Nearly 240,000 players try out Crimson Desert at launch, many stumble over Cliff’s legs and the technology

Crimson Desert has finally been released and has received a mixed reception from the community… Players frequently criticize two areas on Steam.

How did the launch go? Despite the late hour, there were temporarily 239,045 players on Steam last night simultaneously trying out the newly released Crimson Desert (Source: steamdb.info). Only four other titles managed to attract more simultaneous interested players on Valve’s platform in the past 24 hours (Counter-Strike 2, PUBG, Dota 2, and Slay the Spire 2).

Over the weekend, this number is likely to increase again. However, there is not only reason for joy for those responsible at Pearl Abyss. Of the 7,380 reviews so far (as of March 20, 2026, 07:16 AM), only 57 percent are positive.

Start video
Crimson Desert: Launch trailer shows new bosses, dragon action and the storming of a moving train

“One of the best games I have played in a long time.”

What are players criticizing? The reports from the past weeks and months made it clear that almost everyone first struggles with the complex, unintuitive controls of Crimson Desert. It also doesn’t help that the game holds back important hints and requires players to really dive into Crimson Desert.

This is reflected in many community reviews after the first hours of play. Unlike us, many buyers apparently also struggle with technical issues. Here’s a selection of the criticism:

  • jschmittkl complains on Steam: “The controls are a disaster. Firstly, the keyboard movement controls cannot be adjusted, which is absolutely useless for me as I am left-handed. Secondly, the gamepad controls are not much better, totally overloaded and complicated. For the simplest actions, you have to press multiple buttons.”
  • Alterra Doc describes performance issues on Steam: “Unfortunately, I have significant FPS problems that do not meet the recommended requirements. I have a Ryzen 9 5800X 12 Core, 4060Ti & 32GB RAM and can barely achieve an average of 40 FPS on all settings. The game is otherwise very exciting at the beginning, but it’s too choppy for me.”
  • W² writes on Steam: “Technically, the game is in a horrifically poor state. Flickering shadows are commonplace, and vegetation like plants, grass, and trees moves unnaturally quickly at times, which is extremely disruptive and completely breaks immersion. The movement is a disaster: slow, clunky, and imprecise.”

What are players praising? Since the majority of reviews are positive, there is of course also a lot of praise from the community.

  • Kiripa has played for almost 6 hours and celebrates on Steam: “One of the best games I have played in a long time. Everything runs great; there’s nothing negative to say about the game.”
  • MuXuS praises on Steam: “Very nice game. Graphics + performance are excellent, the combat system is a lot of fun, and the world is simply stunning with all the little details and things to discover.”
  • jumo2810 also comments on Steam: “The graphics are incredibly good, the controls are a bit tricky to get used to, but not as bad as I had feared. There’s an incredible amount to discover. I am really enjoying the game so far.”

With that, Steam users also praise what has already impressed our testers about Crimson Desert: the combat system, the game world, and the multitude of things to discover in Pywel. You can find our full experience report here: Our MMORPG expert is overwhelmed by the best of 12 years of open-world games after over 60 hours in Crimson Desert

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

WoW: If you complete the current raid, the whole game world will change

Those who complete the current raid in World of Warcraft might rub their eyes. Because the whole world is changing.

The first raids of World of Warcraft Midnight are live, but the story feels more like a finale. Correspondingly drastic are the consequences for Azeroth – for what happens in the raid has dramatic effects on the entire game world.

Spoiler warning: If you have not yet completed the raid “The Void Peak” – this article discusses its consequences and story implications.

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WoW Midnight: Arator’s Light and the Firebrand

World of Warcraft is sinking into Midnight

What happens at the end of the raid? Even before World of Warcraft Midnight, it became known that we will likely lose the expansion as heroes. After seemingly endless triumphs, it is time for us to truly fail – and that is exactly what happens at the end of the Void Peak.

Xal’atath stabs Alleria with her dagger and brings forth the dark Naaru that had been trapped in Alleria. She then unleashes the Naaru’s power and amplifies the Void flow, which then overwhelms the Sunwell and plunges it into the Void.

You can watch the cinematic on Twitch.

How does this affect the world? This spectacle is not only part of the raid, but nearly affects the entire game world afterwards. You can see the darkness not only in Silvermoon but also in numerous other areas – in the housing zones, in Dornegal, and to a large extent in the old world of World of Warcraft as well. Midnight breaks into the world – and it is noticeable everywhere.

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But there are not only visual changes. The musical background in Silvermoon also changes significantly. Where there were previously heroic sounds full of confidence and heroism, the music now sounds more depressed and eerie. The impression created: The end of the world is near, and this time it is hardly avoidable.

How long will this last? Although the finale of the expansion is still far away, we already know that this state will not last forever. For one thing, that would be a bit gloomy in the long run (just think of the Maw from Shadowlands), and at the same time, there has already been datamining about the fate of the Sunwell. In the future, we will likely manage to purify the well again – but then Xal’atath may have long achieved her goals and may no longer need the well.

What do you think of the visual changes that come with the transformation of the Sunwell? Do you find it impressive and interesting, like Argus in the sky many years ago? Or does this omnipresent darkness bother you?
As epic as the change of the world is, something else did not go as heroically as hoped – whoever wanted to be a legendary champion only had 9 hours to do so.

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

If you are heartless in Crimson Desert and do not pet animals, you miss an important advantage

In Crimson Desert there are plenty of adorable furry creatures that you encounter in the open world. But they are much more than just cute – they are also very useful. So you shouldn’t walk past them heartlessly.

What kind of animals are there in Crimson Desert? In the world of Pywel, you will encounter various animals. From cats to dogs, horses, donkeys, goats, birds, raccoons, and – uh, dragons – it’s all there.

Some of them you can even pet – and you should! Especially the hearts of dogs and cats can be won this way, gaining their affection. This way, you can not only get them as companions but they also help you on your journey through Pywel.

How exactly you can effectively tame animals and what else you should know about it, you can read on page 2 of this article.

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Crimson Desert: Launch trailer shows new bosses, dragon action and the storming of a moving train

Dogs and cats as effective loot helpers

What advantage do the animals bring? Once you have secured an animal as a pet, you can summon it anytime via the pet menu, so it follows you like a pet in an MMORPG. It also brings you a practical advantage: it collects loot for you while you are out and about, which the enemies or your surroundings drop.

This is particularly helpful, as loot in the world is not particularly highlighted unless you look directly at it. Only a small, inconspicuous black X on the minimap shows that you still have items lying around there. This can easily be overlooked, resulting in missed valuable rewards.

Additionally, your companion helps with farming, as many ores and woods like to disappear while being gathered. So if you do not pick up the item directly, your pet will immediately search for it and retrieve it for you. If you do not want an item at all, you can throw it away from your inventory – your animal will not pick it up again.

You can continue to pet and feed your animals on the go, but you do not get any more bonuses. Once you have won their heart, you keep it. If your companion gets on your nerves, you can send it away anytime through the pet menu or exchange it for another creature.

You can currently have up to 30 pets, which then frolic as a large pack in your storage, as long as you have not summoned them as active companions. If you want to make space, you can simply release them, and they will reappear at the taming location after a while.

This feature builds on the MMO feeling that Crimson Desert conveys through its variety of diverse content. MeinMMO editor Jasmin Beverungen almost found the perfect single-player MMO experience in Crimson Desert, had it not been for one problem: Crimson Desert would be the perfect single-MMORPG for me, but it repeats the biggest mistake of Dark Souls

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Crimson Desert: Denuvo – All you need to know

Is Crimson Desert using the controversial copy protection Denuvo? MeinMMO explains what we currently know and what information is available.

What is Denuvo? Denuvo is a widely used, controversial anti-piracy and anti-tamper software (DRM). It encrypts game files and checks the license upon startup. Players accuse the manufacturer of causing PCs to slow down and consume resources.

But is this controversial software also in use for Crimson Desert? MeinMMO explains what we know so far.

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Crimson Desert shows more of the fights and progression in the action RPG in the new gameplay video

It is currently unknown whether Crimson Desert will use Denuvo

Is Crimson Desert using Denuvo? So far, nothing concrete is known about this, and the developers have not commented on it yet.

It is important to note: So far, there is no concrete indication of the use of Denuvo in Crimson Desert on the official shop page on Steam. In comparison, on the shop page of Anno 117 on Steam, the note can be found: “Third-party DRM: Denuvo Anti-tamper.”

This specific note is currently missing for Crimson Desert. Currently, there is only the mention that one must agree to a third-party EULA.

What happens next? It can certainly happen that the manufacturer decides at short notice to protect an important release like Crimson Desert with Denuvo. In many cases, this only protects the release and shortly thereafter the protection is removed again.

Pearl Abyss may alternatively rely on other DRM methods: Particularly unpopular among players is Enigma DRM, which is increasingly used by Capcom in its games.

What about the PS5 and Xbox version? Console games usually come without Denuvo and rely on their own copy protection measures from Sony or Microsoft. However, Denuvo offers a special tool for developers, “Denuvo Anti-Cheat,” to prevent aimbotting or wallhacks on the PS5. This is usually optional and not required by Sony for PS5 games.

Crimson Desert is an action-adventure with role-playing elements and open world. It comes from the developers of Black Desert and is set to be released in 2026. We at MeinMMO will tell you everything about the release date, editions, trailers, and more: Crimson Desert: All information regarding release, platforms, editions, and multiplayer at a glance

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

Crimson Desert: Hide Helmet and Transmog – What is Possible?

Many players know it: The ugly helmet covers the character’s face, or the armor looks like a mess. But can you change the appearance of the equipment in Crimson Desert to still benefit from the stats? MeinMMO reveals it to you.

How to hide the helmet? Currently, it is not possible to hide the helmet in Crimson Desert – unless you are at a barber. This is necessary because otherwise you cannot customize your appearance well. 

Outside of that, unfortunately, you only have the option to manually remove it through the inventory or quick selection. However, since this can be done really quickly, you can switch just before or even during fights to benefit from the stats.

Since many helmets do not provide much additional value and there are no set bonuses, it often doesn’t hurt to simply skip wearing one.

Update, March 30, 2026: The article has been reviewed and is up to date.
Start video
Crimson Desert: Launch trailer shows new bosses, dragon action and the storming of a moving train

Hide equipment or apply skins – is that possible?

How can you customize equipment? In Crimson Desert, unfortunately, you currently cannot customize the appearance of your equipment. You can only dye and change the material when you visit a dye house.

You cannot hide individual pieces, nor can you overlay the appearance of another piece of armor over the items you wear. You have to live with what you are currently wearing.

Whether such a feature will be added in the future is currently unclear. So if you want to follow fashion, you need to upgrade your equipment as best as you can or find other ways to navigate the world. Here you can and must be creative and try out what works for you.

Crimson Desert is a game that doesn’t hold your hand. Much is either explained little or not at all. While this encourages experimentation and problem-solving, it can also quickly lead to frustration. If you get stuck or need help, check out our guide overview or leave us a comment if you don’t find what you’re looking for: Crimson Desert: All guides, tips, and lists in overview

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

Crimson Desert: Customize and dye appearance and equipment – How to personalize your characters

In Crimson Desert you take on the role of 3 fixed characters. However, you can customize their appearance to suit your taste. How to do this is explained here.

What can be customized for the characters? In Crimson Desert you can change the following things about your characters:

  • Hairstyle
  • Brows
  • Beard
  • Face and body tattoos
  • The respective colors of the customizable regions

You can also customize the colors and materials of your equipment and that of your mounts and combine them as you like. 

We will explain how to do this.

Start video
Crimson Desert: Launch trailer shows new bosses, dragon action and the storming of a moving train

Here’s how to customize your appearance in Crimson Desert

If you want to adjust the direct appearance of the characters, you need to visit a barber. You can unlock one for your camp by completing as many side quests for the gray manes as possible and expanding the camp.

You can choose from various options for all 3 characters and also dye them however you like. Equipped headgear can be hidden, giving you a better view of your customizations.

Customizing and dyeing equipment – here’s how

If you want to dye your equipment or that of your mounts and tools, you need to go to a dye house. You can find one right near Hernand:

Alternatively, you can also complete as many side quests for your gray manes camp to unlock an in-house dyer.

There, you can extensively customize each of your equipment pieces and also dye them in different sections or change the material or pattern. 

You can also save colors and try out different combinations before applying them. To obtain colors or materials, you have to find them in the open world, craft them in the alchemy kettle, or buy them from merchants.

Unfortunately, there is currently no option in Crimson Desert to overlay the appearance of another piece of equipment onto the currently worn one, so you can only customize the appearance of the equipment pieces you are currently wearing.

In Crimson Desert, you can take on the role of one of the 3 playable characters and switch between them. They can also fight by your side. What makes the 3 special and which one you should choose, you can read here: Crimson Desert: The 3 playable characters and their class – you can even fight as a trio

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Crimson Desert: Earn Money Quickly – This Way You’ll Never Run Out of Silver

There are as many merchants in Crimson Desert as there is sand on the beach. And they have so many useful and beautiful things. To help you afford them all, we will explain how you can quickly get the necessary cash, especially at the beginning.

In Crimson Desert, you have various ways to make money – whether through quests, trading, stealing, or looting. However, especially at the beginning, some options are more suitable than others.

So that you don’t have to travel through Pywel without money, and to get the items you want as quickly as possible, we present the most lucrative options.

Start video
Crimson Desert: Launch trailer shows new bosses, dragon action and the storming of a moving train

The best ways to make money at the start

This is how to earn as much money as possible right from the start: To get a good start in the first hours of the game, you have a few options that enable you to afford everything you want with little effort.

Here’s what you can do for particularly quick coins:

  • Accept all side quests at the bulletin board. They are quickly completed and provide you with money as well as important inventory slots.
  • Complete bounties with nearby targets. For this, you only need to find the target, overpower them, and bring them to prison.
  • Look out for recipes, crafting books, and items marked with a house or bag scattered around the world. They bring in particularly good money when sold. 

Warning: It’s best to get a mask early, as it allows you to steal these things. You can either find it as loot from bandits or from one of the early bounties. 

Although you lose some reputation with the respective faction for every theft, even if there are no witnesses, it doesn’t play a significant role at the beginning. So you can be daring without expecting serious consequences. Just don’t get caught and stay unseen in the area until the alarm aura has dissipated, or leave as quickly as possible when you’re sure no one sees you.

If you’ve already spent some time in Pywel and are familiar with the fights, it’s also worth clearing up as much space as possible in your inventory and targeting larger enemy camps. They often have valuable weapons and armor that you can sell well. Additionally, they often carry a few coin bags themselves.

In the long run, money will become less of a problem for you in Crimson Desert. If you regularly sell collected loot and especially complete additional side quests, you should rarely find yourself in a situation where you can’t afford something.

Crimson Desert is a game that does not hold your hand. Much is explained only little or not at all. While this encourages experimentation and puzzling, it can also quickly become frustrating. If you get stuck or need help, take a look at our guide overview or leave us a comment if you can’t find what you’re looking for: Crimson Desert: All guides, tips, and lists at a glance

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Crimson Desert: Game Pass – Is the game included in the subscription?

Crimson Desert will be released for various platforms – including PC and Xbox Series X|S. Players are therefore wondering if the game will also be available on Game Pass.

Many players now rely on Microsoft’s Game Pass when it comes to being able to play exciting titles at release in a subscription and not having to pay the full price. After all, the standard version of Crimson Desert is priced at €69.99, which is why many are also asking whether the game will be included in the Game Pass at launch.

We explain to you how the chances for that stand.

Update from March 20, 2026: We have reviewed the article and refreshed it a bit. It is up to date.
Start video
Crimson Desert reveals the release date in the new trailer

Crimson Desert and Game Pass – What you need to know

Is Crimson Desert coming to Game Pass? No, at launch on March 19, 2026, Crimson Desert will not be part of Game Pass. However, it is likely that the title will be available in the subscription at some point. After all, Crimson Desert has already been confirmed for Microsoft’s “Play Anywhere” support. And after all, Black Desert, the flagship title of developer Pearl Abyss, was also part of Game Pass until August 31, 2023.

However, there are no officially confirmed plans for that. Whether and when the title will actually come to Game Pass is currently unclear. So unfortunately, you will have to pay for the game at launch and purchase it outside of the subscription to be able to play it. If you own multiple devices from the Microsoft family, it can be very worthwhile thanks to “Play Anywhere”.

What does “Play Anywhere” support mean? Play Anywhere means that you only have to buy the game once, and then you can play it on PC, Xbox console, and supported handheld consoles while keeping your progress. All achievements, content, and save data will be seamlessly synchronized across all devices.

On March 19, 2026, it’s time, and with Crimson Desert, the ambitious action-adventure from the creators of Black Desert will launch. The game offers a massive scope of various contents, features, and a huge open world. MeinMMO editor Karsten Scholz shows you 6 reasons that will further fuel your hype: 6 reasons why you should be excited about Crimson Desert

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Crimson Desert: Abyss in Imbalance – How to Solve the Sphere Puzzle

In Crimson Desert, the Abyss leads you to a puzzle with spheres as part of a quest. To avoid long experimentation, we will show you how to solve it.

What do you have to do in the quest? The quest “Abyss in Imbalance” guides you along the Ethereal Path to a device that you need to get running again. For that, you must use the Axiom powers you learned just before and place spheres in their designated spots, activating them with the correct ability.

The solution can be found by carefully observing and examining the surroundings. However, it is not so easy to find. If you don’t feel like it or just can’t figure it out, you can find the solution here.

Start video
Crimson Desert: Launch trailer shows new bosses, dragon action and the storming of a moving train

Activate Nexus and remove wall

First, you need to activate the Abyss Nexus by standing on the marked platform. This will also start your puzzle. Then jump to the opposite platform and approach the abyss.

If you want to jump down now, you will find that an invisible wall blocks your way down.

In the game, the somewhat confusing task is called: “Bring the floating power core to the deactivated light source,” while the quest tells you to remove the wall that blocks the ground.

You can remove it by: 

  • Grabbing the blue cube sphere (floating power core) with your Axiom powers 
  • Then placing it on the free stone pedestal opposite the other one

This is how it looks:

Once you release it there and it snaps into place, the barrier will disappear and you can simply jump down. 

Assemble Abyss Sphere and activate power supply

Next, you should assemble the Abyss Sphere. For that, take the plate that is hanging in the air below with your Axiom ability. Then rotate it so that you can push it flat against the blue glowing area on the wall and release it there. 

Then observe the spectral boy, who shows you the ability “Power Fist” with the corresponding displayed button.

Apply the newly gained ability to the plate now hanging on the wall and activate the device for the power supply.

Then climb out of the hole and into the center of the shown round device. Also apply the new power strike here to get the power supply working. Make sure to be exactly in the center; otherwise, you will quickly find yourself back down without the power running.

Once you have activated the device, you can climb out of the hole again and have completed the puzzle. As a reward, you will receive an artifact and later the ability to glide.

Crimson Desert is a game that doesn’t exactly guide you by the hand. Many things are explained very little or not at all. While this encourages experimentation and puzzling, it can also become frustrating quickly. If you get stuck or need help, check out our guide overview or leave us a comment if you don’t find what you’re looking for: Crimson Desert: All guides, tips, and lists in overview

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

Crimson Desert: Reunion – This is how you solve the puzzle in the Ancient Ruins

During the quest “Reunion” in Crimson Desert, a cat leads you to a cave with a secret. We explain how to solve the puzzle.

What kind of puzzle is this? As you follow the previously rescued cat through the underbrush, you will inevitably pass by a ruin. There, you can not only learn the abilities “Lift” and “Focus” through observation, but you also have to solve a puzzle.

For in the ruin, you will find three discs on the wall connected by a power supply that is interrupted. You must restore it. So you don’t have to experiment for too long, you will find out here what you have to do.

Start video
Crimson Desert: Launch trailer shows new bosses, dragon action and the storming of a moving train

How to unveil the secret of the ruin

Instead of using the newly acquired abilities or the already known Axiom powers, you must rely on your power strike here. To establish the connection between the plates, you need to press them into the wall so that they all lie flat. 

To do this, you need to give them a strike in the following order:

  • Middle
  • Right
  • Left

Once you have restored the connection, the secret is complete and you will receive an Abyss Boundary Stone as a reward outside at the pedestal. At the same time, you also completed the Abyss Fire Sign of the Meandering Hills.

Additionally, by solving the puzzle, you have earned a fast travel point to which you can teleport again and again, as long as you are not currently on a mount or in combat.

Crimson Desert is a game that does not exactly hold your hand. Much is explained little or not at all. While this encourages experimentation and puzzling, it can also quickly lead to frustration. If you get stuck or need help, check out our guide overview or leave us a comment if you can’t find what you’re looking for: Crimson Desert: All guides, tips, and lists at a glance

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

Crimson Desert: The best talents and skills for the start

In Crimson Desert you do not earn experience points or level-ups. Instead, you invest artifacts into up to three talent trees per character to unlock new abilities and upgrades. MeinMMO reveals which talents have proven to be effective at the start.

How does character development work in Crimson Desert? Main character Kliff and the other two playable characters (Damiane and Oongka) increase their power primarily through better equipment, upgrading existing equipment, socketed Abyss gear, and unlocking talents.

Each of the 3 characters has their own talent trees. These are divided into the colors blue, red, and green:

  • In the blue tree, you will find primarily weapon and combat abilities; here you can also increase your stamina.
  • In the red tree, you improve your grappling hook, your gliding and flying skills, and your health pool. Additionally, you will find special elemental attacks here.
  • In the green tree, you optimize your spirit value (resource for executing special actions and skills) and energy skills like “Power Fist” and “Focus.” You can also find skills like double jump or “Tumble” that enhance your mobility.

Note: For various talents, you must meet specific requirements to learn them. Often, these are linked to progress in the main story. Abilities like “Stomp” can alternatively be learned by observing in combat.

Crimson Desert Talent tree Kliff
Here you can see Kliff’s talent tree

Which talents are particularly good for the start?

  • Invest artifacts promptly to improve your stamina and health – even the first points have a noticeable effect on your health buffer, sprint phases, or the number of possible dodge movements.
  • One point in “Double Jump” immediately improves any situation where you … well … need to jump.
  • With “Sharp Senses” and the associated upgrades “Lightning Counter” and “Quick Dodge,” you will find it significantly easier to avoid enemy attacks.
  • Improve “The Power of Axioms” promptly with “Aerial Maneuvers” and “Aerial Swing.” With the upgraded grappling hook, you will find it significantly easier to overcome obstacles or climb heights.
  • Using “Power Fist” consecutively can disrupt even strong opponents, weaken their defense, and subsequently allow high damage spikes – here too, we recommend investing points.
  • In the blue tree, upgrading “Weapon” is a no-brainer.
  • Then, focus first on a special maneuver that you fully develop, such as “Push,” “Forward Strike,” or “Spin Strike.” We cannot recommend a completely unarmed playstyle or a pure focus on ranged combat for beginners – only invest points there once you have learned all the important talents.
Talents face unexpected competition
Not only your talents consume Abyss artifacts. At a certain point, you will also have to use Abyss artifacts for upgrading armor and weapons – in addition to other resources.
Start video
Crimson Desert: Launch trailer shows new bosses, dragon action and the storming of a moving train

How do I obtain the artifacts? For the talents, you need Abyss artifacts, which you can earn through the following content:

  • Complete main story quests
  • Defeat bosses
  • Complete Abyss puzzles in the world
  • Master the tasks of Sealed Abyss artifacts, which you can find all over the world
  • Fill the yellow bar next to the minimap by defeating enemies

The positions of Abyss puzzles and Sealed Abyss artifacts can be found relatively easily: Stand with Kliff on an elevated position and reflect the sunlight with your weapon (on the controller with the two front shoulder buttons).

All undiscovered fast travel points, Abyss puzzles, and Sealed Abyss artifacts in sight will be highlighted by the reflection with a light blue glow.

The tasks for the Sealed artifacts vary widely: sometimes you have to eliminate 3 enemies without spilling blood, sometimes perform a specified number of attacks with a spear within a certain timeframe or slide back 50 meters. To earn all artifacts, you must familiarize yourself with Kliff’s very different skills.

Attention: The completed challenges of the Sealed Dice do not automatically reward you with the corresponding artifact. So do not forget to stop by your inventory and use the respective now pulsating die – only then will you receive the point for your talent area.

If you have more tips and tricks to make the start in Crimson Desert easier, feel free to comment! If you have specific questions about the game, you can ask them during our Q&A session about the release in this article:  MMORPG veterans with over 100 hours in Crimson Desert will answer your questions about the action-adventure

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

Chopper from One Piece becomes a supporter of a worldwide charity organization: “We have won again!”

One of the Straw Hat Pirates will become the official mascot for the charity organization “Doctors Without Borders.” Tony Tony Chopper will not only be a doctor in the anime in the future.

Who will be the mascot for what? The character Tony Tony Chopper has been revealed as an “official supporter” by the charity organization “Doctors Without Borders.” There was also a special illustration by the series creator Eiichiro Oda.

The new position of the Straw Hat Pirate will officially be announced in the upcoming issue of the magazine Weekly Shono Jump. The magazine will be released on March 24, 2026.

This is what the specially crafted illustration of Tony Tony Chopper for Doctors Without Borders looks like:

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The organization Doctors Without Borders consists of a group of doctors from various countries who provide medical emergency assistance in conflict and disaster areas. They are metaphorically borderless, as the organization operates across national borders.

Not only will Tony Chopper appear in the charity organization, but also in the live-action series of One Piece on Netflix:

Start video
One Piece: Netflix shows new trailer for season 2 with Nico Robin

A purpose that makes One Piece fans proud

How is the community reacting? Under a X post by Shonen Jump News, the comments are excited about this announcement:

  • Pink Find writes on X: Doctors Without Borders has just received a real upgrade! Finally, a doctor who is cute and competent and only asks for cotton candy in return. One Piece fans, we have won again.
  • nathanistic is also excited: Wow, that’s great! Seeing Chopper and being recognized as an official supporter of Doctors Without Borders is just perfect!

Tony Tony Chopper is the perfect choice from the Straw Hat Pirates for the organization. After all, Chopper is a doctor himself, and his healing abilities are also borderless, as he can utilize them throughout his adventures.

Moreover, Tony Tony Chopper has great compassion for his comrades and stands for tireless dedication, even in critical situations. By the way, this is not the first time that the Straw Hat Pirate Tony Tony Chopper makes it into the real world. You can read more about it here on MeinMMO: Chopper from One Piece lands in the real world, gets his own social media accounts

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
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Before ARC Raiders became an extraction shooter, the developers themselves did not know what they were really working on

ARC Raiders supports various playstyles, as one would expect from a PvPvE extraction shooter. If one had believed the descriptions from some developers back then, it could be a completely different game today.

What was revealed about the development of ARC Raiders? The production manager of ARC Raiders, Caio Braga, shared in a talk at GDC (Game Developers Conference) what stages the extraction shooter has gone through – and they all sound like the developers were working on completely different games.

According to Braga, no one could really describe what ARC Raiders was actually about.

“When you asked someone, it was said to be a battle royale against ARCs, or a co-op game in the style of Shadow of the Colossus, or a hero looter shooter,” Braga recounts during his talk at GDC, “Our ARC developers thought of the game as a co-op soulslike” (Source: PC Gamer)

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ARC Raiders shows new Hurricane condition and hints at a new enemy

More adventure than typical shooter

What focus played an important role in development? Despite the different visions for ARC Raiders, Braga stated in an interview with PC Gamer that a special focus emerged. And it wasn’t, as one might assume, on the pure shooter aspect.

While it was meant to be an easily accessible extraction shooter, what ARC Raiders is known for today, a specific aspect was emphasized that differentiates the game from some other genre titles:

We saw more potential in giving players the opportunity to explore the world rather than just shoot.

Caio Braga in conversation with PC Gamer

How much adventure is in ARC Raiders? The PvPvE approach of ARC Raiders, along with the exploration opportunities, makes the game almost feel more like an adventure game with potential shootouts rather than a pure shooter. 

Especially as a solo player, ARC Raiders feels more like a relaxing wandering simulator with robots, which many players would also underline. Freedoms and player choices contribute to shaping the game as one desires.


Even if almost every player prefers ARC Raiders to their own power and possibly a different playstyle than other raiders, the community agrees on one thing: A robot in ARC Raiders is so bad that it even unites rats and PvE players

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

Twitch streamer proudly presents his strategy for the toughest Pokémon champ, is immediately laughed at by colleagues

The Twitch streamer Sascha unsympatheticTV Hellinger proudly presented his colleagues Trymacs and Varion his strategy in the game Pokémon Shining Pearl. He finally wants to defeat the Champion Cynthia. But his strategy seems to have some holes, as his two Twitch colleagues reveal to him.

What kind of strategy is that? Currently, the Twitch streamer and YouTuber unsympatheticTV is playing the Pokémon edition Shining Pearl, the remake of the 4th generation, on the Nintendo Switch. He has already failed against the Champion Cynthia once, but now unsympatheticTV has assembled a new team with new attacks.

That is also bitterly necessary, as Cynthia is considered one of the strongest Champions in the Pokémon community. One of the reasons for this are her Spiritomb and her signature Pokémon Garchomp.

In the team of unsympatheticTV, along with other Pokémon, there is also a Ursaring. A powerful Normal-type Pokémon that unsympatheticTV has equipped with Swords Dance and Hyper Beam.

He presented this strategy to Varion and Trymacs in their new episode Offline + Honest on Spotify. But his colleagues could only laugh at his strategy.

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The trailer for the 10th generation of Pokémon shows the new region and the three starters

You are joking with me!

Why isn’t the strategy working? Swords Dance is indeed a strong attack as it raises the attack value by 2 points, but Hyper Beam as a damage dealer makes less sense in this combination with Ursaring.

Hyper Beam is a special attack, but Swords Dance only increases physical attack. Furthermore, Ursaring has more physical attack than special attack. It would therefore be smarter in this case to equip Ursaring with a strong physical attack rather than relying on a special attack.

Varion and Trymacs explained this to unsympatheticTV in their conversation, which left the streamer somewhat shocked at first: You are joking with me! […] This is not fun at all anymore. (Source: Spotify from minute 50:12).

He defended his mistake by saying that it has been a long time since he played a Pokémon game. Especially sad in this context: unsympatheticTV spent his last Pokédollars on buying these attacks. Unfortunately, he now has money problems.

In the end, however, Trymacs encouraged his podcast colleague to continue against Cynthia as unsympatheticTV intended. This is probably more out of schadenfreude though.

Trymacs, unsympatheticTV, and Varion have also collaborated in other areas in the past. For example, Varion invited Trymacs to his new format on YouTube where he put him in front of a series of crafts tasks: YouTuber challenges Trymacs with craft tasks and rewards him with Pokémon booster packs

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

GTA developer finds that Crimson Desert only has a chance for the title Game of the Year under one condition

Even before the release of Crimson Desert, many were convinced: This could become something truly powerful and, above all, large. A developer who has previously worked on GTA believes the game has the potential to be Game of the Year, if it weren’t for the great fear of many game studios.

What stands in the way of Crimson Desert for GOTY according to the developer? Mike York, a former developer from Rockstar Studios who worked on titles such as GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2, shared his thoughts on the new open-world title Crimson Desert on YouTube. In the video, the animator, who has been in the industry for 20 years, shares his impressions of the game and finds that Crimson Desert is a game where one can truly lose themselves.

According to York, the game even has a chance of being named the prestigious Game of the Year, if it weren’t for an obstacle in the way: The long-awaited and feared giant blockbuster GTA 6 in the video game industry.

“Regarding the overall offering [of Crimson Desert], it is really a serious competitor,” explains York, “however, it would have to beat GTA 6 if it comes out this year. And if GTA 6 releases this year, they would really have to mess things up.”

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Crimson Desert: Launch trailer shows new bosses, dragon action and the storming of a moving train

The competition stands in the way of Crimson Desert to become the winner

What would GTA 6 need to do for Crimson Desert to win? Based on the developer’s explanation, Crimson Desert is a serious contender that could be crowned the best game of the year. But that would only happen through a catastrophic failure of GTA 6.

[GTA 6] would have to be really terrible. It would have to include some “woke” theme for people to have a reason to hate the game and for Crimson Desert to ultimately win the award and be named Game of the Year. It certainly has the potential to do so. If there were no GTA 6, this game would probably at least on first impression be awarded Game of the Year.

Mike York on YouTube

What makes Crimson Desert a worthy Game of the Year for the developer? According to the developer, Crimson Desert does exactly what he loves about Red Dead Redemption 2. What initially sounds like a flaw, Crimson Desert likely does right:

They are trying to cram a lot in. And sometimes, when you pack too many things in, you just get lost as a player. You can’t follow the story anymore or lose the thread and are just kind of lost. But it seems like that’s the point in Crimson Desert… to get lost. Just like in Red Dead Redemption 2, you just get lost. In this game, I never use the fast travel feature, I always explore everything. I always go off the path. And I love it.

Mike York on YouTube

Whether Crimson Desert will become as iconic a game as Red Dead Redemption 2 remains exciting, just like the fight for the title Game of the Year. Crimson Desert is already in the starting blocks, and first reviews on Metacritic are not looking too bad, if it weren’t for one thing: Crimson Desert on Metacritic: First reviews look solid, but especially the story does not fare well

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

The perhaps best game of the year receives mediocre reviews, but you can still love Crimson Desert

According to the reviews from testers, there is disillusionment among the fans. However, Crimson Desert is not a bad game at all.

How does Crimson Desert stand after the reviews? Few titles have divided the testing landscape as much recently as Crimson Desert. While some praise the game for its insane ambition, others, like the well-known video game journalist Jason Schreier (Bluesky), express strong criticism of the open-world adventure.

With a score of 78, Crimson Desert currently holds a rather average rating on Metacritic. Nowadays, a score of 78 feels like a flop to many gamers, which makes players very insecure.

In our test, MeinMMO expert Karsten Scholz also addresses the many highs and lows of the open-world adventure. For many, the title was already the game of the year beforehand: countless interlocking systems, dark fantasy, and beautiful graphics were just the tip of the iceberg.

The reviews now criticize the story, the partly overloaded controls, and the balance, or the challenging difficulty level, which will really test the players. However, you absolutely need not be afraid of a bad Crimson Desert.

Here you can watch the trailer for Crimson Desert:

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Crimson Desert: Launch trailer shows new bosses, dragon action and the storming of a moving train

Crimson Desert is not a bad game!

Should you wait to buy it? If you read the reviews carefully, it quickly becomes clear: Crimson Desert is not perfect. It definitely has its rough edges, it can be extremely clunky at times, and the controls can drive you crazy at the beginning.

But the experts also clearly state that the title is not bad. It is even far from being a bad game. The testers’ criticism of the controls, story, and balance should be no obstacle for true fans of deep role-playing games.

According to the reviews, Crimson Desert is not a game that simply guides you through the story with quest markers. Instead, the experts report that the title challenges players to immerse themselves in the world and explore off the beaten path. Those who do will be greatly rewarded, according to the testers.

Many reviews emphasize that the game requires you to think for yourself. Curiosity and creativity are cited in the reviews as the most important tools to navigate the world. This also applies to the combat system, according to the testers. Aside from the control issues, the fighting itself has been highly praised in the reviews, as it is described as very impactful.

However, the general sentiment among the experts is very clear: Those who wanted to play Crimson Desert just because it’s currently hyped and have no real interest in a challenging experience may be disappointed. The reviews make it clear: it simply isn’t for everyone.

What does MeinMMO author Cedric Holmeier think? I have only been able to play Crimson Desert for about 15 hours so far, so I understand the reviews well. Those who have a perfectly polished blockbuster game in mind without rough edges should wait before buying.

Especially regarding controls and balance, the title will probably offer a much smoother experience in a few months due to the inevitable patches. But I also understand that many are currently hyped and won’t wait. Here you need to prepare to really dive into the ruthless open world, and then you will have a blast.

So don’t cancel your orders just yet if you’re feeling a bit uncertain. Crimson Desert forces you to learn its mechanics and lets you fail. Those who are willing to engage will receive an adventure they won’t forget quickly, and a clunky masterpiece.

Everyone who is still unsure after this clarification can find here the four most important features that will determine whether Crimson Desert is truly good: Crimson Desert has about 5,000 features, these 4 decide if you have fun

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

Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man seem to be made for Gen Z – and there is a reason for that

The Animes Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man are hard to compare to the popular series Demon Slayer. Nevertheless, they can celebrate great successes. According to the animation studio MAPPA, this is due to a certain secret of success.

Why are they so successful? In an interview with Nikkei xTREND, MAPPA CEO Manabu Otsuka and co-founder Masao Maruyama explained MAPPA’s business strategy. It was noted that there is a main difference between the production of Demon Slayer and their own animes.

The key to success lies in opening up to the world and trusting young artists to express and unleash their creative freedom in the animes. In this context, especially animators in their twenties and thirties, who belong to Generation Z, are employed.

I think the strength of Kimetsu no Yaiba lies in the fact that it is a work for all age groups. We did not want to compete with the same approach. With Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man, we opted for a style in which creatives in their 20s and 30s bring everything they consider to be the coolest onto the screen.

Rather than relying on an exact adaptation by experienced artists, they confirmed young people to target an audience of the same age. The international audience should also feel addressed.

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Chainsaw Man: Der Trailer zum Film zeigt Denjis Romanze mit Reze

The most successful Animes of Gen Z

How successful are they then? Demon Slayer is considered the benchmark for a successful anime today. The latest movie surpassed its own revenue and also the manga has sold more than almost any other work.

However, Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man do not have to hide behind that. Jujutsu Kaisen is releasing one movie after another, which speaks for its success. Even though not everyone may like them.

Chainsaw Man has also started releasing its arcs as movies and generating successful revenues. There are even aspects that are better resolved in Chainsaw Man than in Demon Slayer.

The story of Jujutsu Kaisen is now complete. However, the mangaka is not taking a break but has immediately started working on his next project. And it could even be better than its predecessor manga: The author of Jujutsu Kaisen is writing a new manga, and thanks to help, he can focus fully on the story

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

CEO asks ChatGPT how to change a multi-million dollar contract, ignores his lawyers, suffers a devastating defeat in court

A publisher does not want to pay a studio 250 million, and the CEO asks ChatGPT for help. The result is a defeat in court. The conflict between the publisher and the developer has been smoldering since 2025. It’s about money, reputation, and players.

The publisher Krafton acquired the developer Unknown Worlds for 500 million USD in 2021. At the same time, it was agreed: If your new game Subnautica 2 should sell exceptionally well, we will pay an additional 250 million USD. This is referred to as “earn-out” in corporate speak.

Internal forecasts also indicated that Subnautica 2 would indeed be successful. Krafton would of course have to pay the agreed bonus. CEO Changhan Kim reportedly sought help from ChatGPT to find ways to avoid this bonus, rather than following the advice of his own lawyers. It seems that this backfired.

You can read the entire court proceedings directly from the Delaware court (PDF file). Here, chat logs and requests from the CEO can also be viewed.

Here you can see the trailer for Subnautica 2:

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Subnautica 2: The first gameplay trailer for the survival hit on Steam

CEO uses ChatGPT to resolve contract, suffers devastating defeat in court

What did the CEO do? Based on ChatGPT’s suggestions, he created an internal “Project X,” planned a “takeover” of Unknown Worlds, and attempted to get rid of the founders to avoid paying the 250 million USD bonus.

This also included a public statement designed by ChatGPT to the fans, which is still viewable on Reddit. However, the reactions from players to this post were far from positive.

In June 2025, the release of Subnautica 2 was also postponed to 2026, with a statement to IGN.com emphasizing that this decision had nothing to do with “contractual or financial considerations.”

The founders of the studio were ultimately fired, but they sued against the decision and won: a court has now ordered that they must be reinstated; the CEO’s strategy is in a quite poor legal and reputational position. This is evident from the aforementioned court documents, and is reported by Kotaku.com.

Especially frustrating: The CEO’s own lawyers had warned him against these steps, stating that the entire action was legally risky and quite hopeless. The CEO worked with Maria Park, the head of corporate development at Krafton, and the company’s legal department on this, and Park clearly stated:

“Therefore, we can hardly gain anything, except for a punishment by simple termination, while I fear that we expose ourselves to the risk of lawsuits and reputational damage.”

However, there are also positive examples where ChatGPT can provide a real advantage to the user: A family man sells his house entirely with the help of AI in just five days. From planning to choosing wall colors, ChatGPT takes care of almost everything: A man sells his house, letting ChatGPT tell him how to paint the walls: “Expectations exceeded”

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

Trainer in Pokémon GO asks why a frog defeats its legendary time monster – Players lend a hand

In Pokémon GO different showcases take place. But how exactly do they work? A current discussion brings the topic up.

The showcases in Pokémon GO have been in the game for some time. They offer you the chance to submit a Pokémon, which is then compared to the Pokémon of other players. Depending on the category, different values are measured.

For a long time, it mainly revolved around the size of Pokémon. For example, a water showcase could require you to submit your largest water Pokémon in hopes that it wins in the end.

But how exactly is this scored? This question was raised by the player R1DZZ in the Pokémon GO subreddit with his post. Because: In such a competition, his original Palkia, a gigantic legendary time monster, lost to a comparatively small Mudkip.

How could this happen?

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Pokémon GO Fest 2026 comes with Mewtwo and Zeraora

How is size scored in the showcase in Pokémon GO?

In the comments, some players note that the trainer is working under a faulty assumption. Because in principle, pretty much every Palkia is naturally larger than Mudkip. And some time ago, Palkia would have won the showcase.

However, because every showcase with this system would repeatedly see the same winning Pokémon, the system was adjusted.

Currently, each Pokémon in the showcase is evaluated in the context of its own species. This means in this specific case: The winner in the showcase simply had an extremely large Mudkip compared to other Mudkip. The Palkia, on the other hand, was apparently not so large compared to other Palkia.

Accordingly, Mudkip wins, not Palkia.

Changes in Showcases: Fundamentally, an important element in the showcases has changed since the current season started. They now only take place on Tuesdays, and there are now up to 20 different categories that are crucial for the submitted Pokémon. These can include types, buddy Pokémon, specific species, or others.

As of now, the size of the Pokémon still seems to be the decisive factor. If you want to win showcases, you should still collect numerous XXL Pokémon.

What’s next in Pokémon GO? In the coming weeks, there are numerous other events lined up that will bring you various Pokémon. Everything is still focused on the Bug Crab event, followed by Research Day on the weekend. Next week, Gigantamax Pikachu will appear in the game, and an Electric event will follow. What else is coming up? You can read about it in our overview of the events in March in Pokémon GO.

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

Counter-Strike forces players to think after 25 years, and they can’t handle it

The developers of Counter-Strike 2 have completely changed the reloading mechanics in a major update. The community is reacting with an outcry.

What kind of update is this? The developers at Valve have released one of the largest updates for Counter-Strike 2 to date. While in most cases only minor changes are made to the game, this time Valve is addressing the reloading mechanics.

Until now, players could easily reload when they had less than a full magazine loaded, and there were hardly any disadvantages to not doing so. Now the developers want to make reloading more tactical.

Now, when reloading in Counter-Strike 2, players will drop the entire partial magazine and lose the ammunition. If one bullet has been fired and the player reloads, all other bullets will be lost during the reload.

Players will need to pay much more attention to their ammunition in the future and think about whether reloading is worth it. However, the major update is causing anything but joy among the players.

Here you can watch the trailer for Counter-Strike 2:

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Counter-Strike 2: Valve once again impresses with the launch trailer

“How to Destroy a Game”

How are the fans reacting? Valve has managed to turn its own community against itself in a very short time with this update. Whether it’s on Steam, Reddit, or under the announcement on X. Everywhere, the developers have received hundreds of comments.

Almost all feedback towards Valve is negative. Apart from the crude insults, players see no added value in the change. For them, it makes the game worse instead of better.

At the same time, players are annoyed by the things that the community has been requesting for years but not receiving. This includes adequate cheat protection, which should alleviate player frustration.

What impact is the outcry having? Looking at the reviews of Counter-Strike 2 on Steam, the game received only 31% positive ratings in new reviews the day after the change.

This had no impact on the overall rating despite more than 9 million reviews, but it shows that it is not a minority that finds the change unfavorable.

Valve is not known for immediately backing down after a short outcry. Whether and how long the fans will protest against the change or whether they will eventually find enjoyment in the tactical reloading remains to be seen. After all, the enthusiasm for skins is still the same as before: “Who the hell are you?” – German Twitch streamer to Counter-Strike cannot believe his eyes when he sees a fan’s skin

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. x.com
  2. x.com
  3. reddit