A leaker has already found a playable version of a new sniper in CoD Warzone and Modern Warfare in the game files. The Rytec AMR could even become quite powerful.
What’s happening: The Call of Duty leaker BKTOOR has found something interesting in the game files and shared the first gameplay scenes of the upcoming sniper Rytec AMR via Twitter. This will be added during the ongoing Season 4 in Warzone and Modern Warfare.
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We could already take a first look at the Rytec AMR in the released roadmap. BKTOOR has now revealed further details with his gameplay.
This is what makes the Rytec AMR so powerful: In appearance, it is similar to the AX-50 and the HDR, and even in gameplay, it currently still carries the name AX-50.
Unlike the AX-50, the Rytec is a semi-automatic sniper rifle. In the video, it has a 5-round magazine and surprisingly low recoil. Fans suspect that this weapon may be related to the Barrett .50cal from older Call of Duty titles.
The fast rate of fire and low recoil could make the Rytec AMR a quick fan favorite in Warzone and Modern Warfare.
Is this final yet? Since the name in the game files is still incorrect, Activision is likely still working on the weapon. In the comments under BKTOOR’s video on Twitter, fans are excited about the Rytec AMR, but they also believe that the recoil is still being adjusted.
When will the Rytec AMR come? There is no official release date yet. However, it is speculated that the Rytec AMR could arrive with the mid-season update, likely in July. It has already been confirmed that some weapons will be adjusted with this update. So probably also the Grau, which according to professionals is way too strong. How the Rytec AMR ultimately comes into the game will be revealed in the coming weeks.
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Valorant is likely to receive the new update 1.02 soon. The new patch should offer, alongside the long-awaited ranked system, an option that allows you to abort lost games early.
What is included in Patch 1.02? Valorant is expected to bring two features that the community has long wished for, in addition to the usual adjustments, balance changes, and hotfixes:
When is Patch 1.02 coming? Game Director Joe Ziegler, who previously spoke with our MeinMMO author Leya Jankowski in an interview, tweeted on June 15, 2020, that Patch 1.02 should be released in the coming week. That would be the current week, from June 22 to June 28, 2020.
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Why is it so important to have a surrender option? A round in Valorant can often last a long time. 40 to 50 minutes is not uncommon. This is not a problem if the game is balanced and one team leads by only a few points. However, when one team is heavily leading, the losing team often has little desire to be farmed for another half hour.
It’s even worse when the losing team can practically no longer win because one or more players are AFK or have rage-quit. In such cases, it would be very convenient to just abort the game and start a new round.
How does surrender work? Riot has not announced anything about that yet. Interesting questions regarding this are:
How will it be decided to surrender?
Can you request a surrender at any time, or do you have to be significantly behind or have missing players first?
Are there still (reduced) match rewards for winners and losers?
What is the Ranked Mode? The ranked mode was already in the game during the beta and is expected to come in the current week according to Ziegler, as long as nothing goes wrong. In the ranked system, players are sorted into ranks and levels so that players of similar skill levels preferably meet.
However, the ranked mode of Valorant in its previous form from the beta did not come without criticism. Former professional player and top streamer Shroud remarked that the ranked mode is useless and would obstruct a career as a professional gamer. So, anyone looking to achieve something as a pro-gamer in Valorant should not even start with ranked.
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The PR expert Omeed Dariani is known to fans of MMORPGs. From 2012 to 2014, he was brand manager for MMORPGs such as Everquest. Later, he played a central role in the launch of Blade and Soul and the free-to-play launch of WildStar. Now, he is stepping down from his position as head of a streaming agency following allegations from an Overwatch employee.
How do MMORPG fans know Omeed Dariani? He was the “Director of Community and Social” at NCSoft in California from March 2015 to November 2016. During that time, he regularly appeared in MMORPG news:
He led PR for the West launch of Blade and Soul
He was responsible as PR head for the free-to-play launch of WildStar
Before that, he was the “Senior Brand Manager” for Sony Online Entertainment, which was also an MMORPG company. In that position, he introduced Everquest Next and explained how great it would all be.
Dariani (right) at a panel on WildStar from 2015. (Source: gamergirlconfessions)
This is what Dariani actually does: During his time at NCSoft and afterwards, Dariani built a streaming agency that manages many major Twitch streamers, including CohhCarnage.
He is the CEO of the “Online Performers Group”.
As a woman, you have to sleep your way up or end up on the blacklist
This is what he is being accused of: On June 20, Molly Ayala, Overwatch Community Lead, published her experiences with Omeed Dariani (via Twitlonger).
Ayala met him in 2014 at Pax Prime. At that time, he was in an important position at Sony Online Entertainment, the company behind Everquest.
Dariani allegedly told her in 2014 at Pax Prime that in the gaming industry, a woman gets ahead best by sleeping her way up. Dariani reportedly said: He knows women who have succeeded this way, but there are also women who ended up on a blacklist because they “didn’t do the right thing.”
Dariani then allegedly tried to persuade her to have a threesome with him and his wife. Ayala did not agree to this.
She states: She kept silent about the incident for 6 years, out of fear that she would “end up on a blacklist.” At that time, she was 24 and a young woman wanting to make a name for herself in the gaming industry. Now she no longer fears for her career, but is worried about the many young women in the industry.
She also learned of another incident in which a young woman almost experienced the same thing as she did in 2015.
Dariani would manipulate young women. Therefore, she is now going public with her story.
Dariani gives tips before he addresses the incident.
Dariani responds with tweet storm, gives general tips
This is what Dariani says about it: Even before Dariani directly addressed the allegations, he published 16 tweets talking about what it is like to work as a man in the gaming industry. How important it is to be considerate of women, and how “harmless jokes” can inflict deep wounds on women.
He even gives advice to men on how they should behave towards women:
Don’t want to sleep with them – that solves all problems
Don’t give gifts they don’t deserve – because they create obligations
Treat them more respectfully the more powerful you are yourself
Only over an hour later did he then comment on the allegations from the Overwatch employee. He then said that this would be a good example. It seems improbable to him that he suggested to her to have a threesome with his wife, but – however – he probably communicated that in some form and unfortunately traumatized her for years.
The reactions to this tweet were disastrous. Some Twitter users commented that it was quite outrageous to first pretend to offer general tips, only to then come up with something like that and dismiss the accusations in such a manner.
Dariani steps down as head of agency – Twitch streamers flee from him
This is the consequence: A few hours later, Dariani stepped down from his position as CEO of the streaming agency. He also requested that his company not be punished immediately, as a lot of work and passion had gone into it.
However, many streamers subsequently left the agency, including Cohh Carnage.
