happen in the event. However, it is not expected to be a giant event that ends the season. The Battle Pass for Season 7 is supposed to run until September. However, the countdown timer will expire in August.
Are there leaks? A few days ago, a leak about Fortnite surfaced, which mentioned a possible concert by the singer Ariana Grande. The in-game show is said to have already been tested – accordingly, it is possible that the countdown is counting down to such a concert.
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This would fit with a hint from Fortnite leaker “Venom”, who mentions that August 6 apparently is considered “National Ariana Grande Day.” This would align with the current countdown.
The gaming company Activision Blizzard is publicly traded. Currently, there is a downward trend: after the largest drop in Activision Blizzard’s stock, it is now at the lowest point of the year.
This is the state of the stock: As of now, Activision Blizzard’s stock ($ATVI) is currently at $82.12. (via nasdaq.com, as of July 27 at 6:21 PM) That is equivalent to €69.42. Thus, the stock has fallen by 8.78%.
The stock is now at its lowest level in 2021 and has also recorded the largest loss of value for the year (via newsfilter.io).
Activision Blizzard is known as the developer and publisher of some of the largest and most well-known video games in the world, including the MMORPG World of Warcraft, the action RPG Diablo 3, and the shooter series Call of Duty.
Stock Drop Follows Major Sexism Scandal
What happened before the drop? The low point of the stock is preceded by a major scandal that began on July 20 with the lawsuit of a state authority in California. The authority accused Blizzard of fostering a toxic workplace environment and exposing women to sexual harassment.
There is no official statement from the heads of Activision (Bobby Kotick) and Blizzard (J. Allen Brack). However, internal emails to employees were leaked. Among them was a statement from Chief Compliance Officer Frances Townsend.
The reaction of Activision Blizzard employees is quite loud. Over 1,500 employees signed an open letter stating: “We will be the change.” Major points of criticism are the statements from Kotick, Brack, and Townsend. The statements are deemed “disgusting and insulting”.
Another consequence of the scandal is that work on World of Warcraft is currently at a standstill. The developers are currently doing little to no work on the MMORPG, and even some players are showing their displeasure.
Here on MeinMMO, we have closely followed and observed the scandal. Our editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski makes a clear statement regarding the entire situation:
Currently, some trainers are affected by bans from Niantic. This includes the largest German-speaking YouTuber of Pokémon GO: Spieletrend. He has now terminated his partnership contract with Niantic. We explain why he chose this path.
What happened? The YouTuber Daniel Schilling, alias “Spieletrend”, addresses the topic of Pokémon GO on his YouTube channel. As it became known a few days ago, he is also affected by the current wave of bans.
He informed his fans on July 24, 2021, that he was banned by Niantic for 30 days for violating the terms of service. He had already been warned previously. Since he is not aware of any wrongdoing, he has filed an appeal with support. Unfortunately, without success.
As more and more players are affected by accidental bans and this topic is heating up on social media, Niantic publicly apologized to the affected trainers and announced that the unfounded bans will be lifted.
This is what Spieletrend says about the current development
In the latest video from Spieletrend, dated July 27, 2021, Daniel Schilling shares that he is still banned. He also mentions that he has found more and more posts on social media since his last video, reporting similar experiences.
Until now, he had a partnership with Niantic. However, he has now terminated it. As he explains in his video, there are several reasons for this.
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On the one hand, he no longer wants to be referred to as a “sponsored content creator” in light of the current development from Niantic. He disagrees with the current approach regarding unjustified bans and cannot identify with this business policy.
His main goal is to give the community a voice. Because as he writes in his termination letter to Niantic, it is not productive for him if they unban him as a “sponsored content creator” while ignoring the other trainers altogether. So Spieletrend says: “This is a huge issue. I didn’t want to continue like this” (via YouTube.com).
He also addresses in his letter, which he shows as a snippet in the video, that while Niantic provides many great things for Pokémon GO, they continuously close their eyes to some issues that are not going well. In such cases, trainers receive no responses or only standard replies from support.
Moreover, from Spieletrend’s perspective, it is also a question of trust. He states in his video that he had to meet certain requirements for the partner program for Niantic to trust him. However, after he contacted support following his first strike, there was no solution found for 40 days.
The fans of Spieletrend welcome his decision to terminate the partnership contract with Niantic and actively comment under his video and Twitter post. For instance, melisica writes on Twitter: “Hats off for your decision and the sign you set for the entire community. I hope for you and for all others who have been unjustly banned for a quick resolution and statement from Niantic.” (via twitter.com)
Also, the user Keyblade_19 writes on Twitter: “I think it’s very good that you terminated the partnership with them, despite this gigantic uproar on social media, it did nothing. Why still be a partner with them? I really hope that you (and the others) who were banned unjustly will soon be unbanned” (via twitter.com)
What is your opinion on this topic? Do you think it’s good that Spieletrend has taken these consequences? And are you perhaps currently affected by an accidental ban? Please feel free to share your opinion in the comments.
On July 27, 2021, the livestream for the new Guild Wars 2 expansion End of Dragons took place. MeinMMO editor Alexander Leitsch summarized everything important for you and covered the event in the live ticker.
Update 18:50: The main points from the livestream in brief:
End of Dragons will be released in February 2022
We will go to Cantha and the first two regions have already been presented
New features include:
The Siege Turtle as a mount for 2 players
Fishing
Sailing
The first new elite specialization for the Mesmer was shown
There is a new guild hall
The expansion comes with all 16 Legendarys, which are to be oriented around Aurene
What an event was that? In the livestream, the new expansion End of Dragons was presented in detail, which will be released in early 2022. You were provided with information about the new areas, the story, the upcoming elite specializations, and what else is included in the expansion.
Additionally, there were interviews with the developers who have been working on the expansion.
When does the livestream start? It starts at 6:00 PM our time. The event will be broadcast in English via Facebook, YouTube and Twitch. For the German community, Honeyball will translate the stream in parallel (via Twitch).
The live ticker for End of Dragons
Update 18:46: The trailer will be shown again, then the livestream will probably be over.
Update 18:44: Preorders for End of Dragons start today. Here’s what’s included in the packages:
Standard Version (29.99 Euro) – grants preorder bonuses in the form of a Flame Serpent weapon chest, a “Shing Jea” mosaic cloak, the special title “Shing Jea Wonderchild” for characters, a shared inventory slot, and a character upgrade to level 80.
Deluxe Edition (54.99 Euro) – additionally contains a Skiff skin for the Shing Jea dragon boat, a Cantha raptor skin for raptor mounts, an additional character slot, and an identity repair kit.
The Ultimate Edition (79.99 Euro) – includes the exclusive items from the Standard and Deluxe Editions as well as 4,000 gems.
Update 18:43: End of Dragons is to be released in February 2022!
Update 18:42: Now an Aurene statue was shown. You can buy it.
Update 18:41: There will be 4 events before the release of End of Dragons, where the elite specializations can be tested in a beta. The first beta starts in 3 weeks, on August 17. Each event will feature 3 specializations, and in the last event, there will be all 9. Everyone should be able to participate.
Update 18:40: The engine upgrade from DirectX 9 to DirectX 11 is also expected to enter beta in 2021.
Update 18:39: The alliances in WvW are expected to enter beta this summer. Players should be able to provide feedback on the changes before they are permanently implemented.
Update 18:36: Colin Johanson emphasizes once again that End of Dragons will not be the end of Guild Wars 2.
Update 18:35: WvW players should get the alliance system before the release of End of Dragons. Work is also being done on the technology.
Update 18:33: Josh Davis, a former developer, is also back and is now talking about the live service.
Update 18:30: Clones are no longer available. Phantasms are still present. Dagger is the weapon, and it is used at range. The first attack is a thrown dagger. The second skill causes damage and stacks daggers, which can later be used by the “F” ability. The third attack is a dagger storm that moves toward enemies.
Update 18:28: The Virtuoso is the specialization for the Mesmer. The others will be introduced later.
Update 18:27: Now it’s about elite specializations! They are to be oriented around the lore of Cantha.
Update 18:26: The Aetherblades are coming back, even with Mai Trin.
Update 18:25: The new guild hall will be located in the old Shing Jea arena. The conquest will proceed as usual, but the scaling has been adjusted. You should encounter larger enemies more often and fewer small mobs. The focus will be on the many water surfaces.
