Twitch has banned German streamer “MariaCataleya”. The reason for this is alleged racist symbols in her stream. The ban was triggered by a light strip. Now Twitch quickly backtracked.
This is what happened: The streamer “MariaCataleya” has over 63,000 followers on Twitch and shows mixed content there. She was banned by Twitch on September 21.
In her Instagram story, she mentioned that the reason for the ban from Twitch was the spread of “malicious symbols.” She clarified that someone mistook her Nanoleafs, i.e., her colorful decorative light in the background, for swastikas.
The lights in question are the ones that keep changing color. If you look closely, you can discern the shape of a swastika there.
Twitch had enough and pulled out the banhammer. MariaCataleya was permanently banned from Twitch – she could never return to the platform.
Is she still banned? No, the streamer has appealed the ban and was successful. In the meantime, she is no longer banned and has already streamed on Twitch again.
However, in her last Twitch stream, the Nanoleafs were not visible anymore.
This is the situation with Twitch and the bans: Time and again, Twitch is criticized for not being able to enforce bans properly. Either streamers are not banned who many viewers believe deserve it, or there are bans like this one, which were not really well-founded.
There have already been significant discussions about nudity on Twitch. The streaming platform has already explained in detail what is allowed on Twitch and what is not. However, the guidelines on this issue seem not to be very precise.
This ban was even so controversial because other streamers use the same Nanoleafs without receiving any punishment from Twitch. There are numerous examples of this on Twitter.
He received a ban of over a month: MontanaBlack
Here is another ban: Another Twitch ban that caused a lot of attention is that of MontanaBlack. He was banned for 33 days on Twitch for chasing women during a livestream and commenting on their appearance while making grunting noises.
Here, too, there was criticism of Twitch. The ban only occurred after loud criticism from viewers and many people believe that the streamer should have been banned for longer.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The American Ali “Myth” Kabbani (21) is currently one of the biggest streamers on Twitch. His career began when he was thought of as a kind of “Fortnite God” in 2017. Those times are long gone. Today he says: He was pretty bad at Fortnite. Nevertheless, he is currently one of the biggest streamers in the world.
How was Fortnite in the beginning? Fortnite Battle Royale launched in September 2017. At that time, nobody really had the game on their radar. It was considered a leftover of a failed co-op game and quite a blatant copy of PUBG, as many thought back then. PUBG even sued Epic.
However, some streamers recognized the potential of Fortnite early and began showcasing it on Twitch:
The player Ninja actually came from popular battle royale games like H1Z1 and PUBG – originally he was a Halo player
The now-popular Tfue originally started with Destiny before switching to H1Z1 and later Fortnite
Today, the three are at the absolute top of Twitch and entertain tens of thousands of viewers on average: Back then, hardly anyone watched them.
Tfue and Ninja are number 1 and 2 on Twitch. It all started in 2017 with Fortnite.
Myth was the first to build properly in Fortnite
The overall skill level in Fortnite back then was low. Many players tried the game for the first time in 2017, having no idea how to build or play properly.
Therefore, players like Ninja or Myth were able to dominate a lobby. They could kill “countless normal” players and were regarded by their viewers as Fortnite gods.
The young Myth earned a reputation during this early phase as a “Fortnite God” because no one dominated the building system like he did. He methodically advanced step by step and was able to win games cleverly.
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While Ninja relied more on pure shooter skills, Myth was considered “innovative” and “clever” – he played Fortnite like no one else. He became the team captain of Team SoloMid, a major US esports team.
Younger pros are overrunning Fortnite and replacing the streamers
Here’s how Myth’s journey continued: This phase of “dominant streamers” like Myth and Ninja ended relatively quickly.
By 2018, more and more pro players were joining Fortnite, especially younger players who were faster and approached the Fortnite project more efficiently.
They played not for the show and for the viewers but effectively to win. They trained specific building sequences in creative mode, worked on their paths in the game, and methodically invested time to get better.
The World Cup was won by Bugha, who was significantly younger than Myth.
Players like Myth were unable to win anything at the first tournaments: This disappointed their fans. Myth quickly lost his charm and seemed surprisingly beatable.
Others might have broken at that point, but Myth grew stronger.
He then changed his program: At a certain point, he was no longer a “Fortnite God”, but people liked him because they found him genuinely funny.
He appeared relaxed and easygoing, doing really good impersonations of streamers like xQc and has successfully provided viewers with a place where they can relax and laugh.
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Today, Myth with 6.8 million followers is the fourth largest streamer on Twitch after Ninja, Tfue, and shroud. He only plays Fortnite occasionally now.
Myth has a quirky sense of humor.
His fans also appreciate that Myth is a bit playful and sometimes goes off the rails. He has also done some provocative things. In a clip, he showed himself in a bathtub filled with money and asked viewers to support him with the free Twitch Prime subscription.
He ironically addressed the fact that streamers are people who become rich by receiving donations from those who have much less than they do:
The closed beta of FIFA 21 was the first opportunity to take a look at the new FIFA installment. EA Sports has now published a blog post detailing what they want to change based on the feedback. And there are quite a few points to address.
This is what EA Sports says about the FIFA 21 Beta: As EA Sports emphasizes, a lot of things will be adjusted even before the release of FIFA 21. These adjustments are based on player feedback and affect both gameplay and menu navigation in the different modes.
EA emphasizes that they have listened to feedback from both elite players and casual players. Here you will find an overview of all the changes that will be made based on the criticism from the beta testers.
[toc]
Pitch Notes show the beta changes for FIFA 21
In the Pitch Notes, EA Sports addresses the changes that you can expect in the final game compared to the beta. The first section focuses on pure gameplay aspects. Here you can find by the way all gameplay innovations.
7 changes to FIFA 21 gameplay
This is changing in gameplay:
According to EA, it was criticized that opponents often received the ball back directly, even though they had been successfully tackled. This should now happen less frequently.
The dribbling has been slightly improved, especially for weaker dribblers, as some players felt too slow with the ball at their feet.
Certain types of crosses, such as sharply struck flat crosses, have been slightly slowed down. Especially for players who have weaknesses in crosses.
Some animations took too long, which is why the reaction speed of certain shots and passes has been increased in various situations. EA mentioned that there may be further adjustments in the future.
Players without good vision and strong passing attributes were still too effective with through balls. These values should now have a stronger impact when they are low.
The crosses were a bit too strong and attackers were not well covered. This should improve.
The referee too often called fouls, even in light collisions. This will also be improved.
5 changes in FIFA 21 Career
This is changing in career: EA emphasizes that the career mode is particularly important in FIFA 21. Particularly in recent years, there has often been criticism. Therefore, the points listed are only part of what they have learned from the beta. It is quite possible that they will be added to. You can find our career mode test here.
The changes are intended to make your career as a manager run more smoothly
So far, the following changes have been made:
To simulate a training session, players previously had to go to the training hub. The simulation can now, however, be carried out directly from the training days menu – the path will be shorter, saving a menu jump.
Some manager objectives were unrealistic or were incorrectly marked as completed, which has been corrected.
You could not influence the weather in the match. This is now possible.
In player career, there were times when you were selected by the coach but could not play. A bug that has been fixed.
Certain menu elements reacted too slowly and have been sped up.
6 changes to Ultimate Team
This is changing in FUT:
The transfer market menu was too slow in some places and should now run more smoothly.
The main menu is also expected to feel more responsive.
In return, you could too easily accidentally land in the stadium menu or the squad screen, even though you did not want to go there. Here, the quick access has been slowed down.
FUT events were too difficult to find, and rewards and objectives were too unclear. All three should now be easier to find.
Chemistry styles have been rebalanced.
SBCs and live FUT friendly matches were not clearly found in the menu. EA also improved this.
In the new Volta stadium, players were apparently hard to see
This is changing in Volta:
Players reportedly had difficulty distinguishing between themselves and their opponents in some modes. This should now be more clearly recognizable.
The texture of the new Volta stadium made it difficult to recognize the gameplay. This will be improved.
There were too few options for players to customize their avatar. These should double at launch and continue to grow throughout the year.
Players wanted to place several of the new Groundbreakers in their team. This was apparently not possible so far and will be improved.
In Featured Battles, the milestones needed to obtain Groundbreakers have been lowered. This should make these players easier to obtain.
There are now 6 instead of 8 divisions in Volta Squads to improve matchmaking. Additionally, rewards have been improved.
Instead of 2 challenge ladders in Volta, there are now 5 at launch.
2 changes in Pro Clubs
This is changing in Pro Clubs: The changes in Pro Clubs are rather limited.
Players could not select the CM position for their Pro. This is now available with its own skill set, after previously only CAM and CDM were available.
Some positions like CB and CAM/CDM lacked sufficient speed. This has been adjusted.
If you haven’t had a chance to play the beta yet, you won’t have to wait much longer for the new game. The release is coming soon, and here you can find out how to play FIFA 21 even earlier.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Pokémon GO made the first announcements about the Halloween event 2020, and this year the event could become particularly important.
This was announced: Around the announcement for the events in October, there were also initial hints about the Halloween event. So far, it has been revealed:
An as-yet-unknown raid boss will be available during this time.
This was known from the last years: The Halloween event has been taking place every year since 2016. It was the first event ever in Pokémon GO and has brought the following contents since then:
Every year there were double candies for many activities.
Ghost Pokémon and other spooky monsters appeared more frequently.
Since 2017, Niantic has been bringing the ghost Pokémon of the corresponding generation back into the game.
Moreover, one could expect a return of the costumed Pokémon. In 2019, the 4 starters from Gen 1 were introduced with costumes. They could celebrate their return in 2020.
The double candies on almost all actions seem almost certain. They have been present in every Halloween event so far and fit perfectly with Halloween (trick or treat).
We may also encounter Makabaja again. This Pokémon first appeared during Halloween in 2019 and then disappeared from the game.
What can be said about the special research? It is questionable whether the research with Kryppuk will actually return. After all, Niantic has also announced the special research with Mega Gengar. They would have to implement two such researches.
What kind of raid boss could come? In 2019, it was Darkrai that debuted. It could come back this year, as it is a strong monster and can also be Shiny.
However, it could also be a completely new legendary Pokémon. However, the selection is limited, as there is really no previously unreleased Pokémon that fits for that.
Darkrai would be a candidate for the raids at Halloween.
It could be really big
Why should it be good? Currently, Pokémon GO is in a little drought phase. The Mega Evolutions were not well received, and in September there were 3 Mega events that also did not generate much excitement.
One longs for a really good event again, and Halloween is perfect for that.
The best event of the year? If Niantic actually brings new Pokémon, has a surprising raid boss up their sleeve, and implements strong bonuses, then Halloween could become the big highlight of 2020.
The GO Fest was really strong for many players, but there was also criticism. The shiny rates were said to be too low, and the advantage of having purchased a ticket did not seem that significant. There was improvement potential here.
This is certain: Niantic has to deliver now, as they have upset trainers with their last major feature, the megas. A good Halloween event would certainly be a good start for reconciliation.
Until the start of the Halloween event, you can still challenge 3 other legendaries. We will show you which of them are worth it.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Destiny 2, you have a new enemy in Beyond Light: the weather. On Europa, you can expect light snow flurries and raging blizzards.
This is what dynamic weather is all about: With the launch of the Beyond Light expansion, Destiny 2 will receive a dynamic weather system on November 10th. Bungie aims to set the new location Europa apart from other areas.
There can be sudden storms and snow flurries that obscure your vision. These storms vary in intensity. They are meant to make the ice moon unpredictable, giving you the feeling of exploring a harsh, treacherous frontier.
This is a novelty; until now, Destiny 2 only boasted a fancy skybox, which was rather static.
Weather Conditions on Europa in Beyond Light
1. Weather condition: Clear skies, no breeze, ideal for skiing – Essentially just like what we’re used to from other locations
2. Weather condition: A storm is brewing – The sky darkens, and snow falls around you
3. Weather condition: You are in the middle of a blizzard – The wind roars loudly, you can hardly see your hand in front of your face, and your orientation is severely limited
This is what the same area looks like under different weather conditions:
The storms should be this mean: Bungie shares a bit about the new weather system: Originally, a snowstorm was planned to significantly slow down players. There were experiments with altering the trajectories of thrown grenades, and during development, a gust of wind could even knock players off their Sparrows.
However, in the final version, Europa will be less harsh.
With schadenfreude, it is said that just because it’s stormy around your Guardians and you don’t know where you are, the other threats don’t disappear. The Fallen and Vex will still have you in their sights even in the blizzard. Fortunately, you can rely on thermal scopes.
In the Beyond Light trailer, the weather may be quite nice, but the Guardian is equipped with a thermal scope:
How does the storm sound? In addition to the new weather conditions, a new sound system has been implemented. Inspiration for the sounds was reportedly drawn from harbor seals in the Arctic.
If you want a sample for your ears, you can listen here to how a snowstorm sounds in Beyond Light:
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The Xbox Series X has been able to collect quite a few points in the console battle over the past few weeks. MeinMMO author Maik Schneider, however, believes that it won’t be enough and already sees the PlayStation 5 as the clear winner.
For nearly 20 years, I’ve spent most of my free time on a console. During that time, I’ve at least gained a bit of maturity. Initially, I was a strong advocate for the PlayStation in the console war, but that has changed over the years, and now I also play a lot on PC and can even imagine buying an Xbox Series X. In the battle between the two consoles, I no longer see a conflict of two ideologies, but rather high-tech products that are in a financial competition with each other.
At MeinMMO, I’m actually not responsible for consumer electronics. Normally, I deal with broader topics, such as the best weapons of Call of Duty: Warzone or I’m excited about new features in FIFA. But last week, an article from my colleague Leya Jankowski came out that I had to think about for a long time:
I’ve turned it over and over. I understand the arguments. I get how great the Game Pass is and how many games you can get for so little money. But I still find it hard to understand the decision to switch from PS5 to Xbox Series X.
In my opinion, the PlayStation is already clearly ahead.
Xbox vs. PlayStation – The battle is entering the next round.
I’m referring only to the two competing products PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X / S. When looking at the ecosystems of the two consoles and how Microsoft is currently launching with the Game Pass, my assessment wouldn’t be so clear-cut. But here we are talking about the pure sales figures of the consoles.
Microsoft understands the PC market – Weakness in console marketing
Why will the PS5 win? Even though the Series X is currently doing well – I think the Xbox lacks a clear profile, as well as a real strategy to win over its customers to surpass the PlayStation. I base this statement on 2 points:
Focus on the Xbox Pass dilutes console profile
The better starting position of the PlayStation
Xbox Series X is actually just an appendage for the Game Pass
Why does the focus on the Game Pass bother? Here you can do the self-test. When you think of the Xbox Series X / S, what comes to mind first? High performance? The extensive backward compatibility? The chic look? For me, it’s the Xbox Game Pass.
So I don’t actually want the console, but I want to use the cheap pass as efficiently as possible. This reduces the Xbox Series X / S from a replacement for the PlayStation to a complementary good. These are goods that are often requested together, like vehicles & gasoline. But the Xbox does not take the dominant position of the vehicle but settles for the subordinate role of gasoline.
In contrast, the PlayStation clearly addresses console gamers and focuses on exclusivity. The Xbox should at least offer one of those, otherwise it remains too bland for me to compete on equal footing with the PS5. I’d rather get the Xbox Game Pass for PC and enjoy the PlayStation experience on the couch.
The Series X already looks like a PC tower – so why not just play on the PC?
Large customer base strengthens the position of PlayStation
Why does PlayStation have the better starting position? So far, Sony consoles have always been able to perform better than Microsoft’s counterpart at the end, and that is why the PS5 already has an advantage at launch. Part of that includes players who no longer need to be convinced of the benefits of the new console:
Sony had nearly 110 million sold PS4s at the beginning of August 2020 (via GamesWirtschaft.de)
Microsoft does not publish the sales figures for the Xbox One. Estimates from the end of June 2020 speak of 51 million sales (via Ampere Analysis)
Over the last 25 years, Sony has built a large PlayStation player base that now has little interest in any of the Microsoft consoles. I felt the same when the PS4 came out. At that time, I didn’t even look at the specifications and features of the Xbox One. For me, it was clear from the start: It had to be the PS4.
Today, I look more closely at both consoles, but I also pay attention to my immediate surroundings. Many of my gamer friends are on PlayStation, and my closest friends supported me during the chaotic pre-ordering of the PS5, just as I did for them. In addition, I dislike the thought of leaving behind my nearly 5,000 trophies/achievements. Here are still real gems from the PS3 era that I fondly remember.
The Xbox has its “devotees” as well, but the PlayStation’s base is larger, so Sony enters the race with a significant lead.
If you are still unsure which console is right for you, then check out our special where we directly compare the two powerhouses:
Xbox not without chance, just currently at a disadvantage
Why could it still go well for Xbox? There are also many advantages for the Xbox. The starting positions differ significantly compared to the last generation release.
Manufacturer Microsoft has proven in recent years that they want to be pioneers in the market and no longer let themselves be driven by PlayStation. They are doing more of their own thing and letting the Japanese cousin react instead of having to react to Sony’s announcements themselves.
I think Xbox has learned from this and no longer directly confronts its “opponent,” but rather takes a passive-aggressive approach – they make strong announcements and offer players many advantages without stepping too much into competition with PlayStation. So far, this game has worked well, and Sony is now in the position of having to deliver:
Microsoft announces a low price for the Xbox Series X – Rumor has it that Sony subsequently lowered the PlayStation price
Here I get the feeling that Sony has fallen a bit behind. Through short-sighted decisions, the PlayStation brand could potentially lose its value and its image could suffer. Already, exclusive partnerships with games that also run on other platforms are a contentious point, leading to much excitement and sometimes even hatred.
In such seemingly “minor details,” Sony should be careful not to close itself off to certain user groups. Exclusive titles are one thing. But withholding content from players of games simply because they play on a different platform I find borderline.
A study by Innofact AG from 2018 indicates that a large portion of gamers in Germany either play only on the computer (42%) or on computers and a console (48%). Only 10% of participants referred to themselves as pure console gamers. A large field of potential customers that could be annoyed by such “minor details.” The numbers speak for the Game Pass, which is already enjoying great success due to the significant share of PC gamers (90%) and its current attractiveness.
Everything that currently makes the Xbox weaker, in my opinion, hinges solely on Sony’s image. If customers get the feeling in the medium term that they make a worse deal with Sony because their strategy tends to close off the gaming market while Microsoft and Xbox stand for an opening of the gaming market, it could be tight for PlayStation.
But Microsoft also has to be careful here. The company has previously profiled itself through its market-dominating position and often demonstrated with Windows how to exploit a market. The purchase of Bethesda’s parent company ZeniMax for $7.5 billion could lead to more openness in the short term. However, it must still be shown how serious Microsoft and Xbox are about their “Gaming for All” strategy.
They might swing to an exclusivity strategy like Sony, and the starting position in the next console war would be quite different. Here, one must wait for the development to make a sustainable assessment. MeinMMO colleague Benedict Grothaus thinks anyway that the purchase of ZeniMax is particularly a reason to cheer for Fallout fans.
Without Xbox, PlayStation could do whatever it wants
I even wish for better outcomes for Xbox: Competition invigorates business. Who knows how expensive the PlayStation consoles would be by now if there were no rival Xbox.
That’s why I actually like the approach Xbox is currently taking. They let themselves be dictated less by Sony about what their console should do better than the PlayStation, but instead offer a clear, attractive proposition for many gamers – one that I even use myself.
I think that Sony will react to the announcements of the past weeks and perhaps as a reaction also further improve the PS Plus offer or provide something else that can keep up with the strong Xbox Game Pass.
Battle of the tech giants – I bet on the PlayStation 5.
Conclusion: The Xbox Series X / S lacks appeal
The Xbox pursues a clearly differentiated strategy from PlayStation and sees itself more as a small puzzle piece of an offering that is much larger than the console itself. Sony, on the other hand, clearly states: Buy the console and benefit from the advantages. You can even see the self-perception in the reveal trailers:
The Xbox reveal trailer lasts 1:53 minutes, has a clear focus on graphics and shows the console for only 13 seconds – 12%
The PlayStation trailer runs 3:10 and shows 1:20 minutes of just the console – 42%
These short videos are fully choreographed, and the creators knew exactly what they wanted to convey to the viewers.
Due to the lack of focus, the Xbox Series X appears gray to me, devoid of emotions and without appeal. A cool calculator may come to a different conclusion when evaluating both consoles. But with prices of several hundred euros, I expect a good story about the product as a buyer today – preferably one that I can identify with.
This is similar to the vehicle market – a strong brand like Porsche can demand higher prices because their product stands for something that nearly everyone knows and drives past in their expensive car. But in the console market, the Porsche is offered for the same price as a technically equivalent VW. So which console do I reach for – Porsche, uh, PlayStation, correct.
I don’t particularly find the PS5 pretty, but it will still win.
The strong image together with the superior user base of PlayStation is what I consider the strongest weapons in the battle of consoles. Xbox, on the other hand, relies on its tag team with the Game Pass and the Microsoft ecosystem. I am curious to see how the battle unfolds. But I’ve already placed my bet confidently. Because although the Game Pass offers a strong deal for Xbox, I want a console that convinces on its own and isn’t just a high-tech dust collector that serves merely as a means to the end of the Xbox Game Pass.
Sorry Xbox – it looks much better, but currently, I think the PS5 will beat you again.
Here you can find more opinions on the topic of the console war, which is currently hotly debated:
Analysts at Ampere Analysis see PlayStation in front, but especially the ZeniMax acquisition could give Xbox the needed momentum (via Ampere Analysis in English)
GameStar also sees the two competitors as mostly equal. In a YouTube video, they explain that the market will decide – for Xbox & Game Pass or PlayStation & exclusivity
Where do you see the two consoles? Do you also believe that PlayStation can assert itself again, or do you see Xbox on par with or even ahead of PlayStation due to recent events?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Today marked the second round of pre-orders for the PlayStation 5. However, those who hoped it would go better than the chaotic first time were likely disappointed. The demand was enormous once again, and the situation almost resembles that around toilet paper at the beginning of the Corona pandemic.
Wait, toilet paper and PS5? Do you remember when the Corona pandemic was really starting to flare up? How supermarkets and pharmacies were emptied? How people stood in front of empty toilet paper shelves or argued at the checkout?
The pre-orders for the PlayStation 5, where the second wave started and quickly ended today, strongly resemble that. Because here too, just like months ago, there is fighting over supplies, rationing, and despite everything, people are hoarding and selling at exorbitant prices on eBay.
It had already become clear that it could be tight and the PS5 could sell out. But that it would happen so quickly? And who would have thought that Sony’s new next-gen console would become the new toilet paper?
2nd Pre-order Wave: All dressed up, but it didn’t help
This is how the second wave of PS5 pre-orders went: While the second wave was initiated in a slightly more orderly fashion compared to the first, it quickly turned into chaos just likethe first one did.
Sony announced days ago that supplies could be expected. Yesterday, some retailers like MediaMarkt and Otto had already announced via Twitter that the second wave would start this morning. Players and interested parties had more time than the first time when the new pre-orders were announced.
However, the process of the second wave ultimately did not really differ from the first time. At Otto, pre-orders were announced between 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM but started earlier. At Amazon, it went so fast that many didn’t even notice the start and that it was all over again – within minutes. Activated notifications were essentially useless for many and did not reach everyone.
This is how it quickly looked after the start
Additionally, there were technical problems again. Whether at MediaMarkt, Saturn, or Otto – the pages were quickly overloaded or even inaccessible. Orders were mass canceled in the shopping cart or during the payment process. Some managed to place an order, but no charge was made, and no confirmation email arrived. Then the PS5 was quickly sold out there too, and only a few interested parties managed to secure a console.
In short: Although the earlier announcement initially made today go slightly more orderly, many interested parties still ended up empty-handed (bringing us back to toilet paper). Either the technology failed, or the PS5 was sold out so quickly that despite (far) ahead of time updating of retailer websites, people didn’t even notice it had started again.
I pre-ordered a PS5 – Is it secure? Even though you can of course rejoice: It depends. You should definitely check your account, your order status with the retailer, and also your emails – and keep an eye on it in the coming days.
However, when exactly and in what amounts these will be available again is currently unknown. In addition, there are recurring rumors that both Sony with the PS5 and Microsoft with the Xbox Series X and the Series S could have supply issues until spring 2021.
How it will actually look at the end of the year remains to be seen.
Xbox Series X and PS5 – both consoles are rumored to be struggling with supply issues
What about the release? That is also currently unknown. Many are nervous because they are still without a PS5 even after the second wave, and now fear that the release could look similar both online and in local markets.
Others, however, are taking it easy and remember how they sometimes walked into MediaMarkt a day before the official release of the PS4 and were able to buy one of the many stacked consoles there – by the way, also days after the release. They assume that it could go the same way with the PS5.
Who is ultimately right remains truly uncertain. But the demand is still huge even after the second wave, and we can only hope that Sony will provide clarity by the end of the year.
How do you see the whole situation? Were you able to secure a PS5? Did you come up empty? Can you understand all the fuss? Or are you waiting patiently?
By the way: Although the PS5 has been extensively presented, even managed to be pre-ordered in now two waves, and is even sold out, there are still many important questions regarding Sony’s new next-gen console that have not been answered. Our shooter expert Sven Galitzki wants to know a timely answer to these 7 questions. What about you?
Blizzard is addressing more issues in World of Warcraft Classic. These are bugs that have persisted in the game for quite some time.
World of Warcraft Classic has undergone many changes, even though it is supposed to be “just” an old game. Several bugs from the past or unnoticed bugs have been fixed in recent months. This usually happened when errors led to significant problems that made fair play nearly impossible. Now, however, Blizzard is taking a tougher stance and is fixing issues that don’t have a large negative impact.
What is it about? It concerns a Shaman talent in the Enhancement tree. The talent “Improved Weapon Totems” increases the melee attack power granted by the “Totem of Wrath” by 30%. This bonus should apply to both the Shaman and their group members – but it simply doesn’t.
Blizzard intends to fix this issue in a coming update. And this is despite the fact that this error was initially resolved with Burning Crusade. The (faulty) behavior in Classic also corresponds to what was the case back in the Vanilla version of WoW.
Blizzard has announced that they will also address “other problems that were similarly buggy in original WoW.”
“No Changes” has not existed for a long time: It is clear that Blizzard moved away from the “#NoChanges” philosophy a long time ago, which a small group of players has demanded since the beta of Classic. However, it has become evident that classic WoW simply cannot exist without some changes. This is primarily due to the fact that player knowledge spreads much faster and stronger now, and some unwanted mechanics have been exploited on a large scale. Some of these bugs were:
What do you think about Blizzard now changing bugs that were “fixed game mechanics” for a long time and were only fixed much later in the lifecycle of World of Warcraft? Is this a good thing or does it continue to drift further away from the “classic” WoW?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The start of Season 4 – Chapter 2 brought superheroes from the Marvel Universe to Fortnite: Battle Royale. Some of them can be found as mini-bosses scattered around the map. But what happens when the bosses meet, a player is now showing.
A player has now discovered: A player lured Wolverine around the entire map with a helicopter and finally brought him to the location Stark Industries. There, the two bosses Wolverine and Iron Man faced off.
From a hiding place, the player observed what happens when the bosses spot each other. And indeed: The superheroes attacked each other and it led to a battle, as shown in the Twitter clip:
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The fight didn’t last long before Wolverine triumphed by eliminating Iron Man. The player who had been observing the spectacle was not spared and was immediately attacked next.
Why is this so awesome? The fight itself may not have been as spectacular as one would expect from the comics and movies, yet this fight is still grand.
So far, one hadn’t seen what happens when NPC bosses from the Fortnite world clash. They are indeed limited to a specific location on the map. Since the bosses are located in different places, there had never been a confrontation.
Iron Man only hangs out at Stark Industries
However, the restriction to a single location changed with the last update 14.20, when the mini-boss Wolverine was added. He wanders around and is not always found in the same place.
That the bosses really fight is a cool feature that one might not have expected. After all, these are bots that do not pursue their own actions.
What do you think? Would you have expected the bosses to fight when they meet?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In The Division 2 there are maintenance works again today, on September 25, but this time only on the PS4. This is now the 3rd maintenance this week. The reason for this might disappoint some agents. Find out everything about the process, the server downtime, and the patch notes here.
What is the maintenance about? Actually, The Division 2 has already had 2 extended maintenance sessions this week. On Tuesday, Title Update 11 including the new Season 3 was released. On Thursday, there was an emergency maintenance to fix some of the most annoying bugs from the new patch.
And now there is another emergency maintenance today, on Friday. Unlike the previous dates, this will take place on only one platform – on the PlayStation 4. This was announced by Massive 1 hour before the start of the downtime on Twitter.
This is the process of the maintenance
Pay attention to these times today: The times are a little different from what you are normally used to:
The maintenance starts at 1:15 PM German time
At the same time, the servers go offline, the downtime begins
The maintenance is expected to take one hour, during which you will not be able to play The Division 2 on PS4
By around 2:15 PM German time, the servers should be back online
When the downtime ends, the maintenance ends as well
Keep in mind: These times, especially the end of maintenance, may shift. This has been frequent lately. If anything changes in today’s process, we will update this article accordingly.
What is the reason for the maintenance? The patch notes say
This is changing today: The reason for the emergency maintenance might disappoint some. Because even after yesterday’s maintenance, numerous annoying bugs and issues in the game remain, such as
the infinite loop during the seasonal intro that cannot be skipped
equipped mods that suddenly change their attributes or functions
active skills that suddenly become invisible
the blinking SHD watch
or various bugs in The Summit
According to Massive, these will be addressed in the coming days or as quickly as possible, but they are not the reason for today’s maintenance.
Today, a problem is being fixed that prevents players from playing or continuing The Division 2 during the currently ongoing free weekend, as the restrictions of the trial version have falsely applied.
Anyone who hoped today would solve further important issues in the game will likely still have little reason to be happy. By the way, if it’s worth taking a look at The Division 2 currently, you can find out here: The Division 2: TU11 and Season 3 are here – Is it worth checking out?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Ultima Online is celebrating its 23rd anniversary. And to celebrate, the first new server in 15 years is launching. MeinMMO author Andreas Bertits looks back at his first MMORPG experience and is excited for a fresh start.
Happy Birthday, Ultima Online! You are now 23 years old. Older than I was when I first logged into your wonderful online world. For a long time, we had little to do with each other, as other games demanded my attention. But with the launch of the new anniversary server, I want to give it another try. To indulge once more in all the beautiful memories and explore the world of Britannia just as I did 23 years ago.
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The intro of Ultima Online explained why there were multiple servers and thus multiple worlds of Britannia.
My first MMORPG has turned 23 years old
On September 24, 1997, the doors to the online version of the fantasy world of Britannia opened. A world I had known offline for a very long time. For my first steps in it, I started in the fall of 1985, at the tender age of 9, with Ultima 4 on the C64. At that time, I didn’t understand what I was supposed to do or how to fight. After all, the game was in English, and at that time, no English classes were offered in elementary schools.
Nevertheless, I was fascinated by the game and the world. It was the reason why I focused particularly on English classes starting in the 5th grade. And finally, I could properly enjoy Ultima 4 and its successors.
The fascination for the Ultima series did not fade. Being able to experience the fantasy world online in 1997 was the next big step for me into a larger world of gaming.
Ultima 4 was the first Ultima that MeinMMO author Andreas Bertits played.
No good start in the first MMORPG
However, my first steps in Britannia were not only filled with beautiful moments. When I appeared near the city of Trinsic after creating my character, I wanted to first explore the world. Fascinated, I explored the colorful 2D area around the city from the classic Ultima isometric perspective. Everything felt so familiar. And so I became reckless.
A wolf blocked my path. I engaged in the battle and… lost. My hero appeared as a ghost, who could only communicate using the vowel “O”. As a ghost who only shouted “OOOOoooooOOOO”, I was of course not welcome. But an NPC healer brought me back from the land of the dead.
As a freshly resurrected hero in UO, you retained the white robe that you wore as a ghost. I thought that was cool and put it on right away. After all, it was possible to dye clothing, and I thought to myself that I could do that later.
Ultima Online divided the community due to PvP.
Unfortunately, player killers had targeted newbies wearing these white ghost robes. And I ran into such a group. However, I was not initially aware of this. The two guys acted friendly and invited me to their hideout. There we wanted to train. They explained that I should attack them, which I naively did. Immediately, my name turned red; I was a player killer. The guys laughed at me and ended my hero’s life in a duo. Thus, I had to work to restore my status as an upstanding citizen.
However, I didn’t let that event ruin my fun and proceeded with more caution afterward. I learned not to trust everyone right away and to first deal with the game rules. And so I experienced many adventures in the fantasy world of Britannia. I forged friendships, explored deep dungeons, battled orcs and dragons, and even met Lord British, the ruler of the land.
When Lord British appeared, it was always an event. Because Ultima creator Richard Garriott embodied the monarch of the land, and everyone had the opportunity to meet him and perhaps exchange a few words.
Who is writing this?
Andreas Bertits has been a game editor since 2003 and is currently a freelance author for MeinMMO. Besides computer games, he spends his free time primarily with his wife and three children. Apart from MMORPGs, he enjoys single-player RPGs. His preferred gaming platform is the PC.
Andreas Bertits Freelance author Mein-MMO
UO fascinated me with its many freedoms. For a while, I was a fisherman, selling freshly caught fish to adventurers and to a tavern run by another player. Others had fun as blacksmiths, tailors, or merchants. A community formed that provided for each other, and in the meantime, there were plenty of adventures to be had in the wilderness and dungeons.
The open PvP system of UO almost led to the demise of the MMORPG. Not only was I annoyed by attacks from PKs, but many players felt the same way. Therefore, the online game was divided into two worlds: Trammel and Felucca. Player killing was not allowed in Trammel, but it still was in Felucca. This way, everyone could focus on their playstyle.
Looking back, I spent a wonderful time in UO. But eventually, even this must come to an end. For me, this happened gradually. Over time, I played less and less. And with the release of the expansion Samurai Empire in 2004, I completely stopped. Samurai and Ultima? In my opinion, that didn’t fit together. Besides, I was only playing sporadically by then, out of habit. Moreover, my first daughter was born the same year and demanded a lot of attention. It was the right time for me to stop.
Ultima Online launches its first new server in 15 years for the 23rd anniversary.
The return is already planned
After 15 years, the first new server is starting (called a Shard in UO), New Legacy. The developers explain that they want to present Ultima Online to players fresh and new again. The new server is intended to be an opportunity to experience the MMORPG just as it was the first time.
The idea for Ultima Online: New Legacy emerged from our ultimate goal: to rekindle the nostalgia one felt while playing UO, without getting lost and without having to overcome the entry barriers one would face when trying to enter a 23-year-old game world.
Greg Havlusch, designer of Ultima Online
I had entertained the thought of returning before. But fear always held me back, fearing it wouldn’t be the same as it used to be, and that my nostalgic memories would mislead me and I might be disappointed.
But now, for the 23rd birthday, I want to give UO this gift. I am coming back. I want to start anew with New Legacy – initially in free-to-play mode. I want to see if the MMORPG still fascinates me like it did back then, whether I can once again immerse myself in the fantasy world of Britannia and enjoy a second life there. Just the new trailer has awakened so many memories in me – I simply have to return to Britannia. And perhaps I am not the only one, and Ultima Online can reach its goal of achieving the greatest reach of all time.
If it doesn’t work out and I can’t find my way back into the game, then at least it was a brief return to my past. And if I find it enjoyable, perhaps even a subscription is in order again.
At the last PS5 event, Sony presented a special bonus for PS Plus subscribers with the PS Plus Collection. Now, savvy users have calculated all 18 games together and found that the PS5 is almost full. The entire collection requires over 800 GB of storage space.
What is the PS Plus Collection? Those who buy a PS5 and subscribe to PlayStation Plus will gain access to the PS Plus Collection. This includes 18 top titles that were released during the PS4 era.
PS5 users can access it with their PS Plus subscription – completely free of additional costs.
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PS Plus Collection – How much storage space do you need?
On reddit, a user presented the size of each game and calculated it:
If you add up all 18 games in the PS Plus Collection, you end up with a total of 810.46 GB.
How much storage does the PS5 offer? The PS5 offers you a standard SSD with 825 GB of storage. However, Sony has not yet explained whether that capacity is with or without the PlayStation system. So it could very well be that you have a little less space available for installing games.
So if you want to install the entire PS Plus Collection on the PS5, you will quickly hit the limits of the new console. However, if the SSD is full, there are already a few options:
And another user writes: “Sony: play has no limits. Me: But my hard drive space says otherwise.”
Overview of all games and their sizes: Here you can see all 18 games with their sizes at a glance. These are the sizes of the games on the PS4:
God Of War – 45 GB
Monster Hunter: World – 49 GB
Final Fantasy XV – 100 GB
Fallout 4 – 26.2 GB
Mortal Kombat X – 33.5 GB
Uncharted 4 – 63 GB
Ratchet and Clank – 26.4 GB
Days Gone – 38 GB
Until Dawn – 46 GB
Detroit: Become Human – 41.4 GB
Battlefield 1 – 110 GB
Infamous Second Son – 24 GB
Batman: Arkham Knight – 58 GB
The Last Guardian – 15 GB
The Last Of Us Remastered – 47 GB
Persona 5 – 19.51 GB
Resident Evil 7 – 20.7 GB
Bloodborne – 32.75 GB
What other games are available for the PS5? If you have already played all the PS4 gems, you can look forward to many games that will be released for the PS5, although some players fear that the Microsoft-Bethesda deal could negatively impact PlayStation.
Apart from the major PS4 hits that you can play on the PS5 with PS Plus, there are also a lot of new game announcements. Sony has already explained why you can play certain titles exclusively on the PS5. This is mainly due to the new technology that the PS5 and the DualSense controller provide.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Call of Duty: Warzone you can grab a gift again, unlocked thanks to the new Cold War. Streamers solved an Easter egg and now there’s a skin for all players.
What is free? You can obtain a vehicle skin called “Mako”. It has a zebra look and also features some cool stickers on the body.
You can get it when you visit the website “PawnTakesPawn.com”. There, Treyarch had already unlocked a truck skin at the beginning of September. That also involved a big puzzle/easter egg that the community was able to solve.
Now there have been new hints, and diligent players have already deciphered them. We will show you how to obtain the Mako skin.
Cold War gifts you the Mako skin – Here’s what you have to do
How do you get the skin? You need to create accounts on two websites:
Several fields will appear that you need to fill out. Proceed as follows: Top Left: checkpoint Middle Left: cooldown Bottom Left: cloudbounce Top Right: loadout Middle Right: sidequest Bottom Right: killscreen
Confirm these codes, and if everything is correct, you will see the achievement notification “knighttours” – click on it, and you will go to the next page
Here you will see the key. You need to copy it and click on the link below – you will land on the CoD website
Enter the key there and confirm it – the Mako skin is yours
What is behind this action? This is meant to promote the new CoD Cold War. The website PawnTakesPawn was already the solution for the first trailer for Cold War a few weeks ago.
Once again, players were sent on a puzzle hunt. They had to examine old documents and solve numerous other puzzles to get to these code words.
If you want to see more of the puzzle hunt, check out this video. All steps are explained there:
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How long will this skin be available? There is currently no precise information on this. So you shouldn’t delay too long and quickly secure the skin. It could be that the codes are no longer valid in a few days.
What’s new in Cold War? Last weekend, some players were able to test the new Cold War in an alpha. There were mixed reactions.
With Season 6 of Call of Duty: Warzone, the coolest map change so far comes into play: a complete subway system with 7 stops. MeinMMO shows you the details.
Subway in Warzone?The first data leaks regarding a possible subway system in Call of Duty: Warzone date back to June and have since become more concrete. During a CoD video celebrating the “Call of Duty League” Champions Weekend, there were first official hints about the new subway stations:
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Here, attentive viewers discover the entrance to a metro station, which does not exist in Warzone. Since then, many have been sure that something is coming.
And now the official presentation of the new subway system has actually taken place. Initially only seen in the Season 6 trailer, the “Call of Duty” blog has now published a post with lots of information about the new means of transportation in the battle royale, which we would like to present to you in detail.
The Warzone subway stops at 7 stations in Verdansk
Where does the metro go? A total of 7 stations are spread across Verdansk, each offering you 2 directions. The subway travels clockwise and counterclockwise between the stations, and there will be at least 2 trains, possibly more.
At the start of a match, you are likely able to enter all stations, but as the gas circle progresses, some access points will no longer be opened. Here is the schedule:
Warzone metro stations with directions
Verdansk Center (At the Stadium)
Blue station to Downtown & Lozoff Pass
Lozoff Pass (Houses a bit north of the TV station)
Red station to the stadium & airport
Verdansk Int. Airport
Yellow station to Lozoff Pass & Torsk Bloc
Torsc Bloc (Residential area south of Superstore)
Orange line goes to the airport & train station
Verdansk Train Station
Blue station to Torsc Bloc & Shopping District
Barakett Shopping District (near the southern canal bridge)
Green station to Train Station & Downtown
Downtown / Tavorsk District (east of the Parliament)
Purple station to Shopping District & Stadium
Please board. Please step back.
How can I use it? The blog post explains that you can enter the small stations and then must decide on a direction. Posters hanging on the walls indicate which direction each side goes. Trains are not always available and stop at their respective stations on their way around the map. Once the train is ready, you can enter and get ready for the next station.
If fighting occurs on the tracks or inside the train, the train will stop. You must defeat or chase away your enemies before the metro continues.
Inside the subway, you are at the safest point in all of Verdansk for a moment. No other teams can reach you, and you have time to reload or swap items. During the journey, you can move and are not stuck on a loading screen or anything like that.
This is what the station connections look like on the map.
Combat around the stations promises action
What else is important to know? The stations offer not only a cool ride, but also loot. Underground, you will find crates and ground loot, providing a new opportunity for upgrading.
Each station has an additional small access point, which allows you to enter the metro via a ladder. This entrance/exit is a bit away from the stations.
The stations provide new combat areas where intense close-quarters combat can occur. Get ready for fights for tight spaces, such as with the R9-0 shotgun with dragon’s breath rounds.
Once a stop is engulfed by the gas, you will no longer be able to travel there. If you are on the way to a station in the gas, the train will continue to the next safe stop.
Prepare for some intense battles in the small stations.
Why is this so cool? The metro brings a whole new mechanic to Warzone, allowing you to try out new tactics and quickly move from one place to another. You could not get across the map this fast before.
Fights in the new subway system could also get exciting. Every time you enter a station or just reach a new station with the train, there can be close-quarters fights. Usually, the combat distances in Warzone are much greater, and the metro could lead to more firefights in tight spaces.
What else does Season 6 offer? The new Season 6 will kick off next week (September 29) and brings new content for both shooters Modern Warfare & Warzone. There will be new operators, a fresh battle pass, and content for the regular multiplayer mode.
Amazon has announced its own streaming service Luna. It is similar to offerings like Google Stadia and Xbox Cloud Gaming and is expected to provide a large selection of games. How good is the service and what makes it different?
What is Luna? With Luna, you should be able to stream games on various devices. The entire library is cloud-based. You do not have to download and install the games, but can play them directly online, as with Google Stadia. A connection of 10 Mb/s is required, and 35 Mb/s for 4K.
Luna is currently in the early access phase in the USA. However, it is not yet known when exactly this will start. The service is expected to cost $5.99 per month, at least as an introductory price. How expensive Luna will be in the end is not yet definitively known.
In return, you will be offered over 100 games that you can use through Fire TV, PC, Mac, and via a web service for iPhone and iPad. At launch, the service is expected to provide a display of 1080p and 60 FPS; however, 4K is expected to follow. Additionally, Amazon offers its own controller, which works via WiFi, similar to Stadia.
But what makes Luna different and why could Amazon’s service be more successful than Google Stadia?
Luna works on various devices and comes with its own controller
Stadia has problems that Amazon wants to circumvent directly
What went wrong with Stadia? Basically, Stadia and Luna are similar, as both offer game streaming in a monthly subscription.
However, Stadia encountered several problems:
At the launch of the service, all users had to buy a starter package and subscribe. The free offer came later. This was a significant entry barrier that was later eased by abolishing the starter package and introducing free trial months.
Those who subscribe to Stadia pay primarily for the streaming service. Destiny 2 was available for free at launch, but other major titles like Red Dead Redemption 2 or Assassin’s Creed Odyssey had to be purchased separately.
There were technical problems, especially with input lag.
Google appeared very confident and aimed for 1 billion users as a goal. However, the platform could not provide that at launch.
What does Amazon do differently? Amazon does not offer a starter package with Luna and allows you to access all games in its offering with the subscription. So you do not have to buy any of them separately.
Luna is more reminiscent of Microsoft xCloud, where you need the Game Pass Ultimate, but also have simultaneous access to the entire game library.
The basic subscription is $4 cheaper than Stadia, and Luna can be played on two devices in a household simultaneously. If you do not just want to play, you can also watch Twitch streams with Luna and, if desired, start the game directly if it is in the offering.
These games are expected to be included at the start in Luna.
What games does Luna offer? Luna is expected to offer over 100 games at launch, including:
Resident Evil 7
Control
GRID
Metro Exodus
A Plague Tale: Innocence
The Surge 2
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
However, with this lineup, it can hardly compete against Microsoft’s Game Pass. That is why Amazon is collaborating with major publishers and offering their games in an additional subscription. In the future, a Ubisoft package is expected to be available for the basic subscription, which should include games like
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
Far Cry 6
Immortals Fenyx Rising
It is not yet known when the package will be available and how much it will cost. The system is fundamentally interesting because it allows you to target specific developers or publishers that interest you.
When will Luna start in our region? There is currently no information on this. The early access is currently only related to “Mainland US”; even Hawaii and Alaska do not have access to the service at the moment.
Playing ESO on a tablet? It works surprisingly well.
Destiny 2 is tinkering with performance in the upcoming DLC Beyond Light and upgrading its old technology. What do you get from it and why was it desperately needed?
Slowly but surely, more changes are surfacing for the major expansion Beyond Light, which is set to release on November 10. We already know the new DLC location Europa and the brand new Stasis element.
Bungie is also investing heavily in optimized and improved technology with Beyond Light.
In the TWaB from September 24 (via Bungie), it discusses complex server scripts or backend changes that very few people understand. MeinMMO has summarized the most important impacts for you and tells you what Destiny 3 has to do with it.
What do the technical improvements mean for me?
Many of the changes on the “technology behind the game” front happen under the hood. They lead to a smoother Destiny experience or a better programming environment for Bungie itself – at least that’s what Engineering Director David Aldridge says.
But some things also have a direct impact on the players.
You will benefit from:
Destiny 2 shrinks: The game will be 30-40% smaller on your hard drive. Depending on the platform, you will then need between 59 and 71 GB – currently, Destiny 2 consumes 101.5 GB on PS4.
Bungie can release patches and fixes faster, thus responding to urgent issues.
They are switching to a new hosting system that recognizes more data and will offer more room in the future.
You should be able to form fireteams faster – for example, you should be able to form a team in the Tower without everyone having to load into the Tower for a long time.
Some locations will receive improved lighting – the EDZ and Nessus will get this visual upgrade.
Even old locations shine in the “Beyond Light glow”
As no Destiny 3 is coming, Bungie is tinkering with the technology
That’s why the changes are urgently needed: Bungie estimated at the release of Destiny 2 in 2017 that the life cycle of the game would be significantly shorter. Now we know that no Destiny 3 is on the horizon.
Instead, we already know the plans for Destiny 2 until 2022. To improve the game and especially the creation of new content, now is the time for technical optimizations.
The Destiny engine is notorious for being painfully slow and inflexible. Bungie confirms in the TWaB the rumor that it sometimes takes them 24 hours to load the game. Through optimization and separation of “dead content,” they were able to reduce the working time to under 12 hours.
There will be no true dedicated servers in Beyond Light either
This means for you that Bungie can work on content faster. They themselves say that they have been poorly able to respond to the live game so far and expect 1-2 weeks more flexibility per season with the new technology.
This also indirectly confirms what an insider said about the real reason behind the sometimes criticized Content Vault:
This is why a large download is coming: When Beyond Light becomes available, all players on all platforms will need to completely redownload and reinstall Destiny 2. Only this way can the technical improvements be implemented.
To mitigate the accompanying wait times, there will be a pre-load on November 9. This way, Guardians with slower internet connections should be able to start on time.
In FIFA 21, you can not only take over real professional football players but also celebrities from other fields. The Volta mode provides the place for it.
These stars are in Volta: As EA Sports announced, you can challenge the squads of the so-called “Groundbreakers” in FIFA 21’s Volta mode. If successful, you can win them for your team.
Among the Groundbreakers are, for example, Cover Star Mbappé, the new icon Eric Cantona, or talents like Joao Felix. But two names stand out from the first list: Anthony Joshua and Diplo.
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Who are Anthony Joshua and Diplo? Anthony Joshua is a very successful British boxer. He won the Olympic gold medal and is a multiple heavyweight world champion.
The boxer is now in Volta
Diplo, on the other hand, is a musician, DJ, and producer from the USA. He is known as a football fan and has shares in the American club Phoenix Rising.
Diplo also wants to prove his skills
In street football mode, you can now win them for your team. Volta was already a somewhat “freer” mode before, where, for example, men and women can play in the same team, which is otherwise not possible in any other mode. But having stars from other fields playable – that’s new. This is something you typically know from games like Fortnite, where there have been events like concerts or crossovers with movie franchises.
In a tweet, EA Sports mentions the “first wave of Groundbreakers”, suggesting that more will be added in the future.
Who knows who else will step onto the pitch to prove their football skills.
List of all Groundbreakers:
Kylian Mbappé
Kaká
Anthony Joshua
Trent Alexander-Arnold
Thierry Henry
Diplo
Joao Felix
Eric Cantona
What else is in Volta?
This is what’s in Volta this year: Besides the Groundbreakers, there are several new features in Volta. This includes, for example, the ability to play Volta together – a feature that many players wished for.
There are also more cosmetics such as clothing for your players and a total of six new stadiums where you can show off your tricks.
Volta takes you around the world
In the new Featured Battles, you can play against AI – including against star teams, but also teams from the community. This seems to work similarly to the Squad Battles from Ultimate Team. Additionally, there is the two-hour story introduction to the mode called “The Debut”.
The streaming service Twitch has banned the German streamer Marcel “MontanaBlack” Eris for 33 days. He saw the ban coming. He says: he behaved stupidly and questionably. He now respects the ban. He is glad that it is not a permanent ban.
This is why MontanaBlack is banned: The streamer took a vacation in Malta, but wanted to entertain his fans from the island and streamed.
However, in the streams, he behaved in a way that users online and Twitch found inappropriate:
He yelled at a woman who was having photos taken of herself: “Come down – Ficki-Ficki”
He walked through the streets with his friends, followed women, commented on their appearance, and made grunting and groaning noises.
According to his own statements, MontanaBlack wanted to show the viewers how attractive people are in Malta and exaggerated it. He admitted that his behavior might seem “a bit confusing” to people who don’t know him.
MontanaBlack does not share the exact reason for his ban. It is possible that he violated two rules (via twitch.tv):
Twitch prohibits “harassment” of any kind. No one should be “demeaned or objectified” – his behavior towards women could be interpreted by Twitch as such.
In addition, “sexual content” is prohibited on Twitch; even “sexually suggestive content” is already banned. In combination, it might simply have been too much.
Ultimately, Twitch reserves the right to ban anyone they want. Those who know Twitch know that they react sensitively to public outrage. In recent days, some users demanded the ban of MontanaBlack: A punishment was at stake. MontanaBlack himself anticipated a ban.
MontanaBlack is just glad that it is not a permanent ban
This is how he now reacts to the ban: Already after the public outrage in the last days, MontanaBlack seemed to realize that a ban from Twitch would come.
Therefore, he reacts calmly now: He says himself that his behavior was “stupid and questionable.” He respects and accepts the ban now.
When fans asked, it must be upsetting him, he says (via twitter):
“What should I do? Cry about how unfair it all is, which it isn’t. I tell you honestly: I expected a permanent ban. Sure, 33 days of no streaming sucks, but what matters is that I can stream again soon.”
These are the reactions to the ban: The fans are not taking it so lightly at all. Apparently, the streamer “Hand of Blood” has been identified as the cause of the ban, who had shared a clip of MontanaBlack.
A user now writes to him: “You miserable, dirty son of a whore. Hopefully, you will be permanently banned someday” (via twitter).
Moreover, there seems to be a lot of anger and misunderstanding among MontanaBlack’s fans. This seems to be uncomfortable for him: He demands that people should stop insulting each other.
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Maybe it comforts MontanaBlack that the big US streamer Tfue writes to him (via twitter): “I love you, come back stronger.”
Tfue has also been banned from Twitch several times.
US streamer Tfue sends love.
The German streamer OddNina, who has critically commented on MontanaBlack’s behavior, sees the temporary ban as too lenient a punishment. She believes that a “little time for reflection” would not be enough for him to return as a better person. She states that it takes hard work on one’s psyche to become a better person and that one must work through their traumas.
One might doubt that MontanaBlack is spending his 33 days of “vacation” that way.
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When will MontanaBlack return? MontanaBlack is banned until the end of October 2020. The ban ends around October 28. Then he is allowed to stream on Twitch again.
The ban of MontanaBlack was a predicted ban. We reported on MeinMMO yesterday about how the atmosphere was after the streams on the weekend. Some demanded from Twitch that they should take action. Such behavior cannot take place on Twitch.
The videos in question and the reactions can be found in our article:
Pokémon GO will soon bring Mega-Houndoom to raids! We will show you how strong the monster is and why trainers are not really excited about it.
When will Mega-Houndoom be released? The Pokémon will appear in Mega Raids starting September 29 at 10:00 PM. It will be the 6th Mega Pokémon that can be found in these raids.
Mega-Houndoom was unlocked because during the previous Mega Event, over 275 million Mega Evolutions battled in raids.
Mega-Houndoom in Pokémon GO – How strong will it be?
Here are the stats: First, let’s look at the stats of Mega-Houndoom, so you can get a rough idea of its strength:
Attack: 289
Defense: 194
HP: 181
So how strong will Mega-Houndoom be? Among Fire attackers, there is a better alternative: Mega Charizard. Otherwise, Mega-Houndoom currently dominates Fire attackers and is a solid addition to your team.
However, Mega-Houndoom is even more interesting among Dark attackers. It is, by far, the best attacker of this type. If Mewtwo or other Psychic Pokémon come back to raids soon, you can dominate with Mega-Houndoom.
Currently, Mega-Houndoom is the best counter against Mewtwo.
Is Mega-Houndoom worth it? You have to consider both sides here. Mega-Houndoom is quite strong, but is only available with a lot of effort and typically for just 4 hours.
So if the right raid boss is available and you want to do some raids anyway, you can effectively use Mega-Houndoom there. For just one raid per day, you do not necessarily need a Mega-Houndoom. But for a proper raid hour, it would be a good choice.
Gardwan writes on Reddit: “Alternatively, you can just use Zapdos/Heatran/Entei or another Fire Pokémon without worrying that it will disappear in a few hours.”
Some trainers, however, see other problems as well. ZekromFPS states: “So we currently have 6 Mega raid bosses at the same time. It’s just wrong.”
What do you think about the release of Mega-Houndoom? Will you do some raids with it?
The genre of MMORPGs has been around for a few years. Therefore, today we would like to introduce you to three online role-playing games from the early 2000s that aren’t exactly fresh anymore but are still very enjoyable to play today.
What were MMORPGs like in the past? The genre, as we know it, really traces back to the 1980s/1990s. We previously took a closer look at the history of MMOs. The first game to establish the term MMORPG was Ultima Online, which was released in 1997. Thus, we are looking at games that are at least seven to eight years old but are still a lot of fun today.
It is important that the games are enjoyable, fun, and still have a large community today, so that the MMO aspect continues to exist. Although graphics also play a role, it is not the most decisive criterion.
EVE Online
Release: May 6, 2003 | Platform: PC | Payment Model: Free2Play with optional subscription | Website:EVE Online website
What is EVE Online? The space MMO places you in a huge sandbox. There are hardly any guidelines or restrictions from the developers. You are introduced to the world in a tutorial and then set out on your own path.
You can explore the galaxy, be a pirate, trade, or run your own business, which you can even expand into an empire. PvP plays a significant role. There are often massive battles between alliances and wars that are, for example, based on revenge. EVE Online is like a second home for everyone who loves science fiction and wants to step beyond just being the hero that saves the worlds in an MMORPG.
How long has the MMO been running?EVE Online launched on May 6, 2003, and has now been around for almost 17 years. Nevertheless, updates and larger expansions are still being released. You can even play the MMO for free, although the Free2Play version has some restrictions. You experience the full player experience with the subscription.
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How does EVE Online play today? EVE is certainly not an MMO for everyone, but the allure of the game is still as strong as at launch. This is because EVE Online occupies a special place in the genre. Hardly any other online role-playing game offers as many possibilities and freedoms. Whether you want to fight or run a business, EVE Online has something for every playstyle.
Of course, some time is needed to get into it, but that was already the case at launch. In EVE Online, you have the feeling that it really hardly ages. Yes, the game lacks modern features that would appeal to casual gamers, but this MMO is not intended for those players. EVE Online plays today fundamentally the same as it did 17 years ago and is still just as enjoyable. Visually, the game is still decent.
You can also see this in the player numbers. Over Steam, these are according to Steamcharts at over 4,800 players active simultaneously. The peak was at 8,782 players. And that’s only those playing through Steam. EVE Online also has its own client. So you will find plenty of players.
Who is the game suitable for today? EVE Online is still aimed at those who expect a bit more from an MMO. It’s not about completing quests here. You determine what role you play in the galaxy and build a virtual second life where you have to invest quite a bit of time. Those willing to do so can still have a lot of fun with EVE Online despite its age.
Release: January 4, 2001 | Platform: PC | Payment Model: Free2Play with optional subscription | Website:Runescape website
What is Runescape? It is one of the oldest MMORPGs. The game relies on a timeless concept. You explore a vast fantasy world where many adventures await you. You experience these either through quests or by exploring dungeons and searching for treasures. You are never venturing alone but are always interacting with other players.
Throughout the adventures, you improve your hero, who becomes stronger through skills and gains increasingly powerful equipment. Crafting also plays a role. Experiencing adventures and team play are at the forefront of Runescape.
How long has the MMO been running? Runescape launched on January 4, 2001. It quickly became a great success. Runescape was even recorded five times in the Guinness Book of Records, among other things, as the most popular Free2Play MMO and the MMO with the most update content.
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How does Runescape play today? Runescape has fundamentally distilled the MMORPG gameplay to its basics. There is no grand story being told, the focus is not on specific solo content or other modern features that tend to dilute the genre. In Runescape, it’s about experiencing adventures with friends, exploring a world, and improving your character.
This is just as much fun today as it was 19 years ago. The MMORPG has received graphical updates over the years; the modern version Runescape 3, while not visually what one would expect from a game in 2020, still makes a good impression thanks to the updates and its somewhat comic-like graphics style. There are countless content items and plenty of players.
Who is the game suitable for today? If you want to experience a classic MMORPG with plenty of content and many players and don’t necessarily need high-end graphics, then Runescape is just right for you. It still revolves around the classic values of the genre such as team play and exploring a world according to your preferences. You will always find players for a group.
Release: November 23, 2004 Platform: PC Payment Model: Buy2Play with subscription Website:World of Warcraft website
What is World of Warcraft? WoW is regarded as the king of the genre. Yes, the game is essentially already considered “old iron, ” having almost 16 years behind it. Sometimes one might forget this because the game is still so present and feels quite current.
In the fantasy world of Azeroth, you can expect many adventures. WoW focuses on story and quests that you experience either in a group or sometimes alone. Azeroth has a lot to offer, from dark dungeons to snowy ice landscapes to deep jungles where many monsters and boss enemies await you. The search for loot is also an important element of the game, just like improving your hero.
How long has the MMO been running? World of Warcraft launched on November 23, 2004 (in Europe on February 11, 2005). Since then, seven expansions have been released, with Shadowlands set to launch on October 27, 2020. The MMORPG has opened the genre to a broad audience and remains immensely popular today – not least because of WoW Classic.
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How does WoW play today? World of Warcraft has essentially lost none of its charm. Players still complete the content, explore the world, form guilds, engage in PvP, and enjoy the lore and atmosphere of Azeroth.
Blizzard has created a game that can almost be described as timeless. Whether you have little time or take a few hours for a raid, you can always have fun. The search for better equipment, the comparison with other players, and the story are simply motivating.
Additionally, Blizzard managed to create a style with the initially ridiculed comic graphics that has not become outdated even after 15 years. As for player numbers, Blizzard remains tight-lipped, but if there are queues in WoW, they can’t be that bad.
Who is the game suitable for today? WoW is actually the MMORPG. Anyone who is enthusiastic about the genre will find in World of Warcraft everything they desire. The game is not only aimed at genre enthusiasts but is open to anyone who enjoys playing online with others. Here, nearly everyone will find a new home.
