Helldivers 2 is currently experiencing a high influx of players filled with motivated newcomers wanting to prove themselves as soldiers. One of them reports that he hasn’t been able to appear particularly heroic so far, but experienced players reassure him – because that is not only okay, but an important part of the experience.
What does the newcomer report? The new recruit and Reddit user DarthBrooks41 writes in a Reddit post that, after his first experiences in Helldivers 2, he had to come to a bitter realization: Unfortunately, he is unable to shine with any particular talent or at least luck. He dies far too quickly, gets lost, runs over his friends… and yet has a lot of fun.
The player discovered the game through Xbox and seems to “love every second of it,” as he shares on Reddit despite his previous bad luck.
This enthusiasm has not only infected other players; many veterans also recount their own foolish but funny experiences in the game, as if they want to measure themselves against them.
Xbox players can now also officially become Helldivers:
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Helldivers 2 invites new players of Xbox Series X|S to great heroic deeds
Embarrassing deaths are part of the Helldivers experience
How do players react? The community wants to make it clear to the player that he should not be ashamed because of his less heroic deployments, as it happens to every soldier sooner or later.
“Just always remember, no matter how skilled you become, you will always die in stupid ways,” says DishonoredPucas in a comment on Reddit, which over 3,000 other players agree with.
Also, lanceturley believes that “stupid deaths are such an essential part of the Helldivers experience that even the official trailers show how players die in ridiculous ways” (via Reddit).
sp441 wants to encourage the newcomer: “Don’t worry, as you level up and gain experience, you’ll learn to make even bigger, dumber mistakes. We’ll turn you into a real Helldiver!” (via Reddit)
What embarrassing situations do players report? The fact that these ridiculous failures are more funny than embarrassing is shown by the numerous experiences of players who want to share them almost proudly with the community:
PapaFleur: “I was wearing the armor that explodes when you die, and got caught by a bug while in the APC. I just thought ‘oh no’ and exploded, destroying the vehicle and killing the other two people in it…”
burningdustball: “I’m level 150 and accidentally ran over a teammate as he exited his pod directly in front of me. The good news is that the HMGs severed his spine, so I don’t think he suffered.”
Tycoelf: “Recently we spread democracy with a grenade launcher, only for a bug to jump on me and give the grenade a headbutt in mid-air. Guess where it landed?”
Now there is a new villain who wants to make our Vault Hunters’ lives difficult: The Timekeeper.
But who is this mysterious new figure? What is known so far? We summarize it for you!
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Borderlands 4 – Story trailer for the new installment of the loot shooter series
Who is the Timekeeper in Borderlands 4? What is known
Borderlands 4 takes place on Kairos – a beautiful but deadly planet. Above all, it is a kind of prison world that is tyrannized by the Timekeeper.
The Timekeeper rules from the fortress city of Dominion and keeps his subjects (slash prisoners) under control with implants.
The new antagonist is described as “well-mannered and disturbingly calm tyrant”. He has a “fixation on order”, according to the official characterization of the Timekeeper. This is pretty much the opposite of what the Calypso Twins represented in Borderlands 3.
He seems to be a cold, calculating villain who exercises control over his planet with an iron fist – and has no intentions of relinquishing it. It certainly won’t sit well with him if a revolution breaks out when the moon Elpis suddenly collides with Kairos at the start of the story of Borderlands 4 and brings the long-forgotten planet back on the map.
In addition to the cybernetic implants, the Timekeeper also has another weapon he can use to keep the planet under his control: the “Order Army”. These troops seem to be loyal to the Timekeeper. Their weapons are among the new types that you can collect in Borderlands 4. They feature extra ammunition and critical hits.
Is there more behind the Timekeeper? Theories and possible spoilers
Possible Spoilers: Warning! From here we delve into the realm of theories that may reveal background information about the Timekeeper that you might want to discover in the game!
The first appearance of the Timekeeper: The Timekeeper is the major, evil final boss in Borderlands 4, but he makes an appearance in Borderlands 3: In an echo log of the Siren Nyriad. In one of her stories, “Secrets”, she talks about countless secrets of the Eridians after the Destroyer was sealed within Pandora. You can watch it for example in the video by user Kody McHugh on YouTube.
And even on Reddit, these logs regarding the Timekeeper were already discussed five years ago. Because: In the context of this message, Nyriad speaks of other monsters that are said to be slumbering in the chambers. Among them, she mentions Graveward, the “Traveller”, and – the “Timekeeper”.
Is it possible, then, that the Timekeeper is itself a Vault monster on the loose – just a different one, with its human form? Or is he a human inspired by the monster? Is the overlap coincidental? We will probably find out soon when Borderlands 4 is released. Read all about the release of Borderlands 4 here on MeinMMO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Twitch streamer Eric “Erobb221” Robbins has taken on a very special challenge: filling a bathtub.
What is this special challenge? The Twitch streamer Erobb221 set himself the task in a Twitch stream to fill a bathtub with water. However, not in the conventional way, but armed only with a teaspoon. He dyed the water red so that it was better visible for his viewers, set up two cameras, and emphasized that he would only turn off the stream once the bathtub was full.
The reason: He lost a bet against his Twitch colleague Jasontheween in the shooters Call of Duty and Counter-Strike. As a penalty, a wheel was spun with various absurd projects, and it eventually landed on the bathtub. In addition, Erobb221 wanted to impress a woman and thus a potential date with the absurd things he gets into.
Start video
These are the 5 most relevant German streamers on Twitch in 2024, according to Google
Twitch streamer spends twice as long on project as initially thought
Erobb221 massively miscalculated the scope of the challenge. He thought he would need “only” 12 hours to fill it, but it ended up taking almost 35 hours total. After 34 hours and 43 minutes, the Twitch streamer could end his stream.
How does the community react? Under various Reddit posts, some users refer to the absurd action as Erobb221’s “Magnum Opus” (Source: Reddit) or as “his definitely greatest success” (Source: Reddit).
Another Reddit user made it his task to calculate how many extra liters Erobb221 had to fill into the bathtub to compensate for evaporation. He concluded that the Twitch streamer needed to fill about 6.3 liters extra into the bathtub. That’s equivalent to 1,260 additional teaspoons and 42 extra minutes (Source: Reddit).
Other streamers have also been drawn into absurd projects in live streaming. That Twitch is no longer just a platform for purely gaming content has long been clear. This is also proven by the butcher who streams his work life live on Twitch: A master butcher streams his daily life on Twitch and 10,000 people love it
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The new season in Pokémon GO is just around the corner. We will show you what to expect there.
What kind of season is this? The new season is named Tales of Transformation. It starts on September 2, 2025, at 10:00 AM and runs until December 2, 2025, at 10:00 AM.
As the name suggests, the season revolves around transformations. This includes Mega Evolutions as well as a new form for a mysterious Pokémon that not all trainers possess – which will change with the start of the season.
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So sah das Pokémon GO Fest 2025 in Paris aus
All content from Stories of Transformation
What mysterious Pokémon will be available? With the start of the new season, there will also be a new special research. In this, you can obtain the mysterious Pokémon Keldeo if you have not received it in the past by purchasing a ticket. If you already possess it, you will instead receive Keldeo candies.
During the new season, Keldeo will also be able to undergo a transformation for the first time, adopting the Resolute form.
What new Mega Evolutions will there be? In the new season, there will be 3 new Mega Evolutions: Mega Sharpedo, Mega Camerupt, and Mega Metagross. The last of the 3 monsters is likely to become one of the strongest attackers in Pokémon GO.
All 3 Pokémon will each receive their own Mega Raid Day during the new season.
What new Pokémon will be available? With Dipplin and Hydrapple, Applin will receive 2 new evolutions that will be available in the new season. Additionally, Gigantamax Garbodor and Dynamax Duraludon will celebrate their debut.
Shadow Groudon will also be available in Shadow Raids during the new season. So you have the opportunity to obtain additional copies of this strong attacker.
In these, you will need to complete challenges together with other trainers. For this, you will receive experience points and other rewards, as well as an increased boosting of friendship levels.
What other Pokémon will be in the season? The Pokémon that can be obtained from research breakthroughs, from eggs, or in the wild will rotate in the new season. Additionally, Pokémon appearing in the wild are expected to be adapted to their natural habitats.
In research breakthroughs:
Alakazam*
Aggron*
Sinistea
Morpeko
Dreepy
Frigibax*
In eggs, the following Pokémon will also be waiting for you in the respective months:
Month
2-km Eggs
5-km Eggs
10-km Eggs
September
Bulbasaur* Treecko* Azurill* Wynaut*
Alolan Grimer* Pichu* Riolu*
Mawile* Beldum*
October
Charmander* Togepi* Torchic* Chingling*
Alolan Meowth* Budew* Munchlax*
Absol* Bagon*
November
Squirtle* Mudkip* Bonsly* Happiny*
Alolan Vulpix* Tyrogue* Mantyke*
Larvitar* Sableye*
Adventure Sync
Omanyte* Kabuto* Elekid* Magby*
Aerodactyl* Druddigon* Tinkatink
In the 7-km eggs, you can also receive Alolan Rattata*, Alolan Sandshrew*, Galarian Farfetch’d*, and Hisuian Qwilfish*. By exchanging gifts with Mateo, you can also obtain Galarian Ponyta* and Hisuian Voltorb*.
All monsters marked with a * can also be obtained as Shiny.
What bonuses are available during the event? Throughout the entire duration of the new season, the following bonuses are active in the game:
guaranteed XL Rare Candy when catching a level 5 raid boss (from level 31)
guaranteed XL Candy when trading Pokémon (from level 31)
an additional candy when trading Pokémon
more experience points for the 7-day series at PokéStops
more experience points and Stardust for the 7-day catch series
more experience points for friendship level ups
Further content of the new season: During the new season, there will also be PokéStop showcases, Community Days, and the GO Pass. Additionally, there will be new stickers.
Already, there is information about a major event that will take place during the new season. This is the third major annual event in Pokémon GO, which made its debut last year: Pokémon GO Wild Area 2025: All information about the event.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In March 2025, Steam reached 41.2 million concurrent users. Record! At least until a few days ago. Last weekend, another platform was able to exceed this number.
Which platform is it? It’s Roblox, a game creation platform that has evolved into one of the most popular and successful gaming platforms over the past 20 years.
In August 2025, Roblox was able to surpass 1 billion views on YouTube. This milestone is being celebrated with a special “game” in Roblox, the YouTube Roblox Museum.
Now another historic milestone has been reached: Last weekend, there were temporarily 47.3 million players active in Roblox, as reported by Roblox Strategy Consultant James Purell on linkedin.com.
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Roblox – The Official Trailer for the Virtual Universe
The War of Viral Hits
Why is there a record? The viral Roblox hit “Grow a Garden” has been making headlines for some time because it can attract an incredible number of players to the servers every day who want to expand their own garden.
However, there is now internal competition from “Steel a Brainrot,” which is also very popular in the Roblox community. In this game, players buy (or steal from other players) so-called brainrots, generate money, and buy items to … troll other players. Well …
The developers spent the last week challenging and insulting each other on social media, calling it the “Admin War.” They managed to mobilize their respective communities, causing player numbers to explode: “Steel a Brainrot” occasionally reached over 20 million concurrent players, while “Grow a Garden” reached 21.1 million.
How does the community react to the record? Some players are calculating how many people on Earth were playing Roblox simultaneously during the record.
nsfw_zak writes on Reddit: “So every 173rd person on Earth was playing Roblox simultaneously? That’s crazy (I based my calculation on a total population of 8.2 billion people).”
Kyuubee adds on Reddit: “It’s even worse. According to Roblox’s demographic data, 40% of their users are under 13 years old, which accounts for about 19 million of the 47 million concurrent users. There are about 2 billion children worldwide. In other words: About every hundredth child on Earth was on Roblox at that time. Looking only at first-world countries with easy internet access, the numbers are even worse.”
What you need to know about Roblox: Although the platform has been on the market for so long and mainly attracts younger players, the developers are failing to moderate the vast number of players and games promptly and appropriately, and to establish measures that sustainably protect minors from abuse and toxic or questionable content.
Organizations like the German Children’s Fund and the Federal Center for Child and Youth Media Protection criticize the platform operators (Source: Deutschlandfunk). In the USA, hundreds of lawsuits against Roblox are currently being prepared, also focusing on the inadequate child protection (Source: wired.com).
What can parents do? If you don’t want to completely ban your child from Roblox, you should at least have them show you which games they are playing on the platform. Also, keep an eye on the chat and use the available options for parental control to block certain content or communication options (more on this at roblox.com).
The Twitch streamer Max “Trymacs” Stemmler is said to have behaved inappropriately at an aftershow party of gamescom.
What is this alleged misconduct? On Friday evening, August 22, 2025, a party took place at the Cologne club Bootshaus. Many influencers went there after gamescom to wind down the evening. Allegedly, the Twitch streamer Trymacs drank a bit too much and behaved accordingly.
The Twitch streamer Hugo “LetsHugo” talked in one of his Twitch streams about how a “Person X” supposedly choked him, to the point that he could not breathe. Furthermore, he stated that this person threw the Twitch colleague Nooreax into a bush and was subsequently thrown out of the club by the bouncers.
The only hint at the identity was given by Hugo, who said that this person “is completely drunk at almost every party” (Source: TikTok). The community quickly speculated about Trymacs, as he often mentioned drinking a lot of alcohol at parties.
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Vom Pizza-Lieferant zu einem der größten deutschen Twitch-Streamer – Leben und Karriere von Trymacs in 2 Minuten
Other Twitch streamers also confirm the incident:
Twitch streamer Papaplatte, who himself was not at the party, but at least his friend Miguel, stated that he was informed about Trymacs’ ejection.
Twitch streamer Rezo also spoke about the incident involving Nooreax and Trymacs in his last livestream (on twitch.tv).
“He really needed that”
What does Trymacs say about it? Trymacs does not deny the allegations but sees the situations from a completely different perspective. He seems rather amused by it.
He mentioned in his latest livestream (clip on YouTube) that both Hugo and Nooreax “got tackled”. He tussled with Nooreax, causing Nooreax to collide with the toilet attendant. Although Nooreax warned Trymacs that if he continued like that he would be thrown out of the club, Trymacs apparently did not take it seriously.
Trymacs tackled his Twitch colleague again and then threw him into a bush together with him. This led to both being thrown out of the club by the bouncers. Nooreax was allowed back into Bootshaus after a discussion, while Trymacs tried to get back in over the wall and was then thrown out again a second time.
Regarding the incident with LetsHugo, Trymacs said: “I only put Hugo in a headlock once; he really needed that.” (Source: X.com). The Twitch streamer explained that this would have been okay with his Twitch colleague Elis and he would have found it amusing too, but with Hugo he would directly say “Oh my God”.
What are the community’s reactions? Most comments under postings about the topic do not see the incidents as amusing as Trymacs does:
super-gyakusou commented on Reddit: “Trymacs should reconsider his alcohol consumption. There are now many stories about it. I would claim that he does not mean to seriously harm anyone (the affected are his friends and colleagues), but when drunk he overdoes it with presumably well-meaning actions and crosses boundaries.”
einfachlois7636 wrote on YouTube: “Wow, how uncomfortable and to be proud of that.”
Xunshine__ commented on X: “Why is he laughing as if this is in any way normal behavior?”
Ubisoft itself admitted in a conference that The Division 2 “did not perform commercially as expected” (via mp1st.com).
Actually, the development of the game should have concluded with the expansion “Warlords of New York” in March 2020 – just a year after release.
Nevertheless, The Division 2 is still being provided with new content to this day. In May 2025, “Fight for Brooklyn,” the second DLC for the game, was released and made players rave.
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Ubisoft shows the new DLC of The Division 2 in the trailer
“We really shouldn’t exist.”
How did the new content for The Division 2 come about? On August 23, Palle Hoffstein from Massive Entertainment commented on this. He is one of the developers who revived the shooter. In a post on X, he reveals that a comparatively tiny team was responsible for the restart of The Division 2.
“I was involved in two major turnarounds: with Rainbow Six Siege and The Division 2. It’s great to have been part of both. But we had 5 people to restart Division 2. Five! What were we thinking? Oh, it was fun,” he writes on X.
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Since The Division is still a popular franchise (and Ubisoft is no small studio with over 18,000 employees), this number seems quite absurd.
The developer also provides the reason for this small team. “Studios plan their staffing years in advance to ensure that everyone is allocated and busy,” he explains.
We created a problem by becoming a team that required positions that were not on anyone’s plans. We really shouldn’t exist.
Palle Hoffstein
Hoffstein also states that he and his small team had no interest in just giving the game “one or two more years.” “The goal we believed we could achieve was to build something bigger and lasting,” he says in the post. Since the shooter is still receiving updates 6 years after release, this plan seems to have worked out.
On Steam, you can currently get the Standard Edition of The Division 2 for only €5.99, but only until September 1, 2025.
While The Division 2 has risen from the dead, many fans are waiting for any signs of part 3. It has at least been announced that a sequel is to come. The Division 3 is therefore just one of 23 sequels of games that fans have been waiting for forever.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
With Dune: Awakening, the developers originally planned a survival MMO, but a central feature is so rarely used by players that they now declare it a failure.
What feature is it? In Dune: Awakening, the developers have integrated many features that were supposed to make the survival game an MMO as well. With hundreds of players on a server, one should not feel entirely alone in the vast desert of Arrakis. While foreign players have been causing trouble in the deep desert since the launch of the game, one feature is hardly used.
The marketplace in Dune: Awakening is what is being referred to. This was originally intended to provide PvE players access to all materials in the game, including those that are only available in PvP areas. It was also supposed to be a hub for all kinds of goods and products for the players. However, this idea is now declared a failure by the players.
Here you can see what to expect in the upcoming update of Dune: Awakening:
Start video
Dune: Awakening receives new story quests and another vehicle with Chapter 2
A Marketplace for Nobody
Why has the marketplace failed? Anyone who has had a few hours of business administration classes knows that a market is formed by supply and demand – however, in Dune: Awakening, both have been absent since the launch. Only a few players probably used the feature (via Reddit), and the intended opportunity for PvE players to access the best items in the game has been rendered unnecessary by the developers’ changes to the endgame.
Diverse duplication tricks have also ensured that some items were cheated instead of purchased. This has allowed much more currency to enter the circulation, causing prices on some servers to explode inflationarily (via Reddit). Thus, players paint a poor picture of the state of the marketplace.
What do the players say? In a new post, players discuss on Reddit that the marketplace in Dune: Awakening is “one of the most lifeless markets” they have “ever seen in an MMO.” While the post by Reddit user JackfruitLess4716 receives much approval, many players also have improvement suggestions for the developers:
Chaosrealm69: “I think the problem with the markets is that they are cumbersome to access for selling items. A trading terminal in a trading post would be a possible solution that doesn’t create too much hassle. That would make access easier for all players.”
unc0det: “It would help if the developers added buy orders to the market.”
JackfruitLess4716: “They should connect all servers with the marketplace. The most valuable resource in the game struggles to make sales, even below market price. It’s riskier to put items on the market as they rarely sell, thus wasting Solaris.”
Indeed, the fact that the markets of the servers are not connected creates extreme differences among players. In the post, some users explain that on their server there is still active trading taking place, while others struggle to sell their items.
A user invested $280 to improve their mouse. Logitech made the same changes in a new model for 2024. Therefore, the user should have just bought the new model and would have saved a lot of money.
A tech enthusiast spent around $280 (about €240) to fix the weaknesses of the Logitech MX Ergo trackball from 2017 through modifications. This is reported by the English-language magazine TomsHardware.
The frustrating part: Logitech released a new model of the mentioned mouse in 2024 and solved almost all the problems for which the user invested nearly $300. And the Logitech MX Ergo (2024) is now available for significantly less than €100.
Start video
In Germany, there are over 400 USB sticks protruding from walls – What is the ‘Dead Drops’ project?
User invests $280 for a better mouse in everyday life
The tech fan Sam Wilkinson presented his upgrades for the MX Ergo in a personal blog post in more detail. He made extensive modifications and replaced components, upgrading the device both technically and ergonomically to eliminate the shortcomings:
He replaced the mouse’s circuit board to replace the micro-USB port with a USB-C port.
In another step, he changes the mouse switches, which were too loud for him. He opted for Huano Silent switches, which he described as “almost completely silent.”
In a third point, he replaced the “Logi Options+” software with SteerMouse, which supposedly cost him about $20. He himself described Logitech’s old software as “overloaded, faulty, and occasionally malware-like.”
Overall, the upgrades cost him around $280. Most of the expenses were due to the fact that he had to buy the tools. He explained that he spent over $200 alone on a hot air soldering station. For the rest, he claims to have put down another about $55. He explains:
In total, I spent $45 on the circuit boards and about $10 on the necessary components, which makes this modification quite an expensive affair.
He himself stated at the end that he was very satisfied with the project. In particular, the new switches marked a significant improvement that he recommends to everyone. In addition, he gathered a wealth of experience and some new ideas for future projects. Wilkinson explains in his post:
Overall, I am very satisfied with the outcome of this project. I generally find it very entertaining to customize the items we use daily according to our preferences. Apart from a great mouse, this project has given me a number of ideas for further projects.
What about the new model now?
The charging port has been switched from micro-USB to modern USB-C, resolving his first criticism.
The click sounds of the buttons have been reduced by 80% in the new model, making the operation significantly quieter. Thus, his second criticism is resolved.
The ergonomic concept and the tilt mechanism (0° or 20°) have remained the same, as have the size, weight, and number of programmable buttons.
However, his last criticism, the overloaded software from Logitech, has not changed. The company continues to rely on Logitech Options+ as software for the mouse.
Theoretically, tech enthusiast Sam Wilkinson should have just bought the new, improved mouse and saved a lot of money in this way. But he also would not have gained the many valuable experiences.
Other users also become inventive when they want to solve problems from manufacturers. For instance, NVIDIA’s current RTX 5000 generation has been criticized due to power cables burning or being severely damaged. One user developed a daring design to prevent this. However, his method is not space-saving: Hobby technician creates daring construction to prevent his RTX 5090 cables from melting
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Twitch streamers Max “Trymacs” Stemmler, Max Schradin, Paul “Krokoboss” and Nici Stemmler were together on a tour with e-scooters. Right at the first traffic light, they were criticized by a passerby, even though they only wanted to lead by example.
How do the Twitch streamers want to fulfill their role model function? As public figures, Twitch streamers have a role model function. People from their community look up to them, take them as examples, and may imitate their behavior.
The streamers Trymacs, Max Schradin, Krokoboss, and Nici wanted to fulfill this function on their e-scooter tour by wearing helmets while riding. However, this was precisely what a passerby criticized.
Start video
Vom Pizza-Lieferant zu einem der größten deutschen Twitch-Streamer – Leben und Karriere von Trymacs in 2 Minuten
Passerby criticizes helmet wearing
How are the streamers being criticized? At the first traffic light where the four streamers stop, they are approached by a passerby. With the words “Aren’t you ashamed?” she directly addresses the four (source: YouTube) and says that it looks so silly. Schradin initially responds with confusion and then states that there is a helmet requirement and one should not be ashamed of it.
Note: There is no helmet requirement, according to the website of the police NRW, but it is strongly recommended as even at low speeds, serious head injuries can occur in the event of falls. So even though such a requirement does not exist, it is commendable for the Twitch streamers to lead by example.
The group of streamers continues. Schradin comments on the incident: “We are being dissed” (source: YouTube), while Trymacs concludes: “I will never wear a helmet again.” (source: YouTube).
What do the upheavals at Zenimax mean for The Elder Scrolls Online? In an exclusive Gamescom interview with MeinMMO editor-in-chief Leya, directors Rich Lambert and Nick Konkle talked about the future of the MMORPG and a new direction.
In the world of MMORPGs, hardly anything is as constant as change. However, recently the developers of The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) faced several major upheavals: the departure of studio head Matt Firor, a restructuring of the team, and the introduction of a new seasonal content model.
In the interview at Gamescom, I spoke with Rich Lambert, the Creative Director, and Nick Konkle, the Game Director, about exactly these challenges. We discussed the mood in the studio, the future of ESO, and how the team maintains the balance between the cherished legacy of the game and the changing expectations of the player base.
It was a tough phase
MeinMMO: Let’s just start with the … perhaps more complicated topics. In July, several hundred people had to leave Zenimax, the development of the new MMORPG was shelved after about seven years. Matt Firor is gone, and ESO has essentially lost the face of the last few years. It’s not an easy state. So I ask quite openly: How is the morale in the studio, in the house? How does everything feel right now?
Rich: Yes, I mean, it was definitely … definitely an emotional time. There were friends and colleagues we had worked with for a very long time. But the reality is, we have work to do. We have ESO, we are passionate about it, the community is passionate about ESO, and we are putting everything into keeping it going. So yes, it was a tough phase for a while, with a lot of emotions. But I think at this point everyone has that goal – everyone is focused on ESO and making it as good as possible. And that helps everyone get through the difficult time.
Nick: I don’t have much to add to that. I mean, we’re just humans too, just like you said. We are looking very much to the future, full of energy, and trying to ensure we continue to deliver the best possible game to our players.
The orientation of ESO has not changed
MeinMMO: Well, now that with Matt Firor, so to speak, the head of ESO is gone – has something changed in the vision of The Elder Scrolls Online? What is the vision at the moment? Is it still the same?
Rich: I mean, it’s still called “Player First”. ESO is very established in what we want it to be. People are now in different roles, such as Jo Burba, who is now studio head. Jo is focusing heavily on studio culture and so on, while Matt did that too, but he also focused heavily on game development. He had been more focused on the other project for a while, less on ESO, because I was there focusing on it. So that vision hasn’t really changed; it’s still there. Nick and I are very different people. We play games differently, but at our core we agree very much on what ESO is and what it means to move into the future with it. And that’s good.
Nick: Yes, and I mean, we love Matt, we wish him the best. But in terms of whether the direction or orientation of ESO has changed – it hasn’t. Rich and I just took over seamlessly. This goes before what has happened in the last two months. So, what has changed for us? Actually nothing, because we are still on the course we planned for the next year.
Start video
The Elder Scrolls Online: Seasons of the Worm Cult – Part 1 – Release Trailer
We have a tremendous legacy
MeinMMO: When you said that you both bring different things to the table: What does each of you specifically bring? Where are the differences?
Rich: Yes, so … it’s hard, we are both hardcore gamers. We love playing games and so on. I focus a lot on the “power” side. I love builds and optimizing, improving myself and getting that last little bit of damage out – I love that power gaming. And I think Nick does some of that as well, but he focuses on different areas. Matt was similar, by the way; he was more on the role-playing and story side, less on the power gaming. That’s just interesting.
Nick: Both of us care a lot about Elder Scrolls Online and the players. We can talk a lot about how great ESO is, and we really think it’s a great game, but we are nothing without the players, the community.
That’s what we are both passionate about. We are gamers, and our players matter to us – and that won’t change. I have worked closely with Rich for the last 6 years and learned a tremendous amount from him. We also talk a lot every day now, and a big part of that is: “Is this okay for you in terms of the vision for ESO?”
And in the future, it’s less about the differences between the two of us, but more about the overall direction. We have already embarked on that path – how do we stay true to the roots of ESO? Because we have a great game, we have a tremendous legacy, it has now been 11 years. And how do we stay true to that while also evolving, creating something new, and generating excitement? There is so much … I love Elder Scrolls Online, but I don’t think anyone looks at a game and says, “It’s perfect, we’re done.”
MeinMMO: Especially with an MMORPG – it’s an evolving game. As you said, ESO has been around for 11 years, it has a rich history, had a rough start, changed, and you are trying new things. There is so much …
Rich: The players change too, right? What they like, what their playing patterns look like. All of that changes over time. And if we don’t change, we will be left behind.
MeinMMO: Oh, that’s interesting. What changes in patterns have you observed in your player base in recent years?
Rich: Things like playtime – you can see from our numbers when a new game comes out because they go down briefly. And then they rise again. And also, how players access the game. There are so many different ways today, and there is a strong demand for things like crossplay or cross-save. That is constantly coming up. In 2014, no one thought about it. We certainly didn’t think about it in 2007 when we started building the game. So, it’s exciting to see how that changes and evolves.
Nick: I started playing around 2004, about then. It’s incredible how much everything has changed in the last two decades, whether it’s technology or gameplay. Player expectations change when new games come out and existing games push the boundaries. As you said, games are constantly evolving. This game has been running for 11 years, and player expectations change along with it. Many paradigms from the early 2000s are still relevant, but things are evolving. One must keep up, constantly creating new content and features for our players.
Our most successful events were those where players could cooperate
MeinMMO: Something I find very interesting – with the new approach of ESO Seasons: I have been reporting on MMORPGs for 8 years, and one change has been that they needed to become more solo-player friendly. ESO has always been at the top of the list for that. And now we are tearing down the “Writhing Wall”, which reminded me a bit of the roots [of MMORPGs]: a social event where the community works together towards a goal. Is this also an approach to bring back more community and social feeling?
Rich: It was a very conscious decision to do something like this. We have never done it this way before, so we wanted to try something different. Our most successful events were those where players could cooperate. One example: The first exploration event we did – players had to find all the interesting locations in a zone. And organically, players and guild leaders organized themselves and formed these “trains” that guided people around. We thought, “Okay, can we take this to a larger scale and let the whole server work together to unlock the next level?” Let’s see how it goes – I’m curious.
Nick: I’m curious too. One of the best things about this genre is that there are so many different types of players. So, we’re not just going to focus extremely heavily on social content, but it’s important to us. We want to make fresh things, we want to try more of that, but also new things for all player types to keep them motivated.
MeinMMO: How long do you think it will take for the community to master this challenge?
Rich: Hm, I don’t know …
MeinMMO: If you had to guess?
Rich: One thing I have learned: When you present a challenge to the community, they find a way – and quickly. That’s why I have this tattoo on my leg – the tattoo was something we did for Elsweyr. So I think the players will be quicker than we expect. The exciting thing will be: Which server achieves it first? PC/EU? There will be this kind of server camaraderie that we have never had before.
MeinMMO: Our lead MMORPG editor Karsten has asked another question: Did you take inspiration from other MMORPGs for the event? He is a big WoW player …
Rich: Gates of Ahn’Qiraj?
MeinMMO: Yes, that’s exactly what he thought right away.
Rich: Yes, of course – we draw inspiration from everywhere. I experienced Gates of Ahn’Qiraj as a player, and it is still one of my top memories of WoW. Other games have done similar things, and we look at what has been successful to build on it and make something special out of it.
MeinMMO: I also want to talk about the seasons. With the Worm Cult, you introduced the seasonal system for content updates for the first time this year. Has it had the effect that you had hoped for?
Rich: We are still watching and measuring that. The idea came from the community. Players said it all felt too formulaic. We wanted to change that, so we abandoned the chapter concept to allow for more surprises and agility.
Nick: Yes, absolutely. This is just a step; we expect more changes in the coming years. Our goal is to break predictability, distribute content, and implement feedback faster. Seasons give us that flexibility and more moments to engage with the community in dialogue.
MeinMMO: Have you received feedback on this yet?
Rich: It’s still early, but it’s been quite positive so far. Players now understand what we are trying. It’s a lot of trial and error, but that’s exactly why we’re doing it this way. Previously, we needed 18 months for a chapter; now we can deliver smaller content faster and respond better to feedback.
You can now make absurdly many builds
MeinMMO: I read some community feedback. Some were worried that the updates are smaller and deliver less content. What do you say to that?
Nick: Spread over a year, it should feel similar. We’re not taking anything away; we’re just distributing it differently. I’m curious how players will take it.
MeinMMO: You said you are a min-maxer. What are you most looking forward to in the next update?
Rich: I love the concept of subclasses. You can now make absurdly many builds, mix class lines – I love this kind of experimentation. Apart from that, there are other things I can’t talk about yet.
MeinMMO: Same question for you, Nick. You are deep into lore and story. What excites you?
Nick: I’ve put thousands of hours into ESO and also into other MMORPGs. I play everything – PvE, PvP, lore. I love progression and story. We talk a lot internally about: How do we ensure that players’ time is meaningful and exciting? That they can trust us? That drives us. I can’t reveal details, but there’s a lot that excites me.
You have to earn players’ valuable time
MeinMMO: One last question: We talked about changes – smartphones are perhaps one of the biggest competitors today. What will change the most for MMORPGs in the next few years?
Rich: Access. Everyone has a phone, a tablet. People are always online. And the community is crucial – Guild Wars 2, WoW, ESO – they live through the community. Things like cross-save and cross-progression are huge; that didn’t exist before. Today, platform boundaries are blurred. Xbox is pushing this very hard.
Nick: A very good question. The development has been rapid, especially in recent years. For an 11-year-old game like ESO, it’s simultaneously frightening and exciting. We want to stay true to our roots, but also evolve to attract new players and retain existing ones. This applies to all MMORPGs today: Players give you their most valuable resource – time. You have to earn that through trust and engagement.
MeinMMO: Thank you very much, very good answers.
An MMORPG like ESO has to constantly reinvent itself
The interview with Rich Lambert and Nick Konkle shows that the recent challenges have not discouraged the ESO team. Instead, they see it as an opportunity to rejuvenate the game and explore new paths. The message is clear: The “Player First” vision remains, even as the faces behind the scenes change.
The developers are aware that the playing habits and expectations of the community are evolving. Their new approach to move away from traditional chapters and instead focus on agility and direct feedback with the seasonal model is a bold step. At the same time, they are daring to return to the social roots of the genre with events like the “Writhing Wall”, inspired by classic MMORPG moments.
In the end, the most important insight remains that the players are the heart of ESO. Rich and Nick both emphasize that players’ time is the most valuable resource that needs to be earned. An over 11-year-old game like ESO can only survive by constantly reinventing itself without losing its identity.
In Eve Online, there were several major battles involving thousands of ships. Even the developers have spoken out to acknowledge the events with a few warm words.
What do the developers say? In an initial post on X, the developers of Eve Online explained that there were fights in the area “Old Man Star” between the factions “Minmatar Fleet Alliance” and “Snuffed Out” as well as their allies. The reason: a Fortizar citadel whose hull timer had expired.
As a result of this first battle, ships and equipment valued at over 1 trillion ISK (Inter-Stellar Credit) are said to have been destroyed. According to coinbrain.com, one ISK currently equals 0.00000974 Euros. Therefore, approximately 9.7 million Euros worth of items were destroyed in the roughly one and a half hour long battles.
The majority of the losses (376 ships) must be endured by the “Minmatar Fleet Alliance” and their allies. You can find the battle report on br.evetools.org. A summary of the battle is available on YouTube.
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EVE Online says with Legion its latest expansion suitable for newcomers
After the battle is before the battle
Is there also a second post? Yup! A day later, the developers followed up with another message on X, in which they report on the fall of the Keepstar citadel in Y-MPWL. The defenders fought bravely.
During the siege, the developers state that over 3,200 ships were destroyed, resulting in damage amounting to nearly 800 billion ISK. You can also find the battle report here on br.evetools.org.
Eve Online is known for battles of this scale. This is made possible by the vast universe of the sci-fi MMORPG, which has always been characterized by the enormous freedom that allows players to have a significant influence on the balance of power.
The Chinese company NetEase appears to continue in cost-saving mode. Now the next ambitious MMORPG project from the West is to receive less funding.
Which project is it? It is about “Project Ghost” from the studio Fantastic Pixel Castle, which was founded by former WoW Lead Greg “Ghostcrawler” Street. According to a report from bloomberg.com, the Chinese publisher NetEase intends to cut the originally planned funding package.
NetEase itself states in a statement that it is standard industry practice to “evaluate the progress, profitability, and potential success of all games and studios and make decisions based on these business considerations.”
The management team at Fantastic Pixel Castle is reportedly already trying to reduce its own costs. However, the exact impact of the cuts is currently unclear, as NetEase has not yet wanted to provide specific figures.
The first class presented from the MMORPG Ghost:
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Ghost: Neuer Trailer stellt Klasse der Dreamblade vor
However, it seems that the US studio Jackalyptic Games, founded by industry veteran Jack Emmert (Neverwinter Online, Star Trek Online, City of Heroes), has also been hit. There, the new MMORPG based on Warhammer has been in development for several years. The major financial backer behind the project? NetEase. But even here, reports emerged in February 2025 that the developers are searching for new funding sources.
William Ding, CEO and founder of NetEase (and billionaire), announced at the time he intended to cut numerous positions, close studios, halt projects, and reduce international investments. But not only NetEase is working to save costs. In July, a major wave of layoffs shook the entire industry: Microsoft laid off 9,000 employees to position gaming for lasting success
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Young anime fans no longer know these classics. Yet they are timeless and still look really strong today!
We live in a time where more and more anime are being released in shorter and shorter timeframes. While it used to be normal to see perhaps 5 or 10 new anime per season, we are now far beyond 50 new (or continuing) series per quarter.
However, the more one is flooded with new series, the more older classics fade into the background, which especially new anime fans may not know at all.
With this list, we want to highlight a few anime whose release is already several years behind us, but which are nonetheless worth a look. Either because they were ahead of their time, because they have a particularly interesting story, or because they offer another, special aspect. Enjoy!
However, there are also new anime with curious ideas, like this one:
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Dungeons and Television – Trailer for the indie anime about live broadcasts from dungeons
Record of Lodoss War
Alternative names: Lodoss-tou Senki Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy Episodes: 13 Stream available on:Currently no stream known. Available for purchase only.
From the aftermath of the last war of the gods, the kingdom of Lodoss and the surrounding nations have been plagued by a thousand years of war. Now peace is slowly coming within reach as an ancient evil begins to stir. A long-forgotten witch has awakened, hoping to keep chaos alive in Lodoss by playing political factions against each other.
A group of various peoples, led by the warrior Parn, will be the central force to confront the enemy and