Image from the new guild hall.
Update 18:25: Guild halls are the next topic.
Update 18:24: Kappas, Nagas, and other familiar creatures are to be found again in Cantha.
Update 18:23: In addition, the rewards for attack missions are to be adjusted.
Update 18:23: Each attack mission in End of Dragons will have a challenge mode aimed at raiders. The focus will be on opponents from the story of EoD. Creatures in the challenge mode will gain new abilities, not just more health and damage.
Update 18:23: Attack missions are the next topic.
Update 18:22: All 16 Legendarys will be available right at launch. They are oriented around Aurene. The precursor reminds of baby Aurene, while the completed weapons resemble the adult version. Visually, however, they are not as special as many had hoped.
The legendary sword, the only skin of the new Legendarys shown so far.
Update 18:20: Next up are Legendarys!
Update 18:18: EoD brings 5 new masteries, including Siege Turtle, Sailing, and Fishing. Fishing will not only be possible in Cantha.
Update 18:18: Fishing is officially confirmed as a new feature! There are to be over 200 different fish species.
Update 18:17: The Siege Turtle is supposed to offer something for the driver (who controls) and the second player. Perhaps attack abilities?
Update 18:16: A significant new feature is the Siege Turtles. They are to become a mount for 2 players. Especially new players should be able to enjoy the coop mount because they can ride it directly.
Update 18:15: There was previously talk of two new maps in End of Dragons. That would be surprisingly few.
Update 18:15: Noshir Dalal will voice a detective.
Update 18:14: The world is supposed to differ from GW1, but notable landmarks should be recognizable.
Update 18:13: The maps should feel completely new and like a vacation island. They should feel peaceful but also dangerous. A large lake and the huge trees are to play an important role. Verticality should play a role, as should freedom of movement.
Insight into the world of Cantha.
Update 18:12: Next up is the map.
Update 18:11: Erika Ishii, the voice actress for June, was briefly showcased.
Update 18:10: The developers promise life everywhere in the open world of Cantha. The environment looks colorful and beautifully designed in the first video snippets.
Update 18:09: Marjory and Kasmeer are to accompany us in End of Dragons. Aurene is also supposed to play an important role in the story.
Update 18:08: The developers talk about the history of Cantha, Shiro, and the fact that Cantha has isolated itself from the outside world. However, the events of the world should have influenced the continent as well.
Update 18:07: The trailer for the expansion:
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Update 18:06: The detail information begins with the lore and the game world.
Update 18:05: The players fly to Cantha on airships, Aetherblades have been shown. The voice of the empress can be heard. An NPC is fishing in the trailer and some suspect that fishing could be the special feature.
Update 18:04: The official trailer is shown.
Update 18:03: Today’s livestream is intended to be just a first glimpse. Further blog posts and presentations are planned for the coming weeks.
Update 18:01: Colin Johanson, the former game director of GW2 until 2015, is back and talks about Guild Wars Factions. That was the first expansion that Guild Wars 1 received, and it has been 15 years already.
Update 18:00: And it starts, the old trailer for the expansion that we already know is shown. Visible are the dragon Kuunavang and some assets related to Cantha.
Update 17:52: 8 minutes until the start of the livestream. Many are already excited in the chat about the elite specializations.
Update 17:42: The pre-show is over, and in a few minutes the official livestream along with a 15-minute countdown will begin.
Update 17:15: The pre-show for the event has started, and ArenaNet partner Bird of Chess summarizes the history of the MMORPG so far. Already over 15,000 people are watching.
What are we doing at MeinMMO? We will cover the event here in this news in the live ticker and directly categorize the shown information. It starts at 5:45 PM, and then you will find all information in text and images in this post.
The ticker will be run by Alexander Leitsch, who has already played 8,000 hours in Guild Wars 2 and has run a dedicated fansite for the game for years.
What do we know so far about End of Dragons? Not much yet. Based on the first teaser images, we will go to Cantha, the continent that was already part of Guild Wars 1 Factions. Moreover, the developers have already revealed that there will be new elite specializations and that, despite what the name suggests, End of Dragons will not be the end of the story of Guild Wars 2.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Like in any classic role-playing game, Amazon’s MMORPG New World has attributes that allow you to customize your character. We at MeinMMO explain how these work and what bonuses they offer.
What attributes are there in New World? Currently, there are 5 different attributes in New World. They have a primary and a secondary influence on weapons. The primary influence is greater than the secondary influence.
The 5 attributes are:
Strength
Dexterity
Intelligence
Focus
Constitution
What do the attributes do? The attributes ensure that you can better handle certain weapons, become better spellcasters, or are harder to kill. The attribute points have different impacts on your stats:
If you increase an attribute by 1, then the damage of a primarily influenced weapon increases stronger than that of a secondary weapon. However, there are different statements about the exact numbers, with about 0.9% for primary and about 0.65% for secondary weapons. In our self-test, we found the value to be around 0.75% for secondary weapons.
For weapons that only have a primary influence and no secondary role, like the war hammer or the life staff, the damage increases by 1% or slightly more.
Intelligence also influences overall elemental damage. If you use a burning sword, then more intelligence results in higher damage.
Your choice of attributes not only affects combat but also influences gathering. A character with high strength is better at mining, while high focus improves fishing.
The effects of the 5 attributes in New World
How does the strength attribute work? Strength is the first of the attributes on the list and affects the effectiveness of heavy weapons. Primarily, strength impacts the effectiveness of your swords, war axes, war hammers, and hatchets. Strength also secondarily influences the effectiveness of spears.
Additionally, you receive the following bonuses when you reach a certain threshold in strength:
50 points: +5% damage from light attacks with melee weapons, +10% speed while mining
100 points: +10% damage from heavy attacks with melee weapons, +20% durability
150 points: +50% stamina damage from light and heavy attacks with melee weapons; 10% less weight from mined items
200 points: +10% damage to stunned, slowed, or rooted opponents, +10% speed while mining
250 points: Stamina regeneration is increased while performing light or heavy attacks with a melee weapon, +10% yield while mining
300 points: Light and heavy attacks with a melee weapon become unstoppable, 25% chance to mine ore in one hit
To wield a battle axe properly in New World, you must invest in strength.
How does the dexterity attribute work? Dexterity is the second attribute in New World and affects the effectiveness of agile weapons. Primarily, dexterity impacts bows, rapiers, spears, and muskets. Secondarily, your dexterity influences the effectiveness of swords and hatchets.
Additionally, you receive the following bonuses when you reach a certain threshold in dexterity:
50 points: +5% critical hit chance, +10% speed while skinning
100 points: +5% piercing damage, +20% haste for 3 seconds after skinning
150 points: -10% stamina when dodging, 10% less weight from skinned items
200 points: +10% bonus damage on attacks from stealth and headshots, +10% speed while skinning
250 points: +10% bonus damage from critical hits on stunned, slowed, or rooted opponents, +10% yield while skinning
300 points: The next hit after a dodge roll is a critical hit (10 seconds cooldown), ammunition has a 15% chance to be refunded
How does the intelligence attribute work? Intelligence primarily influences the effectiveness of magical weapons in New World. It is the primary attribute for fire staffs and ice gauntlets. Secondarily, your intelligence also impacts the use of rapiers and muskets.
Additionally, you receive the following bonuses when you reach a certain threshold in intelligence:
50 points: +10% damage from light and heavy magic attacks, +10% speed while harvesting
100 points: +10% critical hit damage, 5% chance to find 1 Azoth while harvesting
150 points: +15% elemental damage, 10% less weight from harvested items
200 points: +10 mana after dodging, +10% speed while harvesting
250 points: +30% damage duration from damage over time spells, +10% yield while harvesting
300 points: +10% damage of the first hit on targets at full health, 10% less Azoth travel costs
You can allocate your attribute points to the attributes individually.
How does the focus attribute work? Focus is the first attribute that currently only has a primary influence. With high focus, you improve the effectiveness of your life staffs. Additionally, focus affects your mana regeneration and cooldowns.
Additionally, you receive the following bonuses when you reach a certain threshold in focus:
50 points: +10% mana regeneration rate, +10% fishing line tension
100 points: +20% more mana pool, +10% yield when salvaging items
150 points: +20% healing, -10% less weight from fish
200 points: +20% duration of cast spells, +10% fishing line tension
250 points: +30% mana after your own or group kills, +10% size of caught fish
300 points: When your mana drops to 0, you gain +200 mana regeneration for 10 seconds (60 seconds cooldown), 10% cooldown reduction for fast travel to inns
How does the constitution attribute work? Constitution affects the overall health of characters in New World. With each invested attribute point, you gain a certain number of health points. So, you should not completely ignore this attribute, as you risk dying quickly.
Additionally, you receive the following bonuses when you reach a certain threshold in constitution:
50 points: All health consumables are 20% stronger, +10% speed in lumberjacking
100 points: (Increase in) max health by 10% of physical armor, 10% less durability loss of tools
150 points: -10% critical hit damage taken, 10% less weight from harvested items
200 points: +20% for armor, +10% speed in lumberjacking
250 points: -80% reduced damage at full health (60 seconds cooldown), +10% yield in lumberjacking
300 points: +20% duration of the stun, slow, and root spell effects, 25% chance to fell a tree in one hit
If you are interested in more about New Worldyou might also be interested in this:
How many attribute points do I get? With each new level in New World, you receive attribute points that you can individually distribute among the 5 attributes. Up to the current max level 60, you receive a total of 190 points, and at the beginning of the game, you get fewer attribute points per level than later in the game. It increases gradually.
Additionally, there are also equipment parts that increase the attributes. The stronger this equipment is, the more attribute points you gain from it.
What do I do if I have misallocated my points? In New World, you always have the option to reset the distribution of your attribute points. This is possible for free up to level 20. After that, however, you need to spend money for it, with the price depending on the number of attribute points.
All guides regarding New World can be found in this overview:
With the release of Windows 11, there are various versions of the operating system, including a Pro version. But do gamers really need it, or is the Home version sufficient? MeinMMO explains what you need to consider.
With the expected release of Windows 11 at the end of 2021, users will receive a revamped operating system. Some users may even consider buying a new computer right at the launch of Windows 11.
What versions are available? With the launch of Windows 11, there will again be various versions available. These include Home, Pro, Enterprise, and Education. However, our article only focuses on the features of Windows 11 Home and Pro.
Enterprise and Education: The Enterprise license refers to volume licenses for large companies and is also used in a small version in some devices, such as terminals or ATMs. The Education version is aimed at employees and students of research institutions.
But is the Pro version worth it for gamers, and what additional features do you actually get for the extra cost? MeinMMO explains the differences in this article and discusses which version is best for gamers.
[toc]
Windows 11 Home vs Windows 11 Pro – Here are the similarities
What all versions offer: The following features are supported by all Windows 11 versions. A Home version can be installed on any computer with Windows 11:
The new Microsoft Edge browser
Power options where you can set up a power-saving mode for your laptop.
The linking of your smartphone with Windows 11
The voice control of Windows 11.
Windows Defender, Windows Firewall, and parental controls are also included in both versions. The “Secure Boot” capability is also part of Home and Pro.
So, Windows 11 Home offers you all the basic features that any other Windows version also provides. You also benefit from the ability to use Android apps on Windows 11.
In the following section, we will explain the differences between Windows 11 Home and Pro.
You can also run Android apps with Windows 11 Home.
Windows 11 Home vs Windows 11 Pro – Here are the differences
What does Windows 11 Pro offer? The Pro version is primarily aimed at professional users and provides many additional features. As an administrator of a large network, for example, you’ll find it easier or have different tools available.
The first and most obvious difference is the price. Windows 11 Pro costs 199.99 Euros, significantly more than Windows 11 Home, where you only pay 139.99 Euros. On many computers, Home or Pro is often pre-installed.
Another difference is that you can create Windows 11 Pro with an offline account (local account). You don’t need an internet connection for the setup. However, an internet connection is necessary for the subsequent activation.
Most device management functions are not available in Windows 11 Home. Windows 11 Pro, on the other hand, supports things like Group Policies, allowing administrators to configure certain policies for groups of devices in one step. Additionally, there is Windows Update for Business, which enables companies to control how updates are distributed to their users to avoid unexpected problems.
Windows 11 Pro offers additional security and enterprise features
The Pro version provides several additional features, mainly aimed at security and supporting large companies that have many computers in their own network. We list the most important features here.
These security features are offered by Windows 11 Pro:
An enhanced Remote Desktop feature. With this, you can access a computer remotely.
The visualization technology Hyper-V. This allows you to run other operating systems as a virtual machine in a window.
The encryption technology BitLocker. This allows you to encrypt your boot drive or other devices.
With ‘Windows Sandbox’, you can easily start a virtualized version of Windows 11 and test programs and unknown items there. By the way, you don’t need an additional Windows license for the virtual Windows.
WDAG or ‘Windows Defender Application Guard’. This allows you to use your browser in a type of sandbox.
With Windows 11 Pro, you can use more extensive hardware
As with previous Windows versions, the Home version has some limitations when you want to use hardware. However, these “limitations” are unlikely to affect most users:
You can now install up to 2 TB of RAM instead of 128 GB.
Windows 11 Pro also supports a maximum of 2 full-fledged processors.
Windows 11 Pro supports up to 128 CPU cores. The Home version only supports a maximum of 64.
Does this matter for gamers? With the Pro version, hardware limitations are removed, so you can use 2 TB of RAM or processors with 128 cores. However, for most users, the limitation of 128 GB of RAM in the Home version is generally not a hurdle that will easily be reached.
In Windows 7, this was more significant, as Windows 7 Home Premium supported/only addressed a maximum of 16 GB of RAM. It wasn’t until Windows 7 Professional 64-bit that this limit was increased to 192 GB of RAM.
Windows 11 Pro – Especially professional users benefit from it
Who benefits from Pro? The Pro version is primarily aimed at companies and professional users. This particularly concerns individuals who need to manage large networks or use encryption tools.
Who is this less interesting for? In particular, many business functions that only the Pro version offers are not or hardly interesting for everyday users and gamers. As gamers, you will likely never use many of these features or may not even be aware of them.
For most gamers, Windows 11 Home is more than sufficient
With Windows 11 Home, you get all the basic and essential features that every Windows brings. This includes, for example, the new Edge browser, the Game Mode, and also DirectX 12. Cross-platform features with your Xbox are also already included in the Home edition.
Which Windows version is the best for me? If you use your PC privately and for gaming, you can safely go for the Home version. The extra cost is generally not worth it for private users and gamers in most cases. There are also no performance differences or higher FPS between the Windows 11 versions.
If you are planning to buy a new gaming PC or want to acquire a license soon, then the PC does not necessarily need to have a Pro version on board. A Home license is completely sufficient for most gamers.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
When the other cards will be released is still unclear. There isn’t much time left for that.
Will you check out the new Hearthstone expansion? Or are you completely indifferent to the addon in light of the Blizzard scandal?
The big reveal stream of Hearthstone was cancelled. Does this threaten the release of the new expansion “United in Stormwind” to be cancelled?
Actually, it is a joyful time in Hearthstone right now, as the next expansion “United in Stormwind” is on the horizon. A big stream was supposed to showcase a whopping 65 cards from the new set. However, that fell through – Blizzard quietly cancelled the stream at the last moment.
What kind of stream was that? Just before the release of a new expansion, the developers of Hearthstone always hold a big “Card Reveal Stream.” In this stream, usually over 60 of the new cards are presented, allowing players to receive a lot of information at once and plan new decks in advance.
Thirty minutes before the stream was supposed to take place, Blizzard deleted the corresponding news without comment. The stream did not happen.
Why was the stream cancelled? Blizzard did not make any specific statements beforehand, but the reason is probably quite clear. Very little work is currently being done in the developer studio, as employees are dealing with a major sexism and discrimination scandal. The state of California had filed suit and had been investigating for two years.
What is the Hearthstone team doing right now? In response to this, Dean Ayala spoke on the game’s subreddit. The game designer explained that they are currently dealing with other things and now is not the time to celebrate – like in a stream. He says more specifically:
Our focus is currently on how we can help each other, and we are planning steps on how to make our workplace a better place for everyone. Something we have obviously failed at in the past.
