At the end of Act 4 of the “Chalk and Dragons” event in Genshin Impact, you will encounter the resurrected Flux Tree. To obtain the last achievement and reward, you need to defeat it in under 300 seconds. We will tell you how to complete the challenge “Frosty Wonder”.
This is the achievement: You can complete the “Frosty Wonder” challenge in Act 4 of the “Chalk and Dragons” event. You simply need to defeat the boss “resurrected Flux Tree” in under 300 seconds.
These are the rewards: You are rewarded directly with 2 completed tasks. On one hand, the reward for completing the event, and on the other hand, you complete a Seasonal Challenge in the Experience Pass. You will be rewarded with:
30 Primogems
20,000 Mora
2250 EXP for the Experience Pass
That’s why you should hurry: While you can exchange EXP for the Experience Pass until January 12 at 23:59, the Primogems and Mora are only available until January 4 at 23:59 as part of the “Chalk and Dragons” event.
This is how the fight starts – Phase 1: At the start of the fight, you need to destroy the protective shield by using deep red Quartz to break the 3 ice blocks. The deep red Quartz is dropped by Slimes when you defeat them.
This is how it continues – Phase 2: Once the shield is gone, the fight continues normally at first. Hit especially with fire and electric skills at the weak spots on the abdomen and head to effectively reduce the hit points.
The weak point of the Flux Tree is clearly visible. Source: miHoYo
The Flux Tree will occasionally unleash a devastating snowstorm that will definitely hit you. Look for the small ice blocks “Seeds of Winter” that appear nearby and destroy them with 1-2 hits. This creates a shield that protects you from the storm.
This is the final phase: In the final phase, a ring of ice forms around the Flux Tree on the ground, which continuously deals damage. A blizzard will then rain ice chunks down on you.
The phases then repeat until the resurrected Flux Tree is defeated. The time limit is 10 minutes and you can tackle the challenge alone or in multiplayer.
This is how to defeat the Flux Tree in under 300 seconds
During a multiplayer match, the Flux Tree poses no problem. With fire or electric characters, you can easily break through the Cryo defense. Often the boss is down within a few minutes.
This is what your team should look like: However, if you attempt it solo, you need to have the right team ready. Recommended characters include:
Diluc – Fire Main DPS
Rayzor – Electro Main DPS
Klee – Fire Main DPS
As support, the following are suitable:
Fischl – Electro Support
Albedo – Geo Support
Bennett – Fire Support
Due to their abilities that increase the group’s damage, these supporters are particularly well-suited. If you use a fire Main DPS, definitely take another fire support to get the +25% damage bonus.
As healers, the following are suitable:
Qiqi – Cryo Healer
Jean – Anemo Healer
Barbara – Hydro Healer
Barbara as a free option also does her job, but you need to make sure that you don’t freeze yourself due to the “Wet” status from her healing.
Use the deep red Quartz as much as possible during the fight to deal as much damage regularly as possible. If your damage is still not high enough, use buff food like the “Deliciously Stuffed Jade Pouch,” which drastically increases the damage of the entire group.
Another tip in solo mode is to equip the “Sword of Corruption,” which you receive as a reward during the event and can upgrade. With the sword, you deal significantly more damage to creatures in Dragonspine and increase the effect of the deep red Quartz.
The Sword of Corruption in its original state
Have you already defeated the resurrected Flux Tree? If so, what is your best time? Share it in the comments!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Animal Crossing New Horizons, everyone actually creates their own island, but playing with friends makes it so much better. MeinMMO author Eilyn Rapp experienced this and played with real friends for the first time.
What is Animal Crossing New Horizons? ACNH is a kind of life simulation where a player moves to a deserted island and creates something there. The neighbors are animals that move in one after another.
The goal is to make the island a lively place that is also “visited” and receives a good rating. Essentially, Animal Crossing would be a single-player game revolving around a character. However, New Horizons offers multiplayer features that sometimes make it feel like an MMO.
This is how you can play together: The game itself offers features that let you play with others. You can:
Receive visits through online features
Visit other islands: either directly with a code or as a dream
Send maps/gifts “via mail”
While you can visit each other, there are restrictions when a “stranger” is on the island. Your visitors can look around and interact with your residents, but as help on the island itself, it works rather poorly.
In my little café, other players are always welcome
Everyone helps everyone
This is how the multiplayer features are also used: Not only is it suitable for visits, but you can also play with other players. Often, trade takes place for items needed for your island. This otherwise takes a long time if you want to collect them alone on the island.
However, in the Animal Crossing community, it often happens that you receive items as gifts without the other person expecting anything in return, like bells or Nook Mile tickets (valued currencies). This is something I’ve mostly experienced myself.
For me, it has always been clear: If I don’t need something and can bring joy to someone else, I never ask for anything in return. I simply enjoy helping others, and it seems I’m not alone in this.
My friends visited me on my island
In the Animal Crossing community, I am in the right place
This means playing with friends for me: It brings me great joy when someone is happy about something I gave them. This is how I came to the right community and found some friends.
As I noticed how open, helpful, and understanding the players of Animal Crossing are, I got more involved outside of the game, in social media like Twitter and Discord of ACNH. At first, I just dipped in occasionally to find inspiration, but that changed quickly.
I befriended a person who created a Discord server for ACNH players and was promoted to a mod there. The server grew quickly, and soon I had a whole group with whom I could exchange ideas about the game or hold small parties in the game.
Shortly thereafter, Twitter and Discord became my retreat places where I could share pictures of my island, ask for help, or discuss my favorite residents. Friendships formed that go far beyond the game, and I now can’t imagine my life without them.
Halloween was celebrated together
It is the first time that I am truly part of a community, and now I can finally understand what that means. It makes playing so much better and easier for me. After 9 months, I am still excited about Animal Crossing New Horizons and I am sure it is because I have found true friends with whom I can share this passion. For this, I even turned my back on the Halloween event in Fortnite, although that has always been my highlight of the year.
What about you? Have you also found friends in a game that you can’t imagine being without?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The PC gaming platform Steam has announced its 12 top-grossing and most successful games for the year 2020. Three surprises stand out: above all, the fact that Destiny 2 appears at the top of the list is surprising. But one could hardly expect Doom Eternal or Monster Hunter World.
What kind of list is this? Steam has announced the 100 top games of the year 2020, measured by total sales. These 100 games have been further divided into 4 categories, with Platinum being the highest.
We look at the top 12: These PC games generated the most revenue on Steam in 2020. The games appear on the platform in no particular order within the “Platinum” category. So there is no way to further divide who made the most money among the 12 games.
Rainbow Six Siege is a hit on Steam.
Category 1: The Famous Steam Hits
There are 5 games on the list that are known to be huge hits on Steam. They have dominated the platform for years in terms of player numbers. These games primarily earn their money through microtransactions and are played for hundreds of hours:
CS:GO – the free-to-play shooter from Valve itself. It can only be played on Steam. CS:GO is considered “THE” eSports shooter.
DOTA 2 – the free-to-play MOBA from Valve, this has also been one of the top games on Steam for ages. It is the second largest MOBA in the world, after LoL, and hosts huge tournaments.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds – has been indispensable on Steam since 2017. The battle royale shooter was overshadowed in public by Fortnite starting in 2018 but still has many fans.
Grand Theft Auto 5 – as GTA Online, it is a revenue guarantee for Rockstar Games. It is considered one of the games that has developed the best over time. New strong content also came to GTA Online in 2020.
Cyberpunk had a lot of stress, especially on PS4 and Xbox One.
Category 2: The Blockbuster Games
These are games that primarily generate revenue from “buying the main game” and are usually played for the story:
Red Dead Redemption 2 – was released extremely late on Steam in January 2020. However, many Steam fans boycotted the Epic Games Store and waited for the Steam release. Red Dead Redemption 2 then sold excellently on Steam. It also has an online mode, which has yet to get off the ground. Red Dead Redemption 2 impresses with its cinematic impact.
Among Us – is “THE” pandemic game. It actually comes from 2018 but only fully took off in 2020. The social game became known through Twitch and YouTube and triggered a huge hype. Apparently, many have wanted to join in the trend game and have bought it for little money on Steam. It added up.
The “Steam hit” under the radar: Monster Hunter World Iceborne.
Category 4: The Surprises
These are games that are not on the radar or that have been harshly criticized, but apparently Steam players have a preference for them. After all, they are among the 12 games that generated the most revenue on Steam in 2020:
Doom Eternal – The shooter made it into the top 12 on Steam. Doom Eternal received little worldwide attention compared to other games. However, it received good reviews on Steam. Doom is considered a cult brand for PC gamers, and there are many veterans on Steam.
Monster Hunter World: The amazing thing is that the game performed so well on Steam in 2020. The release was in 2018. In January 2020, the “Iceborne” expansion came to PC, which apparently gave Monster Hunter World a tremendous boost and catapulted the title into top revenue spheres. This shows how much potential this type of co-op loot game has. Although the title received terrible reviews on Steam initially for technical reasons, Monster Hunter World Iceborne became a Steam hit.
Destiny 2 was heavily criticized by hardcore players in 2020, but it is one of the 12 top titles on Steam.
Destiny 2: The game has been consistently criticized by fans. In recent years, the development has been meager. But the numbers show that Destiny 2 has generated more revenue on Steam than many other “big titles” like The Elder Scrolls Online or Warframe. Perhaps an indication that many new players are satisfied with Bungie’s shooter.
In the top 100 of Steam, there is a plethora of MMOs. In December 2020, we looked at which MMOs had the most players:
The first raid “Castle Nathria” in WoW Shadowlands has only been open since early December 2020 and already holds the first surprise. Players have discovered a secret exit. We will tell you where to find it.
This is happening: On reddit, a player shared his experience with the WoW Shadowlands community. He and his raid group discovered a secret exit in the current raid Castle Nathria that flushes them out of the raid. We have embedded the clip here:
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Here you can find the secret exit: The secret exit is located in front of the 3rd boss “Hungering Destroyer” and primarily serves as an escape route if the boss fight is not going well or if you simply want to quickly escape from the raid.
The exit itself is easily overlooked, look out for a large pipe on the wall whose grate is simply lying on the floor. If you walk through the pipe, you will be flushed out of the raid and end up outside.
You can find the secret exit at the marked location
This is what the community says about it: On Reddit, comments from players gather who accidentally or intentionally use the secret exit and prank their raid group.
Reddit user mael0004 accidentally walked through:
We walked through it in our first raid because we thought it continued after the boss. Really, everyone in the raid walked through it.
I was in a raid and someone told us that we would return to the main room through the pipe… It goes without saying that our entire raid group was flushed out and we all had to fly back.
It probably won’t be the last time a player accidentally or even intentionally leads their raid group through this exit.
Have you already discovered the secret exit or unveiled further secrets in Castle Nathria? If you are interested in the secrets of World of Warcraft, be sure to check out the 10 biggest ones and how to solve them.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Mandalorian from Fortnite is set to undergo significant changes in Season 5. A leaker has announced changes that sound quite interesting.
This is the Mandalorian: The character from Star Wars has been around in Fortnite for some time. His spaceship Razor Crest has crash-landed in the desert, where the Mandalorian patrols and attacks you.
InTheShade claims he spoke with a concept artist from Epic, who revealed that the crash site of the Razor Crest will receive some changes throughout the season.
More specific details are not available at the moment, but these changes could be quite exciting.
So far, the Mandalorian patrols around his spaceship in the desert. However, he may change his position or play a more significant role in the Fortnite story again.
This has also been found: Another leak in Fortnite points to reddit showing a pickaxe that likely belongs to the Mandalorian. This also indicates a change for the Mandalorian.
You should keep in mind: So far, this is only information from a leaker. Epic has not commented on this yet. However, the leaker has been trustworthy in the past. You should keep an eye on the Razor Crest and the Mandalorian in the coming days.
The leak also aligns with another leak that claims another location in the desert is set to change:
The exciting survival ARPG Gatewalkers has been in open alpha since June 2020. Following important player feedback, the beta is set to start soon.
What’s happening: The survival ARPG Gatewalkers from Polish developer A2 Softworks will remain in open alpha until January 8. This means the title has been in alpha for over half a year and has reportedly attracted around 80,000 unique players who have given a positive rating of 83%.
The feedback from players will now be implemented in the upcoming beta, which starts on February 3.
What will change: The developers have not yet mentioned what exactly will be adjusted, but they give us a little insight:
Character customization
Balance
Skill tree
Chargeable skills
Improved graphics
Revamped interface
And much more
They are also planning to add new things:
Solo combos
Healing items
Conditional skills
Background music
The upcoming beta test is mainly to gather further feedback on the changes. However, there is still no release date for Gatewalkers.
This is the survival ARPG Gatewalkers
Gatewalkers is a survival action RPG for up to four players. As is typical in ARPGs, for example in Diablo or Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem, it is played from an isometric perspective.
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This is how Gatewalkers plays: You move your character through the various areas of the game world, take on various quests from your main base, and fight monsters and challenging bosses while following the story. In the game world, you also encounter puzzles to solve and, survival-style, collect resources like wood or stones to craft items, weapons, and equipment.
In Gatewalkers, there is no fixed class system; instead, the equipment you wear determines what abilities you can use. You can develop the skill tree freely to support your playstyle.
Currently, Gatewalkers is being developed for PC and MAC, but a PlayStation and Xbox version will follow. The developers would also like to see a Nintendo Switch version.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Under the name “Tactical Gramma”, a grandma is in CoD Warzone and makes spectacular kills with the sniper. Viewers are excited.
This video was shown: A clip of a grandma who regularly destroys her opponents in the Warzone was shown on reddit. She especially makes kills with the sniper from long distances and enjoys it immensely.
The kills are so good that some of you can’t keep up and will surely be amazed.
Clip shows grandma in action
Here is the clip: We embed the video here that was shared on reddit:
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The video shows a compilation of several kills by the old lady:
She shoots opponents out of flying helicopters
Hits enemies from several hundred meters away
Shoots her opponents from moving trucks
With most kills, there is also a joyful scream from the grandma. She seems to be unable to believe that she makes such kills.
Who is the Tactical Gramma? The grandma is a bit of a celebrity on the internet. Her real name is Michelle, and she regularly streams on Facebook.
There she also mentioned that she has 151 victories in the Warzone and boasts an impressive KD of 1.20. However, she not only streams CoD Warzone but has also showcased her skills in the hardcore shooter Escape From Tarkov, which is currently hyped again.
This is what viewers say: The clip is well received on reddit. It already has nearly 5000 upvotes, and many viewers admit: The grandma is indeed better than they are.
Other viewers are happy that such players can also excite older generations. It shows once again that gaming is not just for young people.
The Tactical Gramma, as well as all other players, could look forward to a new map in the spring:
In Pokémon GO there are new field researches to solve since January 1st. We show you all the quests and tell you which of them are worth it.
This is new: The new year has started with the New Year’s event and on January 1st the field researches have changed as well. Some standard quests have remained, but other tasks have completely disappeared.
There is no specific theme for the quests this month and the Pokémon are mixed up.
All Field Researches in January 2021
This overview comes from: In the subreddit of TheSilphRoad numerous trainers have shared their quest findings. This list has emerged from that.
Please remember that there are additional quests for some events this month that we do not list here. This includes tasks related to the New Year’s event. However, there will be similar quests later in the month.
Quests with Throws
Land 5 great curveball throws in a row
Reward: Encounter with a Pandir #1*
Land 5 nice throws
Reward: Encounter with a Voltobal*
Land 3 great throws
Reward: Encounter with a Nebulak*, Anorith* or Liliep*
Land 3 great throws in a row
Reward: Encounter with an Onix*
Land 3 fabulous throws in a row
Reward: Encounter with a Larvitar* or Kaumalat*
This month there is the Pandir form #1. The quest is rare and you should definitely take it. After all, Pandir is one of the rarest shinies in the game.
Another good quest is the task about Voltobal. The task is quick to complete and could yield a shiny, which is quite rare.
Moreover, the field research with fabulous throws is strong. There you will receive, among other things, a Kaumalat, which is otherwise very rare and can appear as shiny.
Reward: Encounter with a Quapsel*, Vulpix* or Quiekel*
Catch 10 Pokémon
Reward: Encounter with a Karpador*
The task “Catch 5 Pokémon with weather boost” is doable and yields 3 possible shinies. If you do not have one of them yet, you should tackle the quest.
Reward: Encounter with Squirtle*, Bulbasaur* or Charmander*
What you should know about the Pandir form: In January there is again a new Pandir form! After having #4 form in recent months, now the number 1 is available. You can also catch it as shiny.
How long will the quests be available? These field researches are expected to be available until February 1, 2021. Then, new tasks should be available around 10 PM. This has always been the case in recent months.
Research Breakthrough in January 2021
What’s in the research breakthrough? In January 2021, you will receive the Normal Pokémon Chaneira in the breakthrough. Until February 1st, you can also catch this Pokémon shiny in the breakthrough.
Meanwhile, the big update “GO Beyond” has already been in Pokémon GO for a month. We have shown you what has changed since then:
MeinMMO author Tom Rothstein has earned the platinum trophy in FIFA 21. However, the journey cost him a lot of time – and especially nerves.
What exactly have I achieved? The platinum trophy in FIFA 21 is called “All Achievements”. You are rewarded with this accolade when you earn all other FIFA 21 trophies on PS4 or PS5. Since I have yet to pre-order a PS5, I achieved this success on PS4.
And I am a little proud of it. After all, I can now count myself among the elite circle of the top 0.1% of all FIFA 21 players who have achieved the platinum success. This is not an achievement I would boast about at Aunt Sabine’s birthday party, but the trophy popping up gave me a warm feeling of satisfaction and positive affirmation.
Especially since EA Sports has made it particularly difficult and nerve-wracking for me to reach this goal this time.
The object of desire: Platinum in FIFA 21
Development and trophy hunting are bugged and extremely annoying
Why I cursed EA Sports multiple times: Trophy hunting is a time-consuming activity. The more rewarding and satisfying it is when the desired trophy is finally earned. And the more frustrating it is when the trophy does not want to appear despite the required achievement. Especially when, like in FIFA 21, you invest several days of gameplay into trophy hunting.
In FIFA 21, there are two trophies that have driven many trophy hunters to frustration. The reason: They are “bugged”. This means they do not appear even though the described requirements have been fully met.
“Hunger for Success” was the first trophy in FIFA 21 that made me curse EA Sports. The requirement is actually simple: You must play 10 co-op games with online friends in FUT. You don’t even have to win; you just need to finish 10 games. Nothing easier than that!
But after these 10 games, I looked dumbfounded: no trophy! I researched in online trophy forums and found a possible solution: All 10 games must be played consecutively in one session. So I had to invest another three hours and convince a friend to work through these 10 games in a row with me. Thanks, EA!
I’m glad to have this trophy
This is the “worst” trophy in FIFA 21: The Developed trophy has caused hair-pulling among numerous players. I had already eyed this trophy with suspicion before I tackled it. Because in the FIFA 21 trophy overview on PS4, I saw that hardly any player had been able to unlock it yet. Although you actually only need to complete “2 milestone groups” in FUT for this. It’s a bit time-consuming, but not impossible.
A look into the English and German forums showed me what was going on: The Developed trophy is extremely bugged. At that time, no one knew how to circumvent this bug. Many players eagerly completed the milestone groups without receiving the trophy.
Bugged? What should one do?!
In English forums, I picked up the idea that you should complete both milestone groups in one gaming session, similar to “Hunger for Success”. This requires a large organizational effort since milestone groups take a long time and you have to meticulously work towards having both completed at the same time.
I shared this idea in early November in a German-speaking trophy forum, where there had already been extensive discussions about the bugged Developed trophy. And indeed, some players (including me) tried the idea and achieved success with it.
The most eager trophy hunters, who had already completed (almost) all milestone groups in the hope that the trophy would eventually appear, now stand bitter and abandoned by EA. They now have to wait for more milestone groups to be activated or for this trophy bug to finally be fixed. As of early January 2021, only 0.7% of all FIFA 21 players have the “Developed” trophy on PS4.
With the “Developed” trophy, one can only throw their hands over their head
Especially for perfectionists, such bugged trophies can lead to a half-nervous breakdown. Because if the trophy is not reachable in the “normal” way, one must hope for a fix from the developers or live forever with this blemish in their trophy collection. And EA Sports is not known for fixing the bugs with the bugged trophies that have occurred repeatedly in FIFA titles.
Volta stressed my nerves in FIFA 21
What I was upset about in Volta: Anyone who wants to get platinum in FIFA 21 must also dive into the Volta mode. One trophy is called “VOLTA Elite”. It unlocks when you reach Division 3 in the “Volta Teams” mode. This works like this:
First, I must play 5 ranked matches in that mode.
EA Sports then calculates my skill rating with a magic formula and assigns me to a division.
If I am directly in Division 3, the trophy is a piece of cake.
If I am not directly in Division 3, the trophy becomes a time consumer.
Volta can be quite cool – but the trophy isn’t.
After the 5 games, there was a heavy blow for me. I was placed in Division 6. Uff! There were several reasons why I couldn’t stop cursing EA:
Volta is not my favorite mode. I wanted to quickly grab the trophies in it.
You must remain in a division for two weeks before you can promote. Because only then does a new season start and a new chance to increase your division. So I knew: this will be time-consuming!
The Volta mode is not transparent at all regarding promotion progress. You cannot see how many points you still need to promote. This is much clearer and better handled in FUT Division Rivals. In Volta, you can only hope for a green arrow to appear after each win, symbolizing that you are promoted at the end of the season.
The annoying thing about it: You seem to be at the mercy of EA Sports regarding how many wins are needed for promotion. Some players report having promoted after just 3 wins. Others needed more than 80 wins. I needed between 19 and 24 wins to climb from division to division. And I think I fared quite well compared to other players.
On my way to platinum, I surprisingly learned to love Volta a little. What started as torture turned out to be mostly fun once I engaged with it. But I was still annoyed by how opaque and thus unnecessarily frustrating this mode and this Volta trophy were executed.
“VOLTA Elite” was the last trophy I needed for platinum. Now I had “All Achievements”.
That’s roughly how I felt when I had platinum!
Trophies, Achievements and Platinum – What is it and do you need it?
Is it worth trying to do this? The achievements, which are called “trophies” on PlayStation consoles, are a thing of their own. Many gamers could not care less about them. They want to casually or fiercely play their game and be done with it. For other console gamers, however, these achievements mean everything in gaming: they spare neither time nor effort to unlock all trophies of a game. Because then a shiny reward awaits, the platinum trophy, the ultimate goal for every trophy hunter. Such a thing looks good in their trophy collection, which of course continually needs to be expanded.
Then there are many shades in between. So players who enjoy earning a trophy and can be pleased about it, but do not specifically chase it with ambition.
The platinum trophy looks sexy!
I personally would also place myself somewhere in between. I do not try rigidly to amass platinum trophies and subordinate the fun of playing to that goal. But in games where I know I will spend a lot of time, I try to complete them with platinum as well. And that includes the annual FIFA releases.
How do you feel about trophies and achievements? Do you have platinum in FIFA 21?
On New Year’s, one of the largest battles took place in EVE Online, involving thousands of ships. The total damage amounted to €285,000.
What is happening in EVE Online right now? Since July 2020, a war has been raging in EVE Online, referred to as World War Bee 2. The two major factions, PAPI Coalition and The Imperium, are facing off against each other.
Since its inception, this war has burned an enormous amount of resources and set various records in EVE. This includes the largest battle with over 8,000 active participants. More than €800,000 has already been spent in the war. This amount has significantly increased with the latest major battle.
This is the battle in question: The true escalation of the conflict occurred last New Year’s when two gigantic armies from PAPI and Imperium clashed in battle.
A battle of such magnitude cannot, of course, be conducted under normal circumstances. The servers would not withstand it. Therefore, there is a mechanic in EVE Online known as Time Dilation.
This slows down in-game time so that not all effects happen simultaneously and extremely quickly. In the battle for the Keepstar, it was reduced to 10% of the normal gameplay speed.
YouTube user Rupia published a video of the battle M2-XFE, which has been accelerated by about twenty times:
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The fight was over a Keepstar space station owned by The Imperium. In this scenario, the PAPI Coalition was the attacker. Over the course of the more than 12-hour battle, both sides threw more and more resources into the fight.
You can actually watch the near-complete course of the battle lasting 11.5 hours in a stream VOD on YouTube, if you have the time and desire. The Time Dilation was not accelerated there, and you can see how the battle actually took place.
Over 5,000 players and thousands of ships
Here are the numbers: The official Twitter account of EVE made a post about the battle, calling it one of the largest in the history of the MMORPG.
The exact numbers show slight variations depending on the source, but they are roughly as follows:
Duration: about 12 – 13 hours
Maximum players in the system: about 5,600
Titans: 1,200
Supercarriers: 400
Dreadnoughts: 445
Carriers: 250
Titans destroyed: about 250
According to newedenpost.com, 23.6 billion ISK were shot to space debris during the battle. This amounts to approximately $347,000 (around €285,950).
In comparison, the last largest battle, the bloodbath of B-R5RB, consumed about $330,000 worth of resources.
And who won? Both sides fought a closely contested head-to-head battle for hours. How close it was throughout the entire duration of the battle is shown in a graphic:
A close race between PAPI and Imperium in the destruction of the Titans
A report on the battle states that the Imperium was able to destroy more Titan ships than its opponents. PAPI, on the other hand, caused more financial destruction by destroying more supercarriers and the expensive Vanquisher-class Titan from the Imperium.
The damage inflicted by the factions on each other led their respective leaderships to firmly believe, after the conclusion of the battle, that they were the victors (via Kotaku).
What happened next? Since the end of the battle, which was interrupted by server maintenance, members of the Imperium have logged back into the game and are waiting at the positions around the Keepstar for their opponents.
The pilots of the PAPI Coalition, however, have received strict orders to remain offline. They must wait until the structure timer of the space station expires, which will happen today, January 2.
The gigantic battle is set to resume soon.
EVE Online is one of the oldest MMORPGs on the market. And it has held up extremely well, like these titles:
2020 was quite “turbulent” for many. Even Final Fantasy XIV was affected by the events of the year. We look back at how the past 12 months went for the MMORPG and what the current year 2021 will bring that is really exciting.
Another year is coming to an end, and what a year it has been. In the gaming industry, there were countless delays due to the Corona pandemic, but also major releases and even a new console generation.
The first major patch of the year, numbered 5.2, was released in February, but soon the Corona pandemic disrupted the developers’ plans. In spring, Japan went into a total shutdown to contain the outbreak, and the FFXIV team had to quickly adapt to working from home.
This caused significant delays and disruptions in the normally tight schedule of the FFXIV devs.
The content update 5.3 was released with a delay of about 2 months.
The traditional Halloween event was canceled, even though players could still enter the Halloween dungeon.
Director Yoshida and his team worked mostly from home in 2020.
The Updates in 2020: Nevertheless, the team managed to deliver quite a bit of content in 2020. Patches 5.2 to 5.4 brought new gaming content for players.
These included, for example:
2 updates for the Eden Raid with 4 boss fights each in normal and epic
1 update for the Nier Raid YoRHa: Dark Apocalypse
A large number of quests for main and side stories
A series of new dungeons
Flying in old “A Realm Reborn” areas
A quest line for the “Relic” weapons from Shadowbringers: Weapons of the Resistance
Other smaller content
Additionally, the free trial version of FFXIV was massively expanded to include all content from the base game “A Realm Reborn” and the first expansion “Heavensward”. The only restrictions relate to social features like guild membership or friends list.
Financially, the year 2020 was likely successful for FFXIV. At the beginning of 2020, Square Enix’s MMO division reported a new record in revenues (via MMOs.com), thanks in no small part to the success of Shadowbringers.
The first half of the fiscal year 2021 (April 1 to September 30, 2020) was also satisfactory. While net sales were naturally lower compared to the launch of Shadowbringers, the number of active FFXIV subscriptions continued to increase according to Square Enix’s financial report (via square-enix.com).
What the near future brings: In 2021, FFXIV will continue with new content. The remaining content from patch 5.4 will be delivered, and players will receive, among other things, the continuation of the Bozja quest line regarding the weapons of the resistance.
In February, the postponed stream to celebrate FFXIV’s 7th birthday will take place. Players are expecting a special “Announcement Showcase.” After all fan festivals for FFXIV had to be canceled due to Corona, it is speculated that at this big showcase, the new add-on for the MMORPG will be unveiled.
Although the event was announced with a wink and it was not explicitly said that it would revolve around the addon, the chances for that are very high. Therefore, 2021 should be really exciting for FFXIV players.
A major and important stream was announced for February 5th.
Fans can look forward to what major announcements they can expect on February 5th. If it really turns out to be a new addon, one can expect a new cinematic trailer to be shown and perhaps also new combat jobs and areas to be added.
What the distant future brings: However, there will be a few months between the announcement and the release of the addon. Currently, it is estimated that it could appear in late summer or early autumn 2021.
Before that, patch 5.5 and its mini-patches will be released. They are expected to complete the Shadowbringers expansion and its content and pave the way for the new addon. The contents include:
New story quests that will form the transition to the new addon
The final chapter of the 24-man raid YoRHa: Dark Apocalypse
Completion of the quest line regarding Werlyt and probably the battle against the Diamond Weapon
New content for the Southern Front of Bozja and upgrades for the weapons of the resistance
Additionally, there will be a whole series of smaller events such as the princess festival, Valentine’s Day, summer festival, and many more, where players will once again be able to snag cosmetic items as usual.
Overall, the year 2021 promises to be exciting for the MMORPG and its players.
What do you expect for updates in FFXIV in 2021? Let us know in the comments.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The discussion on Twitch is currently dominated by the survival MMO Rust . A lot is happening there as we transition into 2021. The Twitch streamer xQc and his “Team Rocket” are causing havoc on the server of the group “OfflineTV”, but Sheriff shroud is cleaning up.
xQc entertained his fans with his raids, who believe: It was only their streamer that made the boring Rust server truly exciting.
As a result, there were numerous conflicts. xQc is known for being a terrible loser. When he died himself, he often accused others of not “engaging in roleplay” or of “watching his stream and using the information from it.”
The accusations of stream sniping were mainly directed at the streamer Myth, who now finds it amusing and openly mocks xQc.
Myth flirts with the idea of placing xQc’s stream on his second monitor. “Stream sniping” is frowned upon, and xQc accuses many of those who defeat him:
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What does this have to do with shroud? The problem with Team Rocket is not xQc himself; he is too impatient to be a truly dangerous opponent, but he has two excellent shooter and Rust players, Mendo and Buddha, in his Team Rocket. They are regarded as top-level players.
Therefore, Team Rocket is a force to be reckoned with on the server. Especially since many of the other streamers on the server are more entertainers and do not bring much shooter experience.
Rust is currently “the best content on Twitch”, say many
This is how it is discussed: For many, what is happening on the Rust server is simply great content on Twitch. The battles are chaotic and last for hours.
Among the few players who really have experience with shooters like Rust, some are like “walking gods”, while most others are just messing around. On reddit, some even regard shroud as the “final boss” of the game.
Rust gives various streamers the chance to play their roles. For instance, Twitch streamer Ludwig became a live reporter and reported on how the top player Buddha, as the last one from Team Rocket, held off the opponents.
xQc’s streams last around 10 hours; a lot can happen in that time. In one minute, it seems as though Team Rocket is in control, and the fans cheer for their players; in the next moment, they lose their loot and thus their strong position.
This entertains the fans and provides for thrilling evenings on Twitch.
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xQc is indeed the big winner of Rust: His new role as a “super villain” has given him a new thrill on Twitch: In the last 3 days, xQc broadcasted for 37 hours and had a total of 3.2 million viewers.
On average, 85,253 people watched him. This is significantly above his annual average of 39,666 viewers. For xQc, Rust is currently like a new blockbuster game has been released.
This is how it continues: It looks like the big joint Rust server will soon dissolve. The server admin has announced that a second server will be opened, to which players who want to play peacefully and engage in roleplay can switch.
Some streamers like Pokimane have already withdrawn from the current chaos server. It is too wild for them.
Survival is one of the most popular MMO genres.
Survival MMOs are one of the most open and chaotic sub-genres of MMOs due to their sandbox nature. Here, there are some hits from smaller studios that appear anarchic and unrefined. We have summarized the top games in the genre for you:
In Call of Duty: Warzone, the new map Rebirth Island was released only in December. But already there are hints about the next map. It could be released in time for the game’s anniversary.
What are these hints? The operators of the Twitter account ModernWarzone have previously found information hidden in the code of Warzone, including the map Rebirth Island. This time it revolves around another new map that the Battle Royale could get soon.
This new map is said to be located in the Urals and could build upon existing content from Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War:
The focus of speculation is on the maps Ruka and Slope
Both can be played in Fireteam mode. This mode consists of 40-player matches that are similar to Warzone. Loot, Downed States, and equipment are present there.
The data revealed files “wz_forest” and “wz_ski_slope” that clearly point to these two maps. Players now suspect that these could be locations for drops.
ModernWarzone has compiled their information with a leak from the start of the alpha in July. Back then, it was said that the new map should take place in Russia and include the Duga and a forest.
From this information, they created an overview of what the new map could roughly look like:
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We present you fifteen good multiplayer games in 2021 that you can have a lot of fun with on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
What kind of games are these? With our selection, we have tried to present multiplayer games of different genres. Therefore, you will find both MMORPGs, as well as online shooters, sports and party games for PlayStation and Xbox in the list. Additionally, we wanted to not only present pure online games, but also co-op games and local multiplayer is included as well.
In the selection, personal preferences of the editorial team, as well as the popularity and success of the games play a role. The order of the games does not represent a ranking.
And even though, according to the editorial team, these are currently the best multiplayer games for PlayStation and Xbox, we reserve the right to expand the list based on your feedback. So if you think a game is missing, feel free to make suggestions in the comments and tell us the reasons.
The article was originally created in 2019 and was updated on November 11 with information about PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and also adjusted to 2021 on January 4.
15. Black Desert
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5 | Release PC: March 3, 2016, Xbox One: March 4, 2019, PlayStation 4: August 22, 2019 | USK: From 16 | Black Desert website | Alternatives: Final Fantasy XIV, TERA
Pro
Fantastic graphics
Sieges
Extensive content
A sandbox with many freedoms in the open world
Fast action combat system
Contra
Not for PvP haters
Occasional Pay2Win accusations
It’s a complex MMO and requires a lot of introduction time
What is Black Desert? The MMORPG Black Desert by Pearl Abyss is one of the prettiest representatives of the genre, appealing not only to those who enjoy good graphics. By creating a hero who experiences adventures in a huge fantasy world, you will have a lot of fun together with others.
Black Desert is worth it if you enjoy fighting against monsters, participating in PvP battles and sieges, or just want to be a craftsman in a player-driven economy. As a sandbox MMO, it offers many opportunities to let loose. The active combat system is one of the best in the MMORPG genre.
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch | Release PC: September 14, 2017, Xbox One: August 31, 2018, PlayStation 4: August 31, 2018, Switch: September 5, 2019 | USK: From 16 | Divinity: Original Sin 2 website | Alternatives: Dragon Age, XCOM 2
Pro
Interesting characters
Exciting story
Tactical turn-based combat
Couch co-op
Contra
A bit slow gameplay, especially in combat
Tactical options in battles sometimes seem forced (Oh, an oil barrel next to the enemy, how convenient)
What is Divinity: Original Sin 2? Divinity: Original Sin 2 is a role-playing game for all who want to experience many adventures not only in single-player mode but cooperatively as a group of four. Each player takes on a hero and together they complete quests, follow the story and battle in tactical turn-based combat.
The game even offers a game mode reminiscent of pen-and-paper RPGs. The game master creates their own adventures that the players must then master.
Does Dvinity: Original Sin 2 work on Next-Gen? Yes, according to Sony it should be playable on PS5, although certain features may not be available.
On the Xbox Series X you can also play it via backward compatibility.
13. Minecraft
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, Android, iOS | Release PC: May 17, 2009, Xbox One: September 5, 2014, PlayStation 4: September 4, 2014, Android: October 7, 2011, iOS: November 17, 2011 | USK: From 6 | Minecraft website | Alternatives: Roblox
Pro
Endless gameplay
Creative freedoms
Complex gameplay mechanics
Lots of mods
Contra
Pixelated comic graphics may not appeal to everyone
No real story
What is Minecraft? Minecraft is a game for everyone. You build your own world, either together with friends or alone. Your creativity knows no bounds. Each world is different.
Does Minecraft work on Next-Gen? Yes, according to Sony it should be playable on PS5, although certain features may not be available.
On the Xbox Series X, Minecraft is even one of the titles that benefits from ray tracing.
12. Rocket League
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, Switch | Release PC: July 7, 2015, Xbox One: February 17, 2016, PlayStation 4: July 7, 2015, Switch: November 14, 2017 | USK: From 6 | Rocket League website | Alternatives: Disc Jam, Trials Rising
Pro
Many game modes
Fast matches
Catching controls
Easy to play, hard to master
Crazy concept that is fun and everyone understands
Contra
Pay2Win accusations
Tutorial could be more detailed for beginners
What is Rocket League? If you love sports and fast cars? In Rocket League, you basically play soccer, but without feet, instead with cars. You get a nice car that you can even customize.
This works both on PC and on the Xbox One, PS4, and Switch in exciting multiplayer matches. You must score as many goals as possible in several game modes. Rocket League is also suitable for quick fun in between.
Does Rocket League work on Next-Gen? Yes, Rocket League even gets an update and should be able to run on next-gen consoles with 4K resolution and 60 FPS.
11. Overcooked
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, Switch | Release PC: August 2, 2016, Xbox One: August 2, 2016, PlayStation 4: August 2, 2016, Switch: July 27, 2017 | USK: From 6 | Overcooked website | Alternatives: Death Squared, Rayman Legends
Pro
Many game modes
Ideal for couch co-op
Teamplay is encouraged
Contra
Can get a bit hectic
Controls can take some getting used to
What is Overcooked? Did you always want to be a chef? Then in the multiplayer game Overcooked, you have the opportunity. In a team, it is about preparing dishes as quickly as possible and serving them to customers. That’s not so easy, because the levels present challenges, such as moving floors. Teamplay is extremely important to master the goals and unlock new levels. A multiplayer fun for young and old. It is rumored that even relationships are put to the test here.
Does Overcooked work on Next-Gen? Yes, as our colleagues from GamePro report, Overcooked is being released for both consoles in an “All You Can Eat” remastered version.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Destiny 2, the community has finally won the Christmas event after a long wait. However, the reward has frustrated many. Others celebrate their gift for doing nothing. MeinMMO tells you what’s inside the packages.
About this gift: The winter Dawning Event 2020 is taking place in Destiny 2 until January 5th. As is known, the world is decorated for Christmas, there’s snow, and there are event-specific items to earn and in the cash shop.
The Guardians also had the task as a community to create a good “Dawning spirit.” As a reward for completing the 10-step challenge, there was supposed to be an “exotic gift.”
In the afternoon of January 1st, the community reached the common goal. As a reward, all Guardians may now unpack their “Dawning gifts in abundance” at Eva Levante in the Tower.
This is what you will get:
Random Exotic (usually an armor piece with 60+ stat values)
Legendary event weapon (Glacioclasm, Cold Front, or Avalanche)
Ascendant Shard (the rarest upgrade material)
2-3 exotic and legendary event cosmetics (anything from Ghost shells, Sparrows, or projections from previous years can be included)
“Useless” item (these items have no use in the game itself, they are fun references – like Cayde’s Noodle Coupon)
Event Shader (Eventide Celebrations) – You receive this when you redeem the triumph for “Dawning gifts in abundance”
Keep in mind: While all Guardians can unpack the gifts, including Free2Play players, you must first bake some cookies and deliver them to the right person. You can find more about baking, the ingredients, and recipes here on MeinMMO:
This was the backstory: Community events where all players work together towards a goal are nothing new for Destiny players. At more or less regular intervals, there is such a task to tackle together. However, during the Dawning event, it quickly became clear that the players would never mathematically reach the 1 billion Dawning spirit before the event ended.
For a brief moment, there was speculation about whether Bungie would let the community fail. Then the Destiny developer stepped in and tripled the spirit increase overnight. This did not immediately solve the spirit problems, but before the end of the event, the task could be completed.
This is why players are upset: The farming of the required spirit did not sit well with most players. Critics complain about the tedious task and the lack of new content in the Dawning event.
The final gift was for many the last straw:
Guardians are frustrated that the gift contains nothing really new. An old exotic, a weapon that was farmed in the event anyway, and some cosmetics.
The frustration largely stems from the fact that people had too high expectations. Paul Tassi writes critically on Forbes: “There were people like me who hyped this event more than Bungie themselves, but I was just hoping for something that would really bring the community together and excite them. That hasn’t happened, as they say.”
A problem is now also seen in that future community events will follow the same pattern. Regardless of whether they win or not, Bungie steps in, adjusts the numbers until the event is completed, and the reward is something already known.
Among the last posts from Bungie on Twitter, there are many negative comments. However, for those who really expected Gjallarhorn, it seems they had perhaps too high of expectations…
Other Guardians are happy about their exotics for doing nothing
Even though many players are frustrated right now, not all Guardians see it so bleakly. In the Destiny subreddit, some players find the gift quite successful:
They claim that they didn’t lift a finger in the event, and now they are happily enjoying the gifts.
The guaranteed Ascendant Shard is particularly well received. It is needed for max upgrading exotic armors and can otherwise only reliably be found through endgame activities like the Trials or can be exchanged for exorbitant prices.
The event weapons are strong, you do not say no to a gifted exotic, and everyone can use Ascendant Shards – some players just shake their heads in disbelief over why others had even higher expectations.
Popular YouTuber Rick Kackis titles his video “Destiny 2 players are ANGRY about the final Dawning gift” (via YouTube), but he notes that the gift is perfectly reasonable without the (self) generated hype.
Did you get in the Dawning spirit?
What do you think? Were you hoping for a new exotic or a fresh masterwork catalyst that gives an old exotic new powers? Can you understand the anger about the event and the rewards, or are you happy with the gifts? Let us know your opinion in the comments.
In November 2020, the new PlayStation 5 was released, but many still have not received a console or are still waiting for delivery. However, there should be a larger supply in 2021, reports the technology site Digitimes.
How did the PS5 release go? Anyone wanting to get the next-gen console in 2020 needed a lot of time, patience, and a bit of luck. The pre-order process was chaotic. The first sales wave started far too early and even in the following waves, the PS5 was quickly sold out.
Particularly frustrating is that many managed to get a console from retailers, but they did not have enough consoles in stock.
What’s next in 2021? So far, there has been no official statement about when exactly the next consoles will be sold. However, the technology and research website Digitimes brings hope in a new report.
According to reports, Sony plans to produce 16.8 to 18 million new PS5 consoles in 2021. That would be a high figure and would likely surpass the supply for 2020.
PS5 is said to have sold 3.4 million units so far
How many PS5s have been sold so far? So far, it is not known how many consoles were sold in 2020. Official figures have not yet been released.
However, Digitimes has spoken with suppliers and estimates about 3.4 million consoles sold.
Is 18 million new consoles a lot? If the figures from Digitimes are confirmed, then many fans should be able to get a PS5 in 2021. However, the stocks will still not be overly large.
The PS4 sold about 18.5 million units worldwide in 2014 (via VentureBeat).
Earlier, 4.2 million units were sold at launch in 2013 (ExtremeTech).
This means that there will be slightly fewer PS5 consoles in the first year than the PS4 sold about 7 years ago. Although it should be easier to get a PS5 in 2021, there may still be shortages.
A father wanted to make sure he could get a PS5 for his son.
However, all the pre-order actions also brought forth touching stories. One father sat down with a total of 8 devices and tried for 13 hours to get a PS5 for his son – and he succeeded:
MeinMMO editor Patrick Freese has a problem with LoL: Wild Rift. How he got himself into this situation and why his chill game is now stressing him out, you can find out here.
I have played League of Legends for over 7 years and wanted to try the mobile version desperately.
My expectation of the game was: chilling. A less serious LoL that I can play casually. But after just a handful of matches, the game stresses me out. Rather, I stress myself out because of my previous matches. And that’s exactly what I wanted to avoid.
I get stressed when I think about my next game in Wild Rift
This is how my matches went so far: My first match after the tutorial was a cooperative game against bots. There, I could get familiar with the controls in peace. Bots don’t punish my mistakes as harshly as human opponents.
I chose Jinx as my champion. A marksman I got to know in League of Legends on PC. I still knew how the attacks work and which items are effective.
The coop game went optimally. I died only twice, got many kills, and was able to play the objectives. In the end, after 12 minutes, the game declared me MVP.
These were then “real games,” not against bots. In the first game against “real players,” it went well for me. I caused six kills, participated in five other kills, and did not die. Again MVP. The joy was great.
Even the next three games went strong for me. Each time the MVP award and many decisive kills. I had a lot of fun carrying the games.
That’s why I’m stressed now: Just thinking about the next match puts pressure on me. I set myself the requirement to perform as well as I did in the last games. At least MVP and to win the game with important tactical decisions and lead my team to victory.
That worked in the last games too. While I initially didn’t care whether I win or lose, I now have a much greater motivation. I didn’t want that. Wild Rift was supposed to be my chill game, not the next competitive experience where I build stress.
Of course, it’s fun to play, no matter how it goes. After all, the rounds are usually finished after 10 to 20 minutes and then you can focus on the next game. But winning is indeed more fun.
I fear it won’t be long before I crash onto the hard ground of reality. Losing – with really bad stats. That can happen because I have a bad day or because I get teammates who just have no experience with MOBAs. And that’s why I’m now considering very carefully when I’m “in the condition” to win a game. If I feel sluggish, I don’t play.
Do you also know these problems from your games? That you actually want to play to unwind and then get overwhelmed by competitive thoughts? Feel free to share your experiences with us here on MeinMMO and in which games this occurs for you.
Maybe you also have a few tips on how to get rid of these stressful thoughts while playing.
In Fortnite the e-sport has taken a hit: This affects the pros. Noah “Vivid” Wright signed a professional contract with Cloud 9 just six months ago, apparently it was for 2 or 3 years. But Cloud 9 has already terminated the contract. Vivid then ended his career as an active pro.
This is Vivid: The 21-year-old Noah Wright was already successful in the early days of Fortnite and quickly became a pro for Team Liquid. He played for the US organization from August 2018.
So far, Vivid has earned about $462,000 with Fortnite. In August 2020, he wanted to take the next career step and switched to Cloud 9, which is one of the largest e-sports organizations in the USA.
The highlight of Fortnite was the big world championship in the summer of 2019.
Player signs for years, released after months
This is what Vivid says now: Vivid says he was released by his team Cloud 9 on January 2. He was summoned to a meeting the day before and his manager then told him that he would be released. There was no real reason given. The talk was just of “visibility.”
Besides him, Cloud 9 also let Ryan “Chap” Chaplo go, with whom Vivid had previously played at Team Liquid.
Vivid says: He is not angry with Cloud 9, but he finds it just crazy that he signs a contract for 2 to 3 years and then the organization can simply decide to do whatever they want with him.
In hindsight, he now appreciates the people at Team Liquid more. It would have broken his heart when he left the team.
Vivid tells his fans: He lacks the energy to look for a new team, but he doesn’t want to continue as a pro player without a guaranteed income. Therefore, he wants to stream Fortnite and play a bit, but no more scrims and be happy again.
Even before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, Epic had scaled back its engagement. Apparently, they wanted to develop a new concept and brought in an expert from Activision Blizzard for this. But in 2020, e-sports of Fortnite hardly played a role in the public eye.
It is quite possible that Cloud 9 decided to withdraw resources from Fortnite and invest them in the “proven e-sport” LoL. In League of Legends, the gameplay continued at a high level in 2020. The World Championship could even take place, which received a lot of international attention.
This is Jordan Herzog, known as Crimz. He has been trained to be an e-sport pro since he was 3.
For Vivid, the dismissal from Cloud 9 is obviously a hard setback. The e-sport boom brings a lot of money into the pockets of young people and their parents. For some fathers, it is therefore a goal that their son is right at the forefront of this boom.
The summer of 2019 was hot for Final Fantasy XIV thanks to the next expansion “Shadowbringers”, which brought dramatic twists to the MMORPG’s story. Our guest author Grand Chancellor faces the demons of his past and gives Final Fantasy XIV a second chance: Is it worth starting Final Fantasy XIV in 2021?
“They say everyone deserves a second chance,” he thought to himself.
His gaze wandered over the dust-covered cases of past loves. His hand reached for the slightly yellowed DVD box of the Special Edition. His fingers gently glided over the insert. An in-game code for the Onion Helm, would Square Enix still remember him?
He didn’t even dare to think about it. The sting of bittersweet disappointment was too deep. The memory of those events faded only slowly. “Foolish, old man!” shot through his mind.
Once again, he had embarked on an adventure and was reminded of old times. Not those filled with suffering hours. No. He remembered those hours full of joy and dedication… But was it real love this time or just a rekindled flash in the pan from the ashes of a long-burned passion?
In 2010, Final Fantasy XIV was a bad purchase – What would it be like today?
It sounds like the beginning of a penny novel, yet it is a cheesy description of my tragic encounter with Final Fantasy XIV. Before me lies the original version from 2010. And only with horror can I recall the disastrous state this MMO was in at that time.
Apart from the never-ending cast bars, endlessly repeating textures, and missing basic functions, such as jumping (the space bar opened the chat), Final Fantasy XIV was nearly unplayable at that time.
Seven years later, the game is an unexpected success story, with its own two-hour YouTube documentary about the phoenix rising from the ashes. Incredibly, I had banished the game to my shelf as a painful bad purchase since release.
As the positive voices grew and the success showed that quite a bit must have changed since then, FFXIV rekindled my interest.
What does it feel like to jump into an MMO full of content seven years later? What is it like to play with others who have three, four, or even five years of lead time? Can that go well?
And more importantly, will Final Fantasy XIV erase the deep emotional scars it gave me? This and much more is reported by the Grand Chancellor in his travel diary: “The Fat Cat.”
The Trial version as an entry drug
My plan to face the demons of my past is helped by the fact that FFXIV offers an extensive trial version, allowing players to play unlimited until level 60. After that, a subscription is required.
You read that right, Final Fantasy XIV is one of the few MMOs that can still afford a subscription system. There is a shop, but its contents are neither game-relevant nor otherwise prominent. It goes so far that it can’t even be accessed from within the game, but only through the account website.
There are hardly any excuses not to have at least checked out the game.
The character editor
The character editor is solid and to my delight, Final Fantasy XIV also supports my ultrawide resolution of 2560×1080. A character is quickly created. However, choosing classes, as usual, is not so easy for me; ultimately, I decide on a warrior.
Fortunately, the editor offers a lot of options, though overly experimental creations are not possible. Bust sizes remain within realistic limits, and pink warriors are not something to be feared in this MMO.
I step into Eorzea, the world of the game, for the first time and am surprised. For an MMO of nearly biblical age, FFXIV appears almost sexy. Even with a release in 2020, I would hardly criticize the graphics. Of course, it’s not Black Desert Online, but very few games have aged as well as Final Fantasy XIV.
The first steps
I am welcomed, as expected, by a cutscene, which I watch with anticipation, not yet knowing what to expect. After a few dialogues, I click through, and into the fray… Oh wait, the dialogue was probably not finished.
Well, on to the action! Cutscene! Dialogue! Selection dialogue? That came unexpectedly! So I get to make some choices? To get it straight: The answer is: No. These decisions do not have any real impact. They are presumably meant to strengthen the bond with the game character.
So I continue clicking happily through dialogue boxes. Very few dialogues are voiced, even though I feel that the longer I play, the more frequent the voiceovers become. Video scenes can also be skipped, but I would not recommend it to anyone. Often, dramatic twists are conveyed in those videos.
Those who want to play Final Fantasy XIV should come prepared with time and patience.
But enough, let’s jump straight into the action, right into the thick of it.
An MMORPG that can be played well with a controller
Finally, I have arrived at the tutorial and learn the deeper meaning of the “W” key. I am impressed! No, not by the usual WSAD controls, but by the offer to play the game with a game controller.
A later attempt in the game showed that Final Fantasy XIV implements this control excellently, but also highlights the limitations and difficulties of this solution. A controller does not always do justice to the multitude of possibilities or requires detours that do not occur with a mouse and keyboard.
However, whoever wants will find FFXIV to be one of the best controller-optimized MMOs currently available on the market.
My first quest leads me straight to the local tavern “The Drowned Sorrow.” At this point, I must briefly note how brilliantly the localization of the texts has been done. The game becomes more likeable to me by the minute.
300 hours later: I treated myself to a subscription
After nearly 300 hours of gameplay, I have tried various classes, or jobs as they are called in Final Fantasy XIV. I have slain dragons, fought wars, formed alliances, fished, trained chocobos, a fat cat accompanying me, and countless more.
Listing all those adventures and possibilities would exceed the scope. At least the question is settled whether I could forgive FFXIV. My subscription is paid for a year!
But hand on heart, what was it like to start anew in a game that has existed for so long? Well, challenging and wonderful at the same time. This, however, is less due to the massive amounts of content than to Final Fantasy XIV itself.
There are beginner tutorials, but these are limited to a few well-known mechanics that MMO players usually already know. Aside from this introduction, it is up to the player to inform themselves.
Be it by reading all quest texts and completing every side quest or, as in my case, by consulting appropriate guides and videos from the internet. Final Fantasy XIV often goes three to five steps further than other MMOs.
One must acclimate to Final Fantasy XIV
One example: If you want to buy something at the auction house, that’s easy as pie once you find the market board, which is available in every larger city. But heaven help you if you want to offer your own goods.
Here’s the short version: Talk to an NPC, create a retainer in the character editor, give it a personality and a job, then find a sales bell, call your retainer, and give it the item to sell.
If only I had figured that out myself… Those unwilling to learn and work for such things should leave the game alone. However, those who miss that sense of discovery and exploration in modern MMOs can feel free to dive in.
As much as I love FFXIV, it has its flaws. Often the game seems inconsistent, also because it is haunted by its past. Some mechanics feel “tacked on”, occasionally a bit clunky, and more cumbersome than necessary.
Clothing system as patchwork?
The clothing system is a good example. It was introduced later and expanded several times as it was underdeveloped. However, instead of completely replacing it, further components were added. Thus, a system that other MMOs would represent in a single window is distributed across four or five windows in Final Fantasy XIV.
There are further stumbling blocks. A quest can only be completed if the name settings in the menu are set correctly, so that the name of the quest item is displayed at all.
After five unsuccessful attempts, including cutscenes, five-minute combat sessions, and desperate searches on Reddit, this quest section was finally completed. It takes nerves and persistence to truly love Final Fantasy XIV.
Final Fantasy XIV rewards players who immerse themselves
If you can come to terms with this circumstance, the game rewards you with that retro MMO feeling that many players long for today:
A tab-targeting combat system,
Holy Trinity group dynamics in pure form,
countless instances and raids,
an epic main story,
countless meaningless gather, deliver, and kill side quests,
a coherent fantasy world
and a crafting system that without exaggeration is probably one of the best this genre has ever seen.
Other competitors could take a cue from the class system, as in FFXIV you do not need a second or even third character to play different classes. You simply change your equipment and thus also the class.
However, this does not mean that you automatically gain the corresponding experience. Each new class must, of course, be trained and leveled. Alongside countless story and instance content, hundreds of gameplay hours are secured through the job system as well.
Does Final Fantasy XIV still have enough players in the low-level area?
But do new players find enough companions in the low-level area?
I can wholeheartedly answer that question with yes. This is partly due to Final Fantasy XIV’s dungeon system, which rewards high-level players who complete instances with newcomers as well, as the incredibly helpful and friendly community of the game.
That alone would be worth a tribute. If you do not deliberately mess up, such as not checking in advance whether your equipment is suitable for the content you are about to undertake, the community will welcome you with open arms.
In over 300 hours of gameplay, I have only experienced someone leaving the instance group once, and I have not read a single insult in group chats, and if someone is new to an instance, experienced players often explain the stumbling blocks without prompting, and hardly any question remains unanswered.
Of course, there are exceptions in Final Fantasy XIV as well, but they seem to me to be significantly rarer than in other MMOs.
Outstanding Community
Despite the outstanding community, I recommend everyone to join a guild (called “Free Companies” in the game). My young lady Worldfire fortunately encountered the Free Company “Worldwatchers” early on, who stood by her side with advice and assistance from that point on.
While there are no relevant contents in Final Fantasy XIV that absolutely require a Free Company, playing an old-school MMO without a guild simply feels wrong. Also, Free Companies offer not only additional buffs but often also a nice guild house and, ideally, a lot of nice people.
Is it worth starting Final Fantasy XIV anew in 2019?
The question remains whether starting so long after the release of the game makes sense. Certainly, not every newcomer will be as excessive as a Grand Chancellor, investing over 300 hours into the game in a very short time, but in Final Fantasy XIV, that is not necessary at all.
Due to the class system, there is practically always someone who wants to level up a tank, healer, or DD, and there are currently enough new players as well.
The game offers many more gameplay elements beyond the hunt for better gear. These may not all be processed simultaneously for new players due to time constraints, but that also gives them the freedom to choose how they want to shape their journey.
Players are guided by the clear red thread of the main quest. If you follow it, the path to max level is hardly missteped.
Work required
For those who want to jump into the endgame raids, a character boost from the shop can at least bring them to level 70 and provides adjusted equipment.
However, one cannot get away from work in Final Fantasy XIV. Anyone who wants to level their character the classic way is assured that catching up to long-time players is quite possible, but it requires time and a little focus on the important things to achieve this.
Those who decide to play a tank or healer will surely reach their goals faster. Since these are typically chronically underrepresented, groups can be found much more quickly.
To summarize my experience, I would say: If you miss the “good old times” of MMOs, then you should give this game a chance. In my opinion, no other game has managed to combine so much nostalgia with still contemporary content, game mechanics, and relatively high graphical standards as Final Fantasy XIV.
However, a little dedication, passion, and endurance are prerequisites, especially when it comes to dialogue boxes and cutscenes, as the game has countless of them.
And thus, this penny novel ends just as it began: His contemplative gaze rested on the now dusted and cleaned case. The pale light of the streetlamp reflected off the clear plastic wrapping that spanned the aged polypropylene and illuminated his nostalgically pensive face.
“You have developed well!” he thought to himself, gently letting it slide onto the table. Why had he waited so long to give it a second chance? They had lost so much time. In the background, two monitors flickered to life, illuminating the dim room.
A soft mouse click breaks the silence and unexpectedly breathes life into the scene.
A gaming fair is currently taking place in China, where Genshin Impact is represented. One of the cosplayers dressed up as the character Zhongli in a wheelchair as a nod to a meme in the Chinese community.
This is currently sparking discussions in Genshin Impact: Cosplayers have become an indispensable part of gaming fairs. Accordingly, several dressed-up fans gathered at the Firefly Animation Game Carnival in Guangzhou, which also features a large exhibition dedicated to Genshin Impact.
One of the cosplayers stood out in particular. He wore the costume of the popular character Zhongli, who first appears in the storyline of the port city of Liyue.
Notably, the cosplayer was in a wheelchair, which in itself is not unusual. However, this was a nod to a meme about Zhongli that is circulating in the Chinese community. The character is regarded there as “invalid” or “physically disabled.”
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In the third image, you can see Zhongli in a wheelchair
What is this meme? On reddit, the thread with the photo of the Zhongli cosplayer in the wheelchair exploded. While some users expressed concern that the cosplayer might actually rely on a wheelchair, others clarified that it was a joke.
A little context: Zhongli was cosplayed in a wheelchair because he is currently “in the hospital for treatment” (1.3 beta testing). This is how it is described by the Chinese community.
In the Chinese community, he is referred to by loweyo as 残疾人士 (Cánjí rénshì), meaning “disabled person.” His gameplay abilities and effects are separated into different constellations, which is why a C0-Zhongli is considered “incomplete” or “disabled.”
Zhongli is being pushed in the photos by several other characters like Qiqi, Diluc, or Keqing as a reference to the fact that he is “carried” by other characters in groups.
Several other users in the thread confirmed this statement. The photos also received significant attention on Twitter.
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It should be noted, however, that there are currently no known photos of the cosplayer without a wheelchair. It is therefore quite possible that he is indeed physically impaired.
This is what players are saying: The reactions to the cosplay in the Western community are somewhat divided. Many users on reddit and Twitter find the joke well executed. They also say that it is a good way to bring the criticism of the character back to the developers’ attention.
It is a brilliant way to highlight the gameplay-related issues. If it is an official event, then it will be seen by the game developers who are present. And at the same time, it draws attention from other players […]
Other players joined in on the joke and said that Amber in this case would also need a wheelchair or probably even a grave. She is often referred to as one of the weakest characters.
On the other hand, there was also criticism. On Twitter, users expressed concern and anger that physical impairments are not something to joke about.
This is quite impressive, but also quite offensive to people who are really physically impaired.
The buff is currently being tested. If miHoYo keeps the buff as it is now, it is expected to go live with update 1.3, finally strengthening Zhongli. The update will be released in February.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
