To get strong gear, players in Diablo 4 defeat the toughest enemies in the game. One of them has analyzed after 3,500 boss kills: getting perfect equipment is nearly impossible without other players.
Which boss has the player defeated? The player has defeated the boss Belial in Diablo 4 a total of 3,500 times. His primary goal was to obtain the unique “Ophidian Iris” as a 4GA version (an item with 4 greater affixes) for his Sorceress. The amulet was newly introduced in Season 9 in the loot pool of the hideout bosses.
Then he had the idea that he could take a larger sample since he was already making thousands of runs. However, the result of his analysis is rather sobering, especially for those hoping for really strong boss drops.
Even the cheeky treasure goblins can drop uniques:
Start video
Die neuen Goblin-Varianten in Diablo 4 im Video
Without trading, one rarely gets useful items
In his Reddit post, the player shares several graphics that break down all his loot from the runs at Belial. The special thing about this boss is that you can choose the loot from the pool of all hideout bosses at Belial. He himself mostly chose Andariel’s loot table, only resorting to Urivar in the last 150 runs.
The numbers are impressive but not necessarily encouraging. Of a total of 31,601 items, only a tiny part was really strong loot. The player even received more mythic uniques than 3GA or 4GA items combined. It is unclear how many of those mythics had greater affixes.
Specifically, he collected in the 3,500 runs:
Items with 1GA: 8,638
Items with 2GA: 689
Items with 3GA: 67
Items with 4GA: 20
Mythic Uniques: 101
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from Reddit that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
Why is it nearly impossible to get perfect gear this way? His conclusion from the runs is that it is extremely unlikely to get a usable 3GA or 4GA without trading. Those are precisely the most sought-after drops, which also enhance the strongest builds in Diablo 4 with their greater affixes.
In total, he was able to collect 87 items with 3 or 4 greater affixes, but had to invest enormous amounts of time for that. On top of that, you need “Veils of the Traitor,” which you get from Belial when he spawns randomly after another boss fight, to open his chest after the boss fight. For his runs, the player bought the veils. He did not obtain the desired unique amulet with 4GA in the 3,500 runs.
Could he sell any of it? Partially, yes. In another graphic, he shows that he was able to sell a total of 17 items: 2 with 2GA, 2 with 3GA, and 13 with 4GA. Why it wasn’t more is likely due to several factors:
Some items are account-bound.
Many players only look for very specific uniques or mythics.
Not everyone uses the trading system.
The GA items do not have the “right” greater affixes.
Many players have already moved on from the current season.
But not only the loot itself is often criticized by the community. The lack of a loot filter is also currently a topic among the players of Diablo 4. Meanwhile, the developers also see that the current system is reaching its limits and needs improvement.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Erythrite Crystal are one of the most important resources in Dune: Awakening. MeinMMO tells you where you can best farm the crystals.
Where can I find Erythrite Crystals? The crystals occur underground, so it’s best to farm them in the depths of Hagga Rift. Grab a vehicle or aircraft with inventory expansion and head to the mineral extraction facilities located on the intermediate levels of the gorge.
Update from September 9, 2025: Today, a new update and content DLC are being released, which may bring new players to Arrakis. We have therefore checked the guide again.
Look for Erythrin crystals in the marked areas of Hagga Rift.
Fortunately, you can recognize Erythrite from a considerable distance by its red crystals. For extraction, you need at least a Cutteray Type 2. Higher Cutteray levels can improve your extraction efficiency, but aren’t necessary.
Cobalt paste in large quantities
What do I need Erythrite for? You can process the collected Erythrite into cobalt paste at a chemical refinery. You’ll need this resource for numerous recipes like building sand bikes, buggies, and ornithopters, as well as for tools or equipment parts.
More tips and tricks for Dune Awakening in the video:
Start video
Dune: Awakening: 7 schnelle Tipps, die das Spiel euch nicht verrät
What do I need to know about Dune: Awakening? The new survival MMO from Funcom was released on June 10, 2025, for PC and takes you to the desert planet Arrakis. However, you won’t find the familiar storyline from the books or movies here, but rather an alternate timeline in which Paul Atreides was never born.
Hunger, thirst, sun, aggressive enemies – from the first minute, survival is the focus of Dune: Awakening. By continuously crafting better tools, equipment, bases, vehicles, and weapons, you ease your daily life, allowing you to focus more on exploring the game world, mastering dungeons, or experiencing the story.
In large parts of the game world, you can encounter up to 39 other players at most. Exceptions are the two faction capitals and the deep desert, a vast endgame area where PvP is active almost everywhere and changes drastically every week due to a storm. You can find more in our overview: Dune: Awakening – Everything about the release on PS5, Xbox, and PC
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the world of Dune: Awakening, there are life-threatening regions with high radiation. MyMMO reveals how radiation affects you and what options you have to protect yourself.
How does radiation affect Dune: Awakening? The first radiated zone you will encounter on Arrakis is likely The Anomaly from the Western Vermillius Rift. You can already recognize it from a distance by the color shimmering flicker in the air. However, there are more radiated areas in the world, such as near some shipwrecks.
Update from September 9, 2025: Today, a new update and content DLC are being released, which may bring new players to Arrakis. We have therefore checked the guide again.
If you enter this zone without proper protection, the radiation level rises to 1 (you can check the radiation level at any time using the shortcut T) and a debuff indicator starts to fill up.
The radiation in the anomaly is clearly visible due to the flicker in the air.
This radiation indicator has 150,000 units and warns: danger of immediate death. And indeed, you are at risk of (almost) immediate virtual death if this indicator fills completely. Why almost? Because the radiation will only send you to the ground after a slight delay of a few minutes.
So, do not underestimate radiation just because it does not immediately negatively affect your health points (unlike poison or fire). If you leave the radiated zone in time, the radiation effect will slowly decrease again.
Additional tips for survival on Arrakis:
Start video
Dune: Awakening: 7 schnelle Tipps, die das Spiel euch nicht verrät
The good old iodine tablet
How can I protect myself? There is actually no complete protection. However, you can prepare to survive long enough within the radiated areas to bring home the loot found there.
Build the Radiation Suit Type 4: 90% radiation mitigation (requires clothing fabricator for production)
Build the Radiation Suit Type 5: 92% radiation mitigation (requires clothing fabricator for production)
Build the Radiation Suit Type 6: 93% radiation mitigation (requires advanced clothing fabricator for production)
Iodine tablets: Accelerates the breakdown of radiation in the body and protects the body in combination with a radiation suit from radioactive radiation – additional 3% radiation mitigation for 10 minutes (requires survival fabricator for production)
Note that you must have completed the fifth trial of Aql in order to tackle the necessary research for radiation protection. Also important: The Type 4 suit only protects up to a radiation level of 4. Once the radiation increases, you will need better suits.
What do I need to know about Dune: Awakening? The new survival MMO from Funcom was released on June 10, 2025, for PC and takes you to the desert planet Arrakis. However, you won’t find the familiar plot from the books or films, but an alternative timeline in which Paul Atreides was never born.
Hunger, thirst, sun, aggressive enemies – from the very first minute, survival is the focus of Dune: Awakening. By building better tools, gear, bases, vehicles, and weapons, you can increasingly ease your daily life, allowing you to focus more on exploring the game world, mastering dungeons, or experiencing the story.
In large parts of the game world, you can encounter up to 39 other players. Exceptions are the two faction capitals and the Deep Desert, a vast endgame area where PvP is active almost everywhere and which fundamentally changes every week due to a storm. You can find out more in our overview: Dune: Awakening – Everything about the release on PS5, Xbox, and PC
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The developers of Funcom occasionally provide codes for Dune: Awakening, through which you can unlock in-game goodies like skins and blueprints. MeinMMO will tell you which codes are active and how to redeem them.
Which codes are currently active? Currently (September 9, 2025), you can use a code to secure an in-game item for Dune: Awakening:
WAKE-THE-SLEEPER: You unlock a blueprint for the Frameblade Knife.
Where do I redeem the code? Go to the official website of Dune: Awakening and log in to your account via the “My Account” section at the top right using the Steam link. Once you are in your account manager, navigate to “REDEEM KEY” on the left.
Then copy the active code into the corresponding field. Make sure that no unwanted spaces have snuck in, as the code will not work then. If the code is active and entered correctly, the website should show you which in-game goodie you can receive. Confirm the process. After a while, the item should appear in your blueprint collection.
Update from September 9, 2025: We have checked whether there are any additional codes for Dune: Awakening. This is not the case.
The release trailer for Dune Awakening:
Start video
Dune: Awakening presents new action-packed trailer for the release of the game
Are there expired codes? Currently none.
What do I need to know about Dune: Awakening? The new survival MMO from Funcom was released on June 10, 2025, for PC and takes you to the desert planet Arrakis. However, you will not encounter the familiar storyline from the books or films, but rather an alternative timeline where Paul Atreides was never born.
Hunger, thirst, sun, aggressive enemies – from the first minute on, survival is the focus of Dune: Awakening. By building better tools, equipment, bases, vehicles, and weapons, you will increasingly ease your daily life so that you can focus more on exploring the game world, mastering dungeons, or experiencing the story.
In large parts of the game world, you can encounter a maximum of 39 other players. Exceptions are the two faction capitals and the Deep Desert, a vast endgame area where PvP is active almost everywhere and which fundamentally changes every week due to a storm. You can find out more in our overview: Dune: Awakening – Everything about the release on PS5, Xbox and PC
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Every week, the world of Dune: Awakening goes through a cycle where the destructive Coriolis storms and the Landsraad elections play an essential role.
What are Coriolis storms? Coriolis storms appear once a week in Dune: Awakening, destroying everything in the Deep Desert and then reshaping the regions of the endgame zone. All areas of the Hagga Basin and the two capitals of the Harkonnen and Atreides are not affected by the storms.
What is the Landsraad election? The Landsraad is a powerful political alliance of the great noble families within the Empire. In Dune: Awakening, the Landsraad consists of 25 houses, whose representatives you can meet in the game, and for which you must complete tasks as part of a guild once a week to influence the regularly held election.
The faction that can win the election is allowed to determine an active decree for the upcoming week. Such a decree might be that one of several possible traders becomes available to the winning faction, selling special recipes and some of the best items in the game.
Rest of the week: With your guild, you complete the tasks of the houses to decide the upcoming election for your faction and visit the Deep Desert at your leisure.
By the way, you can open the Landsraad overview with the shortcut “L”. There you can also see which decree is currently active.
Also important: The radio stations of Arrakis and the internal warning system announce upcoming Coriolis storms well in advance. Bring your belongings out of the Deep Desert into the safe Hagga Basin in time! If you haven’t discovered the radio yet, check it out here: Dune: Awakening has a hidden feature that has already sweetened every trip for you in GTA
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Students at Hogwarts learn far more than just theory. Even though they are still in training, they should not be underestimated. But which Hogwarts students are actually the strongest?
What was the ranking based on? In 1991, Harry begins his first year at the wizarding school Hogwarts. For six years, he learns spells, potion making, flying, and so on, before he begins hunting for Voldemort’s Horcruxes.
In this ranking, we look at all the students who were at school with Harry at the same time. Former Hogwarts students do not count, as that would nearly encompass all the characters from the series. When sorting the places, we mainly focused on the following aspects:
Magical power
Intelligence and success in school
Skills in dueling
Special talents
A new series about Harry Potter will soon be released, in which we hope to get to know some Hogwarts students even better:
Start video
Teaser for the new ‘Harry Potter’ series evokes nostalgic feelings
Place 10: Seamus Finnigan
House: Gryffindor
Age in the first part: 11 years
Harry’s classmate from Gryffindor was initially quite clumsy at magic. He regularly set things on fire or blew them up. What was initially a nuisance turned out to be extremely useful later. In the Battle of Hogwarts, he used his explosive abilities to blow up the access bridge.
Seamus also developed into a solid student. Especially in the subjects of Charms, Transfiguration, and “Defense Against the Dark Arts,” he was above average. The latter was also thanks to his training in “Dumbledore’s Army.”
Overall, Seamus Finnigan may not have been the most extraordinary student that Hogwarts has seen. However, I would still prefer not to face his pyrotechnics in a duel.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Time-Lost Proto-Drake has been one of the rarest and most sought-after mounts since its debut in Wrath of the Lich King in World of Warcraft. A certain Papaplatte has been craving this creature for many years. That’s why there was an 11-hour long farming marathon on Twitch now.
Why is there a farming marathon? The well-known streamer and YouTuber Papaplatte announced on September 7, 2025, the hunt for the Time-Lost Proto-Drake from World of Warcraft. The self-proclaimed goal: “Today we save my childhood.” Papaplatte’s wingman: the YouTuber and streamer BastiGHG.
Before starting the hunt, Papaplatte explains that he has been searching for this dragon since he was “13, 14, or 15” years old. However, he has never found it. Until now! But on the “Day of Days”, that is supposed to change. They will farm until the dragon is defeated and the mount is looted, so goes the plan.
Start video
Wir durften das Housing in WoW anspielen und hatten richtig Spaß
What is the difficulty? Unlike many other opponents in WoW that can drop mounts, the Time-Lost Proto-Drake, fortunately, rewards its conquerors with a 100 percent chance. The difficulty lies in finding this dragon in the Storm Peaks of the Wrath of the Lich King expansion.
The bronze-colored lizard can randomly appear at various locations around the Temple of Storms, from where it then makes one of several possible rounds through the zone at a high altitude. Once defeated, it also takes a considerable amount of time for it to respawn – reports range from 1 to 72 hours (Source: wowhead.com).
Who is Papaplatte? Kevin Andreas Teller is a German web video producer, podcaster, and one of the largest content creators in the country. His main channel on Twitch has 3 million followers, and his main channel on YouTube has 1.26 million subscribers. There are also various secondary channels. Recently, there was some beef in the streaming community as one of his ex-editors publicly complained about him. In the end, it seems the dispute could be settled.
“I GOT HIM”
How does the hunt end? When a well-known content creator farms a mount in WoW for hours live, he usually doesn’t stay alone. Papaplatte was eventually able to rely on several spies watching the airspace of the Storm Peaks of Northrend.
And indeed, after 10 hours and 53 minutes, the long-awaited message finally appeared in the chat: Time-Lost Proto-Drake sighted! With his druid, the streamer immediately headed to the specified position to take down the flying fiend in flight form. The fight itself lasted – unsurprisingly – only a few moments.
Just before the 11-hour mark, the long-farmed reins finally landed in Papaplatte’s inventory: “I GOT HIM. I GOT HIM.” You can check out the rest of his joyful screams in this short clip on YouTube. The full stream can be found on Twitch.
How does the community react to the successful hunt? Alone under the YouTube clip, there are 12,136 thumbs up and more than 135 comments.
linah1998 writes there: “I had the stream running in the background all day, and it was such an awesome finale. Finally … the TLPD.”
flon3070 almost missed the finale: “I was there the whole time, fell asleep, and his screams woke me up, that’s why I didn’t miss it.”
obstgarden also had fun: “The stream was mega legendary and exciting throughout. I’m so happy for him. And thanks to BastiGHG for taking the time.”
In another article on MeinMMO, some other very rare mounts from World of Warcraft were discussed because these had significantly higher drop chances during an event. Fingers crossed that Blizzard will bring this bonus back from time to time: WoW: 5 rare mounts you should farm now with the mount buff
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
At release, Fallout 76 struggled with many issues, and not only regarding its technology. The marketing also faced a lot of criticism. Now, a former executive and the person who endorsed part of it back then is speaking out.
In the first weeks, there was significant criticism from the community that the game did not deserve a 1.0 release. It was said to be too unfinished and should go back into development for a few more months or longer. User ratings plummeted.
However, aside from the technical problems, there was also discontent among players: some Fallout fans felt betrayed by an online game without NPCs. A particularly large outcry was caused by the Collector’s Edition.
What was the problem with the Collector’s Edition? Bethesda offered a strictly limited Power Armor Edition for a proud 200 Euros. Contents: A T-51 Power Armor helmet with a carrying bag, a map of the game world (that glows in the dark), miniatures, and in-game rewards. Of course, also the game itself in a steelbook.
Apart from the fact that the helmet was not really wearable because it could allegedly mold, the biggest problem with the collector’s edition was the carrying bag. Bethesda advertised it as: “West Tek travel bag made from canvas”.
Canvas is a very durable, high-quality material that can withstand a lot and is therefore somewhat more expensive. Instead of this bag, however, the Power Armor packages contained only a bag made of cheap nylon. The buyers felt – rightly so – cheated.
After some time, Bethesda backtracked and stated that it was all due to a shortage and delivery problems with canvas. Later, the bags were replaced for the buyers. However, the entire issue with the Collector’s Edition still annoys a former executive today.
Start video
Everything you need to know about Fallout 76 – in 2 minutes
In an interview with DBLTAP, Hines now talks about his time at Bethesda and about Fallout 76 – particularly about the Collector’s Edition. According to Hines, a bag should never have been part of the edition; that only happened after he had already endorsed it. He says:
They tried to give the Collector’s Edition a higher value. We’re always fighting with the finance people over margins. I had powerful tantrums. “We can’t charge people 300 dollars for this; it’s a damn insult!”
[…] My biggest mistake was not insisting on making [bags] right away and sending one to anyone who wanted one. Because I was still angry that this thing was even in there. And nobody told me that, or that there was a canvas shortage. That might be the dumbest thing I’ve ever done at Bethesda.
Despite the initial difficulties, Fallout 76 has improved over the years. Bugs have been fixed, the world has been significantly expanded, and even NPCs have found their way into Appalachia, the game world of Fallout 76.
Helldivers 2 has been released for over a year and millions of players have experienced a lot. A new Xbox diver is now showing the veterans his method for dealing with the Termites and shocking them in the process.
What kind of approach is this? The Xbox diver Bannerbord has shown the brave Helldivers on Reddit how he deals with the bugs as a new player, who has only been playing on Xbox since the game launched. The war against the bugs is still raging in the galaxy of Helldivers 2, which received a major update with the last expansion.
Instead of shooting the bugs like ordinary soldiers from Over-Earth with firearms, airstrikes, grenades, or other normal weapons, the recruit chooses a different path.
In a video on Reddit, he shows how he armed with a flag jumps on the back of bugs and forcefully drives the Over-Earth flag into their bodies. Those who want to see this shocking way of fighting can find the video here:
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from Reddit that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
How are players reacting to the new method? The players of Helldivers 2 are shocked by the actions of the new recruit. For over a year, the Helldivers have honorably fought against the bugs. That a new recruit is now resorting to such barbaric methods causes outrage. Many veterans, however, also celebrate the player’s courage. On Reddit, the veterans write:
Worldly-Inevitable82: “This is one of the most glorious expressions of patriotism I’ve ever seen.”
pabloleon: “[…] You are not only right, Helldiver, you are democratically right, and that is the best kind of right o7.”
Common_Vagrant: “I am so proud of these new recruits.”
Fun_Elk_4949: “I like your style and enthusiasm. If this works, I want to know.”
Additionally, DoeJrPuck shows a drawn picture on Reddit that depicts the command center of Over-Earth, where the officers are shocked by the operation.
How is the war against the bugs going? With the new expansion, the Helldivers should take the war to the home worlds of the bugs. The enemies are showing themselves to be stubborn. The Helldivers’ campaign against the Termites is currently in its second phase.
Brave soldiers must explore a home world of the bugs while defending another planet as an operational base. The researchers from Over-Earth hope to find new effective methods against the Termites this way.
Start video
Helldivers 2 shows the new expansion “Into the Unjust” in the trailer and takes players deep underground
That the new recruits are already resorting to such democratic means to bring the guided democracy to the planets of the Termites shows that even Xbox divers already know how the game works. However, they are not doing so without the help of the veterans: 20 quick tips for Helldivers 2 to make your start easier
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The release of Borderlands 4 is around the corner, and it’s about time you choose one of the four Vault Hunters. To make this decision a bit easier for you, we summarize the most important information about the classes here and compare them with other Vault Hunters.
What classes are there? In Borderlands 4, there are four Vault Hunters, each with different abilities and play styles:
Vex – the Siren
Rafa – the Exo Soldier
Amon – the Smith Knight
Harlowe – the Gravitar
What exactly the four classes of Borderlands can do, we have already summarized for you here: Borderlands 4: All classes with story and skills. Therefore, we want to focus more on the already known information. Since we have a large Destiny community at MeinMMO, we also provide a small outlook on whether these Vault Hunters resemble a specific Guardian class.
Vex the Siren
What makes Vex stand out? Vex is the Siren of Borderlands 4 and can adjust the elemental type of her action skill to the elemental type of the equipped weapon. In battle, she uses phase energy to create various minions, such as the deadly feline Rabatzi or phase clones of Vex, which use either firearms or scythes for melee damage. Additionally, the skill tree suggests that there will be at least one build that focuses on bleed damage.
Vex fits you if…
you like to play Necromancer in other games and let minions or pets do the work for you.
you preferred to play FL4K in Borderlands 3.
you do not want to be limited to single elemental types with your action skills.
you like to focus on bleed builds.
you want not only classic weapons but also special abilities.
Does Vex resemble a Guardian from Destiny 2? So far, we see no resemblance of Vex to a Guardian in Destiny 2. However, this might make her interesting for Destiny players looking to experience something entirely new.
Start video
Borderlands 4 zeigt im Trailer, wie die gestresste Kassiererin Vex zu ihren Sirenen-Kräften kam
Rafa the Exo Soldier
What makes Rafa stand out? Rafa is a real soldier and therefore an expert in the use of weapons and combat equipment. Nevertheless, his skill trees suggest different play styles. With the arc blades, he is a fast melee fighter. The Peacekeeper cannons are a gadget that you can activate during a battle and then forget about, as they will shoot at your enemies on their own. The Apophis Lance, on the other hand, is a powerful cannon that could deal a lot of concentrated damage in critical situations.
Rafa fits you if…
you enjoy playing the classic soldier in Borderlands without extraterrestrial or divine abilities.
you like to spam gadgets like grenades.
you want a cannon that deals a lot of damage in one hit, potentially in a boss fight (Apophis Lance).
you prefer simple skills like automated turrets that you can activate and then forget about.
you enjoyed playing Zane in Borderlands 3 or preferred Zer0 or Axton in Borderlands 2.
you found Cyberpunk 2077 cool and were a fan of the mantis blades.
Does Rafa resemble a Guardian from Destiny 2? Rafa is comparable to the Hunter from Destiny 2, although there are, of course, significant differences – after all, these are two different games. The Blade Dancer Hunter is similarly melee-oriented as Rafa with the arc blades, and the Apophis Lance of the Vault Hunter could have a similar playstyle to the Gunslinger Hunter’s revolver.
Amon the Smith Knight
What makes Amon stand out? Amon, as the Smith Knight, is a versatile fighter. A look at his skill trees reveals that he can be used very variably due to his smithing skills. He can create various weapons like axes, hammers, swords, or a whip and a shield, all of which have specific elemental types like cryo, fire, and shock, or he can dive into battle with his bare fists. Depending on which skill tree and thus which weapons you choose, Amon is either a bruiser or a tank class. His skills are mainly designed for short to medium range.
Amon fits you if…
you like to play aggressively and want to engage in melee combat with powerful abilities.
you want to deal elemental damage regardless of your weapons.
you enjoy setting your enemies on fire.
you preferred to play Brick and Krieg in Borderlands 1 and 2.
you like to freeze opponents that want to get close to you.
you want to test different play styles and skills with a single Vault Hunter.
you want to play a tank that deflects enemy fire with a shield.
Does Amon resemble a Guardian from Destiny 2? Amon has various skills that remind of the Titan in Destiny 2, especially the hammers, which he can throw like the Sunbreaker Titan. Additionally, he can carry a shield in front of him like the Sentinel Titan, which blocks attacks.
What makes Harlowe stand out? Harlowe is basically a fake Siren. She uses technological aids to deploy skills that were rather associated with Sirens in the predecessors. For example, she can trap enemies in a bubble and put them in stasis and then throw that bubble to the ground. Alternatively, with her CHROMA accelerator, she has a kind of mobile mini-nuke and can inflict massive radiation damage or use a flux generator that creates an energy field that traps enemies and deals cryo damage.
Harlowe fits you if…
you want to deal massive AoE damage and enjoy crowd control.
you prefer cryo and radiation damage.
you enjoyed playing Sirens like Maya or Amara in the predecessors.
Does Harlowe resemble a Guardian from Destiny 2? Harlowe has a skill with the CHROMA accelerator and the energy pocket it generates that strongly resembles the Voidwalker Warlock, as she also shoots a kind of Nova bomb at enemies. Additionally, the bubble she uses with her “Null Point” action skill somewhat resembles a stronger version of the Vortex grenade.
The DLC “Legacy of The Forge” will be released on September 9, 2025, for all versions of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. MeinMMO editor Karsten Scholz has already played through the new adventure and reveals what to expect without any spoilers.
One of these DLCs – “Legacy of The Forge” – will be released for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 on September 9, 2025, for PC, Xbox Series S|X, PS5, and PS5 Pro, and I have already played through the story content of the package.
If you want to do the same, you need either the Gold or Collector’s Edition of Kingdom Come 2, the currently 22.50 euro expansion pass on Steam, or the DLC as a standalone purchase (the exact price of “Legacy of The Forge” is currently not visible in the stores; the previous DLC “Encounters with Death” costs 5.99 euros without discount).
Who writes here? Karsten Scholz is actually the MMORPG expert at MeinMMO. However, he has also felt at home in the genre of single-player RPGs since the good old SNES days. With Kingdom Come: Deliverance, he spent nearly 60 hours at launch. In part 2, it has become significantly more hours. He spent around 8 hours on “Legacy of The Forge” over the weekend.
[toc]
Back to the Roots
In the new DLC, you can expect a journey into the past of Heinrich and his adoptive father Martin. He was known to be a blacksmith and learned his iron-forming skills in Kuttenberg. However, the once-famous forge fell victim to a fire. Today, only an old woman named Magdalena lives in the ruins.
When you visit the decaying forge in the southeast of Kuttenberg with Heinrich, you will automatically activate the first story sequence of the new DLC. In conversation with Magdalena, there is an exciting option for you: to rebuild the forge where Heinrich’s father learned his craft and restore its former glory.
This includes uncovering a buried project of the old master blacksmith that would benefit all people in Kuttenberg, which at the time was doomed to fail due to betrayal and selfishness.
Here you can see the trailer for the new DLC:
Start video
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 lets you practice blacksmithing in the new DLC “Legacy of The Forge.”
Get to the Blacksmith Hammer
However, you can’t just implement all this. Only members of the local Craft Guild are allowed to run a forge in Kuttenberg. Additionally, you need money, an excellent reputation as a blacksmith, and assistance in realizing the project. There is a lot to do!
If you didn’t enjoy blacksmithing in the main game, you probably won’t have much fun with “Legacy of The Forge.” Both in the guild’s suitability test and in daily operations at your new forge, you need to swing the hammer to create swords, axes, and horseshoes.
For those who have never played Kingdom Come: Blacksmithing is linked to a kind of mini-game, where you work through various steps and must pay attention to strike rhythm, heat of the object being formed, and strike position.
The adventure begins with this burned forge.
Fulfilling customer requests not only earns you money but also increases your reputation in the town. The same goes for other new activities that come with the DLC to Kuttenberg. Sometimes you will need to help your new guild colleagues return stolen goods. Or friendly duels await you with the sword, in fistfights, archery, or dice.
You can also increase your reputation by donating to the church or for upcoming tournaments, or by supporting the renowned figures from the rat hole during some night-and-fog actions. Each day, you only have a selection of tasks available that rotate in the morning.
By the way, not only Karsten was able to play the DLC; colleague Jasmin also had the chance to peek into the new content:
It’s worth boosting Heinrich’s reputation as a blacksmith in Kuttenberg. The higher your reputation, the more options you have to renovate and expand your forge and the associated property.
Over time, you can give the main house a shingle roof, limestone facade, decorative grape vines, and an inviting shop sign. Then you can continue in the garden with a stone fountain, a barn with cows, a paved path, and a gate with wrought iron decoration. And your chamber also needs a complete makeover, with nice furniture and a warming ceramic oven.
Slowly, we expand Heinrich’s new home.
Great: Many of the purchases provide you with tangible benefits. If you read books under a chandelier, it increases the reading quality in the chamber and earns you blacksmithing reputation more efficiently. Honeycombs will provide you daily with honey. If you indulge in an alchemy greenhouse, you can brew potions at home.
Building such a cozy yet useful home for Heinrich out of the burned ruins is highly motivating and satisfying. And it offers veterans of Kingdom Come 2 a great opportunity to invest the riches accumulated over time into a nice side project. Such a stable with a pigsty can cost as much as 1,200 coins.
A Heartwarming Story
There is another reason why boosting your reputation is worthwhile! Not only are the upgrades to your home linked to your blacksmith reputation, but so are other contents, including important milestones of the new story. You may need to grind these new activities for several days to raise your reputation enough for the story to continue.
This is to prevent you from seeing everything in a very short time. However, this artificial barrier made me feel somewhat slowed down in two places. It also didn’t help that many of the new tasks feel rather generic (and thus like work).
No wonder: Most activities in the blacksmith career are procedurally generated. Only behind a few of the side quests are stories worth mentioning that entertain well. However, the clear highlights are the sections of the main story of the DLC.
Heinrich, one of his helpers, and the local bailiff just before the project is completed.
In these, we learn not only more about Heinrich’s father but also about other residents of Kuttenberg who had connections with the forge and who have not had it easy over the years. Some of these broken personalities find through Heinrich a fulfilling task, a chance at redemption, or a new home.
All the story threads then come together after a few hours in a feel-good ending when the major project for Kuttenberg is finally completed successfully, and all the helpers can bask in the applause of the townspeople. It may sound cheesy, but it’s a heartwarming moment when considering what many of the characters have gone through.
What Else Does the DLC Bring?
Apart from the new content surrounding the blacksmith career, there are primarily technical improvements in Kingdom Come 2:
a new HDR mode for corresponding monitors
a dynamic HUD system that allows you to hide certain interface elements dynamically
an extended photo mode with even more options
support for Intel XeSS, a new upscaling technology that works similarly to Nvidia’s DLSS-SR, but primarily maximizes Intel GPUs
This was once a dirty ruin.
Is “Legacy of The Forge” Worth It?
Even though I sometimes got annoyed with the slow pace of the new DLC story and found some of the blacksmith activities quite generic, I still had several hours of fun with Heinrich’s new adventure.
Kingdom Come 2 is simply a fantastic RPG, and the DLC touches on many different areas like fighting, dice, archery, puzzles, fistfights, break-ins, and more, despite the focus on blacksmithing.
Moreover, in the main quests and selected side quests, you get to experience all the strengths that made the stories of the main game so entertaining: memorable characters, quirky situational comedy, and well-written and voiced dialogues. If you enjoyed all that in the main game and have no aversion to blacksmithing, go for it!
By the way, it will be exciting again in Q4, as the perhaps most exciting DLC for Kingdom Come 2 will be released then. It goes to the monastery – veterans of the first part of the RPG series know what that could mean! You can find more details here: Kingdom Come Deliverance 2: Roadmap announces new monastery quest
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The next Spotlight Hour is coming up in Pokémon GO. Don’t miss it.
What kind of event is this? The Spotlight Hour is a 60-minute event that takes place every week on Tuesday. You can expect at least one Pokémon that will appear almost everywhere during this short event. Additionally, the event is accompanied by a bonus.
The next Spotlight Hour features Trubbish. The Pokémon combined with the bonus means you shouldn’t miss this event.
Start video
Pokémon GO: The Season “Stories of Transformation” in the Trailer
Spotlight Hour on September 9 – Start Time and Bonuses
When does the Spotlight Hour start? As always, the event starts at 6:00 PM. It will end at 7:00 PM.
Which bonus is active? Every Pokémon you catch during the Spotlight Hour will give you double the amount of Stardust. The bonus is a strong enhancement for Trubbish. This Pokémon is one of those that, by default, gives you more Stardust for each catch.
Each one gives you a whopping 750 Stardust. Combined with the bonus, this means you get 1,500 Stardust for each catch. If you also use a Star Piece, you can increase this amount by another 50%, allowing you to get 2,250 Stardust per catch.
If you make full use of the Spotlight Hour and catch Pokémon for the entire 60 minutes, you can earn a considerable amount of Stardust.
Can you catch Shiny Trubbish? Yes. The Shiny variant of Trubbish is also active in the game and can be caught by you. However, the chance of encountering it is not increased during the Spotlight Hour.
Is the Spotlight Hour worth it? Definitely. As mentioned earlier, you can use the event to collect a nice amount of Stardust. This is especially needed in the game to strengthen your Pokémon or to teach them a second Charged Attack.
If you want to use Trubbish and its evolution, Garbodor, for battles, you should reconsider that plan. Both Pokémon are not exactly among the strongest attackers in Pokémon GO.
Not only the Spotlight Hours await you in September in the game. There are again a variety of events, raids, and other content that are active in the game this month. If you want to know what exactly they are, feel free to take a look at our overview with all events in September 2025 in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Faker is a pro when it comes to League of Legends. Now he is also entering the K-Pop industry, with a small cameo in a successful K-Pop band.
Where is Faker performing? The Korean pop band Stray Kids has been indispensable in the K-Pop industry for several years. MeinMMO editor Jasmin was also at one of their concerts and was thrilled. On August 22, 2025, the band released their new album Karma and a new music video for the single Ceremony.
You can watch the video on YouTube. It has now collected over 53 million views and over 1.4 million likes (as of September 8, 2025, at 1:00 PM):
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
In the music video, the Stray Kids are shown in different sports. At the very end, there’s a very special sport to see, as Faker is suddenly sitting at a mouse and keyboard. There is a zoom into his face and he does his iconic pose, where he brings a finger to his mouth.
Faker is known for his outstanding performances in the e-sports sector, especially in League of Legends. Faker’s appearance lasts only 3 seconds. But this time is enough to excite both fans and the Stray Kids themselves.
Start video
The Life of Faker – Why He is a Living Legend
A Member of Stray Kids is a Huge Faker Fan
How is Faker’s appearance received by fans? Many of the comments under the video praise Stray Kids. There are also fans who are happy about Faker’s appearance. User Euamopudimm writes that Faker’s appearance came unexpectedly but is simultaneously incredible.
Kiwix-o1s even says that the end with Faker is the best ending ever. Also on Reddit, Faker’s appearance is a topic of conversation. User T1ma99 thinks the LoL player is doing side quests.
Some members of Stray Kids themselves are also big fans of Faker. Among them, Felix stands out, who stands out with his deep voice while singing. He has been a huge fan of the LoL legend for years and has shown it in several of his appearances (see TikTok).
In an interview about their new music video, he also revealed that Faker filmed the scene while Stray Kids were performing their tour on another continent (see K-entertainment News). He is overwhelmed by his performance and hopes to meet him in person one day. If they meet, Felix wants to play games with him (see BizEnter).
By the way: The members of Stray Kids are all passionate LoL players. According to member Changbin, many hover between the bronze, silver, and gold ranks. Only Felix is said to have worked so hard that he achieved platinum.
K-Pop is currently in the spotlight due to the movie KPop Demon Hunters. The film on Netflix is breaking record after record. But who of the three protagonists is actually the strongest fighter? MeinMMO answers the question: KPop Demon Hunters: Which member of the HUNTR/X is the strongest?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A player was sure that he could trick all opponents in Baldur’s Gate 3 with one idea. But he was unaware that his first victim would become a beloved camp member.
What was the player’s plan? The player and Reddit user LittleFox-In-TheBox writes that he encountered a situation in Act Three of Baldur’s Gate 3 that immediately inspired a seemingly brilliant idea.
In the Szarr estate, Cazador’s palace, he comes across a room where the cursed corpse of the girl Victoria lies. The necrotic aura emanating from her deals 4d6 + 4 necrotic damage to all targets within range (or half if the target succeeds on a Wisdom saving throw).
The player had the clever idea that he could use the corpse and its aura in future battles for his own purposes and sent the dead girl for safekeeping to his chest in camp. However, when he returned to camp next, he had to witness a plan backfiring. The chest could not stop the curse of the corpse – leading to Scratch, the camp dog, being killed.
Here you can see the animated short film for Patch 8 of Baldur’s Gate 3:
Start video
Der animierte Kurzfilm zu Patch 8, dem letzten Update für Baldur’s Gate 3
Player refuses to accept the dog’s death
How did the player react? The player reports that he almost cried when he found the dead dog next to the chest. He could not see himself continuing under these circumstances and decided to reload the last save – which cost him a hefty 3 hours of gameplay. But he gladly accepted that.
“It’s absolutely okay to save scum [relying on old saves and reloading as needed] if it’s for Scratch,” writes nycbroncos on Reddit, who can very much relate to the player’s actions.
Another player is less concerned about the dog, but about the habit of many players to stuff all corpses into chests: “This thread makes me aware that so many people stash the corpses of their enemies in chests in their camp…” (PK_Gaming1 on Reddit)
Another player wonders about a completely different thing that the author of the Reddit post should reconsider in the future: “Three hours of gameplay is the craziest part about it. Do you not save out of paranoia every two minutes?” (viewbtwnvillages on Reddit)
What is behind Victoria, the cursed child? The girl’s corpse with the necrotic aura was once the daughter of one of Cazador’s vampires, Leon Onufrio, who lived in the basement of the house with his daughter. He was afraid that the other vampires would take too much interest in Victoria and cursed her, so that if anyone attacked his daughter, the curse would transfer to the attacker.
The vampire Dalyra, who also lived in the estate, sought a cure for her vampirism and hoped to have found the solution through Victoria’s young blood. However, when she bit and killed her, Victoria’s curse began to spread. Since then, she has been in the room where players can find her.
Baldur’s Gate 3 spares no characters, not even beloved companions like Scratch, no matter how cute he is. Not only many players, but also the other companions and camp members have grown very fond of him, as can be recognized from the sad voice lines when Scratch does not survive the journey: Baldur’s Gate 3: All companions have a sad line in case your beloved dog dies
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In No Man’s Sky players can design and build their own spaceships since the last update. Even the first creative ideas impress the boss.
What is this feature? Since the new “Voyagers” update added at the end of August 2025 to No Man’s Sky, players are allowed to design their own spaceships. Previously, they could find, buy, and repair ships, but designing was not possible.
The new update has introduced a comprehensive shipbuilding system where players can now assemble ships from hundreds of individual parts. They can also scrap unwanted ships to obtain components for their own creations.
The new mode allows players to relive the procedurally generated world by creating their own cool, fun, or quirky creations. Even the boss personally celebrates the best designs.
Here you can see a moving story about the game:
Start video
No Man’s Sky player is in such a desperate situation with his permadeath character that the developers are paying him their last respects
Boss honors the best builds
How are the new buildings received? Players of No Man’s Sky share their new spaceship designs on social media. A spaceship designed to look like a Nokia phone received over 41,000 upvotes on Reddit. The creator describes it as indestructible, just like the real mobile phone model.
Other creations receive not only praise from fans, but also the boss and founder of No Man’s Sky, Sean Murray, celebrates the players’ builds. Whatever he likes, he posts on his profile on X.com, thereby honoring the builders exceptionally.
A creator who landed on the boss’s profile with their artwork now shares their joy on Reddit.
How does the builder feel? On Reddit, user xGAMER4GODx shares their happiness. They mention that the boss posted their spaceship “NCC-1701–U.S.S. Enterprise D Variant” on X.com. The spaceship design originates from Star Trek and plays a central role in the series Star Trek: The Next Generation.
The builder feels honored by the boss’s post and also thanks for all the positive comments. They say a complete tutorial showing how to build the ship would take over 6 hours, but they posted a short video on Reddit showing how they built the spaceship.
With the new update of No Man’s Sky, the developers have enabled players to experience their game in completely new ways. The space game is now nine years old and continues to receive updates. What the major spaceship update has brought, you can find out here: New update from No Man’s Sky focuses on the “most important character” of the game
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Pokémon GO the “Event to Celebrate Pokémon Concierge” is starting soon. It has a pretty cool costume on board.
When does the event take place? The start of the Concierge celebration is on September 9, 2025, at 10:00 AM. The event will run until Sunday, September 14, 2025, at 8:00 PM.
The occasion for the event is the release of the second season of “Pokémon Concierge” on Netflix. It’s about Haru, a concierge who experiences adventures at the Pokémon resort.
What is the highlight of the event? You can see it in the title image! Swablu with a floatie appears as a costumed Pokémon. You can encounter it in the wild and, with some luck, catch it with a special background. It also has an increased shiny chance.
Start video
Pokémon GO: The Season “Stories of Transformation” in the Trailer
All contents of the “Event to Celebrate Pokémon Concierge”
Not only does Swablu with a floatie appear in the wild, but also Se Jong and Shinx. The following bonuses apply:
Increased shiny chance for Swablu with a floatie
Double candy when catching
Buddy gifts more often
Snapshot surprises with figures from Pokémon Concierge
There are field research tasks with event Pokémon
A time-limited research with event Pokémon is also running
In raids, you will encounter the following Pokémon. Possible shinies are marked with an asterisk:
Level 1: Pikachu*, Magikarp*, Shinx*
Level 3: Arcanine, Dragonite, Luxray
Additionally, there is an option to receive another limited-time research in the shop.
What else is happening in Pokémon GO? A lot, because the new month is pretty full of new events. After the Concierge event is over, it will soon continue with the Psychic Spectacle. And the Community Day with Flabébé is also upcoming. We show you all the dates here: All Events in Pokémon GO in September 2025.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Some games for the Switch 2 can only be purchased as a download code. A developer explains the reason behind this: The game cards of the Switch 2 are simply too slow for large, extensive games.
Those who purchased games for the Switch 2 in stores will have noticed more often that these no longer contain the entire game, but often just a download code. You have to download the game directly from the eShop.
This causes dissatisfaction among collectors and fans of physical media, but it is necessary due to technical limitations, a Ubisoft developer recently explained. This was reported by the English-speaking magazine ArsTechnica.
Start video
The Nintendo Switch 2 in the unboxing video
The official “game cards” have too low a data transfer rate
Rob Bantin, “Snowdrop Audio Architect” at Ubisoft, explained that some games for the Switch 2 are not available as traditional physical cartridges, but only via download or so-called game key cards: You buy a case in the store, but inside is just a piece of paper with a code for the game.
Rob Bantin explained on BlueSky that the game cards of the Switch 2 have a problem: they have too low a data transfer rate to meet the technical requirements of the game. Since Star Wars Outlaws relies on large amounts of data and is particularly designed for fast streaming of large game worlds, the gaming experience on a traditional cartridge would have been affected by longer loading times. Bantin said:
Snowdrop [an engine from Ubisoft] relies heavily on disk streaming for its open-world environments, and we found that the Switch 2 cards simply did not deliver the performance we needed for our quality goal. I cannot recall that the cost of the cards was ever mentioned – probably because it was irrelevant.
He added that it might have been different if they had developed the game directly for the Switch 2 rather than just porting it to the new platform. From this perspective, he believes the right decision was made (via BlueSky.app):
I think if we had developed a game from the ground up for Switch 2, it might have been different. As it was, we developed a game around the SSDs of the original target platforms, and then Switch 2 came along a while later. In this case, I think our leaders made the right decision.
How fast is the Switch 2 anyway?
The maximum data rate of the Switch 2 cartridges is around 400 MB/s, which is significantly lower than that of SSDs, and not sufficient to ensure the desired quality of the open-world game.
The “MicroSD Express” memory cards of the Switch 2 are somewhat faster than the new cartridges (over 800 MB/s).
In comparison, internal SSDs remain significantly faster: Sony recommends an M.2 SSD for the PS5 with a read speed of 5,500 MB/s or faster. The internal SSD of the Xbox Series X is somewhat slower, but still delivers 2,400 MB/s.
Star Wars: Outlaws would have easily fit on a memory card with its around 20 GB, but the read speed would have caused problems.
In Final Fantasy XIV, there have recently been ongoing discussions – of all things concerning the story, for which the game is actually celebrated. Now the Director and Producer says he wants to put the player characters back in the spotlight and give them cool moves.
What does Naoki Yoshida say?In an interview with PC Games N, Naoki Yoshida, the Director and Producer of Final Fantasy XIV, talks about wanting to focus more on the player and their character in the game:
When it comes to expressing the unique role of players as heroes and showcasing really cool cutscenes and scenes where we can convey a true “hero experience” and highlight the “strength of the hero,” we want to pay more attention to this aspect in the future.
In Patch 7.3, there is a scene that strongly puts the player character in the spotlight. There are even class-specific animations that have brought a lot of joy to subscribers. At the same time, however, Yoshida emphasizes that the team cannot create these special animations for every patch. Just the information that the player character is supposed to be back in the spotlight could bring joy to the community.
Start video
Final Fantasy XIV: Neuer Trailer zu Patch 7.3 macht Bock auf „The Promise of Tomorrow“
Story Fans vs Story Skippers – A Tough Balance
What moves have brought joy? Without spoiling too much: In the main quest of Patch 7.3, which concludes the story of Dawntrail, there is a pretty epic scene. The Warrior of Light, the player character, blocks an attack from a powerful opponent.
The special thing? In response to the block, the Warrior of Light attacks during the cutscene, and each combat job available in the game received its own animation for this. Such a thing has not been seen in the game before.
Yoshida says that they will not always manage to incorporate these sequences into the main scenario. But when it makes sense and the idea fits, they would consider it. The team has reportedly received particularly positive feedback from players who are very enthusiastic about the story.
For those who, on the other hand, cannot connect much with the main quest, it has been more unpleasant: Story Skippers do exactly that – they skip the story and do not read it. However, in this sequence, they were forced to do exactly that. For the development team, it is difficult to find the right balance between story players and those who just want to play the new, difficult battle as quickly as possible.
What was the feedback on Dawntrail in general? Since the release of the current expansion Dawntrail in July 2024, there has been ongoing negative feedback from players. Of the biggest points mentioned were the comparatively weak main story, the poorly written NPCs, and the fact that the player’s character took on a only mentoring role for the first time.
With Patch 7.3, which was released in early August 2025, the story of Dawntrail is now officially completed. On Reddit, players are currently discussing whether the expansion was really that bad. The consensus is that while Dawntrail does not reach the highs of Shadowbringers and Endwalker, it is by no means a fundamentally bad expansion.
FFXIV: If you come from a 10/10, it feels like a 3/10.
Other MMOs: If you constantly get a 6/10, it feels like a 9/10.
Anyone who knows The Lord of the Rings knows Gollum and probably his actor Andy Serkis. For him, the role was the big breakthrough, but it was also a risk. At one point, Serkis was even advised against participating in the film.
Gollum is undoubtedly one of the most famous characters from The Lord of the Rings and is also one of the Ring-bearers. Alongside heroes like Aragorn, Gandalf, or Frodo, the small, thin creature with its iconic voice has stuck in the minds of many viewers.
Gollum is played by British actor Andy Serkis. For him, the role was a breakthrough and made him famous worldwide. Besides Gollum, he also played the ape Caesar in Planet of the Apes, also thanks to motion capture technology. This means that a performance is recorded in a dedicated studio and with a specially designed suit by numerous cameras and subsequently digitized.
Thanks to his work on The Lord of the Rings, Serkis became one of the key actors for digital characters. And that, despite the fact that he was initially advised against taking on the role of Gollum.
Start video
Epic Trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship
“I wouldn’t touch it with a ten-foot pole”
How did Serkis fare? In the podcast “One Zoom to Rule Them All” by Josh Gad on YouTube, a number of actors from the trilogy gathered and talked about their work. Andy Serkis recalls how it all began with Gollum.
He received the offer to play the role. It sounded exciting at first: a film adaptation of The Lord of the Rings being shot in New Zealand. Serkis was to voice a digital character.
However, when he spoke to a colleague about it, the reaction was anything but positive:
I remember that I was in Prague, working on an adaptation of Oliver Twist, and I told another actor I was working with, “I think I’m going to New Zealand to voice this digital character.” He asked, “Will your face be seen on screen?” I replied, “No, it won’t.” He said, “Buddy, I wouldn’t touch that with a ten-foot pole.”
Andy Serkis
The problem was clear: the role would not show Serkis’s face. Many actors consider it important that their performance is visible on the screen. Simply lending a voice to a character and being replaced by a computer-generated 3D figure is not for everyone.
Today, modern technology allows motion capture representations to correspond to the actor’s performance in the smallest detail. Facial expressions and movements are directly transferred. When Peter Jackson planned his film adaptation of The Lord of the Rings back in 1999, however, the technology was still in its infancy.
Serkis recalls a conversation he had:
Pete said, “I’m not exactly sure how this will work out, but we’re trying out this new method called motion capture. We want someone on set who can play Gollum, but no actor could portray him the way we envision him.”
Andy Serkis
The plan worked: Serkis embodied Gollum using motion capture, though his actual movements were not used 1:1. Rather, his performance served as reference material for the animators behind the scenes to know how Gollum moves.
Only the voice that Serkis lent to Gollum is truly authentic. And there is one moment when the actor is actually seen with his face: in the prologue of Part 3, he plays Sméagol, who later becomes Gollum.
Despite the later success, Gollum as a digital character was a significant risk. Two years earlier, George Lucas had already introduced a similar CGI character with Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars Episode I – with moderate success. Binks appeared comparatively less lifelike, and Peter Jackson wanted to surpass that with Gollum. It is also thanks to the outstanding performance of Andy Serkis that this endeavor succeeded. Soon, he will embody the role once again in his own film: Gollum movie release timeline, allowing appearances from all 9 companions
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Loot is the most important aspect in games like Diablo 4. While the competition allows its players to only show loot that meets self-selected criteria, Blizzard does not offer a personal filter function. However, even the developers acknowledge that their current system will not function for much longer.
What is the Loot Filter all about?
Loot Filters allow players to only see loot that meets certain properties. For example: Anything that does not have property X may fall on the ground, but will not be displayed.
The system is especially useful for players in endgame, when they only need specific stats for improvements and do not want to compare everything. Experts like wudijo have been calling for a Loot Filter since release.
This is what Blizzard says now: In a new video with “Burning Questions” (previously known as Campfire Chats), Community Manager Bluddshed asks the developers of Diablo 4 the most important questions players have been asking lately.
The video covers topics like Lilith, the seasonal powers of Season 10 and Whispers, but most importantly the key feature: Loot. It is stated that rare and magical items will no longer drop in Torment difficulties starting from Season 10.
Many fans might find the question about Loot Filters more exciting. Here, Design Director Dan Tanguay responds:
We have definitely heard the feedback. And we have done many different things that we had to accomplish before revamping itemization. We have introduced something like smart filters and I think we have reached the limit of this approach.
We are talking about Loot Filters, but I can’t really say more about it yet.
Der Mann, der Diablo gerettet hat, verlässt Blizzard nach 5 Jahren
Blizzard is significantly adjusting loot with Season 10 – once again
In addition to possible loot filters and the previously mentioned omission of weak items in the endgame, the loot tables of the Uber bosses in Season 10 will be adjusted. Each boss will drop items that are more appropriate for them – more detailed information is not yet available.
Furthermore, it is supposed to become generally easier to obtain uniques. The chance for unique items in all content will be increased, so that bosses will no longer be the only valid source for the powerful items.
With the next approach, they want to give the community more of what they seem to want: to be able to show how well they are doing with their builds in every content. The leaderboards are supposed to reflect this and be created with this thought in mind.
