Dog chews on a user’s brand new processor and AMD’s rules are clear

jan hartmayer jan hartmayer Reading time 2 minutes

Pets are an important part of many people’s lives. But accidents happen, and a user had an unpleasant experience when his dog inspected a hardware delivery with its teeth.   

What happened? The player Acceptable_Stress295 reports in his Reddit post that he ordered a brand new AMD Ryzen 7700X. Unfortunately, according to his own statements, his dog had already nibbled on the box with the contents before he could take out the PC component. 

The posted pictures show the front of the CPU to be almost undamaged, while the back has some heavy scratches. Apparently, many pins were affected and a large discolored circle indicates further damage. Additionally, the box of the hardware in the picture is completely torn apart. 

In his post, the user asks what options he has besides praying. Because he does not believe that the CPU is still functional. 

A loss of hardware is doubly frustrating during the RAM crisis. Why prices are currently rising so sharply, you’ll find out in brief in the following video:

Start video
Why is RAM so expensive? The current situation explained in 2 minutes

The dog struck – What does AMD say about it?

Does the player have a warranty claim? He must be strong now, because according to the manufacturer AMD, no liability is accepted in the following case: AMD is not responsible for defects caused by misuse, neglect, or improper installation/testing. Therefore, processors with physical damage due to external causes are not eligible for AMD warranty service (via AMD).

Examples include bent, damaged, or scratched pins. As unfortunately also seen in the pictures of Acceptable_Stress295:

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Most manufacturer warranty claims do not cover dedicated damage caused by pets. A pet insurance with appropriate policies can help here. Gaming owners of nibbling four-legged friends should specifically pay attention to the coverage options when choosing insurance.

Is the processor beyond repair? In the comments of the original post, several opinions circulate regarding whether the user’s CPU can still be saved. Some users are convinced that the CPU is already too damaged and cannot be repaired (via Reddit). 

A few other commentators believe that, with a bit of luck, the pins on the back of the component can be cleaned and bent back (via Reddit). 

In fact, it is very unlikely, but possible, that the processor is still functioning or can be repaired. Bent pins are usually the kiss of death for a CPU.

This way, Acceptable_Stress295 presumably loses a PC part worth about 219 euros as of today, March 19, 2026 (via Geizhals). Just presumably, because at least on YouTube there are videos showing how bent pins can be straightened and thus save their CPU.

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It is important to note that one needs the necessary know-how and equipment for a pin straightening action. Otherwise, the chance of causing further damage is quite high: it is very easy to accidentally break a pin and permanently destroy the processor. This story is by the way not the first time that a pet has caused damage to hardware: Cat allegedly destroys gaming setup – Community complains: Owner should finally teach it some manners

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

Fortnite: Patch Notes for Chapter 7 Season 2 – All New Features of Update 40.00

Christos Tsogos Christos Tsogos Reading time 4 minutes

The patch notes for update 40.00 in Fortnite at a glance. We show you all the changes from Chapter 7 Season 2 that await you.

What is happening today in Fortnite? Epic Games recently shut down the servers for a major maintenance. Chapter 7 Season 2 is starting with a new Battle Pass, map changes, and more. To keep you informed about what has changed, we present you the official patch notes.

Important notes about the list: This list is now complete and equipped with all patch notes.

Start video
Fortnite shows its new Battle Pass for Chapter 7 Season 2 in the launch trailer

All patch notes from update 40.00

Rivalries: Feature decides the future of the season

With Season 2, a new feature is introduced that many will likely recognize from the Agent season of Chapter 2. At the beginning of the season, you can choose a side:

  • Team Foundation
  • Team Ice King

Depending on which side you choose, you will need to gather points for the selected team. This happens by defeating your rivals in a match. The team that earns more points during the season may distribute its arsenal on the map, thus influencing the map.

In addition, you will receive Rival Credits, which you can spend on weapons, perks, and XP. So be tough and assert yourselves on the map.

Map changes

The map has also changed with the release of Season 2. Primarily, old POIs have been replaced with new ones to provide variety. Here’s what you can expect:

  • New Sanctuary
  • Frigid Fortress
  • Dark Dominion
  • Squibbly Shores 
    • New movement devices: the Turbo Grenade and the Skyline Deployer.

Fortnite switches out almost the entire loot pool

Fortnite-Showdown-Meta-Waffen-Items

In Season 2, the meta will be turned upside down, as many weapons will be removed and replaced with new examples. The following can be read in the notes:

  • Vector 7 DMR – A scoped rifle with high damage and a lower rate of fire designed for precision at long distances.
  • Chaos Reloader Shotgun – A single-shot shotgun with devastating damage at close range. Since only one round is available per reload, every shot counts. Automatically reloads when not equipped.
  • Bouncing Boomstick – Dynamite that explodes on impact, dealing massive damage.
  • Overdrive Grenade – A grenade that propels you or nearby players, giving everyone it hits a temporary boost in movement speed, reload speed, and fire rate.
  • Skyline Deployer – Launches a zip line that automatically takes you to the target location. Any player can use or destroy the zip line once it is taut.
  • Weapons and items yet to be unlocked in Showdown:
    • Ice King’s Gloves – Dropped by the Ice King in the Ice Fortress. Fires ice projectiles as the main attack or unleashes a devastating ice storm that deals damage over time in a large area.
    • The Foundation’s Rift Rifle (Exotic Vector 7 DMR) – Creates a rift at the impact point of your bullet.
    • Seven-Cluster Cannon – Fires a volley of explosive shots after a charge time.
    • Seven Power Gloves – Highly advanced mobility gloves with two abilities. Both abilities consume charges that regenerate over time.
      • Primary: Sprint strike in any direction to jump forward and deal damage on impact.
      • Secondary: Upward hook to catapult yourself into the air, dealing even more damage and knocking back opponents.
    • Slapperoni Pizza – Throw a pizza box from which you and your squad can take slices. The pizza provides healing and the “Slap” effect.

Weapons that are still being pulled from the vault:

  • Combat Assault Rifle
  • Nemesis AR
  • Chapter 1 Pistol
  • Thunder Burst SMG
  • Iron Pump Shotgun
  • Twin Hammer Shotguns
  • Twin Mag SMG
  • Mythic Goldfish
  • FlowBerry Mist Grenade
  • Port-A-Bunker (Zero Build only)
  • Shield Bubble Jr. (Zero Build only)
  • And more

You will become the bus driver

In each match, one player is chosen to take on the role of the bus driver. You can then drive the bus through rings to grant XP to the entire lobby. Each ring also spawns a supply drop at the coordinates where the ring is located. If you are just a passenger, you can also thank the bus driver, so they receive XP as well.

Coming soon: Rematches against rivals

If you get eliminated, you will soon be able to press a “Rematch” button. This will throw you into a new match with the same players from the current round so you can take revenge. A date is yet to be announced.

Adjustments for PCs

  • Several severe crashes were fixed, especially affecting the competitive mode and streaming of game content.
  • The stability of Intel GPUs has been improved for most modern graphics cards.
  • A problem was fixed that caused the game to crash on startup, particularly for players with Intel CPUs.
  • A series of changes have been implemented to ensure that a variety of PC crashes are immediately fixed without having to wait for a patch or hotfix.

General adjustments and fixes

  • The icons of teammates are now pinned to the edge of the minimap when they are far away, so their position is displayed even if they are not nearby.
  • The option to assign a second ping button in full-screen map mode has been added.
  • You can now reliably open chests while moving.
  • You can now reliably jump through windows while sidestepping or looking up.
  • A problem was fixed that prevented players from jumping through windows broken by certain assault rifles and sniper rifles.
  • You can now bump against open doors to close them. You are no longer blocked by wide-open doors that get in your way.
  • You can now start conversations with characters from a greater distance.
  • Items on the ground no longer appear invisible.
  • When interacting with items, those that you cannot use are now filtered out more reliably.
  • We added a little more time between the “Victory Royale” and the post-match screen, so you can celebrate your win longer.
  • Your emotes, jam tracks, and auto-items are now mixed correctly when using random presets or loadouts.
  • You can now easily cancel location pings by pinging the location again instead of having to aim at the ping icon.
  • Custom key bindings for “R” now also work when you are not building.
  • When controlling with keyboard and mouse, pressing the Esc key while the inventory screen is open now closes the menu instead of opening the escape menu.
  • (Reloading) A problem was fixed that caused Morphite weapons to not fire or reload reliably.
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Are you ready to storm into Chapter 7 Season 2 and show the Ice King who is boss? If you want to know more about the update, feel free to check our ticker. There we have all the leaks you should know: Fortnite: Servers are unresponsive – Everything about server status, duration & leaks for Chapter 7 Season 2 in the live ticker

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

A robot in ARC Raiders is so bad that it even unites rats and PvE players

Dariusz Müller Dariusz Müller Reading time 2 minutes

In ARC Raiders has a robot become the common hate enemy of the community. PvE players and rats are equally annoyed.

Which robot are we talking about? On February 24, 2026, ARC Raiders received two new robots with the “Shrouded Sky” update that are supposed to make your life difficult: the Comet and the Firefly. The latter has managed to become the community’s hate enemy within a few weeks.

The Firefly is a flying ARC with medium armor and a flamethrower. For Raiders, this means: If a Firefly spots you, it will fly after you and grill you alive.

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

What does the community say about the ARC? The players of ARC Raiders repeatedly express their hatred for the Firefly. There are many posts on Reddit discussing the robot.

Many players believe that Fireflies can take too much damage, considering how often they appear on the maps. One says he hides until the ARC leaves. A fight is not worth it (via Redditi).

Especially the fire from the ARCs leads to heated emotions: Many players get ignited by the flamethrower when there is a wall between them and the fire. Some players are even calling for a nerf.

On Reddit, a meme even received around 3,000 upvotes and much appreciation, showing that rats, PvE, and PvP players are united in their hatred towards the Fireflies – even though some players prefer not to shake hands with a rat.

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How do you best destroy a Firefly? Against ARCs like the Firefly, you should ideally have a weapon with medium or heavy ammunition with you, such as an Anvil, Renegade, or an Arpeggio.

Shoot at the turbines like you do with wasps and hornets, and the ARC will quickly turn into scrap metal. Alternatively, the glowing red eye and the canister above the active flamethrower are sensitive spots. Many players also use tracking grenades if they have some.

You can also try throwing a Wasp Driver at the Fireflies. Flying ARCs crash and can even be destroyed this way. This has even worked against the powerful Rocketeers: A cheap item in ARC Raiders can take down a tough opponent by itself, but players fear it will be nerfed.

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

WoW fan finds real treasure in a bookstore, worth many hundreds of euros

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

When browsing in a bookstore, you can find amazing things. Sometimes statues of World of Warcraft that are worth a lot.

What may seem like kitsch or silly merchandise to some can be a true treasure for others. This is what happened to the player Itstartaie from World of Warcraft, who shared on platform X about her find, which she made alongside used books. A nearly legendary Warcraft statue that only the most devoted fans received.

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WoW: How to Get the Mount “Rosy Sporestrider”

The statue is legendary among WoW fans, worth several hundred euros

What kind of statue is this? The statue was a custom-made piece that was available in early 2015. However, it could not be purchased, but was only received directly from Blizzard if one had achieved a very special “feat”. You had to have maintained a subscription for World of Warcraft continuously over the last 10 years, essentially starting right after the release.

Everyone who met this requirement received this statue as a thank you for their long-term loyalty. It is therefore a genuine collector’s item and the existing number is limited.

WoW Statue 10 year tweet itstatarie
The statue found at a bookstore. Image source: itstartarie on X

The statue depicts an armed Orc riding a wolf. It is the same statue (just significantly smaller) that also stands on the Blizzard campus, at the foot of which are the company’s “Core Values”. You’ve probably seen this statue several times – because anyone invited to Blizzard always takes a photo with it.

Where was the statue found? Itstartaie explains that she found the statue “next to nothing” in a used bookstore. The statue was simply standing there in its original packaging and was offered for sale. Presumably, the store owner didn’t even realize what a little treasure it was.

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How much is the statue worth? Even though such a statue may primarily have sentimental value for many, it can also be sold for a nice sum. Looking around various sales platforms, such a statue is sold there for between €350 and €1000, depending on the condition of the packaging. With that, you could also cover your subscription costs for the next 8 years – or you might want to hold on to such a memory.

Similarly, scalpers have made a lot of money with WoW items in recent days, securing an exclusive mount that was part of a promotion with Pringles. For many, this promotion was seen as a failure, leading Blizzard to quickly announce that the mounts would henceforth also be available for free.

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

Data centers devour RAM and SSDs, but now we know when prices might start to drop again

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 2 minutes

RAM and SSDs have become very expensive and prices continue to rise. The manager of a semiconductor manufacturer says it will take a few more years. Specifically, they mention the year 2030.

AI data centers are consuming the global supply of RAM and storage space. This especially affects gamers who want to upgrade their PCs or purchase new hardware.

Now, a former manager of a major corporation from South Korea, which includes one of the largest semiconductor manufacturers in the world, has spoken out. He stated that it will take a few more years before the memory crisis is overcome.

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Why is RAM so expensive? The current situation explained in 2 minutes

By 2030, demand is expected to be met, then prices should fall again

Who is speaking? Chey Tae-won is the chairman of the SK Group, one of the largest conglomerates in South Korea. The SK Group includes SK hynix, one of the largest semiconductor manufacturers in the world. This means Tae-won has experience with these developments as a long-time manager of the group.