Just celebrating something doesn’t feel quite right. I can assure you that the only reason we are hesitating to continue with things like streams and card releases is out of respect for our employees. This is an incredibly important time to reflect and ensure that we choose the best path forward. There is no directive to remain silent or a legal team telling us what we can and cannot say. Our focus is simply on [our colleagues].
Will the release still take place? Yes. According to Dean Ayala, the release date of the new expansion “United in Stormwind” will be maintained. He said:
[…] we still care about our work and passionately continue to aim to deliver a great game. That’s the whole reason why most of us are even here. We have no plans to postpone the launch or other developments further. We are just taking time to make sure we catch the right moment.
According to this, “United in Stormwind” will likely be released as scheduled on August 3, 2021 – so already next week on Tuesday evening.
When the other cards will be released is still unclear. There isn’t much time left for that.
Will you check out the new Hearthstone expansion? Or are you completely indifferent to the addon in light of the Blizzard scandal?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Today, on July 27, 2021, the Spotlight Hour featuring Natu starts in Pokémon GO. There is also a bonus that grants you more XP. We will show you all events related to the event and Shinys.
What is a Spotlight Hour? This type of event takes place every Tuesday evening in Pokémon GO. For one hour, the selected Pokémon is the focus and spawns almost everywhere in the wild and is also attracted by the incense module.
To make the event even more interesting for you, there is a bonus associated with it. This week, the Psychic and Flying-type Pokémon Natu is the focus. Here you can find the key information.
Spotlight Hour with Natu – Start time and bonus
When does it start? As you are already familiar with from past events of this kind, the Spotlight Hour begins at 6:00 PM and typically ends at 7:00 PM local time.
This bonus is included: You receive double XP for evolving Pokémon. This also applies to Pokémon that you already had in your storage before the event started and evolve them during the event.
In addition, you can find wild Natu everywhere on the map during the event. If you want to increase your yield, you can deploy incense to find even more Natu.
Are there Shiny Natu? Yes, you can catch Natu in its shiny form in Pokémon GO since 2018. It was released at that time with the cool Johto event .
Natu and its evolution Xatu in normal form and shiny form.
How good are Natu, Xatu, and the bonus?
Is the Spotlight Hour worth it? If you are looking for strong Pokémon for PvE or PvP, you can skip the Spotlight Hour today without any concern. Neither Natu nor Xatu are particularly useful in raids or trainer battles.
The XP bonus for evolving is special, but it can be exploited well.
Shiny hunters might have some luck today with the shiny forms of Natu.
How do you like the Spotlight Hour with Natu? Is it an event you would participate in anyway, or is it not exciting enough for you this week? Please write your opinion here on MeinMMO in the comments and exchange ideas with other trainers.
In the new MMORPG New World, the dungeons are called Expeditions and they function a little differently. Now more details about the challenging PvE content are known and how to best tackle them. We at MeinMMO summarize.
What are the Expeditions about? The challenging PvE content in MMORPGs is usually called Raids or Dungeons. However, in New World, they are called Expeditions, but there are some differences. In the Expeditions of New World, you explore an ancient site with five players.
Here you can not only learn meaningful additions to the main story of the game but also discover a lot about the background and origin of the various enemy types.
The Expeditions present you with particularly challenging content that requires not only combat skills but also intelligence, as there are also puzzles in the ruins of the world.
When can you play Expeditions? Overall, there will be six Expeditions in New World at its release on 31.08.2021. You will experience four of them while leveling up. Starting from level 25, you can dive into an Expedition every ten levels.
Two of the Expeditions are reserved for the endgame, meaning for players at the maximum level. These are quite challenging, as I have already experienced. A developer reveals that the difficult mechanics are best tackled first with a Holy Trinity – that is, healer, tank, and DPS class. Once you have understood the mechanics and bosses, you can feel free to experiment.
The balancing of the many different weapons and attributes was quite a challenge for the team; however, “countless hours of playtesting” have gone into balancing the Expeditions.
While exact details are still unclear, it is conceivable that there will be more Expeditions later, or perhaps a challenge mode for existing Expeditions, as a developer revealed in an interview with mmorpg.com (via mmorpg.com)
The Expeditions tell you more about the world
What does the gameplay in an Expedition look like? In the instanced areas, you can find more focused gameplay. This means that the Expeditions will be less open than you are used to from the other content in New World.
In addition to challenging fights, you can expect tricky puzzles where coordination and timing play a role. Even though the Expeditions are significantly more linear than the rest of the game, that does not mean you have to follow a straight path. There are also larger areas within the instances.
The developers say that the content in the various rooms of the Expeditions was always designed with the room in mind. The floor plan was thus finished and then filled with gameplay. This way, the mechanics are better integrated into the world.
Thus, you will also encounter mechanics in the Expeditions that do not exist elsewhere in the game. These mechanics are also supposed to adapt to the story being told. Sometimes each group member has to do something different, and sometimes your jump’n’run skills will be put to the test.
How do the Expeditions fit into the story? This varies greatly. As mentioned above, some Expeditions are inevitable as they are firmly embedded in the story of New World. Others only tell side stories or background information. However, they all bring a lot of loot and strong equipment.
The Expeditions in New World aim to shed more light on the background story of the various enemies. So, in different Expeditions, you will face the Lost, the Angry Earth creatures, the Ancients, and the Corrupted. So you can look forward to learning more about the origin story of these enemies and how they operate.
One speculation on our part is that this could be used to bring more “gray” into the otherwise black-and-white morality of the story. What do you think of the Expeditions? Are you a fan of the mandatory parts and would you rather only play PvP? Let us know in the comments!
After two years of investigation, the state agency “California Department of Fair Employment and Housing” filed a lawsuit against Activision Blizzard. The allegations focus on sexism in the workplace. However, the leadership of Activision Blizzard appears disoriented and divided in crisis management.
There is no guide on how to handle an official lawsuit over sexism within your own company. No management book in the world can teach you that. In an ideal world, sexism wouldn’t occur at all in one’s own company.
But we are not at that point. Publisher Activision Blizzard is now precisely in this situation. The management must deal with the crisis now. I do not claim to have a solution for the company. However, I do claim to state: The initial handling of the sexism lawsuit could hardly have been more wrong.
What went wrong at Activision Blizzard after the lawsuit?
After the lawsuit was filed on July 22 over sexism and sexual harassment, an official statement from Activision Blizzard quickly followed. The focus is primarily on the team around World of Warcraft.
However, the statement expressed outrage towards the lawsuit. Activision Blizzard accused the California agency of working “shamefully and unprofessionally”.
The emails from Blizzard CEO J. Allen Brack and Activision CEO Bobby Kotick acknowledged the internal problems at first and vowed to work on these together with their teams.
Meanwhile, Frances Townsend (Chief Compliance Officer) chased an email claiming that the allegations in the lawsuit painted a false picture of the company and that some accusations were factually incorrect. The problem is that Townsend has only been with Activision Blizzard for 4 months.
I do not understand much of the reaction.
It is unusual that the first official statement from Activision Blizzard came so quickly. There were barely 24 hours between the filing of the lawsuit and the statement.
It is incomprehensible why the statement has such an aggressive tone and completely denies that there are problems within the company. They even hinted between the lines that they might simply leave California.
This reads as if it were written quickly and charged with emotion. Emotion is, of course, normal here – it should be. Still, it is thoughtless.
On top of that, there is an email from Townsend, who, as Chief Compliance Officer, should be dealing with such matters but only talks about the absolute lack of problems.
What is completely missing from these initial reactions is empathy towards the teams. There is a lack of empathy towards potential victims of sexism and sexual harassment within the company.
A lawsuit from an official agency that has been investigating for two years is a completely different matter than a single tweet that could have been sent by a disgruntled team member.
What signal does all this send to the people who work there?
About the Author: Leya Jankowski has been the editor-in-chief of MeinMMO since February 2021. Crisis management is naturally part of her responsibilities. She knows that sometimes a decision must be made within a heartbeat and that often there is no time for careful consideration. However, she has also personally experienced sexism and sexual harassment in her life. Leya knows what goes through one’s mind when such experiences are normalized and downplayed.
The Snowball Rolls, Grows into a Raging Avalanche
Following the events, statements (via reddit) from former and current employees did not take long to arrive. New reports appear daily since the lawsuit:
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More and more tweets with reports of sexism in the company are surfacing
The statements confirm much of what is mentioned in the lawsuit against Activision Blizzard. I will not elaborate on the statements because some of them make me sick. Broadly speaking, reports of:
Abuse of power
massive drug use in the workplace
objectification of women
a HR department that allegedly did not take complaints seriously and gossiped about the problems of individuals
sexual harassment
no equal opportunities between men and women in careers
We, the undersigned, agree that the statements from Activision Blizzard, Inc. and their legal counsel regarding the DFEH lawsuit and the subsequent internal statement from Frances Townsend are abhorrent and offensive to everything we believe our company should stand for. To put it clearly: Our values as employees are not accurately reflected in the words and actions of our leadership.
It goes on to state that the teams have lost trust in their management to create a safe environment.
I can’t blame them. An aggressive denial of this lawsuit would not be the first thing I would want to hear as an employee.
Currently, it is difficult to assess how things will proceed with Activision Blizzard. It is no longer a secret that many large gaming studios have massive problems with a toxic corporate culture. The industry is currently undergoing change.
This could now also threaten the managers at Activision Blizzard and it is not unlikely. It is highly questionable whether Frances Townsend will be able to keep her job.
Activision Blizzard would do well to respond to the demands of their teams. A new statement should definitely demonstrate willingness to change before the public.
It is clear that Activision Blizzard has a hard piece of work ahead. It would certainly not be wrong to seek external help, as Riot did in the past.
Most importantly, it is crucial to listen to individuals now. Without downplaying fears, anger, and sorrow. This is what Activision Blizzard overlooked in their initial reaction. This is what those affected often painfully miss.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Pokémon GO, trainers have been reporting accidental bans in the last few days. Now Niantic has apologized. We show you what happened and explain what demands the trainers are making.
What were these bans? In recent days, reports have been piling up on social networks that trainers have received a ban due to Pokémon GO. This includes the largest German-speaking YouTuber Spieletrend, who has now been excluded from the game for about 30 days.
Niantic justifies these decisions with violations of their terms of use. This includes the use of unauthorized third-party software that could be used by players for spoofing. However, some trainers insist that they have not committed any violations and do not have such software.
This is Niantic’s reaction
After numerous players have unsuccessfully contacted the support of Pokémon GO and this wave of bans has increasingly become a topic on social networks, Niantic has now spoken out via their Twitter account.
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There, they apologize for the inconvenience and announce that they will review the bans. For players who have received an unjustified ban, it will be revoked. Furthermore, Niantic points out that this procedure is an automation that occurs regardless of whether the trainers contact support or not.
This is what the community demands
The community is glad that there has now been an apology from Niantic, and the trainers hope that this revocation of the bans will affect both the players who have already received a warning about them and those who are already actively affected. However, some reddit users like Tadanga2 have concerns that it only pertains to the warnings (via reddit.com).
For some time now, there have been repeated reports from players about unjustified bans. According to the reddit user milotic03, reports of bans from players had already surfaced publicly in April (via reddit.com). He is angry and criticizes that Niantic has ignored these reports and only now reacted to the wave of bans.
Better detection system for gameplay violations
A major point of criticism for some time has been Niantic’s detection system. This works automatically, and even when contacting support, often only a bot responds. For this reason, the trainers of Pokémon GO demand a change in this approach.
As Twitter user LuckyBunz writes: “You need to do better. Your detection system is not working properly, and the fact that you don’t even bother with appeals in 95% of cases is unacceptable. You need to hire real people for support, not bots.” (via twitter.com).
More freedom for all players
Other trainers, like the reddit user AwesomeTed, even go a step further with their opinion and demand: “This may be an unpopular opinion, but I would prefer if Niantic just lets cheaters do their thing if that’s the alternative to one legitimate player losing their account.” (via reddit.com).
Due to the current procedure, most players do not even know why they are being banned specifically. The automated response does not provide the reason, as reddit user semajames shows in his post (via reddit.com).
Whether Niantic will take this criticism into account and make changes to their detection system is not yet known. Should there be any official information on this, you can read it here on MeinMMO.
Are you also affected by the current wave of bans? Should Niantic adjust their approach or even allow spoofers to do as they please? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments and discuss the topic with other trainers.
The famous MMORPG streamer Asmongold harshly criticizes Amazon’s upcoming MMORPG New World. According to him, it is not ready for release in August. Nevertheless, it seems that the good man cannot keep his hands off the game.
Who is it about? The famous streamer Asmongold became known through WoW, disturbed FF14, and is currently engaged with New World. Since the release of the beta, he has been playing the game almost daily, and nearly all of his streaming content revolves around Amazon’s upcoming new MMORPG. He is so present in the game that he is even being followed by players.
His streaming time for the game alone amounts to over 35 hours in the last 7 days (via Sullygnome). According to his own statement, he has already spent more than 182 hours in the game between the betas.
Nevertheless, it seems he is having serious issues with the game, as he recently noted.
Is New World ready for release?
What bothers Asmongold about New World? In a YouTube video titled “Good, but not ready”, Asmongold criticizes New World. He says among other things: “I want to be honest with you guys, [New World] is damn not ready for a release next month.” According to Asmongold, the game is “not functioning, laggy, and just broken.” He has no idea how the developers should fix it before the release.
In particular, he criticizes:
The trading system is heavily bugged and often does not work at all. This, in turn, prevents its usage for players.
The combat system has serious problems. The attack and movement sequences are “just terrible”. An active dodging-based combat system simply would not work in a game with latency.
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What are the positive aspects? Nevertheless, Asmongold has also spoken highly of the game. Since the last beta, a lot has really improved, and they have listened to feedback. He sees this positively. Moreover, he does not want Amazon to ruin the game, as he likes it very much.
In Destiny 2, the current Season 14 will end soon. To help you know whether it’s worth hoarding bounties for Season 15, what you should invest in now, or which weapons to farm, we have 7 practical tips for you.
When does the new season start? On August 24, 2021, the current Season of the Splicer will end. On that same day, Season 15 will begin. There will also be a big livestream that reveals more about the next DLC and the future of the action MMO.
We still don’t know much official information about the next chapter, not even the name of Season 15. However, experience and a few hints from Bungie have shown us how to optimally use the time until then and be well-prepared. Here, you’ll find some general tips, as well as things you must complete now before they become impossible later.
1. Redeem all your Vanguard tokens
Off to Zavala
These items must go: Destiny 2 warns Guardians: Redeem your Vanguard tokens! All tokens will soon be deleted irrevocably, and you will not receive any rewards for them.
So make sure to visit Zavala before Season 15 and hand in all your thousands of tokens to receive your engrams in return. Whether the time invested is worth it, what you get from it, and why the hated tokens must be disposed of, you can read in detail here on MeinMMO: Destiny 2 warns: “Redeem your Tokens” – Otherwise, they are gone forever
2. Weapons you should get now
As usual, Bungie is making significant changes to the sandbox for the new season. This means that some of your weapons will become deadlier, while others may become weaker. Although we don’t yet know the details from the patch notes, the developer has already leaked some key information.
Here are the types of weapons you should acquire some strong examples of now, as they will soon be stronger:
Scout rifles: The long-range weapons are quite underwhelming in PvE, but that will change in Season 15. So grab your Disparity now.
Machine guns: Although machine guns are power weapons, they pack very little punch in PvE. According to Bungie, legendary heavy machine guns will finally become a viable option.
Fusion rifles: This class is set to receive a rework, but we do not yet know what that will look like. The redesign will also affect perks.
The Vex Mythoclast
The Exotic Vex Mythoclast: This cult weapon is currently quite weak. Anyone who doesn’t have the Exotic yet should raid the Glassway, as Bungie plans to buff the weapon. However, it will likely never be as powerful as it was in Destiny 1.
Exotic primary weapons are supposed to improve in the PvE endgame. How this will happen is unknown. However, if you need masterwork catalysts to get the most out of the Exotics, here is the complete list of requirements and bonus effects: All masterwork catalysts in Destiny 2 and how to obtain them in 2021
3. Nerf for the Anarchy
You should say goodbye to this Exotic: The exotic grenade launcher Anarchy is currently the most popular and arguably the strongest weapon in all of Destiny 2. This is partly due to the seasonal artifact that excessively boosts grenade launchers, but also to the special function of the power weapon. Anarchy deals damage over time and allows you to stay covered or switch weapons while dealing double damage to enemies.
Bungie plans to nerf Anarchy, as this weapon has shaped the meta for years. You can find all known information about this here:
This disappears: If you want rewards from the Season Pass of the current Season of the Splicer, you need to unlock them by August 24. You can only grind the 100 levels until then to secure the weapons, cosmetics, and resources.
You can level up quickly with the seasonal challenges that yield a lot of experience points.
Even if Bungie secretly nerfed the EXP, you can still achieve fast progress here and earn a lot of glimmer to spend on new items in the next season’s shop.
This is different this time: The current pass does not include any armor this time. You won’t be able to hoard items and claim them later in the upcoming Season 15. Many Guardians have done this because these armors had extremely high stats and thus gained a small level advantage.
However, you can hold onto the two legendary weapons and exotic engrams.
This allows you to give a slot a boost level-wise or speculate that new Exotics might come into the world drop loot pool that you could receive.
However, you must claim the rewards from the pass after the season ends via Bungie’s website. In the game itself, it’s only possible until August 24. Here is the official page: https://www.bungie.net/7/en/Seasons/PreviousSeason.
What about the seasonal triumphs? Those who want to secure the triumphs from Season 14 and achieve the prestigious title “Splicer” will not be pressed for time this time. You can catch up on almost all seasonal content such as activities, quests, and tasks throughout Year 4 (probably until early 2022).
5. What you need to know about the leveling phase and bounties in Season 15
An intensive preparation for the leveling phase will hardly be necessary (and possible) in Season 15. Just like now in Season 14, power levels will increase by only a meager 10 levels in August.
The new maximum level of gear will be 1,330. Only with the DLC Witch Queen will it really start to rise again. So you can participate in the new endgame quite quickly and without extensive preparations.
Are bounties still worth it? As usual, many players hoard completed bounties to redeem them in the new season. The experience benefits the fresh season pass and the artifact. Bungie has gradually weakened this preparation method from season to season.
However, if you want to feed your seasonal artifact with EXP right at the start of the new Season 15, you can do so and gain a small advantage. Focus primarily on weekly bounties:
Hawthorne in the Tower (the clan bounties).
Variks on Europa.
Shaw Han in the Cosmodrome.
Eris Morn on the Moon.
You should also be able to keep the additional Solstice bounties. The event runs until August 3, so be sure to hold onto the bounties if needed.
Since there’s still an Iron Banner running in Season 14, you could theoretically hoard these 4 weekly bounties as well (there might be new weapons in them).
These upgrade materials to get now: Invest in upgrade modules with Banshee-44 in the Tower. This way, you’ll have the necessary items in the new season when leveling weapons and armor and won’t have to obtain them then.
The same goes for mod components, but it’s less critical:
You can complete bounties for mod components at Banshee now.
If he soon sells a mod that’s crucial for the popular build, you won’t have to plan time for farming but can act quickly.
Alternatively, you can be a bit sneaky: Get blue weapons like “Lionheart” from your collection and dismantle them over and over; about every 10 tries, you’ll get a mod component.
You can hoard 10 of the rarest upgrade materials, Ascendant Shards, in your inventory. However, don’t forget that you can store 10 additional Ascendant Shards with your Postmaster per character.
This is how to invest glimmer: You can use your inventory as a bank for hard times. If you have a lot of glimmer now, pull exotic sparrows and ships from your collection and dismantle them when you need cash. The expensive Exotics like the Sparrow “The Other Side” are especially worth it.
Each of these brings 5,000 glimmer for a rainy day
Alternatively, you can rush to Spider in the Tangled Shore and exchange materials at a bargain rate.
7. Make space in your vault
That’s why order is important: Destiny 2 introduces an average of 40 fresh weapons each season. Even if they’re not all new, but partly revamped with new perks, you still need storage space for all those weapons. Don’t forget the stylish new armor with god roll stats that are just waiting for their utilization in the distant future.
Those who tackle the dismantling and tidying up of the overflowing vault will end up with many legendary shards, enhancement cores, and glimmer that will be useful in the new season. Feel free to watch some streams or videos in the meantime, as it could get quite boring otherwise.
Do you have any other tips and tricks that are ideal for preparing for the new Season 15? Are you preparing significantly, or has Bungie removed most options to do so? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments here on MeinMMO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Diablo 3, Season 24 recently started with some balance and gameplay changes. We are looking at the leaderboards to check which class is currently performing best in the rankings. Spoiler: It is not the Monk.
When did Season 24 start? On Friday, July 23, the launch of the new Season 24 took place in Diablo 3. Many players reached the max level shortly after, equipped their characters, and stormed the Greater Nephalem Rifts.
This is what we show here: We look at the overview of who reached the highest in the Nephalem Rifts in the past days and provide an overview of the current leaderboard. Keep in mind that the results will change in the coming weeks.
Diablo 3: Leaderboards from Season 24 on July 27
What can you see here? We are looking at the European solo rankings of Season 24 in Diablo 3. This concerns the softcore mode, not the hardcore mode. The standings are from July 27 at 11:05 AM.
What builds were played? We have linked the hero profiles of the players behind the current record entries. In the meantime, their builds may have further changed or improved. By looking at the profile, you get an impression of what gear and abilities the players are currently using.
What stands out? Shortly after the start of a season, not much can be interpreted into the leaderboards yet. Currently, every class has at least one build that plays in the Tier List for Season 24 in Diablo 3 in the S-tier. Therefore, potential is still present everywhere.
However, in the previous seasons, Barbarian, Demon Hunter, and Wizard were among the more popular classes. The Monk has become quite popular now, likely due to numerous changes related to the class.
Are you also participating in the ranking of Season 24 and trying to reach the higher ranks? Or is the race not for you?
Let us know here on MeinMMO in the comments which class you are currently playing with which build and how far you have already progressed in the Greater Nephalem Rifts.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The new shooter Splitgate tested crossplay between PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam during an open beta before its release. So many players joined that the servers were insufficient, causing the release to be postponed.
What kind of shooter is this? Splitgate is an old-school shooter in the style of Unreal Tournament from indie developer 1047 Games. The special twist of the sci-fi shooter is that you use portals like in the game Portal to move to different locations on the map.
It is played traditionally in over 20 arenas against other players in 15 different modes with currently 11 futuristic and semi-realistic weapons. The speed and visuals remind somewhat of the popular Halo series.
The key point about Splitgate is that through the portals you not only reach other locations but also literally tear holes in space. They connect two points, and you can even use them to take down opponents. This creates a unique dynamic where no place is truly “safe”.
Splitgate has been playable in early access since 2019 and has been in open beta for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC (Steam) since July 13. The beta is currently extended, and Splitgate will be free to play. You can find the downloads for your platform on the official website (via splitgate.com).
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How well is Splitgate received: Alone on Steam, Splitgate attracted a peak of 14,625 players during the beta (via steamcharts.com). According to the developers, the number was even significantly higher across all platforms combined: 65,536 players reportedly played simultaneously (via Twitter.com). Previously, the average on Steam was about 200-300 players.
The response is “very positive” on Steam. 92% of the 5,672 recent reviews and 87% of all 19,273 reviews are positive. Players particularly praise the simplicity of the shooter: It’s just Portal with guns and just as fun as it sounds. A good shooter without much fuss.
Only bugs and some server issues are criticized, although the server issues apparently arose due to the unexpected influx.
Beta stresses servers, release must be postponed
The number of 65,536 players is no coincidence for the developers but, according to statements, the absolute maximum possible. The servers allegedly cannot support more, no matter how much further optimization is done.
Fortunately, the devs received a financial boost of $10 million (approximately €8.49 million) to improve the server structure (via GameSpot.com). However, they will need more time for this.
The release originally scheduled for today, July 27, will be postponed to August. A specific release date is still pending.
Splitgate will later appear for free on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam). The shooter will support crossplay and is said to run surprisingly well on consoles according to some players.
If you are looking for alternatives or want to pass the time until the release, you can find here at MeinMMO:
Over 1,500 Activision Blizzard employees are standing up against management. They demand change in a letter and will not be silenced.
The sexism and discrimination scandal at Activision Blizzard is gaining more and more attention. Now there is an open letter addressing the company’s management. More than 1,500 employees of Activision Blizzard are clearly voicing their opposition to the actions of the executives and demanding one thing above all: consequences.
What kind of letter is this? This is an open letter from numerous employees at Activision Blizzard, primarily aimed at the company’s management. Initially, there were “only” about 800 signatures, but this number has risen to over 1,500 in the past few hours.
What is being demanded? Above all, the signing employees are demanding that the management releases a new statement and reconsiders their views. There are concerns that the management’s perspective does not take victims seriously, making a harmonious coexistence virtually impossible.
However, clear consequences are also being demanded. It is advocated that Frances Townsend, who previously published a statement from Blizzard that dismissed many of the allegations as “false and inappropriate”, should resign.
Townsend had published an official statement from Blizzard a few days ago, stating that they find the lawsuit and the allegations made to be outrageous and “in many cases untrue”. The agency operates “shamefully and unprofessionally”. Given that numerous current and former employees are bringing forward more and more incidents of discrimination and harassment, the anger among many is boiling over.
More about the current Blizzard scandal can be found in these posts:
In the MeinMMO podcast, we explain what the lawsuit is about and evaluate Activision Blizzard’s first response
What else is in the letter? The open letter, while not very long, contains a clear stance from over 1,500 employees. They show solidarity with the victims and aim to foster a culture where abuse and discrimination have no place, allowing victims to come forward at any time to highlight such incidents. We have translated the letter for you:
To the management of Blizzard
We, the signatories, agree that the statements from Activision Blizzard and their legal counsel regarding [the lawsuit] as well as the subsequent internal statement from Frances Townsend are abhorrent and offensive to everything we thought we stood for as a company. To be clear, our values as employees are not reflected in the words and actions of our leadership.
We believe that these statements have harmed our ongoing efforts for equal treatment both within and outside our industry. Categorizing the allegations as “distorted and in many cases false” creates an atmosphere where victims are not believed. It also raises doubts about our company’s ability to hold abusers accountable or to create a safe environment where victims can come forward. These statements clearly show that our leadership does not prioritize these values. Immediate rectification is necessary, and it must come from the highest level of the company.
Our management has claimed that actions will be taken to protect us, but in light of the lawsuit – and the problematic official responses that followed – we no longer trust our leadership to prioritize the safety of its employees over its own interests. The claim that this is a “meritless and irresponsible lawsuit” while so many current and former employees come forward with their own experiences of abuse and harassment is simply unacceptable.
We demand official statements that acknowledge the seriousness of these allegations and demonstrate empathy for the victims of harassment and other assaults. We call on Frances Townsend to stand by her word and resign as Executive Sponsor of the ABK Employee Women’s Network due to the damaging nature of her statements. We urge our leadership team to work with us on new and meaningful efforts that ensure employees – and our community – have a safe place to [speak openly about incidents].
We stand united with all our friends, colleagues, and the members of our dedicated community who have experienced abuse and harassment in any form. We will not be silenced, we will not back down, and we will not give up until the company we love is once again a workplace that we can be proud to be a part of. We will be the change.
The relevant executives at Activision Blizzard have not yet released a response to the letter.
What do you think of this statement from the employees? Is it a good, strong sign?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In CoD Warzone has a feature called Gunsmith, which allows you to customize your guns. However, the variant that CoD Mobile offers is said by some players to be much better than the one in Warzone.
What is the Gunsmith? The feature Gunsmith is a menu where you can modify and upgrade weapons in CoD games. Quite radical adjustments are possible, as you can almost neutralize a weapon’s recoil or attach particularly effective sights. Players spend many hours creating optimal combinations and crafting true killer builds.
Yet, to the surprise of a well-known streamer, it turns out that Warzone has the worst version of the Gunsmith.
This is what makes the CoD Mobile Gunsmith better
What are the differences between the Gunsmiths? The famous CoD expert JGOD is known for delving deep into Warzone’s data and creating ideal builds. Therefore, he was quite surprised when he took a peek into CoD Mobile and discovered detailed stats for every adjustment in the Gunsmith of the Mobile version.
In the Mobile version, exact numerical values are given for each upgrade, such as “-14.4 percent vertical recoil” or “-3.0 percent speed.” In Warzone, however, there are no concrete numbers, only a rough graph indicating how the upgrade affects performance.
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Players want the Mobile Gunsmith: For many players, it would be so much better if the Gunsmith in Warzone were as detailed as in the Mobile version. Some users write on Twitter:
Judy: “It’s nice to see detailed statistics for each upgrade directly in the game. It has never made sense to me to only see a bar graph without actual statistics, that was just a guessing game.”
Daniel: “Even Cold War does something similar. I understand that there are other priorities, but it would be nice if they eventually did that for Warzone too. That would be a significant quality-of-life improvement.”
Bruno: “CoD Mobile is everything we want, except that it doesn’t come to PC or console. That’s tragic.”
Fans believe that this feature from the Mobile version and the current Call of Duty: Black Ops – Cold War is so much better than the rudimentary graph system in Warzone. It is to be hoped that the developers will take pity and soon bring the feature from Mobile and Cold War to Warzone. Then building secret super weapons will finally be easier.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In August 2021, you will encounter Palimpalim in the weekly research breakthrough in Pokémon GO. We will show you whether the research breakthrough is worth it and what else to expect besides a meeting with this Pokémon.
This is the research breakthrough in August: In the research breakthrough, you will meet the Psychic Pokémon Palimpalim starting from August 1, 2021, at 10:00 PM. It will replace Geronimatz as the reward Pokémon. Additionally, you will receive double XP for redeeming your research breakthrough.
Research Breakthrough with Palimpalim – Is it worth it?
Here’s why Palimpalim is worth it: The Psychic Pokémon Palimpalim is from the 3rd generation. It has the pre-evolution Klingplim but does not evolve further. In the game, you can encounter Palimpalim through various means.
On one hand, it is part of the special research “A Thousand-Year Sleep”, but you will also find it in the wild. It is said to be more common in windy weather. Since the GO Fest 2021, Palimpalim is also available in its shiny variant in the game.
Palimpalim normal (left) and shiny (right)
According to the overview from pvpoke, Palimpalim plays no role in PvP leagues or raids (via pvpoke.com). Its defense and stamina stats are rather poor, and its attack stats are not impressive either. You should instead rely on other monsters.
Strong XP Bonus + Raid Pass Gift
Besides Palimpalim, you can expect an XP bonus in August. If you redeem your weekly research breakthrough, you will earn double experience points. You need these for leveling up to level 50, so you should definitely take advantage of them. However, unlike the previous two months, there is no free remote raid pass as a reward in August.
However, you do not have to completely forgo your weekly remote raid pass. As announced by Niantic, it will be available along with other items in the in-game shop for one PokéCoin in August (via pokemongolive.com). The corresponding box will be available in the shop every Monday.
This is how you get the research breakthrough: In Pokémon GO, you have the opportunity to complete field research tasks at PokéStops. For every day you complete such a task, you earn a stamp. If you collect stamps by completing field researches for 7 days, you will achieve the research breakthrough.
This is what to expect in August: In August 2021, numerous events await you in Pokémon GO again, such as the second part of the Hyperbonus. We have looked at which events are particularly worth it and summarized them for you: Pokémon GO: All Events in August 2021 and which are worth it
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The new Marvel RPG Marvel Future Revolution is approaching its release in August. Additionally, there is new information about the open-world game and you can already register in advance.
Update (27.07.2021): We now have a release date for Marvel Future Revolution. The game will be released on August 25, 2021, on iOS and Android.
What is Marvel Future Revolution? Marvel Future Revolution has nothing to do with the unsuccessful game Marvel’s Avengers. Instead, it is a kind of successor to the hugely successful mobile hit Marvel Future Fight from Korean developer Netmarble, who were also responsible for the mobile MMO Lineage 2 Revolution.
Marvel Future Revolution is an open-world action RPG for iOS and Android and offers a new Marvel story written by Marvel writer Marc Sumerak. After several “Earths” from the Marvel multiverse merge into a new “Primary Earth,” you join the newly formed superhero team “Omega Flight” to solve the emerging cosmic problems.
All of this comes with sleek 3D graphics that you would expect on consoles or PC, the developers say. You can see how good it looks in the trailer here:
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Which superheroes will be available? At launch, there will be a whole lot of well-known and popular Marvel heroes, not just from the Avengers. Therefore, there are also characters from the Guardians of the Galaxy, the X-Men, or the Spiderverse. The playable heroes at release are:
Captain America
Captain Marvel
Spider-Man
Black Widow
Iron Man
Doctor Strange
Star-Lord
Storm
https://youtu.be/5n-hEJt-TRg
All of these heroes can, according to the developers, be customized with over 400 million costume combinations. So you won’t have to run around with the same Star-Lord. This even fits the setting, as various versions of the heroes from different worlds appear on the new Primary Earth.
When is Marvel Future Revolution coming out? For the release, we only know from official sources that it is “getting closer”. But anyone who wants to be sure not to miss the release can already register on the official website of Marvel Future Revolution. This will also yield a special costume. Marvel Future Revolution will be released for iOS and Android systems.
Are you looking for more exciting games for mobile to bridge the waiting time until Marvel Future Revolution? Then you’re in luck, because at MeinMMO we have already compiled various games that you might like. Just take a look at our list of the 9 best mobile MMORPGs for 2021 on iOS and Android.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
New World is currently in beta. If you want to check out Amazon’s new MMO and are coming from World of Warcraft, you will notice some differences. MeinMMO reveals what is significantly different in New World compared to WoW.
What are these things? New World does many things differently than its MMO and MMORPG competitors. This ranges from its mix of survival, RPG, and MMO to factions and PvP, to the class system.
WoW has shaped the genre like hardly any other MMORPG. However, New World apparently intends to take little to no inspiration from it. Since New World particularly appeals to MMO players, some followers of World of Warcraft will surely want to look around Aeternum.
As a WoW player, however, you will need to throw over a good part of your experience and learn anew how to actually play New World.
1. You have an active combat system and can miss
As a WoW player, you will first have to get used to the controls of New World, as the systems have hardly any similarities:
WoW uses “Tab Targeting,” so you select a target and use abilities and spells on it when you are in range.
New World features an active combat system, meaning you strike yourself, have to aim correctly, and may hit multiple enemies with a normal attack under certain circumstances. You also have to block and dodge independently.
In New World, you are also only able to select three abilities at the same time, which keeps things relatively simple regarding what you can do. While the system is different, it does not overwhelm you with dozens of new mechanics right away.
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The GameStar test shows you the combat system and gameplay of New World.
Unlike in WoW, there is no indicator to show whether your attack is in range and hits. So be sure to have enough range with your weapon and aim properly with ranged weapons.
Don’t be too frustrated if it feels a bit clunky at first. Once you get used to the new weapons, the controls will feel easier. For beginners and newcomers, we have some tips here, and further down in the article, you will learn more about combat and classes:
When starting a new character in WoW, you are welcomed with long questlines that start new quests or even lead you to new areas. Essentially, you only need a “starter quest” that continually supplies you with content until the endgame.
In New World, while there are also ongoing quests, there are hardly any continuous lines that guide you through the world. Instead, you have settlements where you find various generic quests.
These quests often send you to the same locations, but almost always within the same area, and rarely to outside areas and new regions. There, you are supposed to gather quest items or kill enemies without really following a story.
The markers indicate quests and often lead you to the same locations.
Instead, you help the settlements or your factions. Most quests in New World are thus “accompanied grind.” It does not matter much where you are—the quests are nearly identical in every area.
Only your starting area determines in which zone your main questline is and where it initially plays out. The story itself spans more across the entire world, instead of being focused on individual areas. Fundamentally, you have a single main story with many side quests, as you might know from single-player RPGs.
3. Anyone can pursue any profession and do so anytime
Crafting is one of the most important features of New World. Among other things, you receive the best items in the game through professions and craft essential consumables. Crafting is not just an auxiliary aspect; you can even level up through gathering and crafting.
Unlike in WoW, you do not have to commit to two professions; instead, you can do everything at any time. You only need the right tools and the right crafting stations.
Professions are not something you learn from a teacher, but you “can” simply know them. You level them up through use and find corresponding materials everywhere in the world. Crafting in New World is more comparable to survival games like Conan Exiles or Valheim.
If you want, you can excel as a weaponsmith or alchemist by intentionally leveling up that profession and only collecting resources for it. Ultimately, though, you can learn everything if you invest enough time.
4. You cannot craft everywhere – and you shouldn’t
When crafting, you must keep in mind that you will need better stations for later levels. These are fixed in the settlements managed by the factions and guilds that currently control that settlement.
It may happen that for a new weapon, you need a forge of level 4, but your town only has a forge of level 2. Then you will have to find a settlement with a better forge and carry your materials there.
However, it is essential that you always pay a fee when crafting. This is displayed at the station in the bottom right corner and goes into the treasury of the guild that controls the settlement.
In the bottom right, you see the fee when crafting. Here we pay very little.
Therefore, it is advisable to only craft in towns controlled by your faction. This way, you do not inadvertently support your competitors’ war efforts.
While there are roughly tanks, DPS, and healers, they define what they are through their equipment. Various weapons are available to you, which you can choose between and level up.
These weapons determine what role you take on. With a life staff, you are a healer, with sword and shield you absorb damage, and with a musket, you deal damage from afar.
You can also choose your armor freely. There are light, medium, and heavy armor, which determines how much you can withstand and how well you can dodge. With light armor, you can perform a dodge roll, while heavy armor tends to hinder you.
Depending on how heavy your equipment is, you have advantages and disadvantages: light armor makes you more agile and increases damage, while heavy armor improves your block and reduces control effects.
This also means that you can switch at any time. You gain experience with corresponding weapons and unlock active and passive abilities. There are skill points, but you do not have to commit to a role with talents and classes; you can switch at any time.
6. Story in New World is not as important as in WoW
As a WoW player, you are likely spoiled by a story that is told to you in every area and every dungeon. After all, the MMORPG is based on the entire story of Warcraft, which now encompasses dozens of books, comics, and short stories.
WoW builds on an existing world, while New World is still establishing its universe. However, you only learn relatively little about the world, other than that there are some “undead”, you cannot die, and something is tainting the world.
The game itself does not force the story on you. You can find some information in quests here and there, but most NPCs are busy surviving and even suggest not to dig too deep into the past.
Story snippets can be found scattered throughout the world in the form of diary pages and books that you can read. Lore is entirely optional; gameplay is clearly at the forefront.
Dungeons in New World tell their own stories that complement the world. In WoW, the dungeons are intertwined with the lore, and the story is the driving factor for why you advance into places like the Molten Core or now into the Sanctum of Domination.
7. PvP has 3 factions and decides how the world looks
Unlike in WoW with Horde and Alliance, you have 3 factions to choose from in New World:
The Syndicate, inquisitive alchemists
The Marauders, a group of mercenaries and pirates
The Covenant is a religious alliance that wants to drive “evil” from the island
Similar to WoW, the factions fight each other, but you choose your faction within the game and can even change it every 120 days. The choice is thus not permanent, and you can play with your friends in other factions.
The factions are fighting for control. Here are the Marauders in green and the Syndicate in purple.
The factions only become important in PvP. Syndicate, Marauders, and Covenant fight for control of various areas and settlements of Aeternum. Guilds within a faction manage the cities, which also has some implications for you:
Taxes for housing and crafting fees are collected by the guild that controls the respective city
The guild decides how high the taxes and fees are
With the gold, the guild can make upgrades – so you could inadvertently support your enemies if you’re not careful
Open PvP is optional, although there are many forts that you can hold or attack with your faction. In wars, the settlements are contested and occupied by the winning guild – this is the pinnacle of open PvP, in which you also do not have to participate unless you want to defend your city.
The major PvP mode in the endgame, Outpost Rush, is again instanced. Here you gather resources in closed battles and experience a siege in a 20vs20 match that resembles survival games.
When does New World come out? If you haven’t played the beta yet or want to play, the release is not far off either. New World will be available for PC on August 31, 2021. You only have to pay once and then have access to all content, as well as a cash shop with cosmetic items. Unlike WoW, you do not pay subscription fees.
For WoW players, of course, the endgame is always important, as raids and dungeons are a highlight in every expansion. New World also offers some content here that we have already looked at for you:
