Activision Blizzard turns every studio they buy into a ‘Call of Duty’ factory

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 3 minutes

Meanwhile, publishers Activision Blizzard have 9 studios. However, each one of them is more or less involved in a single franchise: Call of Duty! Find out here what is in the big CoD factory and what comes out of it.

Who is currently working on Call of Duty? When a studio is acquired by Activision Blizzard, the employed developers should bring a certain passion for shooting, weapons, and soldiers, as it seems inevitable to work for the popular Call of Duty franchise.

Recently, this was the case with the studio “Toys for Bob”. They had developed the game “Crash Bandicoot” in 2020, but now they are – in addition to supporting Crash Bandicoot – also part of the CoD machine and are diligently putting out content for Season 3 of Warzone. By the way, Crash Bandicoot is one of the top 5 co-op games for Xbox Series X and S.

More on the topic
Here are the 5 best coop games for Xbox Series X according to Metacritic
von Tarek Zehrer

Thus, all new studios owned by Activision Blizzard are somehow working with CoD. In addition to the previously mentioned Toys for Bob, they are:

  • Activision Shanghai is involved with CoD Online
  • Demonware is responsible for server support
  • High Moon Studios (formerly Destiny) also supports Call of Duty
  • Beenox has been a CoD studio since Black Ops III
  • Raven Software has supported CoD development for 11 years

Additionally, there are the three main CoD studios, Treyarch, Infinity Ward, and Sledgehammer, which each release a new CoD on an annual basis.

Only the studio Blizzard itself is not actively developing a CoD game, but they sell the thing via their webshop.

A studio from Activision Blizzard that has not worked on Call of Duty was Vicarious Visions: But they also had to provide support services. They first developed the PC version of Destiny 2 for Bungie – now Activision has assigned the studio to Blizzard: They are now working on the Diablo franchise.

Does the CoD factory prevent new games?

Studios either make CoD or nothing at all: At Activision, it seems there is not much else being developed besides CoD. Studios that were acquired by the publisher and did not join the CoD team were ultimately dissolved, and their employees and resources were redistributed to other studios that work on CoD. Among these dissolved studios are names like Grey Matter Interactive (Return to Castle Wolfenstein) and Neversoft (Guitar Hero 6).

CoD content instead of new games: This focus on CoD, in turn, prevents the creative energy of developers from flowing in another direction. An example here is Raven Software, which before its acquisition by Activision in 2010 developed a string of its own successful games, including the highly praised Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy. But since 2010, Raven Software has only been active as a support studio for various CoD titles and has not produced or continued any of its own games. This is unfortunate for everyone who would have liked to see a sequel to Jedi Academy and more.

If you’re interested in more about CoD Warzone, you might find this appealing:

What’s behind it: It seems that a studio acquired by Activision either has to develop CoD or will soon disappear. On the other hand, CoD is currently a major and successful franchise for the publisher that needs to be continuously developed. This requires a fresh influx of developers and resources to meet the high demands of the target audience.

Because masses of players gather daily on the servers, and constantly new content and patches are needed to satisfy the demand. Additionally, each year a completely new game in the series must be released, which in turn is integrated into the popular battle royale version Warzone. Without a large pool of developers, the CoD machine would hardly be able to keep running, even if much potential for new creative ideas surely falls by the wayside.

Activision Blizzard seems to be the publisher that has understood how a service game can satisfy the unrelenting hunger of players: They do not let just one studio work on it, but several. They wanted to do the same with Destiny, but those plans ended when Bungie parted ways with Activision Blizzard. With Call of Duty, they are now trying this model again. Apparently with some success.

What is your opinion on the big “CoD machine”? Is this large focus on a franchise given its success a no-brainer for Activision, or would you prefer it if the publisher would let the acquired studios do something original again?

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

Pokémon GO: Spotlight hour today with Waumboll – Is it worth it?

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 2 minutes

Today, on May 4th, the Spotlight Hour featuring Waumboll starts in Pokémon GO. We will show you the bonuses and analyze for whom this event is worthwhile.

What is a Spotlight Hour? This event takes place every Tuesday in Pokémon GO and features a special Pokémon in the spotlight for one hour. There is also a bonus that complements the event.

This week, you will encounter Waumboll. The Wool Pokémon of the Grass and Fairy type belongs to the 5th generation and fits the current Fairy event that introduced Xerneas to the game.

Spotlight Hour with Waumboll – Start Time and Bonuses

When does it start? As you know, the Spotlight Hour starts again today at 6:00 PM local time. In the game, you will notice that most of the spawns around you will consist of Waumboll. You will have one hour to take advantage of these special spawns. Around 7:00 PM, the Pokémon in the wild will revert to those matching the current Fairy event.

These are the bonuses: While the event is active, you will find Waumboll everywhere. The bonus this time affects the candies you receive. For every catch, you will earn double the candies. This also counts for catches from encounters you unlock through research or other content. So, if you battle Giovanni during the event and receive his Shadow Lugia, you will get double candies for that.

Here’s what you need to know about Waumboll:
Waumboll is the base form and can evolve into Elfun. If you want to perform this evolution, you will need a Sun Stone.
In the Mini Cup, Waumboll has been an important fighter that could take on the opposing teams. In PvE, Waumboll and Elfun play an insignificant role.

Is there a Shiny Waumboll? No, the shiny version of Waumboll is not yet available in Pokémon GO.

Is the Spotlight Hour worth it today? That largely depends on whether you play PvP (Trainer Battles). Because there, at least Waumboll can score points and is considered an important counter with Fairy moves. For a charged attack, Vine Whip works well. If you want to secure some strong specimens for PvP, you can easily do that.

Unfortunately, shiny hunters also won’t have any luck during the Spotlight Hour today.

More about Pokémon GO

In May, there are still many more events planned. After Waumboll, three more Spotlight Hours will take place. Additionally, an event featuring Marill is on the horizon. We will show you in the overview all events in May 2021 for Pokémon GO.

Let us know in the comments if you are participating in the Spotlight Hour today and which event you are looking forward to next.

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

Pokémon GO brings a Marill event on Sunday, trainers are annoyed

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 2 minutes

In Pokémon GO the Limited Research event with Marill starts this weekend. However, trainers are not satisfied with the announcement. They are asking why Marill gets so many events.

What kind of event is this? In Pokémon GO, a Limited Research event starts on Sunday, May 9th. The water and fairy Pokémon Marill will be the focus during the event day. You can expect many exclusive tasks that will reward you with Marill encounters.

Here we show you an overview of everything we know about the Marill Research event and why trainers are annoyed.

Limited Research with Marill – Start and Info

When does it start? The Limited Research with Marill starts on May 9th at 08:00 local time. You have until 22:00 to participate and complete the event quests.

What else is known: You will have the chance to encounter Shiny Marill again during the event. The shiny form has been available in Pokémon GO for a long time. There are also field research tasks that reward you with Marill encounters.

How did it go at other events? Limited Research events are a recurring format in Pokémon GO. The Pokémon participating in them change. There have been research events with Sniebel, Nidoran or Snubbull.

In past events, trainers were able to complete them easily from home, without having to leave their four walls. Until now, research tasks have always been divided into 3 quests per chapter, all rewarding you with the respective event Pokémon.

Is Marill worth it in Pokémon GO?
In PvE, that is in raids against raid bosses, Marill and its evolution Azumarill do not play a significant role. In PvP, however, it is a different story. In trainer battles, Marill leads the field in the Great League along with Galar-Option. They are the two strongest Pokémon you can use in the Great League.

Trainers show annoyed reactions, why?

This is what trainers say: Trainers say “Not another Marill event” or that they already own the entire shiny family and see no reason to participate in the event (via twitter.com). The biggest “problem” noted is the frequency of Marill events.

On reddit, trainers also share their opinions about the event. User ZekromFPS writes (via reddit):

Almost 700 Pokémon in GO.

Niantic: Yep, let’s give them the third Marill event within a year

Others suspect that Niantic really wants to give every player the chance to collect strong Azumarill for the PvP league.

What do you think of the announcement for the Marill Research day? Is it something you are happy about or do you already have shinies and strong PvP specimens? Please share your thoughts here on MeinMMO in the comments and discuss with other trainers.

The limited research for the Xerneas event is currently running. Here we show you all tasks and rewards from Illuminating Legends X.

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

Biggest WoW streamer explains: “Blizzard fixes problems that players don’t even have”

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 3 minutes

The biggest WoW streamer sees some issues in his favorite game. Especially because Blizzard is fixing problems that players don’t even have.

In the retail version of World of Warcraft there is currently a tense atmosphere. For almost half a year, players have been waiting for new content and improvements to existing systems. Now, the WoW streamer Asmongold has also spoken out and explained what bothers him about Blizzard’s policy regarding Shadowlands.

Who is he? Asmongold is a long-time WoW player and streamer. He is one of the biggest WoW streamers overall, consistently reaching large audiences on both Twitch and YouTube. With nearly 2 million followers, he is even among the top 100 streamers overall.

What does Asmongold say? In one of his latest videos, he speaks unusually calmly and factually about the problems he has with the current WoW and the developers. The two main points are summarized as follows:

  • Blizzard is fixing problems in WoW that players don’t even have.
  • The developers introduce new systems and only fix them over the course of years.

He elaborates on both points in the nearly 30-minute video and explains, with several examples, what is going wrong.

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Solutions that players don’t want: He explains the first point with some mechanics and systems that only exist to harass players and artificially slow them down. He says:

Why is media energy in the game? What purpose does it serve? Who does it help? I believe Blizzard developers are fixing problems that players don’t even have with solutions that players don’t want. This has been going on for years. I’m tired of it. I feel exhausted every time I play the game. When I want to do my world quests, I log in and after 3 quests I want to do something else, like watch a YouTube video.

He mentions more systems and mechanics that serve no purpose for players. For example, he still doesn’t understand why the vendor for corruption effects in BfA had a rotation instead of offering the entire stock permanently. The same goes for media energy, where players are restricted in something that doesn’t need restriction.

More about WoW: Shadowlands can be found here:

Systems refined over years: Asmongold goes on to explain how WoW has received new systems over the last few years that were simply uninteresting or flawed in their initial implementation. The prime example of this is the Azerite armor from Battle for Azeroth, which changed multiple times throughout the patches, and with which players were never truly happy. This was feedback that had already been given in the beta of Battle for Azeroth but was never implemented by the end of the expansion.

It is the same again now, for example with the anima system or Torghast. It doesn’t feel complete, and in an interview, Ion Hazzikostas said that it is part of the process to revise and expand systems over multiple patches. Here Asmongold disagrees and clearly states that he and many other players are tired of hearing that every time. Blizzard should finally bring complete, well-thought-out systems into the game and not fix them only after months or years.

Over months and years, systems like legendary items in Legion or Azerite powers in BfA are revised and improved until they are finally in the state they should have been at release in the last patch of an expansion.

What do you think about this? Do you agree with Asmongold and his statements regarding the game systems of WoW? Or do you find the new systems good, even if they are not optimal at the beginning?

If you are no longer interested in retail WoW, you can also check out Classic. The launch of Burning Crusade has just been leaked there.

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

Fortnite suddenly brings 2 “favorites” out of the vault – How do the players react to this?

Eilyn Rapp Eilyn Rapp Reading time 3 minutes

In Fortnite: Battle Royale, there were some spontaneous changes, and Epic brought back 2 favorites, as they call them, from the vault. What changes and weapons have been added to the game, and how are players reacting to it now?

This is what’s happening in Fortnite: The start of Season 6 introduced some new weapons, and now you can even craft primitive weapons. But now, Epic has spontaneously made additional changes and even brought back some weapons from the vault.

It’s not the first time that Fortnite spontaneously adds some changes without a proper update taking place. Just recently, Epic made some buffs for weapons that made bows very powerful and caused players to fear them directly.

Which 2 “favorites” are back?

Which weapons are back in the game? On May 3, Fortnite Status announced on Twitter that 4 changes have been made in the game (via Twitter). This took place in a hotfix, which players didn’t notice directly in the game. In the announcement, Epic revealed that they have brought back 2 favorites, as they call them, into the game. These weapons are:

  • The Infantry Rifle
  • The Tactical Shotgun

Both weapons can now be found on the island in all rarities. You will be able to find them in chests or on the ground, as they cannot be crafted.

These two weapons are now back from the vault

“Good aim will be rewarded again”

This is how players react to the return of the two weapons: In an official reddit thread, the return of the weapons was also announced. Opinions on the return are largely positive (via reddit). Some are happy because good aim will be rewarded again with the Infantry. They comment:

  • “I know you will never see this Epic, but thank you for bringing these items back from the vault.”
  • “It’s very powerful [the Infantry Rifle] and there’s hardly any RNG, so it’s really your pure aim that makes it a good weapon.”
  • “Okay, this is just … great! Tactical is back and so is the Infantry.”
  • “Competitive players have long asked for the return of the Infantry because it rewards good aim.”

However, not all players seem to be satisfied with the return of these two weapons. Under the announcement on Twitter, players are asking about the Heavy Sniper: “You forgot these weapons!” In Season 2 Chapter 2 the Heavy Sniper was also one of your favorite weapons before it was put in the vault.

Epic brings further changes to the game

What other changes has Fortnite made? In the announcement tweet, Fortnite Status revealed further changes made to the game. This is now different:

  • Possibility of spawning crafting materials has been doubled again
  • Mechanic parts when farming cars have been increased by 50%
  • Improved loot chances at fishing spots, supply drops, and bunker chests
fortnite bunker chests title
Bunker chests guarantee you great loot when you find them

Bunker chests guarantee you great weapons without much effort. However, as they are not so easy to find, we show you our guide to the locations of bunker chests on the map.

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

CoD Warzone: Hunt for Eagles – How to get the Operator Skin

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 3 minutes

With the start of Season 3 in Call of Duty Cold War and Warzone, the “Hunt for Adler” challenge has begun. We will show you all the tasks and rewards as well as the Adler skin.

What is this event? Players in Call of Duty need to complete tasks for the “Hunt for Adler” in Warzone and Cold War. There are rewards like stickers, calling cards, and weapon charms. We will show you all the rewards and which tasks you need to fulfill for the hunt.

Update: Due to technical issues, many players could not receive the Adler skin despite completing the challenges. Therefore, the developers have decided to make the skin available for free to all players.

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If you want the Adler skin, just log into the game, open the operator menu, and there you will find the new skin with Russell Adler and can easily equip it.

But be careful! The skin is only available until the end of Season 3, so don’t take too long.

Hunt for Adler in Warzone – How does it work?

In Warzone, you need to gather various information in matches. This takes place on the new “Verdansk ’84” map, which was activated with Season 3 in Warzone. Go wild there and gather the info to grab the coveted rewards.

TaskReward
Complete the Intel contract at FarmsCalling Card “Missing”
Complete the Intel contract on the SummitSticker “Rebel Rivas”
Complete the Intel contract at FactoryWeapon charm “Close Call”

Tips for the challenges: It’s best to start at Factory (near Super Store). There you need to locate and collect three supply boxes nearby. Collecting the three supply boxes is the goal at all locations. You will have 5 minutes for each box to collect it. It works easiest if you own a heli and simply fly quickly to the locations, collect, and move on.

According to player reports, there are about 2-4 Intel contracts per location to pick up. So do this as the very first task at the start of a match so that other players don’t snatch them from you.

Hunt for Adler in Cold War – How does it work?

In Cold War, you need to play through a few games to unlock the rewards. Especially on the Yamantau map, you will have to play more often to complete all objectives.

TaskReward
Play and complete 7 games on YamantauSticker “Head Comrade”
Eliminate 25 opponents revealed by your Spy Plan
H.A.R.P. or Field Mic.		Weapon charm “Pager”
Eliminate 25 opponents in a killstreak while using
the Assassin Perk		Calling Card “Vengeful Commando”

Tips for the challenges: These challenges are not particularly difficult, they just take time. Play the games as you normally would. For the 25 kills, you can place the Field Mic near the enemy spawn to reveal as many enemies as possible.

What’s new:

The rewards for Hunt for Adler – Skin

This is what it looks like: In the following tweet from CharlieIntel, you can see the 6 mentioned rewards in the game:

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How to get the Adler skin: If you are keen on the skin, you only need to complete 3 of the tasks. Either all 3 in Warzone or all 3 in Cold War. You do not need to solve 6 tasks for the Adler skin.

Warzone Adler Skin
Source: CharlieIntel.com

As you can see, you don’t need to change your playstyle much for the challenges. Most tasks will be completed alongside your regular gameplay anyway. Once the initial rush for the Intel contracts in Warzone calms down, your chances of obtaining the coveted pieces will increase.

What do you think of these types of tasks? Do you enjoy having some fresh wind in the game or should there be other ways to earn skins like this?

Are you looking for more cool skins? We show you 5 black skins in Warzone that give you advantages in the dark.

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

Court allows accidental calls in the Epic vs. Apple trial – children shout: “Free Fortnite”

Alexander Leitsch Alexander Leitsch Reading time 3 minutes

On May 3, the trial between Epic and Apple officially began. The trial is taking place with people on-site and is broadcast to the public and press in a conference. Some children managed to obtain speaking rights in the conference and disrupted the proceedings with shouts like “Free Fortnite”.

What’s happening exactly? Since August 2020, Epic and Apple have been in a legal dispute. This was triggered because Epic directly sold V-Bucks in Fortnite, bypassing Apple’s revenue share in the App Store. As a result, Fortnite was removed from the store, leading to a lawsuit and countersuit.

On May 3, the trial officially began between the two parties. Present during the hearings were the judge and witnesses, including Tim Sweeney, the head of Epic, and Tim Cook, CEO of Apple.

The press, the public, and parts of the legal teams were able to join from outside. And that’s where problems arose and Fortnite fans made their appearance.

What did the kids do? According to the website The Verge, some individuals were able to speak in the public call during the first minutes of the trial, disrupting the proceedings (via The Verge).

It was mainly children and teenagers who shouted phrases like “Free Fortnite” or “bring Fortnite back to mobile, please your honor”. Others reportedly played music from Travis Scott or promoted their YouTube channel.

The call resembled a chaotic Discord conversation more than a serious trial. In total, over 200 people participated in the broadcast.

The audio version can also be listened to later on YouTube. The interruptions are primarily heard around the 6:40 mark:

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How long did the disruptions last? According to The Verge, the hearing was supposed to start at 5:15 PM our time. However, it wasn’t until 5:30 PM that the situation was brought under control, allowing Tim Sweeney to start with his statements.

Apple views the legal dispute as a PR stunt, Epic wants equal rights for all

What is behind the legal dispute? Anyone selling a game or in-game currencies in the App Store is supposed to pay 30% of their revenue to Apple. However, Epic and their head Tim Sweeney find this rate too high and tried to bypass this fee. With several consequences:

Apple sees Epic’s entire action as a PR strategy for a struggling Fortnite.

Tim Sweeney Epic Games
Tim Sweeney, the head of Epic Games.

Why is Epic doing this? Tim Sweeney is the head of Epic and also owns a large share of the company. In his eyes, he is fighting with Epic for the rights of indie developers to their revenues and against monopolists.

In an interview Sweeney explained that the battle with Apple costs a lot and hardly any other company could afford this. Yet he remains optimistic that Epic can change the gaming industry.

Epic has also taken on Steam, as they continuously try to release new games exclusively on their platform, forcing Steam to lower the shares they take from developers. However, exclusives are said to be very costly:

More on the topic
Epic invests a lot of money in the fight against Steam – Makes over 300 million dollars in losses
von Alexander Leitsch

How did the first day go? On the first day, mainly Tim Sweeney and the lawyers from Apple spoke. The focus was on whether Apple’s 30% cut is really justified, how much Epic actually earns with Fortnite, and the state of the Epic Store.

Many figures were presented here, such as the 9.1 billion dollars that Fortnite is said to have generated in 2018 and 2019. This is enough to buy Star Wars twice.

What happens next in the trial? According to PCGamer, the trial will mainly involve compiling all arguments from the past months (via PCGamer). In addition to the heads of Epic and Apple, Lori Wright, Vice President of Xbox Business Development, and other individuals outside the two companies will also present their statements.

It is suspected that the trial will last about 2 weeks. Afterwards, US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will issue a decision.

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

Roccat presents two gaming keyboards under 100 euros, Magma and Pyro

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 4 minutes

Roccat has introduced two new gaming keyboards. Magma and Pyro are aimed at gamers who want to spend no more than 100 euros. MeinMMO presents the new gaming devices to you.

Roccat is expanding its portfolio in the peripheral sector with two new keyboards:

  • The Roccat Magma is a keyboard with membrane keys for 59.99 euros. In addition to special lighting, there is a wrist rest and programmable keys.
  • The Roccat Pyro introduces a mechanical gaming keyboard for 99.99 euros. In addition to a wrist rest and lighting, it also features a durable aluminum casing. Roccat applies a similar quality to its more expensive Vulcan models.

A week ago, Roccat had already introduced two new mice with the Roccat Kone Pro and Kone Pro Air. MeinMMO presents in this article what the two keyboards can do and what competition currently exists on the market.

Roccat focuses on membrane keys and linear switches in its new keyboards

What components do the keyboards use? The Roccat Magma uses membrane keys. Roccat promises “whisper-quiet keys” here. Membrane keys are generally quieter than mechanical keys, as there is no clicking mechanism but a rubber plate under the keys. Improved anti-ghosting is also included. This helps ensure that your operating system recognizes all keys, even if you press multiple keys simultaneously in the heat of the moment.

The Roccat Pyro uses mechanical keys. Roccat chose red linear switches here. These red switches provide neither tactile nor acoustic feedback. The keys feel the same when gaming or typing. You won’t find Roccat’s Titan switches, which are used in the Vulcan series, in this price range. The Pyro also offers anti-ghosting.

Various views of the new mechanical keyboard Roccat Pyro.

Both keyboards offer “Easy-Shift” for double-function keys and a detachable wrist rest. Both keyboards are also full-size keyboards. This means both devices have their own number pad. However, Roccat also already offers the Roccat Vulcan TKL Pro, a tenkeyless keyboard without a number pad. We tested the Roccat Vulcan TKL Pro for you here.

When can you buy the keyboards and what do they cost? According to Roccat, the two keyboards will be available from May 30, 2021, but you can already pre-order them on Amazon and at Roccat itself.

  • The Roccat Magma costs 59.99 euros
  • The Roccat Pyro costs 99.99 euros.

You can already pre-order the Roccat Magma on Amazon and get it directly on release date.

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You can get an initial impression with the official product video from Roccat. In the YouTube video, you can see Roccat Magma:

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Roccat’s Magma in the official video.

What is already available from Roccat? In the entry-level sector, you already have the Roccat Horde. This is a keyboard that combines mechanical and membrane technology. The aim is to reduce the disadvantage of the membrane keys, which is their low durability, and to increase precision. You can currently get the Horde for around 60 euros.

The Roccat Horde has at least made a mark with its fair price-performance ratio, offering not only decent lighting but also a grippy control wheel (via GameStar.de).

In the high-price segment for gaming keyboards up to 150 euros, Roccat has positioned itself with its Vulcan series. Here, Roccat uses its own developed switches that are located under the keys. In his column, MeinMMO author Benedikt Schlotmann explains why he prefers to type and work with Roccat’s Vulcan 121:

More on the topic
Why Roccats Vulcan 121 is the best keyboard for gaming and home office for me
von Benedikt Schlotmann

In the price range of around 100 euros, you can already get some strong keyboards

For under 100 euros, you can already get a good gaming keyboard from Razer or Corsair that offers good build quality and several features:

  • The Razer Ornata V2 offers mecha-membrane keys. All keys are programmable and you get media keys and cool lighting.
  • Corsair’s K63 is a mechanical gaming keyboard with red switches. These are particularly fast, but also audible. In the 60-euro range of the Roccat Magma, the Corsair K55 RGB PRO is also worth mentioning. This provides media control keys in addition to the Magma.
  • The SteelSeries Apex 3 relies on rubber dome keys, which are noticeably lower than mechanical switches.

You can find the best gaming keyboards you can currently buy, right here on MeinMMO. In our buying guide, we explain what to consider when buying a keyboard and which models are recommended this year. You can also find the K63 from Corsair in this buying guide.

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

PS Plus in May: The new free games for PS4 and PS5 are now available

Irina Moritz Irina Moritz Reading time 3 minutes

Sony has recently announced the new free games that PlayStation Plus members will receive in May 2021. And now these PS Plus games are available for download. As always, there are 2 games for PS4 and one exclusive PS5 game.

These are the PS Plus games for May 2021: A new month is coming, along with new free games for PS Plus members for PS4 and PS5. This time, there’s a survival game, a shooter, and a driving game where absolute chaos reigns:

  • Battlefield V (PS4)
  • Stranded Deep (PS4)
  • Wreckfest: Drive Hard. The Load (PS5)

You can easily play the PS4 titles on your PS5 using the backward compatibility feature without any issues.

When does the free download start in the PS Store? You can download the new PS Plus games starting now (May 5) from the PlayStation Store. Keep in mind: You need to be logged in and have an active PS Plus membership.

Battlefield V

What is Battlefield V? The first-person shooter developed by EA DICE is the latest installment in the popular Battlefield franchise and is set during World War II. In the single-player campaign, you play various characters from different countries in 4 story episodes and learn more about their struggle for survival. The story provides gripping moments that depict the war especially dramatically.

In multiplayer, after several updates, you have a wide selection of weapons, skins, vehicles, and maps that take you to various European countries, as well as the Pacific, Africa, and other World War II locations. Also, read the detailed text about Battlefield V from our colleagues at GamePro.

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You should check out Battlefield V if you are in the mood for a cool shooter set in a World War II setting, where team play is very important. The maps offer plenty of variety in settings, and you can have a lot of fun in the diverse modes.

Link to download in the PS Store: Battlefield™ V – download for free with PS Plus (From 04.05.)

Stranded Deep

What is Stranded Deep? In Stranded Deep, you take on the role of a survivor of a plane crash, which you play from a first-person perspective. You land on an uninhabited island after the crash and must fight for your survival. You have the classic survival gameplay mechanics at your disposal.

You start with nothing and must craft your own tools, build a shelter, and, most importantly, search for food to avoid starving. But be careful: the resources on your island are limited, and you must think carefully about how to use them. Your goal is to escape the lonely island and ultimately find out why your plane crashed here in the first place.

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You should check out Stranded Deep if you enjoy classic survival games and are looking for something new. Stranded Deep places you in a colorful tropical setting, and you can not only explore the island but also go diving in the ocean.

Link to download in the PS Store: Stranded Deep – download for free with PS Plus (From 04.05.)

Wreckfest: Drive Hard. The Load

What is Wreckfest: Drive Hard. The Load? The game focuses on crash racing and everything that goes with it. You can choose from numerous cars to compete in races on off-road tracks. And there’s plenty of shoving and ramming involved.

Especially in Destruction Derby, an “all against all” mode, you have to use precise maneuvers to turn the opponent’s cars into scrap while also ensuring that your own car remains as intact as possible. The chaotic mass crashes are much more tactical than they appear, and simply ramming won’t get you very far.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKVVkTPEEqI

You should check out Wreckfest: Drive Hard. The Load if you are looking for a new racing game where you can really wreck your cars. If you’re a fan of games like FlatOut, then Wreckfest will appeal to you, after all, it was made by the same development studio.

Link to download in the PS Store:  Wreckfest: Drive Hard. The Load – download for free with PS Plus (From 04.05.)

How to get the PS Plus games

Here’s what you need: Basically, you only need an active PS Plus subscription.

For about €60 a year, you will receive 3 PS Plus games monthly: 2 for PS4 and one extra PS5 title. You get them as a digital download in the PS Store at no additional cost. Moreover, as a member of PlayStation Plus, you enjoy several additional benefits.

Also interesting:

The benefits of PS Plus at a glance: In addition to the monthly free games, subscribers also receive the following:

  • Access to online multiplayer in many games
  • Exclusive discounts in the PlayStation Store
  • Exclusive in-game content for numerous games
  • The PlayStation Plus Collection for PS5 owners
  • Access to the free trials, where you can try some full titles for free

What do you think of the new May lineup for PlayStation Plus? Are these cool games, or would you have preferred others? Is there any title you are particularly looking forward to? Let us know and other readers from MeinMMO in the comments.

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

In the new Apocalypse event of Rainbow Six Siege, you fight for the last plant on Earth

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 2 minutes

In the tactical shooter Rainbow Six Siege, there is now a new, cool mode called Apocalypse. At first glance, it might seem like “just” a rework of the Outback map, but the new mission objective allows for some fresh experiences in the game. Find out here what the new mode entails and what the special features are.

What is the new event about? The new Apocalypse event in Rainbow Six Siege takes you into a bleak future. Due to various nuclear disasters, the Earth is thoroughly messed up, and the few survivors are facing the ultimate demise. But there is still hope. The last living plant has appeared in an old reactor, and it could be the key to reviving the planet.

But before the happy gardening can begin, the plant must first be obtained, and since two factions are fighting over the plant, there will be quite a shootout. This takes place in a specially modified version of the Outback map for the Apocalypse.

When does the event start? The event starts on May 4, 2021, and runs until May 18, inclusive. During this time, you can play the new mode.

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The trailer gives a Mad Max vibe.

New gameplay mechanics force you to change tactics

What makes the Apocalypse event different? While the map is essentially the familiar Outback map in Mad Max style, the developers have come up with something new in terms of gameplay mechanics. The game mode is basically the usual bomb defusal, except that it involves the coveted plant instead of an explosive device.

However, unlike the bomb in the regular matches of Rainbow Six Siege, the plant is mobile and can be carried and repositioned by the defending team. This allows for completely different methods and tactics than would be the case with stationary bomb sites.

For the attackers, there are also new possibilities, as they can use special scanners to check if enemies are in a room or not. The tactical possibilities these small changes offer should not be underestimated. Rounds in Apocalypse are noticeably different than the previously known gameplay. Good players with thousands of hours of experience can surely still do well here.

More about Rainbow Six on MeinMMO:

What else is there? The selection of operators in Apocalypse is limited. There are only 5 operators allowed for each side. For the defenders, these are:

  • Maestro
  • Melusi
  • Rook
  • Smoke
  • Valkyrie

The attackers bring in the following characters:

  • Fuze
  • Gridlock
  • Maverick
  • Nomad
  • Twitch

Each of these operators will also receive a new, paid special skin in a post-apocalyptic style. However, some of them are unintentionally funny, as Melusi still wears her camouflage uniform in the desolate atomic wasteland, which, of course, makes little sense when fighting over the last remaining plant on the planet.

Rainbow Six Siege: So seht ihr die Deutsche Liga

Alle Infos, Ankündigungen und Streaming-Pläne zur großen deutschsprachigen GSA-Liga.

Zur Übersicht

If you have gotten excited about Rainbow Six Siege with the new event, it’s definitely worth diving back into the tactical shooter. How to do that best and how much effort it requires has been summarized for you in a special article. Find out here, how difficult it actually is to start with Rainbow Six Siege in 2021.

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

Fortnite generated enough money at its height to buy Star Wars – 2 times

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

As has now been revealed through the court dispute between Apple and Epic Games, the online shooter Fortnite generated an incredible sum of $9,165,000,000 in 2018 and 2019. That would have been enough to buy the SF franchise Star Wars from LucasFilm twice – or once Bethesda (Fallout/The Elder Scrolls).

Where do the numbers come from? Apple and Epic Games are currently involved in several lawsuits against each other: Epic Games complains that they have to give a large portion of their Fortnite earnings to Apple on iPhones and iPads. They had stood up against this. Apple subsequently removed them from their platform. Epic Games feels treated unfairly here and demands “Free Fortnite.”

Apple, on the other hand, complains that Epic Games has breached their contract and tried to circumvent the payment methods in the App Store in a sneaky operation.

In any case, court proceedings are now bringing to light information that one normally does not hear. For example, an answer to the question: How much money did Fortnite make at its peak?

The hearing was interrupted earlier by children who shouted “Free Fortnite” and other phrases in between.

Fortnite reached revenues of over $9.1 billion in 2018 and 2019

This is how much Fortnite earned at its peak: Epic reveals the revenue figures from a presentation in January 2020 (via assets.documentscloud.org):

  • In 2018, Fortnite generated $5.4 billion – at today’s exchange rate, that would be about €4.5 billion
  • In 2019, it was still $3.7 billion

2018 is generally seen as the peak of Fortnite. Twitch streamers like Tyler “Ninja” Blevins introduced the shooter to a large audience. Fortnite entered the mainstream as music stars like Drake and mainstream sports magazines showed interest in the game. At that time, it seemed like Fortnite was the topic on every playground and was being played in every children’s room and many living rooms.

2019 was the big year of the Fortnite World Championship, which generated even more hype, although the thrill was already beginning to fade.

More on the topic
Twitch star Ninja reveals how much money he made with Fortnite in 2018
von Schuhmann

This is how much money that is in relation: As calculated by the US site Kotaku, the $9.16 billion that Fortnite generated during that time would be enough to buy the Star Wars franchise. Disney acquired it for $4 billion from Lucasfilm. Fortnite could also have financed the purchase of Bethesda by Microsoft on its own: Bethesda is said to have cost $7.5 billion.

The revenues of Fortnite are not profits yet, but the way Epic Games behaves, it seems that they have money to spare. They have deliberately pumped a lot of money into the Epic Games Store to challenge market leader Steam:

Epic invests a lot of money in the fight against Steam – incurs over $300 million in losses

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

Superhero MMO is now completely Free2Play, this is how DC Universe Online is today

Andreas Bertits Andreas Bertits Reading time 3 minutes

DC Universe Online (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch) will finally be completely free to play. This means you won’t have to pay for the upcoming story episodes either. Is this a good reason to dive into the superhero MMORPG?

What did the developers announce? Although there have always been limited-time events for new episodes of the superhero MMO allowing players to try the new story for free, it was actually supposed to be purchased.

This changed with the last episode 40: World of Flashpoint, which was released completely free of charge. The team behind DC Universe Online (DCUO) has now stated that they want to maintain this type of release for future content updates. All upcoming episodes will therefore be free. Additionally, all previous episodes will be available for free with the summer update.

In the developers’ post, it says:

The experiments have shown us many good reasons to bring more players directly into the new content without barriers. So we will keep it that way.

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World of Flashpoint was the first free episode of DCUO.

What about the subscription? Subscribers have previously received new episodes as part of their subscription. To maintain the value of a subscription, there will be more rewards in the future. The team encourages subscribers to send them ideas about what they would like to see in the future.

The current state of the superhero MMO

How is DC Universe Online doing today? The MMO regularly receives updates and new story content. This also includes the survival mode, which started in March. In this mode, players face wave after wave of enemies to earn rewards. This mode will be expanded in the future with new seasons where you compete against different foes and earn new rewards.

Episode 40: World of Flashpoint tells the current story in which the superhero Flash has caused chaos through time travel, and players now experience alternate realities. More episodes will follow.

Player numbers on Steam have shown an upward trend for some time. In the last 30 days, 1328 players played the MMO simultaneously (via Steamcharts). It’s worth noting that DCUO can also be played via its own launcher and on PS4/PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, as well as on Nintendo Switch. The actual player numbers are likely much higher.

As for the ratings on Steam, these have been at 80% over the past 30 days, and the overall rating stands at 79% (as of May 4th at 11 AM via Steam). The MMO is therefore quite well-received by players.

We summarize some current reviews for you:

  • PokerforceG says (via Steam): “Cool game. I wish the fights were a bit faster, but it’s generally really good.”
  • Vengeance can only recommend DCUO (via Steam): “Just play it! It’s not pay-to-win, but you do need to invest a lot of time. It really offers years of entertainment.”
  • beamerballer4575 agrees (via Steam): In my opinion, it’s one of the best games I’ve ever played. It offers non-stop action, and it feels like the missions never end. I’m not saying it’s perfect, but if you like DC games, I can only recommend it.”
  • Cursed Thrall Puncher finds DCUO not so great (via Steam): “Although it receives regular updates, it has outdated character models and a UI that may deter many MMO players.”

More about DCUO:

Who is DCUO worth it for? Those who love the DC superheroes like Batman, Flash, Wonder Woman, and Superman will enjoy fighting side by side with these icons against supervillains in DC Universe Online. Or you can take on the role of a villain yourself and face the heroes.

DCUO is designed like a comic book. Episodes are regularly released that tell new stories. This way, you improve your self-created superhero or supervillain over time and learn new powers.

If you want to experience an MMO in a non-fantasy universe and play as a superhero, DCUO is likely right for you. Especially now that the episodes are being offered for free.

However, the MMO has been around for over 10 years, and you can clearly see that in the graphics. It could also be a bit more user-friendly and comfortable to control. If you can overlook that, you get a very extensive online role-playing game with a scenario that offers something a little different.

DC Universe Online is listed among the 7 MMOs and MMORPGs without the classic fantasy setting on MeinMMO.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Website von DC Universe Online
  2. Steam

LoL is getting its own series on Netflix in 2021 – What we know about Arcane

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

With a 19-second teaser trailer, Riot Games now announces that an animated series based on League of Legends will premiere on the streaming service Netflix in autumn 2021. We compile what is already known about the LoL series on Netflix at MeinMMO.

This is the announcement: LoL has released a 19-second trailer for the Netflix series “Arcane”, although a few seconds of that are spent showing the Netflix logo.

The key message is: The animated series, introduced by Riot Games for the 10th anniversary in 2019, is coming to the Netflix streaming service in autumn 2021.

The news about the trailer on YouTube outlines the storyline:

“Arcane” is a new animated series from the creators of “League of Legends”. Set in the utopian city of Piltover and its oppressed district Zhaun, the story tells of the beginnings of two legendary LoL champions and the power that will divide them.

From the Netflix trailer
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Arcane apparently revolves around the LoL sisters Jinx and Vi

What we know about the plot: Piltover is a developed city in the world of LoL, inspired by steampunk. Zhaun is a sprawling district beneath the city, where quite eccentric characters reside.

 It seems to be about the sisters Jinx and Vi:

  • Jinx is quite a crazy lady in LoL with a strong preference for firearms and a punk style – she is described as an “impulsive criminal from Zhaun”. She somewhat resembles Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad.
  • Her sister Vi also started as a criminal in Zhaun but has now made it into the upper world of Piltover. She uses enhanced, gigantic fists and is affectionately called “Fat Hands” by her sister Jinx.

It seems that Arcane will revolve around the story of the two unequal sisters and the uneven cities.

When is it coming to Netflix? In autumn 2021. There is not yet a specific release date for the Netflix series Arcane.

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Are there any other videos about the series? Yes, in October 2019 the series was first introduced, on the occasion of Riot Games’ 10th anniversary.

More on the topic
Blizzard is working on a Diablo series for Netflix besides Diablo 4
von Patrick Freese

Fans hope: Arcane features their favorite LoL champs

This is what’s being discussed: The first reactions in LoL mostly revolve around every player wanting to see their favorites in the series:

  • One person says that characters like Camille, Warwick, or Viktor must definitely appear in Arcane. Hopefully, the series won’t just focus on “fan service”.
  • Another user says: Hopefully, they will show heroes who are not sexy boys or girls. He hopes for Dr. Mundo and Tahm Kench.
  • A third user says: He doesn’t care about any of that; Riot Games should first get the balance right in LoL.

Riot Games is currently working on expanding the universe around LoL. They are also releasing new games:

LoL succeeds in what many other games fail – successful spin-offs

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

Dead by Daylight brings more “Left 4 Dead” story than Valve in a decade

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 3 minutes

The story of Bill from Left 4 Dead is continued – but in Dead by Daylight. After 11 years, the war veteran’s journey continues.

There are a number of game series where fans have been eagerly waiting for a sequel for many years. One of these series is “Left 4 Dead,” which has delivered the best cooperative zombie action of all time for many players. However, over 11 years after the release of Left 4 Dead 2, there are no signs of a third installment. Fans can still get a bit of story – but in a completely different game. Namely in Dead by Daylight.

Why is there Left 4 Dead in Dead by Daylight? Valve and Behaviour collaborated to bring Bill from Left 4 Dead to Dead by Daylight a few years ago. There, he is not only a popular survivor but also has one of the strongest survivor perks – Borrowed Time. Now Bill is getting a bit of “new” story for the first time. This gives players of Dead by Daylight what many “Left 4 Dead” fans have wished for over the past decade – more of the beloved characters.

Who is Bill? William “Bill” Overbeck is one of the four original survivors that players could play in the original Left 4 Dead. He is an aging war veteran who often comes off as a bit grumpy, but has a good heart and selflessly supports his comrades.

He even made another appearance with his fellow survivors in Left 4 Dead 2. There, he saved all the other survivors by sacrificing himself to the zombies and protecting the missing generator that allowed the rest of the group to escape. In Dead by Daylight, the story goes a bit further, as instead of dying, the Entity pulls the former soldier into its realm to allow him to escape death over and over again.

How does story work in Dead by Daylight? The gameplay of Dead by Daylight contains very few story elements. The stories are instead unlocked through a challenge system. Here, players can complete various missions, such as rescuing a specific number of survivors or escaping the killer for two minutes. This gradually unlocks small memory fragments that are then narrated by a speaker.

Once all memory fragments of a specific story have been collected, a small cutscene awaits at the end, giving more insight into the character’s life.

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What can be seen? The first trailer already roughly shows what Bill’s story will be about. It seems to be about his service in the war, where he lost many comrades. There, he made, at least according to what the trailer suggests, his first contacts with the outbreak of the zombie plague. Bill had to witness many of his comrades not only die but also ensure that they stayed dead.

Find more about Dead by Daylight here:

When is it playable? The latest “Tome” featuring the stories of Bill, the plague, and the Observer starts tomorrow, May 5th. You can then begin to complete the challenges and unlock the story gradually. This will unlock not only the story but also cool rewards in the form of cosmetic items. How exactly this works has been explained in the presentation of the “Battle Pass in Dead by Daylight”.

Even though fans would prefer a Left 4 Dead 3 over a little story about a single character in Dead by Daylight, it’s better than nothing. Those who enjoyed Dead by Daylight and played Left 4 Dead are likely to enjoy the upcoming stories.

The former creators of the first Left 4 Dead are working on a new zombie shooter – Back 4 Blood.

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

New MMORPG Corepunk Talks About Future – Could PvP and PvE Finally Be Separated

Andreas Bertits Andreas Bertits Reading time 3 minutes

The MMORPG Corepunk offers PvE but also PvP in an open world. Now the developers are considering making this possible on separate servers and want to know the community’s opinion on this.

What is Corepunk? The “Top-Down MMORPG” places you in a world that is a mix of fantasy, post-apocalypse, and cyberpunk sci-fi. You can expect these features:

How is PvP currently planned? So far, it has been said that there should generally be open PvP. This means you can fight with hostile players in the open game world. Arbitrary attacks on players will be punished. Those who like PvP should focus on guild wars, PvP instances, arenas, and battlegrounds.

However, it is possible and also intended to attack low-level players in the open world. How Corepunk looks is shown in this gameplay trailer:

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Should PvP and PvE in Corepunk be separated?

What do the developers think now? Since open PvP can be problematic in connection with PvE, the developers of Corepunk want to leave players the decision of whether to have dedicated PvE and PvP servers.

The team recognizes that not every PvE player wants to be attacked by other players while questing or gathering resources. Nevertheless, PvP should play an important role.

Through Discord, the team is therefore considering offering PvE and PvP servers:

  • PvP servers should continue to offer open player-versus-player battles across the entire world
  • On the PvE servers, PvP only takes place in arenas and on special battlegrounds

The team now wants to know what the players think of this idea.

More about Corepunk:

This is why it is such an important decision: How important this decision is can be seen in the example of New World. The MMORPG from Amazon was originally planned as a survival MMO with open PvP. But during the first alpha, testers found out that they preferred PvE content. Therefore, the concept was changed. PvP became optional.

However, not everyone liked this, which is why open PvP is returning to New World as battles for forts.

Here are the reactions so far: On reddit, the proposal from the developers of Corepunk is already being discussed. Not everyone thinks the idea is good, but the majority is in favor of separating PvE and PvP.

  • SocraticQuestioner explains (via reddit): “Albion Online is a good example of why many people, including the developers, do not want pure PvE servers. The game is designed in such a way that PvE players are forced into PvP zones so that PvP people have easy targets to keep them occupied.”
  • Hotstreak is unsure (via reddit): “Hmm, I am of mixed opinion because I thought the original design with the mix of PvP and PvE was good. But it’s always nice to have options.”
  • EmoJarsh writes (via reddit): “I’ve been following the project for a while and have to say that PvE servers are necessary if they want a chance against New World and Swords of Legend Online. PvE is simply more popular. PvP has its place, but in my experience, most players simply prefer PvE.”
  • crozzee likes the idea (via reddit): “I would love to see PvE servers. The developers are aware that open-world PvP can cause problems for those who just want to quest or grind without fearing being attacked.”

What do you think about the idea of separating PvE and PvP through specific servers? Do you think this is good for Corepunk or should the original design be kept?

Would you like to know how Corepunk plays? A beta will take place in the summer, in which 10,000 players will be able to participate.

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

Oops, did Blizzard accidentally reveal the release date of WoW TBC Classic?

Alexander Leitsch Alexander Leitsch Reading time 2 minutes

In Blizzard’s BattleNet, there was apparently a brief notice indicating the release date for The Burning Crusade in WoW Classic. The new expansion is said to be released in June.

Update May 6: The release date has now been officially confirmed. The release of TBC Classic will take place on June 2.

What happened? As users report on reddit and other platforms, there was a brief overlay in BattleNet during the night of May 4th, 2021. There, the image for Burning Crusade Classic was displayed along with text below it.

This text states that TBC is expected to be released on June 1, 2021. That would mean exactly 4 weeks from now. The expansion is currently still in beta testing.

How realistic is the leak? The image was shared by several different sources, so there is a high chance that the image was indeed visible in the launcher.

Players suspect that the article went online by mistake and was quickly taken offline. This would not be the first time Blizzard has accidentally revealed something too early. The last time this happened was at BlizzCon 2021, when info about WoW Shadowlands and WoW Classic leaked online prematurely.

Whether June 1 is the correct date or if it is merely a placeholder date is currently a hot topic of discussion.

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Pros and Cons of a June Release

What speaks against the release on June 1? On reddit, there is a heated discussion about the date. For some users, the release seems too soon:

  • So, the announcement for the release comes far too late for the user jacob6875: “It seems hard to believe that if TBC were to release in a month, we wouldn’t have an official release date by now.”
  • The user shryne agrees and suspects a placeholder: “This is probably just a draft article with a filler date that was accidentally published on the HOTS news site.”
  • Lagwins1980 also has issues with it, as it would mean that the TBC pre-patch would only be playable for a very short time: “No, it’s not unusual to have no date for something still in beta testing. But if the previous leaks are true, then that’s only 2 weeks of pre-patch, which seems a bit short.”

Another argument against this early release is that a raid test in the beta was recently postponed.

More about WoW on MeinMMO:

What speaks for June 1 However, some other users believe in a release on June 1, as there was previously a leak stating that the pre-patch should only last two weeks.

Additionally, WoW head Ion Hazzikostas hinted that Patch 9.1 and the expansion in Classic will not be released simultaneously. Since Patch 9.1 seems far off, an early release of Burning Crusade doesn’t sound unlikely.

A third faction also suspects that the pre-patch will be deployed on June 1 and that Burning Crusade will then come a few weeks later.

What do you think about the release of Burning Crusade? Does June 1 seem realistic to you?

Everything about the currently running beta for WoW Classic you can find here: The beta of “Burning Crusade Classic” is live – Are you in?

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

Pokémon GO: Illuminating Legends X – new research and raids

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 3 minutes

In Pokémon GO started the event with Xerneas “Illuminating Legends X”. It brings a new limited research and other Pokémon in the current raids. We show you all the changes.

What is new? On May 4th at 10:00 AM, the event “Illuminating Legends X” started, bringing Xerneas and new Pokémon from Generation 6 into the game.

In the overview, we show you the new limited research that rewards you with a rainy lure module and also, which raid bosses you now encounter.

Limited Research on Illuminating Legends X

For the research, you need to send gifts, battle Team GO Rocket, and catch Fairy-type Pokémon. Additionally, a battle against Giovanni is planned. You have until May 17, 2021, at 8:00 PM to complete the research.

The research is divided into 7 chapters.

Illuminating Legends X – 1/7

TaskReward
Send 5 gifts to friendsEncounter with
Puffle
Defeat 3 Rocket GruntsEncounter with
Spoink
Catch 7 Fairy-type PokémonEncounter with Clefairy

Stage Reward: If you complete all the steps at this stage, you will receive 1,500 experience points and 15 Ultra Balls. We show you how to find friends in Pokémon GO to whom you can send gifts.

Illuminating Legends X – 2/7

TaskReward
Earn 7 hearts with your buddy10 Razz Berries
Rescue 3 Shadow PokémonEncounter with Dratini
Catch 15 Fairy-type PokémonEncounter with Marill

Stage Reward: If you complete all the steps at this stage, you will receive 2,000 experience points and a Rocket Radar.

Illuminating Legends X – 3/7

TaskReward
Defeat Rocket Leader Arlo5 Hyper Potions
Defeat Rocket Leader Cliff3 Revives
Defeat Rocket Leader Sierra3 Max Potions

Stage Reward: If you complete all the steps at this stage, you will receive 2,500 experience points and a Super Rocket Radar.

This is how you defeat the leaders

Illuminating Legends X – 4/7

TaskReward
Find the Team Rocket boss2,000 XP
Battle the Team Rocket boss2,000 XP
Defeat the Team Rocket boss2,000 XP

Stage Reward: If you complete all the steps at this stage, you will receive 3,000 experience points and a Smoke.

Keep in mind that since May 1st, you receive a Shadow Articuno as a reward for defeating Giovanni.

Illuminating Legends X – 5/7

TaskReward
Evolve 3 Fairy-type Pokémon1 Sinnoh Stone
Use a SmokeEncounter with Flabébé
Catch 20 Fairy-type PokémonEncounter with Spritzee

Stage Reward: If you complete all the steps at this stage, you will receive 4,000 experience points and 10 Nanab Berries.

Illuminating Legends X – 6/7

TaskReward
Make 10 great throwsEncounter with Swablu
Use 15 berries while catching
Pokémon		Encounter with Cottonee
Catch 7 different species of
Fairy-type Pokémon		Encounter with Azumarill

Stage Reward: If you complete all the steps at this stage, you will receive 6,000 experience points and 15 Ultra Balls.

Illuminating Legends X – 7/7

TaskReward
Complete 5 field research tasks25 Pokéballs
Win a raidEncounter with Feebas
Catch 50 Fairy-type PokémonEncounter with Clefable

Stage Reward: If you complete all the steps at this stage, you will receive 5,000 Stardust and the new rainy lure module.

If you use the rainy lure module at a PokéStop, it attracts Pokémon that like water. These are Water, Bug, or Electric-type Pokémon. The rainy lure module also helps you evolve Viscargot to Viscogon.

Current Raids for the Xerneas Event in May 2021

With the start of the event, the raid bosses in Pokémon GO have changed in the gyms. We show you in the following table which bosses you will now find in the gyms at the various difficulties.

DifficultyBosses
Tier 1Galar-Ponyta
Dratini*
Marill*
Spoink*
Psiau
Tier 3Alolan Exeggutor*
Togetic
Flabébé*
Libelldra
Tier 5Xerneas
Mega RaidsMega Venusaur*
Mega Charizard Y*
Mega Snorlax*
Pokémon marked with a star (*) may be encountered in Shiny form

In our Counter Guide against Xerneas in Pokémon GO, we show you many attackers that are particularly effective in this raid. Use them to catch Xerneas easily afterwards.

What do you think of the changes from the Xerneas event? Are you excited for the new research and raids, or do you think it’s too little new content? Let us know your opinion here in the comments on MeinMMO.

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

Yes, Titans have already lost the Keeper Games in Destiny 2 before the end

Philipp Hansen Philipp Hansen Reading time 3 minutes

In Destiny 2, Space Olympics are heating up, but the defending champion of the “Guardian Games” has already been eliminated from the competition. Will the Hunters be stopped?

This is what players are fighting for: In Destiny 2, it’s not about saving the universe right now, but rather a friendly competition: the Guardian Games 2021. In this three-week event, Hunters, Warlocks, and Titans determine which class can earn the most medals, essentially Space Olympics.

Today, May 4th, the event enters its final round, but only two classes remain in the race for the title. The defending champions are no longer a factor.

Titans, what happened?

The champions have fallen this far: Last year around this time, we could congratulate the Titans on their insurmountable victory in the Guardian Games 2020. Throughout the entire event, the stoic giants marched as if they had the Gjallarhorn under lock and key.

Now, the situation has turned 180 degrees and we must announce the early elimination of the defending champions. Mathematically, the Titans have unfortunately no chance of winning anymore.

This is the tally of the Guardian Games after daily victories:

  • Titans: 0
  • Warlocks: 4
  • Hunters: 9

How could this plan fail? The Titans had such a brilliant idea. Instead of weighting the classes differently based on the number of players, points from Warlocks, Hunters, and Titans are all worth the same. The loser of a day receives a compensatory bonus of 10% on all remaining competition days.

The Titans wanted to accumulate this bonus, so they planned to lose intentionally on the first days to then clean up the event from behind with the power of mathematics. It seems this didn’t quite work out – or did not all Titans stick to the master plan?

Support also came from the leader himself. Lance Reddick, the voice of Commander Zavala, gave a motivational speech:

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Lance Reddick is also known from TV series. Recently, he scolded the nasty space turtles as Zavala and made fans of Destiny 2 happy.

Are the Hunters even stoppable anymore?

Who will claim victory? The winner of the Guardian Games isn’t determined yet. Mathematically, Warlocks still have a chance to secure this year’s title. But it’s going to be very tight.

Since the Hunters have already notched up 9 victories and the event only runs until May 11th, the Warlocks must hustle to catch up with their 4 victories. If the Titans manage to mobilize their last power and win a few days, the Hunters would be mathematically unstoppable.

On the morning of May 4th, things are not looking good for the Warlocks (yellow) in the Guardian Games.

What about the award ceremony? According to the Season 13 roadmap, the closing ceremony of the Guardian Games will start on Friday night. Therefore, if points can no longer be earned after May 7th, the competition would indeed be decided – in favor of the Hunters.

The Guardians also hope that this year’s prize is something, well, more impressive than last year. Because the disappearing small Titan statue was often laughed at as a joke, rather than as an honor.

For many players, it is generally true that they want to obtain the event exotic and the new catalyst and then lose interest in the competition.

This is how you gain an advantage:

Are you interested in the winner of the Guardian Games and find the somewhat different battle in the Destiny universe exciting? Then here’s a call to all Warlocks: don’t let the Hunters win! Titans, keep it up! And Hunters, take a break, mourn a bit for Cayde – okay, that was mean.

By the way, right after the Guardian Games, the new Season 14 in Destiny 2 starts. Here are all the known infos and leaks so far.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Forbes
  2. Destiny Tracker auf Twitter

Shroud raves about the new map for Valorant: “Best map they have ever made”

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 2 minutes

In Valorant, professional streamer shroud raves about the 6th map Breeze. For him, it is the “best map they have ever made.” But at the same time, he fears that the map might not resonate with the majority of Valorant players. Discover here what shroud appreciates about Breeze and why he is still worried about the map.

What is the new map about? The new map Breeze has recently been introduced in the team shooter Valorant and features a Caribbean island. The map has, among other things, the following characteristics:

  • Wide, open spaces
  • Generally a very large map
  • Special trapdoors through which one can escape or launch surprise attacks
  • Hard to hold bomb sites

New Map Breeze is the favorite of professional streamer shroud

What does shroud like about Breeze? For shroud, the new map is a delight. In a stream, the professional enthusiastically praised the new map and applauded its advantages. Above all, he is captivated by the high complexity and the resulting synergies among the various agents and their skills:

The synergy between all the characters and their abilities is simply huge! You can’t just block a passage with a smoke and expect everything to work. You have to collaborate and use utilities wisely to take a site!

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Here is shroud’s statement about the new map Breeze.

Why does shroud worry about more maps like Breeze? For shroud, this is “the direction in which maps should be developed.” However, he has his concerns as the map seems much more tailored for professionals than for casual players.

I think the top players love it and everyone else will hate it. That worries me a bit because I believe it’s the best map they [the developers] have ever made. But if it gets bad feedback, they might never do something like this again.

Indeed, players criticize among other things that the map is too complex and that one must keep too many angles in mind at some points. However, the critique is not as negative as with the previous map, Icebox.

Icebox was actually too complex for most players as it had many convoluted places and vertical levels. So it could be that the new map is received better by players than shroud fears. A Twitter poll has shown that a large majority of players seem to like the map or would be satisfied with some small adjustments.

So shroud’s desire to have more maps like Breeze in the future is not looking too bad. But how do you see the situation? Do you like the new map Breeze, or is it too complex for you as you prefer the small, old maps for a quick round of Valorant? And what are your thoughts on the features from Episode 2 Act 3 of Valorant?

At least the last new heroine Astra did not go down well at all.

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

FIFA 21 brings new TOTS today – can ruin your Weekend League rewards

Julian Schröder Julian Schröder Reading time 2 minutes

In FIFA 21 a new TOTS (Team of the Season) has now gone live. In packs, in addition to the Premier League TOTS, there are now significantly improved TOTS cards from the Saudi Professional League.

These cards are now live: New in Ultimate Team are fresh TOTS cards from the Saudi Professional League. Although they are not as strong as TOTS cards from the European top leagues, they still offer decent ratings up to the 90s range.

This is how the Weekend League Rewards change: At the time of the next Weekend League rewards on Thursday, there are two TOTS live in FUT 21: The Premier League TOTS and the Saudi Professional League TOTS. This means that the weaker SPL TOTS cards may also appear in the hard-earned Weekend League rewards.

However, if you reach at least Gold 2, you will receive a guaranteed item from the stronger TOTS.

All cards from the SPL TOTS

These are the new cards: Banega (91) has the strongest card in the new SPL TOTS. He is followed by Romarinho (90), Gomis (89), and Carrillo (88).

The complete Saudi League TOTS:

  • CDM: Banega (91)
  • CAM: Romarinho (90)
  • ST: Gomis (89)
  • RM: Carrillo (88)
  • ST: Strandberg (87)
  • CB: Iago (86)
  • GK: Marcelo Grohe (85)
  • LM: Al Dawsari (85)
  • LB: Al Shahrani (85)
  • CAM: Guanca (85)
  • CB: Hagazi (85)

This is how to get the new TOTS cards

You have these options: Currently, there are several ways to get TOTS cards:

  • You can earn at least 11 victories in the Weekend League to get TOTS Player Picks. If you get more wins, there are additional Player Picks.
  • You can buy TOTS cards on the transfer market, although prices are relatively high.
  • You can complete a TOTS SBC (Squad Building Challenge) and hope for a good yield.

If you’re looking for strong TOTS cards that are not too expensive, we have a few suggestions for you:

3 affordable TOTS players that are still strong

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