Yesterday Blizzard announced that Jeff Kaplan will no longer work for the company. He was most recently the head of Overwatch. But it’s not just the Overwatch professionals that are affected by his departure; Kaplan also played an important role for WoW players.
Kaplan started his career at Blizzard as QA for Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos
Later he became a quest designer for WoW and was Game Director along with Tom Chilton and J. Allen Brack
After that, he was involved in Project Titan, which was then canceled
Most recently, he was the head of Overwatch. He became the face of the shooter, as he recorded the developer videos himself
Kaplan was always seen as close to the fans and brought laughter and good cheer. Accordingly, players, professionals, and shoutcasters who have worked with the developer have reacted emotionally.
“His commitment was remarkable”
How does the Overwatch community react? A very moving action was carried out by several professional players and teams. They included the word Jeff in their Twitter names and changed their profile pictures. This resulted in creations such as:
Dallas JEFFuel – the team that is actually called Dallas Fuel and plays in the Overwatch League
Seoul JEFFasty – actually Seoul Dynasty, a Korean esports team
Jefflanta Reign – actually Atlanta Reign, an American esports team
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But some shoutcasters and players from the past also spoke up:
Grand Marshal Reinforce, a current shoutcaster, thanked Kaplan for the time spent around Overwatch: “I owe him a lot of incredible gaming experiences, and I feel lucky to have had great conversations with him personally” (via Twitter).
Jake Lyon, the coach of the Outlaws team, expressed much gratitude toward Kaplan: “Thank you for daring so much. Thank you for creating a world in which we can see ourselves as part of it. Thank you, Jeff Kaplan” (via Twitter).
Brennon Hook, also a shoutcaster for Overwatch, praised Kaplan’s passion: “The man had a passion and an aura of charisma around him that was so obvious whenever I visited the office. He always made me feel welcome, even though I came from a different side of gaming” (via Twitter).
Malik Still, a former Overwatch pro, particularly praised Kaplan’s closeness and passion: “Since the alpha days and even before that, Jeff Kaplan’s commitment to the OW community was remarkable. He is truly an amazing Game Director and just a great guy.”
Kaplan was previously an avid MMORPG player and a notorious flamer
Kaplan has not only touched the Overwatch community. Even before his work on WoW, he led a guild in Everquest.
In this context, he was very similar to many players who love their MMORPG. Even today, there are still screenshots from old forums, where he, under the name “Tigole Bitties,” called out the developers of Everquest in surprisingly aggressive language to fix their “goddamn, bugged, half-finished bosses”:
An old forum thread where Kaplan complains about problems in an MMORPG (via web-archive.org).
Just a few weeks after this rant, Kaplan announced that Blizzard Entertainment had hired him as a developer. He said at the time:
“I hope my connection to World of Warcraft serves to make MMORPG fans feel more comfortable now that ‘One of us’ is on the other side of the garden fence and cares about the interests of the players.”
Jeff Kaplan in April 2002, before joining Blizzard
In WoW, Kaplan made a name for himself as one of the first quest designers alongside Pat Nagle. Many of the iconic original quests that we know today from WoW Classic come from Kaplan.
In WoW itself, there are still numerous reminders of Kaplan. For example, there are the items Tigule’s Harpoon and Tigule and Foror’s Strawberry Ice Cream, named after his nickname.
How does the WoW community react to Kaplan’s departure?
In the official WoW forum, there are several threads in various languages discussing Kaplan. The user Ricochet also praises Kaplan’s charisma there: “Kaplan was very popular in the community, he had a certain charismatic charm that people liked. Almost everything he said was worthy of becoming a meme” (via Blizzard).
In the WoW subreddit, there is a thread about Jeff Kaplan that has been in the top 3 for almost 20 hours with over 4,500 upvotes. Many players there thank Kaplan for the great gaming experience he provided them in Vanilla WoW (via reddit).
The well-known website WOWHead has also posted about Kaplan’s departure (via WOWHead).
Where is Kaplan headed now? That is currently unknown. However, it is possible that he is being drawn to one of the projects at Mike Morhaime’s studio. The former Blizzard president left the studio in 2018 and founded two of his own studios, which sound like the “Blizzard of old”:
The football team of Schalke 04 has officially been relegated from the Bundesliga. This could already have a negative impact on the e-sports team in League of Legends. Because in LoL, Schalke is now selling one of the best players: midlaner Felix “Abbedagge” Braun (21) is considered a great talent.
This is the sale: Schalke announced on April 19 that Felix “Abbedagge” Braun is leaving the team. As is known, he is moving to the USA to “100 Thieves”. They finished 4th in the spring season and apparently had a need in the midlane.
The 100 Thieves have not yet made a big name for themselves in sports, but they are nevertheless well-established as an e-sports clan. The team’s leader, Matthew “Nateshot” Haag, is himself a well-known streamer, and 100 Thieves has several strong content creators under contract, who bring money and prestige, such as Valkyrae or CourageJD.
The 21-year-old German mid-laner had been with Schalke since 2018 and had developed well in the last 2 to 3 seasons after appearing somewhat overwhelmed at the start of his career.
According to Bild newspaper, Schalke received one million euros for the transfer.
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Is Schalke now selling the LoL team and the spot in the LEC?
What’s behind it: It is known that Schalke’s relegation from the Bundesliga could also impact the LoL team. Apparently, they need money.
In February 2021, there was even talk that Schalke could sell its spot in the LEC pro league if it were necessary to strengthen the “core business football.” There was no decision made yet, but it was said to be within the realm of possibility at that time from Schalke.
In February, Schalke’s relegation from the Bundesliga was a nightmare scenario; now it is reality.
“Best decision for the overall club”
It is quite possible that the sale of the talented Abbedagge is already a step towards a “cheaper future” for Schalke’s e-sports. The fact that they do not want to replace the 21-year-old with a transfer but with an academy player speaks for this.
The precarious situation in football is likely the decisive factor for the sale of the LoL player. As the gaming head of Schalke says, selling the LoL player was the best decision for the “overall club” – it is not just about the perspective in e-sports.
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The “one million euro” transfer fee is certainly peanuts compared to the sums paid for footballers. However, one could cynically ask whether Schalke’s LoL roster might actually be more valuable than the football roster, as some players from Schalke have probably destroyed their market value with their performances in the Bundesliga in recent months.
Not only Schalke is plagued by financial problems, the currently strongest team in the world apparently cannot pay its stars enough to keep them:
An Nvidia patent promises haptic feedback while gaming on PC. This is reminiscent of the DualSense controller of the PS5.
The DualSense controller is one of the best features of the PlayStation 5 (via Screenrant.com). This is mainly due to the haptic feedback that makes the gaming evening a special experience.
Because the controller allows you to truly experience the game: If you walk over a sandy beach or want to reload your weapon, you get noticeable feedback from the controller, known as haptic feedback. Some PS5 games already support these features and more games are expected to follow.
What PS5 players already get with the DualSense controller could also be available for PC in the near or distant future. At least, a patent suggests this. Nvidia filed this patent with the US Patent Office in 2019. Now the developers have updated and renewed the patent on April 20, 2021. (via patft.uspto.gov).
Nvidia could bring haptic feedback to PC with AI
This is how it currently looks: To implement haptic feedback on the PS5, Sony provides developers with specific tools that allow them to manually integrate feedback for the DualSense in their games.
Nvidia seems to want to take it a step further with a patent.
How could Nvidia solve this? Instead of programming specific haptic effects like feeling sand or the recoil of a weapon by hand, they want to leave this task to AI. The patent states:
This publication envisions a haptic control interface that intelligently invokes haptic effects for content, particularly through the use of machine learning to recognize specific features in the content and then evoke certain haptic effects for those features.
The artificial intelligence is supposed to generate noticeable (haptic) effects that we players can then experience while gaming. In the long term, the AI should be able to directly recognize specific features and translate them into haptic feedback.
What about implementation? Nvidia has had good experiences with AI-driven technology so far. Nvidia’s graphics cards, among other things, use DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling).
This is an upscaling technology developed by Nvidia to upscale textures while saving performance. Especially graphics cards like the GeForce RTX 3060 benefit enormously from DLSS: In resolutions beyond Full HD like WQHD, performance can be increased by 30 to 40 % with DLSS activated.
Nvidia’s experiences and quite positive results suggest that implementation could indeed work if the manufacturer invests resources in the technology. On the other hand, Nvidia might also be interested in providing this technology exclusively to GeForce players. This would leave gamers using AMD or Intel out in the cold.
On the other hand, the patent does not initially indicate whether Nvidia wants to develop devices themselves or share the data with existing devices. For example, peripheral manufacturers for mice, keyboards or headsets could benefit from such technology, as they already have the know-how for their devices and would only need to integrate Nvidia’s technology.
Haptic feedback already plays an important role in gaming
Where is haptic feedback already available? Many gaming controllers like the DualShock or the Xbox controller already rely on rumble effects. During the unboxing of the PS5, testers praised especially the DualSense and its significant advancements. The rumble effects are much better balanced, and the trigger buttons are also praised.
But it’s not just controllers that use such features. A special technology was developed by Razer with HyperSense for its headphones. This is a technology that also relies on haptic feedback and is used, for example, in the Razer Nari Ultimate. Here, explosions are translated into movements that we then feel through the headset.
Also, in Razer’s new innovative gaming chair, HyperSense is expected to be used. If you play CoD Warzone, for example, and a bomb explodes to your right, the chair should also vibrate to your right and create a corresponding sensation.
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If Nvidia really implements its technology, it could be a big step for PC gamers in the long run, as not every developer would need to program haptic feedback independently and ideally only provide assistance for the artificial intelligence.
If you’re looking for a “more normal” gaming headset without haptic feedback, we recommend checking out our buyer’s guide to the best gaming headsets. Here we present the best gaming headsets you can currently get. You can also find a more comprehensive review of the Nari Ultimate on our list.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Genre: Survival | Developer: Funcom | Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S | Release: 08.05.2018 (Main game), 15.09.2020 (Isle of Siptah; Early Access)
With Isle of Siptah, Conan Exiles is getting its largest paid DLC to date. The island went into Early Access in 2020 and had to endure harsh criticism. The developers invited MeinMMO author Benedict Grothaus on a tour to show how much Isle of Siptah has improved and what player feedback has been implemented for the launch.
What kind of DLC is this?Isle of Siptah expands Conan Exiles with a new map that is over 90% larger than the original size – so the game is nearly twice as big. The island is a separate map, completely detached from the Exiled Lands.
Isle of Siptah costs €19.99 and has been in Early Access since September 15, 2020. It is the first paid DLC that brings playable content. Previously, only cosmetic bundles cost money, and new features came via free updates.
Immediately after the launch, Isle of Siptah received heavy criticism on Steam. Players felt the island was too empty for its size and felt forced into PvP. The developers want to respond to this criticism and improve everything.
With previous patches and a new update, the developers aim to address player concerns. During a tour, they showed me what has changed and how Isle of Siptah should be good by the release.
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What’s in Isle of Siptah: The main feature of the DLC is the vast island of Siptah, which is dominated by the tower of Siptah in its center. The island offers an alternative to the Exiled Lands, where you normally start.
A storm constantly emanates from the tower, the Maelstrom, which envelops the center of the map in an anomaly. In this anomaly, stronger enemies and monsters appear that provide special loot. The monsters are heavily inspired by Lovecraftian horror, and you need the loot for another new mechanic: the Surges.
With the Surges, portals open in the world through which people from the Exiled Lands stream onto the island. At release, this was the only way to obtain the popular thralls. Surges either occur randomly or can be summoned intentionally.
The third major feature is the vaults, dungeons with special challenges. In the vaults, you have to solve puzzles and defeat enemies to secure strong loot. They have a slightly higher requirement for players than the dungeons in the original map. Moreover, Isle of Siptah offers some new opportunities for building and crafting:
The “Grey Ones” are some of the new enemies in Isle of Siptah.
Big World with Plenty of Nothing
How Isle of Siptah fared in Early Access: The initial reviews of Isle of Siptah were mixed to negative. Players were not satisfied with what they received. Even today, the reviews on Steam are not particularly good.
Isle of Siptah currently has a rating of “Mixed” with 48% positive votes from 1,002 reviews (via Steam). There are recurring issues that particularly bother players.
The criticism was: Despite the size of the map, it felt empty and lifeless to players compared to the Exiled Lands. There were no NPC camps and few places to explore.
Apart from the vaults, the storm, and the surges, not much happened, and building a proper base hardly seemed worthwhile since there was no one to defend it against. At the same time, progression was slow because thralls could only be acquired through the surges.
The biggest problem with Isle of Siptah was, however, that the focus of the expansion was too much on PvP. The surges were the only source for thralls, and it was evident on the map when and where a surge occurred.
This caused players to literally fight over thralls at those locations, and only a few skilled PvP players could secure the thralls. Additionally, this content was very challenging.
Both the storm and the surges, even the vaults, were aimed more at experienced and strong players in the endgame. The enemies were tough, and to summon a surge on your own required many hours or even days of grinding.
And even if you successfully summoned a surge, your survival was not guaranteed – as the enemies were so strong and other players also wanted to get some thralls. So, there was never a guarantee to get your own thralls.
What are Thralls?The thrall system in Conan Exiles serves to expand your base. With thralls, you can improve crafting stations and learn new or better recipes. You can also assign thralls to defend your home or accompany you as bodyguards or pack mules. They come in various quality levels.
You obtain thralls by incapacitating human NPCs and dragging them back to your base to break them on a Wheel of Pain. In Isle of Siptah, this was only possible through the surges.
Patch 2.4 – Everything New and Better
This is how Isle of Siptah looks now: With several patches and the upcoming update 2.4, many of the criticisms that players have raised so far are being addressed. Already there are:
40 new NPC camps and places to explore on the map
new NPC factions
access to the tower in the middle, which was previously locked, for particularly strong loot
new workbenches and specializations for thralls
improved vaults with new enemy types and rewards
attacks from sprinting to make fights more dynamic
an offline mode for single-player
Additionally, purges have made their way to Isle of Siptah. Purges are a system from the Exiled Lands where enemies storm and attempt to destroy your base in waves.
Through purges, you now have a reason to build a better base while also having a source of special loot that the attackers can carry. However, changes have also been made regarding the most significant criticism of the DLC.
This outpost of the “First Men” is a great location to explore.
Finally Humans to Enslave!
How is the big problem being solved? With the new NPC camps, there is finally a way to obtain thralls on Isle of Siptah without having to fight with other players in surges.
The camps offer various types of thralls, and with the different factions, new variants also appear. You can now find cages in the camps that you can open with keys from thrall masters. This way, you free companions who do not need to be enslaved first but can follow you voluntarily.
The random wild surges have been removed, and it is now easier to summon your own surge, as the necessary materials are no longer only found in the storm. New enemy types even provide loot in the open world. This allows you to better decide when and where you want to obtain more thralls from surges.
As a result, the emphasis on PvP has blurred. Surges and other features are still beacons for PvP fights, as they are displayed on the map. Whoever wants can happily fight with others. But those who prefer to avoid PvP can now experience Isle of Siptah without player conflicts.
What’s next? With the upcoming update 2.4, the developers have even more content planned to make Isle of Siptah better. The biggest of the new features are new areas in the south of the map.
Here you will find three new biomes and new NPCs along with their camps. With the new area, Isle of Siptah reaches a size of nearly 92-94% of the Exiled Lands. At EA release, it was only around 75%.
Additionally, you can find statuettes all over the island. These are needed for the “Black Pools,” a new PvE mechanic. With the statuettes, you can summon huge world bosses at the pools, which are normally only found as tough opponents in the storm.
This feature is aimed at endgame players with good equipment and possibly a group, but provides particularly strong loot. Furthermore, there are:
the cult of Zath, a new religion around a giant spider that you can summon as an avatar (you can see its temple in the title image)
more NPC camps and exploration locations
new NPC races
improved lighting effects and prettier visuals – you can see some comparisons in the gallery
The new lighting compared: the old version at the top, the new look below.
Additionally, the journey will receive some new steps specifically targeting Isle of Siptah. The journey is a feature from Conan Exiles that gives players a guide for tasks they can pursue next – especially when they have no goals of their own in mind. You can find the entire journey of Conan Exiles and how to complete all steps on MeinMMO.
Patch 2.4 goes live on April 22, 2021. Upon the release of Isle of Siptah, it will also be possible to switch your character between the two maps, although with a cooldown.
When will Isle of Siptah be released? The developers have not yet been able to tell us exactly when Isle of Siptah will officially be released. However, shortly, you will find a video in collaboration between MeinMMO and GameStar about Isle of Siptah on YouTube, summarizing all the changes and showing new gameplay.
Much better than initially feared
In my opinion, Conan Exiles has done many things better with its PvE mechanics and features like the journey compared to other survival games. Instead of being thrown into a gigantic sandbox with the comment: “Here, do it yourself,” Conan Exiles offers a story, a lot to explore, and always new tasks.
In Isle of Siptah, this was missing so far. The island was precisely what Conan Exiles did not want to be: a big field where players were supposed to entertain themselves. A huge playground with few toys for players to fight over.
What I’ve seen in the new updates now seems much closer to the spirit of Conan Exiles. There is a real story, much to see, and tons of things to do. PvE fans and friends of crafting, building, and exploration are finally well taken care of here.
Personally, I am particularly attracted to the new religion, partly because spiders are just cool and partly because religions in Conan Exiles bring really interesting details. Religious sacrifices are received in different ways for each god, and the huge avatars mix up the gameplay, especially in PvP.
The Black Pools also sound like an interesting endgame feature that can surely excite some friends. The Lovecraft inspiration rounds it all off nicely. After initial skepticism, I am now genuinely looking forward to Isle of Siptah.
Benedict Grothaus Author and survival expert at MeinMMO
Conan Exiles is already among the best survival games available, and Isle of Siptah will certainly contribute to its quality with the new changes. How long the content will keep players engaged remains to be seen, but at least the vaults and the Black Pools sound like something that will still be fun even after repeating them several times. You can find more games in the genre in our list on MeinMMO:
In the new event of Destiny 2, players became rich overnight. Developer Bungie immediately intervened and closed the loophole. Players complain that only bugs that are good for Guardians are fixed quickly.
In Destiny 2, the event “Guardian Games” started on April 20th. But instead of showing which class is the best in the universe, players spent their time at the black market dealer and became rich.
Here’s how players became wealthy: In the competitive events, players must equip a special item for their class; otherwise, points and medals do not count. Thus, the item can be bought very cheaply and infinitely – in case someone accidentally dismantles it, for example.
If one dismantled the class item, they received resources in return.
The key point is: The resources obtained this way are worth significantly more than what one has to spend to buy a new class item.
This method enabled players to quickly accumulate Glimmer and legendary shards – both are essentially the currency of Destiny 2. The trick spread like wildfire. Videos quickly emerged, titled something like: “Infinite Legendary Shards, hurry, Bungie will fix this soon!” (via YouTube).
At Spider, players can exchange and buy resources
Instead of participating in the Olympic events, the Guardians were at the black market dealer Spider, constantly extracting class items from the collection. They immediately dismantled the items and exchanged the resources very profitably with Spider.
How does Bungie respond? Those who wanted to benefit from the trick are too late. On the night of April 21st, Bungie already fixed the financial loophole. Now you receive nothing when dismantling the item.
Players in Europe hardly benefited from the trick, as they mostly slept peacefully when it became known. The fix lasted no longer than 8 hours – a record. On the Bungie Help account (via Twitter), which provides you with updates on technical issues and patches, there is incidentally no word about the fix – or the loophole.
Although Bungie fixes quickly, there’s trouble
You might think that the Guardians would be proud of their developer. In the collective memory, it has been said for years that Bungie usually takes a long time with fixes and updates.
This is why players are upset: Bungie is accused of applying double standards in their fixes and updates: The fixes that “harm” the players come quickly. Everything else seems to take forever. We often read this in the comments here on MeinMMO:
For game-breaking bugs, they [Bungie] need weeks and months to fix them. But for bugs that save unnecessary and demotivating grinds, it only takes days.
In other words, if a Guardian can profit from something, the patch is almost here – so if one finds a trick to quickly get cosmetics from the shop or to level up fast, often something like this happens:
However, if a problem disturbs the Guardians, they can wait a long time for Bungie to take action, at least that’s the criticism. It can take months before an OP class no longer dominates everything. Or there is a weapon that is so strong that one must choose it (yes, you are meant Felwinter’s Lie) and nothing changes from season to season.
In Fortnite: Battle Royale you can now get a new exotic weapon. MeinMMO shows you the location of the Grappler Bow, how to get it, and if it’s worth searching for.
This is what’s happening in Fortnite: The start of Season 6 brought the prehistoric theme to the island of Fortnite. Included are new weapons that you can even craft yourself. If you want to secure special guns right away, you can also search for exotic weapons.
Here you need to search: You can only buy the new bow from an NPC on the map. This character is “Lara Croft,” who is located in Stealthy Stronghold.
This is where you can find the Grappler Bow
To find Lara Croft quickly, you should land in the middle of the jungle of Stealthy Stronghold – where there is a cluster of stone ruins. Once the NPC is near you, you will see a speech bubble on your mini-map. Go to Lara Croft and start a conversation. The option to buy the Grappler Bow should then be displayed in the selection wheel, and you just need to select that field.
How much does the Grappler Bow cost? You can only get the exotic weapons if you pay with gold bars. Prices may vary depending on the weapon – for the Grappler Bow, you need to pay 500 gold bars. If you don’t have enough bars yet, we show you tips on how to collect gold bars faster.
Is the Grappler Bow worth it in Fortnite?
What makes the bow special? The Grappler Bow can be used for various purposes in a match. As the name suggests, it shoots with a grappler that can hook onto surfaces freely, helping you to overcome obstacles. This also allows you to move faster, perform cool tricks, or deal 89 damage to opponents.
The bow is worth it, especially if you want a weapon that brings variety to your match. However, keep in mind that you have to invest gold bars for it. So think carefully about whether you really want the bow – after all, you only have the Grappler Bow for that one match.
In Season 6 there is a wide variety of bows
The bows in Fortnite can be a good choice if you want a strong weapon that can also shoot over distance. After a buff, the bows are almost too strong now, so you might even have to fear them now.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Ubisoft raised money for a good cause with a special cosmetic bundle for the tactical shooter Rainbow Six Siege. The bundle was available for a limited time only – now there is a first overview.
What are these cosmetics? The first “Sixth Guardian” bundle included a special skin for the defender Doc and consisted of a white-yellow armor, a baseball cap with an OP mask, as well as a special skin for the MP5 and a weapon charm.
The bundle was available in Season 4 of Year 5 for 1,200 credits (about 10 €) as part of the eponymous “Sixth Defender” program that Ubisoft launched in November 2020. All proceeds from the packages went to a good cause, with at least $6 per package (via Ubisoft).
With the start of Season 1 of Year 6, the bundle is no longer available, but it apparently paid off well for the campaign.
Where did the money go? Ubisoft raised money for AbleGamers with the bundle. This is a US organization that has made it its goal since 2004 to make gaming accessible to everyone. The focus is on enabling gamers with disabilities to play without barriers.
With special hardware like mouth and eye tracking or specially adapted controllers, even gamers who cannot use regular gamepads, mouse, or keyboard can play. Something similar is aimed at by the Xbox Adaptive Controller .
AbleGamers pays special attention to addressing the specific needs of each gamer and tailoring access. You can find out more about the project on the official website (via AbleGamers.org).
For the organization, Ubisoft has already raised $171,183 with the first bundle – equivalent to about €142,643.
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The skin bundle for Doc was just the first of many that Ubisoft wants to introduce into the game. In the tweet, the developers have already revealed that “next season” another bundle will be released for the “Sixth Guardian” project. However, there are no further details about it yet.
At the moment, however, Rainbow Six has also recently received new content with another bundle. However, this has little to do with charity and donations.
In collaboration with Adult Swim, there are now “Rick & Morty” bundles for the operators Smoke and Sledge. With these, you can run around as a pickle or as a bug alien with matching skins.
However, the two bundles are also more expensive than the Doc bundle for AbleGamers. With 2,160 credits per bundle (or 4,080 for the complete package) you pay almost double to look quite ridiculous:
In a dev update, the developers of Outriders finally released more information about the restoration of items that disappeared due to an inventory bug. It discusses, among other things, which items will be restored. MeinMMO summarizes the new information for you.
Here’s what the dev update was about: The focus was on restoring lost equipment items. This includes, for example, which items will be restored. Some players have been struggling with a nasty inventory bug that removed all their loot in recent weeks.
We will show you how the restoration process works and what else is included in the dev update.
Developers need to check “every single Outriders player profile” to resolve the issue
Is there finally a date? Unfortunately, the developers were not able to provide an exact date for the restoration, as the process is quite complex.
The complexity of the situation is illustrated in the developers’ reddit post (via reddit). It states that the restoration is not a simple reset of backups or anything similar. Every existing player profile has to be checked for corrupted inventories.
What will be restored? According to People Can Fly, there are three different groups affected by the inventory bug. Each of these groups requires different measures to bring back all or at least some of the items.
What items you will receive therefore depends on whether you belong to group A, B, or C. There are two factors that apply to all:
Restored items will have the same values as your original finds. However, after restoration, they will have “Godrolls”. Therefore, each value will reach its maximum. Thus, your items should be as good or even significantly better.
Equipment will be assigned according to the highest possible equipment level of the players, including world tiers and challenge ranks.
There are significant differences among the affected groups. The developer has extensively listed what those affected can expect.
Group A – Unplayable characters with invalid inventory:
The affected players have no equipment left and cannot continue playing (No possible server connection). Most players are affected.
All items that were equipped at the time of the wipe will be restored. Regardless of rarity.
All legendary items that were in the inventory at that time will be restored.
Non-legendary items: The last 20 items found before the wipe will be returned.
All completed accolade ranks will be returned.
Group B – Characters without invalid inventory but have still lost everything:
Affected players have lost all items but could still play. This is harder to identify, but there are notably fewer cases.
Restoration of up to 20 legendary items that were recently in the inventory.
All fully completed accolades.
Group C – Players who are not affected by the bug:
This group is also important, as one does not want to have any unforeseen impact on them during the restoration.
No restoration needed.
Disappeared items, unplayable characters
What was this bug about? After update 1.05, some players experienced an unpleasant surprise. They found an empty character without equipment, or could not log in at all.
While the cause has been fixed since patch 1.06, many players are still waiting for the announced restoration of their loot. This is what it could look like:
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After the appearance of the bug, the developers announced a compensation package as an apology.
Who gets it and what’s included? Every Outrider who played Outriders between March 31 and April 16 will receive a legendary item and a certain amount of titanium that corresponds to their level.
Upcoming updates and Google Stadia
What about the next patch for other platforms? There is no date or more specific information yet. People Can Fly, however, confirms that they are working on updates to deliver improvements and fixes: Outriders confirms the next patch, aiming to deliver a lot of fixes.
What about Google Stadia? Many players have already wondered about the future. So far, the developers have only focused on PC and consoles. The dev update also addressed the status of Google Stadia.
The summary:
Stadia follows a different update plan
The goal was to connect Stadia regarding updates and crossplay
However, the issues before and after release have disrupted these plans
The first patch is expected to be released on Google Stadia by April 26
A second update is to follow shortly after
The version for Google Stadia is to be brought up to the same level as the other versions as quickly as possible. At the same time, the developers apologize for the problems.
What do you think of the statement? Are you affected by the inventory wipe? Are you fed up, or can you live with the solution? Let us know your opinion.
The transfer market in FIFA 21 is in free fall. Currently, the top players in Ultimate Team are getting cheaper. For whom is it worth buying?
This is what’s happening with the transfer market: If you are currently looking for new players in FIFA 21, you will be pleased. Looking at a large portion of the transfer market prices right now, one finds that it is going down, and in some cases quite rapidly. In the past days, the price curve for many players has been pointing downwards.
Cristiano Ronaldo, for example, cost over 1.8 million coins at the peak. That has continued to drop, two weeks ago it was only about 560,000. Now it is rapidly going down, he is currently at about 330,000 coins and is thus one of the top players under 400,000 coins.
The Brazilian Neymar has seen an even larger price drop, now sitting at 250,000 coins.
Mbappé is currently at 320,000, but earlier this week he went for less than 300,000 coins.
Even Icons are now comparatively cheap. The cheapest are already under 100,000 coins, and even the more expensive ones are continuing to decrease in price.
Cards like Mbappé are currently decreasing in price (via futbin)
Should you buy players now? It depends a bit on your own play style and your goals. If, for example, you absolutely want to approach the next Weekend League with a significantly improved team to secure good rewards in the first TOTS week, you might want to consider buying one or more top players now. However, you still need a lot of coins for that, because even though players like Ronaldo are much cheaper now, the price is not that easy to manage.
If you are not in a hurry, you can wait a bit longer. Because from older FIFA versions, we know that top cards typically continue to decrease in price as summer approaches. So it might be that the cards next week are significantly cheaper again, and the newly purchased players continue to lose value. It is quite possible that the upcoming event will cause values to drop even further.
Here you can see Ronaldo’s price development in FIFA 20. Aside from small spikes, it has gone downward since April. (Via futbin)
Team of the Season comes with more top players
Why are top players getting cheaper? It is traditionally the case that strong players in Ultimate Team get cheaper over the months as the next edition approaches. After all, the special cards that come into the game with events become progressively stronger. The best players thus face more competition and are less unique.
One effect is likely the upcoming Team-of-the-Season event. This will bring new special cards from all leagues week by week, equipped with extremely high values. In the past, these players could even be obtained as Player Picks in your Weekend League rewards.
Thus, many players can expect to win significantly more strong cards for their Ultimate Team soon. However, cards like Ronaldo, Mbappé, and Neymar are still considered extremely strong. So if you want to secure top cards, you should keep an eye on the prices in the coming days – it is very possible that they will drop further.
The TOTS starts this week
Are all players affected? Even in the lower price segment, highly rated players are getting cheaper. However, some less meta-relevant players rated 87 or higher are somewhat less affected than the absolute top players.
This is partly because they are already noticeably cheaper in comparison. On the other hand, such players are also needed for expensive SBCs, in which highly rated players need to be exchanged. For example, with players like Sancho, a drop in value can be observed, which has been less drastic than it was last November: At the beginning of April, Sancho was still around 40,000 coins, now he costs about 30,000. That is cheaper, but not as cheap as his absolute low point in November – at that time he was temporarily about 16,000 coins.
Today, on April 21, 2021, there is a raid hour featuring Thundurus in its Incarnate Form in Pokémon GO. We will show you the best counters and explain who will benefit from this legendary boss.
What is happening today? Just before 6:00 PM, you will find legendary raid eggs at almost all gyms that will hatch at 6:00 PM. For one hour, you will then find legendary raids at these gyms. Today, they feature Thundurus in its Incarnate Form.
Here we show you an overview of what you need to know about the battle and the Pokémon.
The best counters against Thundurus
Use these attackers: Thundurus is of the types Electric and Flying. Accordingly, Water and Ice-type attacks are especially effective against Thundurus and inflict a lot of damage. Focus on Ice attackers because Thundurus has a double weakness against them.
In the following table, we show you a selection of the best attackers for today’s raid hour, along with their best moves.
Attacker
Moves
Galarian Weezing
Icy Wind and Avalanche
Mega Glalie
Powder Snow and Avalanche
Froslass
Icy Shard and Avalanche
Mamoswine
Powder Snow and Avalanche
Glaceon
Ice Shard and Avalanche
Roselia
Ice Shard and Avalanche
Mewtwo
Psycho Cut and Ice Beam
If you want to know more about strong counters and Thundurus, check out our counter guide for the Pokémon:
How many trainers do you need? With strong counters and a high trainer level, you can defeat Thundurus in its Incarnate Form with just two players. However, if you aim for multiple battles during the raid hour, you should have at least 4 trainers in your group to win the battle as quickly as possible.
Remember that you can invite additional trainers using a Remote Raid Pass. This way, you can comply with current social distancing regulations and still have enough trainers present.
This is the story of Thundurus: The Pokémon is part of the trio “Forces of Nature” which also includes Tornadus and Landorus. The 3 monsters represent the wind, thunder, and earth. Unlike Tornadus and Landorus, which are feared by farmers, Thundurus is popular in Pokémon lore. It appears where harvests are abundant. That’s why it is also known as the “Lord of Agriculture” in the Pokémon world.
Who is it worth it for?
How strong is Thundurus: At this time, Thundurus is the strongest Ground attacker available in Pokémon GO. However, it’s often not that important to have a strong ground attacker in raids as other types are more significant in battle. Thundurus in its Incarnate Form definitely belongs in your collection, especially if you can catch one with good IVs.
Is there a Shiny Thundurus? The Incarnate form of Thundurus can be caught as Shiny, but the current Incarnate Form does not yet exist in shiny form. So those hoping for a Shiny will be disappointed today.
Will you catch the strong Ground attacker during the raid hour today, or will you skip this event? Another raid hour and a spotlight hour are still planned this month in Pokémon GO.
We present to you 9 online games that you can currently get in the Xbox Game Pass for Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC, and which, according to reviews on Metacritic and our assessment, are really worth it and worth your time.
What is the Xbox Game Pass? Microsoft offers you a subscription that includes over 100 games for Xbox One as well as Xbox Series X/S and PC. For a maximum of 12.99 euros per month for the Ultimate Pass, you get access to these games. Essentially, you could refer to the Xbox Game Pass as a kind of Netflix for games.
With a special method, it is even possible to save some money.
Bear in mind that not every game in the Xbox Game Pass is available for Xbox consoles and PC. For each title, we will inform you on which platform you can play it through the service.
How were the games in the list selected? The article is divided into two parts:
For the top 5, we used the ratings on Metacritic as the basis for selecting the games. We will provide you with the Meta score for the titles.
For places 9 to 6, we have included important MMOs and online games in the list that would have otherwise been excluded due to their Meta scores. Nevertheless, we place them according to their ratings in this list. We at MeinMMO believe that Metacritic only evaluates the “release state” of the games but does not consider their further development: For the majority of games in places 9 to 6, the development has been so strong that we consider them to be among the best online games and MMOs in the Xbox Game Pass, even if Metacritic sees it differently.
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Rank 9 – Fallout 76
Genre: Online RPG | Developer: Bethesda | Available in Game Pass: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S | Release Date: October 23, 2018 | Meta Score: 49 (Xbox), 52 (PC)
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Who is the game suitable for? After a nuclear war, you explore a world that has changed significantly due to radiation. You encounter mutants, crazy robots, and settlers trying to make the world livable again. Fallout 76 is not an MMORPG in the sense that you encounter very many players per server. Instead, there are only a maximum of 24 players in a world. PvE is in focus, but PvP is also important. You can be attacked at any time, but to engage in a real fight, you must give your consent or defend yourself against an attack.
Fallout 76 situates the already 2008 released Fallout 3 into an online world that you can explore alone or with friends, where you can experience a lot of adventures.
What is currently happening in the game? At launch, Fallout 76 could not convince due to technical problems and missing NPCs, which explains the Metacritic ratings. However, the developer studio Bethesda has made many changes to the role-playing game over the years and released numerous updates. For example, the Wastelanders update added NPCs, which provide you with quests.
Genre: MMORPG | Developer: Pearl Abyss | Available in Game Pass: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S | Release Date: March 3, 2016 | Meta Score: 75 (Xbox), 73 (PC)
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Who is the game suitable for?Black Desert Online (BDO) is one of the most beautiful MMORPGs, which is evident from the character editor alone. You can customize your hero down to the smallest detail. In the game, you explore a vast online world where you encounter many players. It is possible to team up with them to experience adventures together or participate in PvP battles. In the battles, you help conquer entire areas.
However, BDO also gives you the freedom to become a craftsman. If you focus on crafting, you can supply the warriors with powerful weapons. Thus, the MMORPG Black Desert Online represents a mix of theme park and sandbox.
Genre: Loot Shooter | Developer: People Can Fly | Available in Game Pass: Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S | Release Date: April 1, 2021 | Meta Score: too few reviews (Xbox), 75 (PC)
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Who is the game suitable for?Outriders places you on a distant planet that is supposed to serve as a new home for humans. But the arrival is anything but smooth. A mysterious storm grants you special powers, and after a cryosleep, you find that the colony has sunk into chaos. Together with up to two other players, you set out to uncover the mystery of the planet.
In Outriders, you experience action-packed missions in which you face many enemies. You improve your hero by means of skills and powerful equipment. The search for loot is extremely important. In the endgame, you will face special tasks, known as expeditions, as well as world tiers, through which you revisit familiar locations but encounter monsters that are harder to defeat. For this, you will receive better loot.
What is currently happening in the game? Outriders just launched on April 1, 2021. The launch did not go too well, yet the loot shooter is being well received. The developers are working on patches to address issues such as disappearing inventories.
Outriders is not a Games-as-a-Service title, but is still planned to be expanded with new content and stories through DLCs.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The action MMO Path of Exile banned one of its most popular streamers, Empyrian. He discovered an exploit in the new season of Path of Exile “Ultimatum”, reported the exploit, but abused it in front of viewers on Twitch. 19 others who also used the exploit were banned along with him.
This streamer is: Empyrian is a mid-sized streamer on Twitch with 130,000 followers, dedicated to Path of Exile.
In the last 90 days, he was online for 507 hours (5.7 hours daily), with 370 hours in Path of Exile.
He is ranked among the top 15 streamers for the game.
Exploit generates so much loot that Path of Exile lags
This is what he did: Empyrian exploited a bug that allowed players to snag “excessive rewards,” as Grinding Gear puts it.
Although Empyrian reported the exploit to Grinding Gear first, he did not wait for a hotfix and directly exploited the bug on Twitch.
The exploit was apparently not too difficult to trigger; it only required standing in a group at different locations to set off an endless loot cycle, as users explain on reddit (via reddit). That it was an exploit should be clear to anyone who sees the pictures. The whole screen was filled with loot. The FPS dropped significantly during the loot explosion.
When Empyrian came across the exploit, he seemed excited by the tons of loot pouring in.
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“If you exploit a bug for your advantage, we will ban you”
This is Grinding Gear Games’ response: They took a clear stance on reddit:
They learned of the bug and immediately released a hotfix that limits the amount of experience and items that “Ultimatums” can give.
The team banned 20 accounts that exploited the bug multiple times. They will remain banned until July, when Ultimatum ends, and they will also have their new characters and items taken away.
It is also stated: If you find an exploit in Path of Exile and use it to your advantage, “we will ban you.”
Empyrian said on Twitch: Life is simply not fair. It is also not fair that people in Africa do not have access to fresh water.
Later he apologized for this statement, deleted the clip, and donated money to a charitable cause, but some reddit users are bringing this back up. Regarding Empyrian’s ban, it is said: “Life is simply not fair.”
At the start of a new season in Path of Exile, there’s always a lot going on. Recently, there was a strange incident in the game:
With the update 1.5, two new characters are coming to Genshin Impact. We present Eula and Yanfei and explain what they can do and what materials they need to level up.
Just over a week remains until the release of the next update of Genshin Impact with the number 1.5 on April 28. In addition to a lot of content like housing or the continuation of Zhongli’s story, two new characters will also be implemented in the game.
We have summarized for you what you need to know about Eula and Yanfei.
Eula – Knight of Favonius
This is Eula: One of the two new characters is Eula, who belongs to Mondstadt.
Weapon: Claymore
Element: Cryo
Rarity: 5 Stars
Constellation: Aspergine Maris
Although players have spent a lot of time in Mondstadt, they have never met Eula. The reason is that the captain of the reconnaissance unit of the Knights of Favonius only rarely stays in the city. Much more often, she is out in the wilderness hunting enemies of Mondstadt.
Although she is dedicated to the defense of the city and is praised highly by the Grand Master Varka for her abilities, she is quite unpopular among the residents. After all, it was her ancestors from the Lawrence noble clan who oppressed and exploited Mondstadt over a long period.
Now some residents fear that Eula wants to take revenge on them and is actually conducting espionage for the nobles in her role as a Knight of Favonius. But Jean calls this empty rumors and speaks very kindly about Eula.
Abilities and Talents of Eula
This is what Eula can do: As a claymore user, Eula performs a 5-hit combo called “Favonius Bladework – Edel” with her normal attack. Her elemental attack “Icetide Vortex” deals Cryo damage and grants Eula a charge of the “Grimheart” buff. The buff increases Eula’s defense by 30% per charge and her resistance to interruptions. You can have a maximum of 2 such charges, which can be refreshed every 0.3 seconds.
Holding the elemental skill consumes the Grimheart stacks in a Cryo AoE. Enemies receive a debuff that reduces their physical and Cryo resistance by 23% each. Each of the Grimheart charges is converted into an “Icewhirl Brand” that stays on the battlefield and deals 153% Cryo damage to nearby enemies. The duration of the debuff is 7 seconds per charge, so it can last a maximum of 14 seconds.
Her ultimate ability “Glacial Illumination” deals AoE Cryo damage and summons a lightsaber that hovers near Eula. All attacks that deal damage to enemies charge the sword with energy. Once the lightsaber’s duration on the battlefield ends, it causes a powerful explosion with physical damage. The damage scales with the number of energy stacks the sword has collected. The maximum amount of charges for the sword is 30.
Like every character, Eula also has 3 talents that you can level up to increase their effectiveness. They are:
Aristocratic Insight: 10% chance to craft double the amount of items
Roiling Rime: If Eula has 2 Grimheart charges, holding her elemental ability will summon a lightsaber that explodes instantly and deals physical damage
Wellspring of War-Lust: If you use Glacial Illumination in combat, the cooldown of Icetide Vortex is reset and Eula gains a Grimheart charge.
Overall, Eula seems to become a very strong physical DPS on paper with quite high stats that receive a bonus to critical damage while ascending. At level 90, she has:
Base HP of 13,226
Base ATK of 342, placing her on par with top DPS characters like Xiao or Diluc
Base DEF of 751
Gameplay and some voice lines of Eula can be seen in the following video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RNc2QnQUxM
Materials for Eula’s Ascension and Talents
These materials you need: If you plan to max out Eula, you need to collect and save the following items:
In the city of contracts and trade, Liyue, laws are an iron foundation on which all transactions are based. However, not all residents and merchants bother to get familiar with them. The legal advisors of the city are more than willing to fill the knowledge gaps of their clients, of course, provided the payment is right.
Among the legal advisors, Yanfei is infamous for her expertise. Hardly anyone can match her in legal matters, and some even call her “The Walking Law.” She manages to negotiate the greatest benefits for her clients and demands pretty hefty amounts of Mora for it.
In her veins flows the blood of a divine beast, as is the case with Ganyu. However, unlike Ganyu, Yanfei has not made a contract with the god Rex Lapis, as all she wishes for herself is to be free.
Abilities and Talents of Yanfei
This is what Yanfei can do: The normal attack “Seal of Approval” is a fireball that deals Pyro damage. It also grants Yanfei the “Scarlet Seal” buff, which can stack up to three charges. It reduces Yanfei’s stamina consumption by 15% per charge, and additional charges extend the duration of the buff.
Yanfei’s elemental attack, “Signed Edict,” deals Pyro damage and instantly grants her the maximum amount of Scarlet Seals when hitting enemies. It has a cooldown of 9 seconds. Her charged attack consumes stamina and all collected Scarlet Seals in an AoE Pyro attack. More Seals mean higher range and strength of the attack here.
The ultimate ability “Done Deal” creates a fire AoE around Yanfei, which also immediately grants the maximum amount of Scarlet Seals and additionally the buff “Brilliance.” This increases both the damage of Yanfei’s charged attack and regularly gives her new Scarlet Seals to further enhance the charged attack. The effect of Brilliance ends when she leaves the battlefield.
The focus of Yanfei’s gameplay is therefore to collect her Scarlet Seal buff charges and then deal damage with her charged attack. Her passive abilities support her gameplay mechanics:
Encyclopedic Expertise: Shows the locations of resources found only in Liyue on the mini-map
Proviso: When Yanfei consumes her Scarlet Seals by performing a charged attack, each Seal will increase her Pyro damage by 5%. The effect lasts for 6 seconds.
Blazing Eye: If Yanfei’s charged attack lands a critical hit, she deals additional AoE Pyro damage around her.
Yanfei’s stats at level 90 are below Klee, who is also a Pyro catalyst user. This makes some sense as Yanfei is a 4-star character compared to Klee:
Base HP of 9,352
Base ATK of 240
Base DEF of 587
Gameplay and animations of Yanfei can be watched in the following video:
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These materials you need: If you are interested in Yanfei and plan to pull and level her later, you can start farming these materials:
Level 20: Agnidus Achat Shard x1, Night Jade x3, Raven’s Treasure Badge x3, 20,000 Mora
Level 40: Agnidus Achat Fragment x3, Night Jade x10, Raven’s Treasure Badge x15, Young Jade x2, 40,000 Mora
Level 50: Agnidus Achat Fragment x6, Night Jade x20, Raven’s Treasure Badge x12, Young Jade x4, 60,000 Mora
Level 60: Agnidus Achat Chunk x3, Night Jade x30, Raven’s Silver Treasure Badge x18, Young Jade x8, 80,000 Mora
Level 70: Agnidus Achat Chunk x6, Night Jade x45, Raven’s Gold Treasure Badge x12, Young Jade x12, 100,000 Mora
Level 80: Agnidus Achat x6, Night Jade x60, Raven’s Gold Treasure Badge x24, Young Jade x20, 120,000 Mora
To level her talents, you need the following items:
Level 2: Teachings of Gold x3, Raven’s Treasure Badge x6, 12,500 Mora
Level 3: Guide to Gold x2, Raven’s Silver Treasure Badge x3, 17,500 Mora
Level 4: Guide to Gold x4, Raven’s Silver Treasure Badge x4, 25,000 Mora
Level 5: Guide to Gold x6, Raven’s Silver Treasure Badge x6, 30,000 Mora
Level 6: Guide to Gold x9, Raven’s Silver Treasure Badge x9, 37,500 Mora
Level 7: Teachings of Gold x4, Raven’s Gold Treasure Badge x4, Dragonblood Branch x1, 120,000 Mora
Level 8: Teachings of Gold x6, Raven’s Gold Treasure Badge x6, Dragonblood Branch x1, 260,000 Mora
Level 9: Teachings of Gold x12, Raven’s Gold Treasure Badge x9, Dragonblood Branch x2, 450,000 Mora
Level 10: Teachings of Gold x16, Raven’s Gold Treasure Badge x12, Dragonblood Branch x2, Crown of Wisdom x1, 700,000 Mora
As with Eula, this information for Yanfei comes from her beta build, so it’s possible that they may change by the time the character is officially released.
What do you think of the characters? Will you try to get them or do they seem uninteresting to you? Let us know in the comments.
The two new characters will likely bring in a lot of money for the developers of Genshin Impact:
At the end of 2019, New World announced that PvP in the open world would only be optional. Those who want to can experience the MMO completely without fighting against other players. However, many incentives for PvP were lost as a result. New World is now bringing these back and simultaneously announcing 2 new dungeons and a achievement system.
Fortresses in the open world can now be conquered again. To do this, you just need to mark yourself for PvP, storm the respective fort, and capture the conquest point there.
However, the fort will then be marked as “contested” on the map. This allows players from the other two factions to prevent you from capturing it.
Those who control a fort provide bonuses to their faction. In the corresponding area, all players of the faction receive 5% more XP and 20% more influence. Additionally, each fort grants a unique global bonus, including lower fast travel costs and reduced taxes. Furthermore, the storage of settlements is connected when a faction controls multiple of them.
The instanced wars continue to take place. Whenever these battles for a fort are underway, conquests in the open world will be disabled for 60 minutes.
In the alpha update, new rewards for open-world PvP missions and the new mode “Outpost Rush” were also presented. This was introduced to the game last month and will be featured at the end of this article.
What changes for PvE fans? PvE players will not be forgotten in this update either. Two new expeditions were presented. These are instances that a group of 5 players must complete and are meant to tell a story, similar to known dungeons from other MMORPGs.
In addition, there are now achievements that can be completed in PvE, PvP, and through crafting. Already now, there are over 400 achievements.
The new weapon Ice Gauntlet was also introduced in more detail. We have updated the old article about this.
2 Dungeons with new bosses and direct trading between players
What’s inside the dungeons? The first new dungeon is called “Lazarus Instrumentality” and is located in the new area “Brackwater Marsh”. You are sent by Legate Fulvius to explore a secret site. There, you will encounter 2 bosses:
Cilla: A creature that uses both deadly weapons and devastating magic. With her dual nature, she is a real test for all who wish to learn the secrets of the Ancients.
Chardis: This huge ancient construct guards the Lazarus well and grants those who awaken him either eternal power or a swift death.
In the second dungeon “Shipyard of the Dynasty,” you are up against a fleet of the Corrupted Empress that you must stop. Here you will again battle against 2 bosses:
Isabella’s pets: Joven and Oro obediently await Isabella’s commands and their next meal.
Zhou Taiying: This elegant, graceful, and vengeful exiled Empress commands an army that is devoted to her beyond death and wields immense energies of corruption.
In the expeditions, you fight in instanced dungeons and experience an interesting story.
What’s changing with the interface? With the update in April, the interface of New World was also overhauled. There are now new categories for sorting quests (next, easiest) and a new system that allows you to lock your favorite items in your inventory. This way, you cannot accidentally break them down.
Another highlight is direct trading from player to player. You can open a window in which you can place either money or up to 5 items:
New interface for player trading (image is also small in the original blog post).
What else is new? In addition to these major adjustments, there were also a number of smaller innovations:
New effects have been added to equipment. There are now over 150 different effects spread across all item types.
The rewards for reaching certain levels – the so-called milestones – have been reworked.
The enemy AI has been further adjusted to make it smarter.
There have been adjustments to the recipes in crafting.
Many weapons and skills have received balance adjustments.
You can find the complete patch notes of the update on the New World website (via New World).
All about the previous alpha updates of New World:
New and exciting PvPvE mode Outpost Rush introduced
What kind of mode is this? Outpost Rush is a 20v20 endgame content for PvP fans that can be entered starting at level 60. You can sign up either alone or as a group of up to 5 players.
In general, this mode is a mix of fortress battles, kill counts, and PvPvE. Each team starts in its own fort on opposite sides of the map. Between the two forts are three outposts that can be taken through capture points.
The goal of the game is to be the first to reach 1,000 points. You can earn points as follows:
Outposts generate 1 point every 3 seconds.
Every kill of another player also gives 1 point.
Siege weapons are also used in the outpost battles.
What makes the mode interesting? If a team captures an outpost, it can also be strengthened with resources that can be gathered on the map. This includes better gates, siege weapons, and command posts that give you bonuses for damage and armor.
There are also PvE events on the map, including a world boss or a portal of the Corrupted. Completing these unlocks the following bonuses:
Baroness Hain appears every 10 minutes. The team that delivers the finishing blow to her gets a strong bonus to health regeneration and defense for the next three minutes. At the same time, the opponents’ score is frozen – they cannot earn points for three minutes.
The corrupted portal is guarded by corrupted creatures. Teams can deposit Azoth essence at the portal. When a team has deposited 500 Azoth essences, the portal is activated, and the player who made the last Azoth delivery receives an item that can summon a powerful ally.
Summoning circles are stone platforms located at various key locations on the map. There, players can summon a allied monster with a summoning item that defends the location against opposing players.
What do you think of the changes to New World? Do you like the new update? And will you be more active in PvE or PvP?
Blizzard has once again put itself in a precarious position: For a Hearthstone–tournament, they invited 18 men and only 2 women. This did not sit well with some users on Twitter. Blizzard had to apologize, while 2 Twitch streamers resolved the issue and withdrew from the event so that Blizzard could nominate more women.
This was the problem: About a week ago, Blizzard announced the participant list for the tournament “Hearthstone Crossroads Inn-vitational”:
This is an invitation-only tournament, where Blizzard invites well-known content creators for Hearthstone, primarily YouTubers and Twitch streamers.
The event takes place today, on April 21st.
It features a delicious prize pool of $100,000.
Blizzard invited 20 streamers and formed two teams from them: But among the participants, only 2 women were competing for the $100,000, all the rest were men.
This was recently criticized on Twitter with the tweet: “Only 2 women? You can do better!” (via twitter)
A second Twitter user added that, alongside women, People of Color were also missing from the list.
A third complained that no Latin American streamers were invited.
Group picture with a lady – one woman next to 9 men was just too little for the community.
A fourth criticized: These are always the same 20 streamers who are put in the spotlight. There are many more people who deserve to be featured like this. Streamers like Kripparian are also invited, who have nothing to do with the “Constructed” mode anymore.
The event was already under a bad star, as Blizzard had previously promised Twitch Drops for viewers, which they had to retract.
This is how the streamers reacted: The problem was resolved by two of the invited streamers themselves.
For two of the streamers who were already invited, they gave up their spots so that Blizzard could invite two women in their place:
Kripparian (Twitch, 1.4 million followers) and RegisKillbin (Twitch, 87k followers) withdrew – Killbin explained that he voluntarily stepped down to allow more creators to shine
Blizzard nominated Avelline (29.5k followers) and lunaloveee (6.8k followers) as replacements
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This is how Blizzard reacts now: For the 2 individuals who stepped back themselves, Blizzard has now nominated two more women for the tournament and practically renewed the images immediately.
The images were practically changed retrospectively immediately.
In a statement, Blizzard expresses gratitude to Kripparian and RegisKillbin for generously offering their spots.
It further states: Representation and inclusion are important, and they want to hold themselves accountable to improve in this regard.
It is essential that events reflect the Hearthstone community and showcase the many talented women who dedicate themselves to Hearthstone every day.
They now want to invite more women in the future.
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Blizzard has been struggling to “read the room” for two years
This is the background: It is noticeable how often Blizzard has gotten it wrong in such decisions over the past 2-3 years, misreading the mood in the room, making wrong decisions, and later having to apologize, correct, and promise improvement. The scandal involving the Hearthstone player “Blitzchung” clearly illustrates how difficult Blizzard finds itself with these issues.
It may be related to Activision significantly reducing staff in all areas not directly related to game development. Perhaps some experienced people were let go who previously would have pointed out in meetings: “We can’t invite only 10% women to Hearthstone; that will blow up in our faces.”
In 2019, we addressed this new phenomenon where Blizzard suddenly does not make a good impression:
Destiny 2 gives everyone the chance to obtain the rare and powerful exotic ‘Inheritance’. Everything about the event weapon quest from the Guardian Games 2021 and a guide on how you can get the Inheritance can be found on MeinMMO.
In Destiny 2, the Guardian Games 2021 have been running since April 20th. During the event, you can quickly obtain one of the rarest exotics. However, you only have until May 11th for the exotic weapon and its corresponding catalyst – we will show you how every Guardian can achieve this.
About this rare exotic: The exotic machine gun debuted during the Guardian Games 2020 and was quite challenging to acquire back then. This resulted in only 2.1% of all players in Destiny 2 owning the exotic – making it the rarest MG in the ranking on MeinMMO.
The Guardian Games are back and allow each of you to unlock this rare exotic very easily. MeinMMO shows you how to quickly obtain the weapon – the quest takes less than an hour. Also read about what the new catalyst is all about.
The Guardian Games 2021 bring you the rare exotic
This is the preparation: First, you need to participate in the Guardian Games – all players can join as it is a free event. So first visit Zavala and then Eva Levante in the Tower. Equip your event-specific class item and accept the quest ‘The Games Begin’ from Eva.
The series of tasks introduces you to the event and can be completed in a maximum of 30 minutes.
Laurels: You can get these event items fastest in the new playlist that you start in the Tower. By getting ability and super kills in a strike, you can easily collect over 100 laurels. Remember to pick up the sparkling items from the ground when playing strikes – in PvP, they automatically go to your inventory.
Aspirant Cards: You receive these event-specific tasks from Eva in the Tower, and they guarantee a medal. A card costs 100 laurels (Platinum cards 200) and requires you to complete random objectives in strikes, Gambit, or the Crucible – so far it seems that strike tasks in the new playlist are the fastest.
All quest steps for Inheritance in Destiny 2
Once you have completed the two steps in the Guardian Games, you will gain full access to Eva’s inventory. Here you will find the quest for Inheritance – and it is really simple.
You will only see the quest ‘Top of Class’ in Destiny 2 if you do not already own the exotic Inheritance in your collection. The quest consists of 2 steps.
Adorned with Laurels: Collect 50 laurels. However, only the laurels you actually picked up count. So start a round in the event strike playlist in the Tower.
Depending on the class, laurels shine in different colors: yellow for Warlocks, red for Titans, and blue for Hunters.
Machine Gun Focus: Defeat 100 enemies with machine guns. Complete this task also in the Guardian Games playlist. It does not matter which MG you use for this.
Once you have completed these two quest steps, you will be rewarded with the event exotic. Inheritance features a unique shield mechanic and turns you into a Cabal Colossus. To find out how well the power weapon performs in practice, check it out here on MeinMMO:
This is how the weapon becomes stronger: You can make Inheritance even stronger with the new masterwork catalyst. However, to obtain the new catalyst, you must already possess the MG.
As soon as Inheritance is registered in your collection, you have a chance at the catalyst with every medal you turn in at the Tower.
Many Guardians report that they received the catalyst after the first gold medal – as did the author of this article.
The catalyst enhances the shield mechanic and also reloads your weapon.
Have you already secured Inheritance? Remember to tackle both the catalyst and the exotic itself during the Guardian Games – otherwise, you might have to wait another year.
What do you think about the fact that such a rare weapon is now almost given away? Did you grind hard in the event last year or are you happy about the decision? Let us know in the comments.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The manufacturer EPOS has introduced its latest wired gaming headset, the H3. And the first reviews of the H3 are convincing. MeinMMO explains why the new gaming headset is worth considering and who should take a look at it. Especially those looking for a comfortable and high-quality gaming headset are likely to find it here.
The most important points at a glance:
The EPOS H3 is a wired and closed gaming headset.
The 3.5 mm cable and the cushions are detachable, the microphone is permanently installed.
The testers are particularly impressed by the comfort, the good workmanship, and the acoustics.
The headset is now available for €119.99 at various retailers.
This has been presented: The audio manufacturer EPOS has introduced its latest gaming headset. It is the EPOS H3. This is a wired gaming headset that can be connected to a PC, Nintendo Switch, or console via a jack connection.
The new device is a product that EPOS has developed itself. In the Wireless model GSP 670 tested by MeinMMO, EPOS had previously worked with Sennheiser. With the H3, they are now offering another own product.
MeinMMO introduces you to EPOS’s new headset and explains what competition exists at the same price. In the €100 range, there are already some well-known competitors like Razer and Logitech.
EPOS H3 Gaming Headset focuses on high-quality materials and replaceable parts.
How is the headset structured? The EPOS H3 is a closed headset. This means that outside noises are dampened and no longer clearly perceived. Therefore, the acoustics sound somewhat muted compared to open headsets.
Both the cables and the ear cushions can be removed and replaced. This gives the headset a certain longevity, as you can simply replace the cable in case of a break.
The microphone is permanently installed and cannot be removed. This somewhat resembles the EPOS | Sennheiser Game Zero, which also features a fixed microphone. If needed, you can fold the microphone up.
What does the gaming headset look like? EPOS markets its new headset as a gaming device, but it has a modest appearance. You can get the device either in black or white; RGB or other lighting features are not offered. Overall, the headset appears unobtrusive.
This is what the EPOS H3 gaming headset looks like.
With which devices does the gaming headset work? EPOS refers to the headset as “multi-platform plug-and-play.” Thanks to the 3.5 mm jack connection, the H3 is compatible with all devices that also use a 3.5 mm jack. Therefore, you can use the headset with PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox. However, the H3 does not offer Bluetooth.
EPOS H3 proves to be a strong all-rounder in tests
What do the testers say? There are now also initial reviews of the new gaming headset from EPOS. And in the first tests, the new wired headset makes a good impression.
For example, Techradar describes the new gaming headset as “extremely comfortable” (via Techradar.com). The testers also praise the “balanced and detailed sound” of the headset. Thanks to the jack connection, the device is very flexible. The testers only criticize the decision to make the microphone so large and permanently installed. As a result, it is mainly useful for desktop use and not for use on the go.
The testers from TomsHardware were also pleasantly surprised (via TomsHardware.com). Here, they particularly praise the great acoustics and solid build quality. The low weight of 270 grams is also a plus point for the EPOS headset. In contrast to Techradar, they were not very convinced of the sound quality of the microphone.
The online magazine PlayExperience is also impressed with the new EPOS headset (via play-experience.com). While sound and build quality are convincing, the testers are bothered by the volume control. Here, they opted for a small wheel, which is not easy to operate.
Pros
high build quality and robust materials
very good sound
lightweight and high comfort
flexible thanks to the jack connection
Cons
microphone very large and not removable
microphone recording quality
The EPOS H3 is a recommendable gaming headset in the €100 range
For whom is the gaming headset recommendable? Anyone looking for a strong all-rounder suitable for many areas of gaming (shooter, MMORPG, MMO) should consider the EPOS H3. For €119.99, you get a recommendable gaming headset that is slightly more expensive than comparable competition but mainly impresses with its strong ergonomics and good build quality.
You can buy the new gaming headset, among others, at Alternate* or order at MediaMarkt*. At both retailers, you can currently get the device for €119.
How is the competition? There is already competition in the €100 range. With Logitech’s G Pro X and Razer’s BlackShark V2, there are already two strong representatives in the €100 range that offer good workmanship and high sound quality. Both headsets now also have wireless variants, but these are priced higher than the wired devices.
Are you looking for more gaming headsets? Then check out our best list. Here we present the best gaming headsets that you can currently buy. Among them, you will find a mix of wired devices like the EPOS H3 and some wireless options if you want to do without bothersome cables.
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This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In League of Legends, Hecarim is currently the strongest jungler. However, this could change with the next patch 11.9. Riot Games announces nerfs for Hecarim, the item “Turbo Chemtank”, and some other items and champs in LoL. 11.9 will be the update during which the important “MSI” tournament will take place. The patch is expected to come to LoL next week.
This is the situation:
In LoL, Hecarim and Udyr currently dominate the selection among jungle specialists: They inherently have increased movement speed. With the item “Turbo Chemtank”, they became even faster: The combination of tank and movement speed makes them so strong
Now it is clear: Riot Games will nerf Hecarim and the item
These are the nerfs: The balance lead at Riot Games for LoL is currently still Mark “Scruffy” Yetter. He will transition to the new LoL MMORPG in June to serve as Design Lead. However, Scruffy is still involved with LoL. He published a patch preview for the MSI Patch 1.19 on Twitter.
For the items, LoL now nerfs the two movement speed items Chemtank and Dead Man’s Plate.
Buffs will come for Moonstone Renewer, Death’s Dance, and Wits End.
The following champs will be nerfed:
Hecarim
Morgana
Diana
Dr Mundo
Rumble (In the Mid Lane)
Vlad
Jinx – as a bug will be fixed that will weaken her
When is patch 1.19 coming? It will come soon. Riot Games states this is the MSI patch: The “Mid Seasonal Invitational” will take place from May 6 to May 22.
The new LoL patch is planned for April 28.
This year, the MSI will have to do without the “usual suspects” from Europe. Because they were eliminated early:
