In Fortnite today, on July 27, the servers across all platforms (PC/Mac, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, Android) will go down. During this time, the new update 17.21 will be applied. What changes are freshly coming into the game?
This is happening today in Fortnite: The new update 17.21 has been announced by Fortnite Status (via Twitter) and is coming today, Tuesday. The fresh patch is expected to finally bring a weapon known from the Chapter 2 cinematic into the game and fix some bugs, in addition the mothership is expected to reopen the rift zones.
To make sure you don’t miss anything, MeinMMO will update this article throughout the day and later provide all the changes for you.
Update (27.07.2021): The servers are back online now. What has changed can be found here in the German patch notes:
New Weapon – Plasma Cannon: This weapon shoots a slow energy ball that damages everything in its path and sweeps away buildings.
New Countdown: A new countdown has appeared. Possibly the already speculated Ariana Grande concert is coming.
The inflatable cow “Inflate-A-Bull” is back.
The Rail Gun has been nerfed and now only penetrates one wall.
Fortnite servers are going offline – when and for how long?
Downtime start in the morning: The downtime for update 17.21 starts today again at 09:30 AM German time. At around 09:00 you could join a fresh match for the last time, after that the servers go offline and Fortnite will be down for a while.
How long will the maintenance take? Traditionally, the work should be completed around noon. This has been shown by the updates of the past weeks and months.
However, technical problems or other delays could lead to an (unwanted) extension of the maintenance work. We at MeinMMO will keep you updated and accordingly update this article.
When will the patch notes come? Typically, EPIC does not release patch notes or only superficial ones for the battle royale mode.
What will the mysterious aliens bring us this time?
However, should major, important changes be applied, we will collect these for you and add them here in the article as a mini-version of the patch notes in German.
What new content does update 17.21 bring?
What new things will there be in battle royale mode? The changes are still not fully confirmed, but leaks, dataminers, and smaller teasers from Fortnite make players hopeful for these new features:
The weapon “Grab-Itron” is expected to be activated. You will finally find the Gravity Gun from the cinematic at various locations on the map and can send objects flying through the air.
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Rift Zones (Rift Zones) are said to be coming back – so say the leaks. The new spin is that they are related to the alien mothership and gravity is acting strange, we are excited.
The inflatable cow “Inflate-A-Bull” is said to be reactivated for competitive. A bug forced EPIC to deactivate it.
What changes do you wish for from the new update 17.21 in Fortnite? Have you actually gotten used to the update times, or do the patches regularly ruin your mornings in battle royale? Let us know in the comments.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Patch 9.2 of World of Warcraft is likely to be delayed due to the Blizzard scandal – but some players have no understanding of this.
Some Blizzard employees are reacting to the fact that some players have no understanding when content for World of Warcraft is now being delayed. According to Alex Klontzas, if that’s the case, you are part of the problem and not the solution – a statement that earns him harsh criticism.
Who is Alex Klontzas? Alex Klontzas is one of the Senior Game Producers at Blizzard and is currently working on World of Warcraft. Previously, he was also responsible for Heroes of the Storm and StarCraft. He sometimes shares his thoughts on Twitter – often about WoW, but also on other topics.
What did he say? On Twitter, Klontzas spoke out and explained that players are currently part of the problem if they complain about the delay of patch 9.2.
If your reaction to all this is to complain that the next patch is taking longer to release, then you need to take a step back and realize that you are part of the problem. Video game content is more important to you than human decency and respect.
He is reacting to the fact that no work is currently being done on World of Warcraft. The current scandal at Activision Blizzard has caused the work on the MMORPG to be completely halted. This, in turn, means that the next content patch 9.2 will be delayed. For many players, this is bad news, as patch 9.1 was already released many months late.
This is how players are reacting: Even though the tweet has received over 2,000 likes, there are many voices that contradict Klontzas and see it completely differently. Whether on Twitter or in the subreddit, his statements are being discussed.
In the subreddit, danpascooch writes:
If players are ‘part of the problem’ because they are waiting for the usual speed of content releases to justify their €13 per month in light of Blizzard’s massive failures, then Blizzard might want to take a look in the mirror and stop charging for the game until development resumes.
The idea that players should pay for content and then be arrogantly called out and blamed for wanting what they paid for is disgusting and foolish.
For more current news about the Blizzard scandal, check here:
On Twitter, Nnoggie from the professional guild Echo writes:
The players are definitely not part of THIS problem, my friend.
In a similar vein, Genomic DNA on Twitter says:
To what extent are the players responsible for the toxic work environment at Blizzard and the complete lack of content in World of Warcraft? Yes, I pay my subscription to have fun, not to endure all this garbage and drama coming from your company.
What do you think about the statement? Are the players clamoring for patch 9.2 really part of the problem? Or do you see it differently?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The MMORPG Elyon has finally announced its release date. Unlike originally planned, the new MMORPG will not be released in Q4 2021, but already at the end of September. Thus, it comes earlier than expected.
When does Elyon release?
The MMORPG from Korea will be released on Wednesday, September 29, 2021. However, those who wish can start 3 days earlier with specific pre-order packages.
What pre-order packages are available?
Elyon will be a Buy2Play MMORPG. Therefore, you need to pay a one-time fee for access: – The base game costs 29.99 euros and those who pre-order will get access 24 hours in advance. – If you’d like, you can upgrade the base game to the expansion pack for 30 euros. This allows for access 48 hours in advance and brings additional inventory, bank, and character slots, as well as real money currency. – The Expedition Pack costs 40 euros and can also be purchased as an upgrade to the base game. This package provides further bonuses, including 72 hours of early access. You can find the packages on the official website (via Elyon).
Just a few days ago, the developers of Elyon shared a video about the shop. It was announced that some Pay2Win contents from Korea have been removed. Depending on the definition, the MMORPG is still not completely free of such contents.
The new MMORPG comes from the creators of TERA
What is Elyon anyway? Elyon will be a theme park MMORPG focused on PvP. At launch, you will have the choice of 6 different classes, which will quest in an open world and experience a story. Throughout the game, you will unlock various dungeons, housing, and PvP content.
About level 30, PvP in the open world becomes part of the game, which is not optional. Already during character creation, you will join one of two factions and from level 30, you can be killed while playing and questing.
On the small Rebirth Island map in CoD: Warzone, the paths to enemies are not far. With the helicopter, you can quickly reach opponents who are preparing. As a player shows in the video, you can also have a great time trolling there.
How are the enemies trolled? The player in the video we are talking about grabs a helicopter and flies it to the enemies. With good timing, he manages to position himself right under the drop of a loadout box and creatively sends it off the map (via Dexerto.com).
The clip has already gained over 239,000 views on TikTok and is quite popular.
He simply throws their loadout into the water
This is how he does it: With his helicopter, player Hendrrix (check out his Twitch.TV channel) flies over the map and spots the enemy team that is currently ordering a loadout. In a rapid descent, he positions himself directly above the red smoke that marks the drop zone for the enemy loadout box.
Then he jokingly mentions that he would probably destroy his helicopter with this action.
But somehow it works, and the loadout box lands as planned on the spinning rotor blades. With the wobbling box on the helicopter, the streamer moves slowly forward, bringing the box closer to the edge of the map, where he finally lets it fall into the water.
The apparently very irritated enemies shoot at the thieving helicopter pilot, but can do nothing to him. After all, their weapons are already rusting on the sea floor.
We embed the TikTok video with the cool action for you at this point:
Do they get the loadout back? In the comments on TikTok, user sp00ns1 explains that players only get their loadout back into their inventory if they requested it directly on the water.
However, since they requested it as a drop point on solid ground, and it was intercepted on the way there, they do not get it back.
Do you have such troll moves up your sleeve that you enjoy using to annoy your opponents? Or have you also been meanly trolled and still remember it to this day? Then share your experiences about trolling in Warzone here on MeinMMO in the comments and exchange ideas with other players.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A video from 2010 is coming back to haunt Blizzard’s CEO. For many, this is proof: J. Allen Brack is deeply involved in the Blizzard scandal.
The negative news surrounding game developer Activision Blizzard shows no signs of stopping. A few days ago, it was announced that the state of California is filing a lawsuit. It involves sexual harassment, unequal treatment of women in the workplace, and a culture where all of this is tolerated and even encouraged. Especially former developer Alex Afrasiabi is criticized here – but also the current Blizzard CEO. J. Allen Brack stated in a statement that he condemns such behavior in the company and that it shocks him.
Now a video from BlizzCon over 10 years ago has surfaced and is seen by many as proof: J. Allen Brack is neck-deep in it and has contributed to establishing this culture at Blizzard.
Who is J. Allen Brack? He is the current president of Blizzard Entertainment – essentially the top boss. He has been working for Blizzard since 2005, initially on World of Warcraft. Previously, he was the Executive Producer and Vice President for World of Warcraft but took over the position from Mike Morhaime in 2018 when he left Blizzard.
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In the MeinMMO podcast, we explain what the lawsuit is about and evaluate Activision Blizzard’s initial reaction.
In a statement he recently explained that he would actively stand against such a culture. A video from 2010 now provides some with the proof: His statement is not true.
What kind of video is it? The clip comes from 2010 and that year’s BlizzCon. Earlier, there was a “Q&A” panel where players could ask their questions directly to the top developers about World of Warcraft.
At 4:25 minutes, a woman gets to ask a question and expresses her happiness that there are so many strong female characters in WoW. However, she also asks if there are plans for the future to ensure that not all of them look as if they came straight out of a “Victoria’s Secret” catalog and is referring to the fact that the female models in the game often have supermodel proportions and frequently wear little clothing.
In the first seconds after the question, the woman receives a lot of applause from the audience, particularly from female voices. Shortly thereafter, however, it is drowned out by boos from a clearly male-dominated crowd.
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This is followed by a small discussion among the developers with the question: “Which catalog should they come from?”, which again receives a lot of applause from the audience. The questioner is still able to laugh at that.
Alex Afrasiabi then asks: “Can you imagine Sylvanas looking any different? So… we feel what you mean, and we want to be clear that we will vary with the female characters. So… yes, we will choose other catalogs.”
Lady Ashvane is one of the examples of rather atypical female models in video games.
What does this have to do with J. Allen Brack? J. Allen Brack is also sitting in the round and is having a bit of fun with the question, making a few jokes with his colleagues. For many, this is proof that he is “deeply involved” and that the misogynistic culture complained about in the indictment has been a part of Blizzard for a long time and Brack knows exactly what is going on – after all, he is right in the middle of it.
At the end of the question, he even says to Afrasiabi: “Hey, Alex, which catalog does the cow woman come from again?”
This can also be seen as mockery – or as a reference to the fact that WoW has female characters that do not conform to beauty standards – like Tauren.
More news on the Blizzard scandal can be found here:
How the community reacts to the video: Whether on Twitter or YouTube, the old video is being discussed wildly. There are numerous comments, many of which are quite recent. Among them:
“A pretty clear proof that J. Allen Brack is part of the misogynistic brother culture.”
“Just for the record, the guy far left, who mocks the woman at 4:30, is Brack. Now he claims he was unaware that there is a ‘frat boy culture’ and mistreatment of women.”
“This is hard to watch. I mean, what kind of jerk do you have to be to respond with ‘What do you mean?’ and ‘Which catalog should they come from?’ It’s pretty obvious what she meant and that was reasonable feedback. Just as bad are the other guys in the crowd, who boo her. ‘We want EVERY character to always be sexualized!’ really reinforces these stereotypes that WoW players have.”
The sentiment is clear: Those who behaved like that back then are part of the problem and have contributed to this culture taking hold at Blizzard.
What do you think?
The questioner visibly feels uncomfortable with this answer as she walks away. Especially the last sentence can be interpreted as mockery.
World of Warcraft has also become more variable in its portrayal of female characters. Not all characters conform to the clichéd beauty ideal of “young and sexy dressed”, but there are also a few older or fuller women, such as Katherine Proudmoore or Lady Ashvane.
Lady Ashvane is one of the examples of rather atypical female models in video games.
What does this have to do with J. Allen Brack? J. Allen Brack is also sitting in the round and is having a bit of fun with the question, making a few jokes with his colleagues. For many, this is proof that he is “deeply involved” and that the misogynistic culture complained about in the indictment has been a part of Blizzard for a long time and Brack knows exactly what is going on – after all, he is right in the middle of it.
At the end of the question, he even says to Afrasiabi: “Hey, Alex, which catalog does the cow woman come from again?”
This can also be seen as mockery – or as a reference to the fact that WoW has female characters that do not conform to beauty standards – like Tauren.
More news on the Blizzard scandal can be found here:
How the community reacts to the video: Whether on Twitter or YouTube, the old video is being discussed wildly. There are numerous comments, many of which are quite recent. Among them:
“A pretty clear proof that J. Allen Brack is part of the misogynistic brother culture.”
“Just for the record, the guy far left, who mocks the woman at 4:30, is Brack. Now he claims he was unaware that there is a ‘frat boy culture’ and mistreatment of women.”
“This is hard to watch. I mean, what kind of jerk do you have to be to respond with ‘What do you mean?’ and ‘Which catalog should they come from?’ It’s pretty obvious what she meant and that was reasonable feedback. Just as bad are the other guys in the crowd, who boo her. ‘We want EVERY character to always be sexualized!’ really reinforces these stereotypes that WoW players have.”
The sentiment is clear: Those who behaved like that back then are part of the problem and have contributed to this culture taking hold at Blizzard.
What do you think?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Leaks for the upcoming GeForce RTX 4090 have surfaced. And the new high-end graphics card could be really fast and overshadow the GeForce RTX 3090 significantly.
What’s it about: So far, Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3090 is the most expensive graphics card for gamers available for purchase. Due to scarcity and scalpers, you currently pay around 2000 euros for Nvidia’s fastest graphics card.
Now, leakers want to know more details about Nvidia’s latest high-end graphics card. This is likely about details regarding the RTX 4090, which is expected to be the successor model to the RTX 3090.
If the specs are correct, the upcoming generation comes with a significant performance boost.
Where does the information come from? The data and specs are based on the two leakers kopite7kimi and greymon55, who have reliably published some specs on other graphics cards (kopite7kimi via Twitter.com and greymon55 via Twitter.com). The German site 3DCenter.org had compiled various hints about the specs more closely (via 3dcenter.org)
However, keep in mind that this is not official information. The RTX 4090 has not yet been officially announced by Nvidia. So, take the leaks with a healthy dose of skepticism.
The leaked RTX 4090 specs promise extremely high performance
What do the leaked specs look like? The new graphics chip from Nvidia is said to come from the chip manufacturer TSMC and is expected to shrink to 5 nm. However, the special part is the performance that the graphics card is said to offer:
The graphics card is said to offer 18,432 CUDA cores according to leaks. In comparison, the RTX 3090 offers “only” 10,496 CUDA cores. CUDA cores represent the performance capability of the card and are now used in almost every modern Nvidia graphics card.
The RTX 4090 is expected to deliver a total performance of 81 teraflops. In comparison, the RTX 3090 delivers 35.5 teraflops. This increases performance on paper by more than twice.
In terms of teraflops, simply put: the larger the number, the more powerful the computer or console, as the system performs more calculations per second. However, this is initially only a theoretical value.
Also, with the RTX 4090, Nvidia presumably still wants to rely on GDDR6X memory from Micron, which Nvidia is currently allowed to use exclusively. Nvidia currently only uses the particularly fast and expensive video memory in its high-end models like the RTX 3090.
So far, nothing official is known about the RTX 4090
Nvidia’s current graphics card series is the RTX 3000, and there is currently no official information about the RTX 4000 series.
When is the RTX 4090 release? Currently, it is also unlikely that Nvidia will unveil further graphics cards during the summer. Some even speculate that the first will be super models of the RTX 3000 series. For instance, Nvidia released the super models of the 2060, 2070, and 2080 as a reaction to the RX 5700 and 5700 XT.
Other sites like Teaktown speculate that the card will likely not appear until late 2022 (via tweaktown.com). This is partly because Nvidia is currently engaged in another project called “Ada Lovelace”.
What lies behind the codename “Ada Lovelace” is not publicly known yet. However, some speculate that it might refer to the official graphics chip for Nintendo’s Switch Pro.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Destiny 2 saves Guardians who want to look good 150 hours soon. Transmog entered the game with much negative energy, but even after the planned fix, there is still a big problem that isn’t really new.
When Destiny 2 finally received Transmog in May 2021, the Guardians wanted to cheer. However, the fashion feature attracted criticism and was worse than feared. The team of Franchise Director Luke Smith (featured image) wants to smooth things over and ease the grinding that lies between players and their good looks.
This is new: Bungie removes the resource “Synthetic Thread” with the start of Season 15. Starting August 24, 2021, you’ll skip the most elaborate process in armor synthesis, which is how the Transmog system is called in Destiny 2.
At the moment, you need 150 synthetic threads to buy a bounty from Ada, which is then needed for the actual Transmog process.
Such a synthetic thread is time-gated; it drops in-game only about every 2 minutes, regardless of what activity you are playing.
This results in a grind of about 5 hours for the 150 synthetic threads – without accounting for the bounty task or the messenger trips to Ada and back.
If you really want to maximize the Transmog limit per season, it amounts to about 150 hours just for the required threads.
Soon you can simply buy a Transmog bounty from Ada. The bounty costs 10,000 Glimmer, which is not much. Then complete the task and transform an armor piece.
What is Transmog? Transmogrification (short Transmog) refers to a system where armors and outfits are visually altered. Equipment pieces can adopt the look of other earned items. Transmog is useful when the new armor is stronger or at a higher level but not visually appealing. This way, players can walk around as they please without having to sacrifice the power of new items.
This is the reaction: Players had wished for the change. They want it to be implemented immediately and not wait until the end of August as planned.
However, even after the changes, there is a significant problem with Transmog, and this isn’t really new.
Bungie saves Guardians 150 hours per season, but they have other worries
These problems with Transmog are now getting even bigger: Even before Transmog entered the game, Guardians complained about the cosmetic feature. These criticism points could become even more pronounced starting in August:
Artificial limits: Only 10 Transmog transformations can be earned per character and season. This means that no matter how diligent one is, not all looks can be earned. After 10 Transmog bounties per character, it’s over for the season (3 months).
Too expensive: The limit can be bypassed through the Eververse, the cash shop of Destiny 2. If you pay Bungie 1,000 Silver (about €10) per set, you can keep on transmogrifying.
To have all over 4,000 legendary armor looks for Transmog, one would need Silver. This is estimated to cost about 30 years of gameplay or $6,000-12,000 (via Twitter).
You really have to run to a loom in Destiny 2 for Transmog and process threads
These criticism points haven’t weighed heavily in practice so far, as the grind made it difficult to transmog often. However, starting in Season 15, as you no longer have to grind 150 hours of synthetic threads to reach the limit with all 3 characters, the reality sets in: even with the new system, you cannot transform as many outfits as you wish and suddenly run into a (pay) wall.
How expensive is Transmog? From Season 15, you will reach the point much faster where only an investment of Silver makes you look cooler. To have all over 4,000 legendary armor looks for Transmog, one would need Silver. This is estimated to cost about 30 years of gameplay or $6,000-12,000 (via Twitter).
Of course, it’s utopian to transform all armors, and probably no Guardian really needs every set. Many have their few favorite looks. Even though the changes are desired in themselves, they do not change the big Eververse problem for many.
Bungie itself now says about it: “We will continue to monitor how the reactions to the armor synthesis turn out and how often it is used when Season 15 begins” (via TWaB). So it is quite possible that the artificial limit may change in the future.
However, considering how long cosmetic shaders were once-only usable items – over 3 years – it could take a few more seasons.
What do you think about the situation regarding Transmog now that you have almost a season to play with it? Do you fully understand the criticism or are you just glad that Bungie is making some changes? What are your expectations for the still unnamed Season 15 that starts in a month? Let us know in the comments.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A new leak about Genshin Impact Patch 2.1 shows three new characters, a new area, and a new mechanic. We at MeinMMO summarize it for you.
What is it about? New leaks about Genshin Impact promise information on the upcoming Patch 2.1. According to the leaks, fishing will soon be possible. Additionally, three new characters have been revealed and an initial image from the new area Watasumi.
The three new characters are Baal, Kokomi, and Sara. The three characters are the newcomers from Inazuma. First images, including those of Baal or Raiden Shogun, can be found on reddit and Twitter.
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According to the leak, you should also be able to fish starting with Patch 2.1, though more detailed information about this mechanic is not yet known. So far, there is only one image from the new area Watasumi.
How reliable are the sources? Both leakers have proven to be trustworthy in the past. As is often the case with leaks, we cannot promise that this content will come out exactly as described – however, it is relatively likely.
The community is looking forward to the new features
What does the community say about the leaks? The leaking of new information in Genshin Impact before it is officially released has almost become the norm. The community is therefore no longer surprised by the acquisition of information in this way.
Players are currently very enthusiastic about the new characters. User ChelseaDagger13 writes (via reddit): ‘I’m totally into the cosmos animations [of Baal].’
User Jivare agrees: ‘In my opinion, this is the coolest ult in the game, along with Zhongli’s.’
User NikName72 even writes: ‘I find it really difficult to choose between Kokomi and Baal. With this update, I could break my Free2Play status!’
What do you think of the leaked content? Are you also excited about the characters or would you rather go fishing? Let us know in the comments!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In a survey, we wanted to know from MeinMMO readers how they feel about the beta of New World so far. A large part of you is excited about the game, but there is also criticism. Regarding two of the mentioned points of criticism, almost everyone agrees – even those who view the MMO positively.
Where do the numbers come from? Over the weekend, we launched a survey about the beta of New World. As of July 26 at 11:00 AM, 2,681 people had participated. Here are the results of the survey:
933 people rated the beta as “Good” (34.80 %)
838 participants even gave the beta a “Super” rating (31.26 %)
At least 514 people chose the golden mean with “Okay” (19.17 %)
222 people found the beta “Not good” so far (8.28 %)
Only 174 gave a “Terrible” as their conclusion (6.49 %)
Thus, a large majority considers the beta of New World to be quite good. However, despite the beta being well-received, there is still criticism. You shared your opinions with us in over 100 comments below the news, and we reveal what you liked and what you did not.
Character creation and servers are a problem for almost everyone
What points of criticism came up repeatedly? There are two things that were mentioned as negative aspects in almost every comment:
On one hand, players are bothered by the weak character creation. There are hardly any customization options. The available faces and hairstyles are even too similar for some players. Some players fear that in the endgame, almost all players will look alike. This criticism was already voiced a few hours after the beta started.
On the other hand, there is criticism of the servers. In addition to the problems with queues and frequent maintenance, people complain about the fact that the servers are not assigned to any particular language. This leads to repeated communication issues on European servers, which cannot even be solved through chat.
Our reader Daalung writes in his criticism of New World:
1. I just can’t wrap my head around why with 36 servers, none are assigned to specific nationalities. It makes no sense when everything is spammed in Polish, French, English, Spanish, and Italian. Hardly anybody writes something like “looking for a guild” in their own language without 100 other people doing the same. […].
4. Character creation… has already been discussed enough, so just briefly: Every MMORPG/Solo-RPG of the last 20 years has more and better customization options. […].
Finai is also very frustrated with the character creation:
I find this character creation the worst. I can live with pre-made faces and don’t need sliders or anything like that. But in New World, you get the feeling they deliberately made ugly faces. Honestly, who was responsible for that? Did someone hammer away at randomness until it couldn’t get any uglier? When you think about them wanting to make money with costumes and cosmetic items in the Item Shop…. it just doesn’t fit in my opinion. I don’t need cool clothes with such “faces”.
However, even players who view New World positively overall have problems with these specific points of criticism. Our reader Hisuinoi has compiled a lengthy list of positive and negative aspects, and also has a further solution regarding the language barrier:
I am very enthusiastic about New World and will definitely play it; I’ve already bought it on Steam for the preview. I will have months of fun with it, no doubt. But I have pros and cons that I will list right away […].
Cons: – The chat system isn’t completely bad, but unfortunately, there are better systems. And the most important thing is that when more languages are active on a server, the option “English, German, etc. chat” must absolutely be included. – As it looks, unfortunately, no DE servers are coming, which I find really disappointing.
The combat system greatly depends on personal taste
New World relies on a unique combat system that requires you to target the opponent and strike in their direction. However, combat is associated with long animations, making it more tactical than action-packed. Not everyone is pleased with the system of weapon switching and the few abilities.
What do fans of the combat system say? The positive voices praise the high skill required by the game, as well as the diverse weapons:
Nico writes: “The combat system is indeed very diverse and skill-based; I also like the skill trees a lot.”
Koshin especially praises aiming and dodging: “Finally, a skill-based combat system where you have to aim and dodge/block at the right moment.”
Noru prefers the combat system of New World over games like Black Desert: “Even worse than tab-targeting are MMOs like BDO or Lost Ark. Every skill deals damage, everything is AoE, and you just fight through 10-20 mobs. Normal attacks stun for 0.5 seconds in Lost Ark, making it even easier and more boring. In New World, I appreciate that you really have to react to opponents, as certain hits genuinely hurt. Similar to Monster Hunter or Dark Souls.”
The combat system in New World features few abilities but very long attack animations. This does not please everyone.
What do the critics say? The negative voices find the combat system rather dull and “unfinished”.
GeT_R3kT writes: “For me, the combat system is rather boring! From a distance, 1-2 shots with the bow (possibly with one ability involved) then hit, hit with the axe, block, hit, hit, block, and use a skill every 15 seconds. Everything else is just slight variations.”
Daalung says about the combat: “The combat system is just trash, especially in ranged combat. It starts with the fact that you deal significantly less damage in ranged combat than with melee weapons (with the sword, I need 3-4 hits, with ranged weapons like muskets, bows, staves, I need 10-12 hits on the same enemy). Dodging is useless because the character always gets stuck on something and can hardly evade….”
In total, opinions about the combat system are divided, with overall positive impressions prevailing in our comments.
Along with the delays of New World, Hamurator likely refers to the problems with Amazon’s previous games:
Some readers also criticize that Amazon should be able to handle the servers better, as they should have the capacity to counteract the queues and crashes.
Our reader AlexMK, on the other hand, doubts whether the hype around New World is justified or if it exists only because Amazon is the developer. He sees Amazon’s success more with the upcoming Lost Ark:
“My question is also, what if Amazon wasn’t behind this? Then the hype wouldn’t exist, and the game would have probably sunk into obscurity at its current state, and you would never hear about it again. It’s not a truly bad game; it just seems completely unfinished and likely needed another year of development. Amazon likely will not succeed with their own game but with one that they are publishing from Korea.”
Your opinion: What do you think about New World and the praise and criticism voiced by our readers? Will you be playing at the release on August 31, or will you be skipping the MMO?
New World convinces with crafting, exploration, and many freedoms
What is praised by many? One of the positive aspects of the game is the crafting system. Through collecting and crafting, you can not only acquire useful equipment but also level up. Moreover, the best equipment in the game can be crafted through handicrafts, which many perceive as a positive:
Our reader Hisuinoi is very fond of crafting: “The crafting system is not just a mindless grind […]. You can achieve better stats through repeated crafting, akin to training. When higher-quality materials are used, the lowest stat is also higher. […]. If you don’t see that you can exert significant influence here, I must say you are somewhat blind. I have not experienced such a thing in any other MMO/MMORPG that interested me. It was always about pure randomness.”
Nico writes: “Collecting resources is really good; you can do it nice and chill on the side. I find it better than in most other MMOs because you can level it up without searching for hours.”
NESTA especially appreciates the quick crafting of many items: “Here are a few small things that I really like: the crafting. Making one item and making 100 items takes virtually the same time, no more hours of pointless, monotonous forging.”
Our reader Damian is generally fond of crafting and exploration: “I really enjoy the exploration, discovering, and crafting in New World.”
The topic of exploration has also been mentioned by several other readers as a positive aspect, as the beautiful and mysterious world of New World invites exploration.
What do our readers say about Amazon? It is notable in our comments that some readers have little confidence in the game solely because it comes from Amazon or blame Amazon alone for the hype:
For example, Hamurator is waiting to purchase because Amazon is the developer: “New World has some interesting elements, but Amazon’s development history and that of New World in particular is quite… turbulent. I don’t trust the process entirely and want to wait for the first impressions of other players before diving in myself.”
Along with the delays of New World, Hamurator likely refers to the problems with Amazon’s previous games:
Some readers also criticize that Amazon should be able to handle the servers better, as they should have the capacity to counteract the queues and crashes.
Our reader AlexMK, on the other hand, doubts whether the hype around New World is justified or if it exists only because Amazon is the developer. He sees Amazon’s success more with the upcoming Lost Ark:
“My question is also, what if Amazon wasn’t behind this? Then the hype wouldn’t exist, and the game would have probably sunk into obscurity at its current state, and you would never hear about it again. It’s not a truly bad game; it just seems completely unfinished and likely needed another year of development. Amazon likely will not succeed with their own game but with one that they are publishing from Korea.”
Your opinion: What do you think about New World and the praise and criticism voiced by our readers? Will you be playing at the release on August 31, or will you be skipping the MMO?
The South Korean “Impact” Eon-young has been a professional player for 10 years in League of Legends. At just 18 he became a world champion and has won everything there is to win in LoL. For 8 years, the South Korean has been a mercenary and plays in the USA. Now he explains how he can remain a professional player for so long without burning out, like many others, and why he is afraid of retirement.
This is Impact:
The South Korean Impact is one of the most experienced LoL professionals ever: He became world champion with SKT T1 in 2013, at the beginning of his career, alongside legendary players like Faker, Bengi, or Piglet. In 2014 and 2015 he was champion in South Korea twice, moved to the USA, and won the LCS four times here.
Impact is a top laner. He is known for his gameplay with champions like Jayce, Shen, Jax, or Rumble.
How can he be a professional for so long? Many young men can only endure the tough life of a LoL professional for 5 or 6 years. The constant training, an unhealthy lifestyle, constant changes to LoL, and thus to the meta take their toll.
LoL professional Pawn had to end his career because he became obsessed with getting his PC perfectly set up. It became a compulsion.
In an interview, Impact now shares how he avoids the “burnout” that many LoL professionals face after a few years.
“I have never really experienced something like burnout. I’m not sure, but my mindset goes towards League of Legends being my life. When I wake up, I think about the matchup I will have today. I like to think about LoL to develop new ideas. Other people play other games to distract themselves from their lives, but I just enjoy League of Legends.
A lot of people get burnout because they see LoL as work. If you see your everyday life as a job, then it’s easy to burn out. If you play for money or for job security, then you’ll also burn out quickly. But LoL is just my life. When I stop, I’m really scared: Because I have no idea what I would do then.”
“People always think: Just because I have money, I can quit”
Why is he afraid of retirement? At 26, after 10 years as a professional, most LoL players would look forward to retirement. Those who still want to be involved in LoL might become full-time streamers like Sneaky and Doublelift. Or they can become professional coaches like Bjergsen and Wolf. But for Impact, there’s only one option right now: keep playing.
Impact says:
“People always think that just because I have money, I can quit and have a good life, but I would be terribly bored and feel lost in life. I don’t want to take a break because it would just bore me.
I like competition. Losing feels bad, but winning makes me happy. That’s why I don’t get burnout because I know that all my work will give me the feeling of winning. It’s the best feeling ever.”
Everything bores Impact – except really good opponents in LoL
What stands out: In the interview, it seems that Impact is still marked by his time at SKT1 eight years ago. He says back then he had to fight for his playtime. Everything felt like a grind and an immense amount of pressure. Back then he realized that he needed an environment with less pressure to see how much fun LoL can actually be.
Today, Impact says, he enjoys everything: He has much more freedom and fun. Everything is fun for him: training is fun, solo queue is fun, even the terrible solo queue in the USA makes him happy.
Faker is “the face” of LoL. With him, Impact already won the world title 8 years ago.
Apparently, Impact’s time at T1 was so tough that everything since then feels like a vacation. He also seems to simply love LoL. Other games bore Impact. He finds it stupid to “just play LoL for fun.” Impact always wants to play ranked against the best players, he says. That gives him a thrill.
It seems that his profession fulfills him so much that he no longer perceives it as a profession but as his life.
Impact has had an exciting career. A world champion at 18, still a professional at 26. During this time he has made quite a bit of money and invested it:
After the big tuner update, the Karin Kuruma was supposed to receive only new tuning accessories. But suddenly, the unarmored Kuruma in GTA Online is bulletproof.
What is happening in GTA Online? On July 20, the latest DLC for GTA Online called “Los Santos Tuners” was released. The content of the DLC includes the auto tuner meet-up spot “LS Car Meet”, new mini-heists, and many tuning upgrades for new and existing cars.
Apparently, the developers at Rockstar Games made a mistake while implementing the update. Because the unarmored Karin Kuruma is suddenly bulletproof. And the community can’t explain it.
Karin Kuruma for $95,000 now bulletproof – How long?
This was tested: On Twitter, @rollschuh2282 announced that Rockstar Games accidentally made the unarmored Kuruma bulletproof. The user shared two images showing the collision zones of the sports car. The red zones indicate that bullets can penetrate the vehicle at those locations and injure the occupants.
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The right image shows the same car after the update. The red zones are gone, so you can no longer shoot through to injure the driver and passengers.
How players are reacting: The topic quickly spread in the community. Many couldn’t believe it and asked for confirmation under the tweet whether the unarmored Kuruma was really bulletproof.
Other players pointed out that “bulletproof” is defined somewhat differently in GTA Online. Because eventually, the windows usually break and then bullets come through. But on reddit, player FatGuy1297 explains that it’s a special case here (via reddit.com):
“The windows are indestructible. You can even throw C4 out of the car and still remain fully protected.” A feature that even the armored Kuruma does not have. Because usually, the driver first breaks the door window with his elbow to throw C4 out. The armored Kuruma does not have that function, you can only use firearms.
How it currently looks in the game is shown by YouTuber flexcreator in one of his videos. It becomes clear that you can still destroy the cars with weapons and C4, only now the windows and doors are bulletproof.
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How long will this last? Since this seems to be a bug, it can be expected that Rockstar Games will soon have a solution and reinstall the vulnerable windows and doors of the unarmored Kuruma.
Until that happens, you can enjoy a sports car for $95,000, which makes it easy for you to complete your contact missions.
Have you noticed any other bugs and glitches in the latest update of GTA Online? Share your experiences with the DLC here on MeinMMO in the comments and chat with other tuners about the new content.
If you haven’t done so yet, you should secure the big cash gift now that the developers are currently distributing for GTA O players.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
How much FPS does Valve’s Steam Deck achieve? This question is currently on the minds of many gamers. Now Valve has explained what 30 FPS means for the console.
This is the reason for the discussion: In a video interview with IGN, Valve explained that they aim for 30 FPS with the Steam Deck (via ign.com). But this caused a significant discussion among gamers.
Many had suspected that the Steam Deck should only manage these 30 FPS, which would be far too little for gamers.
Why is the framerate important? Games with less than 30 FPS feel less fluid. When gaming, one always feels that a game cannot run smoothly with less than 30 FPS, but rather it runs choppy. Competitive gamers, in particular, rely on a high framerate for fluid movements.
Valve explains what 30 FPS really means for the Steam Deck
This is what happened: Pierre-Loup Griffais took to Twitter and explained that it was a misunderstanding:
The “30 FPS target” refers to the minimum of what we consider playable in our performance tests; the games we have tested and shown have consistently met and exceeded this benchmark. There will also be an optional built-in FPS limiter to balance performance with battery life.
Pierre-Loup Griffais, Valve employee, via twitter.com
We have embedded his official tweet here:
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What the tweet says: Griffais explains in his tweet that the 30 FPS refers to a minimum framerate. The targeting does not mean that the console can only achieve 30 FPS. Rather, they want to ensure that all games can run at least at 30 FPS.
Players are relieved that the Steam Deck can achieve more
These are the reactions: Many gamers express relief or at least a positive surprise that Valve aims for at least 30 FPS with the Steam Deck. One user says, “Wanting to reach 30 FPS sounds okay. It is playable—not optimal, but playable.” (via reddit.com)
In particular, the ability to limit the FPS and thereby increase battery life appeals to many users (via reddit.com). A good battery performance is much more important for a mobile device than a high framerate.
I think 30 fps is a pretty good target for the Steam Deck at this time. I also assume that they are using a 1080p resolution. Battery life is much more important for this type of device.
Why is the framerate not so important for the Steam Deck? There are also some people who see no reason for this FPS discussion. After all, this is not what this console is about. It is primarily a handheld console.
The Steam console is not designed to play modern blockbusters in the highest details. Instead, one expects to be able to play excellent indie titles like Hades or Hollow Knight on the console (via reddit.com). Additionally, with the console, one can finally reduce their “Pile of Shame.”
What do you think? What are your expectations for Valve’s Steam Deck and what do you want to play on it? Do you consider battery life important, or do you prefer high framerate and many details?
The top streamer Summit1g actually just wanted to defeat a boss in Final Fantasy XIV, but that didn’t happen. However, it wasn’t due to the streamer’s or his team’s lack of skill, but rather an embarrassing oversight.
Who played? The streamer Jaryd Lazar aka “Summit1g” has also recently jumped on the FF14 bandwagon. Currently, many successful content creators are streaming the MMORPG from Square Enix, including the well-known top streamer Asmongold who gained fame through WoW.
But for Summit1g, an epic boss fight that he was supposed to dominate, ended up going quite embarrassingly wrong.
Group wipe because successful streamer didn’t pay 12.99
What happened? Summit1g and his group were just in the process of fighting the boss Shiva. Both the streamer and his team were doing well and dominating the fight. It was a truly epic moment with action at its peak. Monsters were running across the screen, spectacular effects were happening, and the wonderful soundtrack of the game created the necessary atmosphere.
But then suddenly the screen went black and Summit1g was back in the main menu of the game.
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What was the reason? Summit1g, who is notorious for his outbursts and inappropriate remarks during live streams, wanted to start a proper tirade and let loose. But then he remembered something important that he had obviously forgotten.
“Oh, you know what happened? I think I exceeded the time!” By that, Summit1g meant the time one can play with the purchase of Final Fantasy 14. The successful streamer with over 6 million followers had likely only bought FF14, whose playtime simply expires after 30 days and is no longer playable if the subscription is not renewed.
Exactly that happened and therefore the boss fight went epically awry. If Summit1g had just paid the 12.99 for a subscription and automatically renewed it, none of this would have happened.
Players who forget their subscription out of carelessness are not among them, but if you’re looking for 7 player types that are abundant in FF14, then take a look at this list.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The well-known Twitch streamer shroud has New World tried and recorded his opinion in a video. There he says that New World could surpass well-known games like World of Warcraft because it has one advantage: It also targets players who typically don’t like MMORPGs.
New World is also a success on Twitch, achieving 4th place in the most popular categories over the last 7 days, right behind LoL, GTA 5, and Just Chatting (via sullygnome). Consequently, many streamers are also sharing their thoughts on New World. One of the largest, shroud, even sees the potential to surpass the biggest MMORPGs.
New World targets casuals and players who don’t like MMOs
How does shroud explain his opinion? Shroud sees the strength of New World mainly in that it is not a traditional MMORPG:
[New World] is a unique MMO. It doesn’t offer the traditional experience with a “Holy Trinity” system and a huge skill bar. Rather, it offers a slow, tactical action combat system.
Shroud in the video from minute 2:17
He further explains that New World could appeal to new target groups that WoW and other titles do not reach:
What the game does really well is that it differs so much from traditional MMOs that I believe that players who don’t like MMOs might actually enjoy the game. It caters more to casual players.
Many people play survival games and adventure games, but MMOs are daunting for them. The game is already doing well to appeal to the casual audience.
Shroud in the video from minute 6:55
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However, shroud does not believe that it will only have casual players, but sees a chance that all MMO fans will find what they are looking for:
You can just sit there, chop down trees, farm nodes, craft and fish. You don’t even have to kill anything. Everyone has their own unique way of playing. It actually has really good PvP, as far as I’ve seen so far.
Shroud in the video from minute 6:10
Does shroud find everything in New World good? No, in his video he also expresses criticism. He wishes for a greater variety of weapons and hopes that Amazon will pay more attention to the game’s balance.
He also has a bit of feedback regarding the areas:
It would be cool if there were more recommended level locations in each zone, instead of each zone following a “Level 6, Level 9, Level 12” formula. This causes many players to gather at the same location.
New World comes at a time when WoW is struggling with issues
What is currently happening with WoW? Many players are currently losing interest in WoW. The latest patch 9.1 came later than expected and also failed to retain many players in the long term. Major WoW streamers like Asmongold have therefore tried other MMORPGs.
However, a brand new title with a unique gameplay system could pull away many more players from the old MMORPG than FFXIV has. shroud, who plays WoW repeatedly, will extensively play New World at release, as he reveals in the video.
In addition to the general exodus of WoW players, Blizzard is currently grappling with a scandal that is also expected to negatively impact the development of the MMORPG:
The new MMORPG Elyon will arrive in the western market in 2021, thus coming to us in Europe. As with most MMORPGs that come from Asia, Pay2Win is also up for discussion here. Elyon is already showcasing its entire cash shop and is removing a controversial feature.
The MMORPG Elyon, which started in Korea in 2020, is expected to come to the West this year as well. As is common with many games from Asia, the cash shop for the European version will be adjusted. Particular attention will be given to the “Gears Currency” system, which allows players to purchase tangible upgrades for real money.
This system has now been removed for the western version of Elyon, as confirmed by the publisher. They also want to communicate clearly and transparently with their players. There is already a complete list of all items that can be purchased in Elyon’s cash shop (via playkakaogames.com).
Which feature has been removed? Many smaller aspects of the cash shop have been reworked, but the “Gears Currency” system has been completely removed from the game. With this system, players could purchase special equipment and upgrades with Rubies, the game’s real money currency, which would simply make their character better than that of Free2Play players.
This system will now be completely avoided in the West. All equipment that could be acquired through the system has either been made accessible in other ways or completely removed from the game.
In this video, the developer briefly introduces the cash shop:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR2wDjHes-U
How much Pay2Win is still left? The European cash shop of Elyon still offers a variety of quality-of-life improvements in addition to cosmetic items. More inventory slots, less EXP loss upon death, and even pets to assist you in battle will also be available to us.
There is also a type of subscription model that promises various minor improvements for 30 days. It will cost approximately €15 per month.
Furthermore, Elyon is introducing a loyalty system. By participating in various events or being “online” in the game, you will accumulate loyalty. This currency can also be used to shop in the cash shop, but not all items will be available for purchase with loyalty.
How does the community respond to the announcements? The cash shop is always a sensitive topic in an MMORPG, and there is seldom unanimous agreement. However, with Elyon, many parallels can be drawn to Black Desert. After all, it also comes from KakaoGames.
Some believe that these quality-of-life improvements in the cash shop are even worse than actual Pay2Win. Typically, you only buy better armor for real money if you want to compete at the highest level, while more inventory slots are something everyone needs.
As user g1sh writes (via reddit): “I personally dislike the quality-of-life improvements much more than standard Pay2Win. [..] However, I do appreciate that they published this list before the pre-orders start.”
Another user has less positive feedback and writes: “The publisher is intentionally creating problems for which they then want to sell us solutions. If you support that, you should bring out your rainbow wigs because you’re clowns.”
However, there are also positive voices:
For instance, user egoMuffin writes (via reddit): “Good changes! They’ve removed the toxic Pay2Win aspect. Really good job!”
User Nova8808 adds: “It looks like a pretty standard monetization for Korean games. There are still a few things I wouldn’t wish for in the game.”
With a bit more humor, Joe2030 summarizes: “Short version of the announcement: Hey folks, we are now Black Desert Online.”
What do you think of the announcements? Are you skeptical about the cash shop or are you perhaps even more excited for Elyon now? Feel free to leave us a comment.
New reactions from current and former Blizzard employees continue to emerge regarding the incidents – and this will likely continue for a while.
What do you think of Metzen’s statements?
Chris Metzen, a former top employee of Blizzard and an icon in WoW, also speaks out. In his statement, he regrets what has come to light.
The last few days have cast a dark light on Activision Blizzard and especially the team around World of Warcraft. More and more allegations from employees are coming to light as part of a lawsuit. They involve sexism, sexual harassment in the workplace, and many other forms of oppression against women.
Who is Chris Metzen? Chris Metzen was the “Senior Vice President of Story and Franchise Development” at Blizzard. Until his departure in 2016, he was largely responsible for the story of many Blizzard games. He shaped the Warcraft universe and is – to this day – also the original English voice of several characters, such as Thrall or Ragnaros.
For many, he was the great “story guru” and an extremely charismatic personality who often opened BlizzCon. At the same time, his departure from Blizzard in 2016 marked the “beginning of the end” for many in the game developer. It was a departure that would be followed by many other high-ranking developers.
Chris Metzen now works at “Warchief Gaming” and creates tabletop and pen & paper games there.
Chris Metzen was long the story chief at Blizzard – and still voices Thrall today.
What did Metzen say? Metzen commented on the scandal in a statement on Twitter.
We have failed, and I am sorry. […]
There is no excuse. We have disappointed too many people when they needed us, and we had the privilege of not noticing, not trying, and not creating the necessary space for our colleagues who needed us as leaders. I wish my apology could make a difference. But it cannot.
Later, he explains that he finds it difficult to connect these stories of Blizzard with what he loved about the company.
I feel the same shock, disgust, and anger as many of you – and I struggle to reconcile the place I knew, loved, and worked at for so long with the harsh reality that has been revealed in recent days. It feels like I am staring at two different worlds.
But that is not the case. It is just this one world, and the vast chasm between my perception from the top and the jarring reality that many of you have experienced fills me with deep shame.
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He further explains that as a father of two daughters, he hopes that they will one day find a workplace where they can freely express themselves. However, he notes that he should not think only about family, but about all women.
It’s not enough to say “I see you” and “I hear you” when terrible things happen to women, whether at work or outside of it. We must be present enough and willing to ASK what their everyday experiences are – and then do everything we can to support them with the respect, dignity, and opportunities they deserve.
He concludes by stating that such change can only happen if not only one acts this way, but also if these perspectives and values are shared in the environment. We must hold each other accountable – and be willing to be held accountable.
More about the current Blizzard scandal can be found in these articles:
Community divided, uncertainty prevails: Although Chris Metzen enjoys a good reputation among many fans, there is also some criticism of him. Many find it hard to believe that Metzen knew nothing of the behavior of Afrasiabi, who allegedly harassed several women. Afrasiabi succeeded Metzen in terms of story, and the two have worked together a lot in the past.
Regarding Alex [Afrasiabi]. I enjoyed working with him […]. I had a lot of respect for him in terms of work, but we did not interact outside of the “story jams”. I was never his boss. We had little to do with each other outside of work or shared smoke breaks, and we have not worked closely together [since] WotLK. I never heard a peep about him, other than that he could be tough on his team and at times an asshole. Learning all this over the past week was very shocking for me. That is just reprehensible shit.
New reactions from current and former Blizzard employees continue to emerge regarding the incidents – and this will likely continue for a while.
What do you think of Metzen’s statements?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The well-known streamer Cr1TiKaL has put 100 dollars into Pokémon Unite and invested in strong items. He wants to show how unfair it can be in the new MOBA and how obvious the advantages are that you can acquire with ‘Mom’s credit card’ faster than everyone else. You can see how he dismantles entire lobbies single-handedly and feels so dirty due to Pay2Win that he doesn’t dare to go to church anymore.
Who is this about?
Charles White Jr (26) is better known online as Cr1TiKaL or MoistCr1TiKaL. On YouTube, his channel pengiuz0 has 8.6 million subscribers, and on Twitch, he has 2.9 million followers as moistCr1TiKaL. His fans love him for his dry humor on serious topics.
He streams a variety of games, most recently the suddenly mega-popular Final Fantasy XIV. However, he has now dedicated himself to Pokémon Unite, the new MOBA where the cuddly pocket monsters bash each other’s heads in 5 vs. 5 battles.
On Twitch, he is the 3rd largest streamer for Pokémon Unite and is also among the top 100 streamers across the entire platform, based on the viewing hours of his content (via Sullygnome). Cr1TiKaL is therefore a big deal and reaches many people when he speaks.
What has the streamer done? Cr1TiKaL has put down some serious cash and shown in a stream how much stronger his Pokémon are after an investment.
Here’s the background: In recent days, there have been Pay2Win accusations in Pokémon Unite. This concerns the held items (Hero Items) that can be permanently leveled up from Trainer level 9 onwards, thus increasing the stats of your monsters. Leveling costs “Item Enhancers”, which can be obtained in-game through missions or by playing, but also much faster through resources from the real-money shop.
“Tonight I will be number 1, all thanks to the credit card”
Cr1TiKaL says at the beginning of the stream: “I hate it, but I want to see where this goes”. You can then see how he pumps a ton of upgrade materials into his held items.
The “Muscle Band” at maximum level 30 gives him +15 attack power and 7.5% faster attack speed.
Additionally, there are items that increase movement speed, heal passively, or increase his crit chance.
All nicely pumped up, and depending on the match, he selects 3 of the expensive and powerful items.
When he joins the match, he feels a bit disgusted with himself because it’s really “dirty” and therefore, he can’t go to church this Sunday. With such jokes, he lightens the otherwise serious topic again and again.
He has fun shopping: “The strongest Pokémon will be Mom’s legendary credit card”, he yells every time he has to return to the shop to convert real money into resources, he keeps playing the mom card: “Mom, mom, I need more money!”.
While shopping, Cr1TiKaL sarcastically notes that Pokémon Unite did not think of the whales – whales are the biggest spenders in a free-to-play game. Because the upgrade materials are only available in 50 packs, but he needs hundreds of “Item Enhancers”.
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In the second part of the video, he then shows the effects of his investment, which, according to his – of course, very serious – statement, will definitely earn him a contract as a pro (from minute 3:15).
“Spend money, you poor noobs” – Clip shows how clear the differences are
How strong is he thanks to cash? Critical plows through his enemies in the lower ranks. He chooses Absol, Zeraora, and Machamp, Pokémon that already deal significant damage and become real killing machines through the items.
When a team gives up after a short time, he comments dryly: “I can understand that, they could feel the money my character sweats out”. Due to his high advantage in the early game, he diligently collects experience and is then so strong later that he almost farms the whole enemy team in their base, again and again.
His devastating verdict on Pokémon Unite is finally: “This is the worst pay-to-win I have seen in my whole damned life!”.
That’s why it’s annoying: Sure, any player can pump an item to level 30 with enough time invested, but currently, that might not even be really possible without spending money. Because the missions that give “Item Enhancers” are limited. Only in weeks can you reach such a high level on several items purely through playtime.
I still have 120 Item Enhancers left, that will never be enough for level 30
Until then, as a stingy (or normal?) player, you have to hope not to encounter a whale who tramples you into the ground just because mom’s legendary credit card struck. But really big worries should only concern players from level 9 onwards, only then can you upgrade items and encounter such opponents… but that doesn’t really make it better.
This is how MeinMMO author Philip Hansen sees the pay-to-win nature of Pokémon Unite:
I myself, Philip Hansen, have now played a lot of Pokémon Unite and am several leagues higher than Cr1TiKaL, in Expert 2 and have played over 100 matches. So far, I have not invested a cent in Pokémon Unite and my 3 held items are at level 10 – all through materials I obtained through normal play and quests. However, this has cost me almost all my saved up wealth, and level 30 is far away.
Currently, I can still keep up quite well. But now and then, you have the feeling that the enemy with their Pokémon is significantly stronger, whether that’s due to held and significantly leveled up items, it’s hard to say in the heat of battle.
My level 10 “Muscle Band” only gives +5 attack power and 2.5% attack speed. Cr1TiKaL’s maximum item’s stats are three times as good. Such a difference is definitely felt.
Philip Hansen Freelance author at MeinMMO
What do you think, have you also felt like you were only losing because the opponent invested a lot of money? Do you find the Pay2Win accusations in Pokémon Unite justified or do the players and the big streamer overreact? Let us know in the comments.
The YouTuber Spieletrend has been banned in Pokémon GO for 30 days. If he receives another ban, his account will be permanently gone. The YouTuber maintains his innocence but foresaw the current punishment.
Who is it about? Daniel “Spieletrend” Schilling is the largest German-speaking YouTuber on Pokémon GO. Currently, more than 368,000 subscribers follow him on the video platform YouTube.
What happened? On July 24, the Austrian announced that his Pokémon GO account was suspended for 30 days. In a video, he explains that he anticipated the suspension. And this, even though he insists he did not break any rules.
“A bit embarrassing already”
The reason for the suspension: In the message from Niantic, it states:
“Your account has been temporarily suspended because you violated the terms of service. The suspension will be lifted in about 30 days. Another violation will result in the permanent suspension of your account.”
This is what Spieletrend says about the ban: In a new YouTube video, the YouTuber speaks about the suspension. About a month ago, he had already received his first warning from Niantic in Pokémon GO.
The reason for the first warning was that Niantic allegedly found “activities on Spieletrend’s account indicating that he was using modified client software or unauthorized third-party software.” However, the YouTuber denies having used anything like that.
This “strike” remained on his account. If you collect three strikes, your account will be banned. Spieletrend appealed the ban in Pokémon GO with a “ban appeal,” “but whenever you do that, you only receive the automated response and nothing else,” he explains.
He compares his ban to that of Brandon Tan, the player who was the first to achieve a billion XP in Pokémon GO. “He was banned for 30 days a few days ago because he publicly, for months, without in any way hiding or concealing it, offered a paid catching service. […] For that, he received a 30-day ban.” Spieletrend himself says that he did “nothing” and still receives a 30-day ban.
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He saw it coming: “I’m not really sad about it. I really saw it coming. It’s no surprise.” Since his first strike was not removed, he knew that with the next “mistake from Niantic,” he would be banned for 30 days. “That was predictable. But it is a bit embarrassing, somehow,” the YouTuber adds.
This is currently happening: On Twitter, many trainers report about the support from Niantic regarding their accounts being warned or banned over the past weekend. The support usually replies with instructions on where to submit a ban appeal.
Comments and threads about players being unfairly banned are also increasing on reddit. For instance, a user named GloomySelf writes (via reddit.com) that he received a 30-day suspension about a month ago because he played with iOS 12. Many players were affected by these false suspensions (false flagging).
Now, a week after his 30-day suspension expired, his account has been permanently banned. He writes that he only receives the same copy-paste response from support when he tries to appeal his ban.
Do you also know players who are affected by the last wave of bans and warnings, but actually did not violate the game’s rules? What do you think of the ban system of Pokémon GO with its 3 strikes?
Share your opinion on the topic here on MeinMMO in the comments and discuss with other trainers from the community.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Does WoW Burning Crusade Classic secretly lower the drop rates when you farm for a long time? Many players are reporting just that.
Farming for resources is part of every WoW player’s daily life, especially in Burning Crusade Classic. After all, many recipes require different particles, such as mana particles or fire particles. But something seems off about the probabilities of the drop rates – is WoW manipulating the chances to make farming less attractive?
What happened? In the WoW Classic subreddit, user Mercon made a post detailing his observations while farming mana particles (via reddit). According to him, a system seems to be active that massively lowers the drop chances of items over time. At first, he consistently received mana particles, but over time that decreased significantly.
In the end, he even killed 100 of the mobs and did not receive a single mana particle – with a drop chance of 30%, that is nearly impossible. The conclusion: The drop chance must be lowered over time.
Other players confirm the observations: Other players also share these experiences. For example, thunderstriken explains:
Man, I knew I wasn’t crazy. When I was farming the particles for my best weapon (I think I needed about 20 primal items, so 200 particles), I got incredibly low drop rates towards the end. For the last 4 particles, I farmed for over 1.5 hours. Thank you for confirming my sanity.
At the beginning, there is plenty of loot – but it gradually decreases.
Pancrat also confirms this theory:
I noticed this while solo-farming the Black Marsh during trash (200 or more mobs, level 67 / 68), every day I get between 6 and 7 green items, and then no more.
MeraxusM also shares his experiences and observations:
I farmed about 200 primal fires at the beginning of the expansion and noticed 3 things that consistently proved true, so it can’t really be random:
1. The first few kills of each session had very high drop rates. 2. There were always periods of 15 to 30 minutes in which the drop rates were either extremely good or extremely bad. 3. The longer the farming session lasted, the more the drops per hour decreased. This seems to reset when you return the next day or a few hours later.
More news about WoW Retail and WoW Classic can be found here:
That such manipulations of the drop chances exist is actually an old hat. It was primarily known in Retail WoW. For a while, there were extremely many farming bots that occupied coveted spots 24/7, making gold and then selling it. Already several expansions ago, Blizzard had implemented protection mechanisms to prevent certain materials from being farmed permanently in the same place.
That these mechanics are now also active in Burning Crusade Classic bothers many players. After all, it was part of the “old experience” for many to farm for many hours at the Elemental Plateau in Nagrand or in the Netherstorm to craft good equipment. The fact that this is now restricted even for honest players is not well received.
What do you think about this? Are these farming protection mechanisms good and sensible? Or is there a better way?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
This can be seen in the latest tweet about WoW. It is actually about a tournament in WoW Classic – but the responses are full of biting allusions and questions about the current situation at Blizzard.
The allegations against Blizzard are similar to accusations against game companies in recent years:
This is further inflaming the situation: In recent days, some former bosses at Blizzard have spoken out, such as Chris Metzen or Mike Morhaime. They took part of the blame and apologized for allowing such things to happen under their supervision. They emphasized that they were not aware of the extent of the occurrences.
They faced harsh criticism on Twitter. They were accused of having ignored the occurrences.
Internal emails have also leaked to the public, including those from Blizzard CEO J Allen Brack or from Activision CEO Bobby Kotick. They labeled the behavior described in the lawsuit as “unacceptable,” announced investigations, and many discussions.
However, the statement from Fran Townsend, who worked for US President George W. Bush and is now “Chief Compliance Officer” at Activision Blizzard, thus actually responsible for such allegations, particularly stood out. Townsend has only been with Activision Blizzard for 4 months. She stated (via twitter):
the allegations paint a distorted and false picture of the company
some allegations are factually inaccurate, old, and taken out of context – some over 10 years old
Activision is a great company with good values today
This email apparently particularly upset employees. Townsend’s statements were sharply criticized publicly – just like Activision Blizzard’s official statement.
In recent days, some former employees of Blizzard have come forward:
At Blizzard, not much work is being done at the moment, says one of the developers there: The work on World of Warcraft (WoW) is currently almost completely at a standstill. The staff are too angry about how Activision Blizzard is handling the lawsuit regarding sexism. The huge social media channels of all “Activision-Blizzard” games from Call of Duty to Overwatch have also been silent for 4 days, since July 21st.
Who is speaking? The developer Jeff Hamilton is speaking. He is a “Senior System Designer” at WoW and works in Irvine, California.
Here’s what he says:
“I can tell you, almost no work is being done on World of Warcraft at the moment while this obscene process is ongoing. And that helps no one – not the players, not the developers, not the shareholders.
Activision’s response to the incidents has taken a group of the best developers in the world and made them so angry and traumatized that they are unable to work on a great game anymore.”
Jeff Hamilton
What does he criticize? Hamilton finds especially the response from Activision Blizzard to the lawsuit “absolutely unacceptable.”
Activision Blizzard had responded to the lawsuit in a statement, claiming the allegations were “false and twisted.” Between the lines, they even threatened to leave California. The agency’s lawsuit was labeled “irresponsible.” They also criticized the agency’s officials.
According to Hamilton, it is terrible to take the story of a victim and wield it as a rhetorical club. It is disgraceful to respond to such allegations with anything other than a well-thought-out plan to stop the abuse.
According to developer Jeff Hamilton, almost nothing is being done at WoW at the moment.
Activision Blizzard is silent on social media
What else is noticeable: Not only is work on WoW currently on hold, but there is an oppressive silence surrounding all of Activision Blizzard, as reported by the US site Kotaku.
All social media accounts have been silent since July 21st. This applies to:
Call of Duty
Crash Bandicoot
Diablo
Overwatch
World of Warcraft
and many more.
Either hardly anyone is working there right now or Activision Blizzard understands that any tweet or Facebook post would provoke a strong backlash at the moment.
This can be seen in the latest tweet about WoW. It is actually about a tournament in WoW Classic – but the responses are full of biting allusions and questions about the current situation at Blizzard.
The allegations against Blizzard are similar to accusations against game companies in recent years:
This is further inflaming the situation: In recent days, some former bosses at Blizzard have spoken out, such as Chris Metzen or Mike Morhaime. They took part of the blame and apologized for allowing such things to happen under their supervision. They emphasized that they were not aware of the extent of the occurrences.
They faced harsh criticism on Twitter. They were accused of having ignored the occurrences.
Internal emails have also leaked to the public, including those from Blizzard CEO J Allen Brack or from Activision CEO Bobby Kotick. They labeled the behavior described in the lawsuit as “unacceptable,” announced investigations, and many discussions.
However, the statement from Fran Townsend, who worked for US President George W. Bush and is now “Chief Compliance Officer” at Activision Blizzard, thus actually responsible for such allegations, particularly stood out. Townsend has only been with Activision Blizzard for 4 months. She stated (via twitter):
the allegations paint a distorted and false picture of the company
some allegations are factually inaccurate, old, and taken out of context – some over 10 years old
Activision is a great company with good values today
This email apparently particularly upset employees. Townsend’s statements were sharply criticized publicly – just like Activision Blizzard’s official statement.
In recent days, some former employees of Blizzard have come forward:
