World of Warcraft was released in 2004 and generated incredible hype over the years. Many MMORPGs that came after WoW were considered WoW-killers. Sometimes they made the fans believe this, and sometimes even the developers themselves. We present to you 5 titles that were regarded as “WoW-killers” but ultimately failed.
What kind of games are these? Many MMORPGs in the last 15 years have been labeled as “WoW-killers”. They were supposed to either “steal” enough players from the successful game to be equally successful, or even push it off its throne completely.
So far, no game has managed to do this in the West. Gordon Walton, developer of games like SWTOR and Crowfall, even stated in an interview with MeinMMO that “WoW-killers have almost killed the MMO business”.
We present to you 5 MMORPGs that have failed and have either been shut down or receive very few new updates.
This article was originally published on October 21, 2020, and was last updated on June 26.
[toc]
Vanguard: Saga of Heroes
Setting: Fantasy | Developer: Sigil Games Online / Sony| Release Date: January 30, 2007 | Shut Down: July 31, 2014 | Payment Model: Pay2Play and Free2Play from 2012
What was this MMORPG like? Vanguard: Saga of Heroes aimed to mix theme park and sandbox styles to create an MMORPG that would appeal to an even larger number of fans than WoW. In some respects, it succeeded.
The game focused on:
Diverse races and 15 different classes
A good crafting system with crafting classes that split off later, as well as quests for NPCs
Housing for 5,000 accounts per server
Moreover, the MMORPG introduced difficult challenges in the form of dungeons. Some bosses could only be defeated if a specific class was present, which aimed to keep all classes relevant.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
It has been shut down for years, but MMO Attack took a look at Vanguard for the first time in 2013.
Why was it considered a WoW-killer? In fact, Vanguard was not directly seen as a “WoW-killer” by its developers. Developer Brad McQuaid, who passed away in 2019, even purportedly spoke poorly of WoW within the team. Thus, they explicitly did not want to create a game like WoW.
However, due to the mix of theme park and sandbox elements and the difficult dungeons, many fans hoped that it could be more successful than WoW.
What “killed” the MMORPG? Vanguard faced several problems at the beginning:
There were numerous bugs, exploits, and performance issues. Players who were fans of WoW were not accustomed to such an extent of problems.
Additionally, there was little content beyond level 35. Players became bored quickly.
However, an important factor in its failure was also WoW itself. The first expansion, “The Burning Crusade,” released on January 16, 2007, garnered a lot of attention. Players camped outside shops (via YouTube), and commercials circulated.
Vanguard, on the other hand, simply got lost with its release on January 30, 2007. In 2014, the game was shut down. Many fans now wish for the return of the old MMORPG, especially before it was simplified with new updates in 2008.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Fortnite: Battle Royale you can collect Gold Bars, but what are they actually used for and where can you find them? MeinMMO shows you what Gold Bars are all about.
The only way to get Gold Bars is to find and collect them in the game. You cannot buy them with real money. But why should you even collect them?
What are Gold Bars used for?
What can you do with Bars? With Gold Bars you can indulge in various services during a match. These are offered by NPCs on the map and can provide you with certain advantages. You can acquire the following things with Bars:
Services, such as bodyguards for protection or activation of rifts
You can tip the bus driver
Information, such as showing the next storm zone
All these weapons and services are only offered by characters and can only be acquired with Gold Bars. So if you want a special weapon or want to gain advantages for a match, you will need Bars.
Important: The Gold Bars that you find in a match can be stacked and transferred to the next matches – you can collect them throughout the entire season and then use them. You can collect as many as possible, but at the start of a new season, the hunt starts all over again. In Arena mode, however, you lose all collected Bars after a match.
How to get the currency: There are various ways to get Gold Bars. However, you need to track them, because you won’t find the Bars easily otherwise. Here are your options:
Look for bounty boards and take on quests – these are rewarded with Bars
Destroy objects like beds, sofas, or cash registers with your pickaxe to find even more Bars
Eliminated players also drop Bars with their loot
Complete challenges from NPCs that reward you with Gold Bars
If you keep this in mind during your matches, you should be able to come across a small fortune – after all, the exotic weapons are not really cheap. If you want to quickly get Gold Bars, we have tips on how to collect Gold Bars faster.
Bounty boards can be found on the map – there you can take on quests
Gold Bars are now part of the resources of Season 7. However, they are not the only thing that can be collected. Aliens have made themselves comfortable on the Fortnite island and scattered Alien artifacts everywhere. You need this resource to design your own alien. We will show you where the Alien artifacts are located in a guide.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Final Fantasy XIV is preparing for a new expansion and we are looking back with you at the past chapters of the MMORPG. Here is a ranking of your favorites.
What it’s about: On November 23, 2021, the MMORPG FFXIV will release its next expansion, Endwalker. To prepare for this, the last major content update for the current expansion, Shadowbringers, recently went live.
The Nier raid will conclude, and the quests surrounding the Queen’s weapons will be available soon. The story leads you into the events of Endwalker, allowing players to dive directly into the new occurrences upon release.
We at MeinMMO have taken this opportunity to look back with you at the sections of FFXIV that have been released so far. In a poll we asked you which chapter of the MMORPG you think is the best. From your answers, this ranking has now been created.
A total of 1152 readers participated in the poll at the time of evaluation (06/26/21). Each of you had one vote, and the choice could not be reversed.
Caution: This article contains spoilers for the story of FFXIV
Rank 4: A Realm Reborn
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
This is A Realm Reborn: The base game is considered a kind of phoenix that rose from the ashes in the gaming community. After the disastrous launch of version 1.0 of FFXIV, the game was completely taken offline and revamped. The result was ARR, which offered players a much better gaming experience.
You start as a small adventurer setting out into the big world to make a name for yourself, gain fame, honor, and wealth, or simply help others in need. However, you quickly get caught in a whirlpool of power struggles, intrigues, and conspiracies from which there is no escape.
On the gameplay level, A Realm Reborn introduced the first raids to FFXIV with Bahamut and the Crystal Tower, where players could earn stylish and powerful gear. It also revamped the elaborate crafting system of the MMORPG and brought numerous “Quality of Life” adjustments, such as content search, making the gaming experience much more enjoyable.
Although A Realm Reborn is seen as the salvation of FFXIV, it is not very popular among many players. The base game starts slowly and takes a long time to get going. The gameplay of classes at low levels is also not exciting. Consequently, ARR ends up in last place in our survey.
Rank 3: Stormblood
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
This is Stormblood: By the announcement of Stormblood, FFXIV had already established itself as one of the major MMORPGs in the genre.
For the Warriors of Light, the journey now went east. Since the failed version 1.0, the power-hungry empire of Garlemald has repeatedly tried to gain a foothold in Eorzea and subjugate the city-states there. Now the defenders are fighting back and aim to end the empire’s rule in the occupied provinces of Ala Mhigo and Doma. At the forefront of the resistance stands the player character.
While there was no new playable race in Stormblood, players received the two DPS Red Mage and Samurai as new jobs. For the new upgradable weapons, the expansion presented the 4 areas of Eureka, where entirely different laws apply. And hardcore raiders were delighted about the first ultimate raid Bahamut.
Although Stormblood is not lacking in action, it placed second to last in our survey. Some FFXIV players were bothered by the fact that the locations of the expansion constantly shifted between Doma and Ala Mhigo, resulting in a lack of true focus. The Eureka content was also unpopular among many players.
Rank 2: Heavensward
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
This is Heavensward: The first expansion of FFXIV was presented at the very first Fan Festival and marked the beginning of the success story of the MMORPG. While the development team was still unsure if the game could survive during A Realm Reborn, Heavensward reinforced their belief.
After players fall victim to nasty machinations in ARR and are accused of murder, they must flee to the city-state of Ishgard. The nation has been waging a brutal war against the dragon people for 1,000 years, but the war is not as just as the church claims. And so you embark on a journey to uncover the millennia-old lies.
In terms of gameplay, Heavensward introduced a whopping 3 new combat jobs to FFXIV and the new playable race of Au Ra, who fit well with the theme of the expansion with their dragon scales. The raids in Heavensward were split into normal and epic modes, allowing casual players to experience the story.
Due to its tragic story, where you have to endure many losses, Heavensward is very popular among FFXIV fans. Some players have shed tears during the cutscenes, which is why the expansion lands in second place in our survey.
This is Shadowbringers: After FFXIV established itself as a strong MMORPG, the developers pushed even further with the current expansion Shadowbringers. It has the most dialogues and cutscenes to date in terms of scope and also introduced the first graphical upgrade with the PS5 beta.
In Shadowbringers, players are sent for the first time to another world. In the first fractured world of Hydaelyn, massive elemental imbalance occurred, and the world was flooded with light. Therefore, players must first abandon their role as Warriors of Light and turn to darkness. And for the first time, assistance in saving the world comes from an enemy.
Shadowbringers also introduced two new jobs, but this time there were also new playable races with Hrothgar and Viera. One of the biggest changes was also the ability to travel freely between the servers of a data center and visit friends.
The high stakes, many tragic moments, and plot twists have made it the highest-rated FFXIV expansion on Metacritic, and it is also very popular among MeinMMO readers. With over 50% of all votes, Shadowbringers swept the competition in our poll and takes first place.
Starting from November 23, FFXIV will continue with the next expansion:
In Destiny 2, Xur appears today, June 25. What Exotics does the mysterious vendor bring and where is he located? We also look at the rewards available in the Trials if you can push through.
What’s going on in Destiny 2: The Guardians are currently about halfway through the ongoing season of the Splicer (Yes, there are now football references due to the EM). Therefore, we’ve taken a look in the locker room at what awaits you in the second half: What still awaits you in Season 14 – The highlights until August.
But the devs at Bungie are not running out of breath yet:
Something like an old national player, who somehow belongs firmly to the team but can hardly surprise anymore, is Xur in Destiny. However, we cannot and should not overlook the icon, so let’s take a closer look at him here.
If you’re more interested in legendary weapons than Exotics, you’ll find it here:
All info about Xur on June 25, 2021 – PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Google Stadia
When does Xur arrive? Every Friday at 7:00 PM, Xur kicks off. The vendor randomly selects a planet and sells his exotic goodies there. Xur remains at this location until the next Weekly Reset – that is, until June 29 at 7:00 PM.
What does Xur have for sale? Xur brings you exotic weapons and armor for all characters. What Exotics exactly are brought will be randomly rolled every week. MeinMMO always takes a look at his inventory as soon as it becomes available and provides you with the essential data. This way, you won’t miss a mandatory game.
Where is Xur? This is his location this weekend
Xur’s position: Xur is located in the EDZ (European Dead Zone). Check the area “Twisted Shore” up at the cliff.
Xur’s position in the EDZ
Xur’s inventory from June 25 to June 29 – All Exotics at a glance
Weapon: Zerberus+1 –Auto rifle for 29 Legendary Shards
Which map is active? Like every weekend, the Trials of Osiris lure you into the Crucible. The map “Dawning Cliffs” will be played:
Dawning Cliffs
Don’t forget: Be sure to grab the Endgame bounty from Saint-14. Even if you only lose, you will still receive loot for this week’s 3 victories just for participating (or “dying through”). What weapon or armor these are will be revealed to you during the evening.
3 victories and Endgame bounty: Solas Narbe (sword)
5 victories: Helm from the Trials set
7 victories: Igneous Hammer (hand cannon)
Flawless: The Messenger as Master version (pulse rifle)
When are the Trials? Today, June 25, the Trials start at 7:00 PM. Together with Xur, the PvP mode will disappear during the Weekly Reset on Tuesday. Until then, spend all the tokens you’ve earned at Saint-14 – otherwise, they will disappear.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Whether there will be a “GO button” in the raids of Pokémon GO in the future is currently unknown. Should Niantic confirm this feature, we will inform you here on MeinMMO.
If you’re interested in more about Pokémon GOthis might also interest you:
What do you think of the changes regarding the raids? What do you particularly like and what features would you have wished for? Feel free to leave us a comment and let us know your opinion!
In Pokémon GO the announced changes regarding the raids are now available. However, trainers have wished for the introduction of a start button in this context. Has Niantic missed this opportunity?
Especially visually, new features can be noticed. The arena now looks more realistic during battles. Additionally, at the end of the raids, trainers will see a kind of leaderboard consisting of several categories. These new raid successes in Pokémon GO show which of the participating trainers excelled in which category during the raid.
Visual changes to the raid arena and new raid medal
If you receive one of the awards at the end of the raid, you will also get the new raid medal in Pokémon GO. You can level this up to the platinum medal with the help of additional raid successes.
Did Niantic forget a raid change?
Even though the feedback from the community on reddit about the new raid update is mostly positive and trainers appreciate the new raid medal, they still miss an important change (via reddit.com). Pokémon GO players have been wishing for a “Go button” in the raids for several years.
What is a “Go button”? To prepare for the raid, Pokémon GO allows trainers a waiting period of 120 seconds. This is the same for all raids, regardless of their difficulty level. During this time, players are in the lobby of the arena eagerly waiting for the raid to start.
Especially in simple raids that can also be completed alone, many trainers find it annoying that they have to wait so long for the start of the battle. Therefore, they advocate the introduction of a “Go button”. This button could be activated by the trainer as soon as they are ready for battle, thus significantly reducing the waiting time.
This is the community’s reaction to the missing “Go button”
Many players, like Twitter user Mika, have therefore hoped that Niantic would take the opportunity of the new raid updates to finally integrate such a button into the game (via twitter.com). Unfortunately, this did not happen.
User Danny, among others, shares their disappointment with the community and writes: “But still no ‘Go button’ to just jump into the raid instead of waiting 2 minutes”. They cannot understand how trainers need so much time to prepare for simple raids and ask Niantic to finally listen to the community’s wishes (via twitter.com).
Whether there will be a “GO button” in the raids of Pokémon GO in the future is currently unknown. Should Niantic confirm this feature, we will inform you here on MeinMMO.
If you’re interested in more about Pokémon GOthis might also interest you:
What do you think of the changes regarding the raids? What do you particularly like and what features would you have wished for? Feel free to leave us a comment and let us know your opinion!
The MMORPG Lord of the Rings Online by developer Standing Stone Games is launching two new servers, even though one has just been shut down. On one you level up faster, but on the other one much, much slower.
What is happening in Lord of the Rings Online? Developer Standing Stone Games announced new Legendary servers for the MMORPG Lord of the Rings Online. These are:
the Speed server Shadowfax, named after Gandalf’s swift horse
the Slow server Treebeard, named after the mythically slow Ent of Fangorn Forest
The Shadowfax server will offer increased speed to reach a higher level faster, as seen in the Season servers of Black Desert. The special thing is the very slow server Treebeard, which is supposed to make leveling extra slow.
Who can play this? The two new Legendary servers Shadowfax and Treebeard will go live on June 30, 2021. You will not be able to transfer characters from other servers to the new servers. Additionally, you will need a valid VIP access to be able to play on the servers.
None of the new servers will have the same content level as the live servers, but will start at an earlier point. Here, too, the speed of the servers has an effect – for example, Treebeard is supposed to receive content updates later.
The announcement of the release was made on Twitter:
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.
Why are players upset? Recently, developer Standing Stone Games took down a live server. The characters there had to be transferred or were completely deleted. The players of the now-dead server Ithil are correspondingly annoyed.
The decision to close one server to open two new ones is meeting some discontent:
Thus, user Lord_Nero28 writes (via Twitter): “They won’t be around for long anyway. Soon [the developers] will be annoyed and shut the servers down again, and then everything starts over. Just because there are still people who don’t understand all this. […] Why do you need a new paid server that takes performance from all other live servers to play content that has been in the game for over ten years?”
User NeverSound3 writes (via Twitter): “Paying for a server that is exactly like the live servers doesn’t sit well with me. Less experience for the same quests and monsters – I don’t like that. Making gameplay in the landscape harder? Not for me. Making the existing classes weaker again? No, thank you.”
And CanadianYankEh writes on reddit: “I’m definitely interested in a slower server, but I’m not a VIP and I’m not sure if it’s worth it. Especially if the servers might die again. I played on Anor for a few months when it started, but I had to cancel my VIP status. After that, I lost access to my characters and had to start completely anew on another server. I’m worried the same will happen here.”
More posts about Lord of the Rings Online on MeinMMO:
What does the community want? Going through the comments on reddit and Twitter quickly reveals that not all players are satisfied with the current state of the game. Many voices are raised calling for a vanilla version of the 14-year-old MMORPG, a kind of WoW Classic for HDRO.
The slow server Treebeard comes closest to that, which is why a large part of the player base is very pleased with the update. Despite the negative mood about the direction the MMORPG is currently taking, the specific update, and especially the slow server, are well received by the players.
Player ThazemGW writes on reddit: “Of course people wonder why they (the developers) are shutting down a legendary server to start two new ones. But I’m very glad about it and will definitely play on the slower server. […] If the update brings new and friendly players into the game, I’m sure everyone will be satisfied.”
User outbound_flight writes (via reddit): “It seems that the biggest problem with the previous legendary servers was the speed at which content was released. […] A fast and a slow server could please both factions. […] I am very optimistic about the patch.”
What do you think of the new servers in Lord of the Rings Online? Do you find the concept of a particularly slow server interesting?
The Elder Scrolls Online delights its fans once again with a bug. This time, a player was transformed into a cute dog after trying to collect an item. Unlike other bugs of this kind, the transformation seemed to last longer this time.
What happened? The ESO player and reddit user WedeAntill3s was quite surprised when he wanted to farm some Skyshards in ESO recently. As soon as he picked up one of the useful items, his character was turned into a dog. A kind of pug in a blue outfit, to be precise.
To his astonishment, the new form persisted, and he could not transform back. Instead, he was able to run through the instance as a dog and even beat up enemies. Even after restarting the game, the canine form remained.
In the end, the player had probably already come to terms with his fate as a Doggo when the dog fun abruptly ended when WedeAntill3s found another Skyshard. By consuming it, he was transformed back into his original form.
On reddit, the player then posted proof pictures along with the question “Is this normal?”
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from Reddit that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
Players also want to be all dogs and celebrate the bug
How did the dog transformation go down? As with the “Lootbox Mount Bug” and the “Horse Run Bug“, the “Dog Skyshard Bug” is also heavily celebrated by the fans. On June 25, 2021, the reddit thread received over 1,300 upvotes and more than 100 comments. It was filled with cool one-liners and requests on how to reproduce the bug:
NoliaButtercup: “I would never pick up a Skyshard again if I could be a dog forever”
XTRMMINEST: “That happened to me too, and I became a griffon. That was damn funny!”
Curiously, WedeAntill3s couldn’t quite enjoy being a dog:
Mei, I’m more of a cat person – and then it had to be the Daggerfall Covenant dog … let’s just say I’m not the biggest fan of them.
Maybe he would have had more fun if he had experienced the cat bug instead. That transforms players into cats (or other pets) and is quite easy to replicate. You can find out how that works here on MeinMMO in our article about the Cat Bug in ESO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Traditionally, the FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer series stand in competition with each other. While FIFA 22 is slowly approaching, the question arises: What is PES planning this year?
This is the situation with PES: The last installment of Pro Evolution Soccer was an exception. There was no “real” new game, but only a version called “eFootball PES 2021 Update”. The gameplay corresponded to the previous version, primarily a few data were updated. The game was then also released at a discounted price.
However, the announcement back in the summer of 2020 was linked with a teaser for the upcoming next-gen title of the series. A teaser trailer called “Taking PES to a Whole New Level” featuring Messi and a reference to the Unreal Engine was shown, which was visually impressive.
There was also the following description:
“This title will be developed with an updated engine that will enable us to overwhelm you with stunning improvements in all areas of the game. Expect more realistic player models and animations, improved physics, photorealistic graphics, and much more. […]
The sheer scope of everything we are aiming for our next-gen debut, however, has made it necessary to scale back our efforts in other areas of development. For this reason, we decided to release this year’s PES in the form of a “season update”.
via YouTube / Translated from English
You can see the trailer from the summer of 2020 featuring Messi and several close-up shots here:
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
Furthermore, it was announced at that time that initial tests of the next-gen title were to begin in mid-2021 and a release later in the year was planned. So what is the current status of Pro Evolution Soccer?
PES is working on licenses
This is why licenses are important: One of the greatest strengths of the FIFA series has classically been the licensing in the duel with PES. Normally, it was said: If you want to play your favorite team, you have to choose FIFA over PES.
Even today, FIFA is ahead in terms of licenses, but PES is working on it. As early as 2019, Konami secured the exclusive rights to the Italian club Juventus Turin, where Cristiano Ronaldo plays among others. Ronaldo is still playable in FIFA 21, but with a fantasy variant of the club called Piemonte Calcio, which does not feature the original crest or kits.
PES continued in the Italian league, obtaining the rights for the clubs in Rome as well as Atalanta Bergamo. The partnership with Atalanta takes effect from the next season – thus already for a possible PES 2022. Additionally, Konami has entered into a partnership with SSC Napoli, which should take effect in 2023. This way, PES has secured some of the most important clubs in Italy.
Also, the PES series has partnerships with FC Bayern Munich, Manchester United, or FC Barcelona. The official license for UEFA Euro 2020, which is currently taking place in 2021, also lies with Pro Evolution Soccer. Meanwhile, a European Championship mode is missing in FIFA 21, even though that would fit really well.
Overall, FIFA, as mentioned, still has the advantage in terms of licenses. However, if PES can secure further licenses of the scale of Juventus Turin, it could become interesting – especially if the announced “next-gen PES” can convince. And now it seems that the testing phase has begun.
Konami launches open beta and announces an announcement
This is what’s happening right now: Surprisingly, Konami has launched an open beta that runs from June 24 to July 08, 2021. However, it is not called “Pro Evolution Soccer 2022 Beta”, but simply “New Football Game Online Performance Test”.
In the beta, you can choose either FC Bayern, Manchester United, Juventus Turin, or FC Barcelona and play online matches against others. The beta is not intended to function as a demo but serves to evaluate the connection quality and stability of the servers, as well as the matchmaking. Konami points out that all gameplay elements and graphics are preliminary and that all elements may still change and improve.
Interestingly, both in the game and in the description, a literal announcement is mentioned: On July 21, new information about Konami’s upcoming football game is expected. By that time, there will likely be a closer look at the new generation of Pro Evolution Soccer. By the way, EA Play takes place just one day later, on July 22 – the event where FIFA 21 was presented last year.
Patch 9.1 of World of Warcraft brings many changes to the classes. We have listed all the major innovations for you.
The first major content update of World of Warcraft is on the horizon. On June 30, the Patch 9.1 “Chains of Domination” will be released, bringing plenty of new content and improvements. Also part of this are the class changes, which are quite generous again. To help you be perfectly prepared for the changes, we have listed all the adjustments for you.
The important changes from WoW Patch 9.1 at a glance
Below we summarize the adjustments of the classes. You will find the specific changes with all details further down the article.
Death Knight: Blood Death Knights will become stronger, but the Anti-Magic Zone of all Death Knights will be weakened. Demon Hunter: Vengeance Demon Hunters will be significantly buffed and receive a hefty bonus of 15% on many damage abilities. Druid: The Balance Druid receives some adjustments, but overall these don’t change much. Hunter: Survival Hunters will be massively strengthened and receive hefty bonuses of 15% on many abilities. Mage: Fire Mages have to accept nerfs that mainly limit their AoE abilities. Additionally, a legendary power is fixed. Monk: Mistweaver Monks can now better support the group through damage. The Venthyr ability of the monks has received several bug fixes. Paladin: Especially Holy Paladins will be more effective in healing, but their ability to deal damage will be drastically nerfed. Priest: Shadow Priests will be slightly altered so that they deal more damage through their permanent DOTs and less through Devouring Plague. Rogue: The Rogue primarily received bug fixes, but Subtlety Rogues also get some solid buffs. Shaman: There were only a few adjustments for the Shaman, mainly bug fixes. Warlock: Affliction Warlocks receive strong buffs, and the Destruction Warlock will also be improved. Warrior: Arms Warriors will be slightly stronger in PvE situations.
[toc]
What changes for the Death Knight in Patch 9.1
The Anti-Magic Zone lasts only 8 seconds (previously 10 seconds) and disappears once it absorbs 150% of the caster’s health points.
A bug has been fixed that prematurely removed the damage-reducing effect of the Anti-Magic Zone when two Death Knights used the ability.
Blood
The damage of all spells and abilities has been increased by 6%.
Frost
Chains of Ice will now be prominently highlighted in the ability bar when the Death Knight has 20 stacks of the talent Cold Heart.
Unholy
A bug has been fixed that allowed Ghouls to be affected by certain buff spells twice.
A bug has been fixed that prevented the Army of the Dead from being triggered when the explosion from the Festering Wound dealt the killing blow.
What changes for the Demon Hunter in Patch 9.1
The talent Soul Rending now permanently increases life leech by 10% (previously 5%) and by an additional 20% during Metamorphosis (previously 25%).
A bug has been fixed that prevented The Hunt (Night Fae ability) from hitting targets in Stealth that were on the way to the targeted target.
A bug has been fixed that prevented the imprisoning ability from being cast on targets that are immune to polymorph.
Vengeance
Demon Bite deals 15% more damage.
Demon Blades (talent) deals 15% more damage.
Chaos Strike deals 15% more damage.
Eye Beam deals 15% more damage.
Unleashed Chaos (talent) now increases the damage of the next Chaos Strike by 500% (previously 600%).
Netherwalk (talent) now has a duration of 6 seconds (previously 5 seconds).
Survival Instincts (talent) triggers a reduced duration of 50% and also triggers a 50% reduced cooldown of the ability when the Demon Hunter falls below 35% health.
Unnatural Malice now increases the damage of the DOT effect from The Hunt (Night Fae ability) and no longer the initial damage.
A bug has been fixed that prevented the second hit of Unrelenting Assault from triggering Demon’s Bite.
What changes for the Druid in Patch 9.1
Sharpened Instincts now has a 50% greater cooldown at all ranks.
A bug has been fixed that prevented Adaptive Swarm (Necrolord ability) from spreading when the Druid died while the ability was active.
A bug has been fixed that allowed Adaptive Swarm (Necrolord ability) to alter the initial healing of Regrowth.
A bug has been fixed that allowed Starfall and Army of the Spirits (Night Fae ability) to hit targets controlled by Repentance.
Balance
New Moon (talent) now has a recharge time of 20 seconds (previously 25 seconds).
The damage of New Moon and Half Moon has been increased by 23%.
Equinox (talent) now increases the frequency of Starfall by 250% (previously 300%).
Stellar Shift (talent) has been reworked: Starfall now deals 50% more damage and allows the Druid to move while casting, but has a 12 seconds cooldown.
The free Starfall from Oneth’s Clear Vision (Legendary) ignores the cooldown created by Stellar Shift.
Balance of Forces (Legendary) now provides a 24% additional critical strike chance (previously 40%) and decreases by 3% per second (previously 8% per second).
Feral
A bug has been fixed that allowed Skull Bash to interrupt targets who were protected by Intervene.
A bug has been fixed that caused Elite Predator (Legendary) to restore the wrong amount of energy when Shred was used while Soul of the Forest (talent) was selected.
Guardian
The damage reduction from Bear Adept is now only active while in Bear Form.
A bug has been fixed that caused Ironfur of Guardian Druids to sometimes not last the full duration.
A bug has been fixed that allowed Frenzy Band (Legendary) to benefit from damage enhancements twice.
Restoration
A bug has been fixed that prevented Balance Affinity (talent) from increasing the range of Rejuvenation (talent).
A bug has been fixed that allowed Regrowth to not consume Lifebloom when Rejuvenation was active on another player.
What changes for the Hunter in Patch 9.1
Death Chakram (Necrolord ability) can now correctly bounce between multiple targets that are not directly in front of the Hunter.
Survival
Raptor Strike deals 15% more damage.
Kill Command deals 15% more damage.
Mongoose Bite (talent) deals 15% more damage.
Flanking Strike (talent) deals 15% more damage.
Flame Surge Bomb no longer hits targets that are far above in the air.
Companion
Classic Pterrordax and Pythons from Mists of Pandaria are now larger.
Trample (Mammoth family) is now an instant cast (previously 6 seconds channeling).
Updraft (Pterrordax family): A new ability that reduces the fall speed of the companion and Hunter for 30 seconds.
What changes for the Mage in Patch 9.1
A bug has been fixed that prevented Power Shift (Night Fae ability) from reducing the cooldown of Time Warp and Spell Steal while Kleptomania (talent) was selected.
Fire
Flamestrike deals 10% less damage.
Flame Patch (talent) deals 10% less damage.
Ignition (talent) now reduces the cooldown of Conflagrate by 1 second (previously 1.5 seconds).
Hellfire Cascade is now 20% less effective.
A bug has been fixed that caused Phoenix Flames to not deal damage if the Mage was not in line of sight of the target when the spell arrived.
A bug has been fixed that caused Threefold Protection (Legendary) to reduce the effect of Fiery Protection when triggered by Fiery Soul (talent).
A bug has been fixed that caused Ignite to skip targets that should not be hit by spells, such as Rogues under the influence of Cloak of Shadows.
Frost
A bug has been fixed that caused Threefold Protection (Legendary) to not activate all 3 barriers when the cooldown of Ice Barrier was reset by Frost Nova.
What changes for the Monk in Patch 9.1
The cooldown of Fallen Order (Venthyr ability) will now reset when a boss encounter ends.
The cooldown of Fortifying Brew resets when a boss encounter ends for Windwalker and Mistweaver Monks.
A bug has been fixed that prevented healing and damage from Bone Dust Brew (Necrolord ability) from being critical hits.
Brewmaster
A bug has been fixed that prevented Weapons of Order (Kyrian ability) from stacking with multiple Brewmaster Monks.
Mistweaver
Tiger Palm deals 10% more damage.
Blackout Kick deals 10% more damage.
Rising Sun Kick deals 10% more damage.
Whirling Dragon Punch deals 20% more damage.
The mana cost of Enveloping Mist has been reduced to 5.6% of base mana (previously 6%).
Revival now triggers Essence Font on each target hit.
The healing from Revival has been reduced by 10%.
The channeling of Soothing Mist is no longer interrupted by Mana Tea or Zen Focus Tea.
Profound Mist now correctly affects the Essence Font of Chi-Ji.
Damage mitigation now correctly increases the healing of damage transfer when the ability is cast on an ally.
A bug has been fixed that caused Monks from Fallen Order (Venthyr ability) to not be able to cast Enveloping Mist.
Windwalker
A bug has been fixed that prevented Bone Marrow Hop from increasing the damage of Bone Dust Brew (Necrolord ability) through Storm, Earth, and Fire and Xuen, the White Tiger.
A bug has been fixed that caused a queued damage transfer to interrupt Whirling Dragon Punch.
A bug has been fixed that prevented Jaws of the Sky (Legendary) from increasing the damage of the Storm, Earth, and Fire clones.
What changes for the Paladin in Patch 9.1
Blessing of Winter from Blessing of Seasons (Night Fae ability) can now affect multiple targets simultaneously.
A bug has been fixed that caused the Paladin’s Auras to fade when the Paladin changed their specialization.
A bug has been fixed that prevented Aura of Retribution from triggering when a Holy Priest’s Spirit of Redemption was triggered. Aura of Retribution now correctly triggers when a Holy Priest triggers the Spirit of Redemption without wearing X’anshy, Return of Archbishop Benedictus (Legendary).
Holy
The healing from Holy Light has been increased by 20%.
Light Infusion consumed by Holy Light now ensures that Holy Light generates 1 Holy Power (was previously 30% additional healing).
The damage of all abilities has been reduced by 8%.
The damage of Ashen Hallow (Venthyr ability) has been additionally reduced by 10%.
The damage of Hammer of Wrath has been additionally reduced by 10%.
The damage of Judgment has been additionally reduced by 10%.
Crusader Strike now costs 11% of base mana (previously 9%).
Power of the Crusader (talent) now reduces the cooldown of Holy Shock by 1 seconds (previously 1.5 seconds).
Inflorescence of the Sunwell (Legendary) now gives Holy Light a 30% chance to generate 2 Holy Power when it consumes Light Infusion.
A bug has been fixed that increased the damage of Holy Insight for Holy Paladins.
Protection
A bug has been fixed that prevented the cooldown reduction of Protector of the Righteous (talent) from interacting with Divine Purpose (talent) and Radiant Light when the glyph ‘Queen’ was used.
A bug has been fixed that caused Word of Glory to consume Radiant Light and Divine Purpose (talent).
What changes for the Priest in Patch 9.1
Clear Mind is now 25% less effective.
Discipline
Spirit Shell (talent) now has a cooldown of 90 seconds (previously 60 seconds).
A bug has been fixed that prevented Stand Firm from increasing the absorption of Spirit Shell.
A bug has been fixed that caused the damage increase from Schism (talent) to not affect the first damage tick of a queued Atonement.
A bug has been fixed that prematurely removed the damage reduction of Power Word: Barrier when two Discipline Priests used Power Word: Barrier simultaneously.
Holy
Symbol of Hope has been reworked. The ability now reduces the cooldown of one major defensive ability of all group and raid members by 60 seconds and restores 18% of the missing mana of all characters. Both effects occur over a duration of 5 seconds of channeling.
Shadow
The damage of Shadow Word: Pain has been increased by 25%.
The damage of Vampiric Touch has been increased by 25%.
The damage of Devouring Plague has been reduced by 18%.
The Shadowflame Rift Shadowflameprism (Legendary) deals 16% less damage.
The damage increase from Talbadar’s stratagem (Legendary) on Mind Blast has been reduced by 8%.
Dissonant Echoes now increases the damage of Shadow Bolt by 20% (previously 35%).
A bug has been fixed that prevented Death and Madness (talent) from generating Insanity and completing the cooldown of Shadow Word: Death when the target died at the moment Shadow Word: Death was cast.
What changes for the Rogue in Patch 9.1
Feign Death now lasts for 6 seconds (previously 5 seconds).
Jagged Blade (Necrolord ability) now correctly benefits from critical strike rating.
The shield from Cloak of Shadows is now 50% larger and lasts 4 seconds and no longer depletes over time when the Rogue is out of stealth.
Poisonous Blade now removes rage effects regardless of which poison is used. If Poisonous Blade is used while Seductive Poison is active, it reduces the target’s spell and attack speed by 25% for 5 seconds.
Assassination
A bug has been fixed that allowed Doomblade (Legendary) to benefit from damage-increasing auras twice.
Outlaw
A bug has been fixed that allowed Rogues to benefit from Profound Insight (Legendary) even though the effect was removed.
A bug has been fixed that prevented Poisonous Blade from benefiting from Battle Power and Broadside.
Subtlety
Shuriken Storm (Rank 2) now increases the critical strike chance of Shuriken Storm by 15%.
The damage of Black Powder has been increased by 33% per combo point.
Black Powder (Rank 2) now causes targets with Find Weakness to take 40% additional damage as shadow damage (previously 50%).
Shadow Techniques are now triggered more often.
The damage of Assassinate has been increased by 20%.
The damage of Dark Blade (talent) has been increased by 20%.
A bug has been fixed that caused Jagged Bone Spike (Necrolord ability) to not benefit from Shadow Blades.
What changes for the Shaman in Patch 9.1
The global cooldown of Vesper Totem (Kyrian ability) is now 1 second (previously 1.5 seconds) and is now consistent with all other totems.
Vesper Totem (Kyrian ability) now receives 10% of the caster’s health as additional health.
A bug has been fixed that prevented Shadow Rift (Venthyr ability) from being used while the Shaman had the effect of Favor of the Spiritwalker.
Enhancement
Flame Tongue Weapon can now trigger from all damage (previously only off-hand attacks).
A bug has been fixed that caused Windfury Totem (Rank 2) to not affect party members.
Restoration
A bug has been fixed that allowed Totem of Mana Tide to be cast while the Shaman was silenced.
What changes for the Warlock in Patch 9.1
The mana cost of Shadow Bolt has been reduced to 1.5% of base mana (previously 2%).
The additional shield from Dark Pact (talent) has been increased by 316%.
Affliction
Corruption deals 15% more damage.
Seed of Corruption deals 25% more damage.
The damage of Malefic Rapture has been reduced by 18%.
Dark Caller is no longer a talent, but learned at level 58.
Soul Siphon is no longer learned at level 58, but is now a talent.
Soul Siphon now lasts 16 seconds (previously 12 seconds).
Haunting (talent) and Soul Siphon (talent) now increase the damage of companions and guardians.
Sacrolash’s Dark Touch (Legendary) has been reworked. The damage of Corruption is now increased by 25% (previously 15%) and every time Corruption deals damage, the duration of all active curses on the target is increased by 2 seconds.
New conduit: Withering Bolt – Shadow Bolt deals 10% (or Soulsteal 5%) more damage from the warlock’s proactive damage-over-time effect on the target.
Concentrated Malice is now 53% less effective.
Death Breath (conduit) has been removed.
A bug has been fixed that caused Warlocks with Inevitable Doom (talent) channeling Blood Siphon against multiple enemies to lose the bonus when some of the targets died.
Demonology
Out of the Shadows (talent) now also increases the Shadowflame damage of your companions.
Destruction
Chaos Bolt deals 10% more damage.
The mana cost of Incinerate has been reduced to 1.5% of base mana (previously 2%).
Extinction (talent) now also increases the damage of your companions and guardians.
The damage of Shadowburn (talent) has been increased by 23% and one charge is restored when the target dies within 5 seconds.
A bug has been fixed that prevented Corruption from also hitting targets of Devastation.
A bug has been fixed that allowed Devastation to be used without interrupting channeled spells like Blood Siphon.
What changes for the Warrior in Patch 9.1
A bug has been fixed that prevented Aftershocks (Night Fae ability) from hitting targets in Stealth.
A bug has been fixed that caused some area-of-effect spells from other classes to mistakenly consume Spell Reflection.
Arms
Fatal Strike deals 10% more damage in non-PvP situations.
Deep Wounds deals 10% more damage in non-PvP situations.
The damage of Overwhelm has been increased by 10%.
The damage of Execute has been increased by 10%. This does not apply to Condemn (Venthyr ability).
Protection
The damage of Execute has been increased by 10%. This does not apply to Condemn (Venthyr ability).
More news about World of Warcraft can be found here:
When will the patch come? The big content update “Chains of Domination” will be released on Wednesday, June 30, 2021. From then on, all changes will be live, and there will be plenty of new content to experience.
What do you think of the changes to your class? Are you happy with the buffs and nerfs? Or is (of course) once again exactly your class getting the short end while all the other classes just benefit?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Japan, the first regional test for the MOBA Pokémon Unite is currently running ahead of the release in July. MeinMMO shows you how you can still participate.
What is this test about? The test is mainly aimed at assessing the server stability of Pokémon Unite. Nevertheless, you can already get a first impression of the gameplay of the Pokémon MOBA. The arena “Eos Island” is available in the test, and you will engage in a 5v5 battle against other players. You can choose from various Pokémon with different characteristics.
How long does the test run? The test phase started on June 24 and runs until Saturday, June 26 at 11:59 PM, which is 4:00 PM our time. We will show you how you can participate.
Participation despite the Japanese network test for Pokémon Unite
What you need for this: First, you need a Japanese Nintendo Online account. To do this, simply select the appropriate region when creating it. In the video from our colleagues at nintendo-connect, you can also see how this works with Japanese and American accounts:
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
You also need around 1.4 GB of available storage space on your Switch.
Once you have downloaded the network test, you can now also access it with your German account. You can then select Europe (ヨーロッパ) and Germany (ドイツ) as the region.
Although you will have to navigate a bit through the Japanese menu, you should not have any major problems getting at least a glimpse of the game.
Pokémon Unite releases as a free-to-play game on Switch, Android, and iOS
What is Pokémon Unite actually? It is a variant of the well-known MOBA games, thus there are similarities to titles like League of Legends. You choose from a specific number of Pokémon and engage in teams against each other in arenas.
Each Pokémon has certain characteristics and attacks that must be leveled up and unlocked during the match. Numerous Pokémon can also evolve during the game through level-ups.
When is Pokémon Unite coming out? The release for Nintendo Switch is planned for July. The mobile version for Android and iOS will follow in September.
Will the game cost anything? No. Pokémon Unite will be released as a free-to-play title on the Switch and mobile. There will be an in-game shop where you can buy cosmetic items for real money: In Pokémon Unite players and Pokémon wear cool skins – Here’s what they look like
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Destiny 2 is experiencing server issues on June 25 and must now conduct an unplanned emergency maintenance. What does Bungie say about this?
This is the situation today:
Anyone trying to log into the action MMO Destiny 2 on Friday, June 25 is facing bad luck.
All day Bungie has been struggling with error messages – error codes like BAT, WEASEL, and PORPOISE are annoying the Guardians (via Twitter).
Those who manage to get into the game receive the message “contact Destiny servers” or get kicked out entirely.
Around 1 PM German time, the Destiny developer announced that they need to perform emergency maintenance.
Update 2:39 PM: Bungie has now responded and temporarily ended the emergency maintenance. You can log back in. However, they must continue to investigate the server issues, and players should be prepared for updates about Destiny 2, it says on Twitter:
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.
When will Destiny 2 be back online? Unfortunately, we do not have any information on that yet. MeinMMO will update this article immediately when Bungie provides new details.
However, it is quite possible that Bungie will resolve the issues quickly (we are keeping our fingers crossed).
Earlier in June, Destiny 2 struggled with server issues. However, only players in Europe were affected back then – this time it seems to affect Guardians all over the world. The last time, no emergency shutdown was necessary either.
This is why the maintenance over the weekend is so frustrating for players
Right now, with the weekend approaching, players of Destiny 2 are very frustrated about the server issues. Under the announcement that they are now temporarily bringing down the servers, complaints are piling up.
Friday is traditionally known as Xur day in Destiny and is the starting point for the Trials of Osiris. But even outside of these two fixed events, many Guardians plan to engage in a raid or a few relaxed strike completions over the weekend. Just everything that players don’t have time for during the week.
Some Guardians are also making fun of all the complaints. They are exaggerating the statements of the annoyed complainers:
Wow Bungie, really? I have 12 kids to take care of […]. I work 110 hours a week and therefore only have 12 minutes to game. And you choose now, when I’m playing, to shut down the servers? Incredible.
Were you looking forward to a relaxed Destiny evening at the start of the weekend and are now expecting the worst? Or do you think that the excitement is unwarranted and Xur will arrive as usual because Bungie will quickly fix the problem? Let us know in the comments.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The big Summer Sale has started on Steam and various games are temporarily on sale. We at MeinMMO present to you 5 MMORPGs that are currently cheaper and that we can recommend.
What kind of sale is this? The Summer Sale 2021 on Steam runs from June 24 to July 8 at 7:00 PM German time. You can get some games cheaper than usual.
What types of games are these? We have selected 5 MMORPGs that are on sale and that we can recommend to you. They mostly have positive reviews on Steam and have all been tested and approved by our MMORPG author Alexander Leitsch.
The list is sorted by the size of the discount. At the end of the list, you will also find more MMORPGs, as well as other online games that are currently discounted.
[toc]
Black Desert – 90% Discount
Type: Sandbox | Developer: Pearl Abyss | Platform: PC, PS4, Xbox One | Release Date: March 3, 2016 | Model: Buy-to-Play
What kind of game is this? In Black Desert you will find a sandbox MMORPG that offers you a lot of freedoms. You can
level endlessly and farm gear
improve 11 lifeskills, including fishing, hunting, and gathering
build your own network of workers and create production chains to earn gold
Who is it worth it for? If you’re looking for a new theme park MMORPG like WoW or FFXIV, you should stay away from Black Desert. The game places a lot of emphasis on you finding your own content.
However, if you want to dive deep into a world full of economy, trade, and PvP, you should definitely check out Black Desert.
How much does it cost on sale?Black Desert is currently 90% off on Steam. You can get it for €0.99 instead of €9.99. The more expensive packages have been reduced by 50 %.
However, there are always promotions where Black Desert is even available for free. So if you don’t necessarily need a new MMORPG right now, you might want to wait for such a moment.
Type: Sandbox | Developer: Notorious Games | Platform: PC | Release Date: December 30, 2014 (Early Access) | Model: Buy-to-Play
What kind of game is this? Xsyon: Prelude is an apocalyptic fantasy MMORPG where players decide how the world around them develops. Accordingly, the economy and quests are also player-driven.
The game world of the MMORPG is divided into different zones, with the starting areas being excluded from PvP. However, open PvP is possible in other zones.
There are 8 different attributes in the game that characters can be specialized in. There are no fixed classes.
A major focus is on crafting and hunting animals.
Players can change the terrain of Xsyon and build cities.
The colleagues at MassivelyOP took a look at the MMORPG in a video in 2018:
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
Who is it worth it for? Xsyon is a sandbox MMORPG and doesn’t hold your hand. It’s also an indie project and visually does not look very high quality.
However, due to the terraforming and the custom player quests, it has unique systems that can be a lot of fun, especially when you organize with other players in a tribe. Nevertheless, Xsyon is overall very grindy.
How much does it cost on sale? You can get Xsyon for €9.23 instead of €27.99.
What kind of game is this? Final Fantasy XIV is a theme park MMORPG from Japan. It has a strong focus on the story, and in the endgame, you will encounter challenging raids and tasks. Highlights include:
A huge game world
Various jobs that can be leveled with one character
A deep crafting system
Challenges in the form of dungeons and raids with different difficulty levels
The base game up to level 60 is now free-to-play, but beyond that, you will need the appropriate expansions and a subscription. However, with the latest expansion Shadowbringers and the upcoming release of Endwalker, there is a lot of content waiting for you.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
Who is it worth it for? Final Fantasy XIV is perfect for fans of a good story, dungeons, and raids, as well as players who enjoy tab-targeting. While the combat system itself is a bit sluggish and not very action-packed, the bosses compensate for it with their mechanics.
Many mechanics within FFXIV are designed to keep a large part of the old content relevant for players, whether through dailies or other types of rewards.
How much does it cost on sale? The standard edition of the latest expansion Shadowbringers costs €13.99 instead of €34.99 on Steam. The Collector’s Edition is available for €19.99 instead of €49.99.
Gloria Victis – 60% Discount
Type: Sandbox | Developer: Black Eye Games | Platform: PC | Release Date: June 9, 2016 (Early Access) | Model: Buy-to-Play
What kind of game is this? Gloria Victis is a medieval MMORPG with a strong focus on realism. Players are not heavily guided but are thrown into the dangerous world and have many freedoms there.
There are PvE content such as group quests, events, and raids
Crafting plays an important role
You develop your heroes based on skills. There are no classes
In terms of player numbers, Gloria Victis is more of a niche MMORPG. On average, there were 361 players online in recent days (via Steamcharts). However, the game is rated positively at 71% with over 4,500 reviews. Moreover, the indie developer Black Eye Games is constantly working to improve the game and provide updates.
YouTuber TheLazyPeon took a closer look at the game in early 2020:
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
Who is it worth it for? Anyone looking for a hardcore medieval MMORPG where PvP is possible everywhere should definitely check out Gloria Victis. The action-packed combat system and the sieges of castles are a lot of fun.
How much does it cost on sale? You can get Gloria Victis for €7.99 in the Steam Summer Sale. Normally, you pay €19.99 for the MMORPG.
The Elder Scrolls Online – 60%, but only for the base game
Type: Themepark | Developer: Zenimax Online| Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Stadia | Release Date: April 4, 2014 | Model: Buy-to-Play
What kind of game is this?The Elder Scrolls Online is a theme park MMORPG, but not a classic one. It features a lot of single-player content and allows you to have fun anywhere in the world Tamriel, regardless of your level.
ESO impresses particularly with its unique story and the setting of the game world. There are many iconic places that you already know from the “Elder Scrolls” games, as well as the well-known compass instead of a minimap.
Highlights include the regular updates, of which there is at least one per quarter, the large game world, and the complete voice acting.
YouTuber SchleckiLP took a closer look at ESO in 2021 and made a video about it:
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
How much does it cost on sale? In ESO, you can currently save 60% on Steam, but only on the base game. This generally costs only €19.99 and has now been reduced to €7.99.
However, a new expansion Blackwood was just released, which still costs €59.99. However, if you spend €69.99, you will get the base game and the other 4 expansions included.
In 1.6, a new swordsman named Kaedehara Kazuha arrives in Genshin Impact. The official website now has information about the character’s background and abilities. MeinMMO summarizes what to expect.
Who is Kazuha? Kazuha is a wandering samurai from Inazuma. He is described as a particularly powerful swordsman who has fought numerous battles and seems to have had a hard life. Nevertheless, he appears very humble and friendly.
Among his hobbies is reciting poems, and he also enjoys sleeping on warm rocks in the afternoon sun while traveling aimlessly through the lands. With his calm demeanor, he quickly deceives others about his abilities. Even Beidou, the leader of the Crux Fleet, did not recognize this when she took Kazuha into her crew with whom he is now traveling.
Few people know that he is being sought in his homeland of Inazuma. The reason for this is still unknown. So far, all that is known about his backstory is that he hails from the once-famous and large Kaedehara clan, which has now lost its significance and is merely a name.
What is Inazuma? This is a new area that is not yet available in Genshin Impact but will find its way into the game sooner or later. The region is heavily inspired by ancient Japan, as evidenced by its names, characters, and initial concept art.
This is what Kazuha can do: According to miHoYo, Kazuha is a support character who also possesses good attack abilities. He can provide your team with damage bonuses for your elements and has abilities that can help you control groups of enemies.
These are his characteristics:
Weapon: One-Handed Sword
Affiliation: Crux Fleet
Constellation: Acer Palmatum
Elemental Eye: Anemo
These are his abilities:
Normal Attack: He can perform up to five sword strikes.
Heavy Strike: Consumes stamina, performs two quick attacks forward.
Elemental Attack: Chihayaburu
Technique that attracts enemies to Kazuha using wind power and then ejects them. Deals Anemo damage.
Press: Can be used in mid-air.
Press and Hold: Longer charge increases range and elemental damage.
Aerial Attacks: If you use Chihayaburu in the air, you can initiate an attack directly from the jump.
The elemental damage will then be converted to Anemo damage.
Subsequently pulls enemies back towards you.
Kazuha Slash: This is his ultimate ability.
A single strike that creates an Anemo field in the vicinity.
The field causes Anemo damage over time to your enemies.
Elemental damage from the attack can take on the respective element and cause additional damage upon contact with Hydro, Pyro, Cryo, or Electro effects.
Kazuha Banner – Possible Release and How to Get Him
When will Kazuha be in the game? There is no official date yet. However, it is generally assumed that Kazuha’s banner will arrive in Genshin Impact on June 29 when the Klee banner ends. He is one of the 5 major highlights from Update 1.6.
How to obtain the character? New characters are typically available through banners or wishes that cost you primogems. While this can be farmed in the game, it is significantly faster if you acquire creation crystals. However, these can only be obtained through specific actions or can be purchased with real money. This is part of Genshin Impact’s gacha system.
The gacha system is a point of contention in such games and is also compared to gambling. In our FAQ about Genshin Impact’s gacha system, you can learn more about how it works.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
To buy or not to buy the Battle Pass? Many players face this question at the beginning of a new season of Call of Duty: Warzone. MeinMMO explains why it is by no means mandatory and shows who really benefits from purchasing.
What is the Battle Pass all about? The Battle Royale CoD Warzone and the respective, annual main title of the CoD series – currently Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War – are continuously supplied with fresh content through free seasons. Part of this is the so-called Battle Pass.
This free pass offers players additional incentives in the form of further rewards – like here with the Battle Pass in Season 4. However, if you purchase the pass, you get more. Many wonder whether they miss out on something by not buying the Battle Pass. Is it really necessary to fully enjoy the season? You will find out here.
All about the Battle Pass for Call of Duty: Warzone
Since Modern Warfare 2019, there is no annual pass and no loot boxes in CoD. Instead, new content such as maps or base weapons are unlocked freely and free of charge for all players through the seasons and via a structured Battle Pass, where rewards can simply be unlocked through playing without a random factor.
Loot boxes are a thing of the past in current CoD titles
The structure of the seasons and the Battle Pass has remained the same since its introduction and is therefore generally representative for all further seasons.
What exactly is included in the Battle Pass? Through the Battle Pass, additional, mostly cosmetic items such as emblems or operator skins can be unlocked in the respective season. But also bonus XP tokens, new base weapons, or blueprints for alternative cosmetic variants of weapons and even CoD Points (premium currency) can be obtained there.
This is how the Battle Pass is structured: The pass offers 100 tiers and is essentially free, but consists of 2 reward branches:
a premium branch for buyers (costs around 10 €). Here, upon purchase, you immediately receive some cosmetics such as new operator skins or XP tokens. In 100 tiers, you can unlock another reward on each tier by leveling up the Battle Pass (simply by collecting XP, i.e., by playing).
and a free branch that offers rewards for all Warzone players – regardless of whether you buy the Battle Pass or not. However, there are not rewards at every one of the 100 tiers on the free reward path. You get less prizes here, but still all gameplay-relevant items, such as new base weapons.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
Here you can check out all the rewards from the Battle Pass of Season 4
There is also a traditional Battle Pass bundle for 2,400 CoD Points (about 24 €), where you get 20 tier skips along with the Battle Pass and can bridge 20 tiers in the Battle Pass and immediately grab the corresponding rewards. Tier skips are paid and cost 150 CoD Points per tier jump.
Interesting for frequent players: If you fully unlock the purchased Battle Pass, you will receive enough CoD Points to finance a Battle Pass for a new season. You won’t have to spend any more money.
You can also buy the Battle Pass later. If you reached the 100 tiers in a season and have not yet bought the Battle Pass – definitely get it. The game will deduct 1,000 CoD Points from you and directly credit the 1,000 points from the pass back to your account (300 points were already obtained from the free reward branch).
What if I play multiple CoD titles? In short: You can currently level the Warzone Battle Pass across 3 games:
in Warzone itself
in CoD Cold War
and in Modern Warfare from 2019
Because the Battle Royale has functioned as a kind of link between the annual major releases since Modern Warfare. However, the seasons focus their content primarily on Warzone and the latest installment, currently Cold War. There is no new content for Modern Warfare – not even through the Battle Pass. However, content from the current Battle Pass can still be unlocked through Modern Warfare and then used in Warzone and, if applicable, also in Black Ops Cold War.
Here are some Battle Pass highlights from the joint Season 4 of Warzone and Cold War
Who benefits from the Battle Pass in CoD Warzone?
Battle Pass in CoD Warzone – To buy or not? This question really depends on how important cosmetics are to you and whether you play a lot or regularly in Warzone or the other CoD titles.
The Battle Pass is by no means a must to fully enjoy a season. All essential content is released either as updates through the season or via the free reward branch of the Battle Pass – such as in the case of new weapons.
If you buy the Battle Pass, it only expands the rewards pool and grants you some XP bonuses, CoD Points, and a lot of cosmetic items – provided you play enough. Because only those who regularly play CoD and invest time can work through the 100 tiers of the Battle Pass by the end of a season. To recoup the cost of the pass, you need to reach level 74 – most casual players are unlikely to achieve that.
Conclusion: If you play a lot and regularly and/or care about additional cosmetic bling-bling for character and weapon customization, then you can buy the Battle Pass with peace of mind and secure access to the premium reward branch. There, you then have the opportunity to unlock various cool and sometimes crazy cosmetics for an additional 10 €, alongside all the free content of the respective season.
However, if you play little or occasionally, then basically you’re not missing anything important apart from the additional cosmetics and can skip the Battle Pass without a guilty conscience. You get all gameplay-relevant content as well – without having to spend extra money.
So yes, you can fully enjoy the seasons and fresh content even without the Battle Pass.
What do you think? Is the Battle Pass in CoD Warzone a must-buy for you? Or have you also had fun in the battle royale without all the extra cosmetics? Let us and other readers of MeinMMO know in the comments.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Microsoft has officially introduced Windows 11. In addition to design adjustments, there are also improvements aimed specifically at gamers. MeinMMO presents the new features.
Microsoft emphasized how important gamers are at its official Windows event. Windows 11 is said to provide “the best PC gaming experience yet.”
In this context, Microsoft introduced several features aimed specifically at gamers. MeinMMO presents the new functions and explains the pros and cons of these features.
Auto-HDR is supposed to enhance graphics
What is it? Auto HDR is an algorithmic tool designed to provide better representations for older titles that previously did not support high dynamic range (HDR).
What is the advantage? In its simplest implementation, HDR provides games with a wider color gamut with improved contrast ratio and color accuracy. This way, even older games can look prettier and more modern.
What is the disadvantage? The prerequisite for benefiting from Auto HDR is that you own an HDR monitor. Without a corresponding monitor, you cannot benefit from HDR.
The game Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim in SDR and Auto HDR.
DirectStorage aims to reduce loading times
What is it? DirectStorage is a new application programming interface for data input and output. The interface is designed to allow the graphics card to retrieve data from the hard drive much faster.
What is the advantage? Essentially, DirectStorage means that content can be loaded directly from the GPU, without burdening the processor. This especially reduces loading times for games.
What is the disadvantage? You need the right hardware to benefit from DirectStorage. Microsoft stated that the technology would work on PCIe 3.0 NVMe drives and PCIe 4.0 SSDs.
It should also be noted that DirectStorage is exclusive to Windows 11, so you will need to upgrade if you want to take advantage of the benefits.
Direct integration of Xbox Game Pass in Windows 11
What is it? Windows 11 will already come pre-installed with the Xbox app at launch. This way, you can directly access the Xbox Game Pass and play your games if you have a subscription. The cloud features are also expected to be tightly integrated into Windows 11.
What is the advantage? With the integration of the Game Pass, you have direct access to all the games from the subscription. Some showcased games from E3 are coming directly to the Game Pass, making it worthwhile for people who want to play many games for little money.
What is the disadvantage? Not everyone is happy with pre-installed apps or programs. Additionally, you must subscribe to benefit from the Xbox Game Pass. But if you do it right, you can save a lot of money when signing up for the Game Pass.
Broad hardware support and cloud gaming
What is it? Microsoft stated at the Windows event that it wants to support a wide range of hardware on Windows 11. In addition, they plan to bring “Xbox Cloud Gaming” (formerly xCloud) to the Xbox app on Windows 11 later this year.
What is the advantage? Officially, Xbox Wireless Controllers are compatible with Windows 11, just like keyboards and gaming mice, surround sound headsets, and the Xbox Adaptive Controller. Supported hardware also includes the official Xbox Wireless Headset.
With the integration of Xbox Cloud Gaming, gaming streaming on the Windows PC will soon be possible without any issues.
Android games are coming to Windows 11
What is it? Microsoft is integrating the Amazon app store into its own store, making Windows 11 interesting for mobile gamers. This way, you can easily install Android apps on your Windows 11 PC.
What is the advantage? Essentially, you no longer need additional programs or emulators like “BlueStacks” to run your Android apps on Windows 11. This would eliminate an intermediate step and make usage easier, especially for those who are hesitant to use emulators.
What is the disadvantage? So far, Microsoft’s presentation has been very general. Therefore, we do not yet know what the minimum requirements will be for running Android apps, as the hardware also needs to support the emulator based on Intel’s Bridge technology.
In a statement, Intel explained to the online magazine TomsHardware that “Intel Bridge” aims to support all x86 platforms, including AMD (via TomsHardware.com).
Thanks to the Amazon app store, you will soon be able to install Android apps on Windows 11.
Tips for Windows 10: If you want to protect yourself against malicious software on Windows 10, we have a tip for you that you should try.
The tip costs you nothing but offers additional protection for your valuable data.
Since players can be temporarily banned in Valorant for leaving a match early, Sydeon felt indeed like she was in a form of hostage situation, as she couldn’t leave the match and was constantly berated.
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.
Sydeon is thoroughly fed up with such sexist tirades. She also stands against relativizing statements that dismiss it with a shrug saying “Well, that’s just how it is in gaming”:
Furthermore, I want to say that [a saying like] “These are video games, coarse language is normal, and don’t be so sensitive” doesn’t hold. If this [gaming] is culture, then damn well change it!
Indeed, many women in gaming are now so frustrated with such stupid remarks, that they avoid voice chat.
Are there other cases as well? Another example of sexist insults against women in Valorant was recently observed with the streamer Anny. She shared a clip on Twitter where, as soon as she identified herself as a woman in the voice chat, she was already insulted. Among other things, she was showered with hate or was urged to perform sexual acts.
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.
After massive sexist insults, the streamer has had enough
What happened next? Sydeon was not satisfied with just venting her anger on Twitter. She also reached out to the developers at Riot Games in another tweet, asking them to address the situation. Such trolls make the game an “unsafe place”.
Only 20 minutes after Sydeon’s tweet, Riot employee Joe “SWAGGERNAU7” Lee already reached out for more details:
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.
The studio Riot Games itself has a controversial history regarding sexism and harassment in the workplace. The situation at the studio had reportedly become so severe that there was an exposé about the work atmosphere at Riot from Kotaku.
As a result, many changes were made at Riot to alter the toxic image of the company. Among other things, a renowned Harvard professor was even commissioned to reform the company and address sexism. This was two years ago, and since then the situation seems to have improved and they take the issues of sexism and harassment seriously.
The Twitch streamer Sydeon just wanted to play a round of Valorant, but after facing massive insults, she felt pretty bad. However, she did not let this get her down, contacted Riot, and went viral on Twitter.
Who is Sydeon? Sydeon, whose real name is Sydney, is a 23-year-old streamer and cosplayer. Since January 2021, Sydeon has been steadily climbing the rankings on Twitch and currently has over 200,000 followers.
Her fans enjoy watching her play games like Minecraft, Among us, or Valorant. She is also known for high-quality cosplays from games like Apex Legends.
What happened? Sydeon actually just wanted to play a cozy round of Valorant in solo queue. But as soon as it became known that she is a woman, she faced sexist insults:
I signed up for a solo queue match. I was basically taken “hostage” after being yelled at and ordered to get back to the kitchen and how dare I even play. I am shaking with anger. I have never been this upset. I get insulted either for being boosted because I play with friends or I get flamed for my damn gender!
Since players can be temporarily banned in Valorant for leaving a match early, Sydeon felt indeed like she was in a form of hostage situation, as she couldn’t leave the match and was constantly berated.
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.
Sydeon is thoroughly fed up with such sexist tirades. She also stands against relativizing statements that dismiss it with a shrug saying “Well, that’s just how it is in gaming”:
Furthermore, I want to say that [a saying like] “These are video games, coarse language is normal, and don’t be so sensitive” doesn’t hold. If this [gaming] is culture, then damn well change it!
Indeed, many women in gaming are now so frustrated with such stupid remarks, that they avoid voice chat.
Are there other cases as well? Another example of sexist insults against women in Valorant was recently observed with the streamer Anny. She shared a clip on Twitter where, as soon as she identified herself as a woman in the voice chat, she was already insulted. Among other things, she was showered with hate or was urged to perform sexual acts.
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.
After massive sexist insults, the streamer has had enough
What happened next? Sydeon was not satisfied with just venting her anger on Twitter. She also reached out to the developers at Riot Games in another tweet, asking them to address the situation. Such trolls make the game an “unsafe place”.
Only 20 minutes after Sydeon’s tweet, Riot employee Joe “SWAGGERNAU7” Lee already reached out for more details:
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.
The studio Riot Games itself has a controversial history regarding sexism and harassment in the workplace. The situation at the studio had reportedly become so severe that there was an exposé about the work atmosphere at Riot from Kotaku.
As a result, many changes were made at Riot to alter the toxic image of the company. Among other things, a renowned Harvard professor was even commissioned to reform the company and address sexism. This was two years ago, and since then the situation seems to have improved and they take the issues of sexism and harassment seriously.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The developers of Sniper: Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 wanted to hold a special event for the launch of their shooter. However, the PR agency that organized it took some liberties that ended in a series of racist stereotypes about Arabs and the Middle East.
What kind of event was it? To celebrate the launch of the new military shooter Sniper: Ghost Warrior Contracts 2, the Polish developers of CI Games hired the US event agency Incredible Adventures to provide a special show for a dozen journalists and influencers.
One morning, they were all loaded into a bus and taken to a kind of boot camp. There, the stereotype of a village from the Middle East was staged, complete with shabby mud huts, broken vehicles on the road, and a table with some rotting meat on it.
According to journalist Eric Switzer from the site “The Gamer“, this was already a harsh grab into the box of racist clichés about the Middle East and the fact that a pro-Trump flag flew over the whole facility didn’t make it any better.
This controversial flag was seen over the facility – Source: The Gamer
This is what the enemies looked like – Source: The Gamer
The “village” – Source: The Gamer
A few pictures from the event, taken by Eric Switzer from The Gamer.
What happened next? During the event, participants were herded through the “village” by war veterans and instructed in various combat techniques. They were given airsoft guns to shoot at actors wearing kaftans and headscarves, making the characteristic battle cries stereotypically associated with Arab jihad fighters.
However, the event made sure that the supposed Arabs were not declared as Arabs, but rather as “bad guys who have a lot of good Americans on their conscience”.
In the end, there was a survival kit that included, among other things, a telescopic baton.
Developers didn’t want Arabs as enemies in the event
How it all ended: Eric Switzer was shocked and disgusted by the event. He wrote an article about how inappropriate and racist the event was and expressed his irritation that some other participants seemed to enjoy it.
Developers and organizers apologize: Nevertheless, his article created waves and the developers soon spoke out. According to CI Games, they had explicitly requested Incredible Adventures to make sure that the actors playing the enemies in the event were dressed like opponents from the game. However, this was rejected by the organizer, who instead brought in the cliché Arabs. Due to the COVID pandemic, no developers were present at the event as they come from Warsaw in Poland.
In the game, according to the developers, great care was taken to avoid depicting enemies in a clichéd manner and clear cultural associations were avoided:
We are making great efforts to ensure that we avoid stereotypes or the negative portrayal of cultures. Respect and tolerance are cornerstones of our corporate culture and we were shocked when we realized that an event intended to be fun and engaging for participants instead caused offense to some attendees.
Also from the PR agency Evolve PR, which planned the event, came an apology upon request from the site Kotaku:
We were not involved in the planning of the physical event itself. We read the story and apologized to Eric as well. Had we known the details, we would not have participated in inviting anyone to the event.
Every Thursday, new playlists launch in Call of Duty: Warzone and Black Ops Cold War – including the evening of June 24th. However, both CoDs took the opportunity this time to introduce updates with several changes. MeinMMO presents the patch notes.
What’s going on with CoD? The first week of Season 4 is over, and everything is back to normal in Call of Duty: Warzone and Black Ops Cold War. With the playlist update on the evening of June 24th, the crash event has ended, and the usual rhythm returns.
However, the update on Thursday evening didn’t just adjust the playlists. A few bug fixes and new features were also introduced – such as new rewards in the ranked mode “League Play” of Black Ops Cold War. We have looked at the changes and present them to you in an overview, along with the new playlists in the game.
Warzone fixes map exploits and “Dirt Bike” audio
What has changed in Warzone? If you tried out the crazy Dirt Bike in the first week, you might have noticed – the sound was awful. Somehow a bit too loud, and sometimes the gas sputtered, which could get very annoying. The developers have worked on the audio and write in the patch notes:
Dirt Bike audio has been reduced
Next up is the riot shield. In the right hands, this equipment piece can become a nasty weapon in Warzone, but it’s now a bit less common in matches. The developers state:
The riot shield has been temporarily removed as ground loot – but can still be found in loot boxes
Additionally, some bugs have disappeared from the game. Certain objects on the map apparently had issues with collision – players could exploit somewhat permeable objects to their advantage. The recon binoculars and the “Red Door” fast travel system also had problems:
Collision issues with various objects on the map removed, which players had used for peeking/exploiting/shooting through
Glitch removed that allowed the use of the recon binoculars’ abilities without equipping it
Interaction text of the “Red Doors” was sometimes displayed incorrectly
If you want to take a look at the English patch notes yourself, check out developer Raven (via ravensoftware.com).
CoD Warzone: The current playlist
Battle Royale – Solo / Duo / Trio / Squad
Rebirth Resurgence Quads
Rebirth Resurgence Duos
Plunder Trios
Cold War: Update 1.19 brings new rewards for “League Play”
What has changed in Cold War? In Cold War’s multiplayer, you have access to new modes – in the current playlist and your custom games. Additionally, a 2v2 gunfight tournament is starting again, where you can earn cosmetics by fighting against 15 other teams.
The biggest new feature is earnable cosmetics in the “League Play” mode. Each ladder event now gives you rewards based on your final placement. There are also extra rewards if you achieve 10 wins during an event – depending on your current division. These include charms and stickers.
Completion Ladder Events
Top 25
Top 10
Top 5
Event win
2 Event wins in a row
3 Event wins in a row
6 Event wins in a row
Division Rewards
10 Wins Participant Division
10 Wins Advanced Division
10 Wins Expert Division
10 Wins Elite Division
10 Wins Master Division
If you want to browse the English patch notes yourself, check out developer Treyarch (via treyarch.com).
Call of Duty aims to provide its players with fresh content every week, regularly cycling through the playlists and also making minor adjustments outside of major season updates.
The development studio Solid Clouds has announced a new MMORPG – Starborne: Frontiers. The company includes former developers from EVE Online, one of the most successful space MMOs ever.
What is Starborne Frontiers? This new MMORPG comes from the developers of Starborne: Sovereign Space, an MMORTS. The developers have confirmed the following content for the game:
There will be PvP, PvE, and group content.
You will be able to build your own space base.
There will be more than 12 factions with their own backstories and ideals.
The story behind the world of Starborne is set to be greatly expanded for the MMORPG.
Although it’s set in the same universe as Starborne: Sovereign Space, Frontiers will be a standalone game.
Why is the game exciting? The development team at Solid Clouds consists of true veterans of the sci-fi genre. Three former EVE Online developers are involved in the creation of the Starborne universe, including Hrafnkell Oskarsson, who worked as a lead game designer on EVE Online.
The game offers even more exciting approaches, as the development of the MMORTS Starborne: Sovereign Space is by no means being halted. Since both games are set in the same universe, there will be cross-game events. This can lead to an interesting dynamic.
A first glimpse of the game is provided by the developers’ teaser trailer:
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
Starborne aims to meet the needs of sci-fi fans, but developers face challenges
A competitor for EVE Online? According to the developers behind Starborne, the game was born out of sheer frustration that there is no game that does the same thing and can fully meet the needs of players.
With Starborne Sovereign Space, there was an initial attempt to solve this problem. While the game may not have gained widespread popularity, it was very well received within its community (via Massively) and filled a gap that had largely remained open.
Starborne Frontiers is set to further fill this gap and continuously expand an existing universe. An MMORPG fits perfectly into the existing concept.
How has the development of Sovereign Space gone? The MMORTS is the first game from the indie studio Solid Clouds. Development on Sovereign Space has been ongoing for more than six years.
An end is, however, in sight. Although the game only entered an open beta phase last year, a final release of Sovereign Space is still planned for 2021.
When is the new Starborne Frontiers coming out? There is currently no exact date or year from Solid Clouds. An MMORPG usually takes a long time to develop, and since we have only seen an announcement and a short teaser so far, the release of Starborne Frontiers will likely take several more years.
The new MMORPG Lost Ark is coming to the West and at first glance resembles the popular Diablo games. We will show you what similarities and differences exist between the games.
What’s it about: The much-anticipated MMORPG Lost Ark now has a release window for Europe in autumn 2021 and has already undergone its first alpha test. The game has excited many fans of games like Diablo, as the gameplay is very similar to ARPGs at first glance.
But will the MMORPG provide fans of Diablo with a replacement or at least a bridge until the release of Diablo 4? In this article, we will compile the similarities and differences between Lost Ark and the Diablo games so that you can get an idea of it.
Similarities and Differences
While it is clear that Lost Ark belongs to the MMORPG genre, it has several gameplay elements that make it attractive to fans of ARPGs like Diablo or Path of Exile. In this section, you will find the biggest and most important of them.
Perspective and Control
The first and most obvious similarity between Lost Ark and Diablo games is, of course, the camera angle. The MMORPG is played from an isometric perspective, where you look down on your character from above. While you can rotate the camera freely, the angle will only change if you use the zoom function to get a closer look at your character.
Left: Normal perspective in Lost Ark. Right: Zoom on the character.
Furthermore, the control in Lost Ark is very similar to that of Diablo. The character is not moved using WASD like in most modern MMORPGs, but by clicking the mouse buttons. You click the desired spot and your character will move there.
The attack controls are also similar. The normal attack is executed with a mouse click. Abilities are defaulted to the QWER and ASDF keys, while items can be used with the keys 1 to 4. So compared to Diablo, it is offset by one row.
Combat System
The core gameplay of the combat system in Lost Ark is also almost identical to that of Diablo and other isometric ARPGs. It is an action-oriented combat system, where there is no auto-lock-on. You must specifically aim with your skills and position yourself accordingly to hit the enemies around you.
Similar to Diablo 3, each class has its own resource that it must collect or manage when fighting to use skills or unleash strong ultimates. There is no global cooldown for skills like in WoW or FFXIV; instead, each skill has its own cooldown.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
While there aren’t many enemies in individual areas, you will often be overwhelmed by them in instanced content.
Lost Ark will also throw many enemies at you in combat, as is usually the case in Hack’n’Slay games. The hordes of enemies are especially huge in raids, dungeons, and rifts, and you will not infrequently have dozens of monsters on your screen at the same time, making their mass destruction with cool skills all the more satisfying.
Skill System
Another similarity can be found in the tripod skill system of Lost Ark. It fundamentally resembles the skill system of Diablo 3. In D3, each ability can be further customized with one of 6 runes to tailor it to your playstyle or build.
The basic system of adapting and customizing an active skill also exists in a similar form in Lost Ark – but more comprehensive.
Players gain skill points as they level up, which can be assigned to individual active abilities of their class. These points can be spent in the tripod system to customize the skills. You have a greater selection of effects compared to the runes of Diablo 3.
Left in the image is the tripod skill menu. The ability Raid Missile is fully developed here and has three different additional effects. Right in the image are further skills with tripod adjustments (Image source: reddit)
Each normal active ability has 8 passive effects, which are distributed over three levels in the tripod. For each level, you can select one additional effect for your skill. Thus, a fully developed skill in Lost Ark ultimately has three additional effects.
Similar to Diablo 3, these can be pure attack or duration boosts, or they can completely change the skill. For example, a single attack can become a triple attack, or the skill gains a vampiric life-draining effect. So there are many options for different builds.
Loot Spiral and Gear System
One of the most important features of Diablo games that many players love is the cool loot spiral. Like from a piñata, the colorful items drop to the ground when defeating monsters and bosses. You then sift through the heaps of useless stuff for the armor pieces that are stronger than your current ones or fit better to your current build.
This loot spiral also works similarly in Lost Ark. You level up your character, and at the same time, you receive weapons and armor dropped by enemies. Later, at higher levels, you will get armor from raids and dungeons or can farm materials in the endgame to forge the armors or upgrade them to higher levels.
While there is less colorful loot fireworks in the MMORPG than in Diablo, fans of big loot piñatas will still find their pleasure here. There are large world bosses and special treasure caves that really rain items.
Left: Loot pile in Lost Ark. Right: Loot pile in Diablo 3
In addition, Lost Ark also features many different ways to improve your gear a little bit more like in Diablo 3:
You can have the secondary status values rerolled by an NPC, similar to Diablo 3
By socketing runes, you can create or transfer elemental resistances
Engravings on your rings grant them special effects and more
Thus, you land in a spiral designed to continuously improve the gear and become stronger. The potential for min-maxing is very high.
Differences
However, since Lost Ark is clearly not a “1-to-1” Diablo clone, there are also various differences that may deter some Diablo fans from the MMORPG. Here are the biggest and most significant of them.
Setting and Story
The first and also one of the biggest differences is the setting of the MMORPG. Unlike Diablo, we are in Lost Ark not in a dark, brutal medieval setting where blood flows and people are dismembered. Lost Ark rather draws on several different settings and mixes them into a colorful bunch.
Huge pink lotus flowers would be out of place in the dark Diablo setting.
Depending on the class you start with, you will land in a magical elven kingdom, a devastated steampunk city, in an Asian Wuxia setting, or in another environment. These starting areas represent different continents in Lost Ark, which you can explore and all have their own themes.
Lost Ark was created by a Korean developer studio. It thus has a distinct Asian look that translates to the appearance of characters and armors. The outfits are partly revealing or exaggerated in size, like those of the Berserker or Destroyer weapons.
The story also revolves around demons, and there are indeed dark and sinister areas, but it does not reach the brutality of Diablo. Instead, there are too many colorful and cheerful elements in the story and gameplay, such as dances, emotes, and fancy cosmetics.
More information about Lost Ark on MeinMMO can be found here:
Another difference, of course, are the MMORPG elements in Lost Ark. Unlike Diablo games, you will never be completely alone here. In open areas, you will encounter other players. There are also classic MMORPG elements:
A detailed character creator
Raids and dungeons that require a group
Housing
Life skills like resource gathering
A large sailing system where you explore the world’s oceans with your ships
An auction house where you can trade with other players (Diablo 3 had that once, but … we better not talk about that)
World bosses and world events like chaos rifts where large numbers of players gather
Open PvP in certain areas
Housing in Lost Ark
Sailing feature
Photo mode for screenshots
Character creator
Dungeons to be completed in a party
Relationships with NPCs. Yes, even pandas
While it is theoretically possible to play Lost Ark a lot alone without groups of other people, sooner or later it will be necessary to get better gear.
Overall, Lost Ark as an MMORPG offers many more features than the Diablo series or other ARPGs. Some of them, like cosmetics, can be ignored if you don’t care about them; others provide too strong gameplay advantages, and you will miss good bonuses or items if you skip them.
Endgame
The MMORPG elements are especially noticeable in Lost Ark’s endgame, which differs from Diablo. In Diablo 3, players typically farm greater rifts to acquire better gear for their builds. This can be done both in groups and solo.
Additionally, there are seasons in Diablo 3, each with its own theme that brings special effects and gameplay mechanics, such as the ethereal weapons in the upcoming season 24. In each season, a new character is started that must also be leveled from 0 and equipped.
To obtain the best equipment in Lost Ark, you need to participate in the tough raids and chaos dungeons to farm items, armor, and upgrades. You will only be successful there if you are out with a group.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
This is what a 16-man raid in Lost Ark looks like.
The content is instanced and often has its own mechanics. In the Guardian Raid against the boss Necrasena, a giant scorpion, you must chop off its tail with special items to prevent it from executing powerful attacks.
Moreover, there is a daily or weekly cap on endgame content like raids or dungeons. This means you cannot endlessly spam these contents to get the best items as you can only enter them a limited number of times or obtain a certain amount of loot from them.
Have you decided whether you will play Lost Ark based on the similarities and differences? Let us know in the comments and tell us your impression of the MMORPG.
You will also have the chance to test the game yourself during the next beta:
