The 2nd season of the series Wednesday has already been released halfway, with the last episodes following in a few days. But a dark picture is already emerging, especially in comparison to the record-breaking first season.
How is Season 2 going? Unlike the first season, the people responsible at Netflix decided to release the sequel to Wednesday in two blocks. The first one was released on August 6, 2025, and the second will celebrate its release on September 3.
Overall, Season 2 has high expectations to meet: Season 1 is still the most successful English-language series on Netflix and has reached an impressive 252 million views according to a ranking on netflix.com.
In overall comparison, including non-English productions, Wednesday ranks high at number 2. The first place goes to the first season of Squid Game with 265 million views.
Comparing how well the first four episodes of Wednesday Season 2 have performed so far, Netflix faces a bitter picture. In the third week after release, they achieved “only” around 92 million views according to What’s on Netflix. By comparison, Season 1 reached 150 million in just three weeks.
The numbers also show that interest declined in the first three weeks: At the end of Week 2, there were 79 million views, and a week later 92 million. Within seven days, the series therefore gathered only about 13 million views.
Wednesday Season 2 – Official Trailer for the new season of the Netflix series
Where does the missing interest come from?
These could be the reasons: The first season was a resounding success for Netflix, making significant waves. The series was also present far beyond the streaming platform, partly due to viral clips.
Notably, a dance scene became famous where lead actress Jenna Ortega dances to the tune of “Goo Goo Muck” by the band The Cramps. The scene spread through social media like TikTok and was recreated, sometimes altered. This caused a significant boost in popularity for the series.
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For Season 2, there is no sign of a comparable phenomenon yet. However, perhaps Episodes 5–8 hold potential for viral hits.
Another point could be the timing of the release. Season 1 premiered on November 23, 2022, right in the middle of the gloomy fall. The season fit well with the series and created the right mood outside living room windows. In early August, when Season 2 started, it was summer, and perhaps the Halloween vibe was simply not in the air.
The decision to release Season 2 in two blocks could also be a reason – but also a glimmer of hope for Netflix. Many viewers love to watch a series in one go without taking a break.
It may well be that some were put off by the split release and are waiting until all episodes are available. The numbers could significantly improve when Episodes 5–8 finally see the light of day. What do you think about this? Have you already watched Season 2? Feel free to let us know in the comments. On MeinMMO, you will find a suitable ranking: The 10 strongest characters from Wednesday in the Power Ranking based on Season 2
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Path of Exile 2 launched its new season along with a major update on Friday, August 29, and fans can only rejoice.
What kind of update is this? Path of Exile 2 has caused countless changes with the new update “The Third Edict” for countless changes. After the previous season was poorly received by fans, the latest update created a real hype. Over 350,000 players played the ARPG concurrently on Steam at peak times (via SteamDB).
Many players focused on the new features in the campaign over the weekend. Instead of playing through three acts first on normal and then on increased difficulty, “The Third Edict” introduced the new Act 4, as well as three interlude acts up to the endgame.
This major expansion was well received by fans, especially after the previous final act, number three, had caused a lot of frustration.
Here you can watch the trailer for the new season 2:
Start video
Path of Exile 2 shows Season 2 in the new trailer, brings Act 4 and 3 interludes into play
Much praise for the new Act 4
What do fans say about Act 4? While the previous final act, Act 3, was seen by many as too long, too linear, or even annoying, the developers achieved exactly the opposite with the new Act 4. In several posts on Reddit, fans praise the new Act 4 to no end:
KokonutTree49: “This flooded prison is the coolest area I’ve ever seen in an ARPG. It looks really radical.”
EMoneyX: “Act 4 is by far my favorite act. The pace and variety feel great, and the new voice outputs and the responsiveness of the NPCs are fantastic. You can tell this was much less rushed than the other acts.”
FatToad_: “Act 4 is really solid. Order of enjoyment: 1, 4, 2, 3. I hate Act 3; they should remove about 5 maps from it. It’s way too long, way too cumbersome, and overstays its welcome.”
Highwaymantechforcer: “How freaking cool was that siren boss! Did you see that? All top-tier content, I actually listened to most of the optional dialogues. It felt like a love letter from GGG to their home. Brilliant stuff. […] The flooded prison was also awesome. One minor criticism though, the lightning in the initial outdoor area is rather poor; it felt more like a graphical glitch than a weather effect. Already one of my favorite games, I absolutely love it, can’t wait for the rest of the game. Bravo GGG.”
shortMEISTERthe3rd: “The final areas of Act 4 are cinematic. When it comes to the campaign story and the scope, they really created something great, I have to give them that.”
What happens in Act 4? The new fourth act of the Path of Exile 2 campaign offers 17 new areas and the city of Kingsmarch, which fans already know from the first part of Path of Exile. The campaign in this act consists of various missions where players need to visit several islands and eliminate seven new boss enemies.
After Act 4, the new interlude acts await the players, which will remain later as side stories in the game and serve as a level range up to the endgame of Path of Exile 2.
If developers or publishers secure rights to names, it may indicate an upcoming announcement of a game with that title. A new trademark registration from NCsoft concerns … WildStar.
What is this registration about? It concerns the rights to WildStar and was submitted by NCsoft in recent days – an image on Reddit shows the registration. The reason: the trademark registration initially submitted for the online role-playing game that was discontinued in 2018 has expired last month.
Some fans of WildStar are now hoping: Hey, if they renew the rights to the brand, then they must have something planned for the game or universe! Dylandel asks the community directly in his post: Is WildStar coming back?
Curious_Baby_3892 responds on Reddit: “I wouldn’t be surprised, as it looks like NCsoft is throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks.”
therealmrbob writes on Reddit: “Man, I would play WildStar so hard my fingers would burn.”
For Reddit-user Syphin33 this would be great news: “I would cry, I would jump on it immediately, no joke. I mostly played a healing Spellslinger, one of my favorite classes ever. There was also an Engineer, a ranged companion class. They did a lot of cool stuff with the class system.”
That NCsoft is not completely averse to such a revival is shown by City of Heroes. The superhero MMORPG was discontinued in December 2012. In January 2024, the operators of the unofficial private server “Homecoming” surprisingly announced that NCsoft has given them the official approval for this version of City of Heroes.
However, the truth is also that such rights renewals for brands are part of the everyday life of publishers and developers. Often it’s not about specific projects that are already being worked on, but rather just about not losing potentially exciting IPs that have a certain value for the future.
Many players in the Reddit discussion also point this out.
fistfulofbottlecaps writes on Reddit: “This is not enough to derive anything from. They need to renew the brand to keep their intellectual property. I remember about ten years ago, everyone was flipping out because GM renewed the trademarks for Chevelle and Nomad, and then nothing ever came of it. I’m not saying it won’t happen, I’m just saying that people should temper their expectations. I suppose it at least means they haven’t completely given up on the possibility.”
The disappointment includes the fact that WildStar, with its tight raids, whimsical combat system, great housing, and zany humor, was actually too good to end up in the MMO graveyard after just 4 years. The fact that it can pay off to work for years on an online role-playing game to make it progressively better has been proven in the past by Final Fantasy XIV: One of the best MMORPGs of all time had to first destroy itself to save itself
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Fans have been waiting since the end of 2023 for new episodes of the anime Jujutsu Kaisen. TOHO animation has finally released a new trailer that not only reveals the start date but also gives a glimpse of what to expect in Season 3.
When does Season 3 of Jujutsu Kaisen start? On August 31, 2025, TOHO animation released a new teaser trailer for Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3The Culling Game. It also directly reveals the start date of the anime. It is set to kick off in January 2026.
Season 2 aired between July 6 and December 28, 2023, which means Season 3 will begin almost 2 years after the last episode. The trailer also shows what fans can expect in the new season.
WARNING – SPOILERS! In the next section, you can expect spoilers for Season 2. If you want to watch these before the start of the third season without prior information, you should not continue reading.
You can see the Japanese teaser trailer for Season 3 here:
Select a MMO video…
After the terrible events of the last season, Yuji must face a strong opponent again
What can we see in the trailer? It seems that Season 3 seamlessly picks up from the last season. As can be seen in the trailer, Yuji must confront the Jujutsu sorcerer Yuta Okkotsu. The backstory of Yuta was told in the film and manga Jujutsu Kaisen 0, where he served as the protagonist and was also taught by Gojo.
At the time of the previous season, he was in Africa training with the character Miguel. As we know from the end of Season 2, Yuta has accepted the official task of killing Yuji. This will not be an easy fight for the protagonist, as Yuta, being a Special Grade Jujutsu sorcerer, has powerful abilities. Above all, his cursed spirit Rika supports him in battle and would be difficult to defeat on its own.
Additionally, Yuta is a master in close combat with various weapons. He also has more experience than Yuji and a fairly high intellect.
A side character seems to be getting a lot of spotlight. Those who have already warmed up to Maki Zenin in previous seasons will get their fill in Season 3. We certainly don’t want to spoil anything here, but Maki will once again show that one doesn’t necessarily need powerful cursed powers to stand up to opponents.
What does the trailer look like? Visually, the anime from Studio Mappa once again seems to be following the style of the previous seasons. The trailer already features strong animations and bright colors. One can therefore expect a similarly high quality again.
In autumn, a compilation film is also expected in Japan. The second half of Season 2 is set to hit theaters along with the first two episodes of the new season. However, specific release dates are still unknown.
September brings you some Spotlight Hours in Pokémon GO once again. We have summarized what they are and whether they are worth it.
What is a Spotlight Hour? The Spotlight Hour is a short, 60-minute event that takes place every Tuesday in Pokémon GO. During this time, you can expect at least one monster to be in focus, as well as a bonus.
We have summarized which Spotlight Hours will take place in September 2025 and what content they will bring.
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All Spotlight Hours in September 2025
When do the Spotlight Hours start? The event begins every Tuesday at 6:00 PM. Exactly one hour later, at 7:00 PM, it is over again. In the following table, you can see all the Spotlight Hours in September. Monsters that can also appear as Shiny are marked with an *.
Date
Pokémon & Bonus
September 2
Pidgey* and double evolution XP
September 9
Garbodor* and double catch Stardust
September 16
Gothita* and double catch XP
September 23
Hoothoot* and double catch Candy
September 30
Bronzor* and double transfer Candy
Spotlight Hour on September 2, 2025
Which Pokémon is in focus? The first Spotlight Hour in September 2025 features Pidgey. This Normal-Flying Pokémon comes from Generation 1 and can evolve into Pidgeotto and then into Pidgeot.
What bonus is active? If you evolve Pokémon during the event, you will receive double the amount of experience points. It doesn’t matter which monster you evolve.
Is the event worth it? If you want to use Pidgey or its evolutions for battles, you will be disappointed. Neither in raids nor in the battle league does the evolution line belong to the best attackers in Pokémon GO.
An exception is the Mega Evolution of Pidgeot. It is a strong attacker of the Flying type. However, you will first need the corresponding Mega Energy.
Can you catch Shiny Pidgey? Yes, with a bit of luck, you can also get the Shiny variant of Pidgey during the event.
Spotlight Hour on September 9, 2025
Which Pokémon is in focus? Trubbish, the Poison monster from Generation 5, is waiting for you in this Spotlight Hour. With Garbodor, it also has an evolution.
What bonus is active? For every monster you catch in this Spotlight Hour, you will receive double the amount of Stardust.
Is the event worth it? From a combat perspective, Trubbish and Garbodor are not particularly recommended. However, the event’s bonus in combination with Trubbish can bring you a lot of Stardust.
Trubbish is one of the monsters that naturally yield more Stardust. For each specimen, you generally receive 750 Stardust. In combination with the event’s bonus, you will thus get a whopping 1,500 Stardust per catch. If you also use Star Pieces, you’ll even get 2,250 Stardust – for each individual Trubbish caught.
Can you catch Shiny Trubbish? Yes, you can also receive this monster as Shiny, given a bit of luck.
Spotlight Hour on September 16, 2025
Which Pokémon is in focus? In this Spotlight Hour, Gothita is waiting for you. The Pokémon comes from Generation 5 and is of the Psychic type. It can evolve into Gothorita and then into Gothitelle.
What bonus is active? The experience points you earn when catching a Pokémon are doubled during this event.
Is the event worth it? Gothita and the evolutions of this monster are not suitable for use in raids or in the battle league. However, with the XP bonus of the event, you can at least grab some additional experience points.
Can you catch Shiny Gothita? Yes. If you’re lucky, you can also get the Shiny variant of Gothita.
Which Pokémon is in focus? Hoothoot, the Owl Pokémon from Generation 2, is waiting for you in this Spotlight Hour. It has the Normal and Flying types. With Noctowl, it also has an evolution.
What bonus is active? For every Pokémon you catch during this Spotlight Hour, you will receive double the amount of Candy.
Is the event worth it? Hoothoot and Noctowl are not strong Pokémon. For use in the battle league or in raids, both monsters are not worth it. However, you can use the event’s bonus to earn some extra candies for Hoothoot or Pokémon from rewards that you have not yet claimed.
Can you catch Shiny Hoothoot? Yes. Hoothoot can also appear as Shiny.
Spotlight Hour on September 30, 2025
Which Pokémon is in focus? In the last Spotlight Hour of September, you can expect Bronzor. This Steel and Rock Pokémon from Generation 3 can evolve into Steelix and then into Steelix.
What bonus is active? If you transfer monsters to the professor during Spotlight Hour, you will receive double the amount of Candy.
Is the event worth it? Neither Bronzor nor its evolutions are among the strong attackers in Pokémon GO. Therefore, you should not use them in the battle league or in raids.
The event’s bonus can be very helpful in obtaining additional candies for Pokémon that you wanted to transfer to the professor anyway. Especially for rare or legendary monsters, this bonus can be a significant advantage.
Can you catch Shiny Bronzor? Yes, you can also receive Bronzor as Shiny with a bit of luck.
Of course, there are not only the Spotlight Hours awaiting you in September. As usual, plenty of events, raids, and additional content will also be available in the new month. If you want to know what exactly they are, feel free to check out our overview with all events in September 2025 in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A private server of World of Warcraft is now undergoing the process. Whether this means the end remains to be seen.
What has happened? A few hours ago, it turned out that Blizzard filed a lawsuit against Turtle WoW. This is a private server for WoW, sometimes also called a “pirate server.” These are mostly a thorn in Blizzard’s side because they often offer World of Warcraft for free or because other individuals profit from WoW by operating these servers.
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WoW Midnight shows gameplay – All new features
Why did the lawsuit come now? There are some pirate servers for World of Warcraft, but most are rather small and inconspicuous. In the case of Turtle WoW, however, it must be said that the name has come up more frequently in the community in recent months – it was no longer a small “secret project”, but a project with multiple realms that even aggressively marketed and advertised itself. As soon as a WoW project attracts this much attention, it is usually only a matter of time before Blizzard is essentially forced to intervene to protect its copyright.
After all, Turtle WoW and other private servers represent a clear financial loss for Blizzard. Because even if not all more than 50,000 players would switch to the official servers, we are still talking about potential subscription revenues of around 650,000 euros per month that Blizzard would lose.
What is Turtle WoW? Turtle WoW has set out to provide something like “real Classic+” – that is, new content in the style of WoW Classic, such as new dungeons or areas. Therefore, the server was quite popular among parts of the community, especially since players could play for free on the private server and did not have to pay subscription fees.
Blizzard wants to get hold of those responsible – but that’s not so easy.
Blizzard knows the real names of the operators
Will the lawsuit be successful? That remains to be seen. In many cases, the mere pressure from legal consequences has already helped to shut down such projects. However, the operators of such servers often sit abroad, for example in Russia or Kazakhstan. There, these individuals may feel quite safe due to limited western law enforcement, allowing them to continue running the servers.
However, Blizzard has listed the real names of some key figures of Turtle WoW in the indictment as part of the lawsuit (courtlistener.com). It seems that Blizzard has already conducted a lot of research to find out who the people behind the server are. This could increase the pressure further and ultimately contribute to the shutdown of such servers.
In the past, Blizzard has already prompted the shutdown of some private servers. However, this has not always been something fundamentally negative. The end of Nostalrius, at the time the largest server of its kind, led to the birth of WoW Classic, which then led to new game modes like the Season of Discoveries.
What do you think about this lawsuit? Is it a clear case of “self-inflicted” if you aggressively promote a private server and even run advertisements for it? Or should Blizzard just turn a blind eye and let such projects exist? While Classic is popular, modern WoW is continuously evolving – and now even brings official addons as part of the game.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Nowadays, there are so many Gacha games that it’s hard to stand out from the crowd. MeinMMO editor Jasmin Beverungen was able to check out the new game NTE at gamescom 2025 and already sees a feature that sets it apart from others.
Important: The Gacha system contains gambling-like mechanics and should therefore be approached with caution. It can lead one to reach for their wallet repeatedly due to its progress mechanics. This has already caused users to spend a lot of money in titles like Genshin Impact, where users spent a lot of money.
Individuals who already show tendencies towards gambling addiction should stay away from NTE. If you (or someone you know) are affected by gambling addiction, you can find more information and a point of contact at the Federal Center for Health Education.
But with so many Gacha games now on the market, a unique selling point is needed for fans to notice a new title. Hotta Studio Games, who have become known mainly for their title Tower of Fantasy, have now ventured into a new Gacha game.
I was able to check out NTE at gamescom 2025, which stands for Neverness to Everness. Even the trailers and images of the game showed me how the title aims to differentiate itself from other Gacha games.
Start video
Neverness to Everness: New open-world RPG with an anime look revealed at gamescom 2025
NTE lets you be arrested by a car
NTE takes place in a huge metropolis. There are skyscrapers everywhere, bright advertisements, and cars driving around on the streets. So it is not a fantasy setting as is often usual, but is based on the real world – only with colorful anime characters.
To get around in NTE, you don’t have a fantasy creature to ride on. Rather, your own car is the most loyal vehicle you can have. For the demo, I had several car models available that reminded me of sports cars. And no matter what car you sat in – you had to adapt to the traffic.
There were several missions in the city where you had to transport packages from A to B with a delivery van. I had to pay close attention to the traffic. Because every time I bumped into something, the cargo was damaged, and my reward was reduced.
But I could also just zoom around the city in my cars. I felt like I was playing GTA in an anime world.
Driving a car is a lot of fun, but don’t run people over.
Because if I misbehaved, a bar with stars rose. The more stars I collected, the more urgently the police searched for me. Due to my curious nature, I wanted to see what happens when I push the system to its limits: I drove on the sidewalk running people over until I reached the end of the scale.
Suddenly, several police cars appeared, to which I voluntarily surrendered. What happened next, however, differed from GTA: I found myself in a real-time battle with a car that had giant tentacle arms. It only took 2 hits to kill me.
Afterwards, I woke up at a police station, where I finally noticed the Gacha aspect: I had to either wait 20 minutes to get out of jail or pay a bail with in-game money to get out immediately.
Gacha DNA noticeable in the menu
As soon as I opened the menu, it became clear that NTE belongs to the Gacha category. There were several sub-menus with tasks where I could earn various currencies. Those who have never played a Gacha game will initially be completely overwhelmed by this menu. However, thanks to Infinity Nikki and Genshin Impact, I had an idea of what to expect.
There are several playable characters that you can draw in different seasons. Each character has its own special ability, which is not just cosmetic. For example, one girl could run up walls, while another lady could briefly stop time.
With this character, you can move on walls.
I hadn’t found anything about possible rewards in the menus yet, but this will probably only show up with the release.
What I can say is: The previous characters were all nicely designed and had their own personality. During my play session, I was also able to complete a story mission where a lady exaggerated wildly at an auction.
However, the short play session was not enough to judge whether NTE will have a groundbreaking story. But either way, NTE convinced me with its fresh setting, which sets it apart from other Gacha titles.
So, those who can warm up to the genre should give NTE a chance. Especially fans of GTA might find this the best option to try out a Gacha title.
The predecessor of NTE, Tower of Fantasy, is one of the ten best mobile games that you can play this year. The action-anime MMORPG impresses especially with its game world and combat system. Which titles also deserve a spot in the ranking can be seen in the following ranking: The 10 best mobile MMORPGs 2025 for iOS and Android
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A fighting game professional is considered one of the best players in the world. His homeland has now honored him with an award for his success and lasting impact.
Who is it about? Saul Leonardo “MenaRD” Mena II is a professional fighting game player from the Dominican Republic. At 26 years old, he is very successful and has already won numerous awards:
He is a three-time EVO champion, having won both EVO Japan 2024 and 2025 as well as EVO 2025 in Las Vegas for Street Fighter 6.
He is also a two-time Capcom Cup champion, having won the tournaments in 2017 and 2023 for Street Fighter V.
“MenaRD” has become one of the key “Street Fighter” players in recent years. He sponsored other competitors’ trips to tournaments around the globe and even founded his own esports team, the Santo Domingo Tigers.
MenaRD has now been honored by his homeland, the Dominican Republic. His compatriots presented him with an award for his achievements in fighting games. This was reported by Dexerto.com.
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Street Fighter 6 Launch Trailer
MenaRD is regarded as an outstanding player, now honored by his homeland
MenaRD is now a well-known name in the Dominican Republic, and to thank him for his positive influence, the country awarded him the title “Pride of Dominican Culture” on August 28, 2025, right on his 26th birthday. He proudly shares the award on X.com.
In an interview on Instagram, MenaRD talked about what it was like to be recognized for such an achievement and what the award means to him.
It’s crazy to have started this gaming journey and to experience what I am currently experiencing, to have so much success – that’s what you work for and what the community expects from me.
With Lost Soul Aside, a new JRPG is now available for Steam and PS5. The development story is remarkable. The hopes of genre fans were high. But the release version disappoints.
What do I need to know about Lost Soul Aside? When the first gameplay trailer for Lost Soul Aside went live just over eight years ago, there was only one developer behind the RPG project: Bing Yang. The game designer had already been working solo on his game for two years.
That Lost Soul Aside was a solo project was not apparent from the trailer. The scenes strongly reminded one of Final Fantasy 15 (in terms of visuals) and Devil May Cry or Ninja Gaiden (in terms of fast-paced gameplay) – thus resembling AAA productions with large teams and budgets behind them.
No wonder that not only genre fans took notice of the project, but also the leaders at Sony. The Japanese quickly offered to support the project as a publisher, investing a significant amount of money to build a large team around Bing Yang.
One of the latest trailers for Lost Soul Aside:
Select a MMO video…
“Strange mix of ambition and limitations”
How did the release go? Lost Soul Aside was released on August 29, 2025, for PC and PS5 and has received mixed ratings so far.
On Steam, the 747 user reviews currently average a “Mixed”, with 57 percent positive ratings.
On launch day, the JRPG had 3,070 concurrent players on Steam. The peak in the last 24 hours was 1,882 concurrent players (source: steamdb.info).
On Metacritic, the user score is 6.3, with documented reviews scoring 80 (from Gamersky) and 40 (Eurogamer) out of 100.
What do players criticize, and what do they praise? The Steam reviews mainly praise the fast-paced gameplay, where you can perform cool choreographed combos with just two or three buttons. The level design, well-balanced difficulty, graphics, and puzzles also receive acclaim.
On the other hand, the unfinished state of the RPG is criticized, particularly regarding clunky animations, synchronization, use of cutscenes, the near-absence of hit feedback, or sound effects.
Lixx sums all that up in his review on Steam: “Lost Soul Aside is a strange mix of ambition and limitations, and you can feel its AA roots throughout. While the graphics and style promise a standout fantasy action game, the execution often struggles to keep up.”
A man loses a game of elephant chess. In pouring rain and hail, he later reflects on his game.
A man from the Hebei province in northern China has gone viral for losing a game of Xiangqi. Xiangqi is often referred to as Chinese chess. However, what made this event special was not the match itself, but what the Xiangqi player did after the match: he began to reflect on his game. This was reported by the English-language magazine Dexerto.com.
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What exactly did the person do? After losing his match, in a video by the South China Morning Post the man was seen asking his opponent to return to the table after the game.
The footage shows how he sat there for four hours, with the table looking almost exactly the same as before. He moved the pieces step by step and set them back up as he had lost them. He was not even disturbed by the storm brewing around him.
In hail, wind, and pouring rain, he sits bareheaded in the video at the table and thinks about his game. Even his wife, who wants to get him at some point, has no chance of getting him to stand up. He is too preoccupied with the lost game.
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What is the man playing? Xiangqi is one of the most popular board games in China and Vietnam, and has been played for centuries. Xiangqi is often called Chinese chess or elephant chess because it has similarities with the chess version we play, and because both games are said to have originated from the same Indian game (Chaturanga). Nevertheless, there are significant differences in addition to similarities:
Similarities:
Both games aim to checkmate the king (Western) or the general (Xiangqi).
They use similar piece concepts: king/general, rook/chariot, knight/horse, and pawns/soldiers.
The game requires strategic thinking and is usually designed for two players.
Pieces are moved according to defined rules and capturing pieces is a central part.
GeneralDifferences:
Chess is played on a field of 8 × 8 squares of white and black, where pieces stand on squares. In Xiangqi, players play on a 9 × 10 line grid and pieces are placed on intersections (points).
In the center of the Xiangqi board, there is a river that certain pieces, like the elephant, cannot cross.
In Xiangqi, there is the eponymous piece Xiangqi, for which there is no counterpart in Western chess.
Additionally, no pieces become promoted in the Chinese variant upon reaching the opponent’s side.
Can you play this in Germany? Yes, you can also play Xiangqi in Germany. Championships are organized by the German Xiangqi Association (DXB). The association also offers online meetings approximately once a month where you can watch and even learn the game.
With Nice Day for Fishing, an unusual role-playing game was released this year on Steam, Nintendo Switch, and PS5. However, the composition is much quirkier: a New Zealand YouTuber and a small German studio. At gamescom, MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes just had to ask how this came about.
The game has a special world. As a fisherman, you are traveling in Honeywood in the world of Azerim. This is based on the videos of the YouTube group Viva La Dirt League, which now has over 7.2 million subscribers on YouTube.
At gamescom, we spoke with the CEO of Fusion Play, Konrad Kunze, and asked him how the exciting collaboration came about and how the work processes unfolded.
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Nice Day for Fishing zeigt seine neuen Inhalte aus dem neuen Update
This is the perfect entry into the gaming industry
How did the work come about? At gamescom, we spoke with Konrad Kunze. He has been the CEO of FusionPlay since 2021; before that, he was the lead game designer at the studio for 7 years. At gamescom, we were able to ask him a few questions, especially regarding the collaboration and how it all came together.
He explained to us that there was an internal developer who pitched the idea of a fishing RPG. The idea was well-received, and they wanted to start a small project. At the same time, Baelin’s Route was supposed to be released on YouTube. This is a short film about Baelin the fisherman, the character you later play in the game, which lasts about 30 minutes.
This fit surprisingly well with the game concept of the fishing RPG. They decided to reach out. An email to the community manager led to artist management, and the contact with the group was established. The idea was well-received, and FusionPlay sent a prototype. It amused Viva La Dirt League, and the collaboration developed.
In the interview, Konrad Kunze explains that the group generally wanted to make a game, but their goals were too ambitious. About Azerim as a large MMORPG, but that’s not so easy:
However, when you calculate the whole thing, you quickly realize that it is very, very risky and involves very, very high costs. And then we came up with our little idea, and they said, “Wow, this is the perfect entry into the gaming industry to have our first small game.” And that’s how we came together.
Konrad Kunze about the origin of the collaboration between FusionPlay and Viva La Dirt League
The time difference was no problem at all
How did the collaboration go? In light of the collaboration’s origin story, we, of course, wanted to know how the work with the YouTubers went. This is what Konrad Kunze revealed to us in the interview.
They wanted to give Viva La Dirt League creative freedom with few restrictions. It should happen dynamically, but indeed as a collaboration. FusionPlay mostly took care of the gameplay, and Viva La Dirt League provided drafts for the story and dialogues. They revised them, rewrote dialogues, or adapted them.
It was important that it was clear that it came from Viva La Dirt League. It was a perfect middle ground. FusionPlay was able to learn a lot during the collaboration, and it was also Viva La Dirt League’s first collaboration with game developers. At first, they were constantly sending notes to each other, but that proved too much.
They developed a special version of the game in which texts could be edited directly. In this version, they could also leave notes. If Viva La Dirt League did this, they would contact FusionPlay, and the developers would integrate it into the game.
This process was much smoother and indeed uncomplicated. The time difference helped as well, as Konrad explains. The significant time difference (12 hours) was an advantage. When FusionPlay wrote emails, the YouTube group could respond the next morning or evening. This process was thus outside their regular daily business, and it worked well.
In the interview, we also talked about the future of Nice Day for Fishing and whether anything is planned in that universe. Konrad Kunze explains that they are happy with how it turned out, including their partners Team17 (publisher) and Viva La Dirt League. There are no plans, but they can imagine doing more.
They can also envision collaborating with content creators again in the future, as a strong IP is something to stand out from the crowd. However, they do not want to force anything. It should fit the team, just as it did with Nice Day for Fishing.
We are open to what we want to do, but what we would not do is force something. We do not want to just take any IP or any influencer and then forcibly rebrand the game when it does not suit us.
Konrad Kunze about future collaborations
It was also good for Viva La Dirt League that they were involved very early in the development. Ideas were constantly brought in, and from the initially small project grew an ever-expanding game, as it ultimately appeared.
In the interview, Konrad Kunze also mentioned a previous game from FusionPlay, Konrad’s Kittens, a VR cat game. In this game, you take care of a virtual pet, as in other games of this type. However, they implemented a plush toy mode.
In this mode, you can attach the VR controller to a stuffed animal, for example, with rubber bands, and thus have haptic feedback in virtual reality with a matching object. You can then lift the object, and sounds and vibrations that you physically feel are emitted through the controller.
In creative meetings with developers, artists, and also shareholders, according to Konrad, everyone can bring and pitch ideas. These are then evaluated, analyzed (for example, whether there is a target audience), and if it fits, they are further developed. This creates interesting concepts like Konrad’s Kittens or Nice Day for Fishing.
It often happens that buyers of used goods find unexpected items among their new possessions. A recent find in a PlayStation 2 package of GTA 3 reminds of the “good old times.”
What is this find? The user niallniallniall uploaded a picture on Reddit, showing not only the used, freshly purchased PlayStation 2 package of GTA 3 but also a sheet of paper. The previous owner noted a series of cheats on it.
Specifically, the cheat list includes cheats for
Lowering the wanted level
Increasing the wanted level
Unlocking all weapons
Providing full health
Providing maximum armor
The cheat list shows how many played GTA 3 for hours back then: Raising the wanted level through cheats or obviously criminal behavior, then using their destructive arsenal of weapons to fend off the approaching police, FBI forces, and soldiers.
Our talk about GTA 6 during the grind fest:
Start video
MeinMMO and GameStar discuss the future of GTA 6
Nostalgic journey into one’s past
How does the community react to the cheat list? With over 6,500 upvotes and numerous comments.
boromirsbeard jokes on Reddit: “Appreciate the fact that you own a used copy from one of the psychos who wanted to know how to INCREASE their wanted level.”
BigRedNY explains on Reddit why they extensively used the cheat: “My friends and I constantly used this cheat and had competitions on how long we could survive with 6 stars. Those were good times.”
GoodQuestion97 celebrates the find on Reddit: “This isn’t a used game, but a family heirloom.”
Trumpet_of_Jericho sees it this way on Reddit : “Keep the paper, that’s a great relic.”
pvtbucko sums it up on Reddit succinctly: “The good old times.”
One player ultimately recalls a good friend who had written a complete guide for Suikoden on 112 pages just to pass it on to him. What a legend.
Even in the (still) current GTA 5, cheats play an important role for many players. Even though they likely won’t end up on extra sheets anymore. What cheat codes exist and what they do, you can find out here: GTA 5: All cheats for PS5 and Xbox
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Nvidia reports a record profit. Two anonymous customers are responsible for nearly 40% of the revenue. Little is known about the customers, and Nvidia will not reveal who is behind them. Only one piece of information is known.
What were the quarterly results? Nvidia surpassed Wall Street analysts’ expectations on August 27, 2025: Nvidia reported a revenue of $46.7 billion for the second quarter, exceeding the previous quarter’s revenue record of $44.1 billion and the economists’ forecasts of $46.05 billion. This was reported by Forbes.com.
However, the remarkable thing is that two customers alone are responsible for nearly 40% of the manufacturer’s revenue. Not much is known about the customers.
Start video
Check out the brilliant Collector’s Edition of the NVIDIA TITAN Xp in Star Wars style in the video
Two anonymous customers, whose identities are known only to Nvidia
What kind of customers are they? Two anonymous customers, referred to in a report as “Customer A” and “Customer B,” accounted for 23% and 16% of the company’s revenue in the second quarter, according to Nvidia’s latest quarterly report to the SEC (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission). Together, they make up nearly 40% of the revenue in Q2 2025.
Compared to the first quarter of 2025, the shares of the two secret customers have increased significantly: In the same quarter of the previous year, the buyers referred to as “Customer A” and “Customer B” accounted for only 14% and 11%, respectively.
Who are these customers? A spokesman for Nvidia declined to provide details about the identities of the customers to Fortune magazine. However, in its report to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Nvidia points out that its two largest anonymous buyers are so-called “direct customers.”
This means they are companies that make purchases directly from Nvidia, but do not necessarily have to use the hardware themselves. Direct customers can be companies, but they can also be public institutions like schools that purchase hardware.
However, not everything is going smoothly for the chip manufacturer: Nvidia recently suffered a loss of 600 billion euros in market value, all due to a new AI model from China.
While they may outwardly resemble fiendish creatures or infernal demons, tieflings are not monstrosities. They are inhabitants of Faerûn, just like elves, dwarves, or humans, albeit a little rarer – and with many deep-seated prejudices that make tieflings one of the most despised races in Dungeons & Dragons and Baldur’s Gate 3.
What are tieflings? Tieflings are one of the many different races from Dungeons & Dragons that players can embody in the game. They are particularly noticeable due to their unique appearance and resemblance to hellish inhabitants, which give them a certain aura that can fascinate and unsettle others.
And that’s exactly the point. Despite all the different faces one can encounter in Dungeons & Dragons, tieflings are scrutinized especially closely – and usually not for a friendly reason.
Erin M. Evans captures the perception of tieflings very well in his book “Brimstone Angels” (published by Wizards of the Coast), which is why an excerpt from it serves as the introduction for tieflings in the fifth edition rulebook:
“But you see how they look at you, child of the devil.”
[…]
“What do they say?”, he asked, “One is a curiosity, two is a conspiracy…”
“Three is a curse,” she completed. “Don’t you think I haven’t heard this crap before?”
“Yeah, I know.” As she looked at him, he added: “It’s not like I want to tinker with the depths of your soul, girl. That’s the burden of every tiefling. Some collapse beneath it, some make it the millstone around their neck, others take joy in it.” He tilted his head and scrutinized her with that strange glow in his eyes. “You’re fighting it, aren’t you? Like a little wildcat, every bet. Every little jab, every comment only sharpens your claws.”
– Erin M. Evans, Brimstone Angels
The tiefling twins Farideh and Havilar from Brimstone Angels, who handle their heritage very differently (Cover of the book, Wizards of the Coast)
In the eyes of many humans and other races, tieflings are viewed as shady and dark, often leading to their expulsion and ostracization. Whispering and looks, public violence and insults, distrust and fear characterize the daily life of a tiefling. But why is that the case?
Here you can see the trailer for the animated series “The Mighty Nein” on Amazon Prime, in which you can also meet two tieflings from the well-known campaign of Critical Role:
Start video
The Mighty Nein – First Sneak Peek of the New Fantasy Series on Amazon Prime
Where do tieflings come from, when they are so rare?
The rulebook refers to the infernal bloodline responsible for a tiefling’s appearance and nature as a “consequence of an ancient sin for which they, their children, and their grandchildren will be held accountable forever,” or summarized – as a punishment.
And there is some truth to that, only that the tiefling themselves is not guilty of this “punishment.” They really can do nothing about it.
The infernal bloodline can lie dormant for decades, with its legacy unexpectedly falling upon the child of a purely human parent couple in most cases. This can stem from a pact of a long-past generation, or a dark influence of a similar caliber.
The child itself rarely shares any guilt in this legacy but must carry the proof more or less unwillingly outward: Long horns in various shapes, sharp canine teeth, a long tail, differently shaped eyes, and an “unnatural” skin color for humans make tieflings stand out even in a diverse world like that of Dungeons & Dragons.
Different tieflings from the Player’s Handbook from 2024 (Source: D&D Beyond)
Tieflings cannot help their bloodline – why are they so hated then?
The fact that tieflings are despised by other races is not just a free choice of a DM (Dungeon Master), the mistrust that has now been reciprocal for generations is also made clear in the rulebook:
People tend to be suspicious of tieflings, as they assume that their infernal descent has not only left marks on their appearance but also on their personality and moral standards. […] In truth, a tiefling’s bloodline only influences their personality very little. Rather, the many years of mistrust leave their marks, and most tieflings respond to this in different ways.
Dungeons & Dragons Player’s Handbook (5e)
Thus, the hatred towards tieflings is an almost superstitious misunderstanding that has persisted for decades and centuries, making false assumptions and prejudices seem factual enough for many to accept them as their own reality.
Rumors, narratives, and prejudices are responsible for the exclusion of tieflings, who can react to these reactions to their kind in different ways. Because they are very aware of how people react to them.
Tieflings typically receive a +2 bonus to their Charisma attribute, which is indeed justifiable through their handling of their identity:
“Some fulfill the stereotype of the wicked monstrosity, others behave virtuously. […] After encountering only mistrust throughout their youth, tieflings often develop the ability to overcome prejudices through charm or intimidation.” (Source: Player’s Handbook 5e)
Tieflings do not have to conform to the stereotypes of the “evil, cunning creature”; they are extremely diverse, making them a popular choice when creating characters.
Hated by many, yet just as beloved
Why do so many players choose a tiefling as the race of their DnD character? Tieflings are extremely versatile and offer great potential for character and story development that many players yearn for.
They can embrace their infernal heritage and be tempted by dark powers, become charismatic leaders with social or creative talents, or break free from their shame and forge their own path.
Jester is a popular character from Critical Role’s “The Mighty Nein”, an outgoing and quirky tiefling (Source: Excerpt from “The Mighty Nein Origins – Jester Lavorre”, via Cross Cult)
In the Dungeons & Dragons community, some players describe why they love tieflings so much, after a player (EsperTheBard) asked this question on Reddit:
cline_59: “They are Technicolor half-demons with built-in angst and story hooks due to their connection to the hells. They are different from conventional fantasy races to be interesting without being so different that they drive away newcomers. They practically sell themselves.”
Aegillade: “I think the fact that they have incorporated alienation into their lore plays a significant role. Whether you are part of the LGBTQ community or just a nerd who was bullied in school often. Many people know what it’s like to be excluded just for being themselves – something that tieflings embody.”
Even MeinMMO editor Caro loves playing tieflings:
Who is writing here? Caroline Fuller, referred to by the former editorial leadership as a diligent “BG3 Ork”, writes many contributions on Baldur’s Gate 3 and Dungeons & Dragons. She has invested around 600 hours into the former and has been involved in a tabletop RPG campaign for about a year. Before starting at MeinMMO, she studied game art and engages extensively in character design, storytelling, and other creative hobbies related to Dungeons & Dragons, such as character illustration and painting DnD miniatures. She also has her own opinion on tieflings:
“I proudly refer to myself as an absolute tiefling ultra in Dungeons & Dragons and Baldur’s Gate 3, mostly due to their versatility. From the edgy warlock to the super extroverted and charismatic bard. They offer so many possibilities, not just regarding their design and personality but also in how to interact with other players and NPCs.
You could argue that this applies to almost every other race in a game like Dungeons & Dragons, yes, I get that too. However, tieflings, at least for me personally, bring that sweet flavor of satanic panic, of liberation from shame and disgrace, as well as the overcoming or playing into prejudices however you want – not for others. Besides, horns just look damn cool.”
Tieflings are a race that draws attention. In Dungeons & Dragons as well as Baldur’s Gate 3, there are many examples of the versatility of these characters, including the barbarian Karlach. If you’ve already met Karlach and want to know exactly how to win her burning heart, you can learn how to charm her on MeinMMO here: Baldur’s Gate 3: Karlach Romance Guide – How to Find and Woo the Hot Tiefling Friend
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the great talent matrix of Path of Exile 2, there are numerous talents that come with both advantages and disadvantages. According to some players, the developers are overshooting the mark here and ruining great talents with too severe negative effects. Is that true?
Which talent is sparking the discussion? Reddit user lane4 refers to the talent “Utility Ordnance” in their criticism on Reddit, which grants the following effects:
40 percent increased cooldown recovery rate for grenade skills
80 percent reduced grenade damage
lane4 comments on this talent as follows:
This obsession with the downsides has to stop – This downside is crazy and makes no sense. If it’s meant for utility grenade skills that do no damage, why are there small nodes next to it with ‘increased grenade damage’?
Utility grenade skills refer to abilities that primarily do little or no damage but are meant to weaken or control enemies – such as through oil, a flash of light, or gas.
The trailer for the new update of Path of Exile 2:
Start video
Path of Exile 2 shows Season 2 in the new trailer, brings Act 4 and 3 interludes into play
Frustratingly wrong or exactly right?
How does the community react to the accusation? With 1,400 upvotes and more than 250 comments. Many players agree with the original poster:
AIButthole sees it similarly on Reddit: “The obsession with artificially increasing difficulty has been so annoying in the last patches. The decision should be: Do I take it or not? That’s it. We are already limited by points/gem slots/equipment slots. We do not need arbitrary disadvantages slapped onto everything.”
Ok_Potential359 adds on Reddit: “I want to feel powerful, but instead, I feel like these runs are more about a test of patience. For me, that’s not entertaining game design.”
DCDTDito understands the downside even less on Reddit, as the buff itself isn’t supposed to be that good: “As far as I see, there is no grenade that desperately needs a cooldown improvement to the extent that it would accept an 80% reduction.”
Others suggest that such talents can also be useful in certain situations and that a broader perspective should be considered:
NYNMx2021 writes, for example, on Reddit: “The reason for the downside is that the node is bad for certain grenades. If the grenade were to deal damage as well, it would be overpowered. It is balanced concerning the build meant to take it.”
greyy1x counters on Reddit: “This node is a damage gain in many grenade builds since you have much more ‘increased damage’ than increased cooldown recovery rate. If you remove 80% from a total of 400% increased damage, it doesn’t destroy the build, but the cooldown recovery rate will definitely improve it significantly.”
Various other players also point out that “80 percent less damage” isn’t as harsh of a downside as it may seem at first glance. Psych6VZZ calculates it on Reddit in an example that shows: Even if the damage per grenade will end up being slightly lower, the overall damage increases due to the significantly faster firing grenades.
In summary, it can be said: The talent system of Path of Exile 2 is complex, and seemingly bad talents can be really good in certain situations. However, due to the high level of difficulty, some players would wish for weaker downsides for the talents. Do you feel the same way?
Games as we know them today may slowly but surely disappear. Because the next generation plays very differently – and does not even see itself as “gamers”.
Gaming is our favorite hobby. Whether we play MMORPGs on PC, shooters on console, or Zelda on the Switch 2. However, this definition of “gaming” could die out – along with a whole part of the industry. Because the following generations have a completely different understanding of play.
Some games captivate millions of players. For now. Such as Where Winds Meet:
Start video
Where Winds Meet shows in the new trailer why this ARPG could captivate 15 million players in China
Where does the information come from? Analyst and YouTuber Bellular repeatedly addresses trends in gaming in his videos. He bases his statements on various studies or statistics and puts them into perspective with what is happening in the gaming market. In one of his latest videos, he paints a picture that will likely not be pleasing to “older” gamers – meaning all those who still play on console or PC.
The next generation no longer plays like “we” do
One of the most important statements from the video is found right at the beginning. The Alpha generation has a completely different understanding of video games than is the case with “older” gamers. An article on GamesIndustry.biz, which is based on a survey by IGN, states: 93% of the Alpha generation prefers to play on mobile devices.
That the trend is moving more towards mobile gaming has long been clear – but the scale seems gigantic.
But something else is striking. In older generations, it was common to feel affiliated with a “type” of gaming. Were you part of the “PC Master Race” or a “console gamer”? Many identified with their chosen platform, but in one thing, most saw themselves as united: they were gamers.
For the Alpha generation, this is no longer the case. They do not identify as gamers anymore, but rather as players who only play a very specific game (gamesindustry.biz).
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The absolute winner in the young generation is probably Roblox. The platform is criticized from many sides, especially regarding data security and exploitation – yet it is incredibly successful among children.
Bellular then wonders:
Based on the real trends we see, the future of gaming looks like this: These are people who are fans of exactly one game and probably play it on a mobile phone, which is a bit strange. I don’t like that and it raises a big question: What does that mean for people who prefer traditional gaming experiences?
Games have grown with gamers – Now comes the generational shift
Bellular illuminates the gaming industry and the development of gaming. After the first major crash, video games experienced a second boom in the early 1990s. But with a clear difference: games back then were marketed as toys for children. Although many games were difficult and could also be enjoyed by adults, the marketing was clearly aimed at children.
These children who grew up with Super Mario were then the target group in the following decades. Games have grown with the target audience, becoming more serious and mature. Or, as Bellular describes it:
The medium has literally grown with its target audience. You had ROB the robot aimed at boys. Then came […] Tony Hawks and Call of Duty for the cool teenagers. […] And what do we have now? Cinematic games with sad fathers, like The Last of Us. Yes. It has just grown with us.
This generational shift is just around the corner. Because the next purchasing generation will be the Alpha generation, of whom 93% indicate that they prefer to play on a smartphone. Only 15% of respondents find gaming on a PC equally interesting or even preferred.
But this is not an issue that only Gen Alpha is facing. The preference for mobile gaming is also increasing among millennials – 32% prefer to play on a mobile device, namely a smartphone.
Mario was marketed as a children’s game back then – even though the plumber captivates many adults as well.
Gaming industry in crisis – but not everyone
After the pandemic, the gaming industry headed towards a crisis that still persists in many areas. Numerous layoffs and canceled game projects are the result. The hope that the “pandemic boom” of the gaming industry would continue has not been fulfilled.
Compare your AAA studio with several hundred employees to a 16-year-old in 3 days. And now feel sad.
The big publishers also notice where the young generation is hanging out – the next generation of customers. Publishers like Sega and Starbreeze have already begun licensing games in Roblox – games like “Like a Dragon” or “Payday” are now found in Roblox.
Mono-gamers are on the rise
Bellular believes that we are already noticing many of the effects and that the trend did not start with Roblox. In previous generations, it started that players focused increasingly on just one game.
So many, who play Counter-Strike or World of Warcraft, play exactly one of those two games – and hardly anything else. Take a look at your guild or ask how many people play something else besides WoW. Sure, some will – but there are many for whom their chosen MMORPG is exactly what gaming is all about. And platforms like Fortnite or Roblox represent that for the next generations.
Many who play WoW do exactly that. That’s their entire gaming experience.
Other data also supports this. An interesting report from Newzoo shows that 30% of all gaming time of PC players over 18 occurs in just 5 games: Call of Duty, Counter Strike, Fortnite, League of Legends, and Minecraft. If you take the top 10 of these games, they already account for 50% of total gaming time.
On consoles, it’s even more dramatic. Here, only 5 games account for 50% of all gaming hours – Call of Duty, FIFA/EA FC, Fortnite, GTA, and NBA 2K.
If 5 games already demand so much attention and capture the interest of several generations – how can new games still break through?
Sure, individual hits come along every now and then. Long-awaited sequels of franchises like GTA 6 or unexpected blockbusters like Clair Obsur: Expedition 33 cause momentary spikes. However, even such unexpected hits are just a drop in the bucket. Because in 2023, only 6.5% of all gaming hours were spent on games that were newly released that year.
Even more shocking: Of these 6.5%, only 4 games accounted for half of that time: Diablo IV, Hogwarts Legacy, Baldur’s Gate 3, and Starfield.
New games account for only 6.5% of time – and there are few successes that can claim that. Source: matthewball.co
The RPG milestone “Baldur’s Gate 3” only accounted for 0.6% of gaming hours in 2023, the year of its release – and it is still considered a gigantic success.
Are “our” games dying out?
Even if the statistics look grim at first glance, Bellular is convinced that there will continue to be good games in every niche. Only developers need to focus more. The idea of making a “game for everyone” rarely works. Instead, one should make a game for a specific target audience, because that, according to him, is the key to success:
Expedition 33 is everything you want, with none of what you don’t want in such a game. It’s not an overloaded, chaotic accident that had to try to find meaningful work for hundreds of employees. And funnily enough, that can lead to a good execution and a strong focus. I believe that this is the way forward for games that many of us fear we will not see one day.
One thing is clear: the gaming industry is undergoing a transformation. A change that is hardly stoppable when you look at the gaming habits of today’s young generation. Whether new games can find their niche here or whether we will face a major consolidation of gaming platforms in a few decades remains to be seen. But the data is interesting. A bit alarming, but interesting.
If you’re feeling frustrated and don’t know what to do with yourself, then enjoy the time instead and turn to a nice game. For this, we have our list of the 10 best MMORPGs you can play in 2025 – there are likely some suggestions you can consider to get your thoughts back on track.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A millionaire snatches a gift from a boy right in front of him. However, he finds his action perfectly fine and thinks others should not get so upset.For the boy who ended up empty-handed, at least there is a happy ending.
Our cover image is a symbolic image and does not depict the boy in question.
What exactly happened? Tennis player Kamil Majchrzak wanted to give a boy in the audience his hat. But the hat never reaches the boy, as a Polish millionaire and CEO snatched the hat meant for the child right in front of him. This was reported, among others, by the English-language magazine Dexerto.com.
The whole incident was recorded by a camera and went viral: Within a short time, the clip on X.com was viewed millions of times and caused an uproar in the community, which criticized the CEO for behaving so unfriendly. Eventually, even the tennis player who had given away his hat became aware of the incident.
How did it end? The tennis player saw what had happened, reached out to the child directly, gifted him a signed hat, and met with him personally.
Later, the player published the meeting on Instagram and showed that he had finally passed the hat to the person it was meant for.
Start video
Chef ruined his company in 59 seconds on Twitch – What happened to him?
The CEO defends his actions: “First come, first served”
The Polish CEO defended against accusations that he had stolen the hat from the boy. Instead of apologizing for his reaction, which many considered inappropriate, he explained that he was simply faster. Moreover, he stated that it was just a hat, and there should be no scandal over it. His statement can be found in Polish on the platform GoWork.pl
The recent incident at the tennis match has led to an outpouring of outrage on the internet. Of course, it’s about the famous hat. Yes, I took it. Yes, I did it quickly. But as I always say: First come, first served.
I understand that some people may not like that, but let’s not make a global scandal out of the hat. It’s just a hat. If you had been faster, you would have it. Regarding the hate on the internet, I would like to remind you that insulting a public figure is criminal. All offensive comments, slander, and insinuations will be reviewed for the possibility of prosecution.
His reaction has further consequences: Hundreds of people criticized his statement and insulted the CEO. Additionally, the company’s rating on Gowork, a platform for business reviews, dropped to 1.4 out of 5 points: Since it became known who the CEO is, the company has been bombarded with thousands of negative reviews.
Other CEOs haven’t exactly covered themselves in glory either: The head of a company that produces custom gaming PCs, Noah Katz, made a disastrous appearance on Twitch, and after that, everything went downhill. Sponsors pulled out, the reputation was ruined, and now the closure of the company is announced. Apparently, there is no money left to maintain operations: In 59 terrible seconds on Twitch, a CEO destroys everything – Gaming PC company must now close
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A refrigerator often makes loud noises during the day and especially at night: Why is this the case and when should you be concerned if the refrigerator makes a lot of noise? MeinMMO explains what is behind it.
If you go to the refrigerator again in the evening or at night and want to get a drink, you will notice that the refrigerator can make loud noises. But what is behind the noises and when can it become problematic if the device makes such noises?
Start video
Students spy on passersby with hidden cameras and AI, find name and address in seconds
Every refrigerator makes noise when operating, which is primarily due to the materials used
Where do the noises come from? The loud noises primarily arise from the expansion and contraction of the materials (plastic and metal) when the temperature inside fluctuates significantly. Additionally, the operation of the compressor and the circulation of the refrigerant play a role in typical noises such as buzzing, gurgling, or clicking. Some noises also occur when the defrosting automatic kicks in or ice detaches from surfaces.
How can you limit the loud noises? There are several ways you can narrow down issues with refrigerator noises:
Stand and orientation: Check if the refrigerator is installed evenly and stable; an uneven stand can amplify vibrations and loud noises.
Interior and loading: Check if glass plates, shelves, or removable parts are properly installed and that no objects are colliding or blocking the fans.
Door seal: Test if the door seal closes properly, as a leaking door can lead to increased compressor use and thus more noise.
Distance to the wall: Ensure that the refrigerator has enough space from the wall and furniture so that vibrations do not amplify or get transmitted.
High and persistent noises can indicate a defect in the refrigerator
When can high volume be a problem? Especially when noises occur very often or frequently, it can be an indication that something is wrong with your device. For example, Ersatzteileshop.de reports this. Here are some things to consider:
Constant loud buzzing or knocking: This can indicate a defective compressor, temperature sensor, or thermostat. A compressor that runs continuously often indicates a more serious defect – such as damaged insulation, a faulty door seal, or an electronic problem. Here, components can become overloaded, potentially causing electrical issues such as a short circuit.
Scraping, grinding, or whistling noises: These often arise from a blocked or defective fan or from ice deposits that stress mechanical and electrical components.
Popping, crackling, or bubbling: If these noises occur more frequently and louder, there may be foreign substances in the cooling system as well as leaks, which can long-term also favor electronic defects
Vikings Dynasty aims to continue the well-known game series, this time in cold Scandinavia. MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus is a huge fan of Vikings and checked out the upcoming survival game at the gamescom 2025. He was very surprised: The creators apparently place great value on authenticity.
There’s hardly anything better than living out the completely exaggerated idea of Vikings in video games. Wild warriors from the North, charging into battle with bare chests and mowing down everything like the berserkers they are. Excellent!
Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla immersed me in a fantasy that I still consider one of the best in video games: two two-handed swords, loud war cries, and go for it! Easily one of the best Viking games I have ever played.
However, these games often do not truly reflect what Vikings really are. I am interested not only in the myths surrounding the Norsemen but also in the culture, history, the legacy – everything that relates to history. And there is much more than just the raiding warriors.
Vikings Dynasty showcases precisely this world of Vikings that many who are not in the know remain unaware of: agriculture, fishing, shipbuilding, family. What I saw at gamescom about this game absolutely thrilled me.
Start video
Der Trailer zu Vikings Dynasty, dem Survival-Spiel im alten Skandinavien
“Family as a status is enormously important for the Vikings”
In Vikings Dynasty, you play as a Norse man or woman and found your own dynasty. Starting with being stranded after a storm, you receive some land from the Jarl of a nearby location and can settle there.
With the inhabitants you can recruit, you build your village, grow larger, find partners, and start families. Of course, they all need to be provided for: agriculture, fishing, and hunting provide food, seers, völvas, and temples offer divine assistance. Eventually, you will even become a Jarl yourself.
That already sounds quite different from what you typically know from Viking games – and that’s exactly what it’s supposed to be. Mathias Oertel, Senior Marketing & PR Manager at Toplitz Productions, the publishers of Vikings Dynasty, showed me the game and explained:
The combat is not our focus. For us, the classic, pure dynasty remains at the forefront, especially since it is surprisingly more ingrained in the culture, contrary to what is propagated in pop culture and through TV series and so on… Sure, they fight to reach Valhalla, but family values, family as a status, is enormously important for the Vikings.
And that fits wonderfully with this dynasty franchise. That is something we want to convey. We want to show Viking culture not just as warriors but also as civilians, as ordinary people. And still, it is all story-driven. Especially about the main character you create, who, as you’ve seen, can also be female.
Especially the story designer is one of the absolute Viking freaks. We cannot avoid referencing the well-known sagas and gods and so on. As we had in the intro, Odin Allfather, of course, you recognize Thor, Loki, and all their names.
Mathias Oertel
Fights will nonetheless play an important role: bandits will frequently attack, and you must defend your settlement. Unlike in Sengoku Dynasty, these raids cannot be eliminated, as the path to Valhalla is an important part of the story.
“You will have to honor the gods”
What impressed me the most was the authentic integration of religion. I haven’t seen much, but Mathias explains to me:
You will have to honor the gods. We also have seers, we have rune magic. In other words, you can also use runes in your weapons. It may help, before you go on any expeditions, to team up with your völva and take a look into the future to see what might happen. […]
The story designer and the world designer, he is the one who really… in another time, he would be a Viking. He is very focused on authenticity. And when we did the character presentation for Tarja, the völva, I wrote a few things. Because I had assumed that magic in the world is just “there” and he then corrected me very strongly. Therefore, I now assume that the magic derives from the knowledge of the time as they saw it, and is integrated.
Mathias Oertel
There will be temples in the game and seers who will imbue weapons – which you can forge yourself – with runes. However, I don’t know what effects these runes really have yet. Regarding the temples, I was particularly pleased with one detail: “The story we tell revolves around gods, figures, beings that may not be so well-known.” Maybe I’ll learn something new!
Like a real Viking: Out to sea with your own ship!
Shipbuilding will also play a major role in Vikings Dynasty. There will be several types of ships with which you can travel more or less far across the sea and explore new islands to find resources.
If you’re not up for that, you can let your NPCs do it – or fellow players, as Vikings Dynasty supports co-op for up to 4 players. Of course, you can also steer your ships yourself. There just won’t be any ship battles.
Currently, Vikings Dynasty is still in development, and many ideas are still being implemented or, if they are not feasible, discarded. The release is planned for later in 2025 in early access on PC.
Millions of customers order daily on Amazon, and that is exactly what makes the platform a popular target for scammers. We will show you the most common tricks used by scammers and how to protect yourself from them.
Amazon is the most important platform for many when it comes to online shopping. Millions of customers order here daily, and where a lot of money flows, scammers are not far behind. They use the name of Amazon to send emails, texts or even packages that appear deceptively authentic. Their goal: your data, your money, or both. As reported by FastCompany, this year some schemes are circulating that frequently appear in Germany. MeinMMO presents the most popular scams and also explains how you can protect yourself against them.
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Scam No. 1: Typosquatting & Fake Shops
How does the scam work? Scammers register domains that are confusingly similar to the real Amazon URL. Such as “amaz0n.de” or sites with other endings like .top, .xyz or “amazon-onlineshop.com”. Just a small typo is enough to land on a deceptively authentic fake page. There you are often asked to log in or enter payment details. Typosquatting is often used, according to Hideez, to carry out phishing, malware installation, or to collect personal data.
How to protect yourself: Pay attention to the URL; only amazon.de or your respective country domain ending is correct. No typos, extra characters or other endings. It’s safer to enter the address manually or go via the app/a bookmark. According to Cybersecuritynews, fake domains, especially during major shopping events like Prime Day, are particularly popular with scammers.
Scam No. 2: Fake Order Confirmation
How does the scam work? You receive an email with the subject “Your order has been shipped” – for an expensive product that you never ordered. The scammers hope that you panic and click on the “Cancel Order” link. In reality, the link leads to a fake page where login and payment details are requested.
How to protect yourself: Check directly in your Amazon account under “Orders” if the supposed shipment actually exists; if not, it is an attempted fraud. Amazon itself has warned its customers via email about fake orders and explicitly recommends checking such sent confirmations not through links in emails, but through the internal message center or the login area of the app. You can access the message center after logging in on the Amazon website via “My Account” → “Message Center”. In the app, go to your account page and then click on the bell.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
