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Interview about Pokémon GO Fest: Regional, Shinys and the Level Increase

Noah Struthoff 19. June 2020 Reading time 6 minutes

The Pokémon GO Fest 2020 will take place entirely from home this year. MeinMMO editor Noah Struthoff spoke with Michael Steranka about this special event. He is the Director of Global Live Events at Niantic, responsible for the organization of the GO Fests.

The Pokémon GO Fest is always the biggest highlight of the year for trainers of the AR game. Normally, it takes place at a fixed location, and trainers have to travel there to participate.

However, due to the Corona crisis, the event will this time take place completely digitally, and you can play it from home.

Due to this special circumstance, there are still many questions about the event that Michael Steranka has explained in detail.

GO Fest brings several regionals and many shinies

Currently, nothing is known about the spawns around the GO Fest. Niantic is being very tight-lipped about that.

The question regarding regional Pokémon is particularly exciting, because normally a Pokémon that does not exist in the affected region appears at the GO Fest. Since this time every region is involved, the question of the regional Pokémon is even more thrilling.

MeinMMO: The Pokémon GO Fest 2020 will be huge – over 75 different Pokémon will appear – Can you give us an insight into possible spawns?

Michael Steranka: “Yes, certainly. We always want to keep a majority of the spawns a surprise. I think that one of our big aspects of live events is the fun surprises like: ‘Oh my God, I didn’t know that this Pokémon appears here.’

We have hidden a few hints and Easter eggs in our images and assets. So you should definitely keep an eye out for those to guess the various spawns.

Additionally, we have announced different habitats [Fire, Water, Plant, Battle, and Friendship]. That is also a good hint about what to expect.

MeinMMO: One of the highlights of the GO Fest is always the increased shiny rate. Will that be the case in 2020 as well?

Michael Steranka: You know, we never directly talk about shiny rates or anything in that direction, but what I can say is that players will be very satisfied with their shiny yield at the end of the event.

MeinMMO: Every GO Fest or Safari Zone usually has a regional Pokémon. What does it look like this year?

Michael Steranka: “That was definitely something that was a bit challenging for us to think through. When you have a location-based event, it’s easy to choose a regional Pokémon that normally doesn’t appear in that region. However, with a global event, it is much more challenging because it should be fair for everyone, no matter where they play.

No one should feel like ‘my regional Pokémon is featured and I’m not getting a new regional.’ and that’s why it was quite challenging.’

MeinMMO: So maybe Sengo and Vipitis are a good choice? After all, they were shown in the GO Fest image.

Michael Steranka: “Yes, Vipitis and Sengo will be part of the event, but there will also be some other regional surprises.

GO Fest from home is a completely new challenge

MeinMMO: Is it harder to create such an event for everyone from home or at a specific location?

Michael Steranka: Those are definitely completely different challenges. One thing that I am not sure if everyone knows or appreciates about our real-life events is that every time you go to a new city or country, you have different regulations to consider. We also have to inform the local authorities every time about what our events are about because they are completely different from a normal convention.

When you compare that to the global event, one of the biggest challenges was the short time we had to revamp the event and adapt to the global situation we are in.

The team did a great job of taking the key components that you have in such a live event and that players love, and bringing them to life in a global format.

What I want to say is that those are two very different types of challenges. We had a lot of fun transferring aspects of real-life events to this global event this year. We will definitely take these learnings with us and keep them for our upcoming live events in the future.

MeinMMO: The previous Safari Zones and the upcoming GO Fest show: Such events do not need a fixed location. Is that something that is conceivable even after the Corona period?

Michael Steranka: “We will definitely gather player feedback on this event, and this will definitely influence our strategy on live events in the future.

I also want to say that the traditional real-life events are the core of Niantic and the different games we oversee. Ingress has had such events since its inception.

We believe that this is a great team-building opportunity for our community, and players love this type of event. So yes, this year’s GO Fest is super accessible for trainers around the world, but I don’t think it will ever truly replace the experience of playing with thousands of trainers in one place.

GO Fest for everyone – Even for newcomers

A news story that has caused a lot of stir in recent days was the statement that XP will soon be more valuable again. The question, however, is when that will be the case.

MeinMMO: In the press briefing for the GO Fest, it was mentioned that XP will be more valuable in the future. Would a possible level increase therefore not be a good start for the GO Fest?

Michael Steranka: “We designed the Pokémon GO Fest to be accessible for all players at any level. We didn’t want some people to be excluded. That is also one of our core elements of live events. We wanted to ensure that if you created your account just this week and attend such an event, you have as much fun as someone who has been playing for 3 years.

So for the GO Fest, a level increase would not align with the experience. But there will be more news to come.”

MeinMMO: Niantic Social is expected to launch before the GO Fest. Can you explain why this feature will be so important at the GO Fest?

Michael Steranka: The launch of Niantic Social is meant to show which of your friends are online, and given the circumstances surrounding the GO Fest this year, we thought it would be incredibly helpful for organizing things like remote raids. That will be one of our key points at this year’s GO Fest.

MeinMMO: Currently, one can play great from home, but after the Corona period, we should go out and play there. Why can we not play permanently from home?

Michael Steranka: “One of the core points of Pokémon GO, but also of Niantic, is to help players get outside and discover the real world. That is something we always want to implement through our different games.

With that in mind, we have never said that this will impact our gameplay 100%. So, we will definitely look at the changes we have made during this time and weigh which of these features could remain in the game and which are not really healthy for the gameplay in the long term.

But there will be a mix of these things, that’s for sure.”

MeinMMO: How did you experience the time when lockdowns started everywhere and how could you react so quickly – also with regard to the GO Fest?

Michael Steranka: “Maybe some people don’t know this, but it takes over 8 months to plan such a large live event. Then the crisis came and threw a big curveball into our plans for live events in 2020.

I want to mention this in great recognition of John Hanke, our CEO at Niantic, who always sees the big impact of our live events on the players and our games. It was a top-level goal from Niantic to maintain that feeling of community even in these times – even if players should keep their distance from each other or stay at home.

So it was a huge task for our entire company to say “Hey, let’s figure out how we can keep the GO Fest going this summer and maintain that community feeling.” The team was very quick and had many ideas about how to make that wish a reality. It was not easy, and a lot of work went into it. We hope that players will really enjoy the event.”

MeinMMO: Yes, we think so. The GO Fest looks grand. Thank you for the interview.

Potential of the GO Fest: Promising

The GO Fest 2020 will definitely be special and unique. Michael Steranka confirmed this in our interview. Only for that reason, I am already excited about the event, because I do not want to miss such a unique implementation.

It seems that Niantic has thought of everything for this event, and in my view, they are raising the bar compared to the previous year.

20 hours of fun over 2 days. That means many shinies, new regional Pokémon for the Dex, and aching legs. I am looking forward to it.

Noah Struthoff
Editor at MeinMMO

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The 10 MMORPGs with the best PvP of all time

Andreas Bertits 19. June 2020 Reading time 6 minutes

We asked you which MMORPGs of all time you think offer the best PvP. PC MMORPGs from the last 20 years were available for selection. Now you will learn how the MeinMMO community voted.

PvP is an important component of MMORPGs for some players. However, player-versus-player battles are not interesting or motivating for a longer time in every game.

In the MeinMMO Survey Which MMORPG has the best PvP?, we let you vote and found out which online role-playing games you believe offer the best PvP. We will further introduce you to ranks 1 to 10.

How was it decided what is good? In the survey, you were given a choice of 19 MMORPGs that focus heavily on PvP. Each participant in the survey could vote multiple times, which is why the overall percentage exceeds 100%.

A total of 1,601 votes were cast from which the rankings are derived.

These are the ranks 19 to 11: Here you will learn which MMORPGs ended up in ranks 11 to 19 according to the voting:

Rank 19	Revelations Online	0.12%
Rank 18	Tibia	0.37%
Rank 17	Astellia	0.87%
Rank 16	Runescape	1.50%
Rank 15	Lineage 2	1.87%
Rank 14	TERA	2.62%
Rank 13	Final Fantasy XIV	2.81%
Rank 12	ArcheAge / ArcheAge Unchained	3.50%
Rank 11	Albion Online	3.69%

[toc]

Rank 10 – Blade and Soul

Developer: NC Soft | Release: EU: January 19, 2016 | Platforms: PC | Blade and Soul Website | Votes: 4.12%

What Blade and Soul has to offer for PvP players: In Blade & Soul, you can compete with other players in PvP arenas. There you face off in 1v1 or 3v3 battles.

Start video

Everything you need to know about the MMORPG Blade & Soul – in 2 minutes

In addition, there is a 6v6 mode where you must capture and hold certain control points. In the open game world, you can declare yourself ready for open PvP by wearing specific outfits. Rival factions fight against each other.

Those who participate in PvP in Blade and Soul even unlock special quests with unique rewards.

Rank 9 – AION

Developer: NC Soft | Release: September 25, 2009 | Platforms: PC | AION Website | Votes: 4.75%

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The MMORPG AION aims to impress players not only with PvE content but also with exciting PvP modes.

What AION has to offer for PvP players: The MMORPG AION offers diverse PvP opportunities. From the start, you can challenge other players to duels.

From level 10, you gain access to special PvP areas where you can freely fight each other. At level 41, the rifts open up, allowing you to travel to the lands of the enemy faction and attack them in battles.

At level 76, you can visit the map Lakrum. There you compete with high-level players in arenas and on battlefields. You can also expect large sieges. Additionally, special PvP events take place regularly.

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EA shows tiny teaser for the new Battlefield – fans read important information from it

Jürgen Horn 19. June 2020 Reading time 3 minutes

At EA Play 2020, Electronic Arts unveiled a tiny teaser for the upcoming Battlefield. There was virtually no information provided, but much can be deduced from the minimal content. Fans have already begun to speculate about the setting, gameplay, and game modes.

What was shown about the new Battlefield? At EA Play 2020, publisher Electronic Arts indeed showcased the new Battlefield. However, what was seen was quite sparse. After a brief retrospective of past titles such as Battlefield 4 or Battlefield 1, only a sort of tech demo was presented, where a large number of gray “soldier dummies” ran across a battlefield and were shot down.

Later, a detailed animated face of a soldier was shown, which twisted into a somewhat creepy grin. That was it.

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Starting at 45:44, you can see the mini-teaser for Battlefield.

What is the name of the new Battlefield? Nothing was mentioned in the teaser regarding the title. It has not been revealed whether the game will be called Battlefield 6, simply Battlefield, or Battlefield 2.

When will it be released? There is also only the vague indication from EA that the game is set to be released in 2021. It is expected to be available on PC as well as the new console generation PS5 and Xbox Series X.

New Battlefield: Speculations on Setting, Game Modes, and Player Count

Despite the minimal information from the EA Play 2020 teaser, fans quickly began to debate about the setting, gameplay, and game modes and used the sparse info as evidence.

What could the setting of the new game be? In the video, soldiers with repeating rifles and antiquated uniforms are present. Some fans claim to have noticed that the soldiers appeared somewhat “Asian.” This could hint at conflicts in Asia in the mid-20th century. Possible conflicts could include the Pacific War in World War II, but more likely the Korean War, which raged on the Korean Peninsula from 1950 to 1953.

battlefield tech demo — Some fans find hints here pointing to the Korean War.

In this conflict, besides the USA and the troops from North and South Korea, large units of the Chinese armed forces were also involved. The design of the weapons and uniforms could indeed indicate this conflict.

However, it is just as likely that these are merely placeholders and that the setting will ultimately be something entirely different.

What is the significance of the video of the face? YouTuber Westie interprets the animation of the eerie grinning face at the end as a hint towards a single-player campaign in the new Battlefield. Because why else would so much effort be put into animating faces and emotions if there isn’t anyone to interact with you significantly in the game? To represent the masses of soldiers being taken down quickly in the game, such an advanced facial animation engine would certainly not be necessary.

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The analysis by YouTuber Westie on the topic.

What else does the tech demo indicate? Westie sees in the demo of the rushing soldiers less of a hint at the setting. Rather, this tech demo is supposed to show that Battlefield in the latest version finally allows battles with more than 64 players. After all, other shooters have been able to pull this off for some time now, and developer DICE needs to catch up.

If you’re not satisfied with just historical battlefields and mass battles until new information about the upcoming Battlefield is revealed, then check out our article on the last major update for Battlefield V. That should keep you entertained for a while until EA and DICE finally share something new about the MMO shooter.

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Destiny 2: New Umbral Engrams are popular, but there are 2 nasty problems

Philipp Hansen 19. June 2020 Reading time 3 minutes

In Destiny 2 the new Umbral Engrams are being farmed up and down, but two nasty bugs are frustrating players when focusing.

Here’s what it’s about: The new Umbral Engrams are all the talk in Destiny 2. They provide the opportunity to earn strong loot all over the game and to tailor it.

Due to their content, they are farmed extensively by players. Bungie even had to put a stop to an old exploit, as the Guardians continued to farm even in their sleep.

However, Forbes has identified 2 annoying problems with the new wonder engravings:

Two of the best new Engram weapons do not fully benefit from an important upgrade for the Godroll hunt
A bug causes powerful rewards from engrams to become less useful

MeinMMO takes a look at the bugs and tells you what problems Bungie will fix soon in Destiny 2.

This is the Godroll problem: With the Prism Shaper, you unlock upgrades that also affect the loot of the Umbral Engrams. At Rank 3 under “Gifts of Light & Darkness,” an expensive bonus promises to grant you an additional alternative perk for weapons after focusing.

However, the sought-after Season Pass weapons “Falling Guillotine” (Sword) and “Cold Denial” (Pulse Rifle) do not seem to always benefit from this. So you might want to be cautious with the expensive focusing.

This is the problem with powerful rewards: When you complete tasks and tick off milestones, NPCs reward you for your efforts with loot. These so-called powerful rewards give a significant boost to the power level and are one of the most important sources for leveling up.

You can also receive the new Umbral Engrams from NPCs instead of regular engrams. However, when they are focused into a desired weapon or armor, they lose their status as powerful rewards – and with it their high level.

However, if you open the engrams unfocused, then the high level remains. But you won’t be able to take advantage of the cool customization options.

Bungie announces upcoming fixes

This is supposed to change soon: In the TWaB from June 18, Bungie hinted at a new hotfix for Destiny. This is currently expected to be released next week. Unfortunately, there is no fix for the aforementioned issues with Umbral Engrams included.

Here’s a look at planned changes for next week:

Repairs for controller reconfiguration.
- A problem was fixed where double pressing buttons sometimes did not trigger dodging or other abilities.
- Issues were fixed where weapons would not fire when the trigger was pressed.
- A problem was fixed where Stormtrance sometimes does not function.
A problem was fixed where the Drought Collector inflicted excessive amounts of damage on various bosses.
A problem was fixed where completing the Prophecy dungeon solo did not unlock the associated triumph.
A problem was fixed where various sources dropped rewards with 750 power instead of the Guardian’s power.
A problem was fixed where the “Tommy’s Matchbook” catalyst quest was removed from players’ inventories.

Exotic Launcher Grenade Drought Season 11 Arrival Destiny 2 — Will the Drought Collector soon not be so powerful against raid bosses

Bungie has already addressed some of the controller issues in the Hotfix 2.9.0.1 on June 18. Next week, Guardians should finally be able to hop and run gracefully like a gazelle.

Will you exercise caution when focusing on Umbral Engrams until a fix is available, or are the bugs not affecting you so far? Especially controller players are likely looking forward to next week.

Which long-awaited and beloved weapon is making its return with the big expansion, read here: The Last Word is coming back – Destiny 2 brings one of the most popular exotics back in autumn

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Creators of “A Way Out” show new co-op game: “You have never played anything like this”

Max Handwerk 19. June 2020 Reading time 2 minutes

“It Takes Two” is the next co-op title from the “A Way Out” makers Hazelight. The unusual game was first presented at EA Play 2020.

This is It Takes Two: At EA Play 2020, Hazelight founder Josef Fares spoke about his studio’s aim to “continuously challenge what is possible in games.” That seems to be the driving force behind “It Takes Two” as well.

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Josef Fares from Hazelight introduced “It Takes Two” at EA Play 2020

It Takes Two – an emotional co-op adventure platformer

What it’s about: According to Fares, “It Takes Two” is a 3D action-adventure platformer for two players. The game tells the story of a small family consisting of parents Cody and May and their little daughter Rose.

The problem: The couple wants to get a divorce, which their little Rose cannot deal with. The sad girl crafts two clay dolls modeled after her parents – and they suddenly come to life.

The consciousness of the parents has transferred into the dolls – and both want to quickly get out of there. These are the two characters you will ultimately control through “It Takes Two.”

The game sends your two characters on an unusual journey where you should “almost play their emotions.” In some levels, there is supposed to be a corresponding mechanic that leads to “story and game mechanics being married.”

Fares was confident: “I think this will feel new and unique for players. They have never played anything like this before.”

Hazelight impressed with co-op: Whether Fares is right with his assessment remains to be seen, as Hazelight has not shown much about the game yet. But if “A Way Out” is a benchmark, one can hope for exciting mechanics.

With this unusual, purely co-op game, Hazelight celebrated great success two years ago. Good collaboration was essential; nothing worked alone.

The thrilling story of two prison inmates on the run convinced not only through great two-player gameplay but also through the emotional story. A mixture that Hazelight is pursuing in their new game as well – just in a completely different way.

That Hazelight manages to blend story and co-op gameplay well has been proven in “A Way Out.” Whether this will work with a mix of platformer and divorce drama could be exciting.

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In WoW: Shadowlands you build Legendarys – with these effects

Cortyn 19. June 2020 Reading time 3 minutes

Legendary items will be important in WoW Shadowlands. Dataminers have now found the first effects that can be on items.

With World of Warcraft Shadowlands, “Player Agency” is back in focus. Players are supposed to be able to choose their goals themselves and have control over their progress. This will play a significant role, especially in the crafting of legendary items, which have been an important part of Shadowlands from the start.

Now dataminers from wowhead have found the first hints about the effects of legendary items – and these might be familiar to many players.

Who can craft legendary items? All players can do that, even without a crafting profession. However, it is necessary to buy certain materials from other players. Additionally, several visits to the Tower of Torghast are needed to obtain more components.

Legendary effects from Shadowlands

What effects have been discovered? The dataminers have discovered some effects that players may already be familiar with. These include old bonuses from Legion legendaries, T-set bonuses, artifact abilities from Legion, or powers from Torghast. Here are a few examples:

Blood Death Knight

Brynador’s Might: Mortal Strike returns 15% of the runic power used if it heals more than 10% of your maximum health.
Vampiric Aura: Your Vampiric Blood grants 50% of the effect to all party members.
Purple Rune Weapon: When a charge of Bone Shield is consumed, the cooldown of Dancing Rune Blade is reduced by 30 seconds. Additionally, your rune regeneration is increased by 40% for 10 seconds when the Dancing Rune Blade fades.

Fire Mage

Firestorm: When Combustion is activated, you have a small chance that all Pyroblasts and Flame Strikes have no cast time and critically strike for 5 seconds.
Blessing of the Sun King: After consuming 6 Combustion charges, your next non-instant Pyroblast cast within 15 seconds will apply Incinerate for 6 seconds.
Fevered Summoning: Each consecutive critical hit increases the damage you deal with critical hits by 2%.

Warrior

Leaper: Heroic Leap has 2 additional charges.
Unformed Mirror: Spell Reflection lasts 200% longer and affects the entire party.
Seal of the Tormented Warrior: Activating Blade Storm, Avatar, or Recklessness randomly activates one of the other two abilities as well.

You can view the complete list of abilities that have been data mined so far on wowhead.

Please keep in mind with this information that it is extracted game data from the Alpha. Much about the systems can and will change before the release of Shadowlands.

Can multiple legendary items be crafted? That is said to be possible. Those who want to can craft countless Legendary items with different effects and thus build up a whole arsenal over time. However, there will, similar to Legion, be a strict cap on the legendary items that a player can equip. It was last planned that this cap would start at 1 at the beginning of the expansion. Players would then have to limit themselves to one legendary item at a time.

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Fortnite introduces 6 new mythical weapons and items – Here’s how to get them

Eilyn Rapp 19. June 2020 Reading time 2 minutes

The start of Season 3 in Fortnite introduced some new bosses that reward you with mythic weapons and items. These are either quite powerful or can give you advantages in a match.

What are mythic weapons? In Fortnite, there are different rarities for weapons, with the mythic version being the strongest of all. They are available only once per match and are not easy to obtain.

These are the new mythic weapons and items:

A Shockwave Launcher
A Charged Shotgun
A Reusable Chug Jug
A Burst Assault Rifle
A Drum Gun
A Glider Grappler

The Drum Gun from Season 2 will still remain with us. Already in the last season, the Tommy Gun was among the strongest mythic weapons.

New NPC bosses drop the weapons

How can you get the new mythic weapons? Just like in Season 2 Chapter 2, these powerful weapons can only be found with the mini-bosses scattered around the map. However, in Season 3, there are new bosses, new locations, and new weapons to explore.

To get the coveted weapons, you need to eliminate the NPC bosses first, and that can be no simple task. They often have a lot of health points and are additionally protected by their henchmen.

However, once you have done this, you can grab the mythic weapon and use it against your opponents in battle.

How to find the mythic weapons in Fortnite: Battle Royale

The 6 new weapons and items can be obtained from the following bosses:

Kit at Catty Corner drops 2 weapons: The Shockwave Launcher and the Charged Shotgun
At The Fortilla, Ocean drops the Reusable Chug Jug and the Burst Assault Rifle
Jules at The Authority gives you: The Drum Gun and the Glider Grappler

You can now take 2 weapons or items from a mini-boss.

If you want to grab the mythic weapons, you should head to these locations right at the start and take out the bosses. After all, you will be the only ones carrying such a powerful weapon. You can find all the bosses at places that underwent significant changes in Season 3 due to the tsunami.

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CoD Warzone: Leak shows 5 exciting new features with party mode and new items

Maik Schneider 19. June 2020 Reading time 2 minutes

A dataminer has found information about new content for Call of Duty: Warzone. This includes a new mode and useful items. MeinMMO shows you the details.

What were these leaks about? A dataminer has found some interesting hints in the files of Call of Duty: Warzone. This involves:

Executions with hyenas and white dogs
Observation scopes
A better reconnaissance drone
Music in the Warzone
A Prop Hunt party mode

The information was published by the Twitter account “Geeky Pastimes”, which also pointed out the changes to the stadium and possible underground railways in Verdansk. Here are his tweets about the 5 other findings:

https://twitter.com/geekypastimes/status/1271514300570574849

5 Leaks for the Warzone and What They Mean

When or if the following changes will come to the game is still completely open. Take the information here with a healthy dose of skepticism, as there are currently no official statements from the developers regarding the information presented here.

What’s up with the hyenas and white dogs? “Executions” are the finishing moves or also executions in Modern Warfare 2019. You can sneak up from behind and take down an enemy in a spectacular way.

“Geeky Pastimes” found executions with hyenas and white dogs in the files. Many of the executions are operator-bound and can only be used by certain characters. You usually acquire new moves either through the Battle Pass or purchasable bundles. The white dog is actually already in the game and came along with Cryo-Mutilation via the Wendigo Bundle into the game.

What’s up with the scope? Here, the data indicates a new item that allows you to scout enemies over long distances. Until now, this has almost only been possible through the large scopes of sniper rifles, which make you visible to enemies due to their strong sight reflection. A small observation scope could come without this effect.

What’s up with the reconnaissance drone? According to “Geeky Pastimes”, the small reconnaissance drone may become a bit more useful. The field upgrade could receive an upgrade and soon gain the ability to hack enemy equipment – similar to the strong perk “Scout”.

What’s up with the music? The dataminer was able to associate a total of 5 music pieces and a HUD effect with something called “event1”. “Geeky Pastimes” doesn’t have any context for this. However, it might be hints about the upcoming Juggernaut mode. In the suit, you have a small radio that plays softly.

What’s up with the party mode? The research by “Geeky Pastimes” also uncovered hints of a Prop Hunt mode in the Warzone. It first appeared in CoD: WWII in the playlist and was also part of Black Ops 4. In this mode, you disguise yourself as an object on the map and must hide from the other team. How this is supposed to work on the large BR map remains to be seen.

What’s coming next for CoD? Just recently, Season 4 started for Modern Warfare & Warzone and brought a lot of new content. Throughout the season, new content is constantly being added to keep you entertained. You can get a good overview with the Season 4 roadmap.

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Why the best LoL team in Europe is now investing so much in Valorant

Jürgen Horn 19. June 2020 Reading time 3 minutes

Valorant is slowly establishing itself in eSports. A clear sign of the shooter’s relevance in eSports is that G2, one of the largest eSports organizations in the world and the biggest LoL team in Europe, is already massively investing in Valorant and setting up a top team for the game.

What is G2? Behind the name is one of the five largest eSports organizations in the world. G2 fields teams for a variety of games, including the largest European LoL team. The organization was founded in 2015 by former LoL pro Carlos “ocelote” Rodríguez Santiago and investor Jens Hilgers and is based in Berlin.

What does G2 have to do with Valorant? To make a strong showing in the upcoming first official Valorant eSports tournament series “Ignition Series,” G2 wants to build a top team for Riot’s shooter. Additionally, the first tournament of the series, the “G2 eSports Valorant Invitational,” is hosted by G2.

The first player G2 has signed for their team is former CS:GO pro Óscar “Mixwell” Cañellas Colocho. He is among the best Valorant players in Europe and already won the tournament “Twitch Rivals: Valorant Launch Showdown,” which took place a few days after the release of Valorant.

More top players who will complete the team around Mixwell are expected to be announced soon. The G2 tournament starts today, June 19, 2020. There is a prize pool of 15,000 euros up for grabs.

Why is G2 entering Valorant so early?

This is what the G2 boss says: Valorant is still a young title and needs to establish itself in eSports. So why is G2 making such a strong investment in the game so early by assembling a top team of professionals and also holding the first major tournament?

In an interview with Forbes, G2 CEO Carlos “ocelote” Rodríguez Santiago, who was himself a pro in LoL, addressed the question of why so much is being invested in Valorant:

Valorant is a top title, and it combines some of the elements that make games attractive to play and watch, just like League of Legends has succeeded in doing. G2 eSports aims to lay the groundwork for what eSports will become in the future. That is our role in the industry, and this step fits that role very well as we hope to inspire other organizations to assemble strong teams and together build a fun, competitive landscape. This is a high-risk, high-reward initiative, and we couldn’t be happier to be at the forefront of efforts with Riot Games.
Carlos “ocelote” Rodríguez Santiago

G2 also wants to play a significant role in shaping the eSports landscape of Valorant and actively contribute to it. Therefore, considerable money and effort are being invested in the game now. If G2’s strategy pays off, the organization could end up in a strong position in the hopefully successful Valorant eSports scene.

This should result in good deals with sponsors and partners in the long run. That Riot entrusted G2 with the first tournament of the official eSports scene is a good sign that G2 is on the right track.

The big G2 tournament starts on June 19, 2020, and runs all weekend until June 21. More tournaments in Europe and North America are planned for the coming week, from June 26 to June 28. By the way, there is a funny anecdote about G2’s new star Mixwell. He was temporarily banned by Valorant’s aggressive anti-cheat tool Vanguard for trying to charge a phone on his PC.

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Source(s):

Forbes

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Pokémon GO now distributes small gifts daily – But not to everyone

Noah Struthoff 19. June 2020 Reading time 2 minutes

In Pokémon GO there is now a guaranteed spawn per day and a small gift that can be opened daily. However, this only affects some trainers.

What’s new? Pokémon GO wants to make it easier for trainers to play during the Corona times. Therefore, they are testing a new incense that attracts one Pokémon each day.

Additionally, you will receive a small gift with items in the in-game shop. You can even collect it daily.

Niantic distributes gifts – But only to test users

This has been revealed: Niantic is testing a new feature in Pokémon GO. This new incense attracts exactly one Pokémon per day. The spawn always includes a special Pokémon. For example, trainers have reported encounters with Elezeba, Rotomurf, or Ohrdoch.

This incense is only being tested with some players. Not every trainer has this incense yet. So if you had a Pokémon at your door this morning that had a white shimmer around it, then you are one of the test users.

What about the gifts? In conjunction with the daily spawns, there are also guaranteed gifts in the in-game shop. There is now supposed to be a free box available daily, which includes at least a few items.

However, there are not many items in there. Most trainers received a maximum of 5 berries and 2-3 balls.

The gifts are also only distributed to test users. So check the shop to see if you find such a box. If so, then you are one of the lucky test users.

When will the feature be available for everyone? This is not entirely clear. Niantic states that it will be rolled out to more trainers in the coming months. Whether that will be all players or still just part of the community remains to be seen.

In Pokémon GO, the Solstice event has started! This brings exciting spawns and great bonuses to the game.

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Fans want crossplay in FIFA 21 – this is what EA says

Max Handwerk 19. June 2020 Reading time 2 minutes

At EA Play 2020, the successor to FIFA 20 was showcased: a question arises: Can players play against each other across platforms?

FIFA 21 introduced: In the night from Thursday to Friday, initial glimpses of the new FIFA title were shown. The first trailer of FIFA 21 revealed that it will be released on October 9.

It is confirmed that at this point it will be fully playable on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, while the Nintendo Switch will again only receive a scaled-down legacy version. Later, it can also be played on next-gen consoles. But can players still compete against each other if they have different consoles?

EA says: Crossplay is a long-term plan

Crossplay as a fan wish: Looking at the reactions to the announcement, it quickly becomes clear that some fans desire crossplay between the different platforms. For instance, the prominent FIFA streamer Castro1021 reacted on Twitter simply as follows:

C
R
O
S
S

P
L
A
Y

— Castro1021 (@Castro1021) June 18, 2020

Several other commentators joined in. EA is keeping the topic of crossplay somewhat open for now.

This is what EA Sports says about crossplay: In an FAQ about FIFA 21, EA Sports made it clear that crossplay is indeed under discussion for FIFA.

“Giving our players the opportunity to compete against each other, regardless of the platform they are playing EA SPORTS FIFA on, is a long-term goal of ours,” the developers stated (via EA). However, they currently have no information about it: “We are still exploring the integration and will keep you updated as soon as there are news.”

It is noticeable that in the statement, EA SPORTS FIFA is referred to generally, not specifically FIFA 21. Therefore, it is possible that crossplay will still be a wait.

In general, EA has announced further information about FIFA 21 for August. The various editions of the game from which players can choose have already been announced. A complete overview of the FIFA 21 editions can be found here.

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Falkenmoon is coming – Destiny 2 is bringing back one of the most popular exotics this autumn

Philipp Hansen 19. June 2020 Reading time 3 minutes

In a stream for a good cause, Destiny 2 let the cat out of the bag and revealed Hawkmoon as well as other exciting details for the autumn expansion.

This weapon has been confirmed for Destiny 2: The exotic Hand cannon Hawkmoon is considered one of the most famous and beloved guns in Destiny history and is missed by many players. Bungie has now confirmed that the stylish revolver will return in Beyond Light – that is, in the major autumn expansion of 2020.

The comeback was revealed in a Bungie stream. It showed how Hawkmoon will look in Destiny:

Why Hawkmoon is so popular: First of all, Hawkmoon is among the most beautifully designed weapons that a Guardian can carry, and was therefore often showcased at the holster.

Another factor was the exciting gameplay. With 3 bullets in the magazine, it had a significant bonus damage – only one never knew which shot was going to hit hard. It was thus a gamble: does the super shot activate immediately, perhaps even twice in a row, or does the fun only wait in the last 3 bullets?

Hawkmoon was also part of the so-called trinity of exotic hand cannons from Destiny 1. The other two guns are:

In the early days of Destiny, it was possible for a bullet to benefit from bonus damage multiple times and even take out opposing Guardians with a single bullet – that was admittedly very rare, but it caused bans in competitive tournaments. We are curious about how this Exotic will be reintroduced.

Stream for a good cause shows even more exciting things

What kind of stream was that? On June 18, Bungie hosted the GGXEvent stream. This is a major charity marathon where various streamers and gaming personalities collect money for St. Jude Children’s Hospital. As of now (8:00 AM), an incredible $4,660,000 has been raised, which primarily benefits children with cancer.

To encourage donations, there were small bonuses at certain donation milestones. One of them was the reveal of Hawkmoon by Luke Smith.

Among other things, an interesting legendary weapon and concept art for the new location on Europa were shown:

Are you excited about the return of Hawkmoon? In what form should the weapon make its way into Destiny 2, should the gambling aspect remain with every shot, or should such mechanics have no place in the game?

What cool exotic weapons await us until autumn, you can read here: Destiny 2: All new Exotics of Season 11 that have been announced so far

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In WoW: Shadowlands, your Worgen will no longer look like a potato

Cortyn 19. June 2020 Reading time 2 minutes

Worgen players in World of Warcraft can rejoice. They will soon experience entirely new customization options and will look quite pretty.

Worgen players have always faced a significant problem in World of Warcraft, starting right at character creation. You click through the character creation for minutes to create the perfect werewolf and then click ‘Finish’ satisfied – only to realize that the human form of the character looks really bad. With the upcoming expansion Shadowlands, that will finally come to an end.

What is the problem? Until now, Worgen in WoW have had limited character options. The settings you choose for the Worgen form also affect the human form – but not always advantageously. So it can happen that you create a cool, youthful-looking Worgen, only to find that the human form looks like an old man. Until now, you had to decide: Does the human form or the worgen form look cool?

What will change? With Shadowlands, Worgen can make two different sets of settings during character creation that are completely separate from each other. This will allow players to create the human form and then also customize the Worgen form in detail.

In Shadowlands, there are also many other character customizations.

Can this be done afterwards? Yes. All Worgen players can simply go to the barber in Shadowlands and get adjusted later. Here, too, one can freely choose between Worgen and human form and make individual adjustments.

This should put an end to the times when Worgen players hid their human side out of shame. Especially for role players, this should be a sensible extension.

What do you think of this adjustment? Do you think it’s good that Worgen players essentially have two sets of character options? Or is that too much of a good thing?

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Source(s):

wowhead.com

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Solstice Event in Pokémon GO brings 6 quests, Shinies and new raid bosses

Noah Struthoff 19. June 2020 Reading time 2 minutes

The summer solstice event in Pokémon GO has started! It brings you new spawns, raid bosses, and 6 quests. Additionally, there are rare Shinys.

This is the solstice event: This event is still one of 2 events in June. It runs until June 24 at 10:00 PM local time.

The event revolves around the sun and the moon, which is why Sonnfel and Lunastein appear more frequently. We will show you what else is happening in the event.

Shinys, spawns, and quests – The summer solstice event

Here are the new quests: 6 new field research tasks are waiting for you. We’ll show you the rewards:

Catch 3 Fire-type Pokémon
- Reward: Encounter with a Sonnfel
Catch 3 Dark-type Pokémon
- Reward: Encounter with a Lunastein
Catch 7 different types of Pokémon
- Reward: Encounter with an Alolan Vulpix
Give your buddy a snack
- Reward: Encounter with a Piepi
Use 4 berries while catching Pokémon
- Reward: 1000 Stardust
Earn a candy by walking with your buddy
- Reward: Encounter with a Sonnkern

The quests include rare Pokémon or a lot of Stardust. Each of the Pokémon can also be encountered as a Shiny.

What about Shinys? There are no major surprises in the Shiny pool. Piepi can now be found in the wild as a Shiny, but that was announced earlier as well.

During the event, you should also take the opportunity to encounter Shiny Sonnfel and Lunastein. These Pokémon are regional and only rarely found outside of events.

Sonnfel and Lunastein, however, rotate multiple regions during the event. You can find a detailed plan about this in our overview of the solstice event. There you’ll also find all the information about additional bonuses.

What spawns are there? There are surprisingly good spawns. Pokémon like Hunduster or Fukano appear more frequently. You also have a chance to encounter Teddiursa, which is still quite rare as a new Shiny.

Depending on the region, Lunastein and Sonnfel appear, but these Pokémon will change their regions over time. Magmar, Sonnkern, and Sniebel are other spawns in the event.

New raid bosses for the solstice event

Here are the new bosses: In line with the event, the raid bosses have also changed. They will remain until the end of the event and then be replaced by the old bosses:

Raid Level	Raid Boss
Level 1 (pink egg)	Praktibalk* Vulpix Alolan Vulpix* Klikk*
Level 2 (pink egg)	Alolan Kokowei* Sonnflora Magmar* Sniebel* Flunkifer*
Level 3 (yellow egg)	Arkano Lunastein* Sonnfel* Alolan Raichu*
Level 4 (yellow egg)	Alolan Knogga* Hundemon Despotar Absol*
Level 5 (black egg)	Zekrom

Which bosses are worth it? At each raid level, there are several exciting Shinys that you can catch. These Pokémon are marked with an asterisk (*) in the list.

In terms of usefulness, Praktibalk, Sniebel, Despotar, and Zekrom are valuable. They belong to the best attackers in the game.

If you enjoy battling in the PvP league, you’ll also find what you’re looking for here. Alolan Vulpix, Alolan Raichu, and Alolan Knogga are strong Pokémon for the leagues, and you can also find them in our tier list of the best monsters for each league. There you can find strong attackers for the PvP league.

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FIFA 21: All editions in overview – Which one is worth it for you?

Julian Schröder 19. June 2020 Reading time 4 minutes

EA has now officially FIFA 21 presented and we provide you with an overview of all upcoming editions, how to pre-order them and explain the differences.

On June 19, 2020, FIFA 21 was officially revealed. Immediately afterwards, EA Sports presented the various editions that you can now pre-order.

What editions are available? This year, there are again 3 editions of FIFA 21. Each version includes different pre-order bonuses and allows you to start with the football simulation at different times.

These are the prices for the editions:

FIFA 21 Standard Edition

FIFA 21 Champions Edition

FIFA 21 Ultimate Edition

When is the release on PS5 and Xbox Series X? Later this year, FIFA 21 will also be released on the next-gen consoles PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. A release date is not yet known.

Release dates of FIFA 21 – When does it start?

When can you start? You can start FIFA 21 earlier if you choose one of the special editions of the new FIFA installment. Then you can start 3 days before the release.

There is also the option to subscribe to EA Access or Origin Premier, which allows you to try the game as early as October 1.

Overview of the various start times:

Start on October 1 – EA Play or EA Play Pro (presumably with time limit)
Start on October 6 – FIFA 20 Ultimate Edition
Start on October 6 – FIFA 20 Champions Edition
Start on October 9 – FIFA 20 Standard Edition

The FIFA 21 editions at a glance

These are the differences: The individual editions differ by various bonuses and the date they can be played.

What is the same, however, is that each version includes the main game FIFA 21, in which content and modes are identical.

FIFA 21 Standard Edition

What additional content is available with a pre-order?

Up to 3 Rare Gold Packs (1 per week for 3 weeks)
Coverstar loan item for 5 FUT matches
FUT Ambassador player choice (Choose 1 of 3 player items for 3 FUT matches).
Special Edition FUT kits and stadium items

Who is this edition interesting for? The Standard Edition is aimed at players who do not care much about Ultimate Team and who do not necessarily need to be the first to play FIFA 21.

If you play FIFA more casually and do not care about Ultimate Team, then you should consider getting the Standard Version.

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FIFA 21 Champions Edition

What additional content is available with a pre-order?

3 days early access
Up to 12 Rare Gold Packs (1 per week for 12 weeks)
Coverstar loan item for 5 FUT matches
Career Mode youth talent from your own academy with world-class potential
FUT Ambassador player choice (Choose 1 of 3 player items for 3 FUT matches)
Special Edition FUT kits and stadium items

Who is this edition interesting for? This version is interesting for players who plan to spend a lot of time with FUT. The bonuses provide 12 Rare Gold sets, which can contain very useful cards. However, you need some luck for that.

If you plan to dive deep into Ultimate Team, you can do so with the Champions Edition 3 days earlier, and with the weekly packs, you might make some coins to build a good team early on.

Additionally, this special edition also addresses Career Mode players, who are offered a top youth talent with world-class potential.

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FIFA 21 Ultimate Edition

What additional content is available with a pre-order?

3 days early access
1 untradeable FUT 21 Ones to Watch item (for pre-orders until August 14)
Up to 24 Rare Gold Packs (2 per week for 12 weeks)
Coverstar loan item (Kylian Mbappe) for 5 FUT matches
Career Mode youth talent from your own academy with world-class potential
FUT Ambassador player choice (Choose 1 of 3 player items for 3 FUT matches).
Special Edition FUT kits and stadium items

Who is this edition interesting for? This edition offers 12 additional Rare Player sets compared to the Champions Edition and is therefore particularly interesting for FUT enthusiasts. Otherwise, there are no differences to the Champions Edition, which is 10 euros cheaper. The 3 days early access remain the same.

Only fans who pre-order the Ultimate Edition before August 14 will receive a random OTW player (Ones to Watch) as a bonus. Whether this player is useful depends largely on which player you draw.

We detail the bonuses of the Ultimate Edition of FIFA 21 here.

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Which version of FIFA 21 are you interested in? And what innovations and improvements do you expect from the new FIFA installment? We have summarized our ideas and improvement suggestions that the new installment needs to be better than its predecessor here for you.

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Apex Legends will be a major crossplay title on 5 platforms – Switch included

Maik Schneider 19. June 2020 Reading time 2 minutes

Release on Steam and Nintendo Switch with crossplay for Apex Legends. In the big announcement stream for “EA Play 2020”, the developers revealed their plans for the near future.

Apex Legends is one of the best and most successful battle royales and aims to become even bigger. During EA Play 2020, the developers announced how they plan to achieve this: they will bring Apex to more platforms and enable everyone to play together.

Respawn Entertainment announces crossplay for 5 platforms

What did the developers reveal about the future of Apex? Already in autumn 2020, Apex Legends will become a crossplay title. Joining Call of Duty: Warzone and Fortnite will be the next big battle royale with crossplay, this time from EA.

The English Apex segment of “EA Play 2020” is embedded here for you:

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When is crossplay coming to Apex? Although the developers from Respawn Entertainment did not mention an exact date, it is expected to arrive in autumn this year. By the end of 2020 at the latest, you will be able to play with all your friends on almost every platform.

Which platforms are involved? In addition to the crossplay release, Apex will also be available on 2 new platforms. The free-to-play title will launch on Nintendo Switch and Steam. In total, Apex will then be available on 5 platforms that can all play together:

PlayStation 4
Xbox One
Nintendo Switch
PC: Origin
PC: Steam

With the release of the next generation of consoles, there may even be more platforms added. However, nothing was revealed about this in the current EA Play stream.

Were there any other announcements in the stream? There were also some new info for the current Season 5. A new event called “Lost Treasures – Collection Event” will start on June 23:

During the event, you can secure special cosmetics and a new mode will be available – “Armed & Dangerous Evolved”.

In this mode, you will only fight with shotguns and sniper rifles. Additionally, there will be no respawn stations on the map, but a new item allows you to bring back your fallen teammates anywhere, the “Mobile Respawn Beacon”.

Apex aims to continue growing and achieving new successes with these announcements. In the stream, they stated that Season 5 was the best and biggest season release the battle royale has ever experienced, despite some technical issues.

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Star Wars: Squadrons gameplay trailer shows fast-paced space battles

Max Handwerk 19. June 2020 Reading time 3 minutes

At EA Play 2020, the new space game “Star Wars: Squadrons” was presented for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Here, you take on the role of various pilots and engage in epic space battles.

This is Star Wars Squadrons: Are you into space battles? Then the recently announced Star Wars: Squadrons might be your game. At EA Play, a new trailer including gameplay was showcased:

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The game throws you into the era right after the events of Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. The Death Star is gone, but the fight in space continues. You will learn about how it unfolds in the single-player campaign – but multiplayer is also not lacking in Squadrons.

Fly in the Campaign for the Empire and New Republic

This is what the campaign offers: In the single-player story, you take on the roles of pilots from both factions: the New Republic and the Empire. For the Rebels, the Vanguard squadron is on the scene, while the Empire sends the Titan squadron into battle.

You take on a pilot from each squadron. Throughout the story, you will get to know your cockpit, from which you control your ship, better. There is much to consider, such as:

Energy management
Targeting
Shields

All of this is presented to you across multiple screens and displays in the cockpit, which almost resembles a light simulation. The cockpit essentially also functions as the UI in your battles, as you control your spacecraft from your pilot’s first-person perspective. By the way, you can play the whole game in VR!

You take on eight different ship types, four per faction. TIE Fighters and X-Wings, for example, are flexible attackers, while A-Wings and interceptors focus on speed. In addition, there are support ships and bombers. So, there is a lot for you to learn.

Both pilots and ships are extensively customizable. This applies in terms of cosmetics, but also regarding equipment. For example, you can request tractor beams and drones – depending on the loadout. There are said to be 50 different ship upgrades. Microtransactions are not supposed to play a role.

5 vs. 5 in Multiplayer

This is what the multiplayer looks like: Once you have internalized the mechanics in the single-player campaign, you can dive into multiplayer battles. Here, two five-player squadrons compete against each other.

There are different modes, such as dogfights – a direct 5 vs. 5 confrontation. However, the most important mode is called “Fleet Battles.”

The battles take place in multiple phases. You can discuss tactics with your friends in the social hub, prepare your ships, and launch.

It starts with a dogfight before you have to destroy two capital ships of the opposing side. After that, it heads towards the flagship – like a massive Star Destroyer.

Basically, you must perfectly utilize the abilities of your own squad. Teamwork is said to be the key to victory.

When will Star Wars: Squadrons be released? The game will be released on October 2 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. At a later date, it is also expected to come to next-gen, but no date has been provided yet.

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Rocket Arena: New, faster 3v3 shooter in the “Smash Bros” style

Patrick Freese 19. June 2020 Reading time 7 minutes

Rocket Arena is a 3v3 arena hero shooter by EA for PC, PS4, and Xbox One, reminiscent of Smash Bros and offering exciting, competitive game modes. We present the game to you, show what makes it special, and whether we can expect a big hit.

As part of “Find Your Next Game“, we from MeinMMO were able to play Rocket Arena for a few hours at an exclusive demo event by EA in June. The game is developed by Final Strike Games for PC, Xbox One, and PS4. Crossplay is available right at launch. Part of the team previously worked at 343 Industries on titles like Gears of War, Call of Duty, and DOOM.

What is Rocket Arena? In Rocket Arena, you play PvP in 3v3 matches. The action takes place in third-person view. The colorful arenas and heroes give an “Overwatch-like” impression. The game mechanics are reminiscent of Smash Bros, as in Rocket Arena you should knock opponents out of the arena.

At launch on July 14, 10 unique heroes will be available for you to choose from. All are visually distinct and equipped with two unique abilities. These can be particularly powerful shots or abilities that increase your movement speed.

The core of the game consists of shooting your opponents with your rocket launchers. If you hit, their KO indicator fills up. When this indicator is full, the opponents are knocked out of the arena. You do not use your rocket launchers to kill, but to effectively throw opponents out of the playing field.

It takes a few seconds for the ejected opponent to return to the map and continue participating in the match. Knocking enemies out of the arena helps you achieve the objectives of the respective mode. This way, you have less resistance when throwing goals or collecting coins. In the KO mode, only the KOs count, meaning the knockouts from the arena.

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What’s included

Various game modes: At launch, you can expect four PvP game modes and even a ranked mode. You play all of them in 3v3:

Knockout (classic 3v3)
Rocketball (score goals)
Treasure Hunt (collect gold)
Mega Rocket (capture zones)

Knockout: As a team, you must achieve the most knockouts within the given time or reach the target score beforehand. Knockouts are the condition where opponents are thrown out of the arena.

Rocketball will remind you of Rocket League. You should use your heroes and their abilities to hit the opponents’ goal with a ball.

Treasure Hunt is for coin collectors. In the center of the arena, a treasure chest spawns. While carrying it, you collect coins for your team. If you receive a knockout while carrying it, you lose the chest and another player can pick it up. After a certain time, during which the chest has been carried, it disappears, and hundreds of coins spawn on the map that you can collect by running through them with your heroes. The team wins that first collects the coin target or has the most coins at the end of the time.

In Mega Rocket, you need to capture a zone and hold it to collect points as a team. This game principle is probably also known from other games.

As a PvE mode, there is “RocketBot Attack“. Here you play with two other players against bots. The goal is to fend off waves of enemies repeatedly. This is the only PvE mode available at the launch of Rocket Arena.

10 maps for various game modes: For variety in matches, 10 different maps are available right at launch. These have various themes like the exotic jungle or the high-tech city.

All of them are technically different in structure and visually distinct.

On the maps, you will find items like magnets, trip mines, or accelerations that need to be tactically utilized.

Live Service: In the future, there will be regular seasons that expand the content. New champions will shake up the meta. New maps will be added where you can unleash your skills and new game modes that you will need to learn.

What makes Rocket Arena special?

Diverse weapon usage: With rockets, you can shoot opponents and keep yourselves in the air. Shoot underneath you or climb walls with rockets to stay in the game. The triple jump that heroes can perform also helps.

By shooting at opponents, you fill their KO indicator. The more filled it is, the further opponents will be knocked back by the impact of the rockets. Use this to your advantage in the winding parts of the various arenas.

The beginning is easy: The good thing about Rocket Arena is that every new player quickly learns how it works. Good players stand out by combining attacks, anticipating the movements of opponents, and shooting in the direction where an enemy is located when the rocket reaches the target.

Among the skills to master is also dodging rockets. The dodge ability has a cooldown of a few seconds. Good players use this in critical situations.

Child-friendly: Due to the colorful visuals, the nice-looking characters, and the easy-to-understand objectives of the matches, Rocket Arena also targets a younger audience. A plus point is also that you do not “kill” players from the opposing team but instead put them in a “KO status” and boot them out of the arena using your rocket launchers. Here, your skill in aiming and combining abilities and your weapon plays a crucial role.

10 unique heroes: All fighters are equipped with unique abilities that can be advantageous depending on the game mode. For example, Amphora has the ability to transform and is thus quick on her feet. This greatly facilitates coin collection. The pirate Blastbeard is a good goalie in Rocketball with his AOE damage. Izell can use her ability to turn the next normal attack into a homing attack.

By playing matches, you collect experience points for the respective hero and unlock rocket parts, totem parts, and special outfits for them.

At launch, there are 10 heroes. Over time, Rocket Arena plans to expand its hero roster even further. All heroes have 100 unlockable progress levels (which bring over 350 unlockable cosmetic items).

Customizable gameplay: To customize the gameplay, you can equip heroes with various artifacts. These provide bonuses such as:

higher speed when moving on the ground,
a chance to receive a random item when returning to the arena
increased rocket jump strength
more damage
increased speed during megablast danger
cooldown reduction of the special ability

Who is Rocket Arena interesting for?

You will enjoy Rocket Arena if you like the colorful graphics from Overwatch or Fortnite and do not insist on realism in a game.

Additionally, there is the competitive aspect. Do you enjoy competing with other players and functioning as part of a team? Then you will feel at home here.

Moreover, this is a game for “casual players”. If you do not necessarily want to game for three hours straight in the evening, Rocket Arena gives you a good outlet. A match lasted about 5 minutes on average during our demo session. Sometimes a game ended even earlier.

We also see parents with their children who want to try out skill games with tactics together.

Which games is Rocket Arena comparable to?

With Super Smash Bros, because here you should kick opponents out of the playable area of the arena. One difference is that players return to the field in Rocket Arena after just a few seconds.
With Fortnite, due to the child-friendly visuals. Rocket Arena is quite colorful. You will not find violent content such as blood in Rocket Arena.
With Overwatch, due to the visuals and different game modes. Because Overwatch is also rather colorful and has unique characters, just like the roster of Rocket Arena. Additionally, both games provide a variety of game modes for diversity.

How much does Rocket Arena cost?

Rocket Arena is available in 2 versions:

Standard version for €29.99
Mythic Edition for €39.99

The Mythic Edition includes outfits for Jayto, Kayi, Blastbeard, and Izell. Additionally, a Pulsar Megablast trail, a Fragment return trail, and 1,000 rocket fuel.

With rocket fuel, you buy the Blast Pass, adjustments, outfits, megablast trails, and return trails. These are all purely cosmetic extras.

What do we like, what don’t we?

Pro

Feels refreshing to play
Motivation through hero progression
Easy to get into and quick successes
No P2W, only cosmetics
Co-op mode included

Contra

Playing against better players can make a match frustrating quickly
Meta danger – Are all players in a mode only playing the same champs?

Does it have the potential to be a hit? Yes, but …

The great potential of Rocket Arena lies in its family friendliness and the low entry barriers. Everything is easy to understand, the controls are intuitive, and you can easily get into the champions and game modes. For groups of friends who want to compete with each other or together against other players, Rocket Arena is a good choice.

Rocket Arena could also score in the competitive area, as spectators can easily follow the matches.

The potential hit is hindered by the minimum purchase price of 30 euros. A free-to-play version like Fortnite might have been the better choice. There are plenty of shooters out there, like Fortnite or Paladins, that can be played for free as an alternative. Additionally, developers still need to prove how they will manage the live service. New maps, heroes, and modes are planned, but how long will that keep up the motivation? Live events with significant changes would be important.

Rocket Arena is a fun game that motivated me to start round after round. However, it still needs to convince players to purchase and provide long-term enjoyment.