Many gamers keep asking why some are willing to pay money monthly for a game. The MMORPG pioneer Raph Koster has an answer for that: Because they provide the corresponding service. There is a certain relationship between player and game.
Who is speaking? Raph Koster is known as the lead designer of the legendary Ultima Online, one of the oldest MMORPGs in the world. He is regarded as one of the creators of the genre and frequently shares insights on the current state of the industry. He is currently leading as CEO of Playable Worlds and pursuing the dream of a “real cloud game.”
In the interview with VentureBeat, Koster explained a few days ago what games with a subscription model do right and must do, and why they can still hold their ground in 2020 amidst all the free-to-play competition.
The upcoming expansion Shadowlands shows how long a game can truly be successful. WoW has been the king of the genre for years.
A service that keeps players engaged for years
How do subscription models still hold up? According to Koster, it’s because players only subscribe to a game that “deserves” it. The game must be good enough to make players want to keep paying:
The ultimate purpose of a subscription is to offer a service that binds players over the years. And making a game that keeps someone engaged for years is very hard. It’s a completely different approach than making consumable content games.
A service game that wants to last for a long time requires ongoing work. This is a completely different model than many years ago, when games were shipped as complete experiences and then played through without developers having to care anymore – “fire and forget,” as Koster puts it.
Raph Koster’s Ultima Online is one of the oldest MMORPGs ever.
What does this mean for new games? The effort involved in development is increasing, Koster explains, and so are the costs for production. This would make it more profitable for companies in the long run to dedicate a long time to a game and keep players engaged with it.
We are currently seeing the entire industry trying to move in this direction. That’s why AAA titles suddenly have chat, auction houses and so on, although they were historically linear narratives.
Additionally, other approaches would also stem from the subscription model that could also be successful and could be employed when not enough people are paying monthly. One of these models would be a free-to-play approach with season passes and huge events when new expansions come out. The king in this discipline is currently Fortnite.
The reason you are even willing to pay for these games repeatedly – no matter in what form – lies in how the developers and the game itself relate to you. Koster cites “transparency, openness, and honesty” as important points and explains:
You are in an ongoing relationship, and your game and your service must be designed to maintain and nurture that relationship. […] The most successful way to build a long-term community is all about how [the players] perceive the operator as part of this community and not as above them. The feeling of “we are in this together” is absolutely crucial.
This also means that developers must engage with the criticism and wishes of the players. What they desire is often not what one would expect. Koster revealed to us earlier that simply killing is not good game content. Baking or growing plants is much more important for a good game.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Mega Evolutions in Pokémon GO were supposed to be the next big feature. However, many trainers are disappointed with it. They criticize the paywall that stands behind it.
However, the current system has caused a lot of criticism. You have to invest too much money to be able to perform the Mega Raids. Trainers are even asking whether this could be the biggest paywall since the game’s release.
Mega Evolutions and Their Problem
What is causing the stress? To get the Mega Evolutions of Blastoise, Charizard, and Venusaur, you need to invest 200 Mega Energy each. Then you can transform the respective Pokémon into a Mega Pokémon for exactly 4 hours.
The energy for this can only be obtained from raids and there are between 30 and 50 Mega Energy per raid. So you need to complete at least 4 raids to have the 200 Mega Energy for one Pokémon. If you want to evolve all 3 Pokémon, that’s even a minimum of 12 raids.
So, anyone who doesn’t want to wait days for this has to invest in premium raid passes. When converted into money, a Mega Evolution can easily cost 4 Euros. So you pay 4 Euros to have a Mega Evolution for 4 hours.
Here is the criticism: On reddit there is a post with an incredible 88 awards. Such awards are rarely given out, and typically a popular thread in the subreddit has about 10 awards. The post has already received over 6600 upvotes and it describes in detail what the problem is.
The Mega Evolutions are considered useless since raids can be completed without these monsters.
The raid bonus from the evolutions is nice, but not critical to justify investing so many raid passes in advance.
The new speed bonus suggests completing raids with particularly many trainers – you don’t need Mega Evolutions with so many players around.
Overall, the mood is down. Many were very excited about the implementation of Mega Evolutions and are now disappointed that they only provide very small advantages, which are also very costly.
However, there are even harsher voices about Mega Evolutions. The reddit user dragonbreath94 writes: “Megas at the moment – The biggest paywall since the launch?” There he once again describes the problem that you have to complete 4 raids to ultimately utilize the advantages of a Mega Pokémon in another raid.
What do you think? Are the Mega Evolutions also hidden behind a paywall for you, or are you willing to invest to obtain the special evolutions?
A new sale has started in the PS Store with “Secret Tips.” Some pearls are being offered that are worth taking a closer look at.
What kind of sale is this? Regularly, the PS Store has interesting offers around the PS4. Currently, the Secret Tips sale is running in the PlayStation Store.
How long does the new promotion in the PS Store last? The offers started on August 26 and run until September 10. So you still have 3 weeks to check out the deals in the store.
How did we select? In this article, we present several secret tips from the sale. For our list, we have included user and press reviews, as well as our own experiences.
What is Worm W.M.D? It is another spin-off of the quirky Worms series. Here, you once again control a team of worms armed to the teeth. On randomly generated maps, you fight against opposing teams that may be controlled by AI or humans. In addition to normal weapons like pistols, there are also quirky weapons such as the Holy Grenade.
Reasons to enjoy the game: Worms W.M.D offers many small innovations that die-hard Worms fans will likely appreciate. Besides vehicles like tanks and helicopters, fixed guns have also made their way into the world of Worms. Some buildings are also enterable.
The fluid physics, however, have been removed, which is hardly relevant to the gameplay.
Worms is chaotic and fun as ever, though the graphics could use an upgrade at times
The less successful aspects: The basic formula of the game remains untouched and therefore offers hardly any real innovations. The experience for solo players is unremarkable, and the graphics seem outdated by now.
Who is the game suitable for? Those who have always liked the Worms games will appreciate the successful innovations. The fun multiplayer is also worth recommending.
Pros
many successful innovations such as vehicles and interiors
many quirky weapons
chaotic and quirky design
fun multiplayer
Cons
boring solo player experience
graphics and environment seem outdated
Where can you buy the game? Currently, the game is on offer in the PS Store:
What is Gris? In Gris, you control the eponymous girl through a colorful game world free from enemies and dangers. Instead, the game focuses on exploring a magical world where the girl processes her sorrow.
Light puzzles and 2D platforming segments are in the foreground.
Reasons to enjoy the game: Gris offers an emotional narrative wrapped in beautiful landscapes and backgrounds. The ideas are varied, and the developers at Nomada Studios have come up with plenty of concepts to keep you engaged. The music is very subtle, yet beautifully complements the events. The overall atmosphere is a small work of art.
Gris offers breathtakingly beautiful landscapes
The less successful aspects: Gris is very short and also quite easy. It’s also a pity that after the emotional story, the ending feels very careless and uninspired.
Who is Gris suitable for? Anyone who loves platformers like Trine or Rayman and enjoys puzzles should take a look at Gris. Fans of a melancholic story might also be interested in the game.
Pros
emotional story
beautiful landscapes and environments
great design
varied levels and many ideas
subtle but fitting music
Cons
very short
very easy
lackluster ending
Where can you buy Gris? Currently, Gris is on offer in the PS Store:
The official trailer of Mordheim: City of the Damned
What is Mordheim: City of the Damned? This game is a turn-based strategy game based on the tabletop game of the same name. In turn-based battles, you engage in fights between several factions, during which your characters grow stronger over time.
The game also features a unique aspect: your fighters die permanently, and injuries have long-term effects on combat strength.
Reasons to enjoy the game: Mordheim: City of the Damned offers tactical and action-packed battles excellently combined with a ruthless death and injury system. The fights are highly tactical and intricate, offering many options to win battles.
Thanks to the veteran system, the fights remain motivating and exciting, and replay value is also high. The game also offers four long campaigns and includes multiplayer battles.
Mordheim is dark and brutal, but very atmospheric.
The less successful aspects: The long loading times can be annoying, and the learning curve is extremely steep, especially at the beginning since the game only offers one difficulty level. The story is also only briefly mentioned, with the focus of the game being on the battles.
Who is the game suitable for? Anyone who doesn’t shy away from a high difficulty will be rewarded with an exciting tactical strategy game that can entertain for a long time. Fans of the Warhammer universe are also likely to get their money’s worth here.
Pros
atmospheric graphics thanks to detailed characters and animations
many tactical options and action-packed battles
relentless system of death and injuries
high replay value
motivating veteran system
multiplayer battles
Cons
average balance
long loading times
very steep learning curve
weak story
Where can you buy the game? Currently, the game is on offer in the PS Store:
What is The Surge? The Surge is an action game inspired by Souls games. Instead of fighting fantasy creatures, you fight your way through an industrial complex of the company CREO. You take on the role of Warren, a new employee at the company. You’re equipped with an exoskeleton that you can upgrade with parts you collect.
Reasons to enjoy the game: The game successfully immerses the player into a dystopian world. The combat system is excellently implemented, with powerful, satisfying, and wonderfully precise attacks. The game is also well-executed technically.
In addition to drones for support and five weapon types, the developers have come up with an interesting level design. Once you’ve completed the game, you can also engage in the New Game Plus mode, which offers new enemies.
Protagonist Warren (right) fights through the industrial complex of the company CREO.
The less successful aspects: The story remains unremarkable throughout, the characters are uninteresting, and you’ll search in vain for many emotions. It’s also a shame: the protagonist cannot climb, which can be quite annoying when navigating small obstacles.
Additionally, the developers at Deck 13 completely omit puzzles and similar elements. There’s also no ranged combat for the protagonist.
Who is the game suitable for? Do you like Dark Souls games but are tired of magic and fantasy? Then you should take a look at The Surge. Players who enjoy a challenging difficulty level should also give the game a chance.
If you’re unsure whether the game is for you, you can also download the official demo in the PS Store to get a sense of it.
Pros
successful introduction
excellent combat system
precise controls
technically sound
cool level design
great German localization
New Game Plus offers new enemy types
Cons
weak story and uninteresting characters after the introduction
the protagonist cannot climb, which is annoying
no puzzles
no ranged combat
Where can you buy the game? Currently, the game is on offer in the PS Store. If you want to test the game first, you can also try the official demo in the PS Store:
What is Sniper Elite 3? Sniper Elite 3 is a game in the shooter series from developer Rebellion. As a spy, Karl Fairburne fights against Axis troops in North Africa, who want to build a superweapon, which Fairburne aims to prevent. The linear levels of the predecessor give way to expansive areas that offer multiple approaches.
Reasons to enjoy the game: The shooter features atmospheric desert panoramas and expansive areas where the player can navigate. The open environments offer many options for approaching a mission and how to take down enemies stealthily. Additionally, the game features excellent shooting mechanics and it’s also possible to play the campaign in co-op.
In Sniper Elite 3, you navigate the North African desert.
The less successful aspects: The AI in the game varies widely. Sometimes it appears to know where you are, while at other times it is completely clueless. Additionally, the variation between missions could be greater and better. Close combat is also too strong.
Who is the game suitable for? If you’re looking for a shooter that rewards careful tactics and also features nice co-op, then you should check out Sniper Elite 3.
Pros
atmospheric desert panoramas
campaign playable in co-op
successful shooting mechanics
large environments and open areas
many options to take down enemies
Cons
strongly varying AI quality
too powerful close combat
diversity in mission design
Where can you buy the game? Currently, the game is on offer in the PS Store:
What is Geometry Wars 3? It is an action title in which you must fight three-dimensional shapes with a turret. In simple vector graphics, you battle colorful enemies that also shoot at you from all directions, trying to achieve the best high score.
Reasons to enjoy the game: Geometry Wars 3 offers you intense and demanding arcade action. With a solo campaign that features 50 levels and numerous competitive and cooperative online modes, you’ll be busy for a long time. The boss battles are challenging, and the extensive campaign presents you with plenty of challenges.
Geometry Wars 3 is hectic, colorful, and chaotic – and extremely difficult!
The less successful aspects: With all the enemies and projectiles, it can become difficult to keep track. Additionally, the difficulty level is very high and may overwhelm beginners.
Who is the game suitable for? If you love the chase for higher and better high scores and are a fan of arcade games, you should check out Geometry Wars 3.
Pros
exciting arcade action
simple but great design
multiplayer modes (split-screen and online)
extensive campaign
cool and challenging bosses
many abilities and special weapons
Cons
sometimes very chaotic and difficult to keep track of
high difficulty
Where can you buy the game? Currently, the game is on offer in the PS Store:
Didn’t find anything for you? Did you not like our selection or do you already own all the games? Then check out the entire offers in the PlayStation Store:
Summoners War: Chronicles is a new mobile MMORPG set to release in the second quarter of 2021. A trailer was released during the gamescom 2020 event, and we at MeinMMO had the chance to talk with director Jack Lee, who has worked on Lineage 2 (PC).
What makes this game special? Summoners War: Chronicles is based on the successful mobile title Summoners War: Sky Arena, which you can already play on Android and iOS for several years. It is a role-playing game with turn-based battles and many cute monsters.
These cute monsters are also featured in the new mobile MMORPG. Additionally, the game features an open world with boss battles for up to 50 players, a lot of crafting and social content, as well as various PvP modes.
And you should be able to experience all of this without spending real money.
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This is what awaits you in the game: Summoners War: Chronicles continues the story of Sky Arena, which dealt with a rift of worlds. Similar to the predecessor, there are various unique islands for you to explore, filled with monsters and dungeons.
Basically, the game offers the contents that you would expect from a mobile MMORPG:
You can create a character, level it up, and equip it.
The game world is completely open in the areas and cities, and you will encounter other players.
There will be various crafting contents, such as fishing and gathering resources.
You can fight against world bosses.
There will be different dungeons and raids that can be entered in groups of three.
For those seeking challenges, the Tower of Trials will be available, which is said to be reminiscent of Sky Arena. It has 100 levels, and every 10th level features a boss battle.
Various PvP modes are planned, including a 2v2 arena and guild battles.
In the trailer, you can also see many interesting movement options, such as climbing, elevators, or a gondola.
Fishing, gathering, crafting, or relaxing in a hot spring, social activities are said to play an important role.
Why should you play this mobile MMORPG? Even though the contents sound fundamentally interesting, we asked ourselves how Summoners War: Chronicles aims to stand out from other MMORPGs.
Jack Lee, the game director, answered this as follows:
First of all, our monsters are already a unique selling point. We create them in a way that is as charming and unique as possible, without deviating too much from the original Summoners War.
Another important point is the strategic battles, which are intended to be reminiscent of Sky Arena, but this time in real-time instead of turn-based.
Thirdly, you will enter a world that has inherited the original imagery from Sky Arena, plays in the same universe, but delivers a new story.
Jack Lee in an interview with MeinMMO
According to Lee, not only veterans of Sky Arena should feel comfortable in the MMORPG. New players already familiar with the MMO genre should also find enjoyment.
One reason why Summoners War: Chronicles is becoming an MMORPG, according to Lee, is that it allows for dramatic elements and more action-packed battles.
Jack Lee, our interview partner, producer of Summoners War: Chronicles. He has been programming for 21 years and has worked on Lineage 2 (PC) and I love Pasta (Mobile).
Long-term play in a mobile environment inevitably leads to exhaustion at some point. Our game has been designed to naturally require manual input, as some contents cannot be solved automatically.
For example, certain mobs require you to learn about the attributes and abilities of enemies and also a specific type of equipment is necessary. Manual play is therefore inevitably required due to the strategic nature of the game.
Jack Lee in an interview with MeinMMO
You can hunt crazy bosses in the open world with up to 50 players.
Furthermore, Lee explained to us the major differences between PC and mobile players:
PC players generally do not leave their game as quickly. Mobile games, on the other hand, are easy to enter but also easy to leave. Therefore, it is important that we ensure our game is not too tiring, so our fans can play for a long time if they wish.
Personally, I prefer PC and console games. I believe I have invested more time in PC games.
How does monetization look? Summoners War: Chronicles will be free-to-play and is set to have a shop. Although the MMORPG should be usable entirely without purchases, Jack Lee emphasizes that players should feel “stronger” through purchases.
Even in Summoners War: Sky Arena, among over 2 million ratings in the Google Play Store, there is criticism that purchasable content provides too large advantages. You can buy additional energy, which is needed for actions in the game. The same applies to arena invitations. Both regenerate over time but can also be bought for faster progress with real money.
A subscription system with monthly costs is not currently implemented but is still being reviewed by the developers, according to Lee.
Potential: Interesting New Mobile MMORPG
Pro
A unique game world with special monsters
Nice graphics
A wide range of content for both PvE and PvP players
Potentially challenging solo content with the Tower of Trials
Contra
Auto-play, even though it has to be played manually against bosses
Monetization includes at least Pay2Progress
Although I have not yet been able to play the mobile MMORPG myself, the descriptions from Jack Lee and the trailer make me excited for more. The world truly looks very colorful and unique, and I really like the design of the monsters. I am always on the lookout for new mobile games, and Summoners War: Chronicles sounds like one of the higher-quality titles.
I am a bit critical of the points auto-play and real-money shop at this point. While I can certainly understand that playing on a smartphone is more tiring and I agree with auto-run. I simply hope that the endgame is really challenging enough that I cannot complete it in auto-play.
In any case, I will try Summoners War: Chronicles in the second quarter of 2021. Maybe it will truly become a mobile MMORPG that stays on my smartphone permanently.
In Fortnite, you need to find Groot to unlock a reward. Season 4 has started in the game, bringing Marvel superheroes into the Fortnite world. We will show you where to find Baby Groot.
His baby version “Groot Sapling” can also be found in the Battle Pass, but to unlock him, you must first reach Level 32 and complete a “Groot Sapling Awakened” challenge.
Where is Groot?
This is what you need to do: Once you reach Level 32 in the Battle Pass, you will receive a challenge to equip the Groot Sapling. You will be sent to the Fortnite map, which has changed again in Season 4.
Location on the map:
Here you should search for the Groot Sapling
At Holly Hedges, you need to find the Groot Sapling. He is hiding in the open garden accessory area, between 3 potted plants. You can find the garden area behind the shopping center located in the middle of the town.
Once you have found him, you need to “rescue” him by interacting with Baby Groot. Only after you have completed this task can you equip the Groot Sapling as a back accessory.
Important: The Groot Sapling will only appear after you have reached Level 32 in the Battle Pass. Before that, you will only find a garden gnome among the potted plants, which you cannot interact with.
If you prefer to see the exact location in a video, you can do that here:
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But not only the baby version of Groot can be found on the Fortnite map. The Marvel superhero Doctor Doom has set up camp at the original Pleasant Park and has built his headquarters there. He is active as one of the mini-bosses that are now in Season 4.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
These evolutions require energy, and the evolved Pokémon stay in Mega form only as long as you have enough energy. Energies work similarly to candies in Pokémon GO – You collect them for specific species. Your Blastoise energy cannot be used for a Mega Evolution of Charizard.
We show you here where you can collect this energy. So far, there are two ways to do this.
What is important here? Make sure that you face the bosses with a strong team. The faster you defeat the boss, the more energy you will receive as a reward. If you are slow and take longer, you will only receive a small amount of energy.
Earn Mega Energy from Special Research
What is that? Since the evening of August 27, 2020, a new special research is available to trainers in Pokémon GO. The research “A Mega Discovery” consists of 4 chapters with three tasks each.
You will be rewarded with energy for Mega Bibarel. If that is your choice for the Mega Evolution, you should complete this research.
Are there other ways to collect Mega Energy?
Leaks show this: Even before the release of Mega Evolutions, dataminers found hints that there could be more ways to earn Mega Energy in the future.
An event about Mega Energy starts in September, providing you with the resource.
From Tuesday, September 1, 2020, to Monday, September 7, 2020, the event with Mega Raids will take place. Collect as much of the coveted energy during this time.
Using Mega Energy – How?
Now you have learned where to collect energy. Now we show you how to handle it.
Once you have collected 200 Mega Energy for a Pokémon, you can evolve it for a limited time. Once the transformation is complete, each subsequent Mega Evolution for this specific Pokémon only costs 50 energy.
Note that this is a picture from tests – The evolution only costs 200 energy.
So if you evolve Charizard once for 200 Mega Energy, it will only cost 50 Mega Energy for that specific specimen in the future. For other Charizards from your collection, it will again be 200 Mega Energy. This benefit only applies to that specific Pokémon, not to the entire species.
The tasks from Ghost continue in week 2 of Season 5 in Call of Duty: Warzone and reward you generously with experience points. MeinMMO explains how to solve the secret mission (“Intel”) “Old Wounds” and where the locations of the tasks are.
What are Intel missions? In the missions menu under the challenges tab of Warzone under the “Secret Data” tab, you will find various tasks from the legendary operator Ghost that send you to different locations on the map and allow you to dive deeper into the story of the battle royale.
Unlike other challenges, you don’t have specific tasks but need to figure out on your own what you are supposed to do. Ghost only gives you hints on where to find his next message.
The Intels started in Season 4, but after the start of Season 5 in Warzone, the tasks continue. In week 2, you need to complete the mission “Old Wounds”. As a reward, you can earn several thousand experience points. With our tips, you’ll get through quickly and easily. If you also want to solve the old secret data, you can find our guides here:
How to solve the steps of Intel mission “Old Wounds” in Season 5 week 2 in CoD Warzone
Tip: You can only complete one of the sub-missions per match. However, it is possible to collect Intels from the other weeks. Once you have completed them, you can leave the game and start the next round. Make sure you always read Ghost’s note before starting a round.
Always check the note, otherwise progress may not be counted.
To avoid ruining the round for other players, it’s best to play solo. This works especially well if you sign up alone for trios or quads, as there’s less chance of running into other players.
As long as Plunder is active, this mode is also excellent for completing the Intel mission due to its respawns. However, this week, almost all challenges are in Prison, a popular landing spot, so there might be a lot of action there at the beginning of a match.
What rewards are there? Completing the missions gives you a total of 27,500 experience points, which you can use to level up and grind rewards in the Battle Pass faster.
1. Find the position from Ghost’s message
Reward: 2,500 XP
How to solve the task: First, check the note. You will find the first clue for the new secret data in Prison, the Gulag located southeast on the map. A large part of the Intel mission for this week will take place there.
Go into the underground of the Gulags and search for a desk in an office. It’s best to land on the bridge at the northern entrance and go right through the grating down the stairs or burst through the showers on the lower level. On the desk, you will find a small gold coin that you must interact with. This is already the solution to the first task.
It’s best to go through this entrance.
You will find it on a desk in the warden’s office.
2. A hidden code has been found in Prison …
Reward: 5,000 XP
How to solve the task: Check the note. Then head back to the prison, this time to Block B on the lower level. On the walls, you can see which level you are on.
There, you need to examine the cells of the block and the radiators. It should be the first cell on the right side when you follow the path. If in doubt, search all cells in Block B until you find the one with the corresponding heater.
These letters on the wall tell you where you are. A is on the top, B is on the bottom.
3. Follow the trail of ARM 3-1 …
Reward: 5,000 XP
How to solve the task: Check the note. This time, you should enter the prison best through the channel on the west side of the Gulag.
Go through the pipe and you will come to the showers, where you also fight when you are eliminated for the first time in the battle royale. Go up the stairs there and turn right. Follow the hallway, and you will find a toilet in the first cell on the left. That’s your target.
Through the pipe and the window, you can get to the showers faster.
This cell is your target
4. Zakhaev used an office in prison …
Reward: 5,000 XP
How to solve the task: Check the note. This time, it’s best to land on the prison over the bridge. There is a wooden structure that you should aim for.
In this one, there’s a staircase leading up. Follow it and go through the door at the end. Straight ahead, you will find a small office with a desk. Interact with the stack of books on the table and the task is done.
Land at this wooden structure.
You need to go to this stack of books on the desk.
5. ARM 3-1 has moved the position …
Reward: 5,000 XP
How to solve the task: Check the note. You will find the target again in prison. Enter again over the bridge and this time go to Block A and then to Cell 3. Use the letters on the wall as a guide if you are unsure of your location.
In a corner of the cell near the bars, you will find a crate. Interact with it and the task is completed.
A crate like this is your target.
Up to this point, the YouTuber Saesh shows you in the video how to find the locations. However, the last data is a bit trickier to obtain.
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How to solve the task: Check the note. Currently, some players are having issues with this task because you don’t need to go into the sewer pipe that many think is the target.
For the last task, you need to go outside the playable area of the map. In the northeastern corner, you will find a bend in the dashed border on the map. Head there.
You will find a small rocky hill there. Just behind the border lies Sgt. Frank Woods’ backpack on a rock, which you must interact with. Sprint to the backpack and quickly head back, as you will die immediately if you stay outside the play area. This concludes the last part of “Old Wounds”.
This is your objective, outside the map in the northeast.
There on the rock is the backpack. Grab it and quickly run back.
The story within Warzone continues and will certainly unfold for a while longer. Good for you because even if you are not interested in the story, there are plenty of experience points for little effort. If you want to dive deeper into the story, visit the various bunkers in Warzone. There are even more details and information about the background.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne (MHW) has announced its final update. In today’s Dev Diary, the developers talked about what to expect, including a special monster.
When is the release of the update? The final update is set to be released on October 1, 2020, according to the developer diary. This means Monster Hunter World: Iceborne has kept its promise to provide updates for the game for a year.
After this, the game will continue to release events, but there won’t be any major title updates. This marks the end of Monster Hunter World after more than 2.5 years.
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The final developer diary concludes with an emotional retrospective and screenshots from players
Fatalis returns
Which monster is in the update? The biggest highlight in the developer diary was the announcement of Fatalis. The dragon and absolute fan favorite has been long anticipated, especially alongside the Alatreon that was already featured in the last title update.
The fight against the giant dragon is expected to be a bigger challenge again, set in an impressive map reminiscent of Dark Souls. You will have cannons and ballistae at your disposal.
The dangerous dragon Fatalis
And the developers even justify their decision. It was the community that ensured the return of the beloved dragon. For the 15th anniversary of Monster Hunter, they revamped Fatalis.
The fans were so excited about the footage that it went viral. According to their own statement in the diary, the developers had no choice but to bring Fatalis to MHW.
What does the armor bring? The gear you can craft with Fatalis has already been shown. However, the set bonus remains a secret.
Much cooler than the regular armor is the one for your Palico. It will completely transform into a mini-dragon!
A mini-Fatalis as a Palico
New map, new skill, new stuff
What else can you expect? The return of Fatalis is not the only announcement in the final dev diary. A new map awaits you. You may already know it from the fight against Velkhana. It is the fortress where you first bind the ice dragon. In line with this, you will soon be able to defeat the battle-hardened Velkhana.
There will also be a Halloween event. The spooky-themed armors look pretty cool. Especially Poogie will once again not be spared and will appear in a ghostly dress. For those who find that lacking in style, you will soon be able to acquire all armors as decorative armor.
Additionally, the Clutch Claw will also receive an update this time. There will probably be a boost depending on your weapon. This will make it easier to injure the monster or make it drop ammunition. Thus, the attack with the claw will be even deadlier.
Of course, there will also be a bunch of stuff. New, really cool charms for your weapons. Additionally, new decorations for your house – including the aforementioned charms. We are eager to see how exactly the journey of Monster Hunter World will end.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Valorant the 10 current agents are not all equally good. Some perform better than others. To help you make the right choice among the heroes, we present here together with YouTuber aSmoogl our tier list of the best and worst characters in Valorant.
What are Tiers? Tier (English for “level”, “rank”) refers to a classification of abilities, weapons, or characters in certain games regarding their usefulness or strength. The classification ranges from the highest tier “S” down to “C” or even “D”. The lower something is ranked, the less useful it is. However, keep in mind that the classification can change with updates and shifts in the game meta.
Since you are allowed to have only one hero of each type on your team in Valorant, it is important that you choose the top agents in the game. Therefore, we have created a MeinMMO tier list based on our own experiences in the game and with the help of top player and YouTuber aSmoogl. The reasons for our selection will be evident in the respective agent descriptions.
Who is aSmoogl? Angelo Bülow, known online as aSmoogl, is a 30-year-old gamer, streamer and YouTuber from Berlin. He has over 31,000 subscribers on YouTube and is well-versed in Valorant and other competitive shooters. His videos regularly receive 20,000 or more views. Moreover, he was able to assist our colleague Petra Schmitz from GameStar with her test of Valorant (GameStar Plus article) due to his expertise in Valorant. So, the man knows his stuff.
Update: This article from April 14, 2020, was updated on August 28, 2020. It is currently up to date with version 1.6. However, we will make further adjustments soon when the new agent Killjoy is better integrated into the meta.
This is the MeinMMO tier list of all characters in Valorant
Here you will find the tier list of all currently available agents in Valorant created by us and aSmoogl. The list is designed for sensible team play.
S-Tier
Cypher Brimstone Sage
A-Tier
Omen Sova Jett Raze Killjoy
B-Tier
Phoenix Breach
C-Tier
Reyna Viper
D-Tier
Here is the revised tier list. The list was created using the web tool Tiermaker .
But why did we classify the individual agents into these ranks? You will find out in the following paragraphs regarding the individual heroes in the game and their assessments.
[toc]
S-Tier – Champions that are simply too good
What is the S-Tier? This tier contains the absolute elite of agents in Valorant. The heroes at this level are extremely good and could soon be nerfed as they regularly dominate the game.
Cypher – The Total Surveillance
What makes Cypher so good? Similar to Sova, you have an agent here who primarily provides useful intel. He plays a bit more complicated than Sova, but his long-term and extremely valuable recon data is worth it.
Cypher is optimal for strategic, sustainable recon.
He can place traps that both reveal and hold enemies. Additionally, he can place cameras that permanently monitor an area. This way, you can also cover distant areas and regularly check for enemies. With his Cyber Cage, he also provides a pretty decent smoke, i.e., a smoke grenade that protects against snipers. His ultimate even allows you to extract the locations of all his teammates from a dead enemy.
If you use Cypher’s skills wisely, they can decide the game, as reconnaissance is essential in Valorant. Thus, Cypher can single-handedly hold a site or turn every push into a chaotic mess for the attackers with his tripwires. Therefore, Cypher is favored in almost every well-structured team and rightly so in S-Tier.
What is special about Brimstone? This agent is for all players who like to direct their team and act tactically. He can deploy some of his skills anywhere on the map, thus establishing tactical superiority. When he deploys his smoke grenades, it usually signals the start of a good push.
Brimstone is optimal for tacticians and commanders.
The extra long-lasting smoke grenades that Brimstone calls down directly from orbit and can place almost anywhere on the map with his display are perfect for advancing orderly and effectively into areas secured by snipers. Especially in the current meta, which is dominated by deadly weapons like the Operator sniper rifle, a good Brimstone push is worth its weight in gold.
Moreover, Brimstone’s practical Molotov skill “Incendiary” is often placed in the smokes of other players or in corners to force enemies out of cover.
And when the enemy tries to defuse the bomb, his airstrike as an ultimate often works wonders. Nobody likes to stay still when everything suddenly explodes around them. All in all, Brimstone is a solid agent that tactically enriches any team.
Sage – The Useful Support
What is so good about Sage? Sage has firmly established herself in the S-Tier since the beta days and won’t let go despite many nerfs. The petite Chinese woman is still one of the most useful agents in the game and can turn the tide of rounds multiple times with her skills.
Sage is the only agent that can offer respawns!
No matter what Sage does, it is always immensely useful:
She can create a wall that is hard to destroy and reliably blocks attack paths.
She can create a zone with a slowing effect that turns a push into a miserable “crawl”.
She can heal injured heroes, for free and just with a cooldown!
Her ultimate can even resurrect the dead.
Especially the last ability is often game-changing, as normally in Valorant no one can be revived.
A-Tier – These characters are always a good choice
What is the A-Tier? This tier includes well-balanced, useful agents. The heroes presented here are suitable in many situations and are therefore always a good choice when the S-Tier is already filled or if you prefer their playstyle.
Omen – From Underdog to A-Tier Killer
What can Omen actually do? Omen looks like a super edgelord agent and has a number of nasty skills. He can blind and confuse enemies. Additionally, he has two teleport abilities that allow him to appear almost anywhere on the map. Due to some sensible buffs, Omen has gone from the worst agent of the beta to the top pick of the current meta.
Omen has been massively improved and is now finally good.
Omen is particularly good in the current sniper meta, as he has particularly large and useful “smokes”. This way, he obscures the enemies’ vision and protects his team from the deadly bullets of the Operator sniper rifle.
Moreover, Omen can take away the enemies’ vision and quickly reposition himself via teleport. Watching a well-played Omen lead opponents around by the nose and then appear in a totally unexpected place is simply an art form.
Also cool: His ultimate allows him to appear anywhere on the map. But you can also cancel it before arriving completely at the destination. This allows for valuable reconnaissance in enemy territory. So, Omen is always a good choice and can sometimes replace Brimstone from S-Tier.
Sova – Agent for Practical Recon
What makes Sova so good? Sova looks a bit like the Valorant version of Hanzo from Overwatch with his bow and is a reconnaissance expert. He can easily locate the position of enemies with two of his abilities and even get kills around corners with his shock arrows.
For tactical reconnaissance and nasty “trick shots” around corners, take Sova with you.
Reconnaissance is a good thing in Valorant, if only to ruin the fun of campers. And with Sova’s “sonar arrows,” you have a regular and reliable way to scout the enemy even around corners.
Previously, Sova’s teammates would drive enemies out of cover, but now a playstyle has established where Sova makes those plays himself with his shock shots. A particularly impressive example of this can be seen in this article, where a player gets a victory with shock arrows at death.
Moreover, Sova’s ultimate grills every enemy in cover if he knows where they have tucked away. Like some of Breach’s abilities, Sova’s ultimate also goes through walls.
Killjoy – Reconnaissance and Defense in One
What makes Killjoy so good?Killjoy was introduced with Update 1.5 and she is a German engineer who can make every attack a frustrating affair with her turrets and traps.
Killjoy can turn any attack into a nightmare if played well and if the team collaborates.
In the current meta of Valorant, reconnaissance is essential, and pro teams often rely on a setup that includes two recon agents. This generally means Cypher and often Sova for tactical adjustments in recon.
Killjoy could also shine here because her alarm bot provides a deadly way to surprise careless enemies and get information about their position. Additionally, her ability to secure areas with the turret and hinder enemies with the nano grenade is also valuable.
However, Killjoy needs a team that watches over her and secures her gadgets. Because the turret is only really dangerous for the enemy if it can fire unhindered for as long as possible, which works best if it is not visible due to smokes and such.
Killjoy’s ultimate, which disarms all opponents, can be a game-changer if used properly. Since Killjoy has a lot of potential and might influence the recon meta, we have placed the new agent in the promising A-Tier. However, since the agent has only been in the game for 2 weeks at the time of this article, we will make a new classification soon.
What is so good about Raze? Raze was new at the start of the closed beta and caused quite a stir. Unlike the other heroes whose skills are at least partially designed for pure support and utility, Raze only offers abilities that deal damage.
She can throw grenades, unleash a killer bot, plant bombs that she can also jump with, and as an ultimate, she has a rocket that kills everything in the area of effect. All of this makes Raze an optimal damage dealer, and the top streamer Summit1g had even called for her complete removal in the beta.
If a situation arises where she faces overwhelming odds alone, she can turn the tide successfully with her explosives. Especially her ultimate almost guarantees at least one kill.
Moreover, her bombs and grenades are quite good at destroying Cypher’s spy gadgets. Therefore, Raze also serves as a counter to the S-Tier spy. Additionally, her explosive package reliably dismantles Sage’s wall. On maps like Bind and Split, Raze can particularly excel.
Jett – Champion for Those Who Find Valorant Too Slow
What is so good about Jett? Valorant is a rather slow-paced tactical game where players advance cautiously while always being wary of campers. But if this pace feels too sluggish, Jett can pull off cool movement stunts.
For those who like to move fast, choose Jett.
The agile agent has two skills with which she can propel herself through the air. Additionally, she can glide longer through the air, easily reaching spots that other agents cannot access. So, if you prefer a faster and more mobile playstyle, Jett is the agent for you.
Also, her throwing knives serve as an ultimate that she can use while running without compromising her accuracy. They hit as hitscan weapons instantly and are deadly as headshots. Since the knives don’t cost credits, they are optimal for eco rounds where the team is saving money. Moreover, they even give players like Ninja nightmares now, as she’s become notorious for her speed and agility.
Thanks to a buff, her small smoke grenades last a bit longer now. This makes Jett attractive in the current meta, as one must constantly watch out for deadly snipers. However, what one cannot see is also difficult to shoot. A guide to Jett can be found here.
What is the B-Tier? Here you will find characters that are solid on their own and can shine in specific situations.
Breach – Good Attacker Hero
What makes Breach so good? Here you have a strong agent with whom you can effectively conquer enemy territory and initiate pushes. Breach can pierce walls with some of his skills and thus mix it up with the enemies behind cover while stunning them.
Breach is optimal for pushing enemies out of cover.
Who enjoys playing offensively and likes well-planned pushes will love Breach. The rough Swedish agent with cyber arms exclusively has control skills, i.e., abilities to hinder and control the enemy.
No matter what Breach does, his attacks rumble through solid cover as shockwaves, leaving enemies behind bewildered and blind. This makes them easy prey for the rest of the team.
However, Breach is not easy to play and requires a lot of skill and timing. Moreover, his attacks are predictable and can be countered by clever players. Thus, Breach is currently played less often at higher levels.
Phoenix – Good Allrounder for Every Situation
What makes Phoenix so good? This hero is, alongside Jett, the “poster boy” of Valorant and has a good selection of skills. He is basically a Counter-Strike character equipped with useful items.
Phoenix is useful in every situation.
Phoenix is an ideal allrounder and belongs to the top tier of duelists in the game. He is simply useful. His fire wall hides the team from shots. Furthermore, he can heal himself in it.
Additionally, he has a fireball that drives enemies out of cover and a slightly unreliable flash attack that often blinds his own team.
His ultimate is very powerful, as it essentially gives Phoenix an extra life, allowing him to teleport back to the starting point of activation with full health after his death. All of this makes Phoenix a good choice. A detailed guide to Phoenix can be found here.
C-Tier – These Agents Are Only Useful When the Situation and Teamplay Are Right
What is the C-Tier? These agents are still okay, but they need the right situations and teamwork to truly shine. Otherwise, they tend to lag behind expectations with their skills and are just waiting for buffs.
Viper – Optimal for Tricksters, but Too Specialized
What is special about Viper? Viper is a nasty agent who can theoretically snatch victory from the opponent at the last moment. Her ultimate creates a toxic gas cloud in which you can hardly see anything and take damage. If the spike is covered with that, it may well be that the opposing team can’t defuse it in time.
Viper can only turn the game around in the right situation.
There’s also a toxic cloud, a gas wall, and a toxic puddle that serve as smokes and control skills. And even though the wall is now more usable and can be turned on and off as needed, Viper’s utility still falls short compared to other control agents.
Currently, there is hardly any reason why one should pick Viper instead of Brimstone or Omen when wanting to obscure vision and restrict opponents’ actions.
Reyna – Strong Only in Lower Ranks
What is special about Reyna? Reyna entered the character selection as a new heroine after the game’s release. She is a duelist who unlocks particularly strong skills with kills. This makes her a real beast in the right hands, but if she misses, she becomes a real brake for the team.
Reyna is theoretically extremely strong …
Because apart from her – admittedly very useful – flash ability, Reyna’s skills absolutely require that you get kills yourself (no assists!). Only then can you receive a soul orb from the opponent and either become briefly invulnerable or gain massive healing.
So, if you score well, you can become a real killer with Reyna. This occurs more frequently when playing at lower ranks. In the top tiers, teamwork is vital, and Reyna does not automatically lead the kill board. Then you find yourself in a position where you only have one skill that you can reliably use.
If the Reyna trick works, you can indeed become an almost invulnerable killing machine that tears everything apart. Nonetheless, her unreliability makes it difficult for her to hold her ground in higher tiers.
This is the ranking of the agents among MeinMMO readers: If you want to know how Valorant fans at MeinMMO view the agents in the game, take a look here:
The most important thing in Valorant, however, is not the heroes, but practice and routine. Furthermore, it is always beneficial if you know a few useful tricks and tips that can give you an advantage in-game. For that, it is best to read our guide with 11 tips and tricks that you should know right from the start in Valorant. This might give you the decisive edge over your opponents in the game.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
We might soon be able to try Diablo Immortal! At least that can be assumed if one believes some sources around Blizzard, as the internal tests have allegedly ended.
However, something is changing for the general public. While there has been little heard about the mobile game so far, there are now small changes that give fans hope.
It is also claimed that the internal tests are already completed. External tests, such as an alpha or beta, could therefore start soon.
What is the status of Diablo Immortal?
This is now hopeful: On a Discord server for Diablo Immortal, the account “SnowTyrant” wrote that the internal tests for the mobile game are finished.
Many fans suspect an admin from NetEase behind this name, the developers of Diablo Immortal.
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Further hope arises due to the page for Diablo Immortal in the Play Store. This was updated on August 24 and 26, respectively. This is the first time since October 2018.
What could happen now? If the internal tests have indeed ended, external tests could start soon. Blizzard and NetEase could thus test the game through an alpha or beta with interested players.
If that is the case, we could expect an announcement soon. After all, there was a trailer for Diablo Immortal a few weeks ago that indicated a release could be imminent.
Currently, there are still many theories from fans, but it seems something is happening with the mobile game, otherwise the product page in the Play Store would not have been updated suddenly after nearly 2 years.
In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare there is a map that takes place in a large stadium. In it, you can not only shoot heads off but also score goals like in football in an elaborate mini-game.
Where is the mini-game? Those who often roam in the Warzone have surely noticed the stadium in Verdansk. Here you can find not only 3 hidden OP items, but on the field in the middle, you will also find football goals and a scoreboard alongside some cover and equipment.
The same location was also used as a map for the game modes “Gunfight” and “Confrontation in Verdansk” in the regular multiplayer of Modern Warfare. In it, you can even play real football!
How to play football in Gunfight
Play ball instead of shooting: Unlike in the Warzone, where no ball is present, in the version of Modern Warfare, there is a giant football lying around. It moves when you nudge it or hit it with the weapons.
What many may not have known yet: If you manage to get the ball into the goal, a powerful effect with fireworks and a signal sound is triggered. Additionally, “Goal” appears prominently on the display, and the scoreboard even shows the scored goal.
A player posted on reddit a contribution where you can clearly see how it looks in action. While he takes down opponents left and right, he skillfully shoots the ball into the goal and celebrates the goal celebration again with a kill. We have embedded the video here for you.
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Can you do this in the Warzone as well? Since the Verdansk stadium can also be found in the Warzone map, we have not spared any effort and checked whether it works there as well. Unfortunately, it seems that someone has stolen the ball in the Warzone. Because here you will only find the goals and the scoreboard. However, the ball is missing, and therefore you unfortunately cannot score here.
But perhaps the developers will add the ball later and give you the chance to play football in the Warzone as well. The developers have already proven that they are not afraid of complex mini-games in the Warzone. Recently, the new CoD game Black Ops Cold War was revealed in the Warzone with a mini-game.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Ubisoft China and Sheepedia have teamed up for some products. Included is a coffee mug that reportedly had a bug in production. And it’s incredibly funny and probably a clever PR gag.
What are Ubisoft China and Sheepedia doing? Ubisoft is usually known for its many games. These include Far Cry, Division, and also Assassins Creed. The studio is often said to have bugs and glitches.
Ubisoft China has now started a collaboration with the clothing brand Sheepedia. This has resulted in some clothing items and the aforementioned buggy mug with a ridiculous production error.
The coffee mug as self-ironic PR
What kind of mug is this? The handle of the coffee cup is pushed inward due to a bug in production. Oops! In retrospect, the companies apologized, stating that the mug could not be offered for sale.
The industry analyst Daniel Ahmad suspects this is a PR gag and tweets:
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He states that Ubisoft China is known for pulling off such gags, especially now in relation to the clothes that were recently announced. And it works; the community is talking about it.
Is this the first incident? With the mug’s production bug, Ubisoft is showing some self-irony. Last year, there was already a similar gag. At ChinaJoy, an event somewhat comparable to E3, they built a glitch into the booth. There, a table was sticking out of the wall.
Here is the glitch nicely circled. Source: Twitter
The community as fans of the mug
The image of the crazy mug with a bug spread quickly over Twitter, Reddit, and 9GAG.
While some mock Ubisoft, whether in jest or seriously, is up for debate. The phrase “Typical Ubisoft” is often mentioned, or that the whole thing represents Ubisoft well:
Most in the community, however, are excited about the mug. They wish to be able to purchase the cup. Or they celebrate the studio’s irony and the funny gag. Some even propose a solution. Thus, NintendojoFR tweets the following image with the quote “fixed”:
That looks like a reasonable solution.
We can be curious about what Ubisoft China will come up with next and whether the mug will really be offered for sale. This wouldn’t be the first coffee mug with the handle inward, but it would certainly be the most famous.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Valorant there are a lot of weapons that you can buy at the start of each round. But which weapon is worth your money and what should you leave behind? Our large MeinMMO weapons tier list provides the answer.
What is a tier list? Tier lists are not just lists of cute animals. Rather, in gaming, it refers to the ranking of items or heroes based on their usefulness. This is measured in ranks, (in English “Tier”). The typical tier lists are coded by letters:
S-Tier: Absolutely superior, may be nerfed
A-Tier: Simply good
B-Tier: Good, but not too good
C-Tier: OK and still average
Some lists go even deeper to distinguish bad items from even worse ones. With the weapons in Valorant, we settle for the still acceptable C-Tier as the bottom tier of the weapons.
How did you get on this list? We at the MeinMMO Valorant team used the following sources to develop a balanced tier list for Valorant.
The final result came from the average of the sources, our own assessment, and the valuable feedback from the successful YouTuber and Valorant expert aSmoogl. He worked closely with us in the MeinMMO team, and we discussed the final form of the list with him.
This article was revised and updated on August 28.
This is the MeinMMO tier list for weapons in Valorant
This is our classification of the weapons based on the aforementioned criteria.
What stands out? As you can see, almost all weapons are in the S to B tiers, which shows that Riot does a good job of balancing and that hardly any weapon is truly bad. Therefore, we also omitted the D tier, where really bad weapons would be found.
Even with a Vandal, a very expensive S-Tier rifle, you can easily be taken down by a good player with a simple, free Classic. Nevertheless, some weapons are simply superior by nature, and in the following paragraphs, we will explain why we believe each weapon belongs to its tier.
[toc]
All S-Tier Weapons – The best guns in the game!
These weapons are currently the best guns you can get in Valorant. If you have the opportunity to buy them, then get them!
Operator – The one-shot kill monster
What is the Operator? Here you get a heavy sniper rifle that currently dominates the meta of Valorant. The weapon kills an opponent with just one hit – unless you hit the leg. Currently, heroes with many smoke effects (smokes) are popular to counter the Operator. Additionally, a bold rush with multiple players can overwhelm the shooter, as the fire rate of the weapon is low.
Also, the “OP” at 4,500 credits is by far the most expensive weapon in the game; you have to earn it first. Despite several calls to nerf the Operator, Riot recently clarified again that the weapon is just fine as it is.
The Operator is currently the most powerful weapon in the game.
Pro
Kills with one hit (except leg)
High range
Counteracts any other weapon
Contra
Very expensive
Good aiming essential
Low fire rate
Phantom – The silent assault rifle
What is the Phantom? The Phantom is a powerful assault rifle and, together with the Vandal, the most expensive weapon in its class. It costs a proud 2,900 credits. The Phantom differs from the Vandal in that it fires faster and is suitable for wallbanging (shooting through walls) and shooting through the widely popular smokes. However, its damage decreases at range and does not allow for one-shot headshots anymore.
The Phantom is another fan favorite.
Pro
Reliable and versatile
Quiet and with invisible bullet traces
Good fire rate
Contra
Expensive
Damage decreases at range
No headshot one-kills anymore at range
Vandal – The loud assault rifle
What is the Vandal? The Vandal is an assault rifle that is as popular as the Phantom and also costs 2,900 credits. Unlike this weapon, the Vandal is a bit more brutal and deals more damage. It is loud and hits hard, even at long range. Therefore, it is also suitable as a counter to Operator shooters. A headshot with the Vandal is also lethal. However, the Phantom is better at short range than the Vandal. The Vandal is the ideal weapon for aggressive duelists who like to take down opponents with quick headshots. However, there is currently a problem with great inaccuracy on the first shot with the Vandal.
This is what the thick Vandal looks like.
Pro
Reliable and versatile
Deadly headshots at any distance
Good counter for Operators
Contra
Expensive
Lower fire rate
Little ammunition
All A-Tier Weapons – These guns are always a good choice
In the A-Tier, you will find weapons that are simply good. There is hardly any reason not to take such a weapon if it fits your style.
Ghost – The top pistol
What is the Ghost? This pistol is a very good choice for the pistol round thanks to its large magazine and good damage. Since it only costs 500 credits, you even have some money left to buy skills. Particularly cool: If your opponent has no shield, he is dead after a headshot. Therefore, the weapon is also very strong in eco rounds (rounds where little is purchased). Alternatively, the Ghost also works well as a second weapon with the Operator sniper in case you do end up in close combat.
The Ghost is a reliable, strong pistol.
Pro
Headshots at under 30 meters instantly deadly without shield
Large magazine
Good secondary weapon
Contra
Not as effective at 30 meters
No alternative firing mode
Sheriff – Pro weapon for good shooters
What is the Sheriff? Here you get a high-caliber weapon that you can just barely afford as a high-end purchase for 800 credits in the pistol round. For that, you get a headshot monster that reliably takes down any opponent – even with armor – at under 30 meters with a headshot. Therefore, the weapon is extremely popular with pros – both for the pistol round and as a secondary weapon.
The Sheriff is ideal for pros who aim well.
Pro
Good price-performance ratio
Headshots at under 30 meters instantly deadly
Good for eco rounds or as a secondary weapon
Contra
Low fire rate
Good aiming needed
No killer headshots at 30 meters with shields
Spectre – The small assault rifle
What is the Spectre? This SMG is a compact weapon that has a large magazine and a good fire rate. In close combat, you can reliably take down opponents with it. It is especially important that you only need 2 headshots and one hit of any kind to kill even fully armored opponents. The weapon is often used as a substitute for assault rifles due to its low cost of only 1,600 credits.
The Spectre is a powerful SMG.
Pro
Very high fire rate
Deadly at close range
Cheap
Contra
Less effective at range
Deviation when shooting for long periods is a problem
Marshall – The small operator
What is the Marshall? Here you get a sniper rifle that in the right hands is as powerful as the Operator but costs much less. With 1,100 credits, the Marshall is practically a steal. Headshots with this rifle are always deadly, regardless of what armor the opponent has. Additionally, the weapon forgives more mistakes than the Operator, as it fires twice as fast. However, body shots are only deadly on unarmored targets.
The Marshall is the light version of the OP.
Pro
Deadly headshots
Cheap
Ideal for eco rounds or as a defender
Contra
Good aiming required
Body shots with shield are not deadly
Bulldog – Assault rifle for penny pinchers
What is the Bulldog? Here you get a relatively cheap fully automatic rifle for only 2,100 credits. The Bulldog can even deal deadly headshots – for unarmored targets. If you master its spray pattern in bursts, you can also reliably mow down armored opponents. If you can’t afford a Vandal or Phantom, then definitely take this weapon.
The Bulldog is a mini-assault rifle.
Pro
Cheap
Good headshot damage
Effective bursts
Contra
Terrible deviation after 10 shots
No one-shots against armor
All B-Tier Weapons – Solid rifles and pistols that are OK
In the B-Tier, you will find weapons that are still OK and shine in certain situations. But overall, they are behind the better guns in the A and S tiers. However, if your style prefers them or you need to save, then the weapons are still usable.
Guardian – Half sniper, half assault rifle
What is the Guardian? This rifle was recently buffed and now costs only 2,500 credits. This made the Guardian more popular and useful again, but overall it only ranks in B-Tier. For in this tier, you get a semi-automatic rifle that shoots very accurately and deals extreme damage. Headshots are always deadly here, but you need to aim well and only have single shots.
The Guardian is especially deadly with headshots.
Pro
Headshots are always deadly
Cheap
Good sniper counter
Contra
Only single shots
No scope
Good aiming required
Shorty – The economy wonder
What is the Shorty? The Shorty is a sawed-off shotgun that costs only 200 credits. This makes it an interesting option in eco or pistol rounds. You can brutally take down opponents at close range with some luck and then steal better weapons from them. Or you can simply dominate the pistol round with it and still have enough money to buy skills or other gear. However, its deviation is quite bad, and even up close, it can happen that the opponent survives with 2 hitpoints.
The Shorty is much better than it seems.
Pro
Super cheap
Deadly in close combat
Theoretically large kill potential
Contra
Completely useless at range
Wild deviation ensures that no kills are guaranteed even in close combat
Stinger – The close combat chainsaw
What is the Stinger? Here you get a small, inexpensive SMG for only 1,000 credits that fires extremely fast. The whole magazine can be fired in just under a second. Everyone who has the misfortune to stand in front of you will regret it. However, after the 10th shot, the spray gets so wild that you have problems hitting anything even in close combat. This makes the weapon less effective in fights against multiple opponents.
The Stinger is a small lead sprayer.
Pro
Very high rate of fire
Very cheap
Strong in close combat
Contra
Very wild deviation
Inaccurate at range
Small magazine
Bucky – The “sniper shotgun”
What is the Bucky? This weapon for 900 credits is a simple pump gun. You have a low fire rate due to the reloading, but when the shots hit, the opponent is dead after one shot, even if he is armored. Contrary to expectations, the secondary fire mode with its narrow spread is optimal for shots at medium range. But be sure to practice aiming with the Bucky to make reliable one-shots. Note that the Bucky and other shotguns are not very precise anymore when jumping or flying.
The Bucky is a shotgun with long range.
Pro
Cheap
One-shots with secondary fire at 15 meters
Good for duels
Contra
Slow fire rate
Disadvantage when more than one opponent comes
Judge – The shotgun for beginners
What is the Judge? This shotgun for 1,500 credits fires automatically. Therefore, you can take down several opponents quickly in succession, unlike with the Bucky. Additionally, the weapon is quite mobile and can be well used while running. Since you shoot quickly, it’s not a big deal if a shot misses. However, the Judge’s range is poor. At range, you hardly deal damage. Experienced shooters prefer the Bucky, which costs only about half as much. However, since shotguns generally lag behind SMGs and assault rifles, both shotguns are still in B-Tier.
The Judge is strong, but only at close range.
Pro
Good at close range
Good fire speed
Good for run&gun
Contra
Poor range
Quite expensive
Ares – The death of penny pinchers
What is the Ares? This machine gun for 1,600 credits impresses with its high rate of fire and a massive magazine. Additionally, it punches through walls well and is optimal for wallbanging. Furthermore, it is very suitable for taking down teams that are currently having an eco round and therefore do not have good weapons ready. In a fight with high-class weapons, the Ares is too weak to compete with real assault rifles.
The Ares is especially useful in anti-eco rounds.
Pro
Good for anti-eco rounds
Reasonably accurate in target mode
Good for wallbanging
Contra
Rather moderate damage
Inaccurate while moving
Odin – Good, but too expensive
What is the Odin? The heavy machine gun Odin is a monster that offers a huge magazine of 100 shots and pierces walls like butter. The rate of fire is also impressive. If Valorant were a game that was not dominated by sniper weapons, then the Odin would be a strong weapon. But at range, it lacks the precision and damage of snipers and good assault rifles. For the hefty price of 3,200 credits, you should rather get an S-Tier weapon. On the other hand, shooting wildly with the MG is simply a lot of fun!
The Odin is much too expensive, but if you have the money, then treat yourself to the fun!
Pro
Fires quickly
2 headshots always deadly
Good for wallbanging
Contra
Very expensive
Not very effective at range
Classic – Free and still quite OK
What is the Classic? Everyone knows the Classic, because everyone has it. This weapon is given to every agent in Valorant for free at the start of a round unless they have something better. The Classic is not a powerful weapon. It is a simple pistol that holds 12 shots and deals moderate damage. What is interesting here is the alternative fire mode, as you unleash a 3-shot burst that works like a mini-shotgun. If you hit the head with it, it’s an insta-kill. Not bad for a weapon that costs nothing. Because then you can usually steal a better gun from the opponent.
The Classic is free and not even bad.
Pro
Completely free
Powerful burst fire
Contra
Only mediocre damage
All C-Tier Weapons – Only conditionally recommendable guns
In the C-Tier, there is currently only one weapon. All the guns that are no longer really good but are still just about OK end up here. They can only be used meaningfully in certain circumstances, but overall they leave much to be desired.
Frenzy – Small lead slinger that falls short of expectations
What is the Frenzy? Here you get a small, fully automatic pistol for 400 credits. The Frenzy fires ammunition quickly but has only a small magazine and deals little damage. In the right situation, it can still take down an opponent well, but overall you are better off with any other weapon.
The Frenzy is currently at the bottom of the tier list.
Pro
Fires quickly
Wild deviation pattern
Contra
Small magazine
So much for our classification of weapons in the game. If you have any comments or have a completely different opinion, let us know in the comments. If you are more interested in the heroes in Valorant, then check out our ranking of the agents in Riot’s team shooter.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War can already be played in advance during a beta. You can secure a free key during a large eSports event this weekend if you are lucky. How to do this, you can find out here at MeinMMO.
This is how you can get beta keys: In addition to the open beta starting on October 8 according to leaks, there seems to be an earlier event that you can only participate in if you pre-order a digital version of Black Ops Cold War.
But there is another method that gives you a free key. You just need to watch the big eSports championship of the Call of Duty League (CDL) on their official site on Sunday, August 30, 2020.
This is how the key distribution works: While you watch the streams, a total of 10,000 beta keys will be distributed to viewers. The distribution is random, so there is no guarantee that you will actually receive your key after watching for a certain amount of time.
What else do you need to do? You also need to have an account with the CDL in advance and link it to your CoD account on PS4, Xbox, or BattleNet, depending on where you prefer to play Call of Duty.
What else is there in the CDL promotion? In addition to the keys, you can snag a lot of other prizes while watching the CDL Champs championship.
In our MeinMMO article on the CDL Champs championship, you’ll find out everything about the other prizes available. Especially the golden knife and the champs package are already very sought after.
When does the closed beta of Black Ops Cold War actually take place? There are currently no official statements about this. We only know from a leak that the open beta is likely to begin on October 8, 2020. Players on PS4 are likely to get access a bit earlier.
Activision Blizzard has released a trailer for the 2020 Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War that appeals to the political right. The YouTuber Carl Benjamin calls the trailer a “pleasant surprise.”
This is the trailer: On August 19, Activision released a teaser trailer for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. Players had to solve a code to find and unlock the trailer.
The trailer states: At the height of the Cold War, Yuri Bezmenov defected from the KGB to the USA and issued a disturbing warning. The KGB defector explained how the Russians would infiltrate, destabilize, and weaken American society in a 15-year plan. This process is called “active measures”: Intelligence activities to influence global events.
The trailer depicts what terrible turn the USA will take if “the schmucks” are allowed to install a government in Washington that will promise a lot of things.
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The message of the trailer is: It is based on true events. One must know history to prevent it.
Activision presents historical figure, but it is controversial
That is the problem: The person speaking in the trailer, Yuri Bezmenov, is actually a historical figure. Bezmenov (1939-1993) defected to the West in 1970.
Also, the interview shown in excerpts in the trailer actually took place. As the US site Kotaku explains, Bezmenov gave the interview to conspiracy theorist G. Edward Griffin, who denies that something like HIV really exists. The interview took place in 1984.
The interview suggests that the plan of the Russians is to change American society by promoting the “equality” of the population.
By giving women and people who are not white more rights, the USA would be softened and made ready for a Russian invasion.
Kotaku summarizes Bezmenov’s thesis: Every attempt to achieve social equality for women, black people, or LGBTQ+ in the USA is a Russian conspiracy to weaken American society from within. Bezmenov referred to leftists, feminists, and war opponents as “useful idiots” whose demands make it easier for the Soviet Union to destabilize the USA.
His statements from 1984 form the background for the trailer.
This is how the right reacts to the trailer: The well-known British anti-feminist Carl Benjamin has a YouTube channel. He is explicitly pleased about the new trailer. It would “introduce Yuri Bezmenov to the mainstream. This is a “joyful surprise” (via YouTube).
It is said that the USA has already been ideologically undermined, so it is now important for the message to reach the “normal people” as well.
In the comments, viewers are pleased that Call of Duty is finally answering the “call of duty.”
What Bezmenov warned about back then has indeed happened and is now reality. One only has to turn on the TV.
The YouTuber Carl Benjamin ran as a top candidate for the “UK Independence Party,” a right-wing populist party, in the European elections in 2018. He became known, among other things, for saying that feminism is responsible for the rise in mass murders by men (via theguardian). Before the “stupid social justice feminist bullshit,” there hadn’t been mass murders of this scale.
This is what’s behind it: The Call of Duty trailer takes only Bezmenov’s statements that fit the plot: Threat, the Russians are attacking, everything will be terrible.
The real “footage” serves to capture the period’s character and make the threat feel more real. This fits the hard narrative style that was already targeted with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: The developers wanted to shock the world.
Bezmenov seems to be someone among the right who is gladly cited to give more support to their worldview in the sense of: “He predicted 35 years ago what would happen to us if we started to get soft and move to the left.”
The context in which these statements were historically made is not elaborated or is omitted in the trailer. Surely Activision Blizzard wants to avoid the political baggage that comes with these statements.
Nonetheless, the use of the material is now causing a controversy. The politically left US medium Kotaku is outraged and accuses Activision Blizzard of “making a series of decisions that are questionable at best and dangerously irresponsible at worst.”
Call of Duty polarizes.
Call of Duty portrays war and aims to polarize, shake, and shock with its story. The authors rely on real-world events. Apparently, one needs enemies to tell stories about war.
In 2019, the portrayal of the Russians in “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare” drew some criticism. Our author and shooter expert Sven Galitzki is himself Russian and had mixed feelings about the game:
Destiny 2 recently showcased new gameplay featuring the upcoming Stasis abilities. While many find them cool, numerous players are increasingly worried about PvP. We now want to know: what about you?
This is the new Stasis gameplay: Although Bungie already introduced the new Ice Power, there was new Stasis gameplay to admire during the Opening Night event of gamescom 2020 showcased. While there wasn’t much new to see, what was shown is currently widely discussed by the community – be it on Reddit, YouTube, social media, or here with us at MeinMMO.
Is Stasis going to be a problem in PvP?
How are players reacting? Many players find the new Stasis abilities cool and well-designed. They can hardly wait to finally try out the new, frosty element for themselves and see many exciting new possibilities for PvE and PvP.
A comment on YouTube aptly sums it up: “September 6, 2017: Give me my Light back! November 10, 2020: I don’t want any Light anymore!”
The 3 new Stasis focuses: Colossus Titan, Shadebinder Warlock, and Revenant Hunter
Others are a bit more skeptical, thinking it might be very similar versions of previous abilities that have now been spiced up with frost and are being sold as something completely new.
And again, others – and it feels like quite a few – fear that Stasis could completely overturn PvP. Especially here, players currently have the greatest concerns. But why?
What problems do they see with Stasis? Stasis is based on darkness but fundamentally embodies ice and frost. Accordingly, the newly presented abilities of the Guardians also reflect this.
There are, among other things, grenades that create icy spheres and significantly slow down enemies. There is the possibility to freeze opponents (including Guardians), who can then not only no longer move but also cannot fire back – not even blindly or from the hip. And apparently, one shot is enough, and they simply shatter into thousands of ice crystals.
For this frozen Hunter, this is the end. He will soon shatter into 1000 pieces
If an enemy catches you with some of the new abilities, your mobility will be strongly restricted. In some cases, you apparently can’t do anything against it or defend yourself at all. For many, this is a no-go in PvP.
These are just a few exemplary things that have already given some PvP-oriented Guardians headaches. Because there are also:
Rifts that freeze opponents
Walls of ice that can block entire passages
Icy Hunter knives that can kill 2 Guardians at once around the corner
and much more.
Many players also see problems with balance, as the new Stasis Hunter seems significantly better off than others, especially in PvP.
In short: Many find Stasis cool – especially in PvE. But many also believe that Stasis will cause massive problems in PvP.
Stasis is the first new element in the Destiny series and draws its power from darkness rather than light, unlike the previous elements Arc, Solar, and Void.
With Beyond Light, the Stasis element comes into play
What do you think about the whole thing? Participate in our survey
What’s it about? In the context of this discussion, we at MeinMMO have prepared a survey and want to know from you how you currently assess Stasis. Is it cool in PvE, but the nail in the coffin for PvP? Will it provide cool possibilities in both areas of the game? Or can you not relate to this new element at all?
Keep in mind that you only have one answer option. Thank you for your time and participation.
Here is the link to the survey:
By the way, in this discussion you are not limited to the survey. Feel free to share your views on Stasis with us and other readers in detail here in the comments.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Alarm in der Community von GTA Online. Players who pushed the garage glitch too far now have to play with a harsh penalty.
What happened? On reddit and Twitter, players from GTA Online report that they were penalized for exploiting the garage glitch.
The penalty involves resetting your account. All characters, progress, and inventory in GTA Online will be reverted to their original state. In other words: The glitchers lose everything they had gained.
In addition, they also lose all the content that they may have earned in GTA Online without glitches through hours of grinding. So using the glitches has a huge downside and is a harsh penalty for some players.
However, the community also hears that some players do not regret using the glitches and can cope with the penalty. But why?
How Rockstar Cracks Down Hard – Money Wipes
What a victim says: On reddit, player poplfopl shares a screenshot. He writes that his account was reset. “The only glitch I used was the garage glitch and I made about 350 million [GTA Dollars] with it. Others who earned about the same or more, be careful.”
He also shared this screenshot showing the notification from Rockstar Games. They state that he violated the terms of service or EULA. All his characters, progress, and inventory in GTA Online have been reset.
“Resetting characters in GTA Online happens due to a variety of offenses such as data modding or selling user accounts,” states the email.
Who is affected? It is unclear how often one had to use this glitch to be affected by a reset now. However, we generally advise against using glitches in GTA Online. Because as seen in this case, all your earned content can suddenly be gone.
“I regret nothing!”
This topic is currently causing a stir in the glitch community. In recent months, many glitches, such as the apartment glitch, have been used extensively over many days. Players exploited the game’s mechanics in combination with disconnects to flood their accounts in GTA Online with money.
What would normally require days of grinding could be done comfortably in just a few hours. Occasionally even through scripts, allowing players to earn money “afk” while the script automatically performed the necessary steps for them.
This is what players say: In the comments on reddit, one player writes, “I regret nothing. The majority of my time in this game was spent grinding, and I never had fun. The last 2 weeks were the most fun for me. Finally, I could play the game instead of working 6 hours a day in this damn game.”
Others write:
“The glitch week was the best week – so peaceful. After that, only hackers and modders were left […]”
“I expected a reset, but I still glitched and had a lot of fun. It’s true. I just logged in and was reset.”
“Man, if they reset all players who used the glitch, that’s huge. So many players did that.”
“Me too, and it was my first glitch. I already had all the businesses and only did it to get vehicles I had always wanted. It’s a shame because this is my favorite game, but there’s no way I’m starting from scratch again.”
Do you think it’s good that Rockstar cracks down so hard, or do you believe that glitchers don’t actually harm the online world?
The beta phase for Marvel’s Avengers is over, and the loot brawler has already provided a good insight into its mechanics. MeinMMO analyzes the build and role system of the new superhero game and discovers more depth than expected.
With the service title Marvel’s Avengers, publisher Square Enix aims to venture into the usual hunting grounds of loot shooters like Destiny 2 or The Division 2. To give its future players a glimpse into the gameplay and the surrounding environment, a closed beta followed by an open beta was conducted over several weekends for players on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox.
Opinions on the test phase vary widely, even here on MeinMMO. Some were impressed and are ready to play at launch, while others criticize almost everything about the game – starting from the missions, the combat system, to the graphics. You can find our survey on the topic here.
However, at least the equipment and role system has more to offer than it shows in the first hours. We at MeinMMO have delved deeper into the mechanics of the beta and present the results here. In addition, we show:
The heroes make the difference, how you should play
How significantly do the heroes differ from each other? Due to the different gameplay mechanics that the heroes offer, some heroes play very differently than others. Hulk and Iron Man feel almost like they’re from two different games, but the difference between Ms. Marvel and Hulk isn’t as pronounced, as both tend to use their fists to take down opponents.
However, even with these similar heroes, you can approach the game differently, as the following bonuses can vary significantly:
Hero skills
Base stats
Equipment bonuses
In the skill tree, you enhance your special attacks and abilities.
How do the skills impact the heroes’ roles? The skills and base stats set the basic direction of the hero and give a clue as to which play styles are most efficient for the respective characters:
Hulk can draw aggro from enemies and prevent damage to himself – Tank
Ms. Marvel boosts the team’s willpower (health) – Healer, Support
Iron Man can incapacitate enemies, create a shield for parrying, and offers 3 ranged weapons – Damage Dealer, Crowd Control
Black Widow can stun enemies, make friends invisible, and offers 3 ranged modes – Damage Dealer, Support
The skills are categorized into 3 groups – in the HUD, the support skill is on the left, an attack skill on the right, and the ultimate attack is at the top. You can further develop the skills and combos in a skill system. Each hero comes with their own skill tree, for which you gain a unlock point with each level up. In the beta, the max level was 15. You can view the heroes’ skills in the YouTube video by “Mr.RedRivers” in a quick run-through.
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How do the base stats impact the heroes’ roles? The heroes have values from 7 categories and bring different base stats, which further specialize them. These are the stats:
Power – Melee Damage / Ultimate Charge
Courage – Amount of critical damage and strength of skills
Ability – Critical hit chance / Activation of equipment perks
Resilience – Armor value / Support skill charge
Determination – Increase willpower (health) / Health regeneration
Precision – Ranged damage / Damage skill charge
Intensity – Strength of stunning and status effects / Status resistance
If you increase one of the base stats, the corresponding properties improve directly. Additionally, these 7 stats are divided into 4 categories that show how strong a hero is in each respective area:
Melee Rating: Power / Courage / Ability
Increases the base damage of melee attacks
Ranged Rating: Precision / Courage / Ability
Increases the base damage of ranged attacks
Defensive Rating: Determination / Resilience
Increases survival capabilities
Hero Rating: Intensity / Resilience / Courage
Increases damage of skills
In terms of base stats, the heroes have inherent differences, making them typically preferred for a certain play type:
Hulk: Defense
Ms. Marvel: Ranged
Iron Man: Hero Rating
Black Widow: Ranged
Some also have weaknesses in certain areas. For example, Hulk gathers fewer points as a ranged fighter and is therefore more suited to the front lines, while Iron Man has disadvantages in melee and defensive ratings.
In the skill menu, you can view a comprehensive overview of your stats.
How do the equipments influence the heroes’ roles? All these values can be enhanced using equipment, further specializing the heroes in a specific direction. In the beta, each piece of equipment provided one of the 7 base stats. In addition to the stats, the “armors” also bring additional bonuses depending on the type that fit the slot.
In the beta, there were 4 armor slots and 2 artifact slots. The equipments come with bonuses from various categories that match the respective class. However, there are also many bonuses that span across the equipments, such as boosts to willpower, status effects, or increased damage for combo finishers, but each piece usually strengthens a specific action:
Melee Equipment: Melee
Ranged Equipment: Ranged Attacks
Defensive Equipment: Dodge / Parry / Revive
Hero Equipment: Takedowns / Signature Moves
Additionally, there were also the side artifacts, which also feature one of the 7 base stats and offer protection against status effects or improvements to skill charges. The slot for a main artifact was visible but remained unfilled in the beta.
Some equipments also provide crazy abilities that almost resemble a hero skill. For example, Black Widow can have an ability called “Agile Graviton Explosion” on her “Defensive Equipment”. There’s a chance that each perfect dodge generates an anti-gravity field that levitates enemies into the air.
With the equipments, there are strong bonuses – Yet many testers complaint that the pieces do not affect the heroes’ appearances.
Builds enhance the heroes’ play style and focus on specialization
How significantly do builds impact the heroes? A good build noticeably affects the strength of the hero, and you can significantly specialize your characters through tailored builds. However, heroes already have a certain inclination due to their skills and base stats, which directly impacts your equipment assembly.
Your freedoms here are limited because it makes sense to boost the strengths of the characters and only slightly compensate for weaknesses, if at all. This, in turn, limits the selection of bonuses on the equipments. If a hero is leaning towards a “Critical Hit” build, then you will certainly also take the combo bonus that grants you a boost on a crit hit.
The system is relaxed, however, through the base stats that strengthen 2 properties each. If a hero tends to the “Courage” stat, the character immediately gains bonuses for “Critical Damage” and “Hero Effectiveness” (skill damage). Whether you decide to focus on more “Ability” to strengthen the critical hits or prefer “Precision” to reduce the cooldown of the attack skill is up to your decision.
Regarding the status effects, it holds – many support a certain play style, and some fit better into your build than others. “Shock” increases the enemies’ vulnerability to critical hits, so it makes sense to take this element with a “Crit Build”.
Critical hits, healing, tanking – All are options in Marvel’s Avengers, but somewhat limited by the choice of heroes.
However, the depth of the equipment selection is quite decent upon closer inspection:
Selection of the right base stats
Boost of the heroes’ skills
Strengthening combat actions like finishers, combos, takedowns
Effects for critical hits
Buffs for defensive moves
Willpower boosts
Bonuses on stuns
Advantages for revivals
Improvements to skill charges
Utilizing status effects
Protection against status effects
Incorporating special abilities
Even if the chosen Marvel hero already gives a direction, you have many options to adjust the desired aspects. However, the role system becomes truly diverse when multiple heroes come into play. How significantly the given base stats impact the builds in the endgame or whether the initial stats even become irrelevant cannot yet be said. The heroes’ skills could also become relativized if, for instance, a strong crit build provides more advantages than focusing on your skills.
What is truly worthwhile will only become apparent at release. However, the approaches in the beta indicate that builds could constitute a significant part of the heroes’ strength. And there is definitely enough material available for the most diverse approaches.
Even Hulk has ranged attacks. However, a build in that direction probably makes little sense.
The equipment determines your strength
The equipment sets the power level of the heroes. This level directly indicates how strong the respective character is leveled up. Your power level also determines the level of the activities you start.
The majority of equipment pieces can be upgraded to increase the power level. The rarer the equipment, the more levels you can ascend with it:
Green (Uncommon) – 3 levels
Blue (Rare) – 5 levels
Purple (Epic) – 10 levels
Gold (Legendary) – 10 levels
The higher your level, the better the equipment you find in the activities. With certain resources that you gain throughout the game world and from dismantling equipment, you can upgrade the pieces and unlock more of the perks incorporated into the equipment.
The system is comparable to the light level in Destiny. The activities have a certain power value, which is usually dependent on your level. However, there are also missions that recommend a minimum level. In the beta, for example, there was the mission in the villain sector, where you had to take down a large combat robot. Here, the recommended level was 20 on normal difficulty, but you could start the mission much earlier – at a significant disadvantage.
The levels and capabilities of the equipments are random, and you have to loot your desired builds together. Not all parts are equally strong and can also have different stats even with the same power level and abilities. The “Equipment Advantages” value shows with a maximum of 5 stars how strong the equipment piece is in comparison to the best value.
The quality of the piece is indicated with “stars” and the collected power values of the equipment determine your power level.
Massive status effects that can hit heroes and enemies
What kind of status effects are there? Marvel’s Avengers offers you 2 types of status effects – elemental and stun effects. Some enemies even possess a few special skills to weaken heroes.
How can I use this? When you smack your enemies, the “stun value” increases for the opponent. After several hits, this value reaches a threshold for the enemy, and the opponent is stunned for a moment and more vulnerable to attacks and takedowns.
The strength of the stun effect of an attack is visible in the heroes’ skill tree. Here you can see exactly what effects the attacks have – such as damage, stun value, and the enemy’s reaction to the attack.
You can add elements with your equipments. Certain attacks then cause elemental damage. If you attack the enemies with these attacks, the enemy charges with this element and after several charges, the status change that the element triggers occurs – similar to stunning.
What elemental effects are there? The loot brawler comes with 6 elements, each having a different effect on the enemy:
Shock – Defense drops, enemy becomes more vulnerable to critical hits.
Pym Particles – Enemy shrinks: Takes more damage and has less attack.
Plasma – A plasma burn causes damage over time. Every time the enemy takes damage, it halts their attacks.
Gamma – Radiation causes damage over time. Kills with active gamma radiation explode.
Cryo – Slowing the enemy results in fewer attacks. Additionally, damage is reduced.
Cosmic – Affected enemies increase the willpower of the heroes and take more damage.
With the elements, you can further specialize your heroes. A healer focuses more on “Cosmic Damage” to bolster willpower, while a crit build relies on “Cryo” to increase vulnerability to critical hits.
With the Pym Particles, you can actually shrink enemies for a time.
What can also affect the heroes? The enemies have their own status effects that can annoy your heroes. However, the enemies generally did not employ any of the elements listed above in the beta. If they did, then they were slight variations that functioned similarly but had different effects:
Weakness – Attacks have no penetration and do not knock back enemies
Pinning – Heroes are slow and cannot run
Confusion – Visibility is impaired, orientation is more difficult
Freezing – Slows down the heroes and attacks
Exhausting – Skill recharge rate is slowed
However, environmental damage works differently. There were one or two places in the beta where you received plasma or gamma damage.
More possibilities will come with the release
Marvel’s Avengers has already hinted at some of the build options that will be available at release. The current abilities tree of the heroes is a cut-down version that does not show all possibilities. This could also be seen by the fact that there was a tab selection visible above the tree in the menu, even though there was only one tab. There will be 3 tabs that allow you to customize your skills to your play style. So far, the preview images showed:
Primary
Specialty
Mastery
With this, you can further specialize your skills and heroes.
With the release, the slots for main artifacts will also be available. These are the only equipment items that all heroes share. The in-game description currently provides the following information: “Main artifacts are rare but permanently increase the power level when equipped. They also grant unique advantages of incredible strength and effectiveness.” However, how exactly they achieve this is still unclear.
Reactions to the beta were generally negative, and many of the mechanics showcased in the test phase met with little approval from players. However, there seems to be much potential in the build and role system. If you want to know more about the gameplay and the beta, check out MeinMMO colleague Phillip Hansen’s preview.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Pokémon GO the Mega Raids for Charizard, Blastoise, and Venusaur are now available. We show you the best counters for each Mega Raid and reveal how easy the battle will be.
This is new: In Pokémon GO Mega Raids are waiting for you. In these you can battle Mega-Charizard, Mega-Blastoise, and Mega-Venusaur. The Raids will give you Mega Energy and ultimately allow you to catch the normal form of the three Pokémon.
You won’t get any Mega Pokémon from the Raids, but you will get the energy to perform a Mega Evolution.
The quicker you defeat the Raid, the more Mega Energy you’ll receive. We will show you the best counters to take down the Raid bosses quickly.
The best counters against Mega-Charizard X
This is important: Charizard has two Mega Forms. The X and Y form. While Mega-Charizard Y is of Fire and Flying type, Mega-Charizard X is of Fire and Dragon type and therefore has different weaknesses.
These are the best counters:
Counter Pokémon
Moves
Rayquaza
Dragon Tail and Outrage
Palkia
Dragon Tail and Draco Meteor
Salamence
Dragon Tail and Outrage
Zekrom
Dragon Breath and Outrage
Garchomp
Dragon Tail and Outrage
Reshiram
Fire Fang and Draco Meteor
Rampardos
Smack Down and Rock Slide
Dragonite
Dragon Tail and Outrage
Rhyperior
Mud-Slap and Rock Throw
Gyarados
Dragon Tail and Dragon Claw
How many trainers are needed? Mega-Charizard X is the harder to defeat Charizard. You will need at least 3 trainers. However, if you want to be quick to get more Mega Energy, you should have at least 6 trainers.
The best counters against Mega-Charizard Y
This is important: Mega-Charizard Y is just like the normal Charizard of Fire and Flying type. It therefore has a double weakness to Rock, which you should fully exploit.
These are the best counters:
Counter Pokémon
Moves
Rampardos
Smack Down and Rock Slide
Rhyperior
Smack Down and Rock Throw
Terrakion
Smack Down and Rock Slide
Tyranitar
Smack Down and Stone Edge
Gigalith
Smack Down and Rock Slide
Aerodactyl
Rock Throw and Rock Slide
Ampharos
Thunder Shock and Thunder Punch
Landorus
Rock Throw and Rock Slide
Alolan Golem
Rock Throw and Stone Edge
Golem
Rock Throw and Stone Edge
How many trainers are needed? You can already defeat the Mega Raid quite easily with two players. However, for a lot of Mega Energy, we recommend at least 4 players.
The best counters against Mega-Blastoise
This is important: Mega-Blastoise is of Water type and therefore weak to Grass and Electric. The best counter here is Mega-Venusaur, but we intentionally won’t consider that here.
These are the best counters:
Counter Pokémon
Moves
Zekrom
Charge Beam and Volt Switch
Electivire
Thunder Shock and Volt Switch
Magnezone
Spark and Volt Switch
Raikou
Thunder Shock and Volt Switch
Luxray
Spark and Volt Switch
Roselia
Razor Leaf and Grass Knot
Zapdos
Thunder Shock and Thunderbolt
Mewtwo
Psycho Cut and Thunderbolt
Venusaur
Vine Whip and Petal Blizzard
Tangrowth
Vine Whip and Leaf Tornado
How many trainers are needed? Here you will need at least 3 trainers, but even then, the battle will be a challenge. We recommend rather 6-7 trainers so that you can gather enough Mega Energy.
The best counters against Mega-Venusaur
This is important: Mega-Venusaur is of the types Grass and Poison, just like the normal Venusaur. Therefore, effective are the types Fire, Ice, Flying, and Psychic. Here, Mega-Charizard is one of the best options, but we intentionally leave that out here.
These are the best counters:
Counter Pokémon
Moves
Mewtwo
Confusion and Psyshock
Reshiram
Fire Fang and Overheat
Charizard
Fire Spin and Air Slash
Victini
Confusion and V-Generate
Heatran
Fire Spin and Flamethrower
Flareon
Fire Fang and Overheat
Incineroar
Fire Spin and Overheat
Metagross
Zen Headbutt and Psychic
Latios
Zen Headbutt and Psychic
Entei
Fire Fang and Overheat
How many trainers are needed? Mega-Venusaur can already be defeated with two players. For the maximum amount of Mega Energy, we recommend rather 5 trainers with strong counters.
Players who enjoy playing Fortnite on Apple iOS devices can no longer download updates and are permanently stuck in Season 3. However, as a final blow against Apple, developer Epic Games has sneaked in a final update with a troll action.
What is the last update for Fortnite on iOS? While Season 4 of Chapter 2 went live for all Fortnite players yesterday and players can battle with Marvel heroes like Thor and Iron Man, users on iOS devices are left without options. Due to the legal dispute between Apple and Epic, players on iPhone and other devices are permanently trapped in Season 3 and can only play with other Apple users.
But before everything was shut down, Epic was able to deploy one last update, which is a single troll move against Apple.
This is the skin Tart Tycoon.
Tart Tycoon – This is why the Anti-Apple skin is so trollish
This is the skin: In the last update, iOS players received the skin “Tart Tycoon”. It features a skinny guy in a gray suit with an oversized apple for a head. The facial expression of the character shows a permanent frown of discontent and joylessness.
A similar apple figure was already seen in the notorious 1984 film by Epic, where the apple boss declared his reign of terror and Epic called for the fight for freedom on iOS devices.
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This is where the Tart Tycoon appeared for the first time.
This is why the skin is so provocative: The unsympathetic apple head is supposed to represent the CEO of Apple, and the name “Tart Tycoon” is also full of mockery. While “Tart” actually refers to a delicious apple tart, the term can also be used as a euphemism for “slut”.
Additionally, the term “Tard” (with a d) is often used in online jargon to insult stupid teammates. The term originates from the English word “Retard”, which can roughly be translated to idiot or backward.
https://youtu.be/_K8T-ljM4Us
The apple head in action.
The German version comes with the name “Finanzchef Fallobst” but is not as ambiguous.
Where to get the skin? Those who want the skin had to participate in the big FreeFortnite tournament last week. As a reward, among other things, there was the skin, which could be earned without much effort. The action and the fact that this skin is still available in the iOS version represent a final crude gesture from Epic against Apple. However, it remains exciting to see how the legal dispute will develop.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
