You can now directly influence streamers on Google Stadia – This is how Crowd Choice works

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 4 minutes

The game streaming service Google Stadia has a new feature called Crowd Choice, which is being used for the first time in the games Baldur’s Gate 3 and Dead by Daylight. This allows viewers to determine which decisions the streamers make while they are watching. A Google employee has explained how this feature works and what is planned for the future in a direct interview with us.

What is it about? With the two games Baldur’s Gate 3 and Dead by Daylight, the version of the games for Google Stadia has received a highly useful new feature for streamers: Crowd Choice.

This allows you as a streamer to directly involve your community in the stream. Because in certain situations, your viewers can actively decide what happens next. The decision that gets the most votes becomes almost binding for the streamer.

But how exactly does this work in practice? How is it received and what plans does Google have for the future in this area? We reached out to Google with a request for an interview. You can find the questions and answers in the following paragraph.

All about Crowd Choice – Interview with Google

How did you come up with the idea of Crowd Choice? Was it requested by streamers? YouTube creators are always looking for ways to engage with their viewers, as engagement helps them build and maintain their community. One of the most important methods creators use to do this today is the chat on YouTube.

The Crowd Choice feature of Stadia utilizes the chat function of YouTube during live streams to build on this relationship and conduct polls with the viewers. The results of these polls influence the game play. With Crowd Choice, the audience goes from being viewers to active participants in the game they are currently watching.

How does it work? Is it an integrated feature of the game itself or just a kind of YouTube/Twitch overlay? Crowd Choice polls are triggered when the developer integrates the Crowd Choice API into their code. Polls created by the developer can be linked to any action in the game. When a YouTube creator then streams their Stadia game and activates the Crowd Choice mode, viewers are presented with the polls designed by the game developer.

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A stream with Crowd Choice for Baldur’s Gate 3.

What is the initial feedback and the reaction of streamers to Crowd Choice? Is it used by many? The initial reaction from the creator community was very positive! In particular, one creator had trouble downloading Baldur’s Gate 3 on Steam when it launched during their stream. Within minutes, they purchased the game on Stadia and played it for the viewers, complete with Crowd Choice. It was a great moment that showcased Stadia’s immediate accessibility for developers, especially when you want to play a game right after it launches.

Why were Dead by Daylight and Baldur’s Gate 3 chosen as the first games to use Crowd Choice? Dead By Daylight and Baldur’s Gate 3 present important choices for players that they can share with their viewers, and we are very pleased that both Behaviour Interactive and Larian Studios were as interested as we were in integrating Crowd Choice into these games. These games are just the beginning for supporting Crowd Choice – we look forward to expanding the feature to more titles soon.

What are typical Crowd Choice situations in Baldur’s Gate 3 and Dead By Daylight? DbD is based on quick actions. How does Crowd Choice contribute? In Dead By Daylight, viewers can take control of the live stream by teaming up with other viewers to decide how things will progress. For example, they can help choose whether their preferred YouTube creator is a “Killer” or a “Survivor,” followed by which character.

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This is what Crowd Choice looks like in the horror game Dead by Daylight.

In Baldur’s Gate 3, all narrative decisions can be used by creators as an opportunity to ask their viewers to determine what happens next in their adventure. Everything from the question of who your character falls in love with to who becomes friend or foe can be decided by the viewers.

Why can’t streamers edit their own Crowd Choice polls? Why must they use predefined options? Are decisions made by themselves planned for the future? The developers of games that support Crowd Choice determine both the instances in which the feature is triggered and the options that can be voted on. This is a feature we have implemented in collaboration with our development partners, and at this time, the choices in each game are predefined.

Do you plan to add Crowd Choice to more games that are already on Stadia? And how many games do you plan to release with this feature in the future? Crowd Choice will soon be added to more games on Stadia. In addition to Dead By Daylight and Baldur’s Gate 3, we are also planning more new ways for you to use Crowd Choice in other games.

Crowd Choice sounds great, but I fear it could also be used for trolling. What can a streamer do about it? How can a streamer counter Crowd Choice? The creator is shown the voting results from the viewers in percentages, and in the current Crowd Choice games (Baldur’s Gate 3 and Dead By Daylight), the creator can then choose to follow the players’ decision or make their own choice. This not only protects against troll behavior but also opens up new possibilities for creators to utilize the feature.

In what way do you think Crowd Choice will change the streaming landscape? Is this a direction we can expect more of in the future? Crowd Choice is an important step for Stadia, as it increases the visibility of Stadia Enhanced Features that fundamentally change how creators can interact with their viewers. Crowd Play, another feature developed for YouTube, will soon be available and allow players to jump directly into the game to play alongside a creator they are currently watching as a live stream on YouTube. Stream Connect and State Share Beta, other Stadia features already introduced for games in the Stadia store, represent the unique and positive changes that cloud platforms like Stadia bring to creators and their viewers.

This is the current status of Stadia Crowd Choice. It is to be hoped that more games will soon receive this feature, thus providing more benefits for streamers and content creators on Stadia. The MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online on Stadia would be a game that would surely benefit from such a feature.

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

You are currently saving VAT on these 6 good mice and keyboards

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 7 minutes

Right now at MediaMarkt you can save on VAT. We present to you the best mice and keyboards available at a bargain price.

What is it about? MediaMarkt launched its VAT promotion on October 22 at 8 PM. You save 16% VAT on all available products. The offer runs until Sunday, October 25, at 11:59 PM.

Note: Due to current COVID-19 safety measures, you cannot use “Pay in Store” when ordering.

What are we presenting here? In this article, we take a look at mice and keyboards that are on sale. We present the best deals here. For this, we reviewed reviews, critiques, and user ratings for the products.

Logitech G903 Lightspeed

DPI: 100 – 16,000 | Sensor: Optical | Buttons: 7 – 11 buttons | Weight: 110-120g | Special feature: optional weight (10g), Powerplay compatible, Lightsync RGB lighting, removable side buttons, suitable for left and right handed users | Price range (according to Geizhals): 109 – 259 €

Logitech G903 Lightspeed

Who is the mouse suitable for? Are you looking for a high-end mouse that allows for additional weight and is suitable for both left and right-handed users? Then you should take a look at the Logitech G903 Lightspeed.

What does the Logitech G903 Lightspeed offer? The total weight of the mouse can be individually adjusted. This gives you more flexibility overall. As is common with other Logitech mice, you can switch the scroll wheel using an extra button: This allows you to toggle between the stepped mode and free scrolling. The DPI can be controlled directly via two buttons on the mouse. Inside is the Logitech Hero 16K sensor, which is among the best currently used in Logitech mice. The mouse can also save up to five profiles and assign the lighting of the logo and the DPI settings.

As a bonus, the mouse also offers Powerplay technology, but Logitech charges a high price for it. This means the mouse automatically charges via a Powerplay mouse pad. The downside: The mouse pad costs almost 120 euros.

Also unfortunate: The grip of the mouse is only average. This is partly because the mouse does not offer rubber coating on the sides and is otherwise smooth.

Pro
  • Top sensor
  • Weight adjustable
  • Powerplay compatible
  • Mouse suitable for both left and right handed users thanks to interchangeable side buttons
  • Intuitive software and internal profile storage
Contra
  • No rubber coating on the sides
  • Powerplay costs a lot of money

What is the price of the mouse on sale? At MediaMarkt, you currently pay only 99 euros instead of 149 euros.

Logitech G903 Lightspeed at MediaMarkt*

Logitech G403 Gaming Mouse

DPI: 100 – 25,600 | Sensor: Optical | Buttons: 6 buttons | Weight: 87.3 to 97.3 g | Special feature: optional weight (10g), Lightsync RGB lighting | Price range (according to Geizhals.de): 46, – 77.90 €

Who is the mouse suitable for? Are you looking for a small, customizable mouse that weighs under 100 grams and uses Logitech’s best sensor, then you should check out the G403 Hero.

What does the Logitech G403 Hero offer? The mouse has a simple black design with rubberized grip areas. You have a total of 6 buttons available, all of which you can program. It also features an ergonomic right-handed design and a weight system: If the mouse is too light for you at 87 grams, you can add a 10-gram weight to the device. The RGB lighting of the logo is also adjustable.

Unfortunately, the mouse has a rather stiff scroll wheel. Furthermore, the G403 is only suitable for right-handed users. The design is made for right-handed use and there are no buttons on the right side.

Pro
  • Modern, high-resolution sensor
  • Stable build quality
  • Additional weight
  • 6 freely assignable buttons with software
Contra
  • Stiff scroll wheel
  • Only suitable for right-handed users.

What is the price of the mouse on sale? At MediaMarkt you currently pay only 51.44 € instead of 69.99 €

Logitech G403 Hero at MediaMarkt*

Razer Viper

DPI: 100 – 16,000 | Sensor: Optical | Buttons: 8 buttons | Weight: 69 g | Special feature: RGB lighting, ambidextrous design | Price range (according to Geizhals.de): 58.99 – 94.90 €

Who is the mouse suitable for? Those looking for a precise and very lightweight mouse that is suitable for both left and right-handed users should consider Razer’s Viper.

What does the Razer Viper offer? The Razer Viper has a simple black design and weighs only 69 grams. Inside the mouse works the Razer 5G sensor, which is only surpassed by the in-house Razer+ used in the Razer Viper Ultimate. Razer also uses custom developed optical mouse switches.

Many of the mouse’s functions can only be controlled directly via the Razer Synapse 3 software. The internal memory only allows you to save DPI profiles and not the programmed buttons. The sides of the mouse are also prone to scratches or minor damages.

Pro
  • Very good sensor (Razer 5G)
  • Symmetrical layout, therefore also suitable for left-handed users
  • Very light weight (69 grams)
  • Stable and flexible cable
Contra
  • Internal memory only for DPI profiles
  • Glossy sides are slightly prone to scratches

What is the price of the mouse on sale? At MediaMarkt you currently pay only 59 € instead of 89.99 €

Razer Viper at MediaMarkt*

Razer Basilisk Ultimate

DPI: 100 – 20,000 | Sensor: Optical | Buttons: 11 buttons | Weight: 107 g | Special feature: RGB lighting, fully programmable, internal memory for 5 profiles | Price range (according to Geizhals.de): 144.90 – 181 €

Who is the mouse suitable for? If you are looking for a mouse with a wide range of features and wireless function, then you should check out this mouse. Through software and the many extra buttons, you get a very versatile and customizable mouse.

What does the Razer Basilisk Ultimate offer: The mouse relies on optomechanical buttons that are said to be significantly more durable than regular optical switches. Additionally, it features a four-way scroll wheel with adjustable resistance and extra buttons, all of which can be configured with the software. Inside works the Razer Focus+ with a DPI rate of up to 20,000.

According to ComputerBase, the Basilisk Ultimate offers around 90 hours of battery life without lighting and 30 to 60 hours with lighting, which is very respectable for a wireless mouse.

On the other hand, the Razer Synapse software and the high price can be annoying. The software is very large and comprehensive, and many features of the mouse require this software.

Pro
  • Very good sensor (Razer Focus+)
  • Programmable buttons and lighting
  • Reliable Hyperspeed technology
  • Optomechanical buttons
  • Long battery life
Contra
  • High price
  • Large, slow software

What is the price of the mouse on sale? At MediaMarkt, you currently pay only 149 € instead of 167.99 €.

Razer Basilisk Ultimate at MediaMarkt*

Logitech G512/G513 Gaming Keyboard

Interface: Wired | Key type: Mechanical | Key lighting: Yes | Programmable keys: No | Special features: USB port | Price range (according to Geizhals): 90.92 – 139.90 €

Who is the keyboard suitable for? The G512 keyboard from Logitech has a simple design and offers little additional accessories. However, it has a very precise keystroke. If the loud typing of other keyboards bothers you, you might find “your” keyboard in the G512.

Logitech G512 vs G513: The G512 does not offer a wrist rest compared to the G513. Otherwise, the two keyboards are identical.

What does the Logitech G512 offer? Logitech relies on a discreet look that doesn’t scream “gaming keyboard”. Like other manufacturers, it uses an aluminum alloy that is supposed to make the keyboard particularly durable. Under your fingers are custom-developed Romer-G switches that are supposed to be particularly precise and very quiet. The keyboard offers a USB port for USB sticks and similar devices but has neither audio port nor other multimedia or macro keys.

Pro
  • Simple, timeless design
  • USB port
  • Very quiet
  • Synchronizable RGB lighting via LIGHTSYNC
  • Stable stand on the desk thanks to weight
  • Very good workmanship thanks to aluminum alloy
Contra
  • Lighting could be stronger
  • For a high price, very little accessories
  • No audio port
  • No separate multimedia or macro keys

What is the price of the keyboard on sale? At MediaMarkt, you can currently get both the G512 and the G513 (with wrist rest) on sale.

G512 at MediaMarkt: For the G512, you currently pay only 88 euros instead of 117.69 euros.

Logitech G512 at MediaMarkt*

G513 at MediaMarkt: For the G513, you currently pay only 111 euros instead of 164.77 euros.

Logitech G513 at MediaMarkt*

Corsair Strafe RGB Gaming Keyboard

Interface: Wired | Key type: Mechanical | Key lighting: Yes | Programmable keys: Yes | Special features: Twelve alternate caps for games; USB port | Price range (according to Geizhals.de): 139 – 195 €

Corsair Strafe RGB

Who is the keyboard suitable for? The Corsair keyboard is aimed at gamers who want a keyboard where they can program each key individually. The focus of the keyboard is clearly on lighting and the software.

What does the Corsair Strafe RGB offer: The keyboard comes in black with RGB functions and only offers two additional switches: These are for brightness control and enabling gaming mode.

However, the focus of the keyboard is on the extensive software. You can program every detail and all switches, including the extra buttons. This includes playable macros and lighting effects that you can combine with key presses. Corsair combines this with high-quality keys and good typing properties.

The keyboard also offers a USB port for additional devices. However, this is difficult to reach on the back and only offers USB 2.0. The haptics of the casing also feel cheap and the keyboard’s feet are only made of plastic.

Pro
  • High-quality keys (MX Red)
  • Very good typing properties
  • Extensive software
  • Completely programmable, including extra buttons
Contra
  • Poorly accessible USB port
  • USB port only USB 2.0
  • Average haptics of the keyboard with plastic feet

What is the price of the keyboard on sale? The keyboard currently costs only 111 € instead of 159 € at MediaMarkt.

Corsair Strafe RGB Gaming Keyboard at MediaMarkt*
Mit einem Einkaufswagen markierte Links sind so genannte Affiliate-Links. Beim Kauf über diese Links erhalten wir je nach Anbieter eine kleine Provision – ohne Auswirkung auf den Preis. More info.

Are you looking for more recommendations? Here we present to you the best gaming mice you can buy in 2020.

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

WoW Classic: The Burning Crusade – This speaks for a start of the beta

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

Will the WoW beta “The Burning Crusade” in the Classic version start soon? A small update gives hope.

The time for the “new content” of World of Warcraft Classic seems to be coming to an end. After all, Naxxramas is already being tested on the PTR, and that is the last major raid that will conclude the Classic era. But now there is a new glimmer of hope that the first expansion, “The Burning Crusade,” is not so far away.

What happened? As reported by wowhead, the “Classic Beta Client” was found again in the code of the Battle.net app. It was reinserted into the files with the last patch. Although it has the suffix “Deprecated,” meaning “outdated” or “obsolete,” the fact that it can be found again in the client raises speculations. Presumably, the client will soon be updated and a new version of the beta will be released.

WoW Classic Code Beta
These lines of code show that the beta client is back in the data. Image source: wowhead

In this regard, not many WoW variants are actually considered, except The Burning Crusade. It was the first expansion of World of Warcraft, and it is still very popular with many fans. The likelihood of a beta test starting here is quite high. After all, Blizzard had already wanted to know in a survey whether players were interested in The Burning Crusade.

Probably no overlap with Shadowlands: So far, Blizzard mostly ensures that there are no significant temporal overlaps between the two WoW games (i.e., Retail and Classic). It therefore seems rather unlikely that the beta could start in the next few days, especially since the release of Shadowlands is expected soon – which is still awaiting a date.

A first hint in the Battle.net launcher at least suggests that preparations are already being made in the background, and perhaps an internal beta will be starting soon.

WoW Burning Crusade Blood Elf Mana Wyrm

When will there be more info? Concrete information should be available at the latest in February. Because then the digital replacement fair for BlizzCon will take place. Since the original BlizzCon 2020 was postponed due to the Corona pandemic, a “BlizzConline” will take place instead, which is intended to inform players about new developments and upcoming games. This would be the perfect time to announce a “The Burning Crusade Classic.” Then Classic could already be released in mid-2021…

Would you be interested in experiencing The Burning Crusade once again? Or is the basic WoW game in the Classic version enough for you?

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. wowhead.com
  2. buffed.de

FIFA 21: How to take perfect free kicks for the Weekend League

Julian Schröder Julian Schröder Reading time 3 minutes

Free kicks can play an important role in FIFA 21 and determine victory or defeat. We show you perfect free kicks for the Weekend League.

That’s why free kicks are so important: In the Weekend League, every victory determines your rank and thus how good your rewards will be. And if you get a decisive free kick in the 90th minute, it would be a huge advantage if you could convert it directly to secure the victory.

How do free kicks work in FIFA 21? Free kicks work essentially the same as in FIFA 20, where the new free kick mechanic was introduced. You need to follow these steps.

  1. Choose the free kick taker
  2. Determine the approach
  3. Aim with the white circle (indicator) and determine the direction and height
  4. Charge the shot power
  5. Set the spin with the right stick during the run-up
  6. If necessary, perform a timed finishing

But there are many different spins and techniques to get the ball into the net. We show you which free kick techniques are particularly effective in FIFA 21.

These free kicks you should definitely practice

These free kicks are particularly effective: There is no guarantee or perfect method that ensures every single free kick goes in without exception. However, with enough training and the right technique, you have a great chance to convert many free kicks.

The Topspin Free Kick

Then you should use it:

  • At a distance between 16 and 24 meters
  • If the goalkeeper stays put and the opponent does not move him manually
This is how you should aim at short distances

This is how the variant works: First, you need a taker with decent free kick stats and good shot power. Choose this player and follow these steps:

  1. Aim with the indicator at the corner where the wall is
  2. Aim a bit above the crossbar (the higher the distance, the higher you need to aim)
  3. Charge the shot bar with about 2 bars (a bit more for longer distances)
  4. Then move the right stick first up and then quickly down to set the spin
  5. For more accuracy, press the shoot button again for a timed finish

If you did everything right, the ball will be in the net and neither the wall nor the goalkeeper could do anything against it. However, if the goalkeeper moves, we recommend the next free kick variant.

The Power Free Kick

Then you should use it:

  • At short distances between 16 and 20 meters
  • From a central position
  • If the opponent pulls the keeper out of the goalkeeper corner
The perfect position for a power free kick

This is how the variant works: If the opponent pulls his goalkeeper a step out of the goalkeeper corner, the power free kick is advisable. For this, you should choose a good free kick taker with as much shot power as possible. Then proceed as follows:

  1. Aim with the indicator directly in the goalkeeper corner
  2. Charge the shot with about 3 bars
  3. Hold L1/LB
  4. Keep the left stick up
  5. For more precision, press the shoot button again for a timed finish

If everything worked out, the ball will land with power into the net and is untraceable. You can also try the variant flat and aim for the lower goalkeeper corner.

Which method do you prefer? Or do you rather pass the ball instead of shooting on goal? We have more tips for more victories in the Weekend League here for you.

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

World of Tanks: New game mode comes from Silent Hill designers – It will be really creepy

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 4 minutes

The tank MMO World of Tanks is planning something special for Halloween. A new PvE mode with designs and soundtracks from the pens of two famous designers from the horror hit Silent Hill. Masahiro Itō and Akira Yamaoka have contributed their artistic skills for this, and what they have created you can find out here at MeinMMO.

What kind of Halloween event is this? Like every year, Wargaming is planning a big Halloween event this time as well. In 2020, there’s a new game mode. It even has a story about a failed Soviet experiment in the town of Mirny-13. There, you will drive special tanks in a team against a deranged AI. You must collect a special resource in different phases and deliver it to a machine in time to prevent the disaster.

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In this elaborate live-action trailer, you learn about the backstory of the new mode.

What is so special about the event? First of all, the game mode is a completely new PvE mode that has never existed before. You fight with special tanks against nasty creepy tanks. They are not decorated with the usual Halloween pumpkin decorations; instead, they look like “creepy tanks.” To showcase this “dark side” of vehicles, designer Masahiro Itō was specifically engaged. He has already contributed horror designs for the creepy game Silent Hill.

For the soundtrack that accompanies you in the ever stranger landscape around the city of Mirny-13, the composer Akira Yamaoka is responsible. He has also previously worked on Silent Hill.

WOT_PC_Halloween_3D_styles_screenshots_E50_Ausf_M_02
One of the eerie tanks from the new event.

When does the event start? The Halloween event in World of Tanks starts on October 26 and ends on November 9. During this time, you can unlock new designs for your tanks.

What, by the way, the head of World of Tanks says about his game, you can find out here:

More on the topic
„A Hobby for Men“ – The CEO of World of Tanks revealed this in the interview
von Jürgen Horn

Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka in an interview – “My first soundtrack was too scary”

The composer known from Silent Hill, Akira Yamaoka has composed the special soundtrack for the event. It consists of dark sounds that evoke a unique atmosphere of threat and horror. The sounds fit very well with their cold, dark tone to the occurrences surrounding a mysterious experiment that turns soulless machines into killers.

Akira Yamaoka
Akira Yamaoka, composer of Silent Hill.

In a short interview, the composer explains how it came about and what fascinates him about the game World of Tanks. The interview was recorded by Wargaming and provided to us at MeinMMO.

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A sample of the eerie sounds from the new game mode.

You have been working with World of Tanks since 2017, what fascinates you about the game? I really admire how tanks are presented in the World of Tanks universe. The game captures a unique feeling by paying close attention to historical details, which is usually quite difficult. I think the World of Tanks development team has done a great job capturing this while making the game larger and better.

Do you play World of Tanks? If so, what are your favorite nations and vehicles? The Japanese Tier V Chi-Nu Kai is my favorite. Not that it would be super strong, but as a Japanese person I really love the design of this tank.

How do you assess the music in World of Tanks overall? It is simply amazing. The sound designers work so well together. They have a high level of expertise. This makes me really eager to work with the team!

wot halloween 2020 screens - 10
The dark surroundings fit very well with the soundtrack.

What inspired you to create the ambient track for the Halloween event in World of Tanks? I had already received the sound clips from the World of Tanks sound design team. Most of the inspiration came from there. It’s like cooking; you have a pile of ingredients and use them. You take existing files to create music, not like a remix, but in a different way to create music.

Tell us about your involvement in composing the ambient track? I have previously worked with World of Tanks on another project, so we collaborated again. I look forward to being part of this new World of Tanks world, connected by music!

Tell us about the new game mode, were you able to convey the atmosphere of horror? It really gives you a realistic experience. It’s not science fiction, but it adds a new dimension to the universe of World of Tanks. At the beginning of the production, I was told that the music I made was a bit too scary (haha) – so I tried to focus on making it sound more unique than scary.

Where can I find more stuff from Silent Hill? The designs from Silent Hill are not only featured in World of Tanks. The horror game Dead by Daylight also uses the creations from the creepy game. As a result, the creepy Pyramid Head from Silent Hill appears under the name Executioner in Dead by Daylight. Here you can find out what the killer can do.

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

German gaming studio collaborates with drag queen to promote diversity

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 2 minutes

The large German studio InnoGames from Hamburg has organized a special marketing action for its game Elvenar. To make a statement for diversity, a partnership has been entered into with a cosmetics label. Additionally, drag queen Vava Vilde has been engaged to present the new cosmetics in the game live. How all this looks and what InnoGames hopes for from it can be found here on MeinMMO (The featured image of this article comes from Vava Vilde’s YouTube channel).

What is InnoGames? Behind the name InnoGames is a German game developer based in Hamburg. The company was founded in 2007 and employs over 400 people.

InnoGames primarily develops online and mobile games. As the studio communicated, it has already generated a total revenue of one billion euros in 2019. Typical games from InnoGames are strategy and construction games like

  • The West
  • Grepolis
  • Forge of Empires
  • Tribal Wars 2
  • Elvenar

What is the cooperation about? The fantasy building game Elvenar now has a special cooperation. Your elves and humans in the game can be adorned with particularly colorful and eye-catching makeup.

The makeup, in turn, is also available in real life. Namely from the Canadian cosmetics company MAC. This company produces makeup, primarily used by professional models. MAC (Via Wikipedia) is also doing well in business and enjoys billions in revenue.

More on the topic
Hamburger gaming studio made over 1 billion euros – With the Germans’ love for strategy games
von Max Handwerk

Drag artist becomes fire elemental

You can equip your avatars in the game with the colorful cosmetics from MAC. It is permanently available. To showcase how cool this makeup looks in the game, drag queen Vava Vilde has been engaged.

Here on Vilde’s YouTube channel, you can see how the makeup looks for the fire elemental.

https://youtu.be/5fzXXmzu8lY?list=PL9URRYwZ026mmZCwKl1kt6pY7RTajADzD
Vava Vilde as fire demon.

Additionally, there are Elvenar makeup postings from Luisa Sporkenbach and Angelo Rauseo, both makeup artists at MAC.

In the videos, they transform themselves with lots of makeup into stylish elves.

https://youtu.be/qjr_9ke0Ibg?list=PL9URRYwZ026mmZCwKl1kt6pY7RTajADzD
Luisa Sporkenbach becomes an elf.
https://youtu.be/DoC8n5UkI8w?list=PL9URRYwZ026mmZCwKl1kt6pY7RTajADzD
Angelo Rauseo transforms into an elf king.

InnoGames wants to emphasize diversity with the event in Elvenar

Why is InnoGames doing this? According to a statement from the company InnoGames, the cooperation is not just about colorful makeup and Halloween, but also about a statement on diversity. In response to our inquiry for a statement, InnoGames replied as follows.

It’s all about diversity and our commitment to it. InnoGames and M-A-C Cosmetics are working together with this campaign to make the gaming and beauty industries more diverse, and we share common values that revolve around diversity, inclusion, and creativity. The collaboration was perfectly timed as we were preparing our Halloween event in Elvenar, and M-A-C was planning its own seasonal events. So why not collaborate?

As a result, M-A-C will be the first brand to collaborate with one of our games.

Games are becoming an important communication channel and a way to reach a broad and diverse audience. Newzoo predicted that by the end of 2020 there would be 2.7 billion gamers worldwide. As more and more people play games, it underscores the increasing popularity of gaming among a diverse audience, and gaming culture itself is becoming part of global pop culture.

André Hecker, PR Manager at InnoGames GmbH

Diversity is indeed becoming more and more of a topic in games. However, this does not sit well with everyone. For example, the introduction of dark-skinned elves in the MMORPG World of Warcraft caused unrest among some players. This, in turn, prompted our MeinMMO author Cortyn to write a comment on the topic of “Black Elves in World of Warcraft”.

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

The head of CoD Mobile reveals: These were the 3 most important changes in the 1st year

Sven Galitzki Sven Galitzki Reading time 3 minutes

Shooter expert Sven Galitzki from MeinMMO recently spoke in an interview with the Mobile Vice President of Activision and learned from him which 3 changes were the most important for the success of Call of Duty Mobile in its first year.

What is the current status of CoD Mobile? Call of Duty Mobile is currently celebrating its one-year anniversary. And in its first year, the CoD for pocket was not only a great success (financially and in terms of player numbers), but has also noticeably evolved and changed. The 11th season is now running, with numerous new content and features added since the launch.

Where does the information come from? In a recent interview, shooter expert Sven Galitzki from MeinMMO spoke with Chris Plummer, the Vice President of Mobile at Activision, and wanted to know from him retrospectively which 3 most important changes in Year 1 significantly contributed to the great success of the mobile shooter. Read his answers here.

Call of Duty Mobile: These 3 changes were crucial for the game in Year 1

For Plummer, the following 3 aspects played an important role:

He justified each point as follows:

Monthly seasons: From Plummer’s perspective, this was the most important change – but why? “I think, firstly, our shift to monthly seasons was a significant moment. We already had a seasonal model, similar to some of our competitors. However, we realized that players craved more. They had it with the seasons, but we felt we could improve on that.”

He then emphasized again: “The shift to a monthly cadence for the seasons marked a significant turning point for the game. Each season has a unique theme, it was a huge thing for the franchise. That’s number 1.”

The Gunsmith in CoD Mobile

Gunsmith feature: Chris Plummer continued: “Number 2 is, I would say, the introduction of the Gunsmith feature. At launch, we didn’t have Gunsmith. We did have some weapon grinding to unlock attachments, but what we learned from our players and the success of Gunsmith in other Call of Duty games was that it was something that could greatly benefit our players.”

Plummer emphasized again the importance and significance of Gunsmith: “In our eyes, it changed the way players engage with the game. All the content they had already possessed and collected over months – the long-term players suddenly noticed, now there’s new gameplay, new possibilities for them. And for new players, it meant an incredible degree of customization options. I think that was a big deal.”

Content supply for Battle Royale: For the last point, Plummer then mentioned new content – specifically for the Battle Royale mode: “We had several substantial pushes of new content for Battle Royale, which I think marked major turning points for the game. We expanded our Battle Royale map multiple times, and recently we brought the Alcatraz map into the game. I think offering additional gameplay options in Battle Royale was another great thing for players.”

But what makes the Battle Royale in CoD Mobile so special? “We add maps and content for all areas of the game, but especially regarding Battle Royale, there are many games that build on this mode. We are therefore very proud that we can offer alternatives and additional options there.”

Finally, he summed up: “Battle Royale in CoD Mobile is generally something we are very proud of and what makes a difference.”

By the way, Chris Plummer also revealed to MeinMMO in the interview: Activision explains: These 3 things make Call of Duty Mobile so successful

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

Fortnite leaks reveal: 4 cool things that could await you for Halloween and Christmas

Eilyn Rapp Eilyn Rapp Reading time 3 minutes

In Fortnite, the Halloween season has begun. Dataminers have already found the challenges for the upcoming Nightmares tasks. There are also hints about what we can expect at Christmas.

What are these leaks? Although the Fortnite Nightmares started 2 days ago, there are still more challenges that are not yet visible. These will only be unlocked after a few days. However, dataminers have already found the next challenges that we are likely to encounter.

More on the topic
Fortnite: Here you can find the witch brooms for the nightmares quest
von Eilyn Rapp

Additionally, they found some hints in the data about what Epic is currently working on. This even includes an NPC that could play a significant role at Christmas.

The next Halloween challenges?

These tasks have been found: If you look at the challenge table in the Battle Pass menu, you will see 5 challenges displayed that will be unlocked in the next few hours or days. Normally, you would only find out what they are then.

However, dataminers have now searched and found these tasks (via Twitter):

  • Deal damage with a possessed vehicle
  • Spot players as Shadows
  • Eliminate Shadow Midas
  • Eliminate Shadows as a player
  • Visit different witch huts
  • Consume legendary loot as a Shadow

So these could be the challenges that we are likely to encounter. However, keep in mind that these are just leaks, and a lot could change before the release.

By completing the Halloween tasks, you can unlock cool items.

Other things that have been found

What you might also expect soon: Dataminer HYPEX found some additional things in the data that Epic is currently working on. These include items and an NPC that could play a significant role at Christmas.

He shows on Twitter:

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Are these new items? He states that Epic is currently working on a Slurp Bazooka. This could be a modified version of the Bandage Bazooka, which allows you to restore health points for your teammates and yourself. This was introduced at the start of Chapter 2.

If a Slupr variant comes, it would likely function similarly, but with the difference that it restores shields instead of health points.

Fortnite-Bandagen-Bazooka
Here you can see the Bandage Bazooka in action.

The data also contains an item that has never been found in Fortnite before. It is said to be a type of fire extinguisher. As fire now plays a more significant role in Fortnite, such an item could be useful. How it would work is still unknown.

Also, you should keep in mind that these items have only been found in the data for now. There is no guarantee that they will be added to the game soon or at all.

A new NPC at Christmas?

This has been found: Another cool leak that seems far off is a snowman NPC that could arrive during Christmas. A type of snowman already existed in Fortnite, and players loved it.

According to the dataminer, the NPC will give you a task and could even engage in dialogues. He is also said to be able to explode or spawn loot. There should be hints about this in the data, but we will likely have to wait a while to see if this is confirmed.

Could we see a snowman NPC at Christmas and even interact with him?

For now, the focus is still on the Fortnite Nightmares. There, it’s not just the spooky tasks and the setting that create fear. After the 14.40 update, Fortnite suddenly became 60 GB smaller. While players were happy about this change, they also fear how Epic managed to do so.

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

Genshin Impact Patch 1.1: These new contents will probably come

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 4 minutes

Players of Genshin Impact are hungry for new content from Patch 1.1. But what is in the update that is supposed to arrive in a few weeks?

Genshin Impact has become a hit in recent weeks and players are slowly reaching the endgame. However, besides the daily spending of resin and farming materials, there is currently not much to do. Many are waiting for new content and upcoming patches. So when will new stuff come? Where is Patch 1.1 and what comes next?

This is the plan for Genshin Impact: The developers have a rather ambitious plan for releasing new content. According to the official forum, there should be a major patch every 6 weeks, bringing new events or other game content. All patches are being worked on in parallel, so that the release can also be adhered to. This leads to the following (tentative) release plan:

  • Patch 1.1 will be released on November 11, 2020
  • Patch 1.2 will be released on December 23, 2020 – exactly before Christmas
  • Patch 1.3 will be released “in February” 2021 – presumably on February 3
genshin impact waifu husbando header
Fans are craving new content. It will probably happen soon.

Genshin Impact – What’s in Patch 1.1

Please consider the following information does not come from official announcements by the developers. Instead, the information has been gathered from leaks and datamining, such as from Reddit user Polonoid75. According to this, Genshin Impact will soon see the following content:

New characters in Patch 1.1: Collecting and leveling characters are the core of Genshin Impact. That’s why there will soon be more of them. New in Patch 1.1 are four characters:

  • Zhongli: A 5-star character who swears by the Geo element and uses a polearm.
  • Childe: A 5-star character with the Hydro element. He uses a bow but can switch to melee weapons.
  • Xinyan: A 4-star character with Pyro affinity. She wields a large claymore, making her more suited for the front lines.
  • Diona: A 4-star character with Cryo affiliation. She uses a bow to engage enemies from a distance.

We have already introduced these and other characters that will be coming in this article.

Genshin Impact Start Titel

Reputation system for both regions: Soon there will be a reputation system for Mondstadt and Liyue that increases your prestige in the areas. This will reward you with new unlocks and specific bonuses, such as reduced prices at merchants. But new bounties and requests from residents are also expected to come with it.

The system will also bring a useful display showing how much you have already completed in an area. A percentage display will reveal where you have already searched and at which locations you should look for chests and other treasures again.

Since aspects like game progress, chests, and quests are already counted, the system will also retroactively affect your achievements. So you won’t miss anything just because you have already explored thoroughly.

Genshin Impact Reputation
The reputation system in Genshin Impact – this is how it is supposed to look. Image source: reddit.com/r/genshin_impact/

New items and recipes: As part of the reputation system, there are likely new recipes too. For both cooking useful buff food and for the blacksmith, who can then craft new items. Additionally, you may gain a new skin for the glider so that you can glide even more elegantly, only to land in the water without stamina and reconsider your past life decisions on the loading screen.

New event: Also part of the update is expected to be a new event called the “Unreturned Star Event”. Many details about it are still unknown. However, there will likely be a special event currency with a limited-time event shop. One of the rewards is expected to be Fischl, one of the best heroines you can currently obtain in the game.

Fischl Genshin Impact
Fischl might be available soon through an event if the leaks are correct.

General improvements in Patch 1.1: As the first major update, some “quality of life” improvements have been made. They are meant to make the game feel smoother, offer more options, or simply dampen annoying aspects of the game. These include:

  • The ability to select weapons and artifacts that are “protected” and will not simply be consumed as material when upgrading.
  • A compendium with information about all plants and creatures in the game world.
  • The ability to lock the camera so that it does not automatically rotate or zoom in.
  • Excess XP while leveling weapons will be converted to ores.
  • Characters on expeditions will no longer be blocked for use in the party.
  • A way to convert daily resin into condensed resin. This will allow you to accumulate resin even if you can’t play for a day or two.

Until then, take good care of your account, because some scammers are trying to take over it.

Are you already looking forward to new content, even if it’s just small events? Or are you hoping for the first really big innovations, like completely new areas?

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. reddit.com/r/genshin_impact/
  2. pcgamesn.com

CoD Mobile: Big Halloween Event has started – 4 important new features

Noah Struthoff Noah Struthoff Reading time 3 minutes

Halloween has now started in Call of Duty: Mobile! The developers have released a huge Halloween update that brings numerous new features to weapons, maps, and modes.

What’s new: Last week Season 11 started in CoD Mobile, bringing the biggest content update ever. Now, just a week later, it continues. The Halloween changes will remain active until November 1.

The update may not be as large as the start of the season, but it mainly includes spooky things that are perfect for Halloween.

What changes for Halloween in CoD Mobile

These modes and playlists are new: A lot has changed here, and there are playlists that adapt to Halloween.

Initially, these changes apply to the multiplayer of CoD Mobile and not to the Battle Royale. However, there should also be changes in that mode in the coming days.

Now there is the playlist “Pumpkin Confirmed”. Here you can play the “Kill Confirmed” mode on multiple maps, but with a small twist. The dog tags you collect from eliminated enemies are pumpkins.

While this doesn’t have a real impact on the gameplay, it is a fun adjustment in this mode.

Another returning playlist is “Attack of the Undead”. The rules here are similar to the “Infected” mode in Modern Warfare. There is one player who is a zombie and must infect all other players. On the first attempt, they can use a firearm, but afterwards, there are only melee weapons. If all players are infected or the survivors have held out for a certain time, the round ends.

CoD Mobile Pumpkin Confirmed

New rewards: In addition to this playlist, there is also an event named “Pumpkin Confirmed”. There are a total of 9 tasks that you complete by collecting pumpkins, which are the dog tags, on different maps.

As a reward for completing these tasks, you will receive:

  • Epic Talisman “Pumpkin Smile”
  • Rare weapon DL Q33 “Jack O’Lantern”
  • Rare weapon MSMC “Jack O’Lantern”
  • Rare sticker “Deadlocks”

These maps are coming to CoD Mobile: First, there is a returnee from last Halloween’s event in CoD Mobile. The map “Halloween Standoff” is playable again. You can play various multiplayer modes on it.

On the map, everything is spooky decorated and reminds one of Halloween. The playlist “Halloween Standoff” also returns with the map, by the way. A lot of gameplay awaits you on the Halloween map.

CoD Mobile Standoff Halloween

In addition to Halloween Standoff, the map King is now also available for the first time. It is already known from Modern Warfare, and just like in the console game, you can also duel in CoD Mobile in a gunfight 1v1 there. This map is not designed for larger modes. To match the release, there is also a 24/7 playlist for King.

This weapon is new: Here comes a real bombshell! The NA-45 sniper rifle is coming to CoD Mobile. With this weapon, you shoot explosive ammunition.

Every other shot is explosive and can take out multiple enemies at once if they are standing next to each other.

In return, the “normal” shot of the weapon is not that strong. However, if you land a headshot, the weapon will also kill instantly. It will be interesting to see whether it will belong to the best weapons in CoD Mobile with this combination.

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You will receive the weapon through the seasonal challenge “Elite Marksman”. Alternatively, you can get it through the latest draw. It is named “Thorn Rose”.

There is a lot going on in Call of Duty: Mobile! If you want to get started, you should use these settings:

5 settings you absolutely must activate in CoD Mobile

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

Genshin Impact: The best weapons you don”t have to pay for

Alexander Leitsch Alexander Leitsch Reading time 4 minutes

In Genshin Impact, you obtain many of the strongest weapons and characters through wishes, where luck and real money play a role. We at MeinMMO would like to introduce you to the best weapons for every type that you can earn purely through in-game play.

What types of weapons are these? In a guide, we have already introduced you to the 10 best weapons in Genshin Impact. However, these weapons can only be obtained through wishes, and therefore you need luck and sometimes a lot of real money for the gacha mechanics.

That’s why we want to present to you now 10 weapons that you can obtain entirely without spending money. These can be crafted, earned through the story, or found in chests within the game.

The list was created from personal experience alongside the tier lists from Zillion Gamer and an article from PCGamesN.

Besides weapons, other content also plays a significant role in creating the strongest team:

[toc]

The best one-handed swords

Prototype Rancour: The Prototype Rancour sword is a 4-star weapon and is among the weapons with the highest attack damage in the game (44 damage at level 1). It is particularly useful for characters that focus on melee damage.

Due to its special effect, you receive a 4-6% bonus to the base values of attack and defense per hit – for 6 seconds and with a maximum of 4 stacks.

How do you obtain the weapon? You can easily get the weapon by reaching adventure rank 10 in the game.

Genshin Impact Sword
The player character uses a sword right from the start.

Iron Sting: The 4-star sword is the best choice if your character uses elemental damage. It has less attack damage than Prototype Rancour, but enhances Elemental Mastery.

Additionally, it increases your total damage for 6 seconds after causing elemental damage – up to 2 stacks.

How do you obtain the weapon? You can craft this weapon.

The best two-handed swords

Prototype Aminus: This 4-star two-handed sword has a high base value of 44 attack damage and also a strong passive effect. With each hit, you have a 50% chance to deal additional damage (240% to 480%) to enemies in a small radius around you – cooldown of 30 seconds.

How do you obtain the weapon? You can craft this weapon.

Genshin Impact Claymore Razor
Razor, one of the best characters in the game, uses two-handed swords.

Quartz: Quartz is only a 3-star weapon and has a significantly lower damage of 40 compared to Prototype Aminus. However, the passive effect is useful if you frequently use combos like melt, burn, vaporize, or swirl. Because when the weapon is used for that, it increases the base attack damage for 12 seconds by 20%.

How do you obtain the weapon? Quartz can be found as a 3-star weapon in chests within the game.

The best polearm weapons

Crescent Pike: This polearm weapon has 4 stars and with 44 damage, it is one of the strongest weapons in the game. The passive causes charged attacks to deal additional attack damage for 5 seconds after picking up an elemental orb or particle.

How do you obtain the weapon? You can craft this weapon.

genshin-impact xiangling
The character Xiangling uses polearm weapons and is also one of the most popular in the game.

Prototype Grudge: This 4-star polearm weapon only deals “42” damage. However, damage is increased through normal and charged attacks after using an elemental skill.

How do you obtain the weapon? You can craft this weapon.

The best bows

Prototype Crescent: Bows are the only weapons where there is no alternative with 44 damage without the gacha system. Prototype Crescent is a 4-star weapon and offers 42 base damage. Upon hitting a weak point, you gain 10% additional movement speed.

How do you obtain the weapon? You can craft this weapon.

Genshin Impact Elements Pyro
The character Amber uses the bow for a large fire explosion.

Favonius Warbow: This bow deals only 41 damage but generates 1 elemental orb through critical hits, giving you back 6 energy.

How do you obtain the weapon? The practical thing about this bow is that you receive it while playing through the story – for completing “A long Shot” from the prologue Act 3. This way, you won’t have a lot of effort to get this decent weapon.

The best catalysts

Mappa Mare: With 44 damage, the 4-star catalyst Mappa Mare is among the best in the game. Its passive effect generates additional elemental damage from elemental reactions – for 2 seconds and with a maximum of 2 stacks.

How do you obtain the weapon? You can craft this weapon.

Genshin Impact Catalyst
Lisa uses a catalyst for her abilities.

Prototype Malice: This 4-star weapon is especially suited for supporters. It grants the wielder additional health points and regenerates 4 energy for 6 seconds after an elemental burst. Additionally, team members regenerate 4% of their health points for 2 seconds.

It is perfect for Barbara, one of the strongest 4-star champions in the game.

How do you obtain the weapon? You can craft this weapon.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Zillion Gamer
  2. PCGamesN

A bug suddenly gifted guilds in Black Desert billions of silver – players demand rollback

Andreas Bertits Andreas Bertits Reading time 2 minutes

The MMORPG Black Desert Online (PC, PS4, Xbox One) was plagued by a nasty bug that caused players to accumulate vast amounts of silver. However, the developers’ reaction has not been well received.

What exactly happened? In the MMORPG Black Desert Online, wars over so-called nodes take place. The guild that controls a node receives part of the global tax revenues in the game for a week.

After such a war and the distribution of these tax shares, some guilds on the US server were quite surprised. They unexpectedly received 28,000,000,000,000,000 silver due to a bug – an absurd amount of in-game currency.

https://youtu.be/u1J9fflzdCE

BDO players received vast amounts of silver

What did the guilds do with this money? The guilds distributed billions of silver among the members and subsequently called for new players to join them. New members were attracted with huge amounts of silver.

How did the developers react to this bug? The team behind the MMORPG Black Desert Online is aware of the problem and has already released a statement via Twitter.

https://twitter.com/BDO_News/status/1319223639796027398

The measures that were initiated included:

  • The Central Market was closed.
  • The guild incentive function was turned off.
  • Accounts affected by this issue were suspended for further investigation if deemed necessary.
  • UPDATE: The Web Central Market has now been closed.
  • UPDATE: The central marketplace in the game has been reopened.

What do the players think about this? There is some discontent in the community, as BDO players believe that these measures are not sufficient, as can be read on reddit. There have been calls for a rollback of the servers. The vast amounts of money remain in the game, and it is still impossible to assess the negative impacts this money may have on the economy of the MMORPG.

The value of the currency has already fallen. 300 million silver used to be worth 21 US dollars. In the past few days, it has dropped to only around 9 US dollars. There are fears that the entire market could collapse.

It is still unknown how the developer studio Pearly Abyss will continue to respond to the players’ demands and this situation.

Black Desert among the MMORPGs that are not entirely traditional. If you are interested in this type of game, then check out the list.

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

The host says Xbox fans attacked her so hard that Microsoft fired her

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

Brazilian Isadora Basile started her new job for Xbox Brazil in September and hosted videos there. However, she was continually harassed by the community. Now she has been fired. She claims the harassment played a role. Microsoft denies this, saying she was let go due to a strategy change.

This is what the moderation says: In a statement, Basile shared that she started her new job at Xbox Brazil as a video host in September and was harassed and insulted by all kinds of fans. People said she didn’t play Game X or Y, that she wasn’t “worth” the job. Some even sent death and rape threats.

Due to all this abusive behavior, Microsoft has now decided to let her go so she is no longer exposed to these harassments.

She respects this decision by Microsoft and will still love it just as before.

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In a conversation with the US site Kotaku, she says:

Ultimately, I believe I became too much of a problem.

Isadora Basile

While Xbox Brazil supported her and had a Facebook post taken down that portrayed her as an object, and there are also great people at Microsoft and she felt very comfortable there, ultimately it was probably too much.

Basile says Xbox has now decided to move entirely away from moderators because they do not want to subject anyone to that much hate.

In an interview with “the Enemy”, Basile explains that she feels powerless. She has embraced Xbox in her heart and loves the job. Now, however, she has lost her position because people don’t know how to treat each other with respect.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CEu6ZHkjWyA/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
On Instagram, Isadora Basile has 160,000 followers.

Microsoft says: Dismissal has nothing to do with harassment

This is what Microsoft says: Xbox Brazil denies that Basile was fired because fans were harassing her. Microsoft states:

We do not tolerate harassment or disrespectful behavior of any kind, and we have taken measures to support Isadora when we were notified of personal attacks against her.

Statement from Microsoft

The “changes in the program” that led to the dismissal of the moderator had nothing to do with the harassment against Basile.

They want to focus on a single, global source of information.

More on the topic
27-year-old Twitch streamer is to be imprisoned until she is 57
von Schuhmann

“Fake Gamer Girl” allegations annoy players worldwide

This is how the situation is perceived: In the “resetera” forum, gamers from all over the world are reflecting on this incident. Generally, they are appalled at how toxic the Brazilian community has behaved.

It seems as if they want to have “no women” in gaming and push them away. On resetera, one user says, “Gaming communities have tolerated and cultivated this awful behavior for too long. Sad situation.”

Another user says it is unacceptable that people on Twitter can have a woman fired from her job by claiming she is not a gamer.

The general sentiment is that Microsoft should have taken action against the harassers. With the dismissal, the toxic individuals have achieved their goal, and the victim has been punished twice.

Overall, the story is perceived as “terrible”.

Cattuzzo-Razer
Razer Brazil also fired a streamer.

A year ago, we reported on the case of a Brazilian woman who encountered conflict with gamers and was fired. Gabriela Cattuzzo was an influencer for Razer. A man confronted her on Twitter, saying she could ride him. Cattuzzo resisted this advance, which ultimately led to her dismissal:

Razer parts ways with influencer after “anti-male statement”

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

Head of Far Cry 4 says: “Actually, streamers should pay game developers”

Alexander Leitsch Alexander Leitsch Reading time 3 minutes

In an official statement, Google distances itself from the opinion of the developer’s statement. It says:

The recent tweets by Alex Hutchinson, Creative Director at the Montreal Studio of Stadia Games and Entertainment, do not reflect the opinion of Stadia, YouTube, or Google.

Via 9to5Google

YouTube Lead Ryan Wyatt also emphasized on Twitter that publishers and creators have a good partnership:

https://twitter.com/Fwiz/status/1319378835125628928?

The positive effects that streaming can have are best demonstrated by Among Us. The indie game is thriving 2 years after its release because it became popular on Twitch. The title now regularly makes it into the top 5 on Steam.

However, the fact that publishers do not enforce their rights is seen by some as clear evidence that streaming has a rather positive impact on the games:

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Others believe that Twitch should be held more accountable. Similar to Spotify, the platform should ensure that game developers are paid, after all, Amazon earns a lot with its platform.

Google distances itself from Hutchinson

In an official statement, Google distances itself from the opinion of the developer’s statement. It says:

The recent tweets by Alex Hutchinson, Creative Director at the Montreal Studio of Stadia Games and Entertainment, do not reflect the opinion of Stadia, YouTube, or Google.

Via 9to5Google

YouTube Lead Ryan Wyatt also emphasized on Twitter that publishers and creators have a good partnership:

https://twitter.com/Fwiz/status/1319378835125628928?

The positive effects that streaming can have are best demonstrated by Among Us. The indie game is thriving 2 years after its release because it became popular on Twitch. The title now regularly makes it into the top 5 on Steam.

Alex Hutchinson, the creative lead behind games like Far Cry 4 and Assassin’s Creed 3, has spoken out about the current situation on Twitch. Streamers are currently complaining about the deletion of clips that contained copyrighted music. In his view, the streamers should not complain, as he believes they should actually be paying game developers.

What is it about? For years, some streamers on Twitch have been using music that they play in the background. This was actually against the platform’s rules, but it remained without real consequences for a long time.

However, Twitch is now deleting clips with music and warning the streamers. Until Friday, the streamers have time to independently review their material and delete content.

Hutchinson, whose studio is now part of Google’s Stadia division, believes that streamers should be less worried about the music and much more about the games they showcase daily. After all, they make their money off content they do not pay for.

For his statement, Hutchinson received some positive feedback, but also a lot of criticism. Critics mainly see the streamers as “advertising banners” for the games.

“Should buy licenses, like in any real business”

What exactly does Hutchinson say? In a tweet, the developer states that everything would be over for the streamers if the publishers decided that games could no longer be shown on Twitch.

He believes that streamers should buy a license from the developer to then pay for the usage, just “like it occurs in any real business.”

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In another tweet, he gets even more specific. He sees the streamers as entertainers of a show, while they do not pay for the content shown. He does not consider purchasing the game alone as sufficient.

What are the reactions like? Many believe that Hutchinson ignores two major points in his tweet:

A Twitter user writes that big titles like Minecraft, Fortnite, Fall Guys, and Among Us would never have become as popular as they are today without streams, and he speculates that publishers would rather incur losses through such a license:

Others also criticize that there are many small streamers who could not afford such a license. These restrictions could mean significant changes for the entire streaming culture.

Are there also positive voices? Yes, there are users who partially or even fully agree with the tweet. After all, streaming is often a “legal gray area” – the rights ultimately lie with the developer and publisher.

However, the fact that publishers do not enforce their rights is seen by some as clear evidence that streaming has a rather positive impact on the games:

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Others believe that Twitch should be held more accountable. Similar to Spotify, the platform should ensure that game developers are paid, after all, Amazon earns a lot with its platform.

Google distances itself from Hutchinson

In an official statement, Google distances itself from the opinion of the developer’s statement. It says:

The recent tweets by Alex Hutchinson, Creative Director at the Montreal Studio of Stadia Games and Entertainment, do not reflect the opinion of Stadia, YouTube, or Google.

Via 9to5Google

YouTube Lead Ryan Wyatt also emphasized on Twitter that publishers and creators have a good partnership:

https://twitter.com/Fwiz/status/1319378835125628928?

The positive effects that streaming can have are best demonstrated by Among Us. The indie game is thriving 2 years after its release because it became popular on Twitch. The title now regularly makes it into the top 5 on Steam.

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

After WoW Classic, another PC MMORPG launches a remake, aiming to be “classic”

Andreas Bertits Andreas Bertits Reading time 2 minutes

4Story returns! The MMORPG classic is getting a remake, making it akin to World of Warcraft Classic.

What is 4Story: Three Kingdoms & One Hero? The MMORPG is a remake of the classic from 2008. Everything starts anew, and you won’t have to jump into an online RPG that has been running for 12 years, where it has become difficult to keep up with other players.

The company Zemi Interactive also wants to give 4Story a little fresh energy, similar to how Blizzard did with WoW Classic. The classic aspects will be preserved, but the balancing will be revised. The economy will also start anew.

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A classic returns revamped

What exactly does the MMORPG have to offer? 4Story is defined by a combination of PvE and PvP. Alongside battles against monsters and completing quests, you fight in guild wars against each other and participate in large sieges and conquest battles. You fight for 4 war zones and 12 territories.

  • The focus is on the conflict between the two nations Defugel and Craxion. Defugel opposes magic, which is constantly used in Craxion
  • You can create your character from 3 races and 6 classes.
  • You explore a large open world – on foot or with mounts
  • The world also presents you with challenging battles against gigantic dragons
4Story Screenshot Kampf
4Story was released back in 2008. The remake now gives you a fresh start.

When does the new 4Story start? The servers of the MMORPG are set to open in November. An exact date will be announced later. However, you can register now on the official website and will be notified as soon as it begins.

Additionally, you will receive a war steed as a mount, premium storage space for 90 days, and other in-game items as a thank you.

A launch via Steam is also planned.

What about the original 4Story? 4Story is still playable through Gameforge. The MMORPG is still doing quite well, even though it is around 12 years old.

You can choose whether you prefer to play the original 4Story or the remake 4Story: Three Kingdoms & One Hero.

4Story is a somewhat older MMORPG. If you want to know which classics are still being played today, you can read about it in our list “8 old MMORPGs that are still being played“.

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

PS5 launches without one of the most important streaming apps at release

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 2 minutes

Sony has explained which streaming services are officially supported by the PS5. One important service is currently not included.

Which important streaming app is missing? Sony has explained that there will be no Amazon Prime Video available on the PlayStation 5 at launch. Therefore, those who primarily stream their series and movies via Amazon will have to wait some time. Sony stated this in the official PlayStation blog.

PS5 release starts without Amazon Prime Video

Why is the service missing? Sony did not explain in its official blog why the service is absent.

However, Sony also mentioned that they want to continuously expand the offering even after the release. More services will follow – including Amazon Prime Video.

Amazon Prime Video: Movies and Channels available
Amazon Prime Video will not be available at the PS5 launch

PS5 release – these streaming apps are available at launch

The PlayStation 5 is not only for gamers, but also a multimedia platform: There are plenty of fans who want to watch movies and series through their current PlayStation 4 and soon stream via their PlayStation 5.

Several important streaming and entertainment apps are already supported by the PlayStation 5 at launch. The following services can be used directly through your console:

  • Apple TV
  • Disney+
  • Netflix
  • Spotify
  • Twitch
  • YouTube

This is how you can access the services: Sony demonstrated during the presentation of the PS5 user interface how you can directly access your media. You can find your movies and music directly on the home screen next to the games.

However, be aware that you need an internet connection and a PlayStation Network account to access the streaming services. With the official PS5 remote control, you can also directly operate four services. This also works with the PS5 DualSense controller. Meanwhile, we also know which games support the new features of the DualSense controller.

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The new Duel mode is the best that Hearthstone has to offer

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 4 minutes

The new Hearthstone mode “Duels” is live in early access. At least Cortyn is very enthusiastic, as “Duels” combines many strengths of the game.

Hearthstone has not only announced the new expansion “Darkmoon Madness” but has also concurrently introduced a new game mode. At least pre-orderers can already take a look at the new “Duels” mode. We’ve checked it out and will reveal what the new mode has to offer.

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What is the Duels mode? A new competitive game mode that joins Arena and Battlegrounds. Thus, it is the third “alternative” game mode to classic Hearthstone matches. In short, the mode is a combination of self-created decks, an arena run, and various dungeon modes that players know from single-player.

This is how the Duels mode works: At the beginning, you choose one of four heroes, then one of three hero abilities, and finally a treasure with which your deck starts. For the Mage, for example, it’s a wand that increases the damage of the hero ability by 1 as long as it is equipped. Lastly, you assemble a mini-deck from your own collection. You may only select 15 cards, and no card may appear twice.

Hearthstone Duels Gameplay 2
With a small deck, you start.

After a match, you will receive several sets of three cards each to choose from, which you can add to your deck. Every few rounds, there are also a few treasures that you can also claim to make your deck even stronger.

The treasures are precisely these “overpowered” treasures from the adventures that you are currently thinking of. For example, there is:

  • the cloak that permanently grants +1 spell damage
  • the rune that reduces the mana cost of all spells by 1
  • the clock that doubles the effect of the first spell cast each turn

The possible combinations are pretty crazy and make a big part of the fun – especially when you build such a combo yourself.

The principle works like in the arena. After the third defeat, you are eliminated, or after the twelfth victory, you have reached the maximum number of wins.

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Hero abilities are crazier: The hero abilities are also a bit wackier. For example, the female Mage can – like other Mages – deal 1 damage for 2 mana. However, if she kills a minion with it, she summons a new Mana Wyrm.

This creates new tactical elements because it can be quite worthwhile to kill your own minion to gain a Mana Wyrm. At the same time, you have to be careful with enemy Mages to ensure that minions never remain with only one health to avoid serving the enemy a Mana Wyrm on a silver platter.

Are there rewards? Currently, there are no rewards in this mode (apart from a quest line). However, you can already see a “heroic” mode. This will presumably have a gold prize and then offer rewards similar to the arena. Details about this are still missing.

At this point, you only play for fun and to increase your ranking. Because the “Duels” mode uses the same formula for determining your performance as the Battlegrounds mode did.

But even in this mode you should never give up – because something unexpected can always happen through the treasures.

Hearthstone Duels Gameplay
A spell like this – also a powerful treasure.

Can you play the Duels mode already? Yes. Anyone who pre-orders one of the two packages of the upcoming expansion “The Darkmoon Madness” can already access the Duels mode. Whether you pre-order the “cheap” package for €45 or go for the more expensive variant for €80 is irrelevant.

All other players can play and try out the Duels mode starting November 12.

However, keep in mind that early access is somewhat like a beta test. Not all abilities and treasures are available yet, so the possibilities are still limited.

The best thing that could happen to Hearthstone

The Duels mode of Hearthstone is the game mode that I never knew I needed and now can’t live without. It combines the most interesting features from the PvE dungeon runs with the exciting battles that one experiences against other players. The treasures provide absurd combinations that would never be possible in regular play.

If the developers shape this mode just as well as early access already hints, then I will spend countless hours in it.

That’s exactly the kind of “crazy fun” that I appreciate about Hearthstone. More of that, please.

ask meinmmo cortyn

Cortyn Nightshade
Card Demon from MeinMMO

Are you looking forward to the new Duels mode? Have you already tried it out? What is your opinion?

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3 new events that make November great in Pokémon GO

Noah Struthoff Noah Struthoff Reading time 3 minutes

In Pokémon GO the first events for November 2020 are known. There are new raid bosses, spotlight hours, and a research breakthrough. We show you the highlights.

This is what happened: The month is coming to an end, and Niantic has already provided a glimpse into November. Exciting raid bosses and spotlight hours will await us again.

To make sure you know which events are particularly exciting, we show you what new features are worth checking out.

New Raid Bosses in November

These are the new bosses: The raid bosses will change 4 times. So far, the following dates are known:

  • From October 23 at 10:00 PM to November 5 at 10:00 PM, Darkrai will appear in the raids as part of the Halloween event.
  • From November 5 at 10:00 PM until November 16 at 10:00 PM, a well-known Pokémon will return to raid battles – no detailed information is available yet.
  • From November 16 at 10:00 PM until November 24 at 10:00 PM, you can challenge Terrakion, Kobalion, and Virizion in raid battles.
  • From November 24 at 10:00 PM until November 30, 2020, at 10:00 PM, more Pokémon will return to level 5 raids – further information will follow.
Darkrai Raids

This is the highlight: The return of Darkrai is of course good, as it is the best dark attacker in Pokémon GO. Plus, you can still catch it as a shiny. Those who don’t have it should make use of the opportunity.

However, it must also be said that not all raid bosses are known yet. It is possible that a really strong monster is hiding among the “known Pokémon” that are returning. So be sure to keep an eye on that.

All Spotlight Hours in November

These are the spotlight hours: Every Tuesday, there will be a spotlight hour in Pokémon GO again. All Pokémon and bonuses are already known:

  • Tuesday, November 3: Everything revolves around Tragosso and you will receive double star dust for catching Pokémon.
  • Tuesday, November 10: Pummeluff is in the spotlight, and there are double XP for catching Pokémon.
  • Tuesday, November 17: Mauzi is the event Pokémon here, and you will get double candies for catching Pokémon.
  • Tuesday, November 24: Schmerbe appears more frequently, and you will get double candies for sending Pokémon.
Spotlight Hour

This is the highlight: All 4 spotlight hours bring Pokémon that can be shiny. Which trainer is missing which shiny will determine which spotlight hour is the best.

From the bonuses perspective, the spotlight hour with Tragosso is the strongest. There you get double star dust, which is the most important resource in the game.

Research Breakthrough with Togetic

This is the breakthrough in November: From November 1 at 10:00 PM German time until December 1 at 10:00 PM, Togetic will be available in the research breakthrough.

Is it worth it? If you already have enough candies from Togepi, you probably won’t be overly excited. However, Togekiss, the evolution of Togepi, is especially a strong Pokémon in the PvP League.

Pokemon GO Togetic Title

2 More Highlights in November

New Limited Research: In November there will also be new limited research. They will take place on November 28. Which Pokémon will be in the spotlight there is still unclear.

So far, there have always been good chances of a shiny. So we can hope again this time that more shinies will appear.

More Info About Your Pokémon: In November, Pokémon GO will also release more details about already caught Pokémon. You will soon see how Pokémon were caught.

There will be details about the raid where you got a legendary Pokémon or information if you obtained a monster through PvP or a screenshot.

So you will be able to reminisce even more as you scroll through your old monsters.

Before the events in November start, there is also the big Halloween event 2020. With a bit of luck, we could look forward to new ghosts:

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

CoD Warzone: Whatever you do, just leave the scarecrows alone

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 2 minutes

In Call of Duty: Warzone appear spooky scarecrows everywhere in Verdansk for Halloween. They look eerie at you, and those who hit them quickly regret it. Read here on MeinMMO how you should not deal with these creepy characters.

What’s up with the scarecrows? Since the big Halloween update in Season 6 of Call of Duty: Warzone, strange scarecrows have appeared all over the area of Verdansk. At first glance, they seem like creepy decorations meant to make the abandoned ghost town even spookier.

However, a daring player took on the scarecrows and paid for his bravery with his life!

Deadly scarecrows as a nasty gag from the developers

What happens when you attack the scarecrows? Reddit user VValkyr wanted to know. The scarecrows that look eerily back at you were apparently getting on his nerves. So he took courage, approached the scarecrow, and spitefully smashed its rifle butt into its straw face.

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Once, twice, three times – nothing happened. But on the fourth hit, suddenly there was a boom! A massive explosion came from the scarecrow and tore apart poor VValkyr before he could even respond. The scarecrow, however, remained intact and awaited its next victim with malicious intent.

Developer is amused: VValkyr likely wanted to warn other players about his gruesome fate as a scarecrow victim and posted a clip of it on reddit. Curiously, David Mickner, one of the multiplayer designers from developer Infinity Ward, chimed in. He apparently implemented this explosive gag and was just gleefully waiting for someone to finally try it and blow themselves up by mistreating scarecrows.

This is how the exploding scarecrows work: After VValkyr’s report, several players tried it out. Their findings, mostly gained at the cost of their lives, are:

  • The scarecrows apparently take 350 damage before they explode
  • They are not destroyed upon explosion
  • The explosion only affects the trigger
  • Scarecrows can only be effectively attacked from a distance of 6 meters

So you can’t just shoot a scarecrow from a safe distance and hope that it blows up the enemies nearby. The scarecrow’s revenge is always highly personal!

If you find the new scarecrows in Call of Duty: Warzone cool and would like more spooky Halloween stuff available, check out our article on the Halloween event in CoD: Warzone to find out what else is available. Have fun!

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

New Survival MMO launches this year, here is what makes it interesting

Andreas Bertits Andreas Bertits Reading time 2 minutes

This year we are supposed to get a new survival MMO. Tree of Life: Oddria is a continuation of a sandbox MMO available on Steam.

What is Tree of Life: Oddria? In 2017, the sandbox MMO Tree of Life launched via Steam with funny comic graphics. However, the game did not do well. Player numbers remained very low and the ratings were not particularly good either.

Subsequently, the development team considered how to proceed. The idea for Oddria was born. A MOBA where two teams of three face each other and fight against one another. However, this title was not further developed. Instead, the idea of a survival MMO emerged, which received the title Tree of Life: Oddria.

Essentially, it is a continuation of the first Tree of Life. You are again in a sandbox world, but this time the focus is on survival elements.

  • You search the world for resources
  • You craft your own equipment
  • You build a shelter and even a large base with friends
  • There are many dangers lurking in the game world, including wild beasts
  • On PvP servers, you also fight against other players
  • There are monster camps you can attack, including battles against boss monsters
Tree of Life Oddria Screenshot 1
Tree of Life: Oddria is a survival game in a large sandbox world.

Tree of Life: Oddria aims to improve everything

What is special about Tree of Life: Oddria? If you play on a PvP server, it is even possible to raid, besiege, and completely conquer the bases of other players. This leads to exciting and tactical wars between player factions.

Why does Tree of Life get a sequel? The developers admit that the MMO did not perform as well as hoped. In their opinion, this was partly due to the mixing of PvE and PvP.

With Tree of Life: Oddria, that is supposed to change. Because you can decide whether you want to play on a PvE or PvP server.

When will the MMO be released? The release is planned for this year. However, it is unclear whether it will start as an early access game or get a proper release directly.

What payment model will the game have? It is still unclear whether Tree of Life: Oddria will be released as a buy-to-play or free-to-play game. However, cosmetic items are planned that you can purchase in a store.

Do you enjoy survival games? Then you might find a title you like in the MeinMMO list “The 23 Best Survival Games 2020 for PS4, Xbox, and PC.”

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. MassivelyOP
  2. Steam
  3. MMORPG.org.pl