Accusations against him now trigger further allegations against men in the gaming industry.
#MeToo reaches gaming and streaming
What’s going on in the USA right now? Currently, numerous accusations from women against men who allegedly sexually harassed them in the past are surfacing in the gaming and streaming sector.
This seems to have been triggered by allegations against the Destiny 2 streamer “SayNoToRage”. In the last few hours, more and more accusations against well-known “powerful” figures in the gaming and streaming scene have emerged. This will apparently keep us occupied for some time.
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In Fortnite there is now the Loserfruit skin! This outfit is meant to remind you of the streamer Kathleen “Loserfruit” Belsten and is already the 2nd skin that comes from the Icon series and concerns content creators. We provide information on the price and release here.
Since when is the skin available? Since last night at 2:00 AM German time, the Loserfruit skin has been available in the shop. How long it will stay there is still unclear. If you want the skin, you should act quickly.
How much does the Loserfruit skin cost? The skin is available in 2 variants:
The single skin costs 1500 V-Bucks
The skin in a package with an emote, a back accessory, and a pickaxe costs 1800 V-Bucks
What does the skin look like? In terms of appearance, Epic has adhered to the streamer. The skin is intended to resemble her. The skin wears a sweater with colorful sleeves and a cap.
What is the story behind this skin? The skin appears as part of Fortnite’s Icon series. In this context, the skin of Ninja has also been released, which is extremely popular.
Epic has already announced that more skins will be released that remind of content creators. As an example, they named “TheGrefg” – a YouTuber with over 14 million subscribers.
When exactly the other skins are supposed to be released is not known. Among the rarest skins in Fortnite, the streamer outfits probably do not belong, but nevertheless, they are certainly a real highlight for fans of the creators that one shouldn’t miss.
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In autumn, players can expect the first new element ever in Destiny 2. With Stasis, we harness the darkness and gain brand new subclasses with more freedom for customization.
This new element is coming: When Bungie revealed the future of the Destiny franchise, they also introduced a completely new element. With the Stasis element, our Guardians will be able to actively use the darkness for the first time – Warlocks, Hunters, and Titans will even receive entirely new, dark Stasis subclasses.
Despite some leaks, few players expected that a completely new element and fresh subclasses would actually be coming soon. Thus, Destiny will have, with “Beyond Light“, the first new element in its six-year history.
These are the three existing elements:
Arc: Essentially the Destiny version of electricity – damage often jumps between enemies and creates sparks
Void: Is what has come closest to a dark element so far – disintegrates enemies, renders invisible, absorbs health points, or weakens enemies
Solar: Essentially the fire element from other games. Deals damage over time or buffs the team with cleansing flames
MeinMMO takes a look at the new abilities of the dark Stasis element in this article and tells you why the new subclasses are supposed to be more customizable than ever.
From minute 1:00, you can see about 30 seconds of action with the new Stasis element
This is known about the new Stasis subclasses
From the short gameplay clips, you can already get a first impression of our new power:
The abilities resemble the ice element from other games
You can see enemies freezing or weapons made of ice crystals
The ice theme also fits with the new location Europe – the icy moon of Jupiter
We can probably create Stasis traps that slow down enemies – with this, we finally pay the Fallen back in their own coin
The enemies seem to break apart or shatter under fire – you can also see flying shards throughout the trailer
Bungie (via Bungie.net) describes the new ability this way:
As the new threat emerges, a new, mysterious power – Stasis – arises. […] Titans, Warlocks, and Hunters utilize Stasis in different ways by slowing down enemies with Stasis fields, encasing them in destructive power, and shattering them.
The Stasis Hunter
The Hunter spins ice sickles – Source Polygon
This is what we know about the new Hunter class: We see in the trailer how the Hunter summons two axe or sickle-like weapons made of ice. The character throws one of the weapons into a group of enemies after some cool swirling animations, causing an ice explosion.
With their weapons, the new subclass resembles typical Hunter classes like the Blade Dancer or the Spectral Blade. However, whether it is indeed a roaming super is uncertain. It is also not known whether both weapons can be thrown and if this ends the super prematurely.
The Stasis Warlock
The Stasis Warlock blows for a cold attack – Source Polygon
This is what we know about the new Warlock class: The new Warlock focus also relies on an ice weapon. We see that he carries a scepter or spear and performs a ranged attack with it. The spell seems to freeze enemies, subsequent attacks cause them to shatter.
Again, it is unknown whether the spear can only be used once or how the Dawnblade can fire multiple projectiles until the super expires.
It is speculated that the Warlock might regain his self-revive. He is shot down right before the introduction of the Stasis element and then clenches his fists and prepares for the new ice attack.
The Stasis Titan
Is this the Stasis Titan with a new defense ability?
This is what we know about the new Titan class: The Titan is not showcased as prominently as the other two classes. We see him briefly with an icy shield or a frozen claw (see right in the title image).
Some players believe (via reddit) that the Titan might be granted a feature from another Bungie game: the Armor Lock from Halo. At minute 1:10 in the trailer, you can see a figure kneeling and apparently freezing, with a crystal sphere surrounding the area.
This is how we will receive the new Stasis ability: The Stasis element will be the first super that is not granted to us by the Traveler. We can see that a Fallen leader named Eramis has created the new element from ancient darkness. And she presents it to us with the words “I give the Guardians the destruction they love so much.”
Here we see Eramis, the presumed creator of the Stasis element
The new subclasses are supposed to offer more freedom
This is known about the Stasis skill trees:Luke Smith revealed that an experiment is to be conducted with the ability trees of the new subclasses. Skills are supposed to not follow the strict order of the other 9 focuses.
Additionally, the system is supposed to differ from the skill nodes of Destiny 1. However, it has not yet been shown how the new flexibility will look in detail. It remains questionable whether the Stasis element will differ in 3 skill trees per class or offer one highly customizable path each.
Smith was also asked whether they would like to give the existing focuses a new design or more freedom. He responded: “We want to see where it goes” but stated that the system is currently planned only as an experiment for the Stasis abilities.
What do you think of the first new element in the Destiny universe? Is a dream coming true for you because you have always wanted to play with darkness?
In Pokémon GO, we might soon encounter the balloon from Team GO Rocket. Dataminers have found corresponding hints that the balloon will soon be introduced into the game.
What discovery are we talking about? Dataminers have found numerous new pieces of information in the code of Pokémon GO. In addition to new information about raid invitations, there is also the discovery of the Rocket balloon.
In this regard, there are already quite a few details that can be mentioned. For instance, you should track the balloon and then challenge it to a battle.
Is the Rocket Balloon coming to the GO Fest?
This was discovered: There is already some information available regarding the balloon:
The balloon hovers in the air and moves – as a result, it can also fly out of your vicinity
You will likely need to track the balloon to interact with it
The balloon carries its own balloon grunts, which you can battle
PokéStops and gyms likely do not influence the balloon
It appears that there will soon be a new form of interaction with Team GO Rocket. You will need to track them in the balloon to challenge them.
The Rocket Balloon at the GO Fest 2019 in Dortmund. Source: reddit
What is still unclear: So far, it is not clear how battles against the balloon grunts will differ from battles against the standard grunts.
It is quite possible that the balloon grunts are stronger or use different Pokémon. However, the data found so far is not sufficient for this.
Additionally, we can expect a surprise on the second day of this year’s GO Fest. The appearance of the Rocket Balloon would definitely be such a surprise.
If you want more information about the GO Fest, be sure to check out our interview about the GO Fest. There, Michael Steranka from Niantic revealed several details about the big event.
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Valorant is the reason why some Overwatch professionals have turned their backs on Blizzard’s hero shooter. Therefore, another Overwatch professional is currently facing accusations of skipping games in the league to play Valorant in peace.
Who is it about? Gui-un “Decay” Jang is a 19-year-old Overwatch pro gamer from the Dallas Fuel team. In an otherwise rather average team, he is the star. However, he recently missed a match on June 20 against the weakest team in the league, the Vancouver Titans.
Why did Decay miss? According to Aaron “Aero” Atkins, the coach of Dallas Fuel, Decay needed to rest. Since the Titans were not a strong opponent, newcomer Stefan “Onigod” Fiskerstrand was put in his place to prove himself in the team.
However, Brad Rajani, the coach of the Atlanta Reigns team, has a different theory. He spread the rumor on reddit that Decay had voluntarily withdrawn to the bench, but not to rest. Rather, Rajani suggested that Decay had been playing Riot’s team shooter and Overwatch competitor Valorant all along.
What is the truth behind the rumors of “skipping league games”?
What supports the accusation? In fact, the accusation from the Atlanta coach has fertile ground. Because many Overwatch professionals have already left Overwatch for Valorant in the middle of the league. A professional eSports scene is currently forming in Valorant.
Even Seetoth “JohnGalt” Jian Qing, the assistant coach of the Los Angeles Gladiators, confirms this trend:
“It’s true, there are a lot of Overwatch players who switch directly to Valorant after the warm-up rounds. So really a lot!”
Valorant appeals to many dissatisfied Overwatch players with its tactical gameplay, which is still influenced by heroes and their abilities. Even top streamer Summit1g sees Valorant as 10 times better than Overwatch. So, has Decay simply lost his passion for Overwatch, like many of his professional colleagues before him?
In Valorant there are heroes and skills, but they are not as game-defining as in Overwatch.
What speaks against the accusation? At least the last point can probably be crossed off the list, as Decay is apparently also actively playing Overwatch outside of tournaments and streams this as well. In his stream, there is nothing to indicate a lack of enthusiasm and fatigue for Overwatch.
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Rather, his coach maintains that it is completely normal to rest the team’s top star when facing weaker opponents. However, it may well be that he will face the Toronto Defiants in the next round. However, the coach did not provide more information about the line-up for tactical reasons.
What else is there on the topic? The issue of “Valorant vs. Overwatch” has been current since the beta of Riot’s team shooter. Recently, former Overwatch professional Daniel “Dafran” Francesco switched to Valorant, where he promptly caused a scandal. At first, he did not show up for a tournament match, then he insulted the organizers and other players violently and was subsequently banned from Twitch.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Where are all the police cars in Fortnite? Players are searching for them in Battle Royale and Creative mode, but they cannot find them. Developer Epic Games has now commented.
What’s new in Fortnite? The new Season 3 of Chapter 2 has recently launched in Fortnite: Battle Royale. Such a season change brings about changes on the map. It is now largely submerged in water.
This means that some vehicles that were previously found are now in the water. They are not usable. However, as Kotaku reports, one specific type of vehicle is completely missing: police cars.
Update from June 22, 2020: Meanwhile, Epic Games has commented to Wall Street Journal about the missing police cars. They explain that this is not a “political statement”. Instead, they are “sensitive to [current] issues”.
Continuing with the original article from June 20.
Police cars are turning into regular cars
Where are the cars? Normally, the police cars equipped with sirens could be found in various places on the map. Just like trucks or ice cream vans. In creative mode, players could also use these vehicles.
Now, the police cars cannot be found anymore. Not in Battle Royale, not in Creative mode. Reddit user Ovaqc reports that the police cars spawn in Creative mode from the junk rifts but immediately turn into regular cars.
The missing vehicles are being actively discussed on reddit:
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This is what players believe: There is no official explanation from Epic Games regarding these events. Therefore, it is unclear why the vehicles are really missing.
Players suspect that the removal of the cars is related to the current events in the USA. Following the death of George Floyd, the “Black Lives Matter” movement has been making headlines. The topic of “police brutality” is also being intensely discussed.
Players suspect a connection. “You could drive around with the cars and I don’t think they [Epic Games] want us running people over with police cars,” writes Igntr_Fyrus on reddit.
“It probably has to do with the protests in America,” writes fishy5062 on reddit. “I believe Epic doesn’t want to start anything.”
“Because later in the season players can drive cars. And if someone shoots you from a police car (if they can do that), that’s a bad thing and would cause all kinds of controversies,” suspects africkinfrick on reddit.
MeinMMO, GameStar, and GamePro stand in solidarity with the “Black Lives Matter” movement and tolerate no discrimination. And we sincerely thank everyone who advocates for respectful interaction in our communities. Our thoughts are with all those affected. Take care.
The director of the Warcraft movie revealed which films were still planned and which story he would have pursued with the trilogy.
The Warcraft movie is now a few years old, and most fans have come to terms with the fact that there will be no sequel. There are many reasons for this – the biggest one is probably the lack of success in American theaters.
The films were supposed to be a trilogy: The original plan was for the Warcraft movies to be released as a trilogy. Had the first film been a success, there would have been parts 2 and 3. However, that is not the case. In response to a fan’s inquiry, director Duncan Jones answered on Twitter and explained what he had planned for the other two films.
Part 2 would have centered around Thrall: In the first film, Thrall played only a minor role. He was born and later kept alive by Gul’dan through demonic magic before he was later abandoned.
In the second film, we would have seen Thrall growing up as an orc slave in Blackmoore’s gladiator camp. He would have met a tauren here who told him about a land to the west (Kalimdor). There, Thrall could travel to find potential allies or perhaps even establish a new homeland.
Interestingly, Taretha is not mentioned. She is a human girl who meets Thrall in the original story of World of Warcraft and later experiences her death. Whether she would have had no role or only a very small one in the film is unknown. However, since her backstory also involves sexual violence, it is easy to understand why this would not have appeared in a film aimed at a younger audience.
Part 3 would have been the founding of Orgrimmar: In the last film, there would have been a gathering of the Horde’s troops. The orcs would have freed their brothers and sisters from the internment camps throughout the eastern kingdoms (similar to the in-game lore). It would have ended with a dangerous journey across the sea, after which the orcs would arrive in Kalimdor to establish their first real city on Azeroth: Orgrimmar.
Thus, the trilogy would have been wrapped around Durotan’s promise to find a homeland for his people.
No one left at Blizzard who worked on the film: In another tweet, Duncan Jones responds to the question of whether there is still a chance for the films. He replies with: “I have no idea, and no one I worked with on the film is still at Blizzard.”
Since the release of Pokémon GO, there has been a maximum level that can be reached. More and more trainers are reaching this level and MyMMO editor Noah Struthoff has long wished for an increase.
This is the situation regarding the maximum level: Once you reach level 40 in Pokémon GO, you can no longer level up. Since its release in the summer of 2016, this level has remained the same as the maximum. In total, 20 million XP are required to reach it.
More and more trainers are reaching this maximum level and at least in my city, almost every player who has been playing since the beginning is now level 40. Many trainers who started only a few months ago have also already reached the maximum level.
The level increase will therefore take place, but no one knows when. I would like to mention a few reasons why this increase should happen sooner rather than later.
Level 40 is the current maximum in Pokémon GO
Reason 1 – So far unchanged maximum level: For now, level 40 has been the maximum in Pokémon GO for 4 years. Once you’ve reached this level, you can completely stop collecting XP.
I completely understand that there are casual players and hardcore players, but anyone who has caught a few Pokémon daily and participated in raids here and there for 4 years is certainly level 40. So why wait so long to raise the level?
Reason 2 – Earning XP is getting easier: Collecting XP is no longer comparable to the start of Pokémon GO. Back then, you earned the most XP when you evolved Pokémon. Then came raids that provide 10,000 XP in one go, and then friendships that can yield up to 200,000 XP at once.
The collecting of XP has become significantly easier over time. The 20 million XP for level 40 was quite a huge number in 2016, but now you can quickly collect over a million XP in half an hour with the help of a few friends, making it seem much easier to reach level 40.
The fact that you can now earn XP so easily is also shown by the top players of Pokémon GO. More and more trainers are reaching 1 billion XP – in comparison, 20 million for the maximum level seems quite small.
You can earn an incredible amount of XP through friends in Pokémon GO.
Reason 3 – No noticeable differences between trainers: If you look in gyms, you see numerous trainers at level 40. But can you tell how long they’ve been at this level and how strong that trainer really is? Unfortunately not.
The calculation is rather simple. If you have “only” caught 20,000 Pokémon, you naturally have significantly less stardust than a player who has caught 200,000 Pokémon. With less stardust, you also have fewer Pokémon at maximum level and usually a weaker team.
The maximum level should not be a reason to show off. It should rather show a difference between a hardcore player with a really strong team and a player who has occasionally caught Pokémon over 4 years.
This is also important for raids, where you don’t know your teammates. You can immediately recognize whether you can successfully complete the raids with the existing players, as you can at least roughly estimate the strength of the team.
Reason 4 – You finally have a goal again: One of the biggest goals in Pokémon GO is reaching level 40. Once that is achieved, you have to set many goals for yourself. This can get really tiring over time.
I myself have been at level 40 since the summer of 2017 and would be thrilled to collect XP again with a purpose. While I do continue to collect actively, there would be a huge hype if a bar finally fills under my level again.
Reason 5 – The competition among friends starts again: Currently, there are only a few opportunities to really compete in Pokémon GO – the PvP league is the exception.
If every player had a new goal in sight again, then competition would begin: Who can reach the new maximum level first? A task that would be a lot of fun for me at least.
However, until the increase in the maximum level, you can still enjoy numerous events. For example, there are still 2 events planned in June and in July the big GO Fest starts.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The upcoming space shooter Star Wars: Squadrons is said to provide a great “space battle” experience in the Star Wars universe, according to the gameplay trailer. A US site spoke with Creative Director Ian Frazier and uncovered more details about the 5vs5 spectacle.
It has been a long time since there has been a Star Wars game that focuses solely on space battles. Recently, Battlefront 2 catered to players’ needs for space battles in the Star Wars universe with the Starfighter Assault game mode.
Now, a full game is set to be released in 2020 with Squadrons, which according to Electronic Arts will offer a “definitive experience.”.
5vs5 Space Battles with Star Wars Feel
This is Star Wars: Squadrons: Star Wars: Squadrons is a space shooter with a single-player campaign and currently two known multiplayer modes. While you take on the roles of the Rebels or the Empire in the single-player campaign, you fight alongside your friends or NPCs in 5v5 battles in multiplayer. The entire game can also be played in VR.
The official gameplay trailer for Star Wars: Squadrons
The US magazine Polygon managed to speak with Creative Director Ian Frazier. We learn more from the interview about the game’s inspiration, as well as the strong modification possibilities for your ships and the VR mode.
Aerial battles of World War II are an important inspiration for Star Wars: Squadrons
As Creative Director Ian Frazier says in the interview with Polygon, there are some sources of inspiration and influences for Squadrons.
The entire team consists of Star Wars fans from various generations. Therefore, it is no wonder that not only the films – mainly the classics, but also the old and new games of the franchise served as inspiration.
They also looked at other franchises and asked what makes Star Wars unique compared to Star Trek or Battlestar Galactica.
This is how Star Wars: Squadrons distinguishes itself: What sets Star Wars apart from other franchises is that Star Wars does not focus on lengthy large battles but rather on smaller, fast-paced dogfights. And here they take a significant cue from the aerial battles of World War II.
Primarily, Star Wars is inspired by aerial combat footage from World War II. You can see that in the original films, even to the fact that the TIEs have green lasers and the Rebels have red lasers. This is because those are the colors of the marking fires in World War II for the Axis powers and the Allies. Therefore, we try to maintain the same theme.
Creative Director Ian Frazier
The developers looked at aerial battles and mainly adapted the control of the ships in all of this. Thus, the ships are not sluggish but agile and can be maneuvered well in space.
Because the ships in Star Wars do not move like real ships in space, they never have.
We tried to start with something that felt like a simulation of World War II, in terms of how the ships are actually controlled and how they can be moved. When we started to deal with things like energy management, we said, “Okay, how do we use things like energy management to take this type of base from World War II but then amplify it? What does the accelerated version of that look like?”
Creative Director Ian Frazier
In the gameplay trailer, it is already apparent that they have managed to capture this Star Wars feeling. The ships are agile, fast, and can perform cool maneuvers.
Here Frazier gives an example of how they tried to elevate the core feeling of World War II aerial battles to a new level. You can completely turn off your boost while in flight to drift for a moment. During this time, you can perform a U-turn and shoot down your opponents or just steer sharply and ignite the boost again.
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The maneuvers in Squadrons are something special. via GIPHY
The ships are highly customizable
Star Wars: Squadrons offers 8 ships at the beginning. From the fast and agile TIE Fighter to the bomber. Each of these ships can be controlled differently but each offers 3 main stats:
Firepower
Speed
Toughness
Several ships are available to choose from
Throughout the game, you will have the opportunity to optimize your ships. For example, you can channel all energy into the shields and generate a second shield. However, if all the energy goes into speed, you have an additional booster to maneuver out of tight situations. The firepower gives you extra energy for your laser weapons.
All of this can also be further expanded or altered with additional upgrades. For example, you can swap your weapons, bring droids on board, improve your hull, deploy shields and much more. In an initial screenshot, Electronic Arts shows us 60 different modifications.
These mods are available to you
… But the developers stick to the canon, somewhat
This is what the Star Wars canon means for the game: If you’re thinking about equipping a TIE Fighter with a strong shield, you will be disappointed. The developers stick to the canon; in Star Wars, TIE Fighters have never had energy shields.
Squadrons takes place after Episode 6 “Return of the Jedi”, more specifically after the battles around Endor. Technologies that did not exist at that point in history are not used in the game.
The loophole for a bit of creativity: If the lore allows some room and a detail is not described in detail, the developers keep the option open to allow players their freedom in modifying the ships.
A good example of this can be seen in the reveal trailer: a TIE Bomber with a channeled laser. Fans reacted to this and said, “TIE Bombers can’t do that!” and normally they would be right. But in the canon, it’s not 100% clear, so players have the freedom to equip their TIE Bomber with a laser.
This is meant to provide players with a lot of variety. The fights won’t become monotonous quickly, as you can always experiment with the ships and the perfect setup. Especially in multiplayer, players should adapt to one another to support each other. With a tractor beam, enemy ships can, for example, be briefly stopped and then shot down by teammates.
“We are doing VR because we think it’s cool”
Star Wars: Squadrons offers full VR support for PC and PS4. Polygon rightly raises the question of why they are doing this. Implementing virtual reality is time-consuming, costly, and there aren’t too many players who have the corresponding setup yet.
Ian Frazier basically agrees with Polygon’s statement, but they still wanted to do it because they think it will be cool. Additionally, the challenges weren’t that great since the entire game design is well-suited for VR.
In the single-player campaign as well as in multiplayer, you experience the battles always from the perspective of your cockpit. There is no third-person view. The first playable demo was already finished after a week, and the following week Squadrons was running in VR.
The key elements in the cockpit
You sit in a cockpit, you have a fixed reference frame, and you are immersed in this role as a pilot on both sides, both factions. It’s a game that of course fits in VR. It doesn’t have to be ported to VR. It’s a game that is capable – and not every design is capable of that – but this design was capable of supporting both types from the beginning. And who wouldn’t want that?
Creative Director Ian Frazier
Therefore, it didn’t really take the developers much more work to prepare the title for VR. Anyone with the right setup at home can expect a high-quality experience, which is still rare in VR.
Titanfall 2 was first released about four years ago. The game is praised by fans primarily for its strong multiplayer. For the first time, it has also been playable on Steam for several days, attracting thousands of players.
What is Titanfall 2? On October 28, 2018, Titanfall 2 was released for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The game became well-known and famous for its massive mechs, crazy weapons, and the battles that could be fought with them.
Iconic for the game are also movement mechanics and parkour elements like wall running. On Metacritic, the PC version of Titanfall 2 received a score of 86 points.
Here in the video, some gameplay scenes and highlights from Titanfall 2 can be seen
Titanfall 2 on Steam stronger than all Battlefields combined
The Steam launch is this strong: Since Thursday, June 18, Titanfall 2 has been playable on Steam. Before that, it was only possible on PC via Origin. According to steamcharts, the game has already reached 9,211 players simultaneously, trending upwards (as of June 21, via steamcharts).
The reviews are “extremely positive.” 95% of the now 1,882 reviews are positive. Players particularly praise the campaign and the story, as well as the gunplay, parkour elements, and mechs as features.
This is how Battlefield compares: With the numbers, Titanfall 2 had more players at its Steam launch than all Battlefield titles combined (all data via steamcharts):
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 – 1,414 players
Battlefield Hardline – 212 players
Battlefield 1 – 1,646 players
Battlefield 2 – 216 players
Battlefield 3 – 480 players
Battlefield 4 – 1,171 players
Battlefield V – 2,034 players
Total number of players at launch across all Battlefield titles: 7,173
Many of the Battlefield titles were released shortly before Titanfall 2 on Steam. EA is currently porting many of its games to Valve’s PC platform.
This is how Titanfall “takes revenge”: Titanfall 2 had the misfortune of being released right between Battlefield 1 and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, which led to significant criticism from players. Both Battlefield and Titanfall are published by EA.
Battlefield 1 probably stole the show from Titanfall 2 back then
EA announced back then that the expectations for Titanfall 2 were not met. Fans suspected that Battlefield 1 was to blame. There were even claims that EA was trying to “send Titanfall 2 to die” to make Battlefield 1 appear stronger (via gamerant).
The release of Titanfall 2 was therefore significantly overshadowed by Battlefield 1. The success on Steam is like a “delayed revenge” for that.
Steam revitalizes Titanfall 2’s multiplayer
The increase in players means for fans and former players as well as newcomers that the multiplayer is finally worth it again. On reddit, players are excited that interest in Titanfall 2 is rising and multiplayer matches are finally more lively again.
Anyone wanting to enjoy the Titanfall vibe but is not that into mechs can check out the battle royale Apex Legends. Season 5 started there on May 12 with a new heroine, a new battle pass, and other innovations. While Apex Legends does not offer parkour and mechs, it provides the same action and a similar gunplay as its shooter predecessor in the same universe.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
This kill of a ghost car is currently a hot topic in the community of GTA 5 Online. After the driver was taken out by another player, the vehicle simply runs over the killer by itself.
What happened? In the online world of GTA 5, PvP happens frequently. In public lobbies, players can run into each other on almost any street corner. And as is typical for GTA, most players carry weapons with them.
Reddit user mohithawelia shared a funny clip with the community. It shows an incident from one of his online sessions.
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With his car, he drifts across the street making donuts (he drives in circles with spinning tires leaving tracks on the road). In the process, he hits a player standing nearby on the sidewalk. After the hit player gets back up, he pulls out his shotgun and pumps a load of lead into mohithawelia’s body.
The driver dies from the shot, but the deceased online character remains with his foot on the gas pedal. Therefore, his car continues to spin in circles and, after the player’s death, hits the shooter with its rear and knocks him down.
This then leads to the shooter’s death. The ghost car, which was no longer driven manually, thus took its revenge.
What do the players say? On Reddit, the clip is well received. The video gathered over 14,000 upvotes in just 18 hours.
Players write:
“That is the chosen car”
“If I spend 5 million on a car, I expect that”
“Car killing is one of the most annoying things. No one wants to be [killed by a car]”
“That is loyalty”
Some players asked about the model of the car; they wanted to get it as well. Even though the Enus Windsor Cabrio is not among the fastest cars in GTA Online in 2020.
“I tried to buy a car and he ran me over”
On Reddit, user “Arnav2607” speaks up. He explains that he is the shooter in the shown clip. The players are friends and wanted to have a bit of fun. “I tried to buy a car and he ran me over while he was spinning donuts,” writes Arnav. Then he shot him in the head. “But I didn’t see the last part coming.” (via reddit)
If you’re now interested in the multiplayer of GTA 5, you should log in by Thursday. You can currently easily earn 200,000 GTA dollars in under 5 minutes. There are also 4 free vehicles available for you.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
On Friday, June 19, 2020, the “Bilbo Baggins” actor Ian Holm passed away. To pay tribute to him, dozens of players gathered in Lord of the Rings Online and recreated Bilbo’s last journey to Rivendell, among other things, or performed songs for him.
Who was Ian Holm? Sir Ian Holm Cuthbert was an actor from the United Kingdom. His most well-known role was that of Bilbo Baggins in the legendary “Lord of the Rings” film trilogy by Peter Jackson, based on the books by J.R.R. Tolkien.
In his role as Bilbo, he is a childhood hero and an iconic character for many fans of “Lord of the Rings,” who shaped their past.
Holm passed away on Friday, June 19, 2020, in London. According to Wikipedia, he had been suffering from Parkinson’s for several years prior. He was 88 years old. The title image shows him in his role as Bilbo Baggins in “The Lord of the Rings” and is from Filmstarts.de.
Players visit Bilbo, LOTRO hosts event
This is how players pay tribute: In the MMORPG Lord of the Rings Online, which is based on the famous story, several players gathered after the news of Holm’s death to pay their last respects.
Dozens have gathered in Hobbiton, Bilbo’s old home. A video shows them gathering around the fireplace of the small house, listening to a dwarven bard sing. Afterwards, they celebrate in Hobbiton with fireworks:
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On Twitter, other users shared how they gathered in or around Hobbiton to wish Holm a “good journey to the West” with songs. Similarly emotional, players in the MMORPG ESO honored a deceased fellow player and even helped to create a monument for him.
Some other players even made the journey in honor of Bilbo. About 300 players apparently spontaneously traveled from Hobbiton to Rivendell, where in LOTRO today the NPC Bilbo Baggins can still be met. Bilbo embarks on this journey in the first film “The Fellowship of the Ring” and is met there by the Fellowship of the Ring in the third part “The Return of the King”.
In the corresponding thread on reddit, fans wish Ian Holm a good journey and express their emotions about the action that took place so spontaneously:
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This is what the developers are doing: Shortly after the news of Holm’s death, the developers launched an event in his honor (via Twitter). Until June 23, players can still celebrate “Baggins’ Birthday.” Many fans support this action.
Meanwhile, the developers of Mordhau have set up a grave with a tombstone and hat for the deceased YouTuber TotalBiscuit. In both cases, however, the connection of the deceased to the game is not as significant as it currently is in Lord of the Rings Online. Holm’s role as Bilbo Baggins will certainly remain a strong childhood memory for many players for a long time.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Some Diablo-3 accounts were banned or temporarily closed in the last few hours due to cheats. Players notice the effect immediately in the leaderboard of Season 20.
What is this ban wave about? In the Blizzard forum, the announcement of a ban wave in Diablo 3 is making the rounds. On Friday evening, June 19, Community Manager PezRadar wrote there:
“Just to confirm what some have already seen …
Yes, many Diablo-3 accounts were closed or suspended this morning due to cheating. As you know, we hardly comment on these specific penalties, except to confirm that they have taken place.” (via Blizzard Forums)
An exact number of how many cheaters have been banned or will be banned is not available. All we know from Blizzard is that it affected “many”. Whether that means hundreds or thousands is unclear.
This is why cheaters are hit so hard right now: On March 13, 2020, the current Season 20 started. The season has already been running for over 3 months. It is likely that some cheaters started gaining advantages early in this season with bots, map hacks, or other modifications.
The fact that Blizzard is only now banning them on a larger scale hits them all the harder. Because they could have already invested many hundreds of hours into the season. And all that time has suddenly been in vain. And just before the big goal: The end of Season 20.
Many of these fraudsters do this to be at the top or at least far ahead in the rankings at the end of the season. Just a few hours before reaching that goal, their dream was shattered. Today, June 21, Season 20 of Diablo 3 ends.
Presumably, such a ban wave with this timing serves as a deterrent for the future. Because in the next season, cheaters might think twice: Is it worth cheating for months only to lose everything just before the end of the season?
Why is this important for you? Positive news for players who are working their way up the seasonal leaderboard legitimately. For these players, it is fair that the cheaters have now been removed from the rankings because this allows the “honest” players to continue climbing the leaderboard. Thus, they might still make it into the top 100 before the end of the season.
Effects visible in the leaderboard
What the players say: There are now positive feedback from active Diablo-3 players on reddit. User DiabloGuilds is happy that he was still in 99th place in the hardcore seasonal leaderboard with his Barbarian this morning.
Hours later, he already reached rank 95 without achieving a better time in the Greater Nephalem Rift. (via reddit) His rank improved because apparently cheaters were removed from the leaderboard and made room.
User ISUAdmissions thanks Blizzard on reddit. “This had a big effect on the rankings,” he writes. With his Demon Hunter, he is now in the top 300, with his Crusader in the top 750, and with his Barbarian in the top 800. (via reddit)
An insight into the leaderboard of the best Barbarians from Season 20 in Softcore (EU) – Status: 21.06.2020 – 13:17 Uhr
So it is quite possible that your rankings have also improved in the last few days.
A certain weapon is currently making life difficult for many players in Call of Duty: Warzone: the Grau 5.56. Previously, even professionals have demanded that it be nerfed. This seems to be the case for the mid-season update.
What is the problem with it? The Grau quickly became one of the top weapons shortly after its introduction and is currently among the most popular assault rifles alongside the M4A1 in both Warzone and many of the multiplayer modes of Modern Warfare.
One of the greatest strengths of the weapon is that it can even do without a scope due to a specific barrel (ArchAngel) because the iron sights are already so precise. With the right attachments, you can even build an “OP setup” that makes it even more powerful.
What the boss says: The boss of Modern Warfare, Joe Cecot, has now addressed the topic on Twitter. A player complained and asked when the Grau would finally be nerfed. 90% of the killcams showed this weapon. Cecot responded:
“We have a batch of weapon tuning in the works for the mid season update. The patch notes will outline when they drop.”
We have a batch of weapon tuning in the works for the mid season update. Patch notes will outline when they drop 🙂 https://t.co/QlaTguFOLJ
While he does not directly address the Grau, he responds to a tweet concerning the assault rifle. Many fans now assume that the Grau nerf is coming.
When is the nerf coming? So far, there is no specific date for the nerf. However, Cecot mentions the “mid-season update”. As the name suggests, it comes in the middle of the season. The currently ongoing Season 4 of Modern Warfare started on June 11 and is expected to end around August 4. Therefore, the middle of the season would be the first week of July. A Grau nerf is therefore possible in the coming weeks.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Genre: Battle Royale| Developer: Pearl Abyss| Platform: PC (Steam)|Page:Shadow Arena on Steam | Early Access Release: 05.21.2020
The MMORPG Black Desert offers its own Battle Royale mode: Shadow Arena. It has been in free Early Access on Steam since May 2020. To learn a bit more about the new and unique game, MeinMMO author Benedict Grothaus conducted an interview with Executive Producer Kwangsam Kim to discuss the future of Shadow Arena.
Among all the new Battle Royales that have dominated and sometimes flooded the market in recent years, some stand out. One of these exceptional games is Shadow Arena, which lays a Battle Royale rule set over the PvP component of the MMORPG Black Desert, creating a unique experience.
As part of “Find Your Next Game“, I spoke with the head of the new game. During this conversation, I learned interesting information about the development and future of Shadow Arena as well as the role of players in all of this.
What is Shadow Arena? The Battle Royale Shadow Arena takes a unique approach by combining role-playing elements from (MMO)RPGs with the Battle Royale rule set. When I asked Kim how the game differs from others in the genre, he replied:
“The action and gameplay of Shadow Arena are very close to that of fighting games, combined with MOBA-like skills, and everything takes place in a beautiful 3D environment. Shadow Arena combines nearly all combat mechanics you see in PvP games, such as distance, timing, combos, quick and precise aiming, and the need to make strategic predictions.”
Indeed, it is difficult to describe the game differently. Unlike classics like PUBG or newcomers like Warzone , it does not revolve around military shooting. Shadow Arena builds on RPG elements, similar to Realm Royale (which, however, was not an inspiration, as Kim informs me).
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A round in Shadow Arena: This is what the Battle Royale gameplay looks like
“Shadow Arena is its own genre”
How does Shadow Arena differ from other games? Unlike most current Battle Royales, Shadow Arena does not have a shooter as its basis, but an MMORPG, and one of the largest in recent years.
This means that players do not start a round with the same conditions, but play characters – as in an RPG. Currently, 10 characters are available, each having its own abilities, strengths, and weaknesses that differ significantly more from one another than, for example, the legends in Apex Legends.
Each hero has its roots in different game genres. We cannot say that it is a generic Battle Royale. It is a distilled form of RPG mixed with many other elements.
I believe Shadow Arena is its own genre because nothing can be compared to it.
These heroes are intentionally very different. Each hero has their strengths and weaknesses, Kim explains to me, and that is their way of balancing. If a hero appears too strong, their weakness is made more severe to take away some of their strength.
The heroes are designed to correspond to specific genres:
Fans of fighting games may enjoy Badal. His playstyle is based on strong melee combos that can be punished if not executed correctly.
For shooter fans, Orwen is more suitable. As an archer, she operates with ranged shots that need to hit well, while she is virtually unprotected in close combat.
This approach of specialized heroes is preferred by Kim over making all characters uniform.
What is the best thing about the game? The system with the heroes seems to work. As Kim tells me, the balanced matches are what players enjoy the most:
“It is the competition between players at a similar skill level and the feeling of victory after winning a match. Once you manage to win, you will fall in love with this game.”
Kwangsam Kim, the Executive Producer of Shadow Arena.
How is Shadow Arena doing? In the last 30 days, an average of 1,023 players have played Shadow Arena on Steam, with a peak of 4,948 players (via steamcharts, as of June 15). The reviews on Steam currently sit at 51% positive and are “mixed”.
Since Shadow Arena is still in development, a lot is expected to change. Particularly the points that players currently criticize are what the developers aim to fix as quickly as possible.
Since the start of Early Access, Shadow Arena has two major issues that currently take the highest priority: balancing and technical problems. These are some of the reasons why players rate Shadow Arena negatively on Steam, resulting in the game currently sitting at 51% positive ratings. When Kim answers the question about these ratings and how that should look different in the future, he states that both should be improved in the near future:
If we look at the comments, we have seen issues with lags, hacking, and balance. The price of the DLC was also a factor. Unfortunately, we don’t have a magic bullet that solves all problems at once, but we will use the Early Access period to fix everything as quickly as possible. In the first weeks, we put a lot of effort into improving the lag and minimizing the hacking while adjusting our heroes twice a week. For the DLC and cosmetics, we are considering lowering prices or even offering them for free.
One problem with this, however, is that player feedback often contradicts itself, especially regarding balance. While it helps that the team conducts tests themselves, with each update they collect more feedback and reimplement it.
Orwen, one of the heroines. Where she seems too strong to some players, she might be too weak for others.
Kim is confident that the balance issue will soon be resolved, as Shadow Arena receives updates twice a week and is not afraid to roll back updates if they don’t work. “That is basically our motto.”
The future and release of Shadow Arena – More than just Battle Royale
What else will be released before the launch? Shadow Arena is expected to grow bigger in the near future. Still in 2020, the developers plan to introduce 10 more heroes, as Kim tells me, so by the end of the year, 20 playable characters should be available.
Shadow Arena will have even more playable characters. Here: A screenshot with Haru
Additionally, a new map and a completely new mode that will not be based on the rules of Battle Royale, as well as a tournament mode with special tournament rules, will be introduced. There is just no exact time yet, as the coronavirus crisis also affects Pearl Abyss, “but we are working hard to prevent a delay in the schedule.”
For 2021, new features and expansions are planned. These are expected to come at a “more aggressive pace”.
What are the developers focusing on for the future: So far, there are no further ideas about where things might go in the next five years. It depends too much on what the community wants:
To be honest, it is very difficult to say because our planned direction depends on player feedback. We have many things prepared and a basic direction that we want to pursue, but continuous updates based on user feedback can take us to completely different places. If the game ends up being more fun in an originally unplanned direction, then we will gladly follow that path.
However, Kim mentions elsewhere that Esports is an important point for the game when it comes to balancing different modes, solo and duo. But this will probably take a bit longer.
Combos are an important aspect of combat. Those who want to excel must learn to master them.
When will Shadow Arena be released? There is no release date yet. Kim told me: “As soon as we are satisfied with the quality and the amount of content for Shadow Arena, we will be ready for launch.” So it remains to be seen how long Early Access will last.
Tips for getting started
Finally, I asked Kim for some tips for beginners in Shadow Arena. If you liked the idea of the game and its future plans, the head himself has a few suggestions for you to ease your entry:
“First, basic attacks can interrupt an opponent’s combo. You can’t just use any skill when you are close to the opponent because it gets nullified. You have to think first about which skill to use as long as you are not in range. Once you get closer, try to figure out your opponent’s timing and use your basic attack to counter their skill.
Second, to get more items and skill points, you need to attract the attention of monsters because it is much more effective to kill them in groups rather than individually. RPG players will know what I mean.
Third, in Shadow Arena, it’s about chaining combos. Combos have crowd control effects like stuns. While the opponent cannot move or defend, you can attack them with another combo. So it is important to learn and experiment with them. The AI mode is perfect for that. Basic combos all start with a kick (F).
And to squeeze in another tip: If you are in danger, do not hesitate to use your blink or ‘Dark Shift’ as the skill recharges quite quickly. It is actually better than using your survival skills or your initial elixir of speed.”
One of the great features of Shadow Arena: Monsters in PvE to gain skill points and items.
Who is Shadow Arena suitable for? In principle, Shadow Arena is worth a look for anyone who enjoys playing Battle Royale and is looking for a new approach within the genre, but also for MMORPG players who place a high value on the PvP aspect in their games.
Shadow Arena differs significantly from other Battle Royales and should therefore not be directly compared with them. Anyone who generally prefers MMOs or MMORPGs might find an interesting variety of game modes here.
Kim told me that players of Shadow Arena come from many different genres. Many come from MMOs, but also MOBA, FPS, Battle Royale and fighting game fans are among them.
Pro
Unique approach to the Battle Royale genre
MMORPG as a basis, not a shooter
Specialized heroes with their own strengths and weaknesses for every playstyle
Cool combo system
Big plans for Early Access and release
Contra
Pay2Win allegations, as already seen with Black Desert
Possibly too ambitious
Feedback could lead to the player base becoming smaller and eventually dying out
Potential: High
The approach of linking Battle Royale, heroes, and RPG with the classic rule set is something I have personally wished for in a deeper form since the early days of Realm Royale – and Shadow Arena could fill that gap.
The mechanics are unique, the graphics are great, and the PvE aspect of slaying monsters to level up is just the “cherry on top” for me in a Battle Royale game.
However, there is one catch: Whether Shadow Arena will become as good as I envision depends heavily on how it develops. If pricing policies and balancing improve a bit, while the approach with specialized heroes and their strengths and weaknesses is further deepened, it would be the right direction for me. If it goes more in the direction that Realm Royale later pursued, I would prefer to stay with the competition. After all, some decisions there already caused a massive drop after a strong rise.
It now depends on which direction Shadow Arena develops and what feedback players give. In the best case, it will become a true gem of the genre with a unique approach. In the worst case, it will fade into obscurity and be forgotten.
Benedict Grothaus Freelance author at MeinMMO
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Summer is starting soon in the survival MMO ARK: Survival Evolved with the Summer Bash event. Expect new Chibis, strong bonuses, cool skins, and more.
What’s happening in ARK: Studio Wildcard is soon launching the Summer Event “Summer Bash” for the second time this year in ARK: Survival Evolved. Previously, it was known to players as the “4th of July Event”.
The festivities run from June 25 to July 14 and bring, in addition to the typical event bonuses, 5 new Chibi-Dinos, 11 skins, and further innovations.
What’s in the Summer Event “Summer Bash” 2020
Duration of the event:
Starts on June 25, 2020
Ends on July 14, 2020
Chibi Pets:
Manta
Ammonite
Cnidaria
Plesiosaur
Astrocetus
Strong bonuses:
3x Breeding Speed
3x Player Experience
3x Harvesting Speed
3x Taming Speed
New Emotes:
Guitar Riff
Drum Solo
Headbanger
Cool Skins:
4 new Hawaiian shirt skins
3 new swimsuit skins
Spatula skin themed for BBQ-grilling for the drumstick
Frisbee skin for the boomerang
1 sunglasses skin with customizable lenses
Super Soaker water gun skin for the flamethrower
Event Colors for your Dinos:
Dino Dark Blue
Red
White
Dino Sky Blue
Dark Red
Blue
Light Gray
Cream
Camouflage
Orange
Light Blue Green
Dark Blue
Yellow-Lime Colors
Peach Colors
Coral Colors
How to get the Chibi-Dinos: You can find 5 new Chibi-Dinos during the Summer Bash event. This includes the Space Whale from Genesis Part One. Wildcard has not revealed how to obtain the Chibis at this time. In the first Summer Bash event 2019, all items could be obtained with cooked meat. However, this year, there has been no mention of that so far.
How the community is reacting: On the official site, the event is receiving positive feedback in the comments. Players are celebrating the bright colors and the new Chibis.
User ladyteruki says: “Bright colors, musical emotes, new Chibis (Astrocetus) … Man, this is the kind of event that could go on all year!”
User TheBlueBlaze007 is also excited: “Sounds like a good event. I’m looking forward to it!”
The event starts on June 25, and Studio Wildcard will surely release more information and an engaging trailer around the launch. The event and bonuses will make players especially happy who are new to ARK due to the now-concluded free promotion on the Epic Store.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
