In Pokémon GO the Hoenn event has been announced. There will not be a new Shiny, but some surprises that were not expected.
When does the Hoenn event take place? It starts on January 19 at 10:00 AM and runs until January 24 at 8:00 PM local time. So you have just under a week to take advantage of the bonuses.
The Hoenn event is all about Generation 3. It is another event preparing for the Kanto Tour, which starts in February.
Hoenn Event with Rayquaza and exclusive move
These are the bonuses: This event is a bit different from the past generation events. The bonuses are different. Here’s an overview:
Pokémon like Treecko, Torchic, Mudkip, Swablu, Trapinch, Snorunt, Bagon, Meditite, Roselia, Carvanha, Camaub, and Swablu appear in the wild
Quests, eggs, and raids also include Pokémon from Generation 3
In Level 5 raids, Groudon and Kyogre will appear
There is a new collector challenge for the event
The exclusive move Meteor Mash will be available for Metagross when you evolve it
There is a timed research that ultimately includes a Rayquaza with the move Hurricane – this can also be Shiny
In the timed research, you will also receive 10 candies from Kyogre and Groudon
There is a free bundle in the shop that includes 3 Remote Raid Passes
Rayquaza appears once at the Hoenn event and can also be Shiny with luck.
What about Shinies? Niantic has stated that you might be able to catch Shiny Meditite with luck. This Shiny has been in the game for a long time. No new Shiny has been announced, at least so far.
What can the exclusive move do? Meteor Mash was previously only learnable on Community Day. This move has not been available since 2019 and greatly enhances Metagross.
Thanks to this move, Metagross becomes one of the best attackers in Pokémon GO and you should definitely secure this move.
That was surprising: Alongside the exclusive move, the return of Rayquaza is also surprising for many trainers. The Pokémon can only be caught once through research, but had not been announced beforehand.
Rayquaza is considered, similar to Metagross, one of the best attackers in the game. Additionally, the Shiny form is celebrated, as the green Rayquaza becomes black.
What happens next: After the Hoenn event, an event focused on Generation 2 is supposed to start. It begins on January 26 and runs until January 31. More precise details have not yet been announced.
Pokémon GO has announced the Community Day in February. It will revolve around Roselia and bring two useful bonuses. We will reveal all the details to you.
This is the Community Day: On Sunday, February 7, 2021, the Community Day featuring Roselia will take place. The event runs from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM our time.
All info about the Community Day with Roselia
What bonuses are available? For 6 hours, you will have an increased chance of encountering the Pokémon and can also benefit from these bonuses:
During the event, the distance required to hatch eggs will be reduced to a quarter
Incense will last for 3 hours during the event
If you evolve Roselia into Roserade, it will learn the Charge Attack Meteorologist (in the Fire version) and the Fast Attack Bullet Seed
The Pokémon Budew can be found in 2 km eggs
What about Shiny Roselia? This Shiny is already available in Pokémon GO and will of course also be obtainable on Community Day. You can recognize the Shiny by its differently colored flowers:
This is what the event offers: During the Community Day, you should receive a special surprise when you take a photo with Roselia.
For 1 Euro, there will also be a special research task related to Roselia. Those who already possess the ticket for the Pokémon GO Tour: Kanto will receive this research for free.
Additionally, there will be new Mega Raids, several Spotlight and Raid hours, as well as a “surprise Pokémon” that is supposed to appear in the raids starting January 26.
If you want an overview of all events, you can find it here:
As unusual as the mentioned chair is, the new concept from Razer is also striking – a mask called “Project Hazel”. However, it does not look like the classic “mouth-nose protection,” but rather something you would wear in The Division 2.
This is what the mask concept looks like
This is Project Hazel
Why a mask? Project Hazel is a face mask that Razer designed as a response to the current pandemic. Razer has previously committed to this regard and intends to continue this with the new concept, according to a statement from the manufacturer: “This initiative will now continue with the reusable Project Hazel Smart Mask. The face mask meets higher hygiene standards and prevents unexpected health risks and environmental problems caused by disposable masks, while enhancing the properties of a reusable mask for personal protection.”
This is what masks look like in Division
What is this “Smart Mask”? Besides the fact that “Project Hazel” looks like it came straight out of a video game, the self-proclaimed “World’s Smartest Mask” is also supposed to have some special features. Among other things, it is supposed to provide medical N95 respiratory protection, coming with rechargeable and removable fans. These so-called “Smart Pods” are supposed to filter out 95% of particles in the air.
To reuse it, they can be placed in a charging box where the fans are to be disinfected using UV light: “The water-repellent, scratch-resistant mask is as high-quality as it is sustainable – made from recyclable plastic to minimize the waste produced by disposable masks,” so the description.
You should be able to adjust the lighting
What else can the mask do? It should also allow the clear design to show the wearer’s face. In the dark, a light should automatically turn on to enable facial expressions in all lighting conditions. The mask’s lighting should also be able to change colors freely, depending on which style you prefer.
But these are not the only technical components in the mask: There is also a voice amplifier, whose microphone picks up the wearer’s voice and plays it back directly. This is supposed to bypass the muffling of the voice.
As of now, the mask is only a prototype, and whether and when it will actually be available for purchase (and at what price) is still completely open.
Nvidia presented the GeForce RTX 3060, a mid-range graphics card, at CES 2021. But who is this graphics card aimed at? And what about Nvidia’s RTX 3060 Ti, which has already been released?
This is what it’s about: At CES 2021, Nvidia also introduced the smallest RTX 3000 graphics card alongside mobile RTX 3000 graphics cards, which are installed in Razer’s introduced gaming laptops.
This is the GeForce RTX 3060, which is positioned below the RTX 3060 Ti and is set to launch in February 2021. By the way, our title image features Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which is already available. The RTX 3060 is expected to be produced as a Founders Edition with only one fan.
Who is this graphics card aimed at? Nvidia is targeting its new mid-range graphics card primarily at gamers who want to play in full detail at Full HD.
With the RTX 3060, the target audience includes owners of a GeForce GTX 1060 or a comparable Radeon RX 480.
This is also evident in the direct comparison from Nvidia. While the RTX 3060 and RTX 2060 are relatively close together, the difference between the RTX 3060 and GTX 1060 is very large.
The RTX 3060 compared with RTX 2060 and GTX 1060. Image source: GameStar.de
This is what the RTX 3060 offers: With the GeForce RTX 3060, Nvidia also wants to offer ray tracing at a comparatively low price. Until now, ray tracing has been reserved for the expensive RTX models.
The actual competition for the RTX 3060 is its sibling, the RTX 3060 Ti, which is priced slightly above the RTX 3060 at an MSRP of 400 Euros and is already available.
When will the RTX 3060 be released? According to Nvidia, the GeForce RTX 3060 is expected to be available starting at the end of February. A specific date has not yet been announced.
How much will the RTX 3060 cost? Nvidia’s Founders Edition is expected to cost 319 dollars officially. The Euro price is expected to be similar. Custom models from Nvidia partners are likely to be slightly more expensive.
The RTX 3060 in the official image from Nvidia.
For whom is the RTX 3060 worthwhile? Especially for owners of older graphics card series such as the GeForce GTX 1060 or owners of older Polaris graphics cards from AMD (RX 400 series and RX 500 series), Nvidia’s RTX 3060 should mean a significant performance boost.
Owners of an RTX 2060 only benefit to a limited extent from an upgrade.
RTX 3060 12GB vs 3060 Ti: What are the differences?
Both graphics cards rely on the new Ampere architecture and offer you ray tracing. But there are also some differences:
The base clock of the RTX 3060 is slightly lower, but it boosts higher than the RTX 3060 Ti
The theoretical computing power is lower than that of the Ti model
The RTX 3060 uses a slower interface (192 bit vs 256 bit)
The RTX 3060 has 12 GB of video memory, while the RTX 3060 Ti offers only 8 GB.
Where does the RTX 3060 Ti stand? According to Igorslab.de, the RTX 3060 Ti is indeed on par with an RTX 2080 Super, which is suitable for all gaming resolutions with ray tracing and DLSS.
According to theoretical numbers, the RTX 3060 is slightly below the RTX 3060 Ti but is future-proof with 12 GB of video memory.
RTX 3060 and RTX 3060 Ti compared: We have set the two graphics cards side by side for you here:
Model
GeForce RTX 3060
GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
GPU
Ampere
Ampere
FP32 shader cores
3584
4864
Base clock / Boost
1320 / 1780 MHz
1410 / 1665 MHz
Theoretical computing power
12.7 TFlops
16.1 TFlops
Memory type
12 GB GDDR6
8 GB GDDR6
Interface
192 bit
256 bit
Ray tracing / Tensor cores
unknown
38 / 152
Power consumption (TBP)
170 Watts
200 Watts
RTX 3060 vs. RTX 3060 Ti in direct comparison, via heise.de
RTX 3060 Price and Availability – little hope for interested buyers
This is the current situation: According to Nvidia, the prices of the Founders Edition are set to be 319 US dollars, but it wouldn’t be surprising if customers end up paying significantly more:
The slightly faster model, the RTX 3060 Ti, was supposed to launch at 399 Euros. However, these prices are dramatically exceeded everywhere. On Geizhals.de, the prices for “RTX 3060 Ti” models are currently around 700 Euros, making them nearly twice as expensive as the manufacturer’s suggested retail price.
Further presentations at CES 2021: At CES 2021, in addition to graphics cards, other exciting tech highlights were introduced. For example, Razer introduced a special gaming chair that is said to offer many unique features such as haptic feedback.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Since update 28 in November, The Elder Scrolls Online has been plagued by an annoying bug. This is supposed to be fully fixed in the upcoming update 29. However, this comes with a reset of all champion and skill points.
The skill points distributed there kept resetting. Every time the points were redistributed, they disappeared again. Due to the bug, some players have lost skill points.
During the investigation, further errors related to skill points were found, as the developers reported in the ESO Forum. Some of the errors have already been fixed, so players no longer lose points for redistribution. However, those who have already distributed points are still experiencing issues.
As it turned out during the investigation, some bugs date back to the introduction of skill point refunds in 2018. Due to the bug, there are also players who have more points than they are actually entitled to.
There were issues with the Werewolf transformation and Soul Trap.
How will the bug be fixed? With update 29, the bug is expected to be completely eliminated. However, for this to happen, skill and champion points will be reset for all players.
You should therefore note down your distribution now and secure it with screenshots, so that you need only a few clicks to be ready to play again at the end.
A pet and free respecs for all players
What compensation is there for the reset? As community manager GinaBruno stated in the forum, the developers regret the complete reset of skill and champion points. Therefore, there will also be compensation:
We understand that this approach can be quite annoying for your builds. As a small consolation for all these problems, all players will receive a free Amber Stag pet as a companion and free respecializations when we release update 29.
What else is happening in update 29? Update 29 is expected to be released in February 2021 and will bring the first content related to the Oblivion year. It is likely that there will be another dungeon DLC, as has been the case in recent years.
However, exact details about update 29 are not known, but they are expected to be announced at the big event on January 26.
If you are currently considering starting with ESO, here are some important beginner tips:
Some players are reporting a new enemy they have found in World of Warcraft: Shadowlands. This enemy can be found in Torghast on rare occasions and rewards special loot – and a secret, if you do not kill him.
What kind of enemy is this? The Lost Dredger appears to have been randomly appearing in Torghast since January 13, 2021. At least, there are no earlier reports of players sighting him.
The small dredger has only a few hit points and does not attack you. If you start a fight with him, he will flee towards the next level. Along the way, he drops Phantasma and even at the end, a sphere that grants you an Anima power.
This makes him behave similarly to the treasure goblins in Diablo 3, which you can also attack and then chase to grab their loot. He even shares a secret mechanic with them.
Why shouldn’t I kill him? If you use a Ravenous Anima Cell on the dredger instead of killing him, he reportedly opens a portal to “?”. If you use this portal, you will enter a secret area of Torghast.
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There are heaps of vases full of Phantasma and other Anima powers lying around. You can get the cell for 250 Phantasma from one of the vendors in Torghast. The user nanmetal has linked an image showing what it looks like in this level (via imgur).
Interesting Events in Torghast
Possibly, the appearance of the dredger is related to the current Beast Event in Torghast, through which you get a companion and new Anima powers in the tower. However, he does not appear in the event overview.
However, it may also be that the dredger was introduced along with the Twisted Corridors and has just not been found until now. The corridors are the “Challenge Mode” and make Torghast truly enjoyable, according to MeinMMO author Benedict Grothaus.
However, the dredger is only really useful for Torghast. Its loot brings you very little outside the tower. Phantasma and the powers only help you in Torghast itself.
However, the loot can help you successfully complete Torghast by giving you more options for powers. If you complete the Twisted Corridors on the highest difficulty, you even get a special mount for the Maw.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Fortnite: Battle Royale there will soon be a skin of GrefG. Through the GrefG Cup, you can secure the outfit before it appears in the item shop. We will show you how to get the skin for free.
What is a skin? The Twitch streamer and YouTuber GrefG has received his own skin in Fortnite. This places him among the Icon Series, like Ninja and Loserfruit did back then.
To earn the skin for free, you must participate in the GrefG Cup. We will show you how to join and what conditions must be met.
When does the Cup take place? The tournament named “GrefG’s Hot Sole” will take place on 2 different dates. On both days, you will have the chance to earn the skin. The Cup takes place as follows:
Thursday, January 14, 2021, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM (Team Tournament)
Friday, January 15, 2021, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM (Solo Tournament)
During each 3-hour period, you will have to complete up to 12 matches of the “The Floor is Lava” mode. Instead of weapons, you will be equipped with a harpoon gun and must ensure that your opponents fall into the hot lava.
How to participate in the GrefG Cup
What do you need to do? During both tournament days, you will have the chance to unlock the skin. You can decide whether to participate in the team tournament (Thursday) or solo (Friday). However, anyone wishing to participate in the Cup must meet these conditions:
Only for teams: All members must be present. You cannot enter as a solo, duo, or trio. You will need 4 team members.
Make sure to activate Two-Factor Authentication before the tournament starts
What are the rewards?
What do you get for free? As mentioned, you can win the GrefG set. This includes an outfit, cosmetics, and an emote. Players who secure this in the tournament will receive it not only for free but also before all other players. The set includes:
Outfit “TheGrefg”
Pickaxe “Controller-Staff”
Back accessory “Orbs of Power”
Emote “Controller-Crew”
Only the top 800 teams of 4 will receive the skin set for free and before all others. For the solo tournament, only the top 3,200 players will receive the entire set for free.
Can the skin also be obtained outside of the tournament? If you don’t manage to place high enough in the tournaments, you still have a chance at the GrefG skin. The reward skin will appear in the item shop on January 17 and will then be available to all players. However, they will have to pay if they want it.
If you are not interested in the skin, you still have the chance to unlock outfits from the Battle Pass of Season 5. With a total of 7 skins, there will likely be one that suits your taste better.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The TOTW 16 is now available in FIFA 21. Which players made it into the Team of the Week this time?
When does the TOTW 16 come out? The new Team of the Week has been live since January 13 at 19:00. It stays there for a week and can now be found in packs.
It brings the typical black Inform cards of the football players who delivered the best performances in the past week. They have improved stats and are also worth more on the transfer market.
How do I get the TOTW? To get the cards, you can try your luck with packs. However, the chances of TOTW players are low. They can also be found on the transfer market, but they may cost a lot of coins there. Additionally, you can get them as Player-Pick in the Weekend League rewards.
The complete TOTW 16 is now live
The entire TOTW 16 at a glance
The TOTW 16 Starting XI:
GK: Navas (89)
CB: Hinteregger (85)
LB: Gaya (85)
RB: Danilo (82)
CM: Parejo (87)
RM: Hakimi (86)
CAM: Reus (86)
CM: Belhanda (82)
LW: Griezmann (89)
ST: Depay (87)
ST: Volland (86)
The TOTW 16 Bench:
GK: Audero (81)
CB: Thomas (81)
LM: Harit (81)
ST: Zahavi (84)
ST: En-Nesyri (82)
LW: Hofmann (81)
ST: Taremi (81)
GK: Hiller (76)
LB: Thompson (71)
RM: Larin (79)
LW: Kent (79)
ST: Onuachu (79)
The 3 best players in TOTW 16
The top 3 in TOTW 16
These are the top players: Based on the overall ratings of the new TOTW 16, these are the 3 best players in the Team of the Week.
Antoine Griezmann scored a brace in the last victory for FC Barcelona, just like Lionel Messi, thus securing a TOTW card. It comes with an overall rating of 89 and excels especially in dribbling.
Keylor Navas guards the goal for Paris Saint-Germain and has received an upgrade to 89. He has consistently good stats and is a reliable option in goal.
Depay has received an 87-rated card as a striker. The Dutch forward also has good stats in all offensive areas and is versatile. Especially for players focusing on Dutch players after the Robben SBC, this could be of interest.
Additionally, there are more exciting cards such as Hakimi, whose OTW card also receives an upgrade. And there are also a few representatives from the Bundesliga.
The Bundesliga in TOTW 16
These 4 Bundesliga teams are included
This time, four Bundesliga teams made it into the Team of the Week. We present them to you here.
Marco Reus has received a minor upgrade with his 86-rated card. The CAM is an ideal playmaker, but there is already a good Reus special card with the Rulebreaker version.
Three assists and one goal: Amine Harit had a significant role in Schalke’s first win in the Bundesliga in ages and receives an Inform card with an overall rating of 81.
Two goals against FC Bayern Munich are enough to promote Jonas Hofmann into the new TOTW. The Gladbach forward receives an upgrade to 81.
In addition to the Bundesliga teams, you will also find 1860 goalkeeper Hiller from the 3rd division.
Are you looking for more players for your team? Then you can find great opportunities to get packs – which is also worth it for the TOTY event.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War confirmed on reddit that ranked matches are still planned. The news spread quickly and players are directly demanding: “Remove SBMM and then bring Ranked – we don’t need either.”
Update January 14: With the mid-season update of Season 1, the developers are releasing a roadmap of content that is still to come during the current season. “League Play” is on the list and is expected to arrive in Cold War by February at the latest.
What’s it about? In the Call of Duty community, skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) is one of the major controversial topics. Many players feel disadvantaged by this system and prefer a matchmaking that focuses more on player connectivity rather than highlighting the skills of the soldiers.
Furthermore, the developers hardly address this issue. So far, there has been no response from the CoD creators to the multitude of complaints and requests from the community. Thus, the SBMM topic has become one of the biggest controversies in Modern Warfare, Warzone, and also in Black Ops Cold War (The colleagues from GameStar reported).
Now the community manager Josh “FoxhoundFPS” Torres announced on reddit that the creators of Cold War are still working on a ranking system, which is expected to appear in the current CoD. The reactions on Twitter have been quite clear – if “Ranked Play” comes, SBMM should be restricted for the other playlists or disappear altogether.
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Yes, Ranked Play will be a topic. However, I currently do not have a timeline that I can share with you.
CoD community manager Josh Torres on reddit in response to the question of whether Ranked Play is still a topic.
What are ranked matches? Unlike the normal playlists, you receive a “rank” (in English, rank) in this type of match. When you start a match, you only get opponents who are at a similar rank level as you.
These ranked modes are essentially the epitome of SBMM. If you play well, you rise in rank and get correspondingly better opponents and teammates in your matches. At the end of a season or a specific time period, your rank may yield rewards.
This kind of system has existed before in Call of Duty, but it’s not necessarily the rule. Ranked modes are particularly interesting for more experienced players looking for a challenge.
So why are players demanding the removal of SBMM? With the introduction of a ranked mode that clearly compiles matches based on skill-based matchmaking, many commentators find it pointless for other modes to also consider your abilities as a matchmaking variable.
Even before the announcement, many CoD players called for SBMM to be completely removed from the normal modes or at least reduced. Some report experiences where they play one or two fun rounds and then suddenly find themselves in lobbies that are significantly more difficult.
According to the demands, CoD should either completely forgo this system in normal modes or bring about a better solution than the current one.
Whether Cold War, CoD MW, or Warzone – SBMM is a point of contention for many players.
What are the reactions to the announcement like? Accordingly, the reactions are also falling. Under the tweet from the CoD news site “CharlieIntel” on Twitter, the comment with the most likes is: “First remove SBMM, then add Ranked. We don’t need either.” In fact, many of the comments on the news go in this direction:
@A_nthonyyy43 on Twitter: “Huh? Aren’t we already playing ranked in at least every second match? If they don’t remove SBMM from the casual matches, there is no reason to bring this now.”
But it’s not just this that bothers many commentators. The timing is also incomprehensible to many:
@GotherSZN on Twitter: “The game has a lifespan of one year and has already been on the market for 3 months. How can they not have a timeline yet?”
@Gunslata on Twitter: “We don’t care if Ranked comes after half a year. Why can’t it be ready at launch?”
While there are also some positive comments regarding the recent news about ranked matches, many players take the news with a negative undertone. For many, the matchmaking issue is the major point of contention in the current CoD titles, and a mode based on SBMM is only at the top of a wish list for a few.
What do you think about ranked matches? Do you want such a thing back for CoD? Do you think that the SBMM issue will lose some momentum because of this?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Odyssey is the big, new expansion that is supposed to add important gameplay elements to Elite Dangerous this year. However, the addon will take a little longer to arrive.
When will Odyssey be released? When the Odyssey expansion got a gameplay trailer last December, a release date of “early 2021” was mentioned, which is no longer valid. As the developers announced through a blog post on the Elite Dangerous homepage, the content must be postponed due to the Corona pandemic. The new schedule is as follows:
The alpha for PC is set to come in “early spring”, meaning early spring 2021, to “get a foot on the ground,” according to the developers. This is slightly later than originally planned.
The complete PC release will then come in “late spring” 2021, with no exact date provided.
The console release will take place in fall 2021. This is where the biggest shift in the new schedule lies.
Our PC plans are only slightly affected, but our plans for the console version will unfortunately experience a larger development delay. Please know that these difficult decisions were made with the focus on making Odyssey as incredible as possible for all our commanders, regardless of their platform, while also respecting realistic project timelines for our teams during this difficult global situation.
In the statement, the developers emphasize their apology for the delay: “We understand that this additional delay will be frustrating for many. We would like to sincerely apologize to our community once again, especially to our console commanders.” They want to ensure that the console versions meet the highest standards and have therefore decided to extend the roadmap.
What’s behind Odyssey
What’s included in the addon? Odyssey is supposed to expand the space sim Elite Dangerous with important gameplay elements, which have long been requested by fans.
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On the one hand, “space legs” are coming into play, which simply means that players can leave their ships and vehicles to explore the world of Elite Dangerous on foot. This allows them to explore planets, buildings, or stations on their two feet.
Additionally, shooter elements will also be introduced with space legs. Players will be able to equip their characters with firearms and engage in combat.
For its 10th anniversary, the superhero MMO DC Universe Online has announced that it will bring a native launcher for the new PlayStation 5. The version is expected to be released in 2021 and will come with several improvements.
What is DC Universe Online? The action MMO takes place in the DC Universe, which is primarily known for heroes like Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman. It was released in 2011 and celebrated its tenth birthday on January 11, 2021.
In DC Universe Online, you create your own hero or villain with unique powers. You can visit famous locations like Metropolis or Gotham City, where you can move freely.
DC Universe Online is free to play and has been released on PS3, PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The next-gen consoles PS5 and Xbox Series X|S also work thanks to backward compatibility. However, an official version for PlayStation 5 is now coming.
New PS5 version with better graphics
What will be improved: In the blog post celebrating the anniversary of DC Universe Online, it is stated that the PS5 version of the game will be graphically and operationally improved (via DC Universe Online).
Later this year [2021], we will launch our native client for PlayStation 5 with a series of changes focused on making DCUO look as good and perform as well as possible on the new platform. Additionally, we are looking for graphical improvements to keep up with modern hardware.
By mid-year, the team also aims to focus on improving the game for new and returning players. The content that has been added over the last 10 years should become more accessible.
Is DCUO worth it in 2021? In a report from December 2020, the developers at Daybreak Games surprisingly revealed the player counts for their games, including DC Universe Online. The superhero MMO reportedly still has 40,000 active players and over 400,000 players logging in at least once a month.
Daybreak Games itself was sold at the end of 2020 and is now owned by the company Enad Global 7 from Sweden. They have already published games like Overcooked 2 or Sniper Elite 3 and were involved in marketing campaigns for Destiny 2, Call of Duty, and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. DC Universe Online is apparently continuing strongly under EG7.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Community Day in January 2021 focuses on Pokémon GO and Machollo. For some trainers, this may sound boring, but MeinMMO editor Noah Struthoff believes: It’s really worth it!
This is the Community Day: On January 16, this Saturday, the Community Day with Machollo will take place. There will be triple Stardust and you can benefit from the bonuses for 6 hours again.
In my opinion, the Community Day is finally useful again. For me, it is even the best Community Day in many months.
Community Day with Machollo will be awesome
Why is the event considered boring? There was a lot of criticism around the announcement of Machollo. Trainers complained because Machollo is already available as a Shiny in the game and through this event is only devalued – afterwards, everyone will have the Shiny, which was previously rare.
Moreover, many actually want to catch a new Shiny on Community Day. At least it has always been the case in the first years. However, in 2020 there were some Community Days where no new Shiny was available. 2021 seems to continue this way – much to the dismay of many trainers.
Shiny Machollo has been available for a long time.
Why do I see it differently? I want to emphasize that I can completely understand the criticism and I am also annoyed that my Shiny Machollo, which I hunted for hours in previous events, is suddenly losing value. Every trainer playing diligently on Saturday will almost certainly catch a Shiny.
Nevertheless, I am looking forward to the Community Day and I didn’t have this feeling at all during the whole year 2020. The Community Days were a disappointment for me.
The main reason for this is the XL candies, which have been earnable for Pokémon since December 2020. Machomei, the evolution of Machollo, is one of the best Fighting attackers in the game and so far I have only a handful of XL candies for the Pokémon. I hope to get enough XL candies on Community Day to power up 2 Machomei to level 50.
Additionally, there is triple Stardust for catching Pokémon. So I will also earn the Stardust that I want to invest in Machomei.
For me, Shinies are therefore secondary, if not completely unimportant. Maybe I will find a Shiny with good IVs and if not, that’s not a big deal.
I hope for many XL candies on Community Day
I have come to terms with this: Since 2020, Niantic has been pursuing a trend regarding Community Days that is regrettable but also understandable.
While in 2018 and 2019 we still received either a starter or a rare Pokémon as the Community Day Pokémon, in 2020 there are hardly any surprises left. Instead, there are Pokémon like Hornliu or Samurzel that, although newly introduced as Shiny, are not really useful. Alternatively, Community Days featuring Karpador or Nebulak offer a Shiny that was already in the game beforehand.
The intention behind this is clear: They want to take some pressure off. If they continued to alternate between starters and strong Pokémon, Community Days would probably quickly run out of options.
So I’ve come to terms with the fact that Community Days are no longer as exciting as in 2018 or 2019. In return, I look forward to gathering XL candies and pursuing a completely different goal on Community Day than in the previous months.
You must consider this: XL candies are only available if you are already at level 40. With these candies, you can then continue leveling monsters from level 40. Other candies are no longer sufficient for this.
If you are below level 40, you don’t have to worry. You can collect the normal candies to first level Machomei to level 40 and then farm XL candies. If you already have enough Machomei at a high level, save the candies and exchange them for XL candies starting at level 40. For 100 normal candies, you will then get one XL candy.
Around the Community Day, the Sinnoh event is also running in Pokémon GO. Here’s the information:
In Fortnite there is the new Lever-Action Shotgun. The new pump is already appreciated by players. While the shotgun is not brutally overpowered, it convinces with its look and sound.
What kind of weapon is this? Today, on January 13, 2021, the Update 15.20 in Fortnite: Battle Royale was released. This patch brought two new weapons into the game, which you can now use on the island:
This is the Lever-Action Shotgun – the new shotgun
plus the double pistol Hop-Rock-Dualies.
Especially the shotgun is currently hotly debated in the community. And that is not because it is overly strong. But due to its handling, animation, and sound.
How strong is the new pump?
Where can you find it? You can find the new shotgun pretty much everywhere in Fortnite. It can be found lying on the ground, in chests or supply crates.
It appears in the rarity grades from common to legendary.
How strong is it? The weakest version of the Lever Action Shotgun deals 10.4 damage per pellet and takes 6.6 seconds to reload.
The legendary variant, on the other hand, causes 12.7 damage per pellet and reloads in just 5.4 seconds.
You can find the exact values of the weapon in this tweet from iFireMonkey:
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This is how the Lever Action Shotgun is received by players
This is what players say: On reddit, user Necropolix2 shows a clip with the new shotgun. He explains ‘The animation and the sound effects of the Lever Action Shotgun are so satisfying.’
In the clip, you can see and hear the player shooting and reloading with the gun:
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In the comments, players agree with this statement.
‘The animation looks incredible’
‘I love how you can flip it’
Many also mention that the look and handling strongly remind them of the Terminator movies. And that Epic Games is likely teasing one of the next pieces of content.
How do you like the new Lever Action Shotgun? Do you enjoy using it in your matches or would you have preferred a stronger weapon? Let us know here on MeinMMO in the comments.
The streaming platform Twitch has banned the streamer DrWitnesser: He appears frequently in Fortnite and tries to convert mostly young players to a godly way of life. The preacher goes about it in a rustic manner. He says that if the children don’t abandon their sinful lives, they will go directly to hell.
This is DrWitnesser: The streamer primarily operates in Fortnite and has gained around 140,000 followers over the course of a year. DrWitnesser uses Fortnite to speak to young players and convert them to his views.
The streamer drew attention in July 2020 when he told a Muslim boy that he would go to hell if he died right now. He also asked the boy how he could deny the hundreds of prophecies that have been fulfilled through Jesus.
This is the current ban: Twitch has now permanently banned DrWitnesser from the streaming platform. The reason given is that the streamer exhibits hateful behavior towards a person or a group of people.
Streamer accuses Twitch of being hypocritical and intolerant
This is DrWitnesser’s reaction: He states that with this ban, Twitch has once again shown that they have no tolerance for Christians who preach what is in the Bible. Twitch is a biased, hypocritical organization that wants to impose their own agenda on everyone. DrWitnesser is glad that he can leave now.
He has decided to continue on YouTube, as it is the bigger platform.
This is the discussion: DrWitnesser’s ban is being actively debated. The streamer is repeatedly confronted about threatening young Fortnite players with hell. However, DrWitnesser sees no problem with it: Telling a Muslim boy that he is going to hell is like telling a cancer patient that they will die of cancer.
If parents allowed their children to play a game like Fortnite, shoot other people in it, and talk to other people over voice chat, then they would also be old enough to hear about sins, the consequences of sins, and redemption through Jesus Christ.
DrWitnesser is immune to calls to be more mild. For him, a different approach would only dilute the word of God. That is something he definitely does not want.
He considers his ban to be a political decision by Twitch. For him, Twitch is Sodom and Gomorrah. There, one can apparently say anything, but not that homosexuality and transgenderism are a sin.
It seems clear why Twitch has decided to ban the self-proclaimed “esports missionary” from the platform.
A promising career in Fortnite awaited the then 9-year-old Brazilian “Zenon”. He made a name for himself as a strong e-sports player. Until it came to light how old he was, and that the Fortnite developers did not want such a young player in their game:
After a break of over 9 years, MeinMMO editor Patrick Freese was back in a raid for the first time. Here you can find out how he felt about the raid in Castle Nathria in World of Warcraft and what annoys him about raiding.
I still remember how it felt to dance on Deathwing’s back. I also remember how we as a guild successfully completed the raid against Deathwing for the first time. A highlight we worked towards for weeks. But that’s already 9 years ago. In January 2012, I received the achievement in WoW for this raid.
After that, I took a break. WoW became significantly less important to me, I only logged in sporadically, leveled twinks, and played around in the auction house. Everything you can do “in between”.
Now the latest expansion of World of Warcraft, Shadowlands, has hooked me. Together with my old guild and close friends, I am running through dungeons and recently also raids.
While my first raid after 9 years was nice and nostalgic, I also noticed what annoyed me back then and still bothers me today.
May I have a touch of nostalgia?
It’s kicking off again: Man, was I excited when my raid leader invited me to the raid last week. That was rather a spontaneous idea. They really needed a healer, and I had nothing better planned for that evening. So I agreed. It’s been so many years since I received an invite to a raid. It was time to get started again. Understanding boss tactics, implementing them while also ensuring that no one dies. Well, with unsympathetic teammates, that’s another story.
A question immediately crossed my mind:
Man, you’re not 20 anymore – How do YOU plan to avoid Void Zones? With what reflexes?
But then I remembered that I would be playing with familiar people from my guild, who have also aged. Along with a handful of randoms.
I pictured my chances of still having enough reflexes as “medium to good”. After all, we’re up against NPCs in the raid, not 14-year-olds in Counter-Strike. And if all else fails, the old “Oh, I’m lagging so badly right now. Are you too?” excuse would definitely still hold.
This is how the raid went: After about 2.5 hours, we went through and defeated all available bosses in Castle Nathria. The majority of the group was well-coordinated and knew what they were doing. I struggled to learn the boss tactics quickly while also trying not to completely fail on the heal meter. Sometimes it worked better, sometimes worse.
Ultimately, I got 3 epic items from the raid for my shaman, of which I intended to use at least 2.
It felt nice to tackle the bosses again with the “old crew”. Encouraging each other with banter over voice chat. Not much had changed really. Even the DPS were still eagerly sharing their DPS meters in the guild chat. Of course, only if the respective players showed up in the top 2.
What annoyed me about raiding?
Besides all the nostalgic feelings, I also remember quite clearly what annoyed me back then and still does today.
Toxic atmosphere in raids? No, thanks!
Chronic annoyed tryhards: I really don’t mind people being annoyed. But do you know that feeling when players audibly “pull a face”? When they are chronically annoyed and you can hear in every word that comes over voice chat that they are dissatisfied?
Come on, watch where you’re running, dude
How dumb are you? If he doesn’t go down in the next try, I’m out
Can’t the other tank off-tank or what? Bought that character on eBay?
Apparently, we should feel honored that such elite players found their way into our raid. But such a poor atmosphere quickly spreads to the rest of the raid. And if the whining Matthias is actually doing his role well, it’s hard to kick him from the group.
Know-it-alls discussing: When it comes to bosses in World of Warcraft, there are often multiple ways to victory. When I’m a guest in a raid group that is already well-established, I hold back my suggestions on tactics, even when I feel I could help. As long as the raid leader says, “Let’s try it this way again,” that’s what we’ll do. In a break or a quiet moment, one might still ask if feedback is welcome.
But then there are players who unexpectedly explain what’s wrong and what should be done differently. “Let’s tank the boss over there now, all the DDs gather here and we’ll pop bloodlust in phase 1”.
If you’re lucky, the raid leader insists on his position first (as long as you’re not doing something fundamentally wrong) and makes it clear that he’s the one in charge. If you’re unlucky, a discussion breaks out. And I simply can’t stand that. If you don’t see progress after 50 tries and want to stubbornly stick to your tactic, okay – then maybe a feedback round should be organized. But questioning everything after 15 tries? Sorry – no.
How do you feel about it? What are things or types of players that annoy you the most in raids? Let us know here on MeinMMO in the comments and discuss with other MMO players about it.
[…] Sure, many quests in current games annoy me too, but mainly the presentation rather than the gameplay. When I, as a dragon-slaying world savior, have to obey a lazy farmer and bring him ten wild boar ears and five wolf hearts, it just feels trivial. […]
Various other comments under the article also brought forth personal wishes and ideas for improved quest systems:
More complexity and variety in quests
Dynamic quests that change over time or adapt to players
Puzzles or tasks with timers
Quests designed to encourage exploration
In general, the desire for innovation and variety in quest designs was very clear in these comments.
What do you think? Do you think quests are an integral part of MMORPGs, is the concept outdated, or can they be completely abolished?
These are the results: The survey ended on January 13. Each MeinMMO reader could cast exactly one vote in the survey. A total of 1,473 users participated.
The distribution of votes is as follows:
I would try it: 49.22 %
Yes, definitely: 22.4 %
No, no way: 21.32 %
I don’t know: 7.06 %
With 49.22 %, almost half of you are open to an MMORPG without quests. You do not consider quests to be absolutely necessary, but would also engage with an MMO game that does not contain such tasks. 22.4 % even say a clear “Yes, definitely” to an MMORPG without quests.
On the other hand, 21.32 % of you are strictly against leaving out quests in an MMORPG. For this part of the respondents, they are an integral part of the genre and also of role play.
7.06 % of MeinMMO readers are undecided.
Quests are not necessarily required
These are your reasons: In the comments under the article, some of you discussed why you would at least try playing an MMORPG without quests.
Primarily, you provided examples of MMORPGs or MMOs that offer their players very few quests. Games like Lineage 2, Conan Exiles, FlyFF, or the classic Ragnarok Online were mentioned.
I can well imagine that since I enjoy playing Conan Exiles.
A sandbox where you have to join forces with other players to build cities, for trade and diplomacy could work. I would also like a similar system as with the Thralls to potentially learn better recipes or similar things, which can also be achieved through other means (spying, alliances, etc.).
MeinMMO reader Marc
In this case, the MMORPG would need to offer players other systems instead of quests, with which they could engage. This includes a fun loot cycle or a resource and crafting system with a market where players can thrive.
Players would then seek out the activities that they enjoy the most and would not rely on the quests provided by the game. Like in sandbox games, but packaged as MMORPGs.
Conan Exiles is such an “MMO” that almost gets by without quests. You set your own goals, sandbox, roleplay, build, craft, capture, breed animals, etc. The background story is only present through notes and environmental storytelling.
MeinMMO reader diesel
In survival games like Conan Exiles, there are almost no quests
The free choice of activities would then also extend to role play in an MMORPG without quests. In the comments, it was also argued that players could become creative and write their own stories in role play.
They would then be only slightly limited by the MMORPG’s constraints, instead, they could be creative and shape their stories as they like.
Why “must” a story be told? Why can’t you just spawn in a world and create your own story? I don’t need a story campaign to go raiding later, play arenas, or run dungeons […]
MeinMMO reader chack
However, the interest in an MMORPG without quests was also cautiously expressed, with the condition that the game has plenty to offer even without quests. The gameplay must be cohesive and designed so that such predefined tasks are not necessarily required to progress and have fun.
These are the dissenting voices: On the other hand, there was also a number of readers in the comments for whom MMORPGs without quests are unthinkable. They are part of the genre, and without them, this part of the respondents also feels the RPG aspect is missing.
I don’t think you can still call a game an RPG without quests. Quests not only serve as a form of engagement but also advance the story, guide the player through the world, and occasionally compel you to do things you might not necessarily want to do (like PvP content). […]
MeinMMO reader Zord
Quests provide not only EXP and rewards but also background stories to the worlds and NPCs of MMORPGs, which in turn gives players a basis for their role-playing.
One problem that many of you agreed on is the packaging of quests. Various comments generally supported quests but criticized the usual boring quest designs like “bring me 10 centaur tails”.
MeinMMO reader Zord continues in his comment:
[…] Sure, many quests in current games annoy me too, but mainly the presentation rather than the gameplay. When I, as a dragon-slaying world savior, have to obey a lazy farmer and bring him ten wild boar ears and five wolf hearts, it just feels trivial. […]
Various other comments under the article also brought forth personal wishes and ideas for improved quest systems:
More complexity and variety in quests
Dynamic quests that change over time or adapt to players
Puzzles or tasks with timers
Quests designed to encourage exploration
In general, the desire for innovation and variety in quest designs was very clear in these comments.
What do you think? Do you think quests are an integral part of MMORPGs, is the concept outdated, or can they be completely abolished?
Lucasfilm Games has announced a new game, this time set in the Star Wars universe. However, it will not be developed by EA as before, but by Massive Entertainment. Now players of The Division 2 are concerned about the future of their franchise.
What kind of game is it? Lucasfilm Games has announced a new Star Wars game (via Twitter). This will be developed by Massive Entertainment, one of Ubisoft’s studios, which is also responsible for The Division 2.
The upcoming Star Wars game will be the first since this contract that does not come from EA. According to an interview with Lucasfilm Games Vice President, Douglas Reilly, it will be a “narrative-driven open-world game” (via starwars.com).
Star Wars: Squadrons is the latest video game installment of the franchise.
What does The Division have to do with it? Massive Entertainment is mainly known for developing the Division series, with the latest, The Division 2, being released in March 2019. The new Star Wars game will even use the game’s engine, the “Snowdrop Engine”.
Whether the new Star Wars game will follow the gameplay of The Division is still unknown. However, the old “Knights of the Old Republic” parts of Star Wars had similar gameplay. So it would fit.
Players fear for the future of The Division
Many players of The Division 2 have already hoped for a successor. However, according to the report, Lucasfilm Games has engaged the entire studio, not just the Creative Director Julian Gerighty.
This makes fans think it is unlikely that a Division 3 will appear anytime soon. Some even fear that the franchise will be buried at least for now:
It would really suck if they didn’t make any new Division games! I love the games and have many of the collectibles. If they aren’t planning to make another Division game, I wish they would let us know in advance. Then we wouldn’t have to keep asking if Division 3 is coming.
No one has probably heard of the MMORPG Ever, Jane. Now it has to close because the developers no longer have any money to continue its operation.
What kind of game is this? Ever, Jane was based on the novels of British writer Jane Austen, who lived from 1775 to 1815. She is best known for ‘Pride and Prejudice’. Her books dealt with romance and the cultural status of women at the end of the 18th century.
The MMORPG Ever, Jane allowed fans to experience this world and enjoy a kind of virtual second life. There were no dungeons full of monsters, no fights, but tea parties with friends, courtship of the beloved, and spreading rumors to harm others. Players could create very quirky characters, such as a gay lawyer who also worked as an opera singer.
The MMORPG placed you in the town of Tyrehampton, where you could take on the role of a resident and experience your everyday life. This was characterized by gossip and chatter, meeting friends, balls, and parties. It was a very social online game that focused entirely on the role-playing aspect and was aimed at fans of Jane Austen.
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The video shows how the MMORPG Ever, Jane was played.
Developers have to announce closure
Why is it being discontinued now? Ever, Jane has had a rough time since its successful crowdfunding campaign in 2013. The MMORPG never had many players, and development progressed only slowly. It never got beyond beta. Furthermore, the graphics appeared outdated even by 2013 standards.
The release of Ever, Jane was planned for 2020. In August of last year, however, the team had to announce that the date could not be met due to turbulent times. It has now been stated that Ever, Jane will not be released at all.
“It is with great sadness that we have to announce the game’s closure,” says the official website. The servers closed on December 20.
The team stated that they simply ran out of money. The idea of introducing a subscription to cover ongoing costs was not well received by the community.
Can it continue? The development studio hopes that perhaps a savior will come riding in on a high horse to buy the game so that it can continue. However, this seems rather unlikely. The MMORPG speaks to too small a niche.
In the MMORPG Tibia Online, it is legal to sell your characters for in-game currency. A player acquired a level 439 Druid for approximately 110 Euros and also received one of the rarest items in the game for free.
What exactly happened? User mathisbynens posted some screenshots on Reddit for Tibia. In them, we can see how a male Elder Druid was acquired for 2,091 Tibia Coins, which is approximately 110 Euros.
However, the new owner found a Mysterious Scroll on this character. This is a very rare item granting access to the coveted mount, Rift Runner.
This Mysterious Scroll is said to be worth around 50,000 Tibia Coins, which is 15 times the actual character value and thus about 1,600 Euros. The new user is said to have already started an auction for sale.
The purchased character along with the scroll in inventory.
Is the sale legal? Yes, since August 25, it is legal to sell characters in the game. Participation in such a sale costs approximately 2 Euros + 12 % of the sale value. Furthermore, the character must have reached at least level 8 and meet several other requirements to be sold legally.
With this offer, the developers want to prevent them from being sold illegally on eBay or other platforms. Especially in Venezuela, it is popular to sell Tibia content for real money. Some have earned more money than with regular jobs.
An inconspicuous item that many would have overlooked
How could this happen? On Reddit, there are some users who may have made the same mistake. The Mysterious Scroll is an inconspicuous item, and many would have considered it junk.
For instance, user OverwhelmingNope probably overlooked the item as well: “I can’t blame the seller. I also didn’t know that this item existed.”
ScrewATT would have just considered it a useless item: “It looks like the useless pages you get in various access quests.”
Whether the item was accidentally on the character or was really sold out of ignorance is not known.
This is what it looks like in the old MMORPG.
What is the new owner doing? The buyer of the character is said to have created a new character and is now selling it. He has given it the creative name “Mysterious Scrollzeiro” (via Tibia.com).
The level 8 character is currently for sale with a minimum bid of 65,000 Tibia Coins. This would even be more than indicated in the estimate.
The auction is still running until January 30 at 10:00 AM our time. So far, there has been no bid.
There is trouble around the Twitch emote “PogChamp”: Twitch has replaced the face of the emote after 9 years and is now changing it with different streamers. However, the politically charged atmosphere in the USA makes the situation difficult.
What’s going on with PogChamp? The emote “PogChamp” has been around since 2012. It shows the streamer Ryan “Gootecks” Gutierrez looking extremely joyful.
The emote was meant to express a state of “joyful surprise.” It was used on Twitch to express hype and to show that something exciting has just happened.
Shortened Twitch clip portrays black streamer as a racist
This is the conflict: The first two streamers went through without major conflict. Then it was Omega Jones’s turn, a streamer known as “Critical Bard.”
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Omega Jones is a black streamer. He had a feeling of what was about to come (via twitter).
He said:
“I expected the usual hate and racism. Because every time a black person is showcased on Twitch, there is a backlash. What I personally did not expect was that my words would be twisted to fit an agenda and that I would be attacked from all fronts.”
Omega Jones
A clip from Overwatch was shared online, in which Critical Bard said: “White lives don’t matter because there’s no such thing as white lives.” Then the clip was cut.
This clip apparently was meant to prove that Omega Jones is a “racist.”
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However, Omega Jones is not a racist. He then shows the whole clip in question. Here it becomes clear that he wanted to say something completely different: White is not an overarching term for a people like black because white breaks down into Italians and Scots and other nationalities.
While “black” would have the commonality that they were stolen from a land they love, that their heritage was stolen from them and their identity. All that would have been left for them would be being black.
So Omega Jones was willfully misquoted to create a false image of him. He wanted to say something completely different than what the short clip suggested. That only served to misrepresent him.
This is the discussion: It is being discussed that every time Twitch tries to promote a marginalized group, there is a strong backlash, and then they are too soft in protecting streamers and punishing aggressors.
Jones tells Polygon: Twitch needs to ban people who add fuel to the fire and make it harder for people to simply create accounts just to harass others. Lip service to tolerance is easy, but clear stands against racism and hate must be taken.
There was a major discussion around her in 2020.
How difficult Twitch is in including and protecting marginalized groups was shown in a discussion from 2020 about the streamer FerociouslySteph:
