Destiny 2 will receive a new update today, July 29. Hotfix 3.2.1.3 is being released for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, as well as on PC and Google Stadia. For you, this also means maintenance work and a complete server downtime. We provide you with all the information and the schedule of the maintenance so you can plan your gaming evening well.
The final phase of the Solstice of Heroes 2021 has begun and Destiny 2 brings an update for the third week in a row. Hotfix 3.2.1.3 will bring the servers down today, July 29, along with maintenance work, of course at the best time.
Update 7:03 PM: the update is now available on all platforms. It is 232 MB on PlayStation 5.
MeinMMO is updating this article throughout the day so you can plan your valuable gaming time well. You will find all the important changes and patch notes here so you can keep up with the other guardians.
Maintenance on July 29 – Schedule and Server Downtime
You need to know these times today:
Starting at 6:00 PM German time the maintenance work will begin.
At 6:45 PM the Destiny servers will go down – you will be kicked from all activities.
Around 7:00 PM the servers will be back online – Hotfix 3.2.1.3 will then be available simultaneously.
Once you have downloaded (and copied) the update, you can play Destiny 2 directly.
At 8:00 PM the maintenance work is scheduled to end.
Have you planned a raid today? Then be sure to take note of the update times.
As always: As long as the maintenance work is ongoing in the background, there may be login issues. If you can’t download the update immediately at 7:00 PM, it is completely normal for Bungie, so have a bit of patience. During the maintenance period, third-party applications as well as the official Companion App will only be partially accessible or not accessible at all.
What changes does Update 3.2.1.3 bring on July 29?
The latest hotfix has not been given a detailed preview by Bungie. The nasty problem with the non-appearing weapons has recently been resolved, but some issues in the Solstice event are still plaguing the guardians. With little time left, we can probably expect some fixes today.
Therefore, we are curious when the patch notes will communicate all changes. And we will supplement the most important information here.
If you plan to do some shopping in the Bungie Store today, be aware: From 6 PM German time, the shop will be inaccessible for about 30 minutes (via Twitter).
Where are the patch notes for Hotfix 3.2.1.3 in Destiny 2?
A complete overview of all changes is always provided by Bungie in the form of the official patch notes. Here, the developer lists all interventions in Destiny 2 neatly.
We embed the official change log from Bungie here:
What do you think about Bungie now rolling out smaller hotfixes for Destiny 2 every week? Do server downtimes regularly spoil your evening? Or is it right that even small fixes are addressed regularly? Let us know in the comments.
Again and again, the question arises on social media whether there is a Shiny Charm in Pokémon GO. We explain what it is and whether you can find it in the game.
What is it about? Social media frequently features questions from trainers about the Shiny Charm. Recently, the YouTuber Spieletrends also used this term in his video about the first day of GO Fest to express his high yield of Shiny Pokémon (via youtube.com).
We have looked into what the Shiny Charm is and where to find it.
What is the Shiny Charm?
The Shiny Charm is a shiny talisman from other Pokémon games, such as Pokémon Let’s GO Pikachu or Let’s GO Eevee. This allows players to increase their Shiny rates. To obtain the Shiny Charm in these games, trainers must catch a certain number of Pokémon.
In the Let’s GO games, a complete Pokédex of the first 150 monsters is required. This means they must have registered all Pokémon there, from Bulbasaur to Mewtwo. Afterwards, they can pick up their Shiny Charm at the PokéCenter.
Since the chance of obtaining a Shiny specimen significantly increases with the Shiny Charm, it is a popular item among players. For this reason, there are many inquiries about this possibility in Pokémon GO on social media.
Is there a Shiny Charm in Pokémon GO?
No, unfortunately, you cannot currently obtain a Shiny Charm in Pokémon GO. However, since it exists in many other Pokémon games, trainers have long been hoping for its introduction in Pokémon GO.
For example, Amphy516 writes on Twitter: “I wish Pokémon GO had a Shiny Charm. Even if you could only get it through purchase. I would definitely use one. I enjoy walking, but Pokémon GO encourages me to do it even more” (via twitter.com).
Kantochris also agrees on Reddit: “I spend a lot of time searching for Shinies in the main series games, and one of my first goals in every new game is to get the Shiny Charm. I thought it would be cool if Niantic introduced a Shiny Charm to increase the chances of Shinies” (via reddit.com).
This is how Pokémon GO could implement the Shiny Charm
Apart from the general desire for the Shiny Charm to be introduced in Pokémon GO, trainers already have some ideas on how Niantic could implement it in the game.
For example, PlayfulTitan18 writes on Reddit that it could be tied to a complete region in the Pokédex, similar to other Pokémon games (via reddit.com). Trainers could then receive it from Professor Willow in a special task.
Reddit user LukaTheGrabla also sees the Shiny Charm linked to a complete region in the Pokédex. He shows in his post how he imagines the Shiny Charm in the item bag:
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Trainer gooderz21, on the other hand, can imagine obtaining it through raids or field research breakthroughs and that it can only be used once for a certain period (via reddit.com).
According to Reddit user trickyburrito, a special research task to catch a Shiny Pokémon could also be feasible (via reddit.com).
Whether Niantic plans to introduce such an item in Pokémon GO in the future is currently unknown. As soon as there is official information on this, you will find it here on MeinMMO.
What do you think of the Shiny Charm? Would you be happy about its release in Pokémon GO? And what do you think Niantic could do to implement it in the game? Feel free to share your opinions with us in the comments!
This is also known: In addition to the new trailer, EA Sports also released a new pitch notes article. It goes into more detail about the new features that can also be seen in the trailer.
Among other things, the “Full Authentic Team Motion” is described, along with new animations for a variety of situations. There are new animations for:
Standard situations
Shots
Passes
Player movements and reactions
Celebrations
Ball control
Headers by two players
Dribbling
But these are just a few examples. Overall, there are over 4000 new animations.
Interestingly, there is a new point called “Competitive Settings.” EA emphasizes in the pitch notes that players wanted more control. Therefore, some assistance functions will no longer be present in certain modes, such as support for headers. This will apply in modes like FUT Rivals or FUT Champions.
Additionally, you will receive a more detailed analysis of your game. There you will find things like accurate stats on ball possession, passes, but also “Expected Goals” (i.e., information on how many goals you could reasonably expect to score according to the game). You will also receive a more detailed overview of the performance of individual players.
This is what the new overview looks like. There are several tabs with a lot of information.
Furthermore, the pitch notes go into more detail about other realism improvements. This includes an improved presentation of players off the ball, the new “Composed Ball Control,” and a change in ball physics. The ball flies quite differently than one would be accustomed to from the past.
There are also innovations in terms of dribbling. Some skill moves are improved, others weakened, or completely newly added. Interestingly: The popular “Bridge” skill move from FIFA 21 is getting slower.
You can also set tactics more precisely in FIFA 22. There are new instructions for your players that allow you to specify their behavior on the field more accurately. In attack, for example, you can now distinguish between two sections: building play in your own half and creating chances in the opponent’s half.
Overall, the developers are going into great detail about the new features. You can find the complete overview here (via EA Sports). However, information on what innovations regarding modes or similar is still missing.
In addition, the goalkeepers will receive a complete overhaul. The AI of the keepers has been improved. This should lead to more reliable saves, which have also been supplemented with new animations. In conjunction with the new defensive AI, which has also been announced, it could now be easier to prevent goals.
In League of Legends, the new champion Akshan is live with patch 11.5. Players of LoL thought: This will be a new super-hero, but he proves to be too weak and loses too often. His win rate is below 40%. Now he needs to be made stronger in a second emergency patch.
Why were players so scared of Akshan? When the new champion Akshan was introduced in LoL, players found him ridiculously strong. This was about 4 weeks ago, on July 7, 2021.
This was mainly due to a “Passive Resurrection” mechanic in his “W – Going Rogue”. When Akshan kills an opponent who previously killed a teammate, he can revive the fallen comrade. This mechanic works even if Akshan is actually dead.
Players imagined that Akshan could single-handedly revive his team. It was outrageous how strong the hero’s skills were, people said back then.
The LoL developers noted at the time: Akshan also has weaknesses. His wave clear is not that strong and he is not good at dealing consistent damage.
But the LoL players were not dissuaded: They accused Riot Games of having completely lost their minds by introducing such a strong champion into the game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrvIl8yIEO4
In such videos, Akshan looked brutal.
The champ looked totally strong on paper, but is way too weak in game
So it was in reality now: Since Akshan has been on the live servers and is played by many, he proves to be a loser.
“We were very careful about how his resurrection mechanic would affect the balance at release. Now that said: He still has a very low win rate, so we were probably too careful.”
Akshan is already getting 2 micro-patches to buff him
This is what Riot Games is doing now: In a micro-update, the devs are boosting him again:
Akshan now receives a higher gain in attack speed when leveling up – it increases from 2.5% to 4%
And his Q does 40-90% instead of 40-70% on minions
Already in the first patch on July 23, one day after Akshan’s release, his hit points, base damage, and Q cooldown were adjusted. But apparently, this help was not enough.
How bad is the champ then? According to the numbers from Champion.gg, Akshan has a 39.2% win rate in platinum tier.
The win rate of new champions is often low because everyone wants to play the new champ, including people who have no clue about him. But 39.2% is probably too low.
Maybe Akshan will pull himself together, another new hero looks exciting:
The highly anticipated MMORPG Lost Ark has detailed the contents for pre-orderers in a blog post. Among other things, Amazon also addresses the price changes of the packages. Players seem to be faking their location to already affect the economy in the game. What is behind this?
What are Pioneer Packages? While Lost Ark is technically a free-to-play game, certain pioneer packages can still be pre-ordered to get secure access to the closed beta, early access to the game, and more.
The packages come in different price tiers:
Bronze for €14.99
Silver for €24.99
Gold for €49.99
Platinum for €99.99
Except for the newly introduced Bronze package, all tiers include the in-game currency “royal crystals”. Moreover, the packages were long priced at a uniform level worldwide.
What does this mean? A uniform price level means that the packages cost the same in every available country, in the respective currency. So the Platinum package costs not only €99.99 here, but also $99.99 in America. However, since this does not reflect the same value because currencies are worth different amounts, the package did not cost the same worldwide.
Players took advantage of this and pretended to have a false location to buy the packages at a lower price from other regions. Since these packages include real money currency, this directly affects the economy in the game, without even having been released.
How does Amazon respond? To counter this, Amazon is now globalizing the prices of the pioneer packages. This means that the Silver, Gold, and Platinum packages now actually have the same value everywhere and therefore no longer identical prices. This prevents issues in the in-game economy.
The publisher is aware that this is particularly a problem for poorer countries. Therefore, it is now introducing the Bronze package, which does not include in-game currency, but still offers many advantages. The price of the Bronze packages remains standardized at €14.99 of the respective currency worldwide to ensure access for as many people as possible.
What else is new? In addition to the already known contents of the packages, there are also new insights into the cosmetic bonuses of the packages. Amazon shows what the companion pet looks like, gives us a first look at the new skins, and the exclusive mount of the bundles.
What is included in all packages? All possible pioneer packages share the following contents, which you receive whether you spend €14.99 or €99.99:
Which contents were presented in more detail? Among other things, the exclusive companion pet was finally shown, which comes in three variations and assists in combat as well as when gathering loot.
The cute companion cat is included in every package and comes in three variations
The “Lawmaker of the North” avatar, which can be understood as a type of clothing set or skin. It looks different for each class and will be available once you level a character to level 10. Once you bind the outfit to a class, you cannot choose it for another. The design is not yet finished, but we were allowed to see a concept drawing. The avatar is exclusively in the Gold and Platinum packages.
The concept drawings of the “Lawmaker of the North” avatar
The Platinum avatar, which is also a skin. You can choose it as soon as a character reaches level 10. The Platinum avatar also binds to a character. It is therefore possible to give both avatars to different characters. The avatar of the Soul Fist class is not finished yet, but all others are here and look really good. The Platinum avatar is exclusive in the Platinum pioneer package.
The Platinum avatars of the various classes. The flying Kung-Fu fighter is the placeholder for the yet-to-be-completed Soul Fist
Three-headed mount, is also exclusive to the Platinum pioneer package. The three-headed dog will transport you faster from A to B and apparently its appearance can also be customized. When and how it will be received in the game is not yet known.
Also exclusive in the Platinum pioneer package is a train for your island and a nice login background for your characters.
The train, the mount, and the login screen are exclusively available for Platinum pre-orders
What do you think of the changes and contents? Are you excited for Lost Ark and if so, have you pre-ordered a package or even used the currency trick yourself? Let us know in the comments.
Some trainers in Pokémon GO report receiving a notification about a new social feature in the game that wants to access contacts. We took a look at what this notification is about and what the trainers are saying.
What happened? In the community on reddit, reports are piling up from trainers who received a notification from Pokémon GO while accessing their friends list in the game. As you can see in the following image, a new social feature called “Niantic Social” is announced.
Notification about the new social feature
It is evident that Niantic wants to access trainers’ contacts in the future. This unsettles some players, as they express on reddit. For example, Bennguyen2 writes: “I’m not giving them any information about my contact list. Good thing I denied contact permissions in the app settings.” (via reddit.com).
What the notification is about
As seen in the statement from Niantic, contacts are supposed to be used so that trainers can find other players from their contact list to invite them as friends in Pokémon GO. A similar function already exists in the game for the Facebook friends list. Those who are connected to Facebook in Pokémon GO have the option to search for other trainers in their contact list.
Due to the “Continue” button in the notification, some trainers are now unsettled as they do not wish to share their contacts. However, this notification is merely information, as reddit user Duarjo clearly points out in his post.
He writes: “For those worried about it just saying ‘Continue,’ it means to continue to the notice … To activate the feature, a separate option will appear, and you will have to grant permission to the app from your phone; it’s not something Niantic does without your permission.” (via reddit.com)
What the community says about the announced feature
Trainers on reddit are not enthusiastic about this new feature. Some express concerns regarding privacy. User inksquid256 writes: “Niantic wants to farm your contact list. It’s supposed to ‘help’ you find more friends from your contacts” (via reddit.com).
Trainer EnterNameRightHere also asks in his post: “My question is whether I appear to those who allow access to their contacts because I’m in their contact list? Even though it’s a feature I DO NOT want?” (via reddit.com)
NordKettle suspects that this is an update to better communicate with friends. He also hopes this will lead to the introduction of an in-game chat and a way to increase trading distance (via reddit.com).
In June, Niantic announced new social features in their games to the website Bloomberg. These should help trainers coordinate their meetings better in the future. Many trainers hoped for the long-awaited introduction of an in-game chat.
So far, nothing further is known about the specific implementation of this new feature. If there are new updates, you can read about them here on MeinMMO.
What do you think about the new social feature? Will you share your contact details from your phone for the game? And what do you hope for in terms of new developments in the game through this feature? Feel free to share your opinion here on MeinMMO in the comments.
Street appears on the periphery of the chat log. Although he doesn’t say anything incriminating, it becomes clear that he was involved in this matter.
This chat log from 2013 is currently being heavily discussed. Source: Kotaku
Street apologizes to Riot Games employees for “distraction”
This is what Street says now: Street has reached out in a message to Riot Games employees and apologized to them that his behavior from years ago is now causing such a stir.
He says: This room (“The Cosby Suite”) was a break room during BlizzCon – everyone knew back then that drinking happened there. But he never experienced any sexual harassment taking place there, as described in the accusations. Had he seen that, he would have definitely intervened.
In hindsight, he feels embarrassed about what nickname the room had, given what we now know. But in 2013, the reference to Bill Cosby was only an allusion to an old flea market portrait for him. He knew nothing about the allegations against Cosby.
“Now that it’s said. I understand that the story puts everyone in a difficult situation and I’m sorry for that. I hope my reputation here at Riot and your individual experiences with me provide you a clear picture of what kind of person I am and what values I uphold.”
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What does he say about the chat? In response to critical fan inquiries, he says: In the chat, people were making jokes, which were clearly not meant for the public.
The “hot chicks” that were spoken about were Kosak’s wife and a friend. But Street admits: The chat was gross and he completely understands how this looks.
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A former employee of WoW says on Twitter: Street invited her to that Cosby Suite back then. She trusted him, she respected him. For her, it was an “innocent party with drinks at her first BlizzCon.”
The former employee says: In the hotel room, she was then groped by Alex Afrasiabi. He was fired by Activision Blizzard in 2020 for his misconduct in 2013.
Street has since apologized for it. He didn’t know that such things were happening there.
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What makes this so delicate: Riot Games was involved in a sexism scandal three years ago. At that time, similar accusations circulated against Riot Games employees as are now made against Activision Blizzard employees.
Riot Games pledged to improve back then and took measures to distance themselves from this behavior.
It now seems possible that Riot Games, to make a statement, will distance themselves from Street and fire him.
It appears that Greg Street was not personally involved in sexual harassment. But it now seems that he had knowledge of it and did not report it afterwards. This could have negative consequences for him. The tone on Twitter towards Street is, in any case, skeptical to hostile.
Riot Games has made great efforts to clarify and rectify their past misconduct:
In hindsight, he feels embarrassed about what nickname the room had, given what we now know. But in 2013, the reference to Bill Cosby was only an allusion to an old flea market portrait for him. He knew nothing about the allegations against Cosby.
Street says:
“Now that it’s said. I understand that the story puts everyone in a difficult situation and I’m sorry for that. I hope my reputation here at Riot and your individual experiences with me provide you a clear picture of what kind of person I am and what values I uphold.”
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What does he say about the chat? In response to critical fan inquiries, he says: In the chat, people were making jokes, which were clearly not meant for the public.
The “hot chicks” that were spoken about were Kosak’s wife and a friend. But Street admits: The chat was gross and he completely understands how this looks.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.
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Read more about our privacy policy.
A former employee of WoW says on Twitter: Street invited her to that Cosby Suite back then. She trusted him, she respected him. For her, it was an “innocent party with drinks at her first BlizzCon.”
The former employee says: In the hotel room, she was then groped by Alex Afrasiabi. He was fired by Activision Blizzard in 2020 for his misconduct in 2013.
Street has since apologized for it. He didn’t know that such things were happening there.
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What makes this so delicate: Riot Games was involved in a sexism scandal three years ago. At that time, similar accusations circulated against Riot Games employees as are now made against Activision Blizzard employees.
Riot Games pledged to improve back then and took measures to distance themselves from this behavior.
It now seems possible that Riot Games, to make a statement, will distance themselves from Street and fire him.
It appears that Greg Street was not personally involved in sexual harassment. But it now seems that he had knowledge of it and did not report it afterwards. This could have negative consequences for him. The tone on Twitter towards Street is, in any case, skeptical to hostile.
Riot Games has made great efforts to clarify and rectify their past misconduct:
Street appears on the periphery of the chat log. Although he doesn’t say anything incriminating, it becomes clear that he was involved in this matter.
This chat log from 2013 is currently being heavily discussed. Source: Kotaku
Street apologizes to Riot Games employees for “distraction”
This is what Street says now: Street has reached out in a message to Riot Games employees and apologized to them that his behavior from years ago is now causing such a stir.
He says: This room (“The Cosby Suite”) was a break room during BlizzCon – everyone knew back then that drinking happened there. But he never experienced any sexual harassment taking place there, as described in the accusations. Had he seen that, he would have definitely intervened.
In hindsight, he feels embarrassed about what nickname the room had, given what we now know. But in 2013, the reference to Bill Cosby was only an allusion to an old flea market portrait for him. He knew nothing about the allegations against Cosby.
Street says:
“Now that it’s said. I understand that the story puts everyone in a difficult situation and I’m sorry for that. I hope my reputation here at Riot and your individual experiences with me provide you a clear picture of what kind of person I am and what values I uphold.”
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.
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What does he say about the chat? In response to critical fan inquiries, he says: In the chat, people were making jokes, which were clearly not meant for the public.
The “hot chicks” that were spoken about were Kosak’s wife and a friend. But Street admits: The chat was gross and he completely understands how this looks.
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.
A former employee of WoW says on Twitter: Street invited her to that Cosby Suite back then. She trusted him, she respected him. For her, it was an “innocent party with drinks at her first BlizzCon.”
The former employee says: In the hotel room, she was then groped by Alex Afrasiabi. He was fired by Activision Blizzard in 2020 for his misconduct in 2013.
Street has since apologized for it. He didn’t know that such things were happening there.
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.
What makes this so delicate: Riot Games was involved in a sexism scandal three years ago. At that time, similar accusations circulated against Riot Games employees as are now made against Activision Blizzard employees.
Riot Games pledged to improve back then and took measures to distance themselves from this behavior.
It now seems possible that Riot Games, to make a statement, will distance themselves from Street and fire him.
It appears that Greg Street was not personally involved in sexual harassment. But it now seems that he had knowledge of it and did not report it afterwards. This could have negative consequences for him. The tone on Twitter towards Street is, in any case, skeptical to hostile.
Riot Games has made great efforts to clarify and rectify their past misconduct:
The developer Greg Street works for Riot Games on their new MMORPG for League of Legends(LoL), he is the MMO Lead there. But now his past is catching up with him. Greg Street, who was an important man at WoW from 2008 to 2013 as Ghostcrawler, is now caught in the sexism scandal around Activision Blizzard.
This is Greg Street:
The developer worked for Blizzard from 2008 to 2013. He was known under the name “Ghostcrawler” and used a spectral crab as a profile picture. Street was the figurehead of WoW during that time, serving as the “Lead System Designer” and regularly discussed with fans, sharing his perspective on WoW.
But now Street is caught in Blizzard’s sexism scandal. His name appears in a chat log from 2013 that no one wants to find themselves in. He is trying to explain his behavior from back then.
This was Street’s first reaction: A few days ago, a video circulated, showing a WoW panel at a BlizzCon. A female player asked the assembled WoW greats if it had to be that Sylvanas looked like she had just come out of a lingerie catalog.
The crowd booed the woman, and the WoW creators laughed in the video and made their jokes.
In 2021, the video served as confirmation that a misogynistic culture had always existed at Blizzard.
Street, who was also seen in the video, said that it was a shitty response and that it had aged even worse. He is ashamed of how it went down. Now that he has seen the face of the questioner, he feels really bad. He apologized for his behavior.
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Street said, however: He makes mistakes, learns from them, apologizes for them, and moves on. Men in leadership positions have the responsibility to advocate for women and members of marginalized groups. He believes in that.
That’s why he is now in serious trouble: His appearance on the panel was not the end of it. As the US site Kotaku has uncovered, Street was part of a chat group at Blizzard during BlizzCon 2013. In that chat, Blizzard managers arranged to bring women to a hotel suite. The men made their jokes, it was about “hot women” and sex.
Street has since apologized for it. He didn’t know that such things were happening there.
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What makes this so delicate: Riot Games was involved in a sexism scandal three years ago. At that time, similar accusations circulated against Riot Games employees as are now made against Activision Blizzard employees.
Riot Games pledged to improve back then and took measures to distance themselves from this behavior.
It now seems possible that Riot Games, to make a statement, will distance themselves from Street and fire him.
It appears that Greg Street was not personally involved in sexual harassment. But it now seems that he had knowledge of it and did not report it afterwards. This could have negative consequences for him. The tone on Twitter towards Street is, in any case, skeptical to hostile.
Riot Games has made great efforts to clarify and rectify their past misconduct:
In hindsight, he feels embarrassed about what nickname the room had, given what we now know. But in 2013, the reference to Bill Cosby was only an allusion to an old flea market portrait for him. He knew nothing about the allegations against Cosby.
Street says:
“Now that it’s said. I understand that the story puts everyone in a difficult situation and I’m sorry for that. I hope my reputation here at Riot and your individual experiences with me provide you a clear picture of what kind of person I am and what values I uphold.”
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.
What does he say about the chat? In response to critical fan inquiries, he says: In the chat, people were making jokes, which were clearly not meant for the public.
The “hot chicks” that were spoken about were Kosak’s wife and a friend. But Street admits: The chat was gross and he completely understands how this looks.
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.
A former employee of WoW says on Twitter: Street invited her to that Cosby Suite back then. She trusted him, she respected him. For her, it was an “innocent party with drinks at her first BlizzCon.”
The former employee says: In the hotel room, she was then groped by Alex Afrasiabi. He was fired by Activision Blizzard in 2020 for his misconduct in 2013.
Street has since apologized for it. He didn’t know that such things were happening there.
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.
What makes this so delicate: Riot Games was involved in a sexism scandal three years ago. At that time, similar accusations circulated against Riot Games employees as are now made against Activision Blizzard employees.
Riot Games pledged to improve back then and took measures to distance themselves from this behavior.
It now seems possible that Riot Games, to make a statement, will distance themselves from Street and fire him.
It appears that Greg Street was not personally involved in sexual harassment. But it now seems that he had knowledge of it and did not report it afterwards. This could have negative consequences for him. The tone on Twitter towards Street is, in any case, skeptical to hostile.
Riot Games has made great efforts to clarify and rectify their past misconduct:
Street appears on the periphery of the chat log. Although he doesn’t say anything incriminating, it becomes clear that he was involved in this matter.
This chat log from 2013 is currently being heavily discussed. Source: Kotaku
Street apologizes to Riot Games employees for “distraction”
This is what Street says now: Street has reached out in a message to Riot Games employees and apologized to them that his behavior from years ago is now causing such a stir.
He says: This room (“The Cosby Suite”) was a break room during BlizzCon – everyone knew back then that drinking happened there. But he never experienced any sexual harassment taking place there, as described in the accusations. Had he seen that, he would have definitely intervened.
In hindsight, he feels embarrassed about what nickname the room had, given what we now know. But in 2013, the reference to Bill Cosby was only an allusion to an old flea market portrait for him. He knew nothing about the allegations against Cosby.
Street says:
“Now that it’s said. I understand that the story puts everyone in a difficult situation and I’m sorry for that. I hope my reputation here at Riot and your individual experiences with me provide you a clear picture of what kind of person I am and what values I uphold.”
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What does he say about the chat? In response to critical fan inquiries, he says: In the chat, people were making jokes, which were clearly not meant for the public.
The “hot chicks” that were spoken about were Kosak’s wife and a friend. But Street admits: The chat was gross and he completely understands how this looks.
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A former employee of WoW says on Twitter: Street invited her to that Cosby Suite back then. She trusted him, she respected him. For her, it was an “innocent party with drinks at her first BlizzCon.”
The former employee says: In the hotel room, she was then groped by Alex Afrasiabi. He was fired by Activision Blizzard in 2020 for his misconduct in 2013.
Street has since apologized for it. He didn’t know that such things were happening there.
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What makes this so delicate: Riot Games was involved in a sexism scandal three years ago. At that time, similar accusations circulated against Riot Games employees as are now made against Activision Blizzard employees.
Riot Games pledged to improve back then and took measures to distance themselves from this behavior.
It now seems possible that Riot Games, to make a statement, will distance themselves from Street and fire him.
It appears that Greg Street was not personally involved in sexual harassment. But it now seems that he had knowledge of it and did not report it afterwards. This could have negative consequences for him. The tone on Twitter towards Street is, in any case, skeptical to hostile.
Riot Games has made great efforts to clarify and rectify their past misconduct:
The new Digimon game Digimon Survive is a survival tactics game in the Digimon universe. It will adopt a rather darker and more adult tone and is expected to be released in 2022.
What is Digimon Survive? Digimon Survive will be another game in the Digimon universe following titles like Digimon Super Rumble. However, the game is aimed more at adult fans of the franchise and will have a rather darker tone. Even the anime-style trailer shows eerie scenes of red-eyed creatures lurking in the forest.
The game itself looks a bit like tactical RPGs such as Fire Emblem and Final Fantasy Tactics. You fight with your upgradeable Digimon beasts in turn-based tactical battles against other creatures.
The story revolves around a group of teenagers who get lost in another world full of strange beings and must find their way back. There will be multiple choices and endings, including “bad endings,” which you see when you make wrong decisions, leading to beloved characters dying (via Wikipedia).
Release likely in 2022
When is the game coming out? In a quarterly report from the responsible company Toei Animation, it was recently announced that Digimon Survive has been postponed to Q3 2022. This would mean sometime between July 1 and September 30 of the year 2022. So you’ll have to wait a good year for the game.
But that is still better than the previous rumors about cancellation (via Dualshockers). Curiously, the game’s homepage still mentions a release in 2021.
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For which platforms will it be released? If Digimon Survive actually emerges to be released, it is planned for PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.
By the way, if you’re looking for another, even more twisted game featuring cute animals that look like Pokémon in a pretty dark setting, you should check out Palworld. Even though its developers deny any relation to Pokémon.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
About 9 months after release, the time has finally come, as you will soon be able to expand the SSD of your PS5. Sony has now explained how this works and who can already expand their PS5 storage. Some users will still have to wait.
Until now, the storage space of the PS5 was limited, with around 600 GB available for gamers to install games. However, many find this insufficient, as games like CoD: Warzone already require over 100 GB on the hard drive. And not every gamer is keen on uninstalling other games for an update.
This has now happened: The expansion of the SSD storage of the PS5 is now supposed to be unlocked for beta testers with an update. Sony presented this in an official post (via playstation.com). MeinMMO explains what you need to pay attention to and when you can expand your storage space.
Expand PS5 SSD – What you need to consider
What are the requirements? The use of an M.2 SSD with the PS5 requires effective heat dissipation with a cooling structure. Either buy an M2 SSD that already has a cooling module (so-called heatsink) installed or purchase a corresponding cooling module. However, there are restrictions on height.
What is the maximum storage capacity of the SSD? The SSD can be a maximum of 4 TB in size. If the SSD is larger, the storage will not be recognized.
What dimensions can the SSD have? The SSD must not be larger than 22 mm. You need to be careful not to buy an SSD that is larger. The SSD must also not be longer than 110 mm.
Which SSDs are supported? The PS5 supports M.2 SSDs with sizes 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280, and 22110. These numbers describe the form factor of the SSD. You can usually find these numbers on every SSD packaging.
The first two numbers (22) stand for the width and the remaining digits for the length of the SSD in millimeters. So you can install a maximum SSD length of 110 mm.
Not all players can immediately expand their PS5 storage
Can I upgrade my SSD immediately? No, as the update currently only applies to beta users. If you do not install beta updates, you will not yet have the option of upgrading.
When will the update be released? Generally, official updates are released 4 – 6 weeks after the beta update, depending on how good the feedback from testers is. In the best case, you could already expand your PS5 SSD by the end of August or in September.
The possible storage expansion thus fulfills a major wish of gamers. For example, MeinMMO author Sven Galitzki had urgently wished for the opportunity:
What do you think about this? Do you also long for an expansion option for the fast storage of the PS5? Or are you perfectly fine with the available storage?
The new MMORPG New World is still in a closed beta, but it is already taking off. With all the players, it’s surprising that names like ‘AmazonOfficial’ were still available. One player noticed this and heavily trolled Amazon.
How was Amazon trolled? The player luulubuu (on Twitter) noticed that in Amazon’s latest MMORPG New World some names were still available that really shouldn’t be. Besides the names TwitterOfficial, TwitchSupport, and AmazonSupport, the name AmazonOfficial was still free.
Since New World comes from Amazon Games Studio, this was a perfect opportunity for the player, who calls herself AmazonOfficial on every server. From then on, she uses the name to spread ‘facts’ about Amazon’s products or working conditions at Amazon.
The ‘facts’ spread are mostly based on real statements and embellished by the player. They are not completely made up. The whole action is intended to draw a bit more attention to the problems at Amazon.
What statements were made? The player with the curious name spreads some more or less real facts in the global chat. For example, she writes:
“Did you know that Alexa is always listening and collecting your data to sell it to other companies? For Amazon, you are the product!”
“Hey guys, I am the official account of Amazon. Did you know that we don’t allow our employees to go to the bathroom? They have to pee in bottles. We call it ‘magic potions’.”
“Work for Amazon and bring bottles so Jeffrey can go to space.”
“Hey guys, I am the official account of Amazon, better play Final Fantasy XIV.”
How does Amazon react? Well, so far they haven’t reacted at all. The player has not been banned yet, and even if she were, she wouldn’t care, as she reports in the interview with Kotaku. She also says that she might be seeing the game too cynically, but she will continue until she gets banned or Amazon finally confirms that the game does not destroy graphics cards.
There is no official statement from Amazon on the matter. However, the community is very much enjoying the satirical, biting comments.
What does the community say? The players and especially their Twitter followers are taking it all with humor.
User H3lixPlays writes (via Twitter): ‘As an Amazon employee, I have to say: I love this. Please keep it up!’
User MossyGreen3 writes (via Twitter): ‘This is absolutely brilliant. Nothing makes me happier than seeing companies being verbally ripped apart in such a funny and satirical manner.’
What do you think about all this? Do you find it okay if players take such names and cause mischief? Do you celebrate the comments in the same way? Let us know in the comments.
This is not the first time there have been curious news about New World. Just recently, New World banned a streamer for milking a cow. She is now asking the cow for forgiveness.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Due to the Corona pandemic, Pokémon GO introduced certain bonuses for trainers in 2020 so that they could play from home. These will soon be phased out. We have taken a look at how the game will proceed and what the community is saying about the changes.
What is it about? Due to the ongoing Corona pandemic and the associated contact restrictions as well as curfews, some Pokémon GO trainers could no longer play outdoors as usual. To enable these trainers to continue playing, Niantic introduced some Corona bonuses in 2020.
As a result, trainers received more gifts from their buddy, among other things, or a more effective, longer-lasting incense. Now, however, Niantic wants to return more to the original concept of the game and is planning to phase out the Corona bonuses.
When will it happen? Already in June, Pokémon GO officially announced that the Corona bonuses would gradually be phased out starting at the end of July 2021. This will begin in New Zealand and the USA. According to the current view in the game, it will take place in Germany on August 1, 2021.
This is what to expect after the Corona bonuses expire
While Niantic generally wants to return to the old game concept and send trainers outdoors more, they have also stated that not all bonuses will be phased out (via pokemongolive.com). Some will remain with you. Additionally, new bonuses will be introduced. We will show you what they are.
These bonuses will remain:
3x Stardust and XP for the first catch of the day
Incense duration of 60 minutes
No distance traveled in the GO Battle League
Requirements for battles against other trainers remain
Storage of up to 20 gifts in the item bag
Opening up to 30 gifts a day
These exploration bonuses will be added:
Guaranteed gifts when spinning PokéStops
Up to 2 raid passes a day when spinning at gyms
Bonuses for participating in local raids
10x XP for the first spin of a PokéStop
Higher incense effectiveness when you move
Bonuses for distances walked
According to Niantic, there will be more bonuses that they have not explicitly mentioned. Additionally, EX raids will return. The exploration bonuses will also be initially tested in New Zealand and the USA. Part of these bonuses will then end with the change of the season on September 1.
This is the community’s reaction
As seen on social networks, trainers are not excited about the upcoming changes. This is primarily due to the rising Corona numbers in many countries. But the lack of communication from Niantic is also heavily criticized by players.
For example, user dabomerest writes on reddit angrily: “In some places in the USA, there are more Covid cases than ever before, but Niantic has said nothing about it and also not about the petitions to keep the interaction radius of PokéStops increased.” (via reddit.com).
Other players mention that they started playing Pokémon GO precisely because of many options to play from home. User PM_ME_UR_BIKINI reports in this context about his girlfriend, who is not very mobile due to a disability and started playing due to the Corona bonuses (via reddit.com). For her, it will be harder to participate in the game after some bonuses are removed.
Some trainers, on the other hand, are concerned that the removal of some bonuses will soon eliminate the option for remote raids. User W1nd0wPane writes on reddit that he will leave the game if Niantic removes the remote raid passes (via reddit.com).
Whether Niantic takes the trainers’ criticism to heart and waits a bit with the removal of some bonuses is currently unknown. If there is an official announcement about it through Pokémon GO, you will read it here on MeinMMO.
What do you think about the changes to the Corona bonuses? Do you think it’s bad that Niantic wants to phase some of them out, or are you more excited about the new exploration bonuses? Let us know your opinion in the comments and feel free to discuss it with other players.
The great WoW streamer Preach distances himself from World of Warcraft. He names many reasons, and the Blizzard scandal is just one of them.
There are many problems surrounding Blizzard and World of Warcraft right now. Even though the current sexism and discrimination scandal overshadows everything else, there are also some developments in the community. Just a few weeks ago, the largest WoW streamer Asmongold switched to Final Fantasy XIV. Now, another long-time content creator has turned away: Preach will no longer publish content about World of Warcraft.
Who is Preach? Preach has been a content creator on Twitch and YouTube for many years, extensively focusing on World of Warcraft. He provides guides to current bosses, has large discussions with the community about individual content, entertaining endeavors, or even interviews with developers.
Preach has always been seen as passionate but critical – if something in World of Warcraft did not suit him, he pointed it out clearly and suggested ways to improve it. He always sought communication with the developers.
In the community, Preach is very popular; his videos often reach hundreds of thousands of views, and his opinions are usually well-founded and explained in detail.
What has happened now? In his latest YouTube video, Preach explains that he will draw a line under World of Warcraft. He will no longer cover Blizzard’s MMORPG, and he will let his subscription expire. The time when he closely followed World of Warcraft is over.
Streamer says: Blizzard is no longer making an effort with WoW
What reasons does he have? Preach lists a whole range of reasons why he is turning away from World of Warcraft. The current scandal at Blizzard is just one of many. He only briefly touches on this. While it contributed to his decision, it is just one of many points that have accumulated over the years.
For almost 2 and a half years, it has felt to Preach as if Blizzard is actively trying to drive players like him away from the game and remove what he enjoys about World of Warcraft.
Since Battle for Azeroth, according to Preach, more and more bad and boring mechanics have made it into the game. He was especially disturbed by War Fronts, as they required no effort – they were boring and you could not lose at all. The Azerite Armor has also been heavily criticized by him, which went through several variations and was only somewhat acceptable towards the end of the expansion.
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What particularly angers Preach is that Blizzard broke a promise that was particularly important to him. The announcement at the beginning of Shadowlands was that Blizzard would bring all major systems at launch and then refine them. There should not be new systems, but rather the existing systems should be refined. With the Dominance Shards (new sockets on raid loot), Blizzard immediately rescinded this promise.
Preach describes the Dominance Shards as “uninspired, boring and completely opposed to what players like him wish for”. He is especially angered that some Blizzard employees apparently told him that they see the shards “like tier sets” and do not understand why they are not received well by him and others.
I simply do not see how I will play this game for the next 6 months and just groan in annoyance. You do not care [Blizzard]. When I see these changes – you are not making an effort, you do not care. Why should I care then?
If you cannot balance Legendaries, Dominance Shards, or Soulbinds before a patch comes out – and they are completely out of whack – why should I still care? And I don’t anymore. It has just left me. You have killed my passion for it.
However, Preach plans to finish a few of his video series related to WoW – especially those that celebrate the players and their experiences, but not the game itself. Once the last videos are published, he wants to turn his back on WoW entirely and only return if there is a drastic change in Blizzard’s design philosophy.
More news about World of Warcraft can be found here:
How the viewers react: The video is received with much agreement and understanding from the viewers. Many also show empathy and believe that Preach simply looks “broken” in the video, as if this decision weighs heavily on him. Some comments on YouTube read:
“The dejection in Preach’s voice is just so sad.”
“Everything you say is 100% true. I think this video hits the nail on the head regarding everything I dislike about Shadowlands.”
“Thank you for taking this position and being a voice for us who think similarly to you.”
What do you think about Preach’s departure from World of Warcraft? Can you understand his step? Or do you find it exaggerated?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The streamer Asmongold was challenged to a wager in Final Fantasy XIV , where he has to master the hardest content of the MMORPG by the end of November. Asmongold raised the stakes and promised that in the event of a loss, he would gift 10,000 Twitch subs. That amounts to about $50,000.
This was the challenge: In a video, Zepla (via reddit) announced that she is completely convinced that Asmongold will not manage to complete the hard raid Alexander Ultimate before the new expansion Endwalker launches on November 23.
Alexander Ultimate is considered one of the hardest raids in FFXIV, which even 2.5 years after its release has been mastered by only a small percentage of players. If Asmongold were to win the wager, Zepla promised wholeheartedly that she would change her in-game appearance to a Lalafell for an entire week.
This is what Asmongold says: When the streamer saw Zepla’s challenge in his subreddit, he decided not only to accept the wager but also to raise the stakes.
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If I haven’t cleared a single Ultimate raid by the release of Endwalker, I will gift 10,000 subs.
Asmongold
A gift of 10,000 Twitch subs translates to a hefty sum. Even if it’s “only” level-1 subs, it will cost the streamer about $50,000.
Can Asmongold clear Ultimates before Endwalker? It is possible for the streamer to complete at least one of the ultimate raids of FFXIV by November 23. While the Ultimate raids are particularly challenging for newcomers like Asmongold, he has mostly been playing with “Legends” in the game so far.
This is a term used for players who have cleared at least one ultimate raid, as they then carry one of three titles: Legend, Ultimate Legend, or Perfect Legend. This means he is running content like the raid “The Dreadful Shadows of Bahamut” or challenging trial battles with highly skilled players who help him out. If 7 players in a group have already cleared an ultimate raid, it significantly increases the chances of victory and speeds up progress in the fight.
A bigger problem for Asmongold should, however, be time. Although there are still a full 4 months until the release of Endwalker, he is currently progressing rather slowly in FFXIV. After about a month he has completed the base game and Patch 2.1. However, to do an ultimate raid, he must have reached at least level 70 and completed the expansion Stormblood (Patch 4.0).
That’s a lot of hours of content that he has to get through. So far, Asmongold has also faithfully followed the story of the MMORPG and completed side content such as the Gold Saucer casino as well as raids and extreme trials. FFXIV is also not his only MMORPG. He is also playing New World and Ashes of Creation on the side.
Therefore, it could become tight for Asmongold in terms of time, unless he hurries up or even buys a level and story skip to get him directly through Stormblood.
More about Asmongold’s adventures in FFXIV can be found here:
Mir4 is an upcoming open-world MMORPG from South Korea. The game has been a huge success there and will soon be available in this country as a closed beta for mobile devices on iOS and Android and on PC via Steam. Find out here what we already know about the game.
What kind of game is this? Mir4 is a new MMORPG. The game was released in South Korea back in November 2020 and was the most downloaded game in the app stores there. Mir4 features impressive graphics and offers several other interesting features, including:
Action-packed combat system
Open world
4 different classes: Warrior, Wizard, Taoist, and Spearman
PvP battles, including for loot after boss fights and sieges
Dynamic movement like in kung fu movies, so you can glide and run along walls
All these features will soon be available for you to try out in the closed beta.
Closed beta and registration for Mir4
When does the beta start? The closed beta of Mir4 will start in this country on August 5, 2021, at 11:00 AM. The test phase will end on August 8, 2021, at 11:59 PM. As rewards for participating in the beta, you can receive various useful in-game items, such as a rare bracelet, buff food, and boosters.
What platforms are supported? The test will take place on mobile operating systems iOS and Android. You can also access and play the game on PC via Steam.
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Where can I sign up? To participate in the beta test of Mir4, you can register in advance on the official website (via mir4global.com).
Until the start of the closed beta of Mir4 on Android, iOS, and Steam, you can try out more cool mobile MMORPGs. Here at MeinMMO.de, we have compiled a list of promising titles from this genre for you. Just take a look at our extensive article on the 9 best MMORPGs on iOS and Android.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Developer Pearl Abyss has announced that the release of Crimson Desert has been postponed indefinitely. This means one of the most promising MMOs will no longer be released in 2021, but later. More information will follow. What are the developers saying now?
What kind of MMO is this? Crimson Desert is the unofficial successor to the MMORPG Black Desert, which is also from Pearl Abyss. However, the focus here is primarily on story and campaign, and Crimson Desert is darker than its “predecessor”.
You play as the hero Macduff and lead a band of mercenaries in Crimson Desert, similar to a AAA single-player RPG. Visually, the game strongly draws inspiration from Game of Thrones and apparently aims to impress with beautiful graphics, just like Black Desert.
In the story, you play alone, while in the multiplayer mode “Another Journey” you can play endlessly together with friends and other players. However, the two modes are interconnected.
In multiplayer, you can also create your own character. Crimson Desert is set to release for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
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When will Crimson Desert be released? The developers have now announced that the planned release for 2021 will be delayed (via Twitter.com). They need more time for development and do not want to overburden the developers. More detailed information about the release will come at a later date.
Here on MeinMMO, Crimson Desert was previously counted among the most promising MMOs and MMORPGs of 2021. After the postponement, however, we do not yet know exactly when the release will finally take place.
Not an MMORPG, but a “new genre”
Since the announcement, there has been ongoing confusion about what kind of game Crimson Desert actually wants to be. Originally conceived as an MMORPG, it has become clear after some time that it is more of a single-player RPG with multiplayer.
The developers themselves no longer describe Crimson Desert as an MMORPG, but rather as a “new genre.” The single and multiplayer modes are “organically connected” and there is even PvP, although it is still not entirely clear how exactly that will work.
Crimson Desert will therefore not be a pure MMO but also not a pure RPG, rather something in between. However, there is still too much information missing about gameplay and features to say exactly what or how good Crimson Desert will be.
Even though Crimson Desert has been postponed, you can still look forward to numerous new releases in 2021:
The streamer Félix “xQc” Lengyel received another Twitch ban on Wednesday, July 28, 2021. However, the break from Twitch lasted only 5 hours: xQc illegally streamed the Olympic Games on his Twitch channel. But the clips related to the ban are still on his channel.
Who is the streamer?
xQc is a former Overwatch pro who had to end his career in the shooter early due to lack of impulse control. After several suspensions from the Overwatch League due to outbursts and insults, his team kicked him out in March 2018. He then became a full-time streamer.
The lack of impulse control does not seem to bother his Twitch viewers; they actually enjoy it when their streamer gets really worked up. Over the past few years, xQc has become the most watched streamer on Twitch. This is also because he streams an incredible amount, with streams often lasting up to 16 hours. Additionally, xQc is a gifted entertainer who resonates particularly well and authentically with younger viewers.
xQc often appears hyper and restless. He frequently acts thoughtlessly and gets temporary bans on Twitch because of it. For instance, he once defeated a virtual schoolgirl in “three wins” and accepted her offer to undress naked. Another time, he was banned for showing mating monkeys in a clip.
xQc comments on the Olympic Games
What is he banned for this time? xQc watched several clips of the Olympic Games on his stream on Wednesday. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is known not to appreciate this. They issue copyright complaints (DMCA claims) to Twitch and force the streaming platform to act.
xQc trying to understand the offside rule in football: “Offside is when the ball lands on top of the net”
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Twitch has been having some issues with copyright recently and is therefore sensitive to such complaints.
xQc does not seem to be the only Twitch streamer who got into trouble because of the Olympics: An English site reports that several streamers received DMCA bans. They even accuse the IOC of abusing copyright rules on Twitch (via twitter).
Twitch streamer promises to be “better and smarter”
This is what xQc says: He tweets as usual completely relaxed in “All-Caps”: xQc believes he received a “live copyright ban”. He thought he had taken the “necessary steps” and was in the clear. He did not expect the ban and believes he could have easily avoided it, he writes on Twitter.
He apologizes to his viewers and promises to be “better/smarter” and to follow the rules more closely next time.
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What makes the ban so strange? There are two strange things:
The ban lasted only 4 hours and 55 minutes – that is an unusual length; even the shortest bans last at least 24 hours.
The video clips in which xQc shows the Olympic Games are still visible on his channel – they should actually have been removed.
Since Twitch never comments on bans, it is a mystery what happened there. Perhaps Twitch lifted the ban, or the IOC withdrew the complaint. Nobody knows – even xQc himself seems to be unaware.
On reddit, there is discussion about the possibility that xQc, as the biggest streamer in the world, could receive some special treatment. Generally, it is clear that the Olympic Games cannot simply be streamed on Twitch. So the legitimacy of the ban is not questioned.
What is behind this: The copyright rights for such streaming events seem sometimes so complex that no one can see through them, neither Twitch, nor xQc, nor the IOC.
xQc seems to have consciously taken the risk of streaming the Olympic Games worldwide and receiving a ban. He probably thought that it would be enough to delete the stream recording later to avoid getting a strike.
Gabe Newell explains what advantages the Steam Deck offers. Especially compared to console, there is a significant advantage. This is mainly attributed to the openness of the Steam platform.
What does the boss say? In a video interview with IGN, he spoke about Valve’s new console “Steam Deck”. Among other things, he discussed what advantages the “Steam Deck” can actually offer and what role the console should play in the future (via IGN.com). Newell explains:
I don’t want to hear that someone has a Trojan horse trying to lock me out. I want to hear what I can do. If there’s hardware, I want to connect it. If there’s software, I want to install it.
How is this to be understood? Newell means that, for example, on traditional consoles, there is little influence on what can be installed and used there. Because consoles rely on a restricted, more isolated system that prevents general gamers from having any influence.
In contrast, the PC is a much more open system. Newell explains in the same interview:
We believe that the openness of the PC ecosystem is the superpower from which we all benefit.
And this openness is the big advantage of the new Steam console.
The big advantage of the Steam Deck is supposed to be its openness
This is supposed to be the advantage over PS5 and Xbox: The Steam Deck, as an open platform, fundamentally offers the possibility to install anything that interests you. And this is a significant advantage over consoles:
PS5 and Xbox rely on their own proprietary operating system that only developers can access.
Certain devices are also limited to the consoles. For example, the PS4 and PS5 do not support Bluetooth headsets from third parties without a dongle.
On the PS5 and Xbox, you can only install software that is intended for it. For example, you cannot install Discord on the PlayStation.
SteamOS is installed on the Steam Deck, but according to Valve, you can also install other operating systems or programs on it.
Newell therefore compares the Steam Deck significantly with the gaming PC. Because on PC, you are not as restricted; you can open up the PC, swap hardware, or install new hardware, or install a new operating system at any time if you are unhappy with the current system. Consoles do not offer these advantages:
I mean, there have been attempts to offer mobile gaming platforms for a long time. And for someone like me, who is used to high-end desktop PCs and console gaming, it always felt like a compromise.
Whether everyone interested will get a Steam Deck at release remains questionable
But one question remains unanswered: Can Valve really meet the high demand for the Steam Deck? The demand is evident on eBay and other trading platforms.
Meanwhile, there is at least a bit of relaxation in the hardware market. Graphics cards are still very expensive and often hardly available, but at least prices for graphics cards are currently decreasing again. Many are now hoping that prices will return to a reasonable level during 2021 and 2022.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
New World is currently in beta and is already attracting thousands of players. The new MMO from Amazon is fun, but it is not comparable to established MMORPGs – at least that is the opinion of MeinMMO author Benedict Grothaus. Nevertheless, he is sure: If a game can “kill” the reigning champion World of Warcraft, then it is New World and only right now.
I have been playing World of Warcraft for over 16 years without any longer breaks. At the end of Vanilla, I started, and with The Burning Crusade, my WoW life really began, and to this day I am an enthusiastic progress raider.
In fact, raids are the only thing that keeps me permanently invested in WoW and, in my view, the best content that distinguishes the MMORPG from all others and the reason why WoW is still alive. However, there is a new challenger: New World from Amazon.
New World is currently still in beta and is set to launch on August 31, 2021. As it stands, the MMO is being received quite well:
The numbers are nice, but they still fall far short of the millions of World of Warcraft players. “Why do you claim New World could kill WoW?!” – Excellent question and one that will require a longer answer.
First of all: New World and World of Warcraft are fundamentally different. So much so that after my nearly 30 hours in beta, I would argue that New World isn’t even an MMORPG in the strict sense. Therefore, here is a brief explanation.
New World and WoW are actually two fundamentally different games
The new MMO never had the ambition to become one of the famous “WoW-killers.” New World is not a classic MMORPG, but mixes many classic characteristics of RPGs, MMOs, and survival games to expand them with PvP and PvE content.
Accordingly, there are hardly any similarities in gameplay. New World has no classes, little story, and no different races. WoW has massive raids and is based on a gigantic world that has already been elaborated in dozens of books and other literary works.
Nevertheless, there are certain commonalities that are not immediately obvious. These are important when considering why and how New World could indeed be a WoW-killer.
New World is more like WoW Classic
New World addresses the content that players experienced back in Classic and later in Burning Crusade quite precisely. Amazons MMO is simply slower, takes longer, and is also somewhat simplified:
Quests are rather flat, mostly just: “Go there, kill X and collect Y” – and that again and again
Crafting has an extremely high value, so much so that some of the best items are only created through crafting and grind
The paths are long, and you endlessly run from A to B
Classes or their substitutes are relatively simple, utilizing not too many abilities but differing significantly in gameplay
All points apply to both games. The fact that there are many players who enjoy the “WoW of the past” is clearly shown by the success of WoW Classic. And finally, the first expansion “The Burning Crusade” has even been re-released.
Burning Crusade shows: classic WoW gameplay still excites thousands of players. Even I had more fun than I should.
New World can therefore definitely cater to the “core” of WoW and excite players who have been in the game for at least several years. Long-term WoW players, like streamer shroud, believe that New World will succeed where WoW failed.
However, the more important thing is that New World is launching right now.
The ideal time to dethrone WoW
MMORPG players have been waiting for new content for years. Although there have been new releases from Asia, Western developers have not announced anything for a long time or have postponed games.
Now, in 2021, there is finally a decent influx. First, a new PvP MMORPG was released with Crowfall, and now a new MMO is coming with New World, which also addresses MMORPG players.
In the long time before, there has been no large selection of MMORPGs with many players, at least not in the West. We primarily had:
WoW as the huge reigning champion
Final Fantasy XIV as a “western” Asian MMO and competitor
ESO and Guild Wars 2 with significantly fewer players
smaller competitors and niche games like Neverwinter and Lord of the Rings Online
While the big titles continually received expansions, updates, and content, they remained the same games. There was a lack of fresh ideas and MMOs that could hold players for long.
New World fulfills this need now.
Shortly after the beta started, something was added that probably nobody expected, but which could unexpectedly strengthen New World: a huge scandal.
Blizzard is harming itself, and it won’t get better
Alex Afrasiabi has become the antagonist. His NPCs in WoW became the targets of player protests.
The atmosphere is quite heated, and a significant problem may be that it already was. There have been repeated complaints about the new expansion Shadowlands and the current patch 9.1, the systems and features, or the technical condition.
This has led to several thousand players looking elsewhere – and finding something.
No MMO can kill WoW alone, but New World has help
Traditionally, no MMO has ever succeeded in “killing” WoW. One of the most famous “WoW-killers” was WildStar, which itself did not survive long. The problem with these games has always been that they wanted to defeat WoW at its own game: PvE content and gameplay.
In this respect, Blizzard has so many years of experience that it is hardly possible. The foundation on which new content for WoW is developed is already at such a high level that new games do not even need to try.
However, New World is not trying to do just that but is pursuing its own approach. This alone is not enough to claw away the massive player base of WoW, but Amazon has help.
Final Fantasy launches an unintentional attack on WoW.
FFXIV catches disappointed players
The dissatisfaction has recently driven many thousands of players to Final Fantasy XIV. It started with big streamers like Asmongold, whose communities followed more and more players.
This ignited repeated disputes between fans of both games, which dominated the communities on both sides. But even if the players could not agree on which MMORPG is better, it is clear: FFXIV has gained many new players – so many that the CEO has even apologized for the success.
Final Fantasy itself could, just like New World, never kill WoW alone. The games differ too much, and sooner or later, most WoW players will return. At least for the moment, however, they are gone, and that could be enough for the “beginning of the end.”
WoW icons like Asmongold are suddenly playing Final Fantasy.
If WoW dies, it will take a few years
Both New World and Final Fantasy, along with the sexism issue, are currently gnawing at World of Warcraft. None of them alone could bring WoW down, but all of them together certainly could.
However, Blizzard’s flagship will not be shut down overnight. If WoW dies, this process will take a long time, surely several years. Right now, however, the foundation for this is being laid.
Many core gamers have migrated to Final Fantasy but will return when they realize they do not find the same thrill there. However, when they want to come back, it is quite possible that the World of Warcraft they knew no longer exists.
New World will certainly be able to siphon off some of the old players as well as casuals, causing the WoW communities to shrink further. In the worst case, the guilds have disbanded, and the FFXIV returnees might suddenly be homeless.
In addition, Blizzard has already suffered damage to its image due to the scandal, from which recovery will take a lot of time and even more work.
This might even be the wake-up call that Blizzard needs to redirect WoW and still “save” it. But if any game is going to be able to dethrone WoW, then it is New World, and only right now – even if some players believe it is not yet ready:
In Path of Exile there were recently many changes with the update 3.15 “Expedition”. Especially the balancing has been adjusted and many builds lost damage. The players seem to be unhappy about it – but what is actually going on?
This is different with the new update than before: With new, major updates, the popular hack-and-slash Path of Exile usually attracts a lot of players, but this time it hasn’t worked out quite as well, as seen in the numbers.
The current update 3.15 “Expedition” reached about 23% fewer players at launch than previous expansions.
But not only did the launch go poorly, more and more players also left in the days after the update.
Already a few days after the release, player numbers were measured that other expansions only reached after weeks.
“Expedition” has already lost about 24% of its release-day players within just a few days. In comparison: The previous update “Ultimatum” only lost 3.4% of players in the same timeframe (via mmorpg.org.pl and steamcharts.com).
The numbers only refer to the Steam version. Path of Exile also has a standalone launcher, which is not considered here. The update was released on July 23 (on consoles on July 28).
The developers talk about going “back to the roots” and making the game harder again. This was already a polarizing topic in the announcement. When the controversial update was released, the players appeared disappointed.
The Steam player numbers of the last year. Here you can also see the launches of the last two expansions by the spike. via steamcharts.com
Does this affect the ratings? Especially many long-term players are not thrilled with the update. The Steam ratings of Path of Exile are currently still good, having dropped from “very positive” to “mostly positive” – however, there have never been so many negative ratings for the game as at the moment.
It is particularly noticeable that it is precisely the long-term players who are writing the bad ratings. On the first page of reviews, only two are from players with less than 1,000 hours played.
How bad is that? When looking at the overall player numbers of Path of Exile over the last year, the number of active players is still higher than it was before the update. On average, over the last 30 days, there was even an improvement.
However, this is likely to look different in the 30 days after the update, but that remains to be seen. Many players are currently checking in to see how bad the nerfs really are. This is especially noticeable by the rapidly declining player numbers after the spike of the update.
The developers, however, are currently unimpressed by this. They write in a newsletter that they understand that many players are upset about the changes and that they expected not to attract as many players as they did with other major expansions.
This is what players say: There are countless comments on reddit, Steam and in the comment sections that disagree with the changes. Especially players who have spent a long time in the game are angry:
The user Rei wrote on Steam after 1,765 hours: “The update is trash. The developers are going in the completely wrong direction. Don’t play this. I cannot recommend it at this time.”
The user Kerillion has already played 7,021 hours and agrees: “The vision of the developers unfortunately diverges from my wishes at this point and the game is developing in an unwanted direction for me personally. Moreover, after several years, I now have the feeling that GGG [the developers] definitely do not know what they are doing.”
The user Nice-_-Joke writes (via reddit): “It feels like you are playing with broken legs by default. I hope I can still find crutches somewhere.”
The user MugzyWhompus takes it humorously: “They finally improved the server stability. It’s a buff!”
Even if we would like to show you a counterstatement, we are finding it extremely difficult to find positive comments about the update. Have you played it? What do you think of the changes? Feel free to leave us a comment!
Activision Blizzard has now admitted that it actually fired the Creative Director of the MMORPG World of Warcraft, Alex Afrasiabi, in 2020. He was named in the lawsuit against Activision Blizzard. He is alleged to have sexually harassed women. The focus appears to be primarily on BlizzCon 2013.
This is the situation:
Alex Afrasiabi was the Chief Creative at World of Warcraft and was considered the story chief and successor to Chris Metzen in this position. He had been with Blizzard since 2004, serving as the Creative Director for Legion and Battle for Azeroth. In 2020, he left Blizzard and the WoW team without much fanfare. There was no statement regarding his dismissal.
In the lawsuit against Activision Blizzard, Afrasiabi is one of only 2 individuals mentioned by name: he is accused of serious sexual misconduct. It is said that his room at BlizzCon was known as the “Cosby Suite,” named after Bill Cosby, who was accused of being a rapist.
Now Activision Blizzard admits: Alex Afrasiabi did not voluntarily leave the company in 2020; he was fired after an internal investigation.
These were the allegations in the lawsuit against Afrasiabi:
The lawsuit stated: Activision Blizzard allowed Afrasiabi to engage in “extreme sexual harassment.” He reportedly faced “light or no consequences” for his actions.
During BlizzCon, Afrasiabi:
made advances on female employees
told women he would marry them
attempted to kiss them
tried to put his arms around them.
harassed women in his hotel room, which was known as the Cosby Suite.
gave women “demeaning titles” at company events.
As later revealed, the incidents reportedly revolve around BlizzCon 2013.
The lawsuit claims that Blizzard was aware of his behavior. The head of Blizzard, J. Allen Brack, had several conversations with him about his drinking behavior and that he was “too friendly” with female employees at events, but Brack only gave him a slap on the wrist, meaning a verbal reprimand.
Therefore, Afrasiabi continued to pursue women without their consent. This included holding a woman by the hand and inviting her to his hotel room or groping another woman, according to the lawsuit.
More articles about the Blizzard scandal on MeinMMO:
These new details have now come to light: The US site Kotaku (via Kotaku) has published a report about Afrasiabi’s hotel room, the “Cosby Suite.” There are pictures showing a lot of alcohol; in another photo, male employees pose with a large picture of Bill Cosby.
The juicy part are chat messages where WoW developers talk about bringing “Hot Chicks” to the “Coz,” that is, to the Cosby Suite.
This chat log from 2013 is currently being heavily debated. Source: Kotaku
Afrasiabi is then quoted saying “Bring them!” – when he is pointed out that he cannot marry all of them, he says: “Of course I can! I’m from the Middle East.” Another developer then points out that he surely didn’t mean “marry,” but “f*ck.”
It is also concerning that someone like “Greg Street” appears in the chat, who had previously distanced himself from this culture at Blizzard publicly.
This is what Activision Blizzard says: In a statement to Kotaku, Activision Blizzard now states:
“An employee brought the incidents from the event in 2013 to our attention in June 2020. We immediately launched our own investigation and took corrective action. By the time of the report, we had already completed a separate investigation into Alex Afrasiabi and had terminated his employment due to his misconduct towards other employees.”
This aspect of the lawsuit seems to be valid. Blizzard might be in a better position now if they had admitted this in their first statement concerning the lawsuit. However, in their initial statement, they claimed that the lawsuit contained a “twisted, often false representation of Blizzard’s past”:
