3 Things that all other MMORPGs should learn from Guild Wars 2 and 3 mistakes they should avoid

Alexander Leitsch Alexander Leitsch Reading time 7 minutes

Guild Wars 2 is one of the most successful western MMORPGs on the market and has done some things differently than its genre counterparts. MeinMMO editor Alexander Leitsch has compiled some positive and negative aspects that, in his opinion, other MMORPGs should take as examples.

Guild Wars 2 was released in 2012 and has some interesting approaches. The MMORPG relies on a scaling system, which means that even level 80 players have significantly lost strength when they are in low-level areas. Moreover, it long refrained from using a Holy Trinity and classic content like raids or an item spiral.

Some of these aspects have changed over time, while others have remained. However, new MMORPGs can learn a lot from the positive and negative aspects of Guild Wars 2. What exactly that is, I have summarized here.

Who is speaking here? Alexander Leitsch is the MMORPG expert at MeinMMO. He has already invested over 7,500 play hours in Guild Wars 2. However, he also feels at home in other games like WoW, ESO, Black Desert, or recently Swords of Legends Online.

What everyone should adopt from Guild Wars 2

Events in the open world

One of the biggest advantages of Guild Wars 2 is the events in the open world. There is nothing better than spontaneously landing in an event chain that dozens of players are participating in and that also has an impact on the environment.

For example, in the Harathi Hinterlands, there are a number of fortifications that players fight over with centaurs. Once all these fortifications are taken, you can fight against the centaur leader and get good loot.

Another example is the map Dragon’s Stand, which exists solely to challenge and fight the Elder Dragon Mordremoth. The map resets every 2 hours, and I fight along with other players from the north to the south of the map. At the end, the Elder Dragon himself awaits, who also puts up a significant resistance for several minutes and keeps wiping out entire groups of players.

GW2 Mordremoth
The Elder Dragon Mordremoth is one of the world bosses in the game.

These world events in Guild Wars 2 are special because they appear everywhere and constantly attract players. While I can also consciously dive into these events with the help of a timer, I can also accidentally get swept along by a large group of players.

With every new map, I look forward to trying out the new world events or boss fights with a huge crowd of players.

The action-packed combat system

Although Guild Wars 2 is basically based on a tab-targeting system, it is impressive what this MMORPG makes of it:

  • Almost all abilities can be used while moving
  • The dodge roll makes the combat much more dynamic overall
  • The weapon swap system allows me to freely switch between melee and ranged attacks
  • There are many abilities that involve movement (jumps, rolls to the side, teleports, etc.)
  • There is no global cooldown on abilities like in SWTOR

Additionally, Guild Wars 2 features an interesting combo system. Certain abilities like fire walls or lava fountains count as a so-called “field.” Whoever uses a finisher in such a field creates an additional effect, such as a fire explosion or burning arrows when shot through.

This overall leads to Guild Wars 2 offering one of the best and smoothest combat systems of all MMORPGs. Essentially, every new game can learn something from this, just like from the fair equipment in PvP, which should never play a role in arenas.

More on the topic
Guild Wars 2: The Best Classes in PvE and PvP 2025
von Alexander Leitsch

Dyeing of armor

Guild Wars 2 is jokingly also called Fashion Wars 2 for good reason. The game offers a variety of armors, weapons, back pieces, and costumes that can change the appearance of my character. Additionally, there is a transmutation system through which I can unlock a skin once and then use it endlessly.

However, the real highlight of Fashion Wars 2 is the dyeing system. Each armor or costume has multiple color slots that can be dyed at will. Currently (as of June 25), there are 606 different colors in the game.

So anyone who loves designing their own gear will definitely find happiness in Guild Wars 2.

Guild Wars 2 colors
Over 600 colors and the ability to dye any gear accordingly.

These mistakes from Guild Wars 2 should be avoided by other MMORPGs

The opaque update and story structure

The biggest problem for newcomers is the update and story structure. This has two significant weaknesses.

  • On the one hand, certain story contents are missing in Guild Wars 2 that can never be replayed and leave a gap in the story for newcomers.
  • On the other hand, players have to purchase old episodes, even though others received them for free.

What is the problem with the story? The story of Guild Wars 2 begins with the Personal Story. This revolves around the adventures between levels 1 and 80.

Next follows in the chronicle the first season of the Living World. However, this season was something very special because the events only remained in the game for 2 to 4 weeks. After that, they were removed forever. For players who were live at the time, it was an exciting experience. For latecomers and newcomers, however, about 1.5 years of story is missing. This gap has not been adequately addressed by the developers to this day.

What is the problem with updates? Anyone purchasing the latest expansion, Path of Fire, receives access to the base game and the first expansion, Heart of Thorns. However, there are always new seasons in between with several episodes of the Living World.

And players must purchase these seasons separately unless they were online live when the respective episode was released. Then they received them for free. This means that some players may own a few episodes of the seasons, but not all of them.

In plain text, someone who buys Path of Fire today has access to the following story contents:

  • The story of the base game – Yes
  • The story of the 1st season of the Living World – No, never
  • The story of the 2nd season of the Living World – Yes, if you pay
  • The story of Heart of Thorns – Yes
  • The story of the 3rd season of the Living World – Yes, if you pay
  • The story of Path of Fire – Yes
  • The story of the 4th season of the Living World – Yes, if you pay
  • The story of the 5th and current season of the Living World – Yes, if you pay, then the last episode

A pretty confusing system that no other MMORPG should ever implement.

Guild Wars 2 Chronicle
In the chronicle, you can track the story and start certain missions.

Poor communication with players

Fans of almost every game in the world have probably complained about poor communication from the developers. But with Guild Wars 2, this has reached a whole new level for me. Time and again, one had the feeling they would finally interact with their community, only to drop everything a few days later or step into a faux pas.

The example of new addons:

  • Before the release of Heart of Thorns, almost daily new information was shared for 9 months.
  • At release, the developers suddenly went completely silent.
  • After the release, they only hesitantly responded to community inquiries, which was struggling with numerous bugs and problems. The high expectations were also not met. There was hardly any information on new content and the future of the game.
  • With the next addon, Path of Fire, there was a big announcement event, and 1.5 months later, the expansion was released. Hype and regular new information were nearly absent.
  • Similarly, it seems to be unfolding now with the upcoming expansion End of Dragons.

The example of raids:

  • With Heart of Thorns, Guild Wars 2 finally introduced raids.
  • Over time, six more were added, but their quality and difficulty declined.
  • For two years, there have been no raids at all. When asked whether a raid would ever return, developers do not respond.

The example of PvP:

  • During the beta and release, there was a lot of talk about e-sports and major PvP tournaments.
  • But suddenly, the topic went completely quiet.
  • In 2014, two years after release, the first tournaments began with ESL. Tournaments quickly offered prize money of $50,000 or even $200,000.
  • In the summer of 2016, the entire e-sports operation was virtually shut down overnight. Since then, there has been no word on it.

The example of executives: One of the craziest stories surrounding Guild Wars 2 was written by Game Director Mike Zadorojny, who took over the leadership of Guild Wars 2 in October 2019, after the previous President Mike O’Brien left the company. For the first few months, hardly anything was heard from the new boss. In March 2020, it turned out that he had already left ArenaNet in November.

Additionally, there are always scandals or bizarre stories, such as the firing of developer Jessica Price amid a sexism debate or failed advertising deals like the one with the sandwich chain Quiznos, which only exists in America and is hardly known there (via reddit).

More on the topic
Is it still worth starting Guild Wars 2 in 2024?
von Alexander Leitsch

Pure horizontal progression

This point is the most controversial on this list. One of the hallmarks of Guild Wars 2 is that it has no level cap increase and no item spiral. Anyone who acquired the maximum armor – the Ascended Armor – in 2012 is still perfectly equipped in 2021.

This aspect makes Guild Wars 2 probably the most casual and beginner-friendly MMORPG ever. However, it also leads to players quickly losing their goals.

As much as I, as a multi-MMO player, appreciate this system, I understand that players may eventually lose interest in Guild Wars 2. However, to keep people tied to a game in the long term, I find it reasonable to regularly make an adjustment that requires players to grind for new gear. However, with restrictions:

  • A new item level should not be introduced too often, and not every dungeon or raid should mean an increase.
  • In PvP, equipment should always be fair and not play a role. Here, skill is paramount.

More about MMORPGs on MeinMMO:

What do you think about Guild Wars 2 and the points mentioned here? What, in your opinion, would the perfect MMORPG need? Feel free to write it in the comments.

Despite its flaws, Guild Wars 2 belongs to the best MMORPGs on the market. What other games we can recommend from MeinMMO can be found here: The 15 currently best MMOs and MMORPGs 2021.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

The new agent Kayo in Valorant is here and you will hate it when he plays on the opposing side

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 3 minutes

In Valorant there is a new agent named Kayo. The robot is mainly there to suppress other players and hinder their skills. Why the new agent is so good, you can find out here on MeinMMO.

Kayo was released on June 22, 2021, along with Episode 3 of Act 1 in Valorant and can be unlocked as usual. But is it worth it? We spoke with Valorant expert aSmoogl, who gave us first-hand information.

Where did our information come from? MeinMMO was allowed to preview the new hero at a special test event from Riot. We also asked the experienced player and content creator aSmoogl for an assessment of Kayo’s abilities.

Who is aSmoogl?
Angelo Bülow, known online as aSmoogl, is a gamer, streamer and YouTuber from Berlin. He has over 40,000 subscribers on YouTube and is well-versed in Valorant and other competitive shooters. His videos on the topic regularly have 20,000 or more views. Additionally, he was able to assist our colleague Petra Schmitz from GameStar in her test of Valorant (GameStar Plus article) with his expertise in Valorant. This guy really knows the game.

Kayo – This is the new agent

Who is Kayo? Kayo is a cool robot built for one purpose only: to fight Radiants (the heroes in the game). He has some of the coolest animations in the game, as his weapons and skills are all integrated into his body and mechanically jump into his hands.

There is also a gameplay video of Kayo by aSmoogl:

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These are Kayo’s skills: The robot Kayo is designed to neutralize Radiants, i.e., the heroes in Valorant. Therefore, all his skills are aimed at hindering other agents and suppressing their skills. This makes the robot a valuable team member and a nightmare when played well on the enemy team. His skills in detail:

  • E – Null/Point: Equip a blade. Fire to throw the blade. The blade sticks to the impacted surface and explodes after a short charging time. All targets hit are suppressed and revealed for 8 seconds. This means they cannot use any skills. Channeling skills are interrupted. The range of the explosion and knife throw is considerable, and the explosion even goes through walls. An enormously powerful ability!
  • Q – Flash/Granade: Equip a flash grenade. Fire to throw the grenade. The grenade explodes after a short time and blinds everyone in the explosion radius. There is a difference in how the grenade is thrown with the left or right mouse button. With a left click, it explodes after 1.6 seconds, and with a right click after just one second. This versatility is an additional disadvantage for the opponent, who never knows whether they will be blinded after 1.6 or 1 second.
  • C – Frag/Ment: Equip an explosive fragment. It can be thrown with the fire button. The fragment sticks to the ground and explodes multiple times, dealing massive damage. In plain language, if you don’t move quickly out of the explosion radius, you’ll take a lot of damage. Even with full armor, 3 triggers will take you down! But be careful, as the fragment also damages you if you throw it too close. You can also throw the fragment around corners.
  • X – Null/CMD: Kayo sends out pulses with a large radius every 3 seconds that suppress opponents. They cannot use skills for 4 seconds just like with Null/Point. Additionally, Kayo becomes overloaded and gains “Combat Stim.” This causes him to shoot faster, like the agent Reyna. It also means he can be revived if he goes down during the effect duration. The ultimate lasts a massive 10 seconds.

What is Kayo particularly good at? Kayo is an optimal initiator. This means he opens a fight by creating a tactical advantage with his skills.

All of Kayo’s skills are useful. His flash grenade and fragment are solid, but not over the top.

What rocks are his E and ulti skills. With them, Kayo can severely hinder other agents and even completely prevent channeled skills, such as Sova’s or Raze’s ultis. An enormous tactical advantage for your team and a disaster if it happens to you because a hostile Kayo just dismantled your hard-earned ulti.

Duelists will especially hate Kayo, as he dismantles their skills. Especially in light of the new meta that is currently developing, where agent skills have become very costly, Kayo will have a solid place and either spark a lot of friends or a lot of frustration, depending on whose side he is on.

Less cool than a new hero is a scandal that just occurred in Valorant, where two pros bet against their own team and ruined everything.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

You can now test the new multiplayer game Kingshunt on Steam, but there is a problem

Irina Moritz Irina Moritz Reading time 2 minutes

The dark multiplayer action game Kingshunt has launched its open beta on Steam. Anyone can participate, however, matchmaking is disabled.

This is Kingshunt: The new game is an action game with online multiplayer, played from a third-person perspective. It blends mechanics from classic tower defense games with hack and slash combat in PvP.

The gameplay resembles the MOBA SMITE with a dark medieval atmosphere. Matches are held in two teams of 5 players each: one group attacks the defenses of the other group. In the beta, you have the choice from 6 different heroes, with 2 being attackers, defenders, and supporters each.

The tower defense elements manifest in the gameplay being divided into phases. In the first phase, you build the defense towers that you need to place strategically. In the second phase, the defenders must then guide their opponents so that they run into the placed towers. The attacker group must of course prevent this and bypass the defenses.

You can watch the beta trailer here:

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Here’s how you can participate in the beta: If you want to try the multiplayer game, you can do this quite easily. On Steam, you just need to click “Request Access” in the green playtest window at the bottom, which will be granted to you instantly.

After that, you can download the beta and get started.

If you are interested in action multiplayer games, you might also find this appealing:

Matchmaking is disabled, but you can still play

Here’s the problem: Anyone who wants to jump directly into the multiplayer PvP of Kingshunt will encounter a wall. While you can easily play the single player tutorial, the multiplayer gets trickier.

The automatic matchmaking is disabled in the beta. Therefore, you can only participate in PvP matches in custom games with pre-built groups, as indicated in the game. In the self-created matches, you can determine the number of players and bots, as well as select one of the two maps: Forest or Church.

When you start a custom match where not all character slots are taken by real players, they will be filled by bots. In this way, you won’t be able to test the proper PvP, but at least you can try out the 6 different heroes from the Kingshunt beta and get a sense of the gameplay.

Or if you have enough friends for a custom match, you can gather for a few rounds this weekend. Participation is free for everyone.

If you’re looking for more online games, we have a list for you: The 15 currently best MMOs and MMORPGs 2021

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

5 Players Who Desperately Need New Faces in FIFA 22

Julian Schröder Julian Schröder Reading time 4 minutes

Many players resemble their real-life counterparts in FIFA 21 almost identically. However, there are some stars who have received a bit less love from EA. We are showing you soccer players who urgently need new game faces for FIFA 22.

While big soccer stars without a decent appearance in FIFA 21 are rather the exception, they do exist. These unfortunate players usually receive a generic, bland face that looks nothing like the real athletes.

We present to you 5 soccer stars who need proper faces in FIFA 22.

Robin Gosens

This is Robin Gosens: Robin Gosens plays for the Italian top club Atalanta Bergamo and has particularly made a name for himself in the Champions League as well as in the European Championship. The highly performing defender has already received a strong 85-rated card in FUT 21, yet in-game, Gosens looks nothing like the player on the card.

So it’s high time for a face scan of the German national player.

This is how Gosens looks in FIFA 21.

Giovanni Reyna

This is Giovanni Reyna: Although the young talent from Borussia Dortmund has already been equipped with an extremely strong 91-rated card, a real face is still missing from the attacking midfielder in FIFA 21. We hope that this will finally change in FIFA 22 and Reyna will finally get a face scan.

This is how Reyna currently looks in FIFA 21.

Martin Odegaard

This is Martin Odegaard: Last year, we at MeinMMO wished for a face scan for the eternal talent Martin Odegaard. However, our wish has yet to be fulfilled. The Norwegian receives special cards all the time, yet there is still no trace of his real face in FIFA 21.

Maybe we can finally use an authentic Odegaard in FIFA 22.

Odegaard still doesn’t have a proper face.

Reinier

This is Reinier: The young striker from Borussia Dortmund has received interesting cards this FUT year that were found in many Bundesliga teams. However, after a goal with the strong striker card, you often had to wonder who on the pitch was celebrating their fantastic goal, because the player certainly doesn’t look like Reinier.

Is this supposed to be Reinier?

Arthur

This is Arthur: While there is a certain resemblance between the real Arthur and his FIFA counterpart, it is not due to a detailed face scan from EA. The strong midfielder (84) has been running around with a standard face for several years and urgently needs an overhaul – in-game, that is.

There is some resemblance despite the bland face.

Many unknown talents have real faces

There are also counterexamples: As shown by the YouTube channel FCG (via YouTube), there are also many young players that EA has recreated with face scans. It is even more surprising that some stars lack their real faces.

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Which players would you like to see a new game face for? Or do you think it’s not so bad if some players don’t have real faces in the new FIFA title? Let us know in the comments.

Which Bundesliga players urgently need new ratings? We show you here:

6 Bundesliga players from FIFA 21 who need to be much better in FIFA 22

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Destiny 2: Bungie is suddenly angry at Data Miners, but they say: It’s their own fault

Sven Galitzki Sven Galitzki Reading time 4 minutes

A heated discussion recently erupted around the spoiler culture in Destiny 2 due to a leaked emblem. Bungie expressed anger towards data miners and their “leaks,” but they countered and held the studio accountable.

Data mining, or “digging” for information from game data or via the API, has always been a controversial topic in Destiny.

  • Some are grateful that they receive exciting info early, such as on upcoming new exotics or when certain seasonal cosmetics can be purchased in Eververse with in-game currency. Others simply enjoy finding exact stats and possible rolls of all weapons in the game through databases like light.gg.
  • Other players demonize it, as it reveals new content too early, spoils upcoming story snippets, or generally ruins a surprise or two.

Recently, the topic of data mining gained attention again in connection with the Season 14.

What is API? API stands for “application programming interface” and is essentially the interface between Destiny 2 and external services like apps or websites that access certain data from the game through Bungie’s online database. For example, current player statistics or vendor inventories can be read and displayed through other applications. Popular databases like light.gg or tracker sites like Destiny Tracker or Trials Report obtain their data this way. Bungie itself determines which data can be accessed via the API.

Bungie is upset about data miners

What is the discussion about? Last weekend, community manager Dylan “dmg04” Gaffner suddenly spoke out and warned players on Twitter against purchasing a specific emblem. Codes for this emblem had already been sold, but it is not yet in the game and is supposed to be available for free later—hence the warning.

After Bungie inquired with players who already possessed the emblem about its source, they quickly blamed data miners for the situation. The tweet stated, among other things: “Data miners—please stop spoiling content, be it story or emblem codes…”

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This sparked a debate about whether data mining is a curse or a blessing for Destiny, with many sharing dmg04’s perspective.

The problem is: according to investigations by Kotaku, the codes for the emblem did not come from data miners but from a Bungie insider. This was confirmed by the seller of the codes when asked by Kotaku.

However, another tweet from Bungie employee Drew Tucker from the Player Support Team followed, explaining how poorly Bungie feels about leaks and spoilers.

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While this message also received much support, some prominent data miners expressed their frustration over Bungie’s tweets.

How data miners respond

Among them is Josh Hunt, the mind behind Destiny tools like Destiny Sets and Ghost Overlay, who voiced his discontent about the matter.

He asks: “If it was supposed to be a secret that you didn’t want spoiled, why was it not labeled as such?” This whole matter was made publicly available by Bungie through the API, which is the essence of an API—that third parties can use and process this information.

https://twitter.com/joshhunt/status/1406770967079272454?s=20

Hunt continued: “You [Bungie] create a publicly accessible API that third parties are supposed to use to create apps and even promote it on your website and in the game. Then you turn around and throw them [the third parties] under the bus and say they spoil content?”

https://twitter.com/joshhunt/status/1406773638389456896?s=20

In conclusion, Hunt states: “This is entirely on you, Bungie. Go back and label spoilers and other secret content. Don’t leave it for those building popular community sites to guess what you want to keep secret, only to end up being reprimanded by Bungie employees for spoiling it.”

Also, JpDeathBlade, a well-known data miner who runs the site TodayInDestiny, joined the discussion and emphasized that Bungie can easily mark things as “secret” in the API if they wish, so data miners can clearly see that it’s a secret and that this data is generally harder to access. The said “A Classy Order” emblem, for example, was completely unencrypted. “It’s hard to dig up something that’s completely publicly accessible,” the miner said.

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Bungie is therefore capable of classifying database entries. In such cases, the exact information about exotics, triumphs, and other items cannot simply be publicly read.

JpDeathBlade also defended data miners who weren’t even responsible for the codes for the emblem circulating. As another example of Bungie’s “openness,” he provided the (at that time still) upcoming lore from Destiny 2, which is 100% freely accessible through the API—one wouldn’t even need to mine it, according to JpDeathBlade.

“If it helps someone, it’s okay…”

In a conversation with Polygon, JpDeathBlade aired his frustrations further.

“Most people are mentally divided about data mining—if it helps them, that’s fine.” A good example is his own website. TodayInDestiny shows interested players when certain weapon skins or other cosmetics rotate for sale in the in-game shop, allowing players to plan ahead for when to buy what. “Because it saves people silver [real money currency], they see it as a good thing. Usually, people just thank me or talk about which ornament they want to buy next.”

He ends by criticizing dmg04’s tweet again: “People then think all data miners are selling codes and not just one.” For this, he himself faced harsh attacks and even threats from others.

Also interesting:

What do the players think? Discussions reveal that it remains a very controversial topic. It seems that the majority of players want surprises to remain surprises. At the same time, many understand that with an open API, designed specifically for fans to develop their own tools, it could continue to be problematic unless Bungie makes changes on their end. Because ultimately, they remain in control of this system.

But what do you say? What are your thoughts on the whole matter? Is data mining both a curse and a blessing? Should Bungie make changes? Or are data miners really to blame for everything? Let us know in the comments, as well as other readers from MeinMMO.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Polygon
  2. Kotaku
  3. Forbes
  4. GameRant

In GTA Online, you can now buy a yacht cheaply – Is it worth it?

Tarek Zehrer Tarek Zehrer Reading time 3 minutes

This week there are again plenty of bonuses and discounts in GTA Online. This includes a hefty discount on yachts. MeinMMO shows you how much money you can save and whether it’s worth it.

How much do yachts cost in GTA Online? Normally, you have to shell out a lot of cash to buy a yacht. The cheapest model costs a whopping 6 million GTA dollars. Here’s an overview:

  • Cheapest yacht – The Orion for 6,000,000 GTA dollars
  • Mid-range: The Pisces for 7,000,000 GTA dollars
  • Most expensive yacht: The Aquarius for 8,000,000 GTA dollars

These are just the prices for the models that haven’t been upgraded yet. For the most expensive model, you could also end up around 10 million GTA dollars.

How much can you save now? Thanks to the “Weekly Bonuses,” you can save 50% on purchasing a yacht. Thus, the models cost:

  • Orion: 3,000,000 GTA dollars
  • Pisces: 3,500,000 GTA dollars
  • Aquarius: 4,000,000 GTA dollars

Modifications for your yacht are also 50% cheaper. But is it even worth it to buy a yacht?

GTA Online Yacht expensive prices overview

The benefits of a yacht in GTA Online

What does buying one get you? The mid-range and the most expensive yacht give you a free jacuzzi and a helicopter upon purchase.

  • With the Pisces, you get the “Buckingham Swift Deluxe” helicopter
  • With the Aquarius, you get the Buckingham SuperVolito Carbon
  • If you want to buy one of these helicopters, there’s also a 40% discount this week

To get to your ship, you can call boats and jet skis. On board your ship, you’ll find an NPC captain who will take you to various locations for 25,000 GTA dollars. There’s also a bartender.

Is it worth buying a yacht? In short: If you want to get rich with it, buying it isn’t worth it. A yacht is more of a prestige object to show off how much money you have. We explained that in more detail in another article, what a yacht actually brings.

However, you can at least complete some yacht missions, the “A Superyacht Life” missions. This week, they bring triple RP and cash rewards.

More about GTA Online:

GTA Online – Weekly Bonuses from June 24

What other bonuses are there? In addition to the discount for yacht models, there’s also a new podium vehicle and various other bonuses, as there are every week. Here are some highlights of this week:

  • Podium vehicle: Enus Windsor Drop
  • Triple GTA dollars and RP in Adversary Mode Deadline
  • Double GTA dollars and RP in Adversary Mode Entourage
  • 40% discount on the aircraft “Buckingham Luxor” (600,000 GTA dollars)
  • 40% discount on the aircraft “Buckingham Luxor Deluxe” (6,000,000 GTA dollars)
  • All hangars are 50% off

You can also find an overview of the weekly bonuses on the GTA Online subreddit. (via reddit.com)

What’s new in GTA Online? Currently, it’s fairly quiet. Recently, there were speculations that there might be news about GTA Online soon.

The reason: The weekly bonuses ran for two weeks, unlike usual. Fans speculated whether Rockstar might be working on any news. However, that hasn’t been confirmed yet.

So far, we only know that Rockstar is still working on the version of GTA Online for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S: GTA Online shows release for the new version on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. reddit.com

Halo Infinite explains Seasons and Battle Passes – Shouldn’t be a boring grind

Tarek Zehrer Tarek Zehrer Reading time 3 minutes

In a new blog post about the multiplayer of Halo Infinite, developers Ryan Paradis (Live Team Design Director) and Christopher Blohm (Lead Progression Designer) disclose, among other things, how long a season will last and what content you can expect. MeinMMO summarizes the latest information for you.

Since the showcase at the E3 2021 there has been much discussion about the multiplayer of Halo Infinite. In the presentation, the developers addressed the new model of the multiplayer.

What’s new? Unlike previous Halo titles, the multiplayer will have a Free2Play model, so you can play it for free. Additionally, there will be battle passes and seasons, similar to games like CoD Warzone or Destiny 2, to ensure you always have something to do.

Now, developer 343 Industries has commented on how a season will proceed and even revealed the theme of the 1st season at launch. We provide you with an overview.

The season model in Halo Infinite – Season 1 returns to Reach

How long does a season last? According to 343, a season will last approximately 3 months. This is intended to give players enough time to unlock all the content without having to invest countless hours every day.

What content can players expect? Each season is supposed to bring a wealth of new content – in the form of updates. These updates include things like:

  • Events
  • Gameplay content
  • New systems
  • Adjustments
  • Cosmetics
  • New progression options

The developers emphasize that you will not have to wait 3 months for patches that fix any bugs. The technical state of the game takes precedence over the delivery of new content.

What’s coming in the 1st season? The developers have already revealed the title for the first season in Halo Infinite: “Heroes of Reach.” Thus, the theme returns to one of the most popular entries in the Halo series: Halo Reach.

Here, not only will there be corresponding visual adjustments that veterans will likely recognize from the game, but also the story of Reach will somehow play a role.

How do seasonal events work? The developers are still holding back on details, but they intend to provide further information before the start of each season. However, one detail is already available: In the first season, there will be events titled “Fractured.” These will grant you the cool Spartan armor in Samurai style that has previously been revealed:

This is the Yoroi armor that you will likely be able to unlock around the release of Halo Infinite.

Overall, events are meant to be fun and provide variety. They will change weekly, and there will also be new activities and rewards.

These rewards are independent of the battle passes that will also be included in the multiplayer of Halo Infinite. Further details about these have also been provided.

Battle passes bring visual customization, no boring grind

This is how the battle pass works in Halo Infinite: Similar to other titles, battle passes in Halo Infinite are split into two paths: free and paid. These will provide you with different contents:

  • Challenges
  • Skill rewards
  • Event reward paths
  • Legacy rewards

Again, 343 has not yet provided any details. The developers emphasize that the contents of the pass should not require a boring grind. Instead, they should be unlockable alongside gameplay and not require additional time commitment.

Ryan Paradis says: “For my part, I can’t stand it when I play a game JUST to finish the battle pass – it feels like a chore to me.”

One of the biggest differences from other games is that battle passes in Halo Infinite stay permanent. You purchase them once and can unlock their content permanently and without time limitations, even if the season is long over. According to Paradis, this system was developed with a “player first” mentality.

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What does a battle pass cost? There are no details yet. In CoD Warzone, a battle pass costs about 10 euros. In Fortnite, a battle pass also falls into this price range. It is possible that Halo Infinite will orient itself to this. However, this is just speculation.

More on the topic:

When will Halo Infinite be released? Both the campaign and the multiplayer are scheduled to release in “Holiday 2021”, meaning sometime towards the end of this year.

In contrast to the multiplayer, you will have to pay full price for the campaign and can experience the conclusion of the story surrounding the Master Chief. Alternatively, the story will be available from day one in Xbox Game Pass.

If you want more information about the multiplayer, check out our overview of Halo Infinite: All information about the multiplayer – Release, Beta, Crossplay

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. halowaypoint.com

WoW: Item Spotlight – The Shimmering Rod allows “Laser Tag” games

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time < 1 minutes

In today’s Item Spotlight, Cortyn presents a toy from World of Warcraft that can provide a lot of fun – as it creates a new mini-game.

Most toys in World of Warcraft only offer cosmetic changes without much utility. However, there are a few exceptions that allow for completely new mini-games in World of Warcraft. One such item is the Dazzling Rod. It provides distraction and a tactical skill game.

What is the

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

The 5 biggest ‘WoW killers’ that were killed by WoW

Alexander Leitsch Alexander Leitsch Reading time 7 minutes

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.

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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.

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Fortnite: What is the use of Gold Bars and where can you find them?

Eilyn Rapp Eilyn Rapp Reading time 2 minutes

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.

What are Gold Bars? The Bars were introduced as currency in Season 5 – Chapter 2. Unlike V-Bucks, these can only be used in matches and cannot be used to unlock or purchase cosmetics.

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:

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.

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Where can you find Gold Bars?

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.

fortnite goldbarren kopfgeld titel
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 Addons in Ranking – From unpopular to popular

Irina Moritz Irina Moritz Reading time 4 minutes

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

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  • Release: August 24, 2013
  • Votes: 4.6%

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

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  • Release: June 20, 2017
  • Votes: 10.07%

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

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  • Release: June 23, 2015
  • Votes: 28.3%

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.

More about FFXIV on MeinMMO can be found here:

Rank 1: Shadowbringers

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  • Release: July 2, 2019
  • Votes: 57.03%

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:

Final Fantasy XIV brings new expansion Endwalker – release date and all the information

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Destiny 2: Xur today – location and offer on 25.06.

Philipp Hansen Philipp Hansen Reading time 3 minutes

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:

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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

Titan: Emblem of Alpha Lupi – Chest armor for 23 Legendary Shards

  • Mobility: +11
  • Resilience: +10
  • Recovery: +10
  • Discipline: +19
  • Intellect: +12
  • Strength: +2
  • Total: 64

Hunter: Raiden Flux – Chest armor for 23 Legendary Shards

  • Mobility: +8
  • Resilience: +17
  • Recovery: +7
  • Discipline: +12
  • Intellect: +15
  • Strength: +2
  • Total: 61

Warlock: Nezarec’s Sin – Helm for 23 Legendary Shards

  • Mobility: +10
  • Resilience: +3
  • Recovery: +23
  • Discipline: +12
  • Intellect: +13
  • Strength: +7
  • Total: 68

Exotic Engram for 97 Legendary Shards

Weekly quest for an Exotic Code

Xur and his Exotics are of course also available in the video – namely here at Nexxoss Gaming:

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Trials of Osiris from June 25 – 29.

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.

Raid Update in Pokémon GO: Did Niantic Miss a Chance?

Franzi Korittke Franzi Korittke Reading time 3 minutes

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 GO this 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!

Will the long-awaited in-game chat in Pokémon GO be coming soon? We took a look at this and summarized it for you.

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?

What happened? As Niantic announced yesterday on their website, there is now an update for the raids (via pokemongolive.com). In the past, dataminers have reported about new features regarding raid successes and the introduction of a raid stadium. Now these changes are available in the game.

What changes are there after the raid update?

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.

Pokemon GO-new Raid Arena
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 GO this 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!

Will the long-awaited in-game chat in Pokémon GO be coming soon? We took a look at this and summarized it for you.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

MMORPG Lord of the Rings Online brings 2 new servers, but players view them critically

Mark Sellner Mark Sellner Reading time 3 minutes

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:

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New Servers from HDRO Meet Resistance

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?

If slow servers are still too fast for you, you can just bake to maximum level in Lord of the Rings Online.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

ESO: Curious bug suddenly turns players into dogs and thousands celebrate the “error”

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 2 minutes

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?”

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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:

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.

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PES 2022 attacks FIFA 22 regarding licenses – Will it be an alternative after a year break?

Max Handwerk Max Handwerk Reading time 3 minutes

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:

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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.

It is quite possible that a first comparison will be drawn at that time, showing how the duel between PES and FIFA could unfold this year. You can find out everything that is currently known about the FIFA 22 release here.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

WoW Patch 9.1: How Your Class Changes in ‘Chains of Domination’

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 9 minutes

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.
WoW Demon Hunter Casting Shadowlands title 1140x445

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.
WoW Hunter Pet Night Elf

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.
Wow Monk Artwork

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.
WoW Shadowlands Paladin Thumbs Up title titel 1280x720

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.
WoW-Rogue-Artwork

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.
WoW Legion warrior furor

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.
Source(s):
  1. worldofwarcraft.com

With a trick you can already test Pokémon Unite – But you must hurry

Tarek Zehrer Tarek Zehrer Reading time 2 minutes

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.

What monsters you can choose in the game and how they differ from each other have been summarized in our overview: All playable Pokémon in Pokémon Unite and what roles they have

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:

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This is what you need to do afterwards:

  • Log in with your Japanese account in the store.
  • Through this, you can download the network test for Pokémon Unite.
  • You can also find the link here via the Japanese store: store-jp.nintendo.com
  • 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.

via nintendolife.com

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.
Source(s):
  1. nintendolife.com

In Destiny 2 the servers are down – emergency maintenance on Friday

Philipp Hansen Philipp Hansen Reading time 2 minutes

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:

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Here is the original announcement.

Since then, the servers have been unreachable. MeinMMO is continuously updating this article today so that you are always kept up to date.

Bungie comments on unreachable servers in Destiny 2

What is behind this? Bungie has not yet commented on the cause of the problems. Players should be prepared for updates.

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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.

To pass the time:

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.

Veniax via Twitter

When maintenance was scheduled for Friday evening in May 2021, it visibly annoyed the readers here on MeinMMO: Destiny 2 is bringing down a server – right when everyone wants to play

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.
Source(s):
  1. Bungie Help

5 good MMORPGs on sale during the Steam Summer Sale 2021

Alexander Leitsch Alexander Leitsch Reading time 6 minutes

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
  • set up your own house
  • build a ship and sail the world
  • dive into PvP and conquer outposts with a guild

In return, Black Desert forgoes a linear story. The MMORPG recently released season servers where you can level up faster and catch up with veterans.

YouTuber Entenburg took a look at Black Desert in 2021:

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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.

More about Black Desert on MeinMMO:

Xsyon: Prelude – 67% Discount

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:

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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.

Final Fantasy XIV – 60% Discount

Type: Themepark | Developer: Square Enix | Platform: PC, PS4, PS5 | Release Date: August 27, 2013| Model: Pay-to-Play

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.

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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.

  • You manage huge castles and have to pay attention to the morale of the residents
  • Other players can besiege and conquer the castles
  • Generally, PvP is possible everywhere in the world, while Gloria Victis relies on an action combat system
  • 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:

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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:

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Who is it worth it for? 

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.

More about MMORPGs on MeinMMO:

More MMORPGs and online games on sale

If you are looking for more offers, you can find these games on sale on Steam:

  • Wild Terra 2 (MMORPG) – €20.99 instead of €29.99
  • Project: Gorgon (MMORPG) – €25.49 instead of €33.99
  • ArcheAge Unchained (MMORPG) – €6.39 instead of €15.99
  • Last Oasis (Survival) – €16.24 instead of €24.99
  • Sea of Thieves (Co-op) – €26.79 instead of €39.99
  • Rust (Survival) – €16.99 instead of €33.99
  • DayZ (Survival) – €23.99 instead of €39.99
  • Ark: Survival Evolved (Survival) – €8.24 instead of €24.99
  • Fallout 76 (Survival) – €13.19 instead of €39.99
  • CryoFall (Survival) – €12.99 instead of €19.99
  • Conan Exiles (Survival) – €11.99 instead of €39.99
  • Elite Dangerous (Space MMO) – €6.24 instead of €24.99
  • The Division (Shooter) – €7.49 instead of €29.99
  • Destiny 2: Shadowkeep (Shooter) – €9.99 instead of €24.99

If you are generally looking for new games, we can recommend our list of the 15 best MMOs and MMORPGs.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.