Baldur’s Gate 3 shows how MMORPGs could solve their ancient problem

Andreas Bertits Andreas Bertits Reading time 4 minutes

Decisions with consequences that affect the game world is something that is very appealing in single-player games. However, this doesn’t really work in MMORPGs. Baldur’s Gate 3 (PC, Stadia) could present a solution, says MeinMMO author Andreas Bertits.

Due to a decision made by the player during the adventure, bandits suddenly overrun a settlement, leveling it to the ground. Such things can indeed happen in a single-player RPG, and that’s what makes it appealing for some fans.

The difference between single and multiplayer: In titles like The Witcher or the Fallout series, decisions during quests or dialogues are an essential part of the player experience. What are the consequences when I choose to help NPC A and leave NPC B to their fate?

However, in an MMO, this is difficult to implement. If an NPC dies due to my decision, other players can no longer visit them. Teammates might have acted differently and be frustrated with the outcome of the situation. Therefore, in many MMOs, decisions have no real consequences.

The evil boss enemy threatens to attack and destroy the city, but it never happens. And even if heroes defeat the monster, it always comes back.

SWTOR - Shadow of Revan
In the MMORPG Star Wars: The Old Republic, you do make decisions, but they don’t have real effects.

These solutions already exist: Some MMORPGs are trying to change this. In Star Wars: The Old Republic, you can influence the story during the storyline. However, this mainly affects your personal story. There are no consequences for the game world.

The Elder Scrolls Online tried to solve this with phasing technology. NPCs can die and then disappear. But in this case, players who made different decisions are in different “phases” and no longer meet.

For this reason, this system is hardly used in modern ESO. Players simply want to play together and not be separated due to different decisions.

How could decisions with consequences work in MMOs?

Could a single-player RPG show us the way? Larian Studios is currently working on the RPG Baldur’s Gate 3 (introduced by the colleagues from Gamestar). Although it is not an MMORPG, the multiplayer part offers a very interesting option for how players can make joint decisions that actually impact the plot and the world.

As the developers revealed in a video, branching storylines involve a vote. Each player indicates which option they choose. The game then takes the option that received the most votes. The entire group must then live with it. We will experience how well this works at the end of September with the start of the Early Access phase of BG 3.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content
This is how decisions play out in the multiplayer of Baldur’s Gate 3.

This can sometimes lead to funny situations. For example, if a vampire is in the party, it occasionally has to drink blood and can drain its teammates. However, they have a say in the matter. And that is through voting. So it is democratically decided which player will be bitten by the bloodsucker.

Are votes the solution? This system could even work in MMOs. If there are decisions during quests that have consequences for the entire server, a vote starts. Depending on how urgent it is, it remains “open” for a certain time. As many players as possible need to participate now. This voting then determines the course of action.

However, this is not an ideal solution. Those who are not online at the time cannot participate and may feel overwhelmed by the decision made. Notifications via email or phone might help here. If a vote takes place, every player on the server receives a message and can then decide whether to participate or not.

Baldurs Gate 3 Dialog
In the multiplayer of BG 3, all players vote for their preferred option during dialogues.

It could work under certain circumstances: Quests would naturally need to be designed accordingly to integrate such votes meaningfully. If heroes need to ask the entire server whether it is okay to make the death blow in a fight against the dark boss, the flow of the game would stall.

However, votes would be possible when an invasion into an enemy territory is about to start or when an NPC is revealed as a traitor and is waiting for their trial. Do players acquit them or do they face execution? These decisions could have larger consequences:

  • The invasion results in a declaration of war from a third party or
  • the NPC was a member of a secret organization that now hunts the players.

Perhaps Baldur’s Gate 3 shows us with the voting system that we can indeed expect real decisions with consequences in online games, and in the future, more games, even MMORPGs, may adopt this system.

Would you appreciate such a voting system in an MMO to experience decisions with consequences?

Do you enjoy story-driven online games? Then check out MeinMMO’s list of “The 6 Best Story MMORPGs You Can Play in 2020.”

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

Destiny 2 shows a substitute for the popular pinnacle weapons and how it works

Sven Galitzki Sven Galitzki Reading time 3 minutes

Bungie has now taken a closer look at the upcoming quest weapons in Destiny 2. These are supposed to come into play with Beyond Light and tie in with the popular and much-missed pinnacle and ritual weapons.

What are pinnacle weapons? Pinnacle weapons are powerful legendary firearms with special powerful perks that are sometimes as strong (or were) as Exotics. Even in Season 11, they are not only among the best that Destiny 2’s arsenal has to offer, but are also difficult to obtain and usually associated with a lot of effort and time. Whether PvP, PvE, or Gambit – every area of Destiny 2 has such weapons to offer.

However, these weapons were too powerful for Bungie, overshadowing numerous Exotics. Therefore, they were eventually replaced by so-called ritual weapons. The principle remained quite similar, but the guns were no longer as powerful and also not as difficult to obtain.

But Bungie has phased out these weapons as well. Although almost all previous pinnacle and ritual weapons can still be earned, due to the upcoming weapon retirement, they are losing significance. And there haven’t been any new ones for quite some time. However, that is supposed to change with Beyond Light.

One of the most iconic pinnacle weapons – Luna’s Howl (Source: @saboe627 on Twitter)

This is the replacement for pinnacle and ritual weapons in Beyond Light: In the upcoming autumn expansion Beyond Light, Bungie wants to introduce special legendary weapons again that you can hunt for.

These are now called quest weapons. They come with fixed perks, which can be adjusted or selected in parts. The last two perk columns offer several options, allowing you to better align the respective firearm according to your personal preferences.

This is different now: While there were usually one weapon each for PvP, Gambit, and the Vanguard (a total of 3) with pinnacle and ritual weapons, only one quest weapon per season will be offered from Beyond Light and Season 12, which is tied to a quest.

However, you can freely choose how you want to earn the base model of the weapon – whether through Strikes, the Crucible, or Gambit, for example. Depending on which activity you choose, you will have to fulfill specific objectives.

This will probably be the new quest weapon of Season 12 – the sniper Adored

This is how you can give quest weapons a special look: Once you have mastered the main quest for a quest weapon, Commander Zavala (Vanguard), Lord Shaxx (PvP), and the Drifter (Gambit) will offer you a follow-up quest.

You can earn special ornaments through this, which you can then use to visually enhance the quest weapon. The ornaments are inspired by the respective activities, allowing you to show where you prefer to roam in Destiny 2.

The different ornaments for the Adored

By the way, you are not limited to just one ornament. With the sniper, you can earn all 3.

Which quest weapon will come in Season 12? This is currently not 100% known, but the sample images in the current TWaB blog suggest that it is likely to be the sniper “Adored”, visually reminiscent of the “Beloved” from the Menagerie – it had a brief appearance in the Stasis trailer as well. However, what it can do in detail is unfortunately still unknown.

What do you think of the new quest weapon system so far? An adequate replacement for pinnacle and ritual weapons? Or would you prefer more special weapons in the previous style? Speaking of weapons – the 3rd weapon Exotic from Season of Arrival has also turned out really well: Chosen of the Traveler – New Exotic is even better than expected

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

I have been a PlayStation girl my whole life – But I will now switch to Xbox

Leya Jankowski Leya Jankowski Reading time 4 minutes

MeinMMO editor Leya Jankowski has been playing on PlayStation consoles since childhood. Now she wants to switch to the Xbox Series. The primary reason for this is the Xbox Game Pass.

Why I’ve never owned and wanted an Xbox: I grew up in a playful household. In the early 90s, we were one of the first families in our area to own a gaming PC with the Amiga. Later, there were also Game Boys and consoles added.

Over the years, we had pretty much every gaming device in my parents’ house – but never an Xbox.

The variety of platforms has continued into my teenage and adult years, as I appreciate them for different needs. I always own a combination of:

  • a PlayStation for exclusive titles like Last of Us and cozy couch gaming
  • a Nintendo handheld for on-the-go and titles like Pokémon
  • a PC for shooters and games that don’t come to console

That’s what I know from childhood. The controller of an Xbox still feels somehow wrong in my hands.

The strong exclusive titles of PlayStation have also consistently been a major argument against an Xbox for me. Games like God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn, or the current Ghost of Tsushima speak for themselves. It was never a question of which new home console I would buy when a new generation was imminent.

The Xbox Game Pass changes everything

What is the Xbox Game Pass? It’s a damn good deal!

You can think of the Xbox Game Pass as a “Netflix for gamers.” You subscribe for a large selection of games.

The Game Pass Ultimate costs €12.99 a month and includes over 200 games. Over 100 of those are permanently included in the Pass, and new ones are constantly added. The others rotate in and out of the Game Pass.

The Pass is available for PC and Xbox simultaneously. It includes really high-quality games, for which you would normally have to pay around €50 to €70 separately, including currently popular games like Crusador Kings 3 or the Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Xbox Live Gold is also included in the Game Pass Ultimate at no extra cost. You need the premium membership, just like with PlayStation Plus, to play online.

Recently, Microsoft announced that soon EA Play will be integrated into the Game Pass at no extra cost. With the Game Pass, there will also be games like FIFA 20 or Battlefield added. In total, about 60 games will be added through EA.

The Pass currently costs €3.99 a month in the PC beta version (in the first month for just €1). The subscription will soon increase to nearly €10 per month as the beta ends.

The Xbox Game Pass can already be considered ridiculously cheap for what you get.

xbox game krass titel 2
The Game Pass is simply an incredibly good deal.

Say Leya, why don’t you just use the Game Pass on your PC? That’s what some of you might be asking. After all, I could skip the console if it’s just about the Game Pass.

I could also comfortably game from the couch on the TV with the PC. However, there are four reasons against it for me:

I have no desire to:

  • run the necessary cables,
  • have streaming issues. I tried Steam Link once. It was a dreadful hassle, and there were always technical difficulties.
  • have the TV right next to the PC.

The PC is also a work device for me, where I also play simultaneously. Sometimes it’s just nice to turn off the machine and officially end the workday.

Microsoft proves innovation, Sony stagnates

What I currently like about Xbox: The Game Pass is an innovative offer as a “Netflix for gamers” that is entirely built on customer-friendliness. The subscription model is inexpensive and designed for our fast-paced modern lifestyle. Before we fully commit to a game and then shell out a lot of money for 1-3 big titles per year, the Game Pass gives us the opportunity to sample games. Maybe one game is played for 3 hours in the evening and another for 300 hours.

In terms of innovation, Microsoft also scores for me with its commitment to inclusion in gaming. You can read a review of Microsoft’s adaptive controller at our colleagues at GamePro. The adaptive controller can be very individually tailored to the needs of a person with physical disabilities. It’s super advanced in that segment.

What bothers me about PlayStation now: In contrast, Sony seems to have fallen asleep with their market strategy for PlayStation. They still rely on exclusive titles as THE big selling argument. It seems to me like they are resting on their exclusive titles. I don’t see any new, innovative ideas that blow me away.

Of course, the PS5 will also come with innovative new technology. Otherwise, there would be no need for a new generation. Technically, the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 probably don’t differ that much in the end. Ultimately, the consoles will excel in different areas, better or worse than the other model.

It will probably be the cute Xbox Series S

Why the smallest Xbox? The Xbox Series S is the smaller, cheaper version of the Xbox Series X. It costs only €299, but it doesn’t have a disc drive. The “big” X variant costs €499 and is therefore €200 more expensive.

Since I have only been buying my games digitally for years now, the lack of a drive on the S is not a problem for me.

The Series X is technically superior to the Series S and offers a significantly better graphics chip that is designed for a native 4K experience.

However, that doesn’t bother me much, since I don’t own a 4K TV and won’t be getting one anytime soon. Also, I still have a powerful PC that I can upgrade long-term for super nice graphics.

Those interested in the exact differences between Xbox Series X and S can find them with our colleagues at GamePro, who specialize in consoles.

The smallest Xbox also didn’t get its name without reason. It is 60% smaller than the bulky Xbox Series X. The cute design reminds me of a retro radio. I’m really into this look, and it will be a real eye-catcher in my apartment.

The little one exudes personality.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content
The launch trailer introduces the Xbox Series S.

MeinMMO editor Patrick Freese, by the way, wants nothing to do with the next-gen consoles. He is opting for an RTX 3080 to upgrade his PC.

PS: To be honest, if Last of Us 3 is announced exclusively for the PS5, I’ll probably run out to buy the console. Cursing, but I would run.

What do you think? Are you also considering switching your main console?

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

Hardcore fans of CoD are excited because Cold War lets them vote on the map

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 2 minutes

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War will probably have a feature that is important for many multiplayer fans: Map Voting. Curiously, this was no longer present in Modern Warfare, but a small detail in the multiplayer stream strongly hints at the return of the feature, which delights fans.

What is Map Voting all about? Map Voting has been a staple feature in previous Call of Duty titles. It allowed the lobby of a multiplayer match to vote on the next map after each battle. The map with the most votes would then be played next.

However, in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, this useful feature suddenly became a non-issue. Furthermore, the lobby was dissolved after each game, which was unfortunate if you had found really competent and pleasant teammates.

But in a stream after the reveal of the multiplayer of Cold War, you can clearly see that there is a small window for Map Voting located at the bottom left of the screen. The feature, which was also present in the predecessor Black Ops 4, is likely to return in Cold War.

You can find all collected info about the multiplayer mode of Cold War here:

More on the topic
CoD Black Ops Cold War: The multiplayer offers these features – All facts after the reveal
von Sven Galitzki

Fans are excited about Map Voting

That’s why Map Voting is so popular: The return of Map Voting delights Call of Duty fans, of course. This useful little feature allowed players to avoid unpopular maps. This was particularly important when those maps were disliked due to bugs and poor balance. Moreover, developers could quickly identify which maps might need some attention soon.

black-ops-cold-war-map-voting
This is where you see the Map Voting feature.

Therefore, it was incomprehensible to many players why this feature was missing in Modern Warfare, and for a long time it was loudly demanded that it be reintroduced. This has not yet happened in Modern Warfare, but at least the future players of Cold War on reddit are very pleased. There, developer Treyarch is praised and fans appreciate such little things that make the CoD life more enjoyable.

Now, there is only hope that the automatic dissolution of the lobby will also be a thing of the past in the game. The joyful reactions to this small feature stand in contrast to the rather subdued feedback from the community regarding the multiplayer reveal itself. Because there were many vehicles shown there, which did not please classic Call of Duty fans and rather reminded them of the larger-scale Battlefield.

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

New Limited Research in Pokémon GO Requires Mega Evolution

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 3 minutes

In Pokémon GO the new limited research “Mega Battle Challenge” is now active. We will show you all quests and rewards here. One of the tasks also involves a Mega Evolution – and that is not well received.

What is new? On September 11, 2020, Pokémon GO started a new event focused on Mega Evolutions. These special evolutions are currently the big topic in the community and have received quite a bit of criticism in recent days and weeks.

The new limited research is accessible to every trainer in the game and rewards you among other things with Mega Energy, revives, experience points, and stardust. We will show you all quests and rewards here.

Limited Special Research “Mega Battle Challenge”

This research is again divided into four steps, each with three tasks. The last step rewards you with items. So you need to complete a total of 9 tasks to successfully finish the limited research.

Step 1/4

TaskReward
Battle in a raid3 revives
Catch 7 Bug-type Pokémon5 Poké Balls
Use 7 power-ups on Pokémon1x Up-Grade

Stage reward: 35 Mega Energy for Beedrill, 500 stardust and 1,000 experience points.

Step 2/4

TaskReward
Battle in a raid3 revives
Battle in a Mega Raid3 golden Razz Berries
Battle against another trainer1 Sinnoh Stone

Stage reward: 40 Mega Energy for Beedrill, 1,000 stardust and 2,000 experience points.

Step 3/4

TaskReward
Battle in 3 raidsEncounter with Pinsir
Battle against 3 Team Rocket Grunts5 revives
Perform a Mega Evolution
on a Pokémon		3 Silver Pinap Berries

Stage reward: 60 Mega Energy for Beedrill, 1,000 stardust and 2,000 experience points.

Step 4/4

TaskReward
Already completed10 Poké Balls
Already completed3 Hyper Potions
Already completed3 Max Revives

Stage reward: An encounter with Roserade, 2,500 stardust and 5,000 experience points.

Up-Grade Item in Pokémon GO – What is it for?

In the rewards of the new limited research you will find the Up-Grade item already at stage 1. This is one of the special items in Pokémon GO used for evolving.

The reason Niantic is now including these two rewards in this special research is probably the upcoming Community Day in September featuring Porygon. By securing these items in combination with the increased spawns during the Community Day, you can definitely evolve into Porygon-Z.

What Trainers Criticize About the Research

This was the problem: Trainers have criticized the Mega Evolution system extensively.

  • The evolutions would be too expensive
  • For the price, the Mega Evolutions would hardly be worth it
  • It seems you have to spend money for the Mega Evolutions

The problem is that you first have to complete many raids to perform these evolutions. Trainers felt forced to do too many raids, which, depending on their play style, incurs costs for raid passes. Even the developers at Niantic responded to this criticism and promised improvements.

The first changes to the Mega system are already active.

This is now a new problem: On reddit, trainers express surprise that the Mega Evolution, which has been under criticism, is actually part of the research.

Player Mercury_Paradox writes “Perform a Mega Evolution” – the first special research that I will not complete. […]”

Another user adds that you have to complete 5 to 6 raids for this research. The problem many see lies in the rewards. They are not valuable enough for them to use their scarce Mega Energy for this.

Another user explains that he saved his Mega Evolutions specifically for an event that would reward him appropriately. For 3 silver Pinap Berries and a Roserade, the player will not do that.

What do you think about the new research? Will you complete it despite the Mega Evolution, or will you skip it this time?

In the raids you will now find Cresselia and we will show you the best counters for it.

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

WoW: Your covenant decides how you die in Shadowlands

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

The choice of the covenant in WoW Shadowlands changes many small details in the game. Your death changes depending on the chosen covenant.

The biggest decision in the upcoming expansion of World of Warcraft is the choice of a covenant. There are four to choose from, and each comes with different abilities, bonuses, stories, and rewards. However, there are also some small details that are not immediately visible. The choice of the covenant also determines how you die in the Shadowlands.

WoW Shadowlands Kyrian Woosh
Kyrians can look forward to being blinded – especially effective at night.

What was discovered? The colleagues from wowhead noticed that the choice of the covenant decides an interesting, small detail. Every time your character dies in the Shadowlands, a special animation occurs. Depending on which covenant you have chosen, a different animation appears when the character “releases spirit”.

  • Kyrians see a blue-white swirl from Bastion
  • Necrolords see the green-black from Maldraxxus
  • Nightfae get the dark blue of Ardenweald
  • Venthyr see the dark red of Revendreth

This is not just a visual gimmick but seems to replace the short loading screen that otherwise appears when releasing the spirit if the next graveyard is far away. It also serves a practical purpose.

Is it even possible to die in the Shadowlands? Death in the Shadowlands is somewhat strange anyway. After all, most creatures here are already dead, and only the player and a few notable heroes from Warcraft lore are actually alive here. The vast majority of characters consist of the souls of deceased inhabitants from various worlds. Being able to “die” here represents a peculiarity, which is graphically highlighted and thus perfectly connected to the player’s chosen covenant.

Blizzard does not want to pull the emergency brake on the covenants. They come as they currently appear in the beta.

What do you think of these small animations? A cool detail to be constantly reminded of your covenant?

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

The Division 2 reveals release date for Summit, teases mysterious event

Sven Galitzki Sven Galitzki Reading time 3 minutes

As part of Ubisoft Forward, The Division 2 showcased a new trailer. This reveals not only when the new skyscraper mode The Summit starts but also teases a mysterious special event for winter.

When does The Summit start? Currently, this new mode is still being tested on the PTS, but agents won’t have to wait much longer for the release.

Because Massive is now gearing up with a new trailer for The Summit and reveals the start date there. From September 22, 2020, you can fight your way through the 100 floors of the skyscraper.

What is the special event about? At the end of the trailer, a mysterious special event is briefly teased.

So far, there is not much information about it. We only know that it is time-limited, carries the name “Codename: Nightmare” and is set to come this winter.

However, the already playable Kenly College was briefly shown during a thunderstorm at night – accompanied by creepy sounds. Could something be brewing for Halloween? More information is set to come at a later date.

You can watch the trailer here:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

What exactly is The Summit? It is a new mode for The Division 2. The Summit is replayable and is meant to provide an action-packed experience that plays differently with each attempt.

The goal is to battle your way alone or in groups through a 100-story skyscraper in New York to the very top – with varying environments, enemies, objectives, modifiers, and bosses. The higher you go, the harder it gets.

The Summit comes as a free update for all owners of the “Warlords of New York” expansion. Without it, you cannot play the new mode: What does The Division 2 offer if you don’t buy the Warlords expansion?

Your ascent in The Summit will be made difficult for you

How The Summit is received so far can be read here: New mode The Summit should save The Division 2 – What are the chances?

What Massive has revealed about the future of The Division 2

The Division 2 on next-gen consoles: As Massive revealed during Ubisoft Forward, The Division 2 will also be playable on next-gen consoles PS5, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X – thanks to backward compatibility. Additionally, you will be able to play across generations, so

  • PS4 with PS5
  • Xbox One with Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X
Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the Twitter content

Whether there will be improvements tailored to the new consoles, whether there will be a next-gen update, or whether there will even be proper next-gen versions of the game is unfortunately not known.

Release date of Title Update 11: With the start date of The Summit, Massive also revealed the release date for the next major update of The Division 2 – namely Title Update 11. The Summit is indeed part of TU11 and is to launch simultaneously with the update, according to the developers – that is, on September 22. Ubisoft has already confirmed this in a blog post.

More on the topic
The Division 2 will soon get a transmog system – Here’s what it can do and how it works
von Sven Galitzki

Start of Season 3: The start date of Season 3 has also now been confirmed. Yannick Banchereau, the live content manager of The Division 2, revealed in a stream that Season 3 will come parallel to The Summit – that is, on September 22. A new roadmap has also reaffirmed this. In Season 3, by the way, the story will continue about the leader of the dubious mercenary organization Black Tusk.

First details about Season 4: Moreover, Massive has already revealed some first details about Season 4. This is set to start in December and will revolve around the return of Faye Lau. She is a female commander of the Division who accompanied us for a long time during our adventures but unexpectedly turned rogue and disappeared at the end of the Warlords expansion.

By the way, The Division 2 will soon get 3 new Exotics and they all look promising

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

CoD MW & Warzone: 3. Playlist update this week brings Mini-Moshpit

Benedict Grothaus Benedict Grothaus Reading time 3 minutes

A new playlist update for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and CoD Warzone is live. This brings a new bundle in the shop as well as some new game modes and continues the “Shiptember”. The latter offers you the most popular mode in Modern Warfare, Shoot the Ship, until the end of the month. In addition, Warzone is getting its vehicles back.

Update September 11, 08:00 AM: Last night, the 3rd playlist change went live, bringing you the mode “Confrontation – Verdansk”. A moshpit on the small Gunfight map “Stadium”.

Update September 09, 9:00 AM: This morning, another small update arrived that revised the playlist once again. Below you will find the new, current playlist. Furthermore, the text chat in Plunder has been disabled, and the Gulag weapons in Warzone have been changed.

What is going on with the vehicles? Since today, Tuesday, September 8, vehicles are available again in Warzone with the new playlist update. They were locked last Sunday due to a bug.

The bug caused the entire lobby to crash when players drove a vehicle to a specific location on the map. The game then froze and kicked all players out.

Call fo Duty Modern Warfare Warzone Quad
Vehicles can now be used again.

This is apparently no longer a problem, as the developers confirmed in a tweet that vehicles are now active again. However, this is not the only change with the new update.

Playlist update keeps your favorite mode available for the entire month

What kind of mode is this? Shoot the Ship is a mode that mixes the two maps Shipment and Shoot House in various gameplay modes. It has been in the game since the Reloaded update for Season 5 on August 25.

On that day, “Shiptember” also started, which is now entering its third week. It is meant to be available for an entire month, likely until September 22 or 29.

cod modern warfare shipment top view
Shipment is a small, tight, and very popular map.

Shoot House and Shipment are small, tight maps where there is always a lot of action. This is especially useful for farming kills, completing challenges, or grinding experience points for weapons. We have explained elsewhere why players love Shipment and Shoot House so much.

Playlist after update on September 10

What else is changing? The update also brings some new modes, both for Warzone and for multiplayer. The playlists look as follows:

Modern Warfare

  • Tournament
  • Confrontation – Verdansk
  • Ground War
  • Gunfight
  • Gunfight: OSP
  • Demolition
  • Party Modes (Gun Game Reloaded, One in the Chamber, and All or Nothing)
  • Shoot the Ship

Warzone

  • Battle Royale – Solo / Duos / Trios / Quads
  • Plunder Trios
  • 50v50 Rumble coming this weekend

The Summer Games are now over. Instead, there is a new Operator Bundle in the shop with Morte, inspired by an Italian influencer and CoD fan.

If you are longing for a new Call of Duty, you should not miss an important date tomorrow, September 9 at 7:00 PM. The multiplayer of Black Ops Cold War will be presented, the new Call of Duty that releases on November 13.

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

Watch Dogs Legion is not here yet, but it already has a DLC with an old acquaintance

Alexander Leitsch Alexander Leitsch Reading time 2 minutes

The action-adventure Watch Dogs Legion will be released on October 29 for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Stadia. As part of Ubisoft Forward, the first DLC has already been announced, bringing back a well-known character.

Who is this character? The first DLC for the game will introduce Aiden Pearce as a fully playable character in Watch Dogs Legion. He is said to even receive a complete story mission.

Pearce, also known as “The Vigilante,” is the protagonist from the original Watch Dogs. In the new installment, he is expected to be older but not necessarily wiser, as the developers revealed.

In line with the character, a reveal trailer has also been released:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

What kind of DLC is this? No specific details about the DLC have been provided yet. This is not surprising, as the actual game has not yet been released. It is due on October 29.

However, it is expected to be part of a season pass for Watch Dogs Legion. Additional post-launch content has already been hinted at.

Watch Dogs Legion features 9 million characters, some of whom we now know

What kind of game is this? Watch Dogs Legion is an open-world action game that immerses you in a future London. England has become a surveillance state post-Brexit, and the underground organization DedSec is trying to incite a revolution. To do this, as many citizens as possible need to be mobilized.

Exactly that is your task.

In the game, there are 9 million characters, all with different traits. However, you will only play as 20 figures in your team, your Legion, which you can switch between at any time.

What defines the characters? Citizens in Legion have a private life, special traits, and abilities. For example, there are:

  • Hackers
  • Fighters
  • Drivers
  • Ex-soldiers
  • or drinkers with special perks

This combination of various traits, backgrounds, professions, and ethnicities creates countless unique characters. Some of these characters have been introduced in the latest trailer:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

Stormzy will be part of the game

What else is new? Also during Ubisoft Forward, a special mission featuring British grime rapper Michael Omari, better known as Stormzy, was announced.

During the live event, some images of motion capturing with the rapper were shown. Some of the gameplay scenes are also expected to appear in the video for his new song “Rainfall.” Stormzy was selected because, according to Ubisoft, he has a close connection to London and best represents the mood of the game.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

In addition to the new information about Watch Dogs Legion, the game Riders Republic was also announced at Ubisoft Forward. In it, up to 50 players dive into extreme sports adventures in an open world.

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

Rainbow Six: Siege will come as a free upgrade on PS5 & Xbox Series X in 2020 with 120 FPS

Benedict Grothaus Benedict Grothaus Reading time 2 minutes

The developers of Rainbow Six Siege have announced that their shooter will be released for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X in 2020. The game will come as a free upgrade for all owners and will feature improved quality in 4K resolution and 120 FPS.

What kind of shooter is it? Rainbow Six Siege is one of the best multiplayer shooters of 2020 and has been on the market for several years. According to Ubisoft, over 16 million players are now playing Rainbow Six.

During Ubisoft Forward, the developers announced that the shooter will be ported to the next-gen consoles PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. And that will still happen in 2020. As Creative Director Leroy Athanassoff stated, Rainbow Six for PS4 and Xbox Series X will receive:

  • a 4K resolution
  • 120 FPS
  • and a free upgrade for everyone already playing on PS4 or Xbox One
Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from Twitch that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the Twitch content

The developers plan for Rainbow Six to run for at least 5 more years. With the Season 3 of Year 5 that started on September 10, almost half of the originally promised 10-year plan has already been achieved.

In our hub, you can find out everything you need to know about Season 3.

Rainbow Six on PS5 and Xbox Series X

What does that mean? The improved performance should be extremely useful when playing, as a higher frame rate is considered highly desirable among shooter players. A faster refresh rate means you can react more quickly.

More on the topic
Streamer shroud tests: Does a 144Hz monitor make you a better shooter?
von Benedict Grothaus

This will make your gaming experience on PS5 and Xbox Series X smoother than what is currently possible on the current-gen consoles. As has been known since March, the respective platform families (PlayStation 4 and 5 or Xbox One and Series X) can play together (via Polygon).

This aims to prevent the community from splitting too much. However, as an owner of a next-gen console, you will likely have a slight advantage over other players due to the higher frame rate. According to a leak, the PS5 is said to have issues with 4K resolution.

When will the consoles be released? The price and release date for the Xbox Series X have already been announced for November 10. Currently, there is no information about the PlayStation 5, although players are becoming increasingly impatient.

The new Xbox will also come in a cheaper, slimmer Series S version .

A new leak talks about the PS5 being released on November 20, shortly after Microsoft's competition.

What is happening in Rainbow Six right now? With the Season 3 of Year 5 that started today, numerous changes are coming to the game that will significantly alter Rainbow Six. These include a new operator and a new gadget that allows you to breach reinforced walls. The operator Sam “Zero” Fisher was shown with a pretty cool cartoon:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

However, Athanassoff promised at the Forward event that this was far from the end. There will still be content coming to the game for years, and they want to support Rainbow Six for as long as possible. While he was not more specific, he previously noted that you are not ready for what Rainbow Six has in store for you next year.

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

In this new MMO, 50 players experience extreme sports together and it looks fun

Alexander Leitsch Alexander Leitsch Reading time 2 minutes

During Ubisoft Forward, the new MMO Riders Republic (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series) was announced. It focuses on extreme sports experienced in a large, open world. Players can enjoy mountain biking, skiing, and many other sports together.

What kind of game is this? Riders Republic is an MMO in which up to 50 players can move together in an open world. The content revolves around extreme sports, with various types for you to experience.

The trailer already shows:

  • Different types of bike races, including downhill and road racing
  • Skis and snowboards
  • Skateboards
  • Paragliding

The open world is inspired by real national parks in the USA, for which the development team from Ubisoft Annecy ventured into nature. The world is designed to be very realistic and beautiful.

Especially the racing events, where players start in masses, look very interesting and fun.

Furthermore, events are already planned to be executed with sponsors, including Red Bull, which is also known for extreme sports in the world beyond video games.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

This is how the game works: In Riders Republic, you create a character that you can fully customize. With this character, you can go to different hubs and participate in sports there. You should also be able to play specifically with friends.

The focus is strongly on the social component. Besides races and events, it seems that there is also simply the opportunity to explore and enjoy the open world.

More detailed information about the game is expected to be announced in the coming months.

When will the game be released? The release of Riders Republic was announced for February 25, 2021. The game is set to be released not only for PC, PS4, and Xbox One but also for the new consoles PS5 and Xbox Series X. There is now also information about the release and price for Xbox Series X.

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

New World does not want to be the next WoW, rather a cool MMO

Alexander Leitsch Alexander Leitsch Reading time 3 minutes

Since its announcement, New World has referred to itself as an MMO and not an MMORPG. This has already led to many discussions. In a new interview, Game Director Scot Lane talks about other games in the genre and shows that they use MMO as a synonym for MMORPG.

What is discussed in the interview? In conversation with Gamesindustry, Scot Lane discusses the general direction of New World and what they want to achieve with the game. He particularly sees Amazon as an opportunity to implement a really big MMO:

I don’t know where we could have done it differently than at Amazon. We have this huge cloud infrastructure for computations. We love MMOs. We love action RPGs. It just seemed like a really cool and fitting mix.

Scot Lane in an interview with Gamesindustry

Furthermore, Lane emphasizes that there are already many good MMOs on the market, but there hasn’t been a real hit lately. Here, New World also sees an opportunity, especially with their own combat system:

Everyone is always looking for the next new MMO, and we’ve already had some really good ones. Final Fantasy 14 is fantastic. Black Desert. But it seems like there hasn’t been a new [hit] for a while and a large part of the focus is shifting to other genres. I saw it as an opportunity… and our combat style, which is more physics-based, is a distinguishing feature.

Scot Lane in an interview with Gamesindustry
Scot Lane New World
Scot Lane, the Game Director of New World.

Is New World an MMORPG? In both quotes and other statements from the interview, it is evident that Lane uses MMO here as a synonym for MMORPG. After all, Final Fantasy XIV and Black Desert refer to themselves as such.

He himself also describes New World in the first quote as a game that emerged from MMO and action RPG.

More on the topic
Despite some flaws: Why Amazon’s New World is a true MMO gem
von Alexander Leitsch

New World does not want to be the next WoW

Why do they not officially call themselves MMORPG? During the conversation, Scot Lane also makes a comparison to the successful World of Warcraft. This was also drawn by the well-known streamer Asmongold during the preview.

The Game Director emphasizes that they do not want to be the next WoW, but rather a cool MMO of their own. Too many games have supposedly failed because they tried too hard to be like WoW:

There’s always the question: “Who will be the next World of Warcraft?” I think that has led to a lot of games that tried to adhere too much to the formula… You never want to be the next “somebody else.” The iPhone didn’t want to be the next Blackberry. They just wanted to be something cool.

And we prefer to be our own new cool thing.

Scot Lane in an interview with Gamesindustry

Lane also considers some mechanics from well-known and successful MMORPGs to be outdated, such as tab-targeting.

It is therefore possible that the developers consciously avoid the term “MMORPG” so as not to be immediately grouped together with WoW and similar games. At the same time, it seems that there is no significant difference for them between MMO and MMORPG.

More on the topic
“WoW Killers” would have almost killed MMOs – Developer explains the issue
von Benedict Grothaus

Small team but regular updates: According to Scot Lane, the developers are currently working to expand the content of New World. However, he also emphasizes that a rather small team is working on the MMO. He is also unsure whether the team will actually grow after the launch.

He sees the small team as an advantage to quickly respond to community requests. Additionally, Lane mentioned that they are currently planning an update for each month after the release. They already succeeded in doing this during the alpha.

New World Combat
New World aims to distinguish itself from classic MMORPGs, especially in its combat system.

However, New World is currently in a new development phase. There are currently no public tests and no closed alpha. They are expected to start again in November. The release is set for 2021.

However, the developer team of New World has already learned some things from the preview event and is striving for improvements for the MMO. However, the game is supposed to remain the same at its core, colorful unicorns and dragons will reportedly not be part of it in the future.

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

Star-Streamer Ninja is back on Twitch, says it is the best streaming platform

Benedict Grothaus Benedict Grothaus Reading time 3 minutes

Tyler “Ninja” Blevins is back on Twitch and this time permanently. The streaming star has struck a deal to stream exclusively on Twitch for several years. However, the journey to this point has been long.

What’s going on with Ninja? As the streamer announced today on Twitter, he is back on his official channel on Twitch. Starting at 9 PM German time on September 10th, he is supposed to be there according to his tweet.

During the stream, he is even giving away 100 subs every 30 minutes. For the announcement, both he and Twitch posted a short clip on their official Twitter accounts:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the Twitter content

According to several sources, which Ninja has even shared himself, he has struck a deal with Twitch to stream exclusively on the platform for several years. Ninja calls Twitch the best streaming platform:

I really took the time to decide which is the best platform and Twitch was very supportive throughout the whole process. They understood my overall career goals.

He titled the clip: “A New Chapter.” This is a reference to his switch to Mixer in August 2019, which he had then called “the next chapter.”

The Long Road Back to Twitch

Why was Ninja even away? The streamer apparently found his work at Twitch too exhausting. He even referred to himself as a “slave” to his stream for a while, which apparently ultimately led him to leave Twitch – even though he was the undisputed number 1, thanks to Fortnite.

On the competing platform Mixer from Microsoft, he seemed quite happy as well. He said, he was super successful, even with fewer viewers.

He and streaming colleague shroud had signed deals with Mixer at the time, which reportedly brought them high sums in the millions.

twitch-shroud-Titel
shroud is now also back on Twitch.

This is why he has returned: Mixer did not achieve the hoped-for success and was shut down in July 2020. Ninja and other streamers were released from their contracts and were free again – Ninja initially declined deals with other platforms.

During this time, many fans wondered what would happen to the stars who had switched and were now free again. For a while, it was speculated that Ninja, along with shroud and Dr Disrespect, would launch their own service or switch to Brime. However, Ninja only joked about that. However, the time with few viewers did not do him well, as he says:

More on the topic
Ninja finally admits: He was actually miserable because hardly anyone watched him on Mixer
von Schuhmann

From then on, he streamed irregularly on YouTube and even back on Twitch in August 2020, but still without concrete promises. Only now is he back on Twitch and wants to stay there.

Ninja Jessica Blevins
Ninja with his wife and manager Jessica Blevins.

He did not close this deal alone, but had help with it, among others from lawyers, as Invenglobal reports. In addition, his wife, Jessica Blevins, stands behind him, supporting him as a manager. She recently explained how tough life is as a manager of a Twitch star.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Hollywood Reporter
  2. Invenglobal
  3. gamesindistry.biz

WoW Shadowlands: See here the sad fate of the Ardenwald

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

A new cinematic for World of Warcraft has been revealed. This time you see the Ardenweald – and the problems faced there.

In the lead-up to the release of the upcoming WoW expansion Shadowlands, Blizzard keeps unveiling new cinematics. After the exciting video for Bastion and Uther was released at gamescom, last week Maldraxxus featured the orc woman Draka.

This week it’s the Ardenweald – you can watch the cinematic here.

What is the Ardenweald? The Ardenweald is one of the countless realms of the Shadowlands and an important place for all beings connected to nature or druidism. Beings who cared for nature during their lives or are natural demigods return to the Ardenweald after their death. Here, they are divided into different groves and nurtured and cared for by the inhabitants of the Ardenweald until one day they have enough strength to be reborn.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

This is what can be seen in the cinematic: The video shows Ursoc – a bear god that players defeated in Legion. He was corrupted by the Nightmare and had to be killed, after which his soul wandered into the Ardenweald.

Or he lands in a grove and has since been cared for, to be reborn one day. But as time passes, it becomes apparent that something is wrong. The necessary anima required to sustain the nature spirits seems to have run dry. There is a drought, and more and more of the nature spirits are deteriorating.

Even Ursoc’s essence is threatened and will someday be attacked. The guardian of the grove tries to save his soul – ultimately realizes, however, that the ruler of this realm must make decisions about which soul lives and which dies.

With a heavy heart, Ursoc is sacrificed so that other souls can continue to live.

Much emotion without great action

Although Afterlife: Ardenweald contains the least amount of action of the cinematics so far and fundamentally tells a story that can be summarized in three sentences, it has touched me.

The dilemma faced by the Ardenweald, its queen, and the various guardians of the groves has been wonderfully conveyed and provokes thought.

For me, the video is clearly better than that of Maldraxxus – but still falls short of the Uther cinematic.

Ask meinmmo cortyn

Cortyn Nightshade
WoW demon from MeinMMO

What do you think of the video for Ardenweald? Does it set the stage for the most beautiful area of Shadowlands?

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

CEO apologizes for sexism at Ubisoft, wants to change several things

Alexander Leitsch Alexander Leitsch Reading time 2 minutes

The chief creative officer Serge Hascoët had to leave Ubisoft some time ago. He is said to have systematically harassed and belittled women. Now the CEO of Ubisoft, Yves Guillemot, has apologized in a video and revealed what he intends to do about such incidents – for example, with a major promotion.

What happened? In July, the US journalist Jason Schreier reported in an insider report how things were at Ubisoft. He is known for such reports and claims to have spoken with more than 40 current or former employees of Ubisoft.

Serge Hascoët, 55, who had oversight over games like Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, or Watch Dogs, is said to have been untouchable. He allegedly surrounded himself with men and made tasteless jokes. He even prevented the introduction of a female character in Assassin’s Creed, claiming that strong protagonists “simply do not sell”.

Moreover, women reportedly repeatedly approached the HR department, but received no help.

How did Ubisoft respond? Serge Hascoët was no longer part of Ubisoft by the time the report surfaced. However, PR Director Stone Chin was fired on July 22.

During an earnings call on July 22, the allegations were also a topic and overshadowed the great success of Rainbow Six Siege. At that time, CEO Yves Guillemot had already stated that “certain individuals had abused the trust he had placed in them.”

A new video has now been released in which Yves Guillemot officially apologizes and announces measures that will follow from the scandal.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

$1 million for more inclusion and a donation to the NAACP

What does Guillemot say in the video? In the nearly 4-minute long video, the CEO of Ubisoft apologizes for what happened in the company. He admitted that “some employees” did not adhere to the company’s values and that there were no adequate measures at Ubisoft to protect those affected.

He now wants to improve diversity and inclusion in the company. For this, $1 million will be used to create more opportunities for underrepresented groups at Ubisoft. He explicitly mentions women and people of color.

He also addressed inappropriate content in a mobile game that “should not have been overlooked.” This was likely referring to the scandal surrounding the fist gesture in Tom Clancy’s Elite Squad. Guillemot emphasized that Ubisoft fully supports the “Black Lives Matter” movement. Ubisoft had already commented on this action previously and also removed the gesture.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the Twitter content

Finally, the CEO announced that another donation to the NAACP, a civil rights organization in the USA, is planned. However, Guillemot did not disclose how much this will be.

Sexism not only at Ubisoft: Other gaming companies have also faced such allegations. Riot Games, the developer of League of Legends, was sued in 2018 by two women who complained about wage differences and denied promotions.

In 2019, the studio and the plaintiffs reached a settlement. Riot paid at least $10 million to all women who had worked at the company in the last 5 years. That was about 1,000 women.

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

The season that turns Rainbow Six upside down is suddenly live

Benedict Grothaus Benedict Grothaus Reading time 2 minutes

Season 3 of Year 5 in Rainbow Six Siege is now live. It launched on September 10, without Ubisoft making any major announcement beforehand. This Season changes the game as no other has before.

When did the update come and what does it include? Today, on September 10, the servers of Rainbow Six Siege went down for maintenance for each platform in succession between 3 PM and 5 PM. Each downtime lasted about an hour.

Afterward, the new Season 3 “Operation: Shadow Legacy” suddenly appeared on the servers, without a real announcement. The download size is about 14.3 GB on PC. Some of the key new features include:

Rainbow Six Siege Sam Fisher Title
Sam Fisher has suddenly arrived and is playable.

You can find the full patch notes and the addendum to the patch notes from today on the official site.

The biggest season so far is “some maintenance work”

This is how Ubisoft communicated it: This morning, Ubisoft only tweeted that “some maintenance work” would be carried out today. Many players assumed it was just a minor patch.

However, these “minor maintenance works” turned out to be the most significant season in years in Rainbow Six. There has not yet been any concrete announcement regarding its launch.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the Twitter content

Why is this season so special? The new operator and the new gadget will already significantly change the meta. However, there are more features that will have a great impact on the shooter and how you play, including:

Additionally, there is a new system for reinforcing walls. It allows you, as a defender, to place 10 reinforcements as a team instead of giving each operator 2. This change may be more important than many think. The developers have already shown the new features in the reveal panel:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

These are already many features that have an impact on the game, but it’s not even the end of the changes to Rainbow Six. After Year 5, so sometime in Spring 2021, the game is supposed to be overhauled again, and even more intensively. However, the specifics have not been revealed yet.

The head said only: You are not prepared for what is coming next year in Rainbow Six Siege.

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

Pokémon GO: New Mega Event runs with new Shiny and research

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 2 minutes

Pokémon GO is launching the second event for Mega Weeks. Featured are Shiny Ledyba, new field research, and a new special research. Additionally, you can unlock Mega-Houndoom.

What’s new? On September 11, a new event started in Pokémon GO focusing on Mega Evolutions. For you trainers, many changes await in the game. New spawns, tasks, different Crypto attackers from Team GO Rocket, and even a special research are on the agenda.

Niantic states that trainers should use their Mega Evolutions in gym battles, Team GO Rocket battles, and trainer battles to unlock Mega-Houndoom in Mega Raids. A total of 275 million such battles must be won.

When does it start? The event kicks off on September 11 at 8:00 AM local time.

The event will be active until Thursday, September 17 at 10:00 PM.

The first Mega event of this three-week marathon has already ended.

What changes with the event?

New spawns in the wild: While you are out and about during the event, you will frequently encounter bug Pokémon. Niantic has already mentioned the species you will often meet. These are:

  • Wurmple*
  • Hoothoot*
  • Paras
  • Bluzuk*
  • Sewaddle*
  • Pinsir*
  • Ledyba*
  • Spinarak
  • Waumpel*
  • Zirpurze
  • and Burmy*

Pokémon marked with a * can even be encountered as Shiny with some luck.

Shiny Ledyba in Pokémon GO

A new Shiny in the wild: With a bit of luck, you might encounter the new Shiny Ledyba. Shiny hunters will surely be pleased since with its evolution Ledian, there are again two candidates on your search list.

You recognize the Shiny form by its lighter appearance compared to the normal form. It looks more orange than red.

Pokémon GO Shiny Ledyba
Ledy and Ledian along with the two Shiny variants

New research for Beedrill – different attackers from the Rockets

Mega Beedrill becomes stronger: You will receive Mega Energy for Beedrill from event research. If you use Mega Beedrill in gym battles, Team GO Rocket battles, or trainer battles (not in the GO Battle League), it will receive a temporary CP boost.

Mega Energy from field research is also available for Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise.

New limited research: Niantic revealed that these quests will revolve around raids and battles. You can find all tasks from the new limited research and their rewards here.

Changes with Team GO Rocket: The members of Team GO Rocket will use different Crypto Pokémon in battles during the event. According to Niantic, (Mega) Beedrill should be effective.

In line with the event, Niantic plans to provide a new 1-coin package for you in the Pokémon GO shop.

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

Twitch streamer plans event in old Call of Duty – Brazen hackers ruin it

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

We reported in 2019 that a single hacker practically took over Titanfall 1 and completely ruined it for the last players.

cod modern warfare warzone operator ghost weapons title
Even the new Warzone has problems.

It would be nice if Twitch streamers only had problems in the 8-year-old Call of Duty. But even the current driver of the franchise suffers from a hacker problem.

That was a bitter realization for Twitch streamers when they were planning a major tournament. The organizer later stated:

“CoD needs to fix this, or Warzone will be dead in a week”

The Twitch streamer and head of an esports organization, Matthew “Nadeshot” Haag, had an idea to honor the reveal of CoD Black Ops: Cold War . He wanted to play the old CoD, Black Ops 2 (2012), with friends one more time. But that doesn’t go against the will of hackers, as he learned.

That was the plan: Nadeshot had an idea on September 8: “We’re doing a retro stream.” Together with some buddies, Nadeshot arranged to meet in CoD: Black Ops 2. They wanted to bridge the time until the big multiplayer reveal of the 2020 game Cold War was due.

Play an old CoD again, get in the mood, have fun with friends.

That was the problem: From the start, the endeavor was under no good star. Because by now, hackers have taken over the old CoD and can do whatever they want.

Already in Nadeshot’s private lobby, a stranger appeared who interfered and prevented another player from entering the lobby. The hacker then boldly introduced himself to the other players.

Nadeshot reacted calmly here, but was already slightly annoyed. He asked if they could please be left alone. They just wanted to play an old game together.

It escalated from there: The situation escalated rapidly. When the group was finally together, someone simply closed the lobbies. Here, Nadeshot became a bit rougher:

“I wanted to be nice, but whoever is closing our lobbies: I want to tell you that you are really a complete jerk. The definition of a complete jerk. I mean: What kind of person, who still has all their faculties, would ruin a bunch of guys playing a 7-year-old Black Ops on a Tuesday night?”

Nadeshot

When the players finally got into a game, the fun quickly came to an end.

In the end, it leaves a disappointing experience for Nadeshot: They only wanted to relive the old glorious days. But some jerks ruined it. Lame.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the Twitter content

Hackers a Problem for Old Online Games in Maintenance Mode

What’s behind it: This shows that old online games are often abandoned by developers and then taken over by hackers. It’s a bitter phenomenon that normally doesn’t matter much since hardly anyone plays them anymore.

But it is a problem for online games that security measures eventually decline when the game is only in maintenance mode. When “prominence” stops by, the hacker has the chance to show off how great and strong he is and would hardly let his 2 minutes on Twitch go to waste.

We reported in 2019 that a single hacker practically took over Titanfall 1 and completely ruined it for the last players.

cod modern warfare warzone operator ghost weapons title
Even the new Warzone has problems.

It would be nice if Twitch streamers only had problems in the 8-year-old Call of Duty. But even the current driver of the franchise suffers from a hacker problem.

That was a bitter realization for Twitch streamers when they were planning a major tournament. The organizer later stated:

“CoD needs to fix this, or Warzone will be dead in a week”

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

WoW: Twinks get a “Skip” button, can skip story

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

With Shadowlands, Twinks in WoW receive a “Carefree” package – they can simply skip all the “annoying questing” of the story.

Unlike in previous expansions of World of Warcraft, the story in the Shadowlands is linear. You have to play the areas in a fixed order, as only then will the story of the Shadowlands unfold correctly. At least that applies to your first character. All other Twinks can simply say “Skip!” and pass everything.

WoW Revendreth Party title 1280x720
Twinks can choose a covenant directly – if they want to skip the story.

What will change? In the upcoming beta patch, second characters will have a new option to choose. After they have played through the intro of Shadowlands and escaped from the Maw, they will find themselves in Oribos. However, there will be a new NPC named “Fatescribe”. When you speak to this character, you will be presented with options and can:

  • Experience the entire story of Shadowlands again and quest through all 4 areas as usual.
  • Skip the entire main campaign. It will be treated as if you had completed it.

Thus, second characters have the freedom to choose how they want to proceed.

More on the topic
WoW Shadowlands: No, Blizzard will not pull the emergency brake
von Cortyn

What does that mean? Those who choose the second option and skip the campaign are still level 50. However, they can immediately choose one of the covenants and join. In the areas that have been skipped, there are now new bonus objectives that can be completed for XP. Additionally, world quests, treasure chests, dungeons, and rare enemies provide opportunities to level and gear up the character.

WoW Ardenweald blood elf yes title 1920x1080
Don’t want a second Ardenweald? Just skip!

Why did Blizzard change this? Blizzard is responding to player feedback from beta testing. The original plan was for second characters to freely quest and level in any area of their choice, while already having chosen a covenant. However, that felt strange. It didn’t make sense to experience the story in Revendreth while your own hero had already joined the Venthyr. The “wrong” order of areas also caused confusion and an unpleasant gameplay experience.

With the new variant, players have more options to decide how they want to approach second characters. You can also think about this extensively at the login screen…

What do you think about it?

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

FIFA 21 reveals new ratings – Here are the 10 best players

Max Handwerk Max Handwerk Reading time 2 minutes

The new FIFA 21 ratings are officially known. Here you can find all information about the player ratings.

These are the new ratings: On Thursday at 5 PM, EA Sports released the first ratings for FIFA 21. Under the motto “The Ratings Collective,” the new values of the top 100 FIFA 21 players were presented, along with several other groups of players.

The “Ratings Collective” is supposed to be a talent scouting network that carefully observed how the players behave on the field. This is how the new ratings were determined. All previously known ratings can be found in the new ratings database (via EA Sports).

This also clarifies which players receive the best ratings in the new game. We present them to you here.

Messi dominates the Top 10

These are the best players: Instead of a Top 100 countdown, EA Sports published all top ratings this year. And at the top once again is Lionel Messi.

The Argentine occupies the highest position in FIFA 21 with an overall rating of 93. Here is his card:

Behind him, the top 10 lineup is as follows:

  • Cristiano Ronaldo (92)
  • Robert Lewandowski (91)
  • Kevin de Bruyne (91)
  • Neymar Jr (91)
  • Jan Oblak (91)
  • Virgil van Dijk (90)
  • Kylian Mbappé (90)
  • Mohamed Salah (90)
  • Sadio Mané (90)

FIFA 21: Haaland, Lewandowski – What is happening in the Bundesliga?

This is what the Bundesliga ratings look like: Robert Lewandowski was one of the players who needed to be improved in FIFA 21 – and has received his upgrade. He is now among the strongest players in FIFA 21 with a rating of 91.

FIFA 21 Lewandowski

There is also an interesting development among the talents: The new card of Erling Haaland has been presented. The BVB star receives an overall rating of 84, making a solid leap forward. He excels particularly in shooting with a rating of 87; the 84 pace is also impressive. He was one of the talents that needed to improve in FIFA 21 and is now one of the best Bundesliga players.

Other top cards from the Bundesliga include:

  • Manuel Neuer (89)
  • Joshua Kimmich (88)
  • Jadon Sancho (87)
  • Serge Gnabry (85)
  • Mats Hummels (86)
  • Marco Reus (85)
  • Niklas Süle (84)

With the first ratings, one of FIFA’s biggest secrets has been revealed. You can find all other information about the game in our overview of the FIFA 21 release.

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