One of the producers of ARC Raiders revealed that there were so-called “playtest battles” during development.This was fought in developer team against developer team.
In a talk at GDC (Game Developers Conference), producer Caio Braga gave a presentation about the development process of ARC Raiders. In the presentation “When Your AAA Game Isn’t Fun: The ARC Raiders Story of Starting Over with Intent,” Caio Braga primarily talked about the importance of playtesting.
According to him, there were also rivalries between the individual teams regarding the game in the form of so-called playtest battles. These teams were supposed to believe in something different in the game, making it sometimes more difficult for the other developers on the team. This was, according to Caio Braga, done daily.
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ARC Raiders shows new Hurricane condition and hints at a new enemy
Developer Team vs. Developer Team
What did these playtest battles look like? The core of the playtest battles is described by Caio Braga with an example. The weapon team wanted the weapons in the game to feel particularly good for players, thus making them so powerful that they could quickly kill the ARCs.
However, during the next playtest, the ARC team was annoyed that the time and effort they invested in the AI of the opponents felt almost wasted. So they vented their frustrations by making the ARCs more powerful.
This changed the very essence of the shooter in the next playtest, and Caio Braga describes it by saying: Suddenly you’re playing a Souls game, and the weapons no longer matter. (via gamesradar+). So you can imagine it as if ARC Raiders had unstoppable bosses like in Elden Ring or other Souls games.
This way, the various development teams have been arguing for years about the soul and identity of the game. After that, the team was reduced in size, allowing for a refocusing on the ARC Raiders.
The biggest YouTuber in the world Jimmy MrBeast Donaldson incurs losses on every project with his main channel on YouTube. But that’s exactly what he wants. Behind it lies an empire that needs very different currencies: reach and image.
Who is it about? Jimmy MrBeast Donaldson started his YouTube channel in 2012, and like many others at the time, his first videos were Let’s Plays. MrBeast finally achieved his breakthrough in 2017, and now, in March 2025, he has over 471 million subscribers. This makes him the most subscribed channel on the platform (Source: nindo.de).
Most of the videos on his main channel are generally associated with a large budget, in which he presents participants with extraordinary challenges. They are filmed in crazy locations and participants are offered a high-value prize or sums, often in the six-figure range.
One might think that MrBeast earns millions from ad revenue with this channel on YouTube. After all, most of his YouTube videos are ad-friendly and get a lot of clicks. But that’s not the case; on the contrary: According to a report by Quartz magazine, MrBeast even incurs a loss with every main channel video that he produces and uploads.
However, these losses are accounted for because there is a sophisticated machinery behind the YouTuber.
In Germany, Gronkh was the number 1 on YouTube for a long time:
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Gronkh, the man with the voice – Career and life of Germany’s most famous Let’s Player
This is how MrBeast’s company works
What is behind MrBeast? MrBeast is no longer an ordinary YouTuber. He is an entrepreneur who has built a multi-million dollar business with his reach and wants to continue to build it. He owns the company Beast Industries, which encompasses everything:
YouTube videos on all channels
Feastables – chocolate bars
Lunchly – a snack box that he created together with YouTubers Logan Paul and KSI
Beast toys
This company is worth 5 billion dollars but incurs losses with the videos on the MrBeast main channel. This main channel is not meant to make money, but rather to generate more reach.
The cuts, titles, and even the thumbnails of the videos are designed to achieve the highest possible views. Additionally, MrBeast has his videos translated into other languages with the help of YouTube to be accessible to even more people. This also applies to his numerous auxiliary channels, such as Beast Gaming or MrBeast 2.
MrBeast focuses on consumption
How does MrBeast make a profit? The fame that MrBeast generates through his YouTube presence can be used to draw new people to his products. After all, people know him from YouTube, where he does extraordinary projects, often philanthropic, and thus there is a certain trust relationship that can lead to a purchasing decision.
His products also find their way into his YouTube videos, which achieve views in the hundreds of millions. MrBeast, or simply Beast, thus becomes a brand that can be found in many different consumer sectors.
MrBeast in front of an Edeka in Germany. With this video, he advertises his chocolate bars, which are also available to buy here (Source: Screenshot YouTube).
In the future, MrBeast plans to enter many more sectors. Recently, for example, he bought the financial app Step, as STERN reported. It is not just a bank in mobile form but includes other functions like crypto and loans.
MrBeast is not without criticism
In 2023, the YouTuber jacksepticeye caused a stir with a statement: He believes MrBeast has ruined YouTube: Because it was more about clicks, money, and popularity than about having fun.(Source: YouTube from minute 09:54). MrBeast is not a YouTuber who uses YouTube as a sort of diary for his passion but rather to extract as much reach as possible from it.
This character of YouTube, it must be said fairly, has been significantly less represented for a long time. However, MrBeast is considered a prominent example of this commercial character of the platform.
Additionally, other controversies have surrounded the YouTuber and entrepreneur in recent years:
In the past, allegations were made against an employee of MrBeast, Ava Tyson, who was accused of sexually abusing teenagers. However, this charge was dropped according to the BBC.
A class-action lawsuit arose against the entrepreneur regarding the Beast Games, a game show that MrBeast hosted on Amazon Prime Video. As BBC reported, there were several alleged incidents of sexual harassment and unsafe conditions, according to the participants.
In June 2025, MrBeast released an AI tool that was supposed to make it easier for content creators to create thumbnails. For that, the AI had to be given a prompt and a template, that is, the thumbnail of another YouTuber, to generate another thumbnail from it. This caused a major outcry within the community, especially among designers, whose profession was thus in jeopardy. MrBeast then deleted the AI tool (Source: BBC).
Lunchly had mold on the cheese in many samples, which led many to question the product (Source: Forbes).
Moreover, MrBeast demonstrates how one can build an entire empire around YouTube and the reach it generates. Not only does money seem to be a necessary currency for this, but also reach.
MeinMMO author Paul Kutzner was allowed to take a look at the Top Trainer Box and 2 Build & Battle Boxes of the upcoming expansion “Optimal Order” from the Pokémon TCG. And he had a lot of fun.
New expansions for the Pokémon TCG are regularly released. This is also the case on March 27, 2026. Then the next expansion “Optimal Order,” which is part of the “Mega Evolution” series, will be released. The focus of this expansion is the legendary monster Zygarde in its Mega-ex form.
I was allowed to take a look at some products of the new expansion and dared to engage in battles with the decks. And I had a lot of fun with them.
You can now also collect cards and engage in battles virtually:
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Pokémon TCG Pocket scores with pure nostalgia
First collect, then fight
What did I get to test? The products of the new expansion that I got to test were the so-called Top Trainer Box and 2 copies of the Build & Battle Boxes.
In the Top Trainer Box, in addition to 9 booster packs of the expansion, there is also a promo card, card sleeves, damage dice, a coin flip die, a plastic coin, dividers for sorting cards in the box, 1 code card, and 40 energy cards.
Particularly, I was impressed by the promo card of Balgoras. I find the Pokémon itself and especially the graphical design of the card very appealing. But even aside from the promo card, the boosters contained some great cards that really caught my eye with their design.
What’s in the Top Trainer Box…… and what’s in one of the Build & Battle Boxes
The Build & Battle Boxes come with 4 different contents, which are not recognizable from the outside. Each variant contains 1 promo card and 39 additional cards tailored to that specific promo card. Additionally, there are 4 booster packs from the expansion included as well.
In my two boxes, I got one deck with Monargoras and one with Thanathora. Since my girlfriend and I previously used beginner decks that we adjusted over time, it was time to test the new decks.
For this, we first took the cards from the boosters and added 20 additional cards to each deck so that we ended up with 2 decks of 60 cards each.
Some of the most beautiful cards I have received
How did the battles go? We looked at the decks beforehand and discovered that their strengths were quite different. While one deck relied on Monargoras, which was almost unbeatable once it was in play, the other deck focused more on monsters with moderate damage that could be played more quickly.
My girlfriend chose the Monargoras deck while I took Thanathora. For the duels, we generally use a mat that has served us well in the past.
Overall, we played 3 duels, of which she won two and I won one. We had fun in all three rounds, thanks to the new cards and mechanics. There was, for instance, Thanathora’s ability to play one additional energy card each turn, or the PokéPad, which allows you to grab a Pokémon card from the deck.
However, we noticed during the games what cards we were still missing in the decks. The Thanathora deck often struggled to draw enough energy cards from the deck, and both decks lacked the ability to quickly or even at all swap their own and opponent’s monsters.
The new decks in practice test
Why am I back in full swing? Essentially, we are both no longer in the beginner field, but we also don’t want to play with the meta-decks of the professionals. The battles in the Pokémon TCG provide us with a nice and relaxing change to have a few hours of fun. And we have already had quite a few.
Nevertheless, I always like to see what I can adjust in the decks without throwing away the fundamental mechanics of the deck. After the first rounds, I am already back to analyzing the decks and considering which cards we could remove and which to add.
The current realization, to add a few more energy cards as well as cards like Swap (free swapping of your own monsters) and Boss’s Orders (swap of the opponent’s monster), will certainly be followed by several more.
That’s exactly what excited me about our first beginner decks and does so again now. Adjust the deck, engage in battles, consider optimizations, adjust the deck again. Therefore, I am already looking forward to the next battles and the considerations afterwards on how we can make the decks more balanced and the battles even more exciting.
The Netflix series based on One Piece is meant to entertain newcomers as well as veterans of the anime. The actor playing Zoro, Mackenyu, knows his fans very well and made an important request to the production team.
What was so important for Zoro? On Whiskey Peak Island, there is a scene where Zoro must face a massive fight all alone. The friendly residents turn out to be 100 bounty hunters belonging to the Baroque Works, a criminal organization.
Zoro stands alone in the night and confronts the hostile forces to protect his defenseless crew. To ensure this scene is as accurate as possible, Mackenyu had a request for the production team:
I fought against 100 opponents. And I knew that the fans would count them. I told them it had to be exactly 100.
On Reddit, the fans in question agree. Many write that Mackenyu knows his fans and that some have actually counted. They praise the actor for thinking about the hardcore fans as well.
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Netflix shows in the new trailer for One Piece the many new villains of Season 2
Scene took place under extreme conditions
How meticulous are the fans? The hardcore fans of One Piece regularly come up with theories, as is the case in many franchises. There can be connections between individual chapter numbers or specific Devil Fruits. It often happens that they turn out to be true.
Did Mackenyu perform the scene himself? In fact, Mackenyu shot the entire scene himself and did not use a stuntman. This is probably because Mackenyu is also a good swordsman in real life. So much so that he had to act worse for a scene.
The scene with the 100 fighters is said to have taken 6 hours and was completed within 8 days. However, Mackenyu had to deal with an injury: He reportedly broke his finger.
Two indie games go online at the same time under the same name on Steam. When the developers notice the name duplication, they decide to collaborate.
What kind of games are they? On March 11 and 13, 2026, two new indie games hit the Steam market. Both are called Piece by Piece, but they differ entirely in gameplay.
In Piece by Piece, the life simulation game by Gamkat/No More Robots, you play as a little fox moving to a new town in the woods. Here, you set up a shop that repairs the broken items of the residents, such as lamps or plates. You must carefully piece the items back together.
In Piece by Piece, the puzzle game by Neon Polygons, you need to assemble levels first with the help of puzzle pieces to be able to play them. Then you run through the levels with your character, collect items, and fight enemies. The game features a cute pixel art style.
By the way: Both games are celebrating their release with a discount on their already low price. In Piece by Piece, the life simulation, you can save 20% on Steam and pay only 7.99 euros. And in Piece by Piece, the puzzle game, you save 15% on Steam and only have to pay 10.87 euros.
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In Piece by Piece you build your own repair shop in the woods
Situation ends well when you behave like a human
How are the developers collaborating? The developers noticed that they had released two games with the same name. But instead of fighting legally or similar, they worked together. They created a Steam bundle with their two games: Piece by Piece Double on Steam includes both games and costs 20.50 euros or currently only 16.97 euros with a 17% discount.
On Reddit, Chase_P, one of the developers of Neon Polygons, wrote the following about the initiative:
All of this came together within just a few weeks. We practically announced our release dates simultaneously – two days apart … and under the same title. I saw that they were released by No More Robots […] and thought we had nothing to lose if we just asked. Mike Rose from No More Robots didn’t hesitate for a second: “That sounds like fun,” was his reply, and man, I’m glad we did that. It was such a positive week, and I am grateful for people and companies with values like the teams at Gamkat and No More Robots.
No More Robots also commented on Reddit and wrote: It’s crazy to believe that a situation could turn out well if you behave like a human, right? Who would have thought?
Moreover, the puzzle game Piece by Piece seems to already be a big success. Chase_P wrote on Reddit that he had already earned back the money he had previously invested in the game within the first 24 hours. The joint initiative seemed to pay off not only in a human sense but also financially.
In a fantasy world like that of Dungeons & Dragons, you can be whoever or whatever you want. However, if you want to get the most out of your character, until recently you only had one ideal choice: the human.
Whether in WoW, D&D, Baldur’s Gate 3, or any other fantasy game: those who play a human are often looked down upon. After all, who wants to be what they already are in real life in such an open world? You see it similarly: in the survey about favorite races, humans only ranked 6th.
Nevertheless, humans are the most popular race according to D&D Beyond and: “Human, Fighter, Sword & Shield” is not only a meme but also a frequently chosen combination in role-playing games.
Playing a human in a fantasy game doesn’t have to be a sign of lack of creativity since, often, the race is simply strong due to its advantages. This is also true for Dungeons & Dragons, as humans were long considered the best choice for any class – and that was due to a special feature.
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D&D in crisis: What will happen to Baldur’s Gate 4 now? The GameStar Talk in the video
“Variant Human” makes humans demigods at early levels
Normally, all races in the 5th edition of D&D have a +2 bonus to one attribute and a +1 bonus to another attribute. This is valuable because attribute increases are otherwise only possible every 4 levels or through special items, potions, and the like.
However, humans are, as often in fantasy games, blessed with “Versatility.” They receive a +1 attribute bonus to everything, which is quite useless for most classes. However, the manual provides the option to play the “variant feature” if the game master allows it.
With this variant, you gain +1 to two different attributes and a feat of your choice (from page 165). These feats are extremely powerful. Many of them grant a +1 to an attribute as well as an additional effect – making you on paper stronger than most other races.
Some feats are so strong that they are almost overpowered right at the beginning of the game – after all, you usually get them no earlier than level 4. Some of these feats include:
Healer: with this you can restore 1d6+4 hit points to a creature with healing equipment per short or long rest. Especially at the beginning, that’s a good portion of the maximum hit points.
Observant: increases Intelligence or Wisdom and provides a bonus to passive perception and investigation.
Athlete: increases Strength or Dexterity and allows climbing without movement penalties.
Magic Initiate: allows simple spells for classes that otherwise could not cast spells.
Armor Training and Mastery: allows or improves wearing armor.
Alert: increases initiative and prevents you from being surprised as long as you are conscious.
Most other feats are only really useful later in the game or only for certain classes and situations. You can find the best feats in our list of the best feats in Dungeons & Dragons.
Not boring at all – humans offer more than you think
Such feats, or “feats”, are mainly interesting for min-maxers but make it easier to get into tricky adventures. However, they are not just suitable for players who want to get the most out of their class; they also fit perfectly into role-playing.
Especially for humans, who are often considered “boring” by many players, you have the opportunity to sharpen your character’s role with the feats. The feats don’t always have to be practical; they can simply fit the character:
Are you a daredevil who loves to fight? Become a bar brawler.
Did you swear in your background to protect the weak? Become a guardian.
Was your character born under a lucky star? Become the lucky one!
Humans in D&D are certainly not just the faceless background characters in cities. They can come from all regions of the world with corresponding background stories and – if you want to play that – with dialects, accents, and other peculiarities. There are many ways to improve immersion for D&D and such small details make the table feel livelier.
2024 has stamped out races, now anyone can do anything… almost
Why do I say that humans were the strongest race and not are? This is due to the major overhaul that Wizards of the Coast released for the 5th edition of D&D in 2024.
The new ruleset changed many rules from the original 5th edition, including how races work. Instead of race-specific advantages and disadvantages dictated by the game, for instance, attribute bonuses can now be freely allocated since 2024.
As compensation for having additional abilities like darkvision or advantages on certain rolls, humans can now choose a feat by default in the 2024 version, but from a slightly smaller pool. Overall, the difference between races is no longer as pronounced as it was before 2024.
How much attention to detail is put into WoW Midnight is quite impressive. Particularly, one NPC stands out clearly.
World of Warcraft Midnight places, more than previous expansions, great emphasis on immersion and story. There are continually opportunities to speak longer with NPCs, ask questions, or use special dialogue options that only exist because you belong to a specific race or class.
The NPC that probably has the most effort and love put into it is Tul’amar – a very special Draenei that you can meet in the Twisting Nether.
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WoW Midnight: Arator’s Light and the Firebrand
Who is Tul’amar? Tul’amar, the Twice-Cursed, belongs to the Nether Envoys. This is a group of Draenei that originally lived on Argus as Eredar until the world was taken over by the Legion. She fled together with the other Eredar and the Naaru’s spaceship. But while the beings now known as “Draenei” traveled from one world to another to escape the Legion, there were always incidents where the spaceship had to take off quickly. In the process, some Draenei were left behind on worlds – just like Tul’amar and her people.
Now Tul’amar and her people are in the Twisting Nether because they were taken there.
Tul’amar, the Thrice-Cursed – a side-quest NPC with a lot of story
What makes Tul’amar so special? The entire quest line surrounding Tul’amar is filled with numerous dialogues that change depending on class and race:
If you are a Draenei yourself, you can converse with her and her companions in your native language [Draenei] as normal. Other races receive only a few meaningful words and mostly many gestures.
Warlocks and Demon Hunters can also speak with her in [Eredun], which is the language of demons – as she speaks it too. They receive entirely different texts and also get different responses.
If you are playing a Draenei and have chosen the Man’ari adaptations – such as a red skin – then there are even more different dialogues.
A lot of attention to detail has been given here, like you usually find only in larger RPGs like Baldur’s Gate 3.
What is most interesting is how much she reveals about her home. She talks about a previously unmentioned planet, how her fight against the Legion unfolded there, how the Nether Envoys even had deserter demons among their ranks, and how Sayaad – that is, Succubi and Incubi – teach their ritual folk sport Jed’hin.
The quest line ends with Tul’amar leading her people back through the portal to their “new, old” homeland – but she stays behind to destroy the portal anchor and thus prevent the Domanaar and Astral beings of the Twisting Nether from ever finding them again. Afterwards, her name also changes. From “Tul’amar, the Twice-Cursed” she becomes “Tul’amar, the Thrice-Cursed.”
An additional great detail is that you can still talk to Tul’amar after the quest line – she is located in Decimus’ camp. You can not only ask her about the plans for the future but also interact with her. If you hug her (/hug), there is a reaction depending on the race. As a Draenei, she thanks you in your native language and enjoys it. With other races, she remains silent but returns the hug cautiously.
She reacts to a hug – particularly positively with Draenei.
Of course, this level of detail is not possible with all NPCs – the effort would be too great. But so much love for detail simply shows how much passion is invested in Midnight and how many thoughts have gone into side quests as well.
Are there other NPCs of this kind? Yes. In the past, Blizzard has repeatedly incorporated some NPCs that interact with the character in various ways. They either have a lot of dialogues to read or respond to emotes – even in Shadowlands, there was the plague inventor Marileth. He also – a little clumsily – accepted his student (at least he believes so). He too was happy about a hug and returned it.
A fan of the extraction shooter ARC Raiders and Dungeons & Dragons had a brilliant idea that led him to combine his two favorite games into a tabletop project: He created a miniature diorama that does not showcase heroic fantasy characters and monsters, but rather ARC-fighting Raiders. MeinMMO editor Caro knew immediately upon seeing this masterpiece that she had to get in touch with this artist.
While scrolling through various gaming communities as I do every day, one morning I came across a piece of art that I simply couldn’t ignore. It not only combined my love for miniatures, but also for ARC Raiders, which I’d only recently started playing.
It’s a miniature diorama in the style of ARC Raiders by the artist Hero_Work_Shop (on Instagram), shared by his friend DestinyNoel98 on Reddit. It depicts a scene in which three Raiders are fighting against a Leaper, with one already down, as indicated by an ascending Raider flare. In another diorama, three more miniatures are facing a bastion.
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The images were a huge hit with the community, especially the hand-painted Raider skins and the flare that actually seems to glow.
As for me, I found the projects of the hobby artist impressive and knew: If he already likes ARC Raiders, Dungeons & Dragons, and miniatures, then he’s a guy I really want to talk to. So, I reached out to him and met a deeply friendly and warm person who was willing to answer a few questions about his work.
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ARC Raiders shows new Hurricane condition and hints at a new enemy
Once the inspiration is there, there’s no stopping
I asked Hero_Work_Shop how he transitioned from D&D miniatures to ARC Raiders and how he first got into painting miniatures in the first place.
He told me that he’s always been a pretty creative person, with lots of different ideas constantly swirling around in his head. A little over two years ago, he started working with clay and a 3D pen, until he eventually noticed other artists: “I saw that others were better, and I said to myself, ‘I want to do that too!’”
A little over two years ago, my friend, who had absolutely no prior experience, told me he wanted to learn D&D, and I just said, “Great! Let’s do it!” After two sessions, I told him zo give me the two miniatures bought online saying I’ll paint them myself … actually – I’ll buy a 3D printer, even without any experience… And that’s how it all started!
With the help of various content creators specializing in miniature painting, he was able to gradually develop the skill he possesses today. While that required a certain amount of discipline, it wasn’t difficult for him at all. And there was one statement I immediately recognized myself in: “When I’m passionate about something- like games in general – I wallow in these things.“
Miniatures were just the first step, now he creates entire scenes
As someone who loves painting miniatures but finds creating an entire diorama deeply intimidating, I was eager to find out how he went about creating his scenes.
As soon as I saw miniatures inspired by ARC Raiders – as always – I wanted to make them myself! And then it’s all about: Do it yourself!
I took a round piece of cardboard, came up with a little scene by placing the miniatures where I liked them, and little by little added a pebble here, a tuft of grass there, and so on… The most important thing is to use a reference to make it as accurate as possible.
He purchased the miniature files online and printed them himself. To achieve a look that was particularly suited to ARC Raiders, he and his friend went to into the game together to take reference photos of the skins and the environment. The rest he decided based on his intuition.
I was particularly impressed by the Raider Flare he implemented on the downed Raider. Here, you can’t “just” (with very thick quotation marks) paint the miniatures, but really get creative with how you depict them. Hero_Work_Shop is honest though, and admits that he got a little help with the idea:
My friend finally had a flash of genius when he saw the Raider on the floor: I set up a simple circuit with a pulsing light and a battery. The battery is actually inside the flare and is covered with cotton wool.
A project that appeals even to fans who aren’t into the hobby
His proud friend shared the diorama with the ARC Raiders community on Reddit, where it has since been admired by many players:
“Dude, that’s amazing – love to buy something like this tbh,” writes dreamtank. Blue18Lightning also emphasizes: “If I was Embark I’d be grinning from ear to ear with pride, this is absolutely fantastic and there’s so much detail they’ve put in as well, outstanding!”
You can find more projects by Hero_Work_Shop on his Instagram, where he’s open to friendly exchanges and commissions.
In addition to Hero_Work_Shop, I’ve already spoken with another miniature artist who, instead of working on Dungeons & Dragons or ARC Raiders, focused on figures from a different game: he painted Pokémon that look as though they’ve been dropped into the Warhammer universe. His skill was so impressive that I could hardly believe he’d only taken up the hobby less than a year ago: I asked a miniature newbie how he managed to paint such a cool Warhammer Snorlax after only 4 months
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The “Death Korps of Krieg” is probably the most famous regiment in the world of Warhammer 40,000, at least among the humans of the Imperium. Often associated with memes about shovels and a wish for death, there is actually a tragic story behind the planet “Krieg” and its people, with an ending that fits perfectly with Warhammer.
Many of you probably already knew this, but: Yes, there is actually a planet in Warhammer that is literally called “Krieg.” The Imperium of Man is already not a particularly pleasant place to live, but Krieg definitely ranks very low on the list of vacation paradises.
Humans originating from such planets are among the toughest fighters around, as they have fought for survival since childhood. This also applies to the infantry of Krieg, who remind one of soldiers from World War I with their iconic coats and gas masks.
Once, Krieg was a flourishing world with billions of people. However, decadence and moral corruption turned Krieg into a nuclear wasteland, and its people into stoic zealots.
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Das Todeskorps von Krieg, das wohl legendärste Batallion des Imperiums in Warhammer 40.000
From Decadent Megapolis to Nuclear Death World
Little is known about the past of Krieg, only that it must have once been a huge megacity world with several hives. Its focus on production led to prosperity, which the rulers of their world eventually saw as a threat in their paranoia.
To protect their wealth, they fortified Krieg and declared their independence from the Imperium. The result was a civil war between loyalists of the Imperium and the rebels of Krieg in the mid-41st millennium.
As the last megapolis, the hive Ferrograd withstood the rebels, and under Colonel Jurten, a final order was given: nuclear bombardment of the entire planet. The credo at the time: If the Emperor cannot have the world, then no one shall.
Since then, Krieg has been an uninhabitable world, an atomic wasteland like in Fallout, plagued by nuclear winter and radiation storms. Humans still live there, in underground bunkers and with complete devotion to the Emperor and the Imperium.
“Die for the Emperor or die trying”
Warriors … War people … Kriegians? The inhabitants of Krieg are among the most indoctrinated people in the entire Imperium. Their minds are deliberately broken to be rebuilt with absolute loyalty to the Emperor.
Believing that they still owe a debt for the rebellion many centuries ago, the people on Krieg endure the harsh conditions without complaint. Thoughts of rebellion are virtually non-existent.
Those who cannot fight work in underground factories to produce war equipment. Those who are trained as soldiers bring important skills and special equipment:
The standard armor of Krieg soldiers includes protective coats, helmets, and the iconic gas masks that you probably know them by.
Due to their origins from a radiation-infested planet, the Korps of Krieg are well-equipped psychologically and physically for the greatest stresses.
Each soldier is additionally equipped with a rudimentary tool for digging trenches – the absolute specialty of the warriors. Hence the well-known meme with the shovel or folding spade, which is considered the best friend of each of these soldiers.
Training also includes instruction with all common weapons of the Astra Militarum, especially the well-known laser rifles. Krieg is especially known for its infantry, tanks and such are usually there to support the infantry.
A soldier of the Death Korps in standard equipment (Image source: Warhammer)
Fanatical Dedication and Unyielding Morality
The people of Krieg are among the toughest fighters of the entire Astra Militarum, though not necessarily the best. Their recklessness and lack of respect for life, which borders on a wish for death, sometimes endanger entire strategies.
Correspondingly, Commissars, who usually enforce morale with brutal means, have a completely different task in the Death Korps: They are supposed to ensure that the warriors do not blindly charge at enemies with bayonets and die, but remind them of the strategic goals.
Allegedly, the people, or at least the soldiers of Krieg, do without individual names and address each other only with their identifications. It is said: Only those who prove themselves are given a name – and often only after death as a martyr.
Although Krieg is a death world, from which usually only a small “tithe” is required, the planet regularly delivers regiments to the Astra Militarum – even more than most other worlds. Allegedly, as many as 50 million soldiers from Krieg enter the Imperial Army annually.
How does such a planet, whose population has been decimated and where life should actually be impossible, manage to produce so many soldiers? The answer lies in this very word: “produce.”
Humans on Krieg are literally bred. How precisely is a secret known only to the scientists there, but through “Vitae-shots,” artificial fertilizations and children born without parents occur.
The same goes for nutrition. While many worlds rely on nutrients derived from corpses, on Krieg, there is usually nutrient paste and some goo from the lab. All things that don’t bother the warriors – after all, they endure it all for the Emperor.
The Division 2 is currently in its anniversary season and has released a limited-time mode as part of the celebrations – and it’s really good.
What kind of mode is this? Until April 2, 2026, you can play the so-called Realism Mode in The Division 2. This tells the story of the DLC “Warlords of New York” and packages the content that is free during the season in a guise that has not been seen in the loot shooter before.
In Realism Mode, as the name suggests, everything is significantly more realistic than in the base game. Most enemies can be taken down with a well-placed headshot, you have significantly less ammunition and medkits, and the HUD is massively stripped down.
Additionally, you can take considerably less damage and enemies no longer glow brightly through walls. You need to pay attention to whether you have missed any enemies hiding behind cover – you can’t take many bullets.
Start video
Ubisoft shows the new DLC of The Division 2 in the trailer
Division as immersive as never before
This is what MeinMMO editor Dariusz says about the mode: The Realism Mode is really a lot of fun and invites you to play The Division 2 again after years. The gameplay experience is entirely different.
Instead of bullet sponges, there are 1-shot headshots in this mode, and thanks to the greatly reduced HUD, everything feels much more immersive. I can engage with the game world much better while playing than in the normal game.
Moreover, I really like that the fights now feel much more dynamic and shield bearers are truly threatening when they run at me. Overall, I’m a big fan of not having to pump countless bullets into a meaningless NPC for him to kick the bucket.
Even when playing the beta of The Division 1 back then, I thought that the bullet sponges somehow didn’t fit the setting of the game. Half of humanity is wiped out by a virus, but when I pump half a kilo of lead into someone’s face, they just stare at me and shoot back – sure.
Today I enjoy playing The Division, but back then I wished for a somewhat more realistic gameplay and hit feedback because of the setting and didn’t buy the shooter right at release.
The Realism Mode now shows me that I would still prefer such a game concept. I would really like to have a game based on this principle or at least have the opportunity to play The Division 2 as a whole like this, not just in a limited-time mode that is restricted to a DLC.
I actually don’t mind that I get significantly less loot and that even the weapon crates scattered around the map don’t open. There’s really not much loot to be found in the open game world anyway.
The best drops have always been from specific enemies in selected missions.
The Division 2 is good as it is. I have a lot of fun with the Realism Mode and would definitely wish for it as a standalone game, but the fans of the franchise might be disappointed if a proper The Division had to make way for it or resources were used for that offshoot.
It’s difficult to say how well such an experiment would work as a standalone game, as not everyone has my gaming taste. I still find it a pity that the mode is supposed to disappear after the season – it feels a bit like wasted potential.
I am sure of one thing:
If tomorrow “The Division 2” were fully playable in Realism Mode, I would play through the game from the very beginning again.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Recently, the perfect game for everyone who misses the unique atmosphere of old video rental stores was released on SteamThe first reviews from players promise a feast for retro film fans.
What game is this about? This is about Retro Rewind – Video Store Simulator. The game was released on March 17, 2026, on Steam and costs a smooth €19.90 there. However, until March 24, 2026, you can get the game with a 20% discount. If you want to take a peek, there’s also a free demo available.
In Retro Rewind, you run your very own video store in the retro style of the early 90s. You can expect neon lights, bright colors, and much more that captures the old zeitgeist.
In the trailer, you can see what your work day in the video store looks like:
Start video
Retro Rewind – Video Store Simulator puts you back in the 90s on Steam, at the head of your own video store
At the helm of your own video store – with everything included
What is the game about? As the owner of your own video store, you take care of everything in your shop, which you build up from scratch. Your first tasks include setting up your business: From carpets to old movie posters and popcorn machines, there’s everything a good video store needs. You also decide where the shelves are placed.
Afterward, you only need to fill the shelves and keep the store running. To do this, you buy VHS tapes through your old PC in the game. Some shady tape dealers can even secure you exclusive (and thus quite valuable) pirated copies.
Your everyday life also consists of fulfilling the wishes of your customers: You reserve specific movies for them upon request, prepare snacks, or even give them personal movie recommendations. However, you also need to collect late fees and rewind tapes – it’s not all rosy in a video store.
Players are already convinced, but it can still get better
What do players say about the game? If you look at the reviews on Steam, the Video Store Simulator is currently doing really well. Of over 1,100 reviews (as of March 21, 2026), a whopping 95% are positive.
Especially the retro look has been perfectly achieved by the developers, it is often said. Many feel directly like they are in an old video store. “If you miss the video stores of the 90s and early 2000s, you’re in the right place,” says Steam user Sharky (source: Steam).
The good condition of the game right at release is often praised, too. It runs smoothly (even on weaker computers) and feels simply finished, says user Hellcat Nightpurr in his Steam review.
The attention to detail is also well received: The movies you place on the shelves all have hand-drawn covers and creative titles that can make you laugh. However, there is also room for improvement, such as with the employees you can hire. According to some, the game could also benefit from more themed decorative items.
In Diablo 4 there are special seals in Season 12 that allow you to increase the difficulty of activities yourself. However, once you have completed an activity at a particularly high level, only one type of seal drops – and this makes the ARPG truly tough, without the ability to revert it.
What makes Diablo 4 so difficult? With the “bloodstained seals,” you can increase the difficulty of content like hell hordes or nightmare dungeons by about one torment level. Additionally, there are also the blood-soaked seals. According to Diablo expert wudijo, they drop as soon as you complete the Pit at level 100.
The challenge of the content activated by the blood-soaked seals is also roughly at pit level 100. The problem is: you can’t escape from it.
In his YouTube video, the expert explains that even the normal bloodstained activities are demanding. While the top builds from Season 12 cope well there, the jump to the blood-soaked seals is so enormous that it’s better to avoid them completely.
Start video
Diablo 4 shows new content from Season 12, the Season of Slaughter, in the trailer
Expert advises: Avoid it, or your farming loop will be ruined
Why should you avoid the seals? Once you complete the Pit at level 100, the character permanently unlocks blood-soaked seals. This upgrades all bloodstained seals to blood-soaked ones, according to wudijo. Since these scale to the difficulty of pit level 100, any content activated in this way, such as nightmare dungeons and hell hordes, becomes a real test of strength.
According to wudijo, this effectively corresponds to a 200-fold increase in difficulty. While normal seals correspond to about pit level 70, the scaling to level 100 results in about a 209-fold multiplier of boss health points. The actual farming loop for activities therefore becomes practically unplayable.
The expert also explains that it won’t help to simply change the torment level. Even if you switch to torment 1, the seals remain at the level of pit level 100.
Will it stay that way? Blizzard has already announced that they will significantly reduce the difficulty of the blood-soaked seals, so that all players who have access to blood-soaked content have a better chance of success. A corresponding patch is scheduled for Tuesday, March 24, 2026.
How do I get other seals? According to wudijo, once you have completed the Pit at level 100, the only current way is to create a new player character. With this character, you can then farm normal bloodstained seals again, as long as you complete a maximum of pit level 99.
If you haven’t even made it to such high levels in the Pit, you are on the safe side and can comfortably farm content at the difficulty level that suits you. Runs for materials are especially important in activities like nightmare dungeons. Here, dungeons with the “Horadric Vault” affix are the most worthwhile. You can find out where you can farm seals and seal powder in Season 12 of Diablo 4 in our overview.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
After the Sauercrowd event in WoW was a great success in Germany, the original should soon provide new moments with its third season. Now, the big cancellation of the streamers follows.
What is OnlyFangs? OnlyFangs is a streamer project in World of Warcraft that has already been very popular with viewers in 2 seasons. So far, WoW Classic Vanilla has been played in hardcore mode with some special rules:
There is permadeath for characters: If you die, you start over
Only streamers and content creators are allowed to participate
Progress is structured and organized as a group
There are clearly defined goals
Exploiting loopholes or exploits is not tolerated
The German counterpart Sauercrowd is also based on the same concept and successfully concluded in February 2026. Planning for the third season of OnlyFangs was already underway, but now the cancellation follows.
Here you can see a pivotal event from Sauercrowd:
Start video
Sauercrowd guild loses its “indestructible” tank just before level 60
OnlyFangs 3 is cancelled
What about the third season? Although fans and content creators were looking forward to the upcoming season in WoW The Burning Crusade, the cancellation now follows. In a clip, Twitch streamer Sardaco reads the official statement from OnlyFangs founder Sodapoppin.
It states that there will be no OnlyFangs 3 for the current The Burning Crusade. They want to postpone the event indefinitely and not force it. According to the statement, the hardcore mode of WoW TBC is not feasible for new WoW players and would only appeal to “sweaty players”.
The challenges of the expansion are much harder than those of previous events, making the challenge even greater.
However, since Sodapoppin does not want a small event, he prefers to skip the current add-on and wait to see what Classic+ has to offer. If the participants want to manage an event independently, he would not stop them, but would not participate either.
For the founder, it is clear: OnlyFangs 3 must be big and diverse and should not consist only of international top WoW streamers.
Here you can see the entire statement:
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When can we expect the new season? While OnlyFangs 3 is currently cancelled, as the founder explains in the statement, the next season could come with Classic+. However, Classic+ or a new Season of Discovery has not yet been announced by Blizzard. However, an update on upcoming Classic content is expected later this year.
So, it may be that the new season starts later in the year or even in 2027. Perhaps there might even be a collaboration with Sauercrowd, which would certainly interest some fans.
That OnlyFangs 3 is now not taking place is surely a disappointment for the participants and fans. At the same time, it is important for the organizer to enable a good and large event with many streamers and not to create a bad atmosphere with a too difficult WoW. These winners ensured a good mood: 7 Twitch streamers emerged as winners from Sauercrowd – three remain in WoW
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the first region of Crimson Desert, you can find a 4-piece equipment set of the Ruler of the Shadowy Streets. MeinMMO reveals the locations and tells you how to navigate through the waterfalls.
What is the set good for? The equipment set of the Ruler of the Shadowy Streets consists of 4 pieces and primarily enhances your resource efficiency as well as your protection against specific elemental damage:
Fabric Hood of the Ruler of the Shadowy Streets: Stamina regeneration increased by 2 percent
Fabric Body Armor of the Ruler of the Shadowy Streets: Restores 0.1 spirit every second, bonus for damage reduction
Leather Gloves of the Ruler of the Shadowy Streets: Lightning and ice resistance, bonus for critical hit chance and defense
Fabric Cloak of the Ruler of the Shadowy Streets: High bonus on ice resistance
Unfortunately, there is no set bonus.
You can find many tips for getting started in Crimson Desert on our MeinMMO YouTube channel – check it out!
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Where can I get the clothes? Each piece is located in its own cave of Hernand. All caves are hidden by a waterfall. The pressure of the water is so high that you cannot simply walk through the waterfall. However, with the charged Push skill (on controller RB plus Y), you can navigate through the water to the cave area.
The first cave is located west of the Grey Mane camp, and it is called Misty Breath Cave.
Position of the Misty Breath Cave
The second cavern is best accessed via the fast travel point at the Witch’s House in the Witchwoods, a bit further west. The cave is then located northwest of the teleporter and is called Shadow Heart Grotto.
Entrance of the Shadow Heart Grotto
Further northwest, you can find equipment piece number 3, in the Blade Cave.
You can find the Blade Cave here!
For item number 4, you should have retaken the Perwin Fortress south of the Witchwoods fast travel point. The Echo Tunnel is located by the waterfall near the fortress.
The Echo Tunnel by the waterfall near Fortress Perwin.
Kliff, the main character of Crimson Desert, receives quite a bit of criticism upon release. Experts from the quasi-predecessor Black Desert now miss one of the biggest strengths of the MMORPG even more.
What is the problem with Kliff? I write this in my review of Crimson Desert: “The main story and various larger side quests are told repeatedly in elaborately staged in-game sequences that can be fast-forwarded but not skipped. The English voice actors usually do a great job in the fully voiced dialogues.
Especially the rough Grey-maned members have truly grown on me over time as a collective – even if the clan is not as compellingly portrayed as, for example, the gang from Red Dead Redemption 2.
Start video
Crimson Desert shows more of the fights and progression in the action RPG in the new gameplay video
In terms of the main character, RDR2 even excels by a large margin: While I shed tears during Arthur Morgan’s long ride, the stoic reactions of the taciturn Kliff sometimes feel almost like a parody. No matter how crazy things happen around him, you often can’t get more than a ‘Mhmpf’ out of the Jon Snow lookalike.”
“He could just as well have been a walking tree”
How does the community assess this? Even among players, Kliff receives a lot of criticism. Sabawoonoz25 writes on Reddit: “No depth, silent as a book, never questions anything, you can’t establish a connection to him, and he looks like a mix of all the tough, stoic gaming protagonists there have ever been.”
The more than 1,500 thumbs up and over 880 comments underline that many other players see it similarly. sadsapph0 explains, “I agree. He is just there. He could just as well have been a walking tree, it wouldn’t have made a difference.”
You can find many tips for getting started in Crimson Desert on our YouTube channel by MeinMMO – check it out!
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What would have been the better alternative? DarkKalsi beautifully puts his finger on the sore spot with his comment: “The sad thing is that Black Desert still has the best character editor on the MMO market. But people have no idea how stubborn Pearl Abyss is.”
PRGRyan adds, “Yes, I was totally ecstatic when I found out that Pearl Abyss was behind this game because I was hoping for a great character editor, but well …”
In fact, the character creation tool of the MMORPG is so powerful that part of the community has been having fun recreating well-known personalities with the editor for years. Additionally, it could have attracted players who don’t want to play a predefined male protagonist.
You can unlock two additional playable characters in the campaign with Damiane and Oongka, but it can take a very long time, and switching characters comes with some restrictions. The main story still revolves only around Kliff. You can find out more here: The 3 playable characters of Crimson Desert – you can even fight as a trio
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The developers of ARC Raiders have released a teaser that gives fans hope. They are hoping for a new weapon.
What kind of teaser is this? The developers of ARC Raiders released a new teaser on March 20, 2026, on Discord and social media. It features sounds of explosions and metallic noises.
Accordingly, the developers write: ARC adapts, we do too 31.03.26. This clearly indicates an update that is supposed to bring new equipment or changes for the players of ARC Raiders, and they provide the date as well.
The fans already know exactly what they would like to have.
Here you can watch a trailer for ARC Raiders:
Start video
ARC Raiders shows new Hurricane condition and hints at a new enemy
Players want new weapons
What could be behind the teaser? The developers of ARC Raiders are already known from their first game The Finals for making their fans guess and speculate before they bring big updates.
This time it is working well again, as players are speculating on Reddit about what the teaser could mean. Hot in the running is the theory that the door visible in the teaser belongs to Tian Wen.
Tian Wen is the weapon craftsman who has provided the players of ARC Raiders with new weapons so far. This also fits with the developers’ text announcing new items for the players. Thus, players conclude that the upcoming update will finally bring new weapons into the game.
How are players reacting to the teaser? Players are speculating about what weapon is being welded behind the door. Accordingly, opinions vary widely on Reddit:
WoWAltoholic: “It must be a new weapon. It’s Tian Wen’s door and we hear weapon tests.”
Upstairs-Canary-4062: “Sounds slow and powerful. Exactly my kind of gun.”
memecut: “Sounds like it has a charge time. A new energy weapon? An energy pistol perhaps?”
TensionCritical3091: “Sounds like how I imagine the sound of a railgun”
The theories are widely varied, and unless another teaser or trailer is released, all that remains is to wait until March 31, 2026.
The wish for new weapons does not come from nowhere. The developers have been so busy with balancing their game lately that there has been little new gear for players. A single or even a series of new weapons could completely shake up the title and the current meta. Until then, this guide can help you: ARC Raiders: The best weapons for any situation
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Actually, Slay the Spire 2 had an outstanding launch on Steam, but suddenly the rating on the platform is plunging massively. Taking a closer look at the situation, it becomes clear that most of the negative voices are coming from one country.
What kind of game is this? Slay the Spire 2 is a roguelike deck builder, so you build a deck of cards to battle your way through enemies. As the number in the name indicates, this is the sequel to the first game from 2019.
Slay the Spire 2 just launched in Early Access on Steam on March 5, 2026, and is already enjoying one of the best indie launches of all time. According to Alinea Insight, Slay the Spire 2 has earned more money in less than a month than Hades 2 and Hollow Knight: Silksong have since their release.
This success was also visible in its Steam reviews, at least initially. However, the game has lost a huge amount of favor – at least on first glance. The reason for this are over 10,000 negative reviews that were written on March 20, 2026 alone. The next day, on March 21, there were again over 2,500 negative reviews.
Start video
Slay the Spire 2: The continuation of the popular roguelike on Steam starts in Early Access
A beta change is causing trouble
Why all the bad reviews? The main point of criticism is a nerf that hasn’t even made it into the actual game yet. It currently only exists on a separate beta branch, where the developers are testing some balance changes. Among these is a massive nerf for a specific card.
The card affected by the nerf is called “Prepared” and belongs to “Silent”, one of the playable characters. She’s the woman with the animal skull on her head, whom you also see here in the title image. This card currently allows you to discard a card from your hand for free and draw a replacement.
In the current beta version 0.100.0, the card, which is called “Prepare” there, costs one energy. It also no longer allows you to swap one card for another, but instead two cards for two energy for the next round – a drastic change that many players are unhappy about.
However, Slay the Spire 2 lets its players provide feedback directly via the game, and there is also an official Discord server for such feedback – so why flood the Steam reviews with it? It’s worth taking a look at where these negative reviews are coming from.
The vast majority of the recent negative reviews were written in simplified Chinese – so they most likely come from China. You can see this at a glance when filtering the reviews by language. The Chinese reviews are only “Mixed” (59 %), while the English ones are “Overwhelmingly Positive” (95 %).
The negative reviews flooding the game are primarily written in Chinese.
Chinese players flood the reviews
Why just players from China? This could be related to the many restrictions in China. Players there have few options available to give their feedback to the developers:
In the Chinese version of Steam, community features are blocked, including discussion forums intended for feedback and discussions about the game
Discord is also not accessible in China unless you’re using a VPN – so this option is off the table for many.
So there is only the feedback feature in the game itself. However, players’ criticism there could go unnoticed due to the language barrier between the players and the small indie studio (which consists of only 10 developers) – at least that could be a related concern.
The Steam reviews thus seem to be the most effective way for these players to make their criticism visible across borders. After all, such a drastic change in the rating stands out – even if that is not the actual function of reviews.
MeinMMO-Demon Cortyn has dared to try Sunderfolk. There were many prejudices, and all were unfounded. The game is perfect.
Several days ago, I had a visitor and wisely considered which game we could play together while in the same room. Since it was discounted in the PlayStation store at the time and I had heard a lot of good things about it beforehand, I decided on Sunderfolk. Just try it out. You only live once. At night, it’s colder than outside.
I know why Sunderfolk has scared off many people. When you read, “The game is not played with a gamepad, but with a tablet or smartphone as the controller”, most gamers immediately switch off and think to themselves: “kk thx bye, mobile trash”.
I know this because I thought the same way. But honestly: I was so wrong. It works because even though the game is controlled via a mobile device, it is not a mobile game.
I was mistaken, and in a big way. Sunderfolk works – and it works exceptionally well. Let me explain.
Start video
Sunderfolk gives you a glimpse of the game in the trailer
What is Sunderfolk, anyway?
Sunderfolk is played on a large screen – comfortably in a round on the couch, with 2 to 4 people. Here, not everyone needs a gamepad; a mobile device is sufficient.
Each person takes on the role of an animal hero with special abilities. Here are a few examples:
The raven can collect mana to unleash powerful spells. Area damage, illusions, or even teleporting enemies or allies to save them from danger – or to throw them right into it.
The weasel acts like a typical rogue. It deals bonus damage when it starts the round without direct contact with another character and is thus “in stealth”. It can also strike multiple times per round and can even move between strikes.
The mouse carries a huge two-handed sword and loves to charge to the front. It pushes enemies back, can impose weakening effects on several of them, and make itself more resistant to damage – truly a tank.
The game is played on a hexagon field, which you might know from tabletop games. Only one character can stand on each field, and typically characters can attack on adjacent fields.
Depending on which hero you choose, you have different abilities – and different strategies to choose from.
Which abilities you possess depends on your respective class (that is, the animal you chose) and the selection of abilities you have personally made.
Abilities usually have multiple effects that are handled sequentially. So for example:
Move 3 fields.
Attack an enemy in front of you for 5 damage.
Heal yourself by 2 health points for each adjacent enemy.
Push all enemies around you back one field.
You do not have to use all steps of an ability. If you do not want to move, you can skip that step – the same goes for attacking or other effects.
Which abilities you want to use or where you move your character is decided through the display of your mobile device. It works flawlessly and is quite intuitive.
Story – Functional but Adequate
The narrative of Sunderfolk is structured like a pen & paper. You have a narrator who guides you through the story and also speaks several characters simultaneously – just like in pen & paper, where the game master voices all NPCs himself.
The game switches back and forth between combat missions and small story sequences. These are usually only a few minutes long, but provide enough framework to keep you entertained. It is a rather shallow story, which can sometimes be predictable – but it is perfect for introducing newcomers to gaming or pen & paper.
The English voice acting of Sunderfolk is a true delight. The characters are wonderfully diverse.
The characters and residents of the village all have their own story, which you will only learn about if you talk to them. However, frequent gifts await you that can make you stronger. Especially cool: You can often name items, people, or circumstances in the game and personalize it.
Yes, I admit, it was a bit silly when I renamed the great new sales strategy of the merchant to Predatory Capitalism (because it’s about animals … you get it) But at least I had to grin every time it came up afterward.
This simple opportunity for involvement is excellent. Sunderfolk requires no accounts, no registration. You download the app on your smartphone or tablet, scan the QR code on the screen – and off you go. It is delightfully refreshingly simple and literally a matter of seconds.
Both the game and the app are also available with German voice acting, but we played the English version.
Gameplay that Encourages Communication
What I find particularly impressive is how much people talk while playing Sunderfolk – all by itself. This is a clever part of the game design. While you are reading through abilities on your own screen or scanning the battlefield for details, only one character can perform an action at a time.
This means that when I decide I want to attack – I simply do. I pull up my desired ability card and take my turn. Others can only act after I am finished. Of course, one can be selfish and always pull first, but that often turns out to be a mistake.
Conversations develop naturally, with strategies, in a way like:
“Hey, if you storm this ogre and push it back, I can use my rescue jump to get to you, so we can kill it and open the chest at the same time.”
“Or I could teleport into the enemies first and pull them together with my pull, so that you can then use your area attack and set fire around us.”
“Your bard could give me speed first so I can run further and our warrior can then advance to me to push the two enemies right over the edge into the abyss.”
Sure, one can act selfishly alone and wordlessly – but that is not what the game is designed for. Sunderfolk naturally encourages conversations, and the group as a whole feels good when they have overcome a challenge.
To succeed as a group, you must communicate with each other.
Even outside of battles, it works remarkably well. After a battle, you always have 5-10 minutes in the village of the game. Here, anyone can have a few private conversations with NPCs and gather information they can share with others – or not.
At the same time, you work together to develop the village further, to unlock new merchants or bonuses, such as improved cards or the ability to use stronger relics that provide advantages in battle.
Sunderfolk – A Gem that Convincingly Hooks You Once You Dive In
For me, Sunderfolk is one of those games where I regret not having bought it at launch to support the developers. My prejudices dismissed the game too quickly, even though it is truly a gem that both gamers and non-gamers can enjoy together.
Although neither the story nor the gameplay is particularly complex, the game offers numerous strategies and simply brings back the vibe of a shared game night. It reminds me of the earlier gaming days when you played Mario Kart in split-screen, talking and laughing along the way.
Only with the difference that in Sunderfolk, you act cooperatively and through the small private screen in hand, you constantly receive information that others do not have – which encourages even more conversations. I will definitely play it again in the coming months and try to make it appealing to my family – that has worked for Split Fiction in the past.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The world of Crimson Desert is huge. How huge, is now emphasized by the in-game map of a player who reportedly has invested over 200 hours in the open-world adventure.
How big is Crimson Desert?Even before the release, the people in charge at Pearl Abyss stated that we can expect a game world in Pywel that is twice as large as the playable open world of Skyrim (about 37 km²) and also larger than the map of Red Dead Redemption 2 (about 75 km²).
What this comparison means in practice can only be determined since the release of Crimson Desert this week. Or rather since the distribution of review access, if one is lucky enough to write a report about the game for an editorial office or a channel.
Many tips for getting started in Crimson Desert can be found on our YouTube channel of MeinMMO – check it out!
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I consider myself one of the lucky ones and currently have about 70 hours of playtime logged. While the starting region Hernand is now quite well uncovered, I could only step into the neighboring areas of Demeniss and Pailune – most of it is still undiscovered. I haven’t been to Crimson Desert and Delesyia at all yet.
205 hours are not enough
Many other colleagues feel similarly. I find a recent map excerpt from Blaine Smith on Reddit particularly impressive, showing his progress after 205 hours of playtime.
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Blaine has almost completed the quests in the blue areas. In the yellow-orange areas, he has started the first quests. He hasn’t been to the red areas at all. His assessment: “Crimson Desert is one of the largest games ever made, if not the largest.”
This size is also reflected in the in-game statistics. So far, I have
seen 15 out of 75 bosses
discovered 62 out of 397 life forms
found 53 out of 359 blueprints
documented 6 out of 28 mounts (the game counts the horse breeds separately and transportation options such as the cloud wagon (balloon) or horse-drawn carriages)
Start video
Crimson Desert: Launch trailer shows new bosses, dragon action and the storming of a moving train
How does the community react to the map excerpt? With over 1,500 thumbs up and more than 395 comments.
MagoCauteloso writes on Reddit: “Holy Moly, now we are going back into the unknown and we are saying goodbye to our social lives.”
Great_Bed_6334 comments on the tester’s time: “What the hell … The review copies were distributed about two weeks ago, so you’ve been playing about 14.5 hours every day.”
Beermedear celebrates the size: “That’s the crucial point for why I decided to buy it. I love it when there is a huge amount of content to discover. It doesn’t always have to be breathtaking thrills, but even trivial side quests draw me into the game and its world.”
The Nintendo Switch 2 was released in 2025 and is expected to get a new version in Europe soon. The EU and its laws are said to be the reason for this.
What is this new Switch 2? According to experts from the Japanese magazine nikkei.com, Nintendo is currently working on a new version of the Nintendo Switch 2.
The next variant of the console is expected to differ in design from the previous one and include a replaceable battery. This new version is supposed to be easier to repair.
The new Switch 2 is supposed to allow everyone to replace their battery themselves without technical knowledge. However, it seems that Nintendo is not doing this entirely voluntarily.
Here you can see what the Switch 2 looks like now:
Start video
The Nintendo Switch 2 in the unboxing video
New version only in the EU
Why is there supposed to be this new version? That Nintendo is already working on a new version less than a year after the launch of their console is likely not voluntary. As experts explain, Nintendo has to comply with the new European Battery Regulation in the EU (via europa.eu).
This regulation requires companies to design their products in such a way that users can easily replace the battery without special tools by 2027 (Source: prodlaw.eu). Owners of the console will be able to simply replace the battery of the new Switch 2 should it cause issues.
This significantly reduces repair costs, as a professional is no longer needed for the battery exchange in the best case.
What about other countries? That Nintendo is not entirely voluntarily implementing these laws is shown by another assessment from experts. They explain that Nintendo intends to deliver the “new” Switch 2 only in Europe for the time being.
Customers in Japan and America, however, will reportedly be supplied only when “consumer awareness of their right to repair increases,” according to Nikkei.com. It seems that Nintendo itself is not interested in making its console easier to repair for players.
Whether this will actually happen or if Nintendo will decide to equip the whole world with their improved Switch 2 remains to be seen.
