The tests for the upcoming patch 9.1 for World of Warcraft: Shadowlands and the first expansion for WoW Classic, The Burning Crusade, started almost simultaneously. Game Director Ion Hazzikostas is now reassuring players who fear that both contents would release at the same time.
This is what Hazzikostas says: The Chinese streamer LingHunFuSu was able to interview the WoW Game Director, Ion Hazzikostas, about some current topics and upcoming content in a nearly 20-minute interview (via Douyu).
Among other things, Hazzikostas spoke about the release of The Burning Crusade Classic and patch 9.1. In typical Blizzard fashion, the statements are somewhat vague, but he can probably alleviate possible concerns:
Of course, we will have more information about the specific release dates for Burning Crusade Classic and Chains of Domination at the announcement. I can tell you that it is very unlikely that we will release both of them at the same time. We know that many players want to experience both.
These are projects that would differ in their required testing time. Tests would need to start early enough to implement feedback and achieve a good result.
Patch 9.1 will be titled “Chains of Domination” (engl.: “Chains of Domination”).
At the moment, both tests are running separately, and it was not entirely clear whether the contents would also be released somewhat simultaneously. Those who play both Retail and Classic would hardly have time for both and would have to decide which one to play at release.
Hazzikostas’s statement can calm the situation a bit, even if he does not reveal whether patch 9.1 or TBC Classic will be released first.
Patch 9.1 vs. TBC – Which will release first?
The development time for TBC Classic is likely shorter, as it is “only” existing content that has been polished. Patch 9.1 brings entirely new content and will probably take a bit longer.
However, it is likely that patch 9.1 will be the first of the two contents to release. New content for the Retail version is simply more important to more players than raids, dungeons, and worlds they could already explore over 10 years ago.
In a survey by Wowhead, over 71.2% of the more than 13,000 respondents indicated that they wanted to see patch 9.1 sooner:
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Hazzikostas himself understands that there are players who only play one of the two games and Blizzard does not want to offend either group. However, there is already growing discontent in WoW about the content and even patch 9.1 is being mocked before release.
If the company wants to avoid more players getting upset, patch 9.1 would need to release first. If the contents are particularly good, at least a large portion of the player base would be appeased. However, we still have to wait for an official announcement.
Tyler “Ninja” Blevins was the leading streamer on Twitch in 2018. At the peak of his Fortnite streaming, over 600,000 people watched him. By 2021, the former shooter star is playing League of Legends and his performance has been mixed. The taboo of “I no longer flame” is also over.
How big was Ninja at the height of his career? Tyler “Ninja” Blevins came from Halo and H1Z1 when he discovered “Fortnite: Battle Royale” as one of the first Twitch streamers in September 2017. 2018 became his year on Twitch, and he set records that were previously unthinkable:
This is how he achieved it: Right at the beginning of Fortnite, Ninja was a dominant shooter player who could dominate the lobbies against “normal opponents.” He also played with various other streamers who became part of his crew, such as TimTheTatman, CourageJD, or DrLupo.
When his brother, a teacher, pointed out to the well-known flamer that he was a role model for the young viewers of Fortnite, he restrained his outbursts and made an effort to use “youth-friendly language.” This may have also helped him land some advertising deals, such as with adidas. Because now Ninja was considered “brandsafe.”
Ninja was also incredibly ambitious, grinding every day and making many deals to become even more present. Highlights of that time included collaborating with rapper Drake. He even made the cover of the sports magazine ESPN.
How is Ninja doing today: After a lucrative but rather unsatisfactory stint on Mixer, Ninja is back on Twitch. Recently, he has focused more on League of Legends:
Today he has an average of 11,361 viewers – about one-seventh of his previous numbers
Even at his absolute peak, he reached only 28,453 in the last 30 days – that’s 21 times less than in 2018
Is he as dominant in LoL as he was in Fortnite? No, not even close. Ninja is a trained shooter player and streamer, not an esports player. He could not keep up with the young pros later in Fortnite either.
If things are not going well today, it can also lead to the famous “Rage Quit” in LoL:
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In LoL, he is a decent player in the “upper midfield” and plays in the Platinum range. This puts him among the top 10% of players. The top streamers on Twitch, however, are in the Master and Grandmaster ranges, the upper 0.1% or 0.03% of the player base.
And what about the no curses rule? That has also relaxed a bit. League of Legends is considered extremely toxic, and even Ninja gets caught up in it from time to time.
Here you can see how Ninja types angrily in chat about how stupid a teammate is and reads it out loud: the other is “fucking stupid” – “horrible” – “should finally stop playing LoL.”
It looks like the top Fortnite star is now a pretty typical LoL streamer.
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Let’s see how Ninja continues on Twitch. At the moment, he apparently is not playing what is “trending” or “what is expected of him,” but what he enjoys. And that right now is LoL.
Because of the money, Ninja probably never has to work again. From everything we know, he has greatly benefited from the end of Mixer.
Next Wednesday, April 28, EA will release the new TOTW 31 (Team of the Week) in FIFA 21 Ultimate Team. But which players could be included? MeinMMO reveals to you who might secure a spot in the new Team of the Week.
This is the Team of the Week: Although the TOTS cards (Team of the Season) have replaced the TOTW cards (Team of the Week) from the Weekend League rewards, the Team of the Week continues to appear in FUT 21. This team consists of 23 players who performed strongly on the football weekend.
For these performances, players receive Inform cards that can be found in FUT packs for one week.
These are TOTW Predictions: The TOTW predictions are community guesses attempting to predict which players might make it into the Team of the Week.
They provide a good overview of who might be in the TOTW. Potential Inform players can then be used to earn coins on the transfer market. You can learn how to do this in the trading tips.
It is important to note that these are theoretical predictions and not guarantees. The TOTW 23 next Wednesday could look entirely different from what the predictions suggest.
The Prediction for Team of the Week 31 in Ultimate Team
The predictions for the next Team of the Week come from FIFA YouTuber VIVALAFIFA.
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These Bundesliga players could appear in the new TOTW:
After Erling Haaland surprisingly did not make it into TOTW 30 last week, the Norwegian gets a new chance this week. His 2 goals against VfL Wolfsburg should be enough justification.
In the important 2:1 victory for 1. FC Köln against RB Leipzig, Jonas Hector was the player of the match with his 2 goals. An Inform card is definitely deserved.
Ondrej Duda played an important role in the next victory for Köln. He scored 2 goals in the 3:2 win against FC Augsburg.
Borussia Mönchengladbach won 5:0 against Arminia Bielefeld, and one player was involved in 3 goals: Breel Embolo. The Swiss scored 2 goals and provided the third.
The MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV (FFXIV) has announced its next major expansion called Endwalker for fall 2021. For new players, now is the perfect time to get into the game. In this article, we reveal the reasons why.
What is Final Fantasy XIV? The game from the popular Final Fantasy franchise is a classic theme park MMORPG with a tab-targeting combat system and global cooldowns.
It is one of the few MMORPGs still using a subscription model. For €10.99 a month, players receive major content updates every 3 to 4 months with new content.
As is the case with Final Fantasy games, it places a lot of emphasis on the story, which has been told continuously for 10 years. Fans of PvE and creative content will also get their money’s worth in Final Fantasy XIV. The game is bursting with all kinds of content options that have accumulated over the many years of operation in regular updates:
There are classic dungeons for 4 to 8 players
Raids designed for either 8 or 24 players
Fantastically staged boss fights called Trials for 8 players
A big photo mode called /gpose, around which a whole community has formed that creates cool screenshots
A housing system, where players can unleash their creativity in designing
For collectors, there are over 150 mounts, over 400 companions, and over 2,500 achievements to chase for their collection
With the upcoming add-on Endwalker in fall 2021, the developers aim to conclude the storyline in FFXIV revolving around the gods Hydaelyn and Zodiark with a big bang.
I believe it’s the perfect time to get into the MMORPG to experience the finale live, and I will list the reasons for that.
More information about Final Fantasy XIV for beginners can be found here:
The add-on is coming – Secure your front-row seats
In February, FFXIV announced their newest add-on Endwalker. It will be the grand conclusion, the crowning of a story that the MMORPG has been continuously telling for 10 years. Accordingly, many fans are incredibly excited to see how this storyline unfolds, which is about nothing less than the end of the world.
Newcomers have a unique opportunity here: Since there are at least 5 months until the release of the add-on, you now have plenty of time to get into the MMORPG.
You can experience the whole story, which others had to wait for months and years, all in one go and be ready for the grand finale with popcorn and a beer by the time it releases.
At the same time, however, a new era begins afterward, a new beginning, as the MMORPG’s director, Naoki Yoshida, explained. The developers will start a fresh storyline that is disconnected from the current events in the game, which you can begin alongside veteran players on equal footing.
There are also other reasons why the entry point has never been easier.
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The trailer for FFXIV Endwalker promises a spectacular ending
Trial version offers a lot of content for free
As one of the established MMORPGs on the market, FFXIV has been growing year by year. From the reports to investors, it can be gathered that Square Enix’s MMO branch generates high profits thanks to the game.
And there is also a lot of activity and fresh blood in cities and content in the game. One of the main reasons for this is the new free trial version, which was introduced last year.
Whereas before you could only play up to level 35 and thus only seen very little of the game, the new max level is 60. If you want, you can play the entire scenario of the base game “A Realm Reborn” and the first add-on “Heavensward”, with all its content, completely free of charge and without time restrictions.
That’s hundreds of hours of content that give you a good opportunity to thoroughly test the game before investing money. Although this content is already quite old, it is still being done daily by veterans, so you don’t have to worry about not making progress because certain content is dead.
The only limitation of the trial version relates to the social features of FFXIV. For example, you won’t be able to join a Free Company (Guild) or whisper to other players.
However, there is the rookie chat, where you will be taken under the wings of mentors. It is open to all languages, and experienced players will answer all your questions, so don’t hesitate to ask them.
All information about the free trial version can be found here:
One of the main criticisms of FFXIV has always been that getting into the game is incredibly slow. The main story is mandatory in the game, and you have to play through the quests before reaching the endgame, unless you pay for skip options of course.
This hurdle has become slightly easier since last year. The developers took a big pair of scissors over the quest lines of the base game “A Realm Reborn” and removed everything that was not relevant to the story like annoying fetch quests.
The remaining quests received a revision that has also made them shorter and more concise. The amount of grind has been reduced, and some tasks were cut.
At the same time, however, all important information that forms the foundation of the story of FFXIV has remained in the game. So, luckily, you don’t have to run around as much as players before you did.
The same treatment is planned for the expansions Heavensward and Stormblood as well. In general, your journey through the game is supposed to become more pleasant. When this will happen is still unknown.
Since the update, flying in the old areas has also been unlocked. This greatly accelerates progress through the story.
You can easily catch up with the veterans
A big concern for players considering diving into such an old MMORPG as FFXIV is: “Will I even be able to catch up with the others?”
In fact, in FFXIV, it’s just a matter of time. The MMORPG has special catch-up mechanics in place that allow you to make significant leaps in your item level and eventually stand on the same gear level as the raiders.
The main story quest is the red thread that guides you through the game to the endgame. Along the way, you receive gear packages at regular intervals that are intended to bring you roughly up to the current level.
Once you reach the maximum level of 80 and have completed the Shadowbringers story, you have several sources from which you can obtain gear:
In dungeons, you can farm green gear, which can be used as a transitional solution until you get something better
In dungeons, you can also farm Allagan stones, a special currency in FFXIV. You can exchange these with NPCs for strong armor.
In Eden and Nier raids, you can acquire blue gear that greatly boosts your item level. These raids don’t take long, are easy to complete, and are well-suited for farming gear (with the exception of Eden epic).
At the market board, there are armors that, while not at the highest item level, bring you very close to it.
The current highest item level is 530. Many raiders reached it months ago by farming the hard epic raids. With patch 5.5, even casual players can upgrade their gear to this level by completing the Nier raids and obtaining upgrade materials.
The item level will not be increased until the launch of Endwalker, so you have several months to farm. This ensures that most players start the new add-on at a somewhat equal item level, and new players are not at a disadvantage.
Such and many other gear sets can be obtained from dungeons, PvP, raids, or with special currency
PS5 version is coming and makes everything prettier (gradually)
Higher resolutions: In 4K (2160p) / WQHD (1440p) / Full HD (1080p).
Better performance: The resolutions WQHD (1440p) and Full HD (1080p) run at 60 FPS. In 4K, the frame rate should be around 40 FPS.
Sharp UI with new high-resolution icons
Shorter loading times thanks to the PS5’s SSD
Support for the DualSense controller
3D audio
The beta phase will last as long as it takes to address all issues. Once that is done, the developers are aiming for a quick release.
Even more importantly, however, is the announcement the developers made in an interview (via PlayStation Blog). The PS5 version is the first step in a series of graphical upgrades that FFXIV will receive.
Lead Project Manager Shoichi Matsuzawa announced that the in-game textures of FFXIV are set to receive an upgrade. Since the MMORPG is now nearly 10 years old, it cannot keep up graphically with newer titles like Black Desert or Swords of Legends.
However, if FFXIV wants to continue running for many years and attract new players, a graphical update will eventually be necessary. According to Matsuzawa, this is a very challenging process that requires a lot of planning, but the PS5 version has now laid the groundwork for it.
So if you are among the lucky owners of a PS5, you can start playing there directly and experience Endwalker right on the new Sony console.
After the add-on is before the add-on
What comes with Endwalker: The contents of the expansion are structured according to the classic pattern as was already the case with its predecessors. Players will receive a major update that will bring a lot of new features to the MMORPG.
Of course, the main focus here is the main story of the game, whose first storyline arc about the gods Hydaelyn and Zodiark will be concluded in Endwalker. Players will travel to the moon to confront their arch-enemy there alongside friendly NPCs.
Currently, on the list besides the story quests are also:
New large areas like Garlemald, Radz-at-Han, and the moon
Little is known about the contents of the add-on so far, but there are some screenshots and images nonetheless.
After the add-on, players will continue with updates that are expected to appear in the usual rhythm of 3-4 months.
The story quests that will be released with patches 6.1, etc., will also open a new chapter for the MMORPG. It will begin a new story that will be as fresh for new players as it will be for veterans of FFXIV.
What does the distant future bring? The developers have not revealed exactly how the game will proceed after the release of Endwalker. Director Yoshida has only provided vague hints and comments about how it will be a new beginning with a new story and new characters.
But where in the world of FFXIV it will take the players is still unknown. We also do not know in what form the new content will come. So, whether another very long storyline will begin or whether the developers will prefer shorter ones.
What is known, however, is that Square Enix still has many plans for the MMORPG.
Due to the high revenue generated by the game in recent years, Yoshida predicts that FFXIV will continue to receive new content at least until 2024.
You don’t have to worry about stepping into an MMORPG that will be taken offline next year.
Pros
Regular major content updates
Diverse content
Ongoing storyline praised by critics
Snappy epic and ultimate raids
Intricate crafting system
Unlimited crossplay between all platforms
PS4 and PS5 players do not need PS Plus
Cons
Early game is sluggish
Little variety in builds and endgame gear selection
Long path to endgame
The character creator is somewhat limited
Little content for PvP fans
I expect great things from Endwalker
As someone who has invested over 800 days of playtime in FFXIV, I have watched the MMORPG unfold firsthand. The developers have grown from their first, sometimes somewhat clumsy attempts to design a boss fight or storyline with nearly every patch.
The mechanics have become trickier and more varied, and the writing and voice acting have noticeably improved with each add-on. Accordingly, my expectations for Endwalker are very high. After all, the developers are concluding a 10-year-long story that has become very dear to myself and many others, so it better happen with fireworks, champagne, and rock’n’roll.
But I do not see these 10 years as a hindrance for newcomers. On the contrary. I read almost every day on reddit, social media, forums, and in-game about the experiences of new players who have been captivated by FFXIV. They often sound completely surprised by it themselves. Based on this experience, I believe it’s definitely not too late to start with the game.
Right now, as optimal conditions for a new beginning exist, I would recommend that any J-RPG and MMORPG fan try out the trial version. It costs you nothing, has no commitments, and who knows, maybe we’ll see each other more often in Eorzea afterward.
Irina Moritz Community Manager and FFXIV expert at MeinMMO
The same treatment is planned for the expansions Heavensward and Stormblood as well. In general, your journey through the game is supposed to become more pleasant. When this will happen is still unknown.
Since the update, flying in the old areas has also been unlocked. This greatly accelerates progress through the story.
You can easily catch up with the veterans
A big concern for players considering diving into such an old MMORPG as FFXIV is: “Will I even be able to catch up with the others?”
In fact, in FFXIV, it’s just a matter of time. The MMORPG has special catch-up mechanics in place that allow you to make significant leaps in your item level and eventually stand on the same gear level as the raiders.
The main story quest is the red thread that guides you through the game to the endgame. Along the way, you receive gear packages at regular intervals that are intended to bring you roughly up to the current level.
Once you reach the maximum level of 80 and have completed the Shadowbringers story, you have several sources from which you can obtain gear:
In dungeons, you can farm green gear, which can be used as a transitional solution until you get something better
In dungeons, you can also farm Allagan stones, a special currency in FFXIV. You can exchange these with NPCs for strong armor.
In Eden and Nier raids, you can acquire blue gear that greatly boosts your item level. These raids don’t take long, are easy to complete, and are well-suited for farming gear (with the exception of Eden epic).
At the market board, there are armors that, while not at the highest item level, bring you very close to it.
The current highest item level is 530. Many raiders reached it months ago by farming the hard epic raids. With patch 5.5, even casual players can upgrade their gear to this level by completing the Nier raids and obtaining upgrade materials.
The item level will not be increased until the launch of Endwalker, so you have several months to farm. This ensures that most players start the new add-on at a somewhat equal item level, and new players are not at a disadvantage.
Such and many other gear sets can be obtained from dungeons, PvP, raids, or with special currency
PS5 version is coming and makes everything prettier (gradually)
Higher resolutions: In 4K (2160p) / WQHD (1440p) / Full HD (1080p).
Better performance: The resolutions WQHD (1440p) and Full HD (1080p) run at 60 FPS. In 4K, the frame rate should be around 40 FPS.
Sharp UI with new high-resolution icons
Shorter loading times thanks to the PS5’s SSD
Support for the DualSense controller
3D audio
The beta phase will last as long as it takes to address all issues. Once that is done, the developers are aiming for a quick release.
Even more importantly, however, is the announcement the developers made in an interview (via PlayStation Blog). The PS5 version is the first step in a series of graphical upgrades that FFXIV will receive.
Lead Project Manager Shoichi Matsuzawa announced that the in-game textures of FFXIV are set to receive an upgrade. Since the MMORPG is now nearly 10 years old, it cannot keep up graphically with newer titles like Black Desert or Swords of Legends.
However, if FFXIV wants to continue running for many years and attract new players, a graphical update will eventually be necessary. According to Matsuzawa, this is a very challenging process that requires a lot of planning, but the PS5 version has now laid the groundwork for it.
So if you are among the lucky owners of a PS5, you can start playing there directly and experience Endwalker right on the new Sony console.
After the add-on is before the add-on
What comes with Endwalker: The contents of the expansion are structured according to the classic pattern as was already the case with its predecessors. Players will receive a major update that will bring a lot of new features to the MMORPG.
Of course, the main focus here is the main story of the game, whose first storyline arc about the gods Hydaelyn and Zodiark will be concluded in Endwalker. Players will travel to the moon to confront their arch-enemy there alongside friendly NPCs.
Currently, on the list besides the story quests are also:
New large areas like Garlemald, Radz-at-Han, and the moon
Little is known about the contents of the add-on so far, but there are some screenshots and images nonetheless.
After the add-on, players will continue with updates that are expected to appear in the usual rhythm of 3-4 months.
The story quests that will be released with patches 6.1, etc., will also open a new chapter for the MMORPG. It will begin a new story that will be as fresh for new players as it will be for veterans of FFXIV.
What does the distant future bring? The developers have not revealed exactly how the game will proceed after the release of Endwalker. Director Yoshida has only provided vague hints and comments about how it will be a new beginning with a new story and new characters.
But where in the world of FFXIV it will take the players is still unknown. We also do not know in what form the new content will come. So, whether another very long storyline will begin or whether the developers will prefer shorter ones.
What is known, however, is that Square Enix still has many plans for the MMORPG.
Due to the high revenue generated by the game in recent years, Yoshida predicts that FFXIV will continue to receive new content at least until 2024.
You don’t have to worry about stepping into an MMORPG that will be taken offline next year.
Pros
Regular major content updates
Diverse content
Ongoing storyline praised by critics
Snappy epic and ultimate raids
Intricate crafting system
Unlimited crossplay between all platforms
PS4 and PS5 players do not need PS Plus
Cons
Early game is sluggish
Little variety in builds and endgame gear selection
Long path to endgame
The character creator is somewhat limited
Little content for PvP fans
I expect great things from Endwalker
As someone who has invested over 800 days of playtime in FFXIV, I have watched the MMORPG unfold firsthand. The developers have grown from their first, sometimes somewhat clumsy attempts to design a boss fight or storyline with nearly every patch.
The mechanics have become trickier and more varied, and the writing and voice acting have noticeably improved with each add-on. Accordingly, my expectations for Endwalker are very high. After all, the developers are concluding a 10-year-long story that has become very dear to myself and many others, so it better happen with fireworks, champagne, and rock’n’roll.
But I do not see these 10 years as a hindrance for newcomers. On the contrary. I read almost every day on reddit, social media, forums, and in-game about the experiences of new players who have been captivated by FFXIV. They often sound completely surprised by it themselves. Based on this experience, I believe it’s definitely not too late to start with the game.
Right now, as optimal conditions for a new beginning exist, I would recommend that any J-RPG and MMORPG fan try out the trial version. It costs you nothing, has no commitments, and who knows, maybe we’ll see each other more often in Eorzea afterward.
Irina Moritz Community Manager and FFXIV expert at MeinMMO
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Destiny 2, the recently added fire trial weapons are taking a break. How much time you have left and what Bungie is planning as a replacement for the rare master weapons, here on MeinMMO.
Amid the commotion regarding the controversially implemented transmog feature of Destiny 2, an important announcement has somewhat slipped under the radar. You only have a short time left to earn 3 rare weapons. But there is good news as new loot is on the way to make the fire trial more attractive.
First the bad news: Starting May 11, all 3 current fire trial weapons will disappear. The newly reintroduced classics came back as a reward for PvE this season. These are “the Palindrome”, “The Swarm” and “Shadow Price”.
Especially the rare and stronger master versions of these weapons are highly sought after. Master versions of legendary weapons are only available in the PvP endgame Trials of Osiris. If you want to secure a master version, you need to be quick.
Now the good news: Actually, we have two good news for you:
Forever, the 3 weapons will not disappear from the fire trial. They are just taking a break until the middle of Season 14 and are expected to return as random rewards in the fire trial. Therefore, we are anticipating a return around July 2021.
The vacationers will be replaced by 3 new legendary weapons (via Bungie). It is not known whether the 3 new weapons are reintroduced classics or newly designed guns. The newcomers will also receive a master version.
So the 3 current weapons are making room for you to farm the 3 new toys in peace. More about the fire trial and the master weapons can be found here:
That’s why you need to be quick: You can still get all 3 pausing weapons from the fire trial before Season 14 starts.
You need to be really quick for the most popular one, because it will only be available for one more day from today (April 26). In the fire trial, the rewards rotate – each week a different weapon is in the loot pool. MeinMMO briefly introduces the 3 weapons and also tells you when which weapon is up next in the rotation.
All 3 fire trial weapons from Destiny 2 of Season 13
The Palindrome: Is (for now) only available until April 27 at 7:00 PM upon completion of the fire trial.
A 140 hand cannon, considered the most sought after of the 3 Nightfall weapons.
In Destiny 1, the Palindrome was more dominant than today, but is only a small buff (or a nerf of the 120s) away from being absolutely meta.
Shadow Price: From May 4 until May 11, this weapon will be in the rotation of the fire trial – right after that, the new Season 14 will start.
A 450 auto rifle that comes with a strong, but limited perk pool.
Currently, auto rifles are generally weak, but you should save a few examples for the future.
The recommended perks are Outlaw, Rampage, Hunger, One for All, and Dragonfly.
Shadow Price as a master version
Have you earned the master version of the 3 weapons or is it high time? Would you like 3 more classics to debut in Destiny 2, or do you hope for 3 completely freshly designed guns? Let us know in the comments.
Would you like to play an MMORPG like in the past, but with modern graphics? Then you should check out the alpha of Rise Online.
What is included in Rise Online? The MMORPG is the successor to the classic Knight Online, which has been running since 2003 but is no longer visually up to date. Rise Online aims to provide you with the same gaming experience as Knight Online, but looks significantly prettier thanks to Unreal Engine 4.
You can expect a very classic MMORPG gaming experience:
You create your hero from the classes Warrior, Mage, Thief, and Priest
NPCs assign quests that you complete
You must fight against monsters to get better items and experience points
PvP takes place in special areas. Here, two warring kingdoms fight each other
You use mounts and pets
Guilds play a role
In the video, the developers introduce you to the alpha 2 of the MMORPG:
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If you are selected, you will receive an invitation, download the client, and register with the invitation. This test is expected to run for at least one month.
Keep in mind that this is an alpha that does not yet represent the final version of the MMORPG.
When is the release? The developers initially planned to release Rise Online by the end of 2020. However, that did not happen. The development has been slightly delayed. A first alpha started last December. The feedback from this testing phase has now been implemented by the team and allows players to try the new version through another alpha.
This alpha will be followed by a closed beta. However, there is no date for this testing phase yet. An open beta is planned before the official release. So it will take some time before Rise Online officially launches. Currently, there are only plans to offer the MMORPG through its own website. However, the developers do not rule out a release on Steam and the Epic Games Store in the future.
What payment model is planned? Rise Online is set to launch as a free-to-play game. Initially, the languages English and Turkish are planned. The predecessor Knight Online is very successful in Turkey, which is why the developers are again focusing on the players in Turkey.
Battle Royale games like Apex Legends thrive on isolated skirmishes and traveling across the map. But when all players spawn at the same spot, it can be quite funny too.
In Apex Legends, players likely also think briefly at the beginning of a match about where to land. However, in one match, server issues apparently skipped this phase altogether. Instead of flying to the map as usual, a whopping 15 squads found themselves all in the same room as soon as the loading screen disappeared. How it looked was captured by reddit user “cough_e” in the video:
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Chaos ensues: In the video, players can be seen looking around in confusion on the Arcadia Supercarrier. There’s a brief moment of calm where they seem to grasp what just happened. Then the massacre begins.
The first players swing wildly with their melee weapons, which has pretty good odds given the number of potential targets. However, it doesn’t take long before the first firearms are found nearby, and the players start shooting wildly into the crowd.
It becomes pretty chaotic. Enemies crawl on the ground, some frantically flee outside. However, after a few seconds, the video ends. It’s likely that not many players escaped the situation.
The community reacts: The video caught a lot of attention in the Apex Legends subreddit. Players are highly amused by the bizarre situation:
“I just love that there’s a moment of silence where everyone looks around and realizes they’re all in the carrier, looking at each other, and then start beating each other up. The funniest shit I’ve ever seen,” says user Spazbean (via reddit).
“For a moment, it seemed we were close to a peace agreement, but as soon as the peace treaty was broken by a punch, the situation escalated somehow,” philosophizes another user (via reddit).
“I would play that as LTM if they polished it a bit,” comments user Skywalk910 (via reddit).
Many also comment that players who found a weapon in that moment must have had the best time ever. Others wished that the group might have cooperated more to create an even crazier moment.
In the League of Legends, special cosmetic outfits for the champs, the skins, earn a lot of money. Riot Games now highlights the success of the LoL skin Elderwood Ornn. The charity skin from 2020 has raised over 7 million USD for a good cause in just one month.
This is what Riot Games says: The studio thanks the fans, as “Elder Ornn”, the 2020 charity skin in LoL, has generated over 7 million USD. That is about 5.8 million Euros at today’s exchange rate.
The skin “Elderwood Ornn”:
was released on December 10, 2020
was available in the shop until January 11, 2021 – so for about a month
Riot Games says the new skin has even been better received than the previous record holder for charity skins: The 2019 skin “Ravenous Dawn Karma” generated about 6 million USD.
This is the skin that so many wanted.
What is the cost of the skin? Riot Games offered several packages for “Elderwood Ornn”:
The pure champion Ornn costs 975 Riot Points (RP) – equivalent to buying 7.50 €)
The Elderwood Ornn was priced at 1350 RP (approximately 15 €)
6 different chromas for Elderwood Ornn were available for 330 RP each (2.50 €)
A frame set for him costs 2875 RP (around 20 €)
The chroma package with an exclusive “Ruby” chroma cost 4635 RP (approximately 40 €)
The “All-Star” package hit quite hard with 7885 RP (about 50 €)
The prices are not round: For the 7885 RP, one would need to purchase a 50€ package for “9500 RP”, but would still have around 1700 RP left as change.
The Karma skin previously held the charity record. The skin generated about 6 million $ in 2019.
Riot Games wants to improve the world sustainably
For which good cause is the money going? The money goes to the “Riot Games Social Impact Fund”. In the past, this fund has donated to more than 25 different charitable causes.
For example, scholarships are distributed in Los Angeles to provide students in impoverished neighborhoods with a good education
Riot Games is committed to preserving Korea’s cultural heritage
They support initiatives to raise awareness of how important mental health is for students and young adults aged 14 to 25. In this age group, suicide is the second leading cause of death
It’s nice to see such positive news as well. LoL is often known for some grim stories and a rough way of interacting:
Are there other ways? Besides the guaranteed legendary rewards you get during the story and other side missions, expeditions in the endgame remain the best source for legendary loot.
Have you already found Tanners Hat? What do you think of the legendary item? Are there any others you would recommend? Let us know in the comments.
In Outriders, there is a cool legendary hat that is particularly useful for melee fighters. MeinMMO shows you what it can do and where you can find it.
What kind of hat is it? The item is called “Tanners Hat” and should be familiar to anyone who has been paying attention to the story. It is the cowboy hat of your commander, who is killed in the prologue of the story. You can obtain this hat later in the game as a legendary item.
This is what the hat can do: The hat not only looks cool.
It also comes with a useful rank 3 mod, which should be particularly interesting for melee fighters.
It’s called “Stare into the barrel” and increases your weapon strength for each enemy within a radius of 5 meters.
This is why it is so strong: Especially in the endgame, you are always surrounded by numerous enemies. Melee combat is hard to avoid. Thus, you constantly have a strong damage buff active, which gets better the more enemies are around you. On higher expeditions, that can easily be 10 enemies at once.
This is what the hat looks like. (via gamerant.com)
Hunt quests are the most direct route
How can you get the hat? Unfortunately, there is no way to get the hat deliberately and guaranteed. Like all other legendary items, the hat is part of the random drops or rewards of the game.
At least there are a few ways through which you can guarantee getting legendaries and increase your chances of getting the hat. These include the hunt quests.
What are hunt quests? During the course of the story, you can take on 10 quests that send you hunting specific creatures. If you complete all 10, you receive a legendary armor piece.
This is why hunt quests are the most direct route: Although you cannot get all legendary items there, this is actually helpful in this case. This means that the hat is part of the narrowed loot pool, which in turn increases the chance of obtaining it. So, if you want the hat, you need to keep playing the 10 missions repeatedly.
While that does require time, at World Tier 15 and with appropriate equipment, a run should take about 45 minutes.
Are there other ways? Besides the guaranteed legendary rewards you get during the story and other side missions, expeditions in the endgame remain the best source for legendary loot.
At the same time, 2 classics from Destiny 1 also returned.
But they are not brand new, and I have already played countless rounds on them.
Where is the PvP love? With the last expansion, no new maps were added – on the contrary, there were even fewer, but more on that shortly. In terms of PvE content, Bungie currently has more to offer.
While the strike playlist is not overflowing with missions, there has been a threefold increase this season, and PvE content has been appearing quite frequently lately.
The two secret missions involving a ghost ship and the Fallen Moon are also part of the best story content in years. So it looks like we will be getting a big hit every season.
The new-old raid “Glass Chamber” is already on the horizon.
Don’t get me wrong: I wish everyone these contents and enjoy playing them myself. But from the perspective of a Guardian who plays both PvE and PvP, it’s truly sad.
“Fragment” came to Destiny 2 with Shadow Keep in 2019
Now, in Season 14, we have 20 maps available for PvP – doesn’t sound too bad at first, right? I want to explain why many of the maps are currently completely unsuitable and why the announced salvation of PvP won’t work without fresh maps.
This is how it got worse: The last major expansion Beyond Light didn’t bring any new Crucible maps. Beyond Light took away 11 already existing PvP maps from the Guardians. Not out of malice, but because 5 locations, along with the quests, NPCs, and PvP maps stationed there, have entered the so-called Destiny Content Vault.
This is a sort of vault where content is stored, can be revised later, and then return in a new form.
Because Destiny 2 has become too big and unwieldy. For Bungie, it became too complex to properly patch content, and Guardians complained about absurd loading times.
In theory, it’s a great idea. But it can take forever until such content is “rotated out” and comes back. Until today, more than six months after the introduction of the Content Vault, nothing that was included with Beyond Light has returned.
Additionally, the Crucible map Citadel has also disappeared into the vault, though its location is still live.
In May 2021, we will receive the Glass Chamber, the famous raid from Destiny 1 with the iconic weapons back. All thanks to the Content Vault. Destiny 2 will consist of the “highlights” from D1 and D2 – which are to alternate and always be polished.
Whose opinion are you reading here? Philipp Hansen has been playing Destiny since 2014. In both series installments, he has spent well over 3,000 hours. Since 2019, he has been intensively managing the franchise as a specialist author on MeinMMO. Even privately, he continues to collect exotics or test weapons in the Crucible.
Bring back the past
That would be obvious: Destiny 2 lacks PvP maps – then Bungie should quickly bring back maps from Destiny 1. That wouldn’t be anything new. Many of the currently available maps are already familiar to veterans from the original game.
I could imagine that with each Iron Banner, an old map could make its return. This would significantly enhance the stale event that takes place every month and hardly surprises anyone.
Each season a new-old map for Iron Banner would be nice – they must be somewhere at Bungie
Lore-wise, I have no concerns: The grave ship is not in Destiny 2, but as part of a Vex simulation, I can still blow the helmets off other Guardians on “Dust Cathedral” or “Dungeon”.
And it’s not that far-fetched, as the map “Radiant Cliffs” is also just a Vex simulation. The currently playable map is located on Mercury, but Mercury is in the Content Vault.
So Bungie could bring a lot of joy to PvP enthusiasts with relatively little effort (I say that as a non-developer). As we are moving into the Glass Chamber on Venus in Season 15 starting in May, maps like “Asylum”, “Floating Gardens”, and “Last Exit” could provide some variety.
So lore-wise, it fits. But to be honest, I wouldn’t be too happy about that.
Rehashing classics can’t be a permanent solution
The problem I see: Many of the maps from Destiny 1 do not fit the circumstances of Destiny 2.
The Guardians are currently moving too quickly.
Warlocks can pull off aerial maneuvers every few seconds, Hunters roll across the map.
Exotic boots that increase speed and jump distance are seen in every match.
Don’t get me wrong, the “go fast update” was great, but the maps haven’t changed, unlike the gameplay.
I often notice this with the maps that have been brought back. They are simply too narrow for my taste. Cover is always easy to reach. One reason why shotguns are so prominent and cursed by so many.
What worked in Destiny 1 doesn’t necessarily work in Destiny 2
This problem doesn’t just affect the PvP maps from Destiny 1. No, the maps from the early days of Destiny 2 also suffer from the stated problems. They were created at a time when abilities charged much slower, there were only 4 Guardians per team (instead of the current 6), and when shotguns, snipers, and fusion rifles were still considered power weapons.
So we need entirely new maps designed for the Crucible. If that’s not feasible, I’d gladly settle for the classics – better than nothing, right?
One could feel like a second-class Guardian. Every TWaB – Bungie’s weekly blog post – provides us with some information about PvE. Sure, I also love the PvE in Destiny 2 and look forward to new strikes, the cool story that is finally being conveyed, and new, challenging missions.
But for months, Bungie has said nothing, despite the lack of new maps, Stasis tearing apart the balance, and the meta being quite stagnant. At least until recently.
So Bungie finally speaks up: The new strongman of Destiny 2, Joe Blackburn, spoke extensively about the future of the MMO shooter in March 2021. And fortunately, PvP is part of that future. I truly had my doubts.
Even now, we can see that PvE and PvP are being considered separately – a long-standing wish.
The PvP event Iron Banner is finally receiving new loot.
In Trials, fresh weapons are temporarily setting records.
The big promises to ensure more fairness in PvP, to address Trials issues, and to frequently release patches for balance maintenance sound great. However, Bungie still has to deliver on many points. My condolences go out to all Gambit fans, of whom I’m sure there are some. You’ve really received even less love, and your future is also uncertain.
Yet, nothing has been heard about new maps for the Crucible so far. Let’s see what Season 15, starting in a few weeks, has to say about it. I still have hope for PvP in Destiny 2…
Did you realize that the last new map is really that old? Would you prefer old classics to return, or do we finally need fresh maps to revitalize the Crucible – or are other issues more important for now? Let us know in the comments.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Fortnite has shown short snippets of the Neymar outfit today in a new teaser trailer, which has been speculated for Season 6 for some time. An announcement was also made.
What was shown in the teaser? The short clip is only 14 seconds long, but individual parts of the outfit were visible, hinting at how Neymar will appear in Fortnite.
A person can be seen vaguely wearing some kind of suit or armor.
At first glance, it looks like a kind of superhero outfit.
The claws on the hands resemble Black Panther from the Marvel universe, while the suit itself is more silver metallic with red elements.
In addition to the armor, a simple football player who bears a strong resemblance to Neymar can also be seen.
Will Neymar appear in Fortnite as a superhero with special powers? There may be two versions of the skin, one as the footballer and one as the superhero.
When will the skin be released? According to the Twitter post, the skin could be “unleashed” on April 27.
You can watch the teaser yourself here:
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It has been known for some time that Neymar will appear in some form in Fortnite during Season 6. In the game, you can already see an entry for the skin – but still without an associated image. Previously, there were numerous hints from the developers Epic Games, and Neymar himself participated in speculations on Twitter.
Who is Neymar? He is one of the best and simultaneously one of the most controversial footballers in the world. He is 29 years old, plays for Paris Saint-Germain and the Brazilian national team. He is also one of the highest-earning professional athletes in the world.
He is revered for his undeniable skills with the ball, but at the same time criticized for his theatrical performances on the field. Neymar is also known as a gamer and regularly plays titles like FIFA or Fortnite.
Check out the full reveal of the Neymar skin in Fortnite here
When will the Neymar outfit be revealed? According to Epic Games, the revelation of the Neymar skin will take place today, April 25 at 6 PM.
You can watch it here on YouTube:
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Are you looking for absolute top players for your Ultimate Team in FIFA 21? If you have a lot of coins to spend, these players under 500,000 coins could be an option for you.
What kind of list is this? It’s quite easy to lose track of the transfer market in FIFA 21 – after all, there are hundreds of players you could theoretically put into your team.
In this list, we have compiled some cards that cost between 400,000 and 500,000 coins and are worth your money. Of course, that’s a very high budget that isn’t easy to achieve. These are no longer cards for a starter team. You’ll need to save up some Weekend League rewards or engage in smart trading to reach the required sum.
If you are looking for cheaper players, you can find them in these lists:
Keep in mind that the transfer market in FIFA 21 is dynamic and prices can fluctuate. Currently, the transfer market is on a steady decline – so it’s very possible that you will find some of the players for significantly fewer coins.
Here you will now find some top players between 400,000 and 500,000 coins in Ultimate Team.
Paul Pogba (Europa League RTTF)
Cost: approx. 400,000 coins
Based solely on the in-game stats (that is, the compiled values hidden behind the stats on the card), Pogba’s RTTF card reaches the highest value of all purchasable players in the range between 400,000 and 500,000 coins. The Frenchman can impress as a linchpin in the center with fantastic dribbling and 5-star skills. By the way, no further upgrade is possible since Manchester United has not yet been eliminated from the Europa League. The further the Red Devils go, the higher the values will rise.
Alphonso Davies (RTTF)
Cost: approx. 425,000 coins
Like many other top players, Davies’ RTTF card has significantly declined in transfer value and is now about 425,000 coins – compared to the original cost of over a million, that’s quite affordable. No further upgrades are possible since Bayern has been eliminated from the Champions League. Nevertheless, the card is still an incredibly good left-back – and no player in FIFA 21 is faster than Davies with his 99 pace.
Lionel Messi (TOTW)
Cost: 480,000 coins
Compared to his normal card, Messi’s Inform variant has a crucial advantage: In addition to improved values, the variant plays as a striker, not on the wing. In the center, Messi’s strengths in dribbling, finishing, and assisting can be utilized better than on the side, as he has lost a bit of pace. Overall, the attacker is an ideal conductor in the attacking center.
Marcus Rashford (TOTW)
Cost: 408,000 coins
Rashford has collected a lot of special cards in FIFA 21, all of which are considered strong in the meta. No wonder: The Englishman combines the lethal combination of pace, finishing, and dribbling with five-star skills and four stars on his weak foot. He just isn’t very good at defending – but you don’t put Rashford there anyway. If you’re looking for a player who scores goals, you’re in the right place.
Ousmane Dembélé (Freeze)
Cost: approx. 470,000 coins
Dembélé fills a very similar role to Rashford; however, the Freeze card is centered. He also has five stars on his weak foot. This makes Dembélé one of the most unpredictable players in FIFA 21. His card was once over a million coins, but now it has dropped below 500,000.
On the next page, you will find some strong icons, as well as more options for your Ultimate Team under 500,000 coins.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Pokémon GO you catch monsters in the real world using your smartphone. The Witcher: Monster Slayer follows a very similar approach. But as the name suggests, it’s more about hunting down the monsters here.
What kind of game is this? Anyone looking at first images from The Witcher: Monster Slayer will likely be reminded strongly of Pokémon GO. It is also an augmented reality game where you must wander through your neighborhood with your smartphone.
There you will be confronted with elements from the Witcher world, as your neighborhood suddenly becomes filled with nasty monsters. But these aren’t as cute as Pikachu or Eevee; they want to rip your damn head off with beaks, claws, and spikes. You can see how that looks in the trailer here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t82JBXf9MPw
Aspiring Witchers can register for early access
This is what you do as an AR Witcher: To prevent a quick death at the hands of monsters, you need to hit the creatures hard with your witcher sword. You also have to brew potions and craft items that should support you in battle. So you’re not trying to catch the monsters like Pokémon, but rather to eliminate them as efficiently as possible from the map.
However, a little collecting does happen. Because like the witcher Geralt of Rivia, you take trophies from the slain monsters – which primarily are the heads of the fiends. It looks a bit like a PokéDex but in a brutal way.
There are also story-driven quests that are likewise inspired by the Witcher world. Overall, this is a darker, brutal version of the Pokémon GO principle. If you want to try it out: Soon there will be a way to test.
This is how you can register for The Witcher: Monster Slayer: There is no fixed release date for the game yet, but the timeframe mentioned is “Summer 2021.” However, the first players can plunge into the AR Witcher world even before that.
On the official website (via thewitcher.com) Android users can already register for a soft-launch version of the game. Through the registration, you should have a chance for access to the early access. The draw will be at the end of April, so very soon.
When the test will exactly begin is still open at this point. If the summer release date is to be maintained, it shouldn’t take too long – especially since players in New Zealand have also already received a soft-launch phase.
Kaitlyn “Amouranth” Siragusa (27) is currently the most successful streamer on Twitch. She became popular mainly with the controversial “Hot Tub” streams: she sits in a bikini in a wading pool in her apartment. She explains why Twitch allows this trend, even though it is harming the platform’s advertising revenue in the long run.
Once in the tub, the streamer talks to the viewers. Actions often increase the temptation to donate money or subscribe to the channel. Amouranth likes to write the names of donors on her body or stays in the tub longer the more money comes in.
Others defend the trend: The streamers can do what they want with their bodies. If there are viewers for this trend and it doesn’t violate Twitch’s rules, we have to live with the “Hot Tub” streams. Those who don’t like it don’t have to watch.
The trend is likely to harm Twitch’s advertising revenue in the long run
How does the trend harm Twitch? A few days ago, Amouranth rode the inflatable banana in a stream and addressed the issues of the world. In her chat, the question arose whether the “Hot Tub” streams are harmful to Twitch.
Amouranth replied:
“Just because you don’t like them doesn’t mean Twitch doesn’t like them. Still: I agree that the “Hot Tub” streams are likely to harm Twitch’s advertising revenue in the long run.
But: If they allow it, then they allow it. That’s just the way it is.”
Amouranth
Amouranth admits that the frivolous nature of the streams could lead to potential advertisers turning away from Twitch and advertising on other platforms.
This would be bad for all streamers on Twitch, as potential revenues would decrease.
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Hot Tub Streams bring new regular viewers to Twitch
Why does Twitch allow it then? Amouranth also has a theory for that. Amouranth analyzes her data and looks into the viewership on Twitch. In a conversation with Kotaku, she says:
“The data suggests that viewers stay because of gaming and other activities: nowadays I can play games or just sit at my desk and talk to 10,000 simultaneous viewers.
I can imagine: Internally, Twitch sees a large influx of people coming from outside of Twitch who will likely become recurring viewers.”
Amouranth
According to Amouranth, the Hot Tub streams:
Do not take viewers away from other streamers on Twitch
But rather generate and win new viewers from outside: The Hot Tub streamers indeed do the important hard work of increasing the overall viewership on Twitch.
Amouranth’s channel has grown by 80% in simultaneous viewer numbers and by 230% in followers in the last 90 days.
However:
Twitch grew by almost 60% in viewer hours during the pandemic year 2020, and back then, there were no Hot Tub streams.
Just Chatting even grew by 160% in 2020 (all data via sullygnome).
What is clear: Twitch is growing, even though there is a lull in gaming. “Just Chatting” has now become the largest category. The numbers suggest that Twitch is growing and that “non-gaming” content is growing even faster than the gaming part of the platform.
Whether the “Hot Tub” streams are truly the driving force behind the growth cannot be clearly stated from the public data.
The streamer xoAeriel sees herself as a pioneer of the “Hot Tub” trend on Twitch, she was the first with an inflatable tub.
Pioneer of the streams says: “Hot Tub” trend is fading, too many girls are doing it
Will the trend continue? The US site Kotaku spoke with some female streamers who also run Hot Tub streams:
The general view seems to be: So many women are now offering Hot Tub streams that it’s hardly worth it for individual smaller streamers to get in the tub.
The streamer Firedancer says: “The Hot Tub streams are dying out, slowly but surely.” The numbers are not as high for smaller streamers like her as they once were. However, she still enjoys doing the “Hot Tub” streams.
The trend is already fading – “the gold rush is over,” explains XoAeriel. She sees herself as a pioneer of the trend, since she was the first with an inflatable tub. In her view, there are now “constantly so many girls in the hot tub.” This has made it less unique.
The topic of “frivolous streams” has been a concern for Twitch for some time. In 2020, the debate ignited over Alinity:
Graphics cards like the RTX 3000 are currently in high demand, yet people want to buy one for their PC for various reasons. MeinMMO author Benedikt Schlotmann has bought an old graphics card instead of an RTX 3080. He explains why he did this and why it might also be worth it for you.
Why did I even buy a graphics card? Over the weekend, I usually visit my girlfriend. For everyday tasks, I set up a computer there to be able to complete important tasks and game a bit.
Since I upgraded my main computer with a Ryzen 5 2600 X, the old processor and motherboard ended up in this PC. Here, there is only a Ryzen 3 2200 G with an integrated graphics chip and no dedicated graphics card.
With this, I can complete my daily tasks in Genshin Impact with medium settings and play my event tasks in Overwatch at about 30 FPS. More than that is not possible.
Currently, however, I also have other titles that I play: In Apex Legends, the new Season 9 has started, and I enjoy playing several rounds in the evenings. However, the processor’s graphics unit is not sufficient for this without becoming a burden to my teammates due to missed shots.
These were my criteria:
Playing at Full HD is completely sufficient
More than 60 FPS doesn’t matter since the monitor can only handle a maximum of 60 Hz
I rarely play competitively/ranked on my PC, as I want to relax on weekends.
So I already had clear ideas about what I needed before the purchase to draw enough performance from my old box.
These difficulties arose during the graphics card purchase
This is what the current situation looks like: Currently, graphics card prices are really high and seem quite daunting. Especially the new graphics cards entice with very good efficiency and performance. The RTX 3080 was sold out immediately upon release. There were various reasons for this, such as availability and especially scalpers and bots.
Moreover, certain components for graphics cards and consoles are currently scarce, which likely won’t improve the availability. Even by mid-April, the graphics card market has not calmed down.
What alternatives are there? The alternative is to look for used graphics cards with enough performance that meet my needs. But even here, prices are noticeably rising. Because old graphics cards can currently be sold for good money, as we explain in detail in this article:
This is how I proceeded: I dedicated a weekend to comparing graphics cards, looking at their performance, and monitoring price trends.
Afterwards, I checked various platforms such as Amazon, eBay, but also classifieds offers and the ratings of the sellers and placed first offers on my watch list.
Finally, I made a purchase from a seller who seemed trustworthy to me and already had ratings from other buyers. The costs were around 100 euros plus a few euros for shipping.
Why I chose this graphics card
Which graphics card did I buy? I bought a Radeon R9 380. This is a mid-range graphics card that was released on June 18, 2015.
This is still officially supported by AMD, and there are also current drivers for the graphics card. The graphics interfaces DirectX 12, Vulkan, and OpenGL are easily supported.
Features like FreeSync are also included. My version of the Radeon R9 380 also offers 4 GB of video memory and can easily handle demanding titles.
Carefully packed, the graphics card arrived at my place.
What is the performance sufficient for? On paper, the R9 380 is about 30% faster than the RX 560 and is about 30 – 40% behind the RX 570 / RX 5500.
In practice, I can currently easily play modern titles on medium to high settings with the R9 380:
In Apex Legends, I usually have a consistent 60 FPS, on my 144 Hz monitor I can even achieve 15 to 20 FPS more.
Overwatch now also offers stable 60 FPS.
Civilization VI runs smoothly with high settings.
This is how I tested the graphics card to see if it runs properly.
These things helped me with the purchase
It has definitely been helpful that I have been assembling computer systems for several years. This allows me to compare prices with my order history. I already had a few used dealers on my list with whom I had good experiences.
This way, I could at least estimate how much money I had spent in the previous year and had a few suppliers I could check out.
These risks existed: Purchasing used goods naturally carries risks, which one should be aware of. You have to rely on the seller’s statements and be willing to pay money. However, you have no real guarantee that the purchased item actually works. Usually, there are no guarantees or warranties.
Buyer protection systems from eBay, PayPal, or Amazon offer protection for sellers and buyers, but conflict resolution may take weeks.
Most private sellers are usually just ordinary people with no evil intentions. It helps to discuss the sale or clarify details.
This is my conclusion: Anyone who wants to game in the current situation does not necessarily have to invest hundreds of euros and pay the exorbitant prices currently demanded. If you have patience and observe the market, you can find some good offers.
It also helps to be able to assess your own needs. Depending on what I mainly play currently or how often I play, it can certainly be important to opt for an older device instead of a new model.
Currently, you should not buy certain graphics cards anyway and should instead look at the used market:
As soon as the new map in CoD Warzone went live, there are already players who prefer to hide underneath it. From there, they take out unsuspecting opponents who have no idea where the fire is coming from.
The problem is: A glitch allows cheaters to move beneath the map Verdansk ’84 at different locations and take out their opponents.
For instance, videos are being shared from the airport and the stadium where players are suddenly shot through the ground. Or they somehow land in the otherwise inaccessible area.
This applies, for example, to a Reddit user who showed in a video what it looks like under the map. The player moves beneath the actual ground on textures that give them some freedom of movement beneath the airport.
Among other things, they shoot at walls and vehicles to show: From here, you can actually deal damage in the “normally accessible” area of the map.
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Cheaters lurk under the Warzone map for the first time
How dangerous this is for players: Since it is apparently possible to participate in battles from below the map, cheaters can cause quite a bit of trouble under the map.
This can be seen in videos of other users who are taken out by less peace-loving players from below the map. This happened, for example, to this Reddit user in the stadium, who was quite annoyed by the sudden attack:
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This is not the first time players have faced this problem in CoD Warzone. For instance, there were already glitches under the map in the old subway station where cheaters could wait for Easter egg hunters and complete the last step of a search.
Now, there is again a comparable problem on the new Verdansk-84 map. Currently, one should be especially careful at the airport and in the stadium and avoid the places if sudden attacks come out of nowhere.
In the week from April 19 to April 25, new beta launches and releases for MMORPGs were announced. We at MeinMMO summarize all the important news of the week for you.
The highlights of the week: This week there were 2 interesting news items regarding new MMORPGs:
The controversy of the week: Amazon has halted work on the Lord of the Rings MMO. There were reportedly contractual issues between Amazon and the Chinese giant Tencent. The article received over 72 comments from our readers.
In The Elder Scrolls Online, the expansion Blackwood has been released on the test server. However, players are not celebrating the general new content, but a small change to an NPC.
Guild Wars 2 is getting its final patch of the Icebrood Saga next week. You can find the trailer on YouTube. This concludes the current Living World and there will be a transition to the upcoming expansion “End of Dragons”. We will likely learn how exactly that will look next week.
FFXIV received the first part of patch 5.5 last week. This week, however, there were details about the upcoming Fan Festival. A preliminary schedule was released (via MMORPG.com).
RuneScape is finally coming to smartphones. This summer, the mobile version will be available to everyone after years of development (via MassivelyOP).
The new SWTOR patch 6.3 will be released on April 27 (via Twitter).
Wurm Online is an old MMORPG that has now introduced a new update. The introduction of some new animals, including donkeys as mounts, is planned (via MassivelyOP).
Aion has released patch 7.9. This brought a redesign of the legions, the return of Pangaea, and a new dungeon (via Aion).
These were the news of the week from the world of MMORPGs at a glance. What was your personal highlight? Did you experience something exciting this week? Or did we forget something important? Let us know in the comments.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Many MMORPG fans in Germany have developed a dislike for games from China and South Korea over the years, believes MeinMMO author Schuhmann. They will have to overcome this if they want to play a new MMORPG in the next few years. Because all the big new hopes in 2021 and 2022 will likely come from Asia.
Why do Asian games have a bad reputation? With MMORPGs from Asia, it’s a bit like pineapple on pizza:
For some, it’s a treat, it fits perfectly together and one can imagine nothing more delicious than a Hawaiian pizza
For others, it belongs straight in the trash
MMORPGs from Asia have not exactly been shining in Europe in recent years.
Particularly the South Korean MMORPG Bless broke a lot of porcelain. Bless came to Europe in 2018, having already failed and been shut down in its home country. However, the developers promised: Here in the West, everything would be new and different. Spoiler: It didn’t work.
Many wanted to love the South Korean MMORPG Bless in 2018, but it did not reciprocate.
Other MMORPGs like Kingdom under Fire 2 or Devilian only came to the West after they were already dead or nearly dead in their home countries. Content quickly dried up, and further development practically did not take place.
Those who invested time in the games upon release quickly found themselves disillusioned: Not much happened after the release.
And Bless was an MMORPG that still received a lot of attention. Many Asian MMORPGs that come otherwise remain almost completely under the radar in the West. The taste in Asia differs significantly from ours. Some MMORPGs that are big hits in South Korea and China are not even known to us in the West. When they do find the courage to make it to Europe, hardly anyone pays attention to them:
The 15-year successful Dungeon Fighter Online in China is wilting somewhere in the farthest corner of Steam.
Even the “WoW from Korea”, Lineage, plays no role for us.
When MMORPGs from Asia are successful, like ArcheAge in 2014, Western publishers still mess it up. Trion Worlds cranked the Pay2Win screw on ArcheAge, blamed the Korean partners, appeared completely overwhelmed by the huge player influx, made mistake after mistake, until ultimately the servers virtually collapsed at the push of a button and the hype around ArcheAge faded.
ArcheAge caused a boom for a few months in 2014 with a focus on building, PvP, and trading.
Even if there are major hope-bearers in South Korea that many are looking forward to here, the games seem to be cursed. While we were still battling the Lich King in WoW, news reached us of fantastic new games from the Far East: Blade & Soul looked like a game from a distant future upon release in 2012. By the time it actually came to Europe in 2016, the anticipation had long since faded.
Even the few successful MMORPGs from Asia that have managed to secure a long-term place in the top 5 have to contend with prejudices. The art style of Black Desert does not appeal to many: too much naked skin, too much oil on the character’s bodies and the constant danger that they might still go crazy and become Pay2Win.
Even the fan-favorite Final Fantasy XIV polarizes in Germany. Although the game has many fans here, it is significantly fewer than in the USA or Japan. When looking at Google’s numbers, Germans love the “classic fantasy MMORPGs” The Elder Scrolls Online and Guild Wars 2 – Final Fantasy XIV remains more in the niche.
MMORPGs from Asia are too foreign, too cash shop-heavy, and too grindy for many in Germany.
Worldwide, Final Fantasy XIV is clearly more interesting for Google users than ESO and Guild Wars 2.
For Germans, ESO is significantly more exciting than Final Fantasy XIV, which is at about the same level as Guild Wars 2.
No new MMORPGs have come to the West since 2014
That’s why MMORPG players still have to give Asian games a chance: They have no other choice.
The established Western gaming industry has not produced any new MMORPGs since 2014. The new online role-playing games that are still being developed here are indie MMORPGs by small teams that often rely on crowdfunding to bring their grand visions to life.
Often, small teams with little money work on gigantic projects, that promise a lot to fans to gain support and money. However, these promises often fall apart. Even though Ashes of Creation and Crowfall look good, they are currently beating each other to push back the start dates for alphabets, betas, and releases. And these are still the two most hopeful new MMORPGs – there are even bigger question marks over Camelot Unchained, Pantheon, or even Chronicles of Elyria.
No question, anyone who wants to play a new MMORPG on PC or consoles will have to look to Asia.
The beta for the new MMORPG Elyon starts here in May.
4 hopeful MMORPGs from Asia are waiting for us
That’s the good news: Until a few years ago, it still looked like the stream of MMORPGs from Asia would dry up. Because there were two trends there that we can hardly relate to in the West:
Furthermore, large MMORPGs from South Korea apparently were not intended for the West at all. The Koreans brought their players first to Japan, then China, and finally to numerous other countries of the world, even to Russia, before considering an English, “allegedly global” version.
Although it does not look like an MMORPG and rather resembles a Diablo with more classes. But Lost Ark is a celebrated and excellent action MMORPG that has made a mark in Korea and has been brilliantly developed further.
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The other big hope is Crimson Desert, from Asia’s “westernmost” studio, Pearl Abyss. They developed the most exciting MMORPG of the last 5 years with Black Desert and clearly orient themselves towards the West because they have realized here that they can earn money as long as their MMORPGs look fantastic, have a great combat system, and provide players with a good supply of content and a lot of grinding material.
Crimson Desert does not look typically “Asian”, but rather like a mix of “Game of Thrones” and Red Dead Redemption. The game is supposed to be not really an MMORPG but rather a single-player experience with a multiplayer component attached. This has presumably been recognized as the mix that fits our taste in the West best.
The main character from Crimson Desert looks like Jon Snow (Game of Thrones) – and that is certainly no coincidence.
The likelihood is high that either Crimson Desert or Lost Ark will replace one of the “5 big MMORPGs in the West” and will rise to the top league.
Anyone who looks forward to a new MMORPG in the next few years will have to come to terms with the fact that there might be a bit of pineapple on the pizza.
The battle royale game Naraka: Bladepoint is currently conducting its first beta test, with over 100,000 players participating. It stands out from the competition through parkour elements and Asian martial arts.
This is Naraka: Bladepoint: As is classic in battle royale games, you land in Naraka: Bladepoint on a mysterious island and must fight against other players to survive. However, Naraka does not focus on the shooter genre, but rather on melee combat and parkour elements.
You have complete freedom of movement:
Climb high towers, rocks, or trees
Use grappling hooks to swing quickly through the air
Climb loudly along thick chains or ropes
You can choose from 6 classes. While the combat styles of these classes are fixed, you can almost completely customize the appearance of your character. The major exception is the gender lock.
While you explore the island, you gather new equipment and items at every corner that will help you in your fight for survival. In addition to swords and ranged weapons like bows, you will also receive potions that heal you and provide various boosts.
The combat system itself is heavily action-packed. While you can use bows and rifles, the focus of Naraka: Bladepoint clearly lies on melee combat with swords, staves, or simply your fists. You can perform combos with your weapons and also utilize particularly strong abilities.
You can watch actual gameplay from a complete match fresh from the first beta here:
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Here’s how you can join: If you are interested in Naraka: Bladepoint and want to participate in the open beta, you just need to go to the Steam page of the game (via Steam).
There, a box will be displayed that informs you about participation. Press the green “Request Access” button and you’re in. But hurry, the first beta ends on April 27.
So far, over 110,000 players have participated in the beta and the number seems to be continuing to rise (via SteamCharts).
When will Naraka: Bladepoint be released? The developers have not yet provided a specific release date. However, you can expect that the global release is set to happen in summer 2021.
How do you like the gameplay from the beta? Will you give it a try? Are you generally interested in a melee battle royale, or is the genre completely uninteresting to you? Let us know in the comments.
The loot shooter Outriders receives another patch addressing a problem in the game. This time, it concerns the connection issues that have existed since the demo and annoy many players. Additionally, the update addresses a number of other bugs.
This is the problem: Currently, in Outriders, many players are plagued by connection issues that significantly diminish their enjoyment of the game. Reports on reddit and social media indicate that it often takes an eternity for them to log in.
Players report waiting times of over an hour, during which they are stuck on the login screen. Many of them give up and close Outriders.
The problem primarily affected players on PS4 and PS5, but some Xbox players have also reported issues. Now, 3.5 weeks after the game’s launch, there seems to be a breakthrough that should fix the connection problems.
What will be fixed: In a post on reddit, the Senior Community Manager of Square Enix announced that these connection issues will be addressed by the developers next (via reddit). The following will be fixed:
The problem where players get stuck in the login screen
A number of bugs and crashes that led to the game collapsing
A number of bugs and crashes occurring in Outriders multiplayer
What else will be addressed: In addition to the connection issues and crashes, the restoration of the items lost by players due to the loot bug will also be addressed. This bug caused players to find an entirely empty inventory and a naked character after logging in, which was extremely frustrating.
The testing of the restoration process will take place this weekend, and the developers plan to present a detailed schedule for it soon. The following issues will also be addressed:
The difficulty of sniper enemies
The strength of the knock-back effect in the Stargrave expedition
Many bugs related to the resolution of gear, mods, skills, lighting, and other aspects of the game.
The team has also heard the feedback from players regarding the balance in the game. Extensive discussions are taking place internally about this, but it is a complex issue that requires longer planning. The developers therefore plan to discuss it more in the future.
When is the patch coming? The developers have not yet provided an exact date for the fix. The reddit thread merely states that the patch “is coming soon” and is already being tested. Players can therefore expect it likely within the next few weeks.
Are you also affected by the connection problems? Share your experience with us in the comments.