Tae-won told reporters at Nvidia’s GTC conference in San Jose that the global shortage of memory chips is expected to last for another four to five years, as wafer supply across the industry lags more than 20% behind demand. Wafers are needed to produce chips for graphics cards and memory. He stated (source: Koreatimes.co.kr):

The bottleneck is attributed to a lack of wafer capacity, and it takes at least four to five years to secure additional wafers. We expect the industry-wide supply gap to remain over 20 percent until 2030.

Moreover, obtaining the mentioned wafers would also take several years. Tae-won speaks of 4 to 5 years. These statements are also consistent with those from market researchers, who stated that prices would remain high until the end of 2027.

A similar trend is shown by other producers: leading manufacturers such as SK Hynix, Samsung, or Micron are increasing their production, but demand is not expected to be fully met until 2030:

  • Samsung is investing money in its facility in Pyeongtaek, with production scheduled to start in 2028.
  • Micron is building a new HBM facility in Hiroshima, with production also set to start in 2028 (source: TomsHardware.com).

Why are gamers so significantly affected? The large chip manufacturers have shifted their production to HBM chips for AI systems. This is where the big money is being made, not with memory chips used in graphics cards or gaming consoles. As a result, prices have rapidly increased and we are paying double or triple for a stick of RAM.

If you want to know how much you currently have to pay for RAM, take a look at our RAM price ticker on MeinMMO, which we update several times daily.

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Cheap Chinese RAM was long considered a hidden gem. But now, even that small chance for affordable RAM is gone. Chinese companies are increasingly focusing on memory for data centers. You can read more about it on MeinMMO: Chinese RAM was seen as hope for many gamers, but the opportunity has already passed in just a few weeks

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

A secret scene from The Lord of the Rings shows what would have happened to Frodo if he had loved the One Ring a little too much

Christoph Waldboth Christoph Waldboth Reading time 2 minutes

In the films based on The Lord of the Rings, there are quite a few scenes that did not make it into the final version. Among them is a brief but exciting moment that shows Frodo in a form reminiscent of Gollum.

The adaptation of The Lord of the Rings by Peter Jackson is already long in its theatrical version, and some scenes fell victim to the cutting room floor. Fortunately, there are the Extended Cuts, which include additional scenes.

But even they are not complete, which is why there have been rumors of an even longer version for years. A brief sequence was shot for The Two Towers, showing Frodo in a changed form. Moreover, he resembles Gollum and his demeanor influenced by the One Ring.

Anyone who has seen the films rightfully wonders at which point a transformation into Gollum would have fit.

Start video
German trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Shocking but realistic

What exactly does the scene show? From the behind-the-scenes material of the film, we know that this is a vision of Faramir. Boromir’s brother takes a brief look into the future when he meets Frodo.

In it, he sees how the One Ring has so corrupted the Hobbit that Frodo is already transforming. His hair is falling out, his skin is unhealthily pale and streaked with veins.

The sight somewhat resembles the prologue of The Return of the King, which depicts this very transformation from Sméagol to Gollum. By the way, we have clarified how the Ring-bearers stack up against each other in a separate ranking.

In the vision, Frodo presses against a rock and grimaces. He turns away from the viewers and presumably looks at his ring. Here you can see excerpts from the scene:

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Particularly exciting: Unlike in Gollum’s case, the crew for Frodo opted against the use of visual effects. The shocking appearance of his face was achieved through elaborate make-up and involved long sessions in the make-up chair.

This can be explained by the fact that Frodo was not yet fully transformed and still wore his usual clothing.

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Why is the scene missing in the finished film? The brief moment, which was already in the script, unfortunately had to be cut. We do not know the exact reason. One possible explanation is that the scene would visualize the consequences of Frodo’s task too clearly and unnecessarily prolong the film.

After all, with Gollum, you constantly have the result of an overly intimate relationship with the One Ring before your eyes.

Thus, the scene remains only a small impression of what could have been. Unfortunately, fans should not hope in vain for a new, even longer cut of the films in the future. As for the characters who carry the One Ring throughout the story, we clarified how they stack up against each other on MeinMMO: All 9 Ring-bearers from The Lord of the Rings in the Power Ranking – Who could withstand the temptation best?

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. MiddleEarthUpdates auf YouTube
  2. lotr.fandom.com
  3. Titelbild: Warner Bros. auf YouTube

“He must look adorable”: The author of One Piece was concerned about Chopper’s appearance in Season 2 of the Netflix series

Jasmin Beverungen Jasmin Beverungen Reading time 2 minutes

The representation of Chopper was already a major topic among fans before the release of Season 2 of One Piece on Netflix. Ultimately, many are satisfied with the result, which is probably due to the author Eiichiro Oda.

What was the concern? As the creator of the One Piece story, Oda is concerned that his manga is received well. That’s why he is strictly involved in the planning and has a significant say in the matter.

In the official podcast from Netflix, the creator mentioned that Chopper’s appearance was one of the things that concerned him most in Season 2. The Tomorrow Studios had suggested to the mangaka at the start of production that Chopper should resemble a real reindeer rather than a puppet, which Oda was probably not entirely on board with.

Initially, they saw Chopper as a real living being and made sure to consider aspects like the skeletal structure of an animal and to give his appearance a certain realism. Therefore, I suggested that they consider him more as a plush toy. If he is designed too realistically, he falls into the realm of the uncanny. Thus, it’s better to treat him like an adorable doll.

With the suggestion, Oda probably wanted Chopper to appear more like an adorable companion than a bizarre monster. While that would be more realistic, it would feel somewhat out of place in the pirate adventure. Even in the anime, Chopper has become cuter over time, which is largely due to his Japanese voice actress.

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One Piece: Season 2 reveals release year and Tony Chopper

Chopper was well received by the audience

How did it turn out? Even before the release, it was clear that Chopper in the live-action adaptation was well done. The actor for Zorro, Mackenyu, hinted beforehand that he is a big fan of the little reindeer.

There were similar reactions at his reveal in the trailer. The reindeer shows up as a small mascot on two legs. Only with his transformations does he become more reindeer-like or even more human-like. In recent days, several threads have also been circulating on Reddit, stating that Chopper looks adorable.

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After the adventures on Drum Island, the Straw Hat crew continues. The Baroque Works is one of the major enemies that the pirates will also have to deal with in Season 2. On MeinMMO, we have listed what happened to the individual members after the events in One Piece: The Baroque Works is the biggest enemy in One Piece Season 2, but what happened to them?

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
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Developers of Path of Exile are alerted to server issues from their beds, but this time they overslept

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 2 minutes

At Path of Exile, there were server issues after the new update. But this time, hackers are not to blame.

What about the server problems? After patch 3.28.0c, there were significant server issues at Path of Exile, lasting about twelve hours. This time, it wasn’t hackers to blame, but a configuration error, as community manager Natalia_GGG mentioned on Reddit.

It seems that accidentally twice as many players were sent to a server as usual. This caused the servers to be overloaded, resulting in gameplay issues.

The developers should usually be able to handle such problems quickly and easily, but instead, they were caught off guard.

Here you can watch the trailer for Path of Exile: Mirage:

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Emergency alarm doesn’t ring

Why did the developers oversleep? As community manager Natalia_GGG explains on Reddit, the developers actually have a separate alarm for server emergencies. They should also be woken up after office hours if there are problems.

However, the night after the patch, the developers were able to sleep soundly because the alarm system did not trigger. A bug prevented the necessary parameters from being triggered, which is why the system let the developers sleep.

When they arrived at the office the next day and found a horde of annoyed players on the server, the configuration could be quickly repaired.

What do the developers learn from this? In the post, the community manager explains that they have adjusted the parameters for when the alarm will be triggered after the incident. In the future, it should again wake the developers so that you can grind in peace.

How do the players react? The comments under the post on Reddit sound almost as if they haven’t read the post at all. The developers are tirelessly hearing accusations of bad servers, lags, and server issues.

That these are probably the typical DDoS attacks that the developers have to fend off regularly seems to be of no concern to the frustrated gamers. For them, the only thing that matters is to be able to grind in peace, which currently seems impossible again.

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The server issues are understandably frustrating the players. The fact that a configuration error leads to 12 hours of extra lags results in an outburst of emotions from the players. What is behind the issues and why they are so difficult to manage has been revealed by the chief himself: The chief of Path of Exile 2 reveals why the servers had problems for so long and blames hackers

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

Trainer in Pokémon GO achieves in 2 days what her boyfriend couldn’t in 10 years

Paul Kutzner Paul Kutzner Reading time 2 minutes

In Pokémon GO, luck also plays a major factor in the hunt for special monsters. This is now also proven by a trainer who has experienced surprisingly much of it.

Trainers of Pokémon GO can embark on the quest for ever stronger monsters or the rarest specimens. No matter which of the two types a trainer belongs to, there is one commonality: You need luck.

A trainer now shows on Reddit how much luck his girlfriend has had right at the start of the game. And how little he has comparatively received.

Start video
Pokémon GO Fest 2026 comes with Mewtwo and Zeraora

10 Years Against 2 Days

What did the trainer receive? In the trainer’s post is a picture of a Zamazenta in the form of Heroic Warrior. Zamazenta is a legendary monster from the 8th generation that you can currently find in 5-star raids.

However, the Pokémon that the trainer caught is not a regular variant of the monster, but a Shiny. And as if that wasn’t enough, it also has perfect stats in attack, defense, and HP. So it is a so-called Shundo (Shiny + Hundo).

That alone is impressive and rare. Even more impressive is that the monster, according to the trainer, was the first raid his girlfriend has ever completed in the game.

We embed the post on Reddit here for you:

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Link to the Reddit content

What did her boyfriend receive? While his girlfriend could rejoice over the Shundo, there was only a regular Zamazenta with the stats 11/11/11 for him, according to the trainer. He notes that he has been playing Pokémon GO for 10 years now. Throughout the entire time, the unfortunate player has not managed to catch even a single Shundo.

His girlfriend, who is level 14 and only started playing 2 days ago, is therefore already ahead of him in this regard. However, the trainer takes it easy and comments on the catch with the words: “This will definitely be a nice memory that we will share together.”

Is there a tip to get Shundos? Yes. If you receive monsters from certain sources, they can have a minimum of IV values. This automatically increases the chance of getting a Shundo, as the chance of perfect IV values is higher here.

These include the following sources for Pokémon:

  • Research
  • Eggs
  • Raids
  • Reward in the Battle League

Nevertheless, you also need great luck here to not only receive a monster with perfect stats but also as a Shiny.

Your best chance is to trade a Shiny with a friend via lucky trade. Here, the minimum IV values are 12/12/12, and you are guaranteed that the monster is already a Shiny.

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von Paul Kutzner

How about you guys with Shundos? Do you have any in your collection? Feel free to let us know in the comments. If you want to know which events and content are coming up in the game soon, take a look at our overview with all events in March 2026 in Pokémon GO.

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

Aion 2 must completely change its currency because farmbots have worked too hard

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 2 minutes

The new MMORPG Aion 2 is battling bots in Asia that drive the in-game currency into inflation. Now, the developers present new measures.

What is the status of Aion 2? Aion 2 remains popular in Korea and Taiwan. There are regular updates and player numbers are not declining yet. Nevertheless, Aion 2 continues to face issues. While only accounts that have purchased a subscription for real money are allowed to trade, it seems that the bots are not deterred.

Players on the servers regularly report that the market situation is extremely tense, as all prices are driven up by farming bots. Prices are rising inflationarily, while human players without bots can hardly gather enough currency to purchase items.

The developers are aware of this and are now intervening with a new feature.

Here you can see a trailer for Aion 2:

Start video
Aion 2: New trailer prepares for the Korean launch of the MMORPG

The currency will be divided

What is changing? The developers announced in a livestream that they will divide their free currency, Kinah. Unlike in Throne and Liberty, it can also be traded in the auction house. In the future, however, it will only be possible to trade with unstamped Kinah.

Stamped Kinah, on the other hand, is character-bound and can only be used for trading with NPCs. Once the changes are live, players will only receive stamped Kinah from the usual sources. At the same time, the existing Kinah will remain unstamped.

This will greatly limit inflation, as only about 20% of the earned Kinah will be unstamped, thus tradable, while 80% will be intended only for purchases from NPCs.

What you really need to know about Aion 2, you can find out here:

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How is NCSoft combating bots? Limiting inflation through this measure could make future bots unprofitable and ensure that operators no longer use them. At the same time, NCSoft also needs to act against the bot operators.

Since the end of January 2026, there have been intensified measures against bots, such as blocking various VPN services, an improved in-game reporting system, and hardware bans. The in-game level required to farm resources has also been set to level 45 in this context. With the totality of the measures, the developers should be able to curb the bots in the future.

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The success and popularity of Aion 2 also attract bots that can significantly influence the game. The fact that they must even change their own economy shows how serious the problem has become. Whether the developers will achieve their goal with this measure will be revealed over time. Aion 2 is the beacon of hope for MMORPGs and a mega-success in Asia, but what is behind it?

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. 17173.com
  2. nc.com

Companies are pouring billions into AI, but a fatal mistake will likely cost them long-term success

Claudio Niggenkemper Claudio Niggenkemper Reading time 2 minutes

Many companies are currently investing heavily in artificial intelligence while simultaneously cutting back on their employees and their training. An HR expert warns: This very strategy could fail in the long run.

What mistakes does the expert warn against? In a comment in the US economic magazine Fortune, expert Wendi Safstrom recently warned against disastrous misinvestments in the AI sector. Wendi Safstrom is the president of the SHRM Foundation – one of the largest organizations for human resource development worldwide.

The SHRM Foundation is part of the Society for Human Resource Management, which represents millions of HR professionals globally. Safstrom deals daily with the question of how work is changing through technology and what role humans play in it.

Specifically, Safstrom addresses in the comment the imbalance between pure investments in AI tools and the skills of employees in companies.

Start video
Students spy on passersby with hidden cameras and AI, find name and address in seconds

What’s happening in companies right now? Many companies are currently investing billions in AI to become more efficient and reduce costs. At the same time, however, a critical area is being cut: training, education, and employee development (Wall Street Journal).

According to the numbers mentioned in the Fortune comment, around three-quarters of all so-called Knowledge Workers are already using AI in their jobs. However, about 60 percent have not received any formal training for this (Work Trend Index).

Knowledge Worker, known in German as Wissensarbeiter, are professionals who create added value for the company through their expertise, critical thinking, and social skills. The focus is often on analysis and problem-solving activities (via IBM & Jacobin).

Artificial intelligence will shape the future of work. Humans will drive it forward. The companies that will prevail are those that do not view investments in the workforce as an item to be cut but as part of their strategy.

Wendi Safstrom, Fortune

While AI spending is rising sharply, according to Safstrom, training budgets are growing only minimally. In some cases, even the average learning time per employee is decreasing.

The Main Thing is AI

Why does the expert see a significant risk in this? Safstrom warns that this strategy might work in the short term but will have clear disadvantages in the long run.

Because AI only brings real productivity gains when employees can use it correctly. Research shows that tasks are completed 25% faster and with 40% higher quality, productivity increases by 60%, and up to 36% more time remains for more challenging tasks (The Harvard Crimson).

However, these improvements will only occur in the long term if employees are appropriately trained in handling AI, according to the expert.

Additionally, there is an economic factor: According to data referenced in the comment, unmotivated and stressed employees cost the global economy about $9 trillion every year (Gallup).

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von Benedikt Schlotmann

Looking at this, it quickly becomes clear: In the age of AI, it’s not just technology that decides but mainly who ultimately uses it sensibly. Which jobs are really under pressure and which are not is not always clear: An expert reveals what the biggest risk is for your job in the age of AI

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

Manufacturer renounces cheap products due to RAM crisis, affecting players who cannot afford much

jan hartmayer jan hartmayer Reading time 2 minutes

In addition to memory, storage, and especially SSD prices are rising. This affects not only gamers but also companies that must cope with the increased costs. MSI is now changing its strategy and hitting budget gamers where it hurts the most. 

What has happened? In a live report from Taipei on the United Daily News website on March 14, 2026, MSI manager Huang Jinqing explains how the current RAM crisis is affecting the company and what strategies they plan to pursue in the future. 

First, due to supply shortages of NVIDIA graphics cards and high memory/SSD prices, gaming products are set to become up to 30 percent more expensive. 

Therefore, according to the report, the company aims to pursue three goals: 

  1. The focus will be on high-end products, with entry-level models being reduced by up to 30 percent. 
  2. The transition from DDR4 to DDR5 motherboards and the establishment of long-term contracts with memory manufacturers for 3-5 years should also be achieved. 
  3. Aiming for revenue growth of 50-100 percent in the server sector within five years to meet industry challenges. 

According to manager Huang, the year 2026 will be the most difficult for the company since its founding.  

Start video
Why is RAM so expensive? The current situation explained in 2 minutes

Budget users need to be strong now 

What does this mean for gamers? A price increase of 15 to 30 percent is unpleasant for all MSI product buyers, but the changing focus hits the entry-level segment doubly hard. According to the company, cheap models account for about 30 percent of its sales.

Not only are budget products like laptops, GPUs, and PCs going to become more expensive due to the general price increase.

But since the company wants to focus more on the mid- and high-end segments, according to MSI’s own statements, available budget options are expected to be reduced by about 30 percent. Almost a third of all gamers can expect additional restrictions, such as lower availability.

Which products are specifically affected is unclear, but the report states that MSI wants to focus on product lines such as the RTX-5060/5070 graphics cards. As a result, the current price situation of hardware is frustrating for many users. For some, it’s become so unbearable that they are already calling for a boycott of certain components. 

How high are current hardware prices? Since the end of 2025, the costs for computer parts have been rising rapidly. First, it affected memory, but now other components like SSDs are following: 

A basic DDR5-16GB RAM kit cost about 100 euros in mid-2025 and is now four times as expensive at around 400 euros (via Geizhals). 

SSDs are also affected. A simple 1TB SSD from WD is currently about 150 euros, twice as expensive, as it cost around 70 euros four months ago (via Geizhals).

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As a result, the entry-level segment is also affected. Users trying to assemble a budget gaming rig currently have no alternatives and must spend significantly more money on their components or forgo a purchase altogether. Even industry experts are already saying: RAM is currently unbelievably expensive; market researchers are sure it will stay that way for a while

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. techradar
  2. united daily news

WoW: Those who wanted to be a legend had only 9 hours – That was probably nothing, Blizzard

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

Depths should offer glory and honor in World of Warcraft Midnight for all who defeat the toughest end boss. But the fun was over after just a few hours.

One of the biggest goals in World of Warcraft for many is to have something in the game that is particularly rare. Whether it’s one of the ancient “Realm First” titles, a mount like the Spectral Tiger, or another achievement. With Midnight, there should have been a chance for Depths fans to earn such glory if they wanted to enter the Hall of Fame.

In theory, it worked out, but in practice, it was quite unfair. Because even before most people got home from work, the race was already over and the Hall of Fame was overcrowded.

Start video
WoW: What the Trading Post Offers in March

What was new? Depths are a relatively new feature from The War Within that was further developed in Midnight. Similar to mythic raids, Blizzard has included a “Hall of Fame.” Those who defeat the current Depths Nemesis “Nullaeus” on the “??” difficulty can secure a place in the Hall of Fame. This applied to the first 4,000 characters in each region (EU, US, China, etc.).

The catch? The vast majority did not have a fair chance here.

Hall of Fame filled in 9 hours – before players got home from work

What was the problem? The Hall of Fame filled up at lightning speed. The 4,000 spots in America were filled after 14 hours, while in Europe it took only 9 hours. So anyone with a regular workday who got to the PC after 4:00 PM had already lost their chance, as the Hall of Fame was already full by that time.

Did Blizzard miscalculate? Voices in the community are saying that this introduction of the Hall of Fame for the Depths was not a good implementation, because only those who took time off – or were lucky enough not to have to work at launch – had any chance at all. For the future, changes are desired. Some ideas include:

  • The Hall of Fame should not have limited spots, but rather a time limit. All who achieve success within a time limit (about 3 or 7 days) should be included in the Hall of Fame.
  • The Hall of Fame should be sorted by class, so for example, the first 1,000 of each class would receive a spot.

It seems clear that Blizzard will take some lessons from the outcome of this “race” for the future. Whether the Depths Nemesis needs to be a bit tougher or a better solution for the Hall of Fame will be found remains to be seen.

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Cortyn says: Honestly, I’m not surprised that the Hall of Fame filled up so quickly. Many have tried in recent days to push their Valeera to the current maximum level and took every little advantage to be able to quickly contend with Nullaeus. However, the Hall of Fame is a significant disappointment when “normal players” have no chance at all unless they take the appropriate day off. This is not even the case with the Mythic Hall of Fame, which is considered the pinnacle discipline in World of Warcraft.
Some issues that World of Warcraft, aside from the Hall of Fame, still needs to get under control have been discussed extensively in this article: 3 major problems that WoW Midnight still has to address.

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

Crimson Desert: Playtime – How much time do you need?

Alexander Mehrwald Alexander Mehrwald Reading time 2 minutes

Crimson Desert is a new action-adventure with a huge scope of content and features. No wonder many people are asking how much time one can spend with the game. We took a look at the whole thing for you.

How long does it take to complete Crimson Desert? According to estimates, you should budget the following times:

  • Only the story: about 50 hours
  • Story, all side quests and exploring the entire map: about 100 hours
  • 100 %: about 150–200 hours

These estimates were made by our colleagues at GameStar based on various journal entries and their experience during the first hours of play in the preview. Marketing chief Will Powers also revealed in a Q&A via YouTube that the game will offer several hundred hours of content – depending on how players choose to play.

The exact numbers will only be revealed when the game lifts the review embargo on March 18, 2026, and the game is released on March 19. We explain how these estimates were created here.

Update from March 19, 2026: Today is release day! We have reviewed the article and made some structural adjustments. You can find all the information about the launch here: Crimson Desert: Launch time, preload and embargo – Everything you should know
Start video
Crimson Desert shows more of the fights and progression in the action RPG in the new gameplay video

Almost 3,000 journal entries give an impression

How did GameStar estimate this time? During their hands-on session, the colleagues from GameStar took a period of the first 4 hours and looked at how many entries they had managed to achieve in that time. At that time, the approximately 32 characters, 6 factions, 24 territories, 20 collectibles, and 12 adventures had been recorded.

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In total, there are in the game:

  • 468 characters
  • 110 factions
  • 573 territories
  • 397 life forms
  • 75 bosses
  • 28 mounts
  • 430 adventure entries
  • 150 collectable resources
  • 94 collectibles
  • 347 crafting blueprints
  • 214 memory fragments

This results in the estimated total playtimes mentioned above. Whether some areas or entries will take particularly long or whether everything will be much quicker than expected will become clear soon.

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The sheer scope of the game seems too good to be true for many players. Many are skeptical but also excited, based on the official figures regarding the scope of the game’s content. The community has mixed opinions about the size of Crimson Desert: How big is Crimson Desert really? Official figures reveal it, generating both excitement and skepticism.

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

Crimson Desert breaks me in the test: The open world sets new standards, but its size is overwhelming

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 15 minutes

For almost 2 weeks now, we have been allowed to play Crimson Desert. In our experience report, we reveal to you what the open-world adventure from Pearl Abyss does wonderfully well and what has regularly annoyed us.

“Ecstatic and deeply saddened” – as if old Johann Wolfgang von Goethe had played Crimson Desert a few hundred years ago. Because that’s exactly how I felt about the new game from Pearl Abyss (Black Desert) over and over again.

On one hand, I am thrilled by this immersive world – it sets standards: the graphics are beautiful, the view is breathtaking, and there’s something to discover everywhere. Also, the fights rock. Many of the boss fights are wonderfully varied and challenging. The puzzles are no walk in the park. I often had a lot of fun with Crimson Desert.

On the other hand, I had to struggle for hours with the unintuitive controls before they finally became somewhat second nature. Much in Crimson Desert is frustratingly under-explained. Even as an experienced player, I often think to myself: What does the game want from me? And then the balance is off, making some challenges unnecessarily frustrating.

And then this continent is also so large and packed with content that you can easily spend hundreds of hours in Pywel. Great for open-world fans with plenty of time. Not so great for those who want to see the credits after 50 to 60 hours at the latest.

I’ll elaborate on all of this for you a bit more in the following sections so that you can make a purchase decision suitable for you from the release of Crimson Desert on March 19, 2026. You can jump to the relevant sections via the table of contents:

[toc]

Who is writing here? Karsten Scholz is the MMORPG expert at MeinMMO. He knows the quasi-predecessor Black Desert very well. Additionally, Karsten feels comfortable in open-world games (recently he caught up on Spider-Man 2) and in the action-adventure genre for many years.

Karsten has been looking forward to Crimson Desert since the first trailers. In the past 2 weeks, he has spent almost every spare minute on the continent of Pywel. He has accumulated nearly 65 hours. One first insight: He probably has to invest just as many hours again to beat Crimson Desert.
Start video
Crimson Desert: Launch trailer shows new bosses, dragon action and the storming of a moving train

What is the story about?

One of the biggest question marks after the play sessions and trailers was regarding the quality of the story of Crimson Desert. As is known, the main character Kliff is the focus, whose gray mane clan is crushed at the beginning of the game by the rival Black Bears.

One of your tasks is henceforth to find the survivors scattered in all directions, to build a new home for them, and ultimately to revenge yourself on the Black Bears. Triggered by the attack, Kliff also stumbles into a larger conflict that could destroy the entire continent.

Crimson Desert tells the main story and various larger side quests repeatedly in elaborately staged in-game sequences that you can fast forward but not skip. The English speakers usually do a great job in the fully voiced dialogues.

Especially the rough gray mane members have grown dear to me over time as a collective – even though the clan is not as interestingly depicted as, for example, the gang from Red Dead Redemption 2.

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In terms of the main character, RDR2 then even wins by a large margin: While I shed tears during Arthur Morgan’s long ride, Kliff’s stoic reactions sometimes feel almost like a parody. No matter how crazy things happen around him, you often don’t get more than a “Hmmph” out of the Jon Snow lookalike.

Ultimately, though, the stories from Crimson Desert work for me much better than the storytelling in Black Desert did. The narrative strands behind the quests infuse life into the various factions and personalities, enrich their conflicts, and let me dive even deeper into the world of Crimson Desert.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6

Fortnite reveals the new map for Chapter 7 Season 2 – This will change

Christos Tsogos Christos Tsogos Reading time < 1 minutes

Fortnite has revealed its new map for Chapter 7 Season 2. You will land there soon in March 2026. But before you do, you need to know what details exist and how it actually looks. We will show you the new map.

Where does the information come from? Fortnite has released several trailers before the release of Chapter 7 Season 2, including a live-action trailer. In this, there were many hints about new collaborations as well as content for the upcoming season. In a short sequence, there was perhaps the most important detail for Season 2 – a snippet of the mini-map.

Start video
Fortnite shows its new Battle Pass for Chapter 7 Season 2 in the launch trailer

What is changing on the map

What will change? Of course, the snippet is pixelated and very small, but you can immediately see what will change on the new map. Primarily, it affects the northern part of the map, which is completely frozen. Most likely, there is the castle of the Ice King that you can visit.

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Three small spots can also be seen across the map. The shards of the Zero Point could be located there, which were also seen in past trailers and were pulled out by the spaceship of the Cube Queen.

It is possible that they could change your player’s gravity upon contact, allowing you to perform higher jumps. However, it is no longer recognizable what else has changed on the map.

We will have to wait and see what Epic Games has listed in the patch notes and whether a high-resolution image will be uploaded. Until then, feel free to check out our live ticker. We will keep you updated and show you what is in the upcoming update file: Fortnite: Server Down for Chapter 7 Season 2 starts tomorrow – Everything about server status & duration in the live ticker

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

After 20 minutes of a ridiculously absurd demo on Steam, I finally know how many dudes it takes to defeat a gorilla

Ody Ody Reading time 3 minutes

MeinMMO author Ody has explored in a new demo on Steam the question of how many dudes it takes to defeat a gorilla. Just 20 minutes and hordes of bloodthirsty toddlers later, he knows: 33 dudes are enough, and he definitely wants more of this crazy game.

When I looked for new releases on Steam this morning that I could present to you here, I thought about a lot of things. However, a roguelike autobattler where I box hordes of toddlers or horses the size of ducks with an army of dudes wasn’t on my bingo card.

“How Many Dudes?” is exactly that – and much funnier than one might expect. In the new game by developer Butterscotch Shenanigans, the name says it all, as the only important question is: How many dudes do I need to defeat xy? If you want to get a feel for the game yourself, you can easily download the free demo of How Many Dudes? on Steam.

Here you can see a trailer for the game:

Start video
How Many Dudes? – New roguelike asks the question of all questions, lets you fight against gorillas and toddlers with your buddies

Many different dudes, one goal

At the beginning, the answer to this question is still quite simple: Just one regular dude is enough to defeat 10 bloodthirsty toddlers. However, with each round, the opponents become more dangerous and more numerous. Eventually, you’ll need a whole army.

After the first round, I was also able to choose between two classes of dudes to help me in future battles. I had the choice between a samurai dude who finishes off injured enemies with his katana or a “Fireball Casting” spell dude (you can probably guess what he does).

Being the absolute weeb that I am, I, of course, chose the samurai. And since I’m putting up an advertisement here, I get reinforcements from new dudes of this class between the rounds.

Later, I expanded my crew with some additional types of dudes:

  • Knight dudes draw the attention of opponents and tank hits for their weaker dudes
  • Cleric dudes heal injured dudes, prioritizing the ones who are most critically injured
  • Bard dudes inspire up to 4 random dudes with their songs, making them faster and dealing more damage

And those are by no means all the classes included in the demo.

How many Dudes Screenshot
In chaotic battles, you face not only dangerously bloodthirsty toddlers but also other nasty opponents – such as 50 goats.

More than just a funny meme

Over time, I built a small army of dudes with which I can face every imaginable meme scenario: 33 dudes were enough for me to defeat a gorilla and 14 goats (but you might manage with fewer).

Your dudes fight on their own, by the way – and these fights are quite brutal. So brace yourself for bloodstains in the arena and exploding ducks. Even if you can’t control your dudes directly, you can support them with items. These allow you to launch meteors into the arena, summon lightning, or teleport your fighters to any place in the arena.

If this hasn’t been clear yet – yes, How Many Dudes? is an absolute meme game. If you can’t handle absurd “How many people does it take to defeat xy?” scenarios, the humor of the game might be too much for you.

The game, however, doesn’t just rely on the absurd humor of these memes to entertain. It’s also really not a bad roguelike. There are items that you collect, which give your dudes buffs. Even the exact arrangement of your dudes can have tactical advantages. For example, I collected an item that gives my dudes significantly more health points at the end of the formation. This is especially valuable for placing my knight dudes there since they need to take a lot of damage.

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For me, How Many Dudes? could become a very similar experience to Brotato – a game I can spend many hours on while I’m busy with other things. I, for one, will continue playing the demo for a while.

But now it’s your turn. What do you think of the game? Funny or just plain ridiculous? Feel free to let us know in the comments. And since MeinMMO author Ody has already compared the game to Brotato, here’s a recommendation for it: I spent over 150 hours potatoing through endless alien hordes on Steam, and with 96% happy players, I’m not alone

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

After Hytale, the next block game wants to impress on Steam – Players give a clear verdict

Christoph Waldboth Christoph Waldboth Reading time 3 minutes

On Steam a new sandbox RPG called Everwind has launched, reminiscent of Minecraft visually and of Hytale in gameplay. Initial reactions from players are predominantly positive.

What is Everwind? It is a game developed by Enjoy Studio S.A., which entered Early Access on March 17, 2026.

Everwind is described on the Steam page as a “new variant of the RPG and sandbox survival genre in first-person perspective.” Watching the trailer quickly evokes associations with Minecraft, mainly due to the look.

The world is primarily made up of blocks or block-like shapes, which is why the comparison is not surprising. In gameplay, Everwind differs from Minecraft and focuses on combat, exploration, and technology.

Alone or together with other players, you can build your own bases, explore floating islands with an airship, defeat enemies and bosses, and collect loot. This leads to the next comparison: Hytale.

The game, which was first hyped and then believed to be dead, was eventually successfully released, is probably most similar to Everwind. And while Hytale itself is not available on Steam, but only in its own launcher, Everwind has now made its debut on Valve’s platform.

Start video
The new sandbox RPG Everwind looks like Hytale, features action-packed battles in the trailer

A successful mix with slight weaknesses

How did the Early Access launch go? On March 17, as announced months ago by the developers, it launched on Steam. Everwind reached a peak of 7,342 concurrent players within the first 24 hours, as of March 18, 2026, 19:00 (via steamdb.info).

Thus, the title is not among the big hits on the platform and cannot compete with Hytale’s 2.8 million players by any means, but it has already achieved a very positive rating. 336 reviews have been submitted, resulting in an average of 89%.

The predominantly positive reviews have already spent several hours in Everwind and share their impressions with the community:

  • “I find it very good, I like it better than Hytale. It is varied and has a cozy vibe, great for relaxing,” summarizes Mr. Goosyou.
  • “Awesome game, beautiful open world in the style of Minecraft and Skyrim. The graphics are also great, everything runs smoothly. I can’t wait for the full version,” writes Tobi.
  • “The developer has essentially drawn from many different genres and implemented them very well into their own game. Everwind brings a refreshingly new concept to the market that is pleasing and a lot of fun,” finds suechtitom.
  • “This game is basically exactly what my younger self dreamed of when I first played Minecraft 15 years ago,” shares Skali.

Along with many enthusiastic reviews, there is currently also criticism on Steam. It mainly concerns the technical state, specifically: the performance. User BennySunzide reports that with a GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER and a Ryzen 7 7800X3D processor, he only gets 28 FPS and therefore doesn’t recommend the game.

Other users echo this criticism. The developers have already responded to the technical issues in the comments. They recommend updating the graphics card drivers, as a setup like that of BennySunzide should comfortably handle the game at the highest settings.

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Overall, the atmosphere is very good. Both the technical state and the content of the game will be refined in the coming months. A roadmap announces several updates for 2026 that will bring new enemies, weapons, and story to the game.

Currently, Everwind is 10% off at the start of Early Access, costing €22.49 instead of €24.99. The offer is valid until March 31. Will you give Everwind a chance or have you perhaps already checked it out? If so, please share your impressions with us in the comments. Hytale often has ridiculous stories: Hytale eats a player’s map, and support impresses with their help

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

Pokémon world champion creates ranking for all 1,133 pocket monsters, gives his last place to a “small, ugly creature”

Jasmin Beverungen Jasmin Beverungen Reading time 2 minutes

The YouTuber WolfeyVGC is a true Pokémon expert. He has caught all Pokémon up to Generation 9 and created an ultimate ranking. He took his time to do this, specifically almost 4 hours.

What does the ranking look like? In the ranking, the YouTuber distributed 1,133 placements. Actually, there are only 1,025 Pokédex entries. However, many regional forms and Mega Evolutions were included in this ranking.

The video starts with the last place, which is occupied by Relluk from Generation 9. The YouTuber reportedly hates this Pokémon because it is small, ugly, and hardly visible in the game.

His top 10 are as follows:

  • Rank 1: Kyogre
  • Rank 2: Groudon
  • Rank 3: Charizard
  • Rank 4: Fuegro
  • Rank 5: Cresselia
  • Rank 6: Xerneas
  • Rank 7: Dratini
  • Rank 8: Rayquaza
  • Rank 9: Salamence
  • Rank 10: Mimic

To explain the complete ranking in detail, the YouTuber needs around 4 hours. You can watch the full video here:

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For the ranking, Wolfey along with 2 friends evaluated each Pokémon from 1 to 10 across several categories. The average of the scores determined the rank. The favorite Pokémon of MeinMMO editor Jasmin, Sniebel, lands on a solid 309th place.

Professional Ranking with Expert Assessment

How was the ranking created? Each Pokémon was rated using a 10-point system across 3 specific categories. The final ranking was derived from the average of the points assigned by the YouTuber and his 2 friends.

  • On one hand, the competitive viability in official tournaments was assessed. Important factors included base stats, type combination, available moves, and special abilities.
  • The second criterion was the design. This category is the most subjective, which is why the YouTuber involved 2 friends with different tastes.
  • Finally, the cult status of a Pokémon was examined. Important factors included appearances in the anime or their status as mascots. A good question to verify cult status would be: Would my mother recognize this Pokémon?
Start video
MeinMMO was at the 30th anniversary of Pokémon in London

What kind of YouTuber is he? Wolfey is the VGC World Champion from 2016. He has been playing at the highest professional level for over a decade and has won nearly every major tournament. He was so successful that he was invited by The Pokémon Company itself as an official commentator for major tournaments.

Which place did your favorite Pokémon land in? Let us know in the comments!

Also, MeinMMO has attempted a ranking in the past. However, not in the way you might currently imagine. We actually conducted an imaginary taste test and tried to list the Pokémon in a way that made our mouths water: The 5 tastiest Pokémon in the ranking

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

An actor made everyone cry in Clair Obscur, returning in a bigger role in 2026

Christoph Waldboth Christoph Waldboth Reading time 2 minutes

Charlie Cox is an important part of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 with his voice. After the very positive reaction to the title, the actor is surprised and announces that he will appear in a new game soon.

Who did Charlie Cox play in Clair Obscur? In the role-playing game from Sandfall Interactive released in 2025, the actor is heard as Gustave. Mind you, only heard, as the motion-capture performance of the character was taken over by Maxence Cazorla.

Clair Obscur was uncharted territory for Charlie Cox. Until now, he had never voiced a role in a game and had mainly worked in front of the camera for series and films. Among other things, he played Daredevil in the Marvel series of the same name.

Anyone who has played Clair Obscur knows that the role of Gustave is relatively small. In any case, it is very emotional, without giving too much away. Just this much: Not least the vocal performance of Charlie Cox has surely brought tears to some.

In an interview, the actor now spoke about the reactions to Clair Obscur – and how his journey in the video game world will continue.

Start video
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 hinterlässt bei den Spielern eine Leere

A New Path

How was the experience? In a conversation with Agents of Fandom on YouTube, Cox talks about the game and how much he loved being a part of it:

I was completely blown away by the success [of Clair Obscur] and the impact the game had. It apparently opened up a whole new path for my professional work.

Charlie Cox

Cox further shares that he will also appear in a new video game in 2026. The industry was previously unknown to him, but it sounds like he is quite taken by it and open to further projects.

Unfortunately, the actor has not yet revealed any details about the next game. We know neither the title nor which developer it is from. Cox only lets slip that his role will be significantly larger than in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. More work will be necessary for that, more certainly than the four hours he spent in the studio as Gustave.

One reason for the actor’s enthusiasm for the medium may also be the reaction from fans. In the interview, Cox emphasizes how surprised he was by the passion of the players. According to his own statement, he only knows such dedication from Marvel fans.

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Last but not least, Cox is also thankful for the second half of Gustav. Namely, Maxence Cazorla, who lent his body to the character.

Whether Charlie Cox will take on this part himself in the next project is still open. However, since he talks about significantly more work coming his way, it cannot be ruled out. His voice will certainly take us on an adventurous journey again in the English audio version. Recently, the game caused some commotion: Clair Obscur files cease and desist against comic author, who gives up immediately, but now there’s a happy ending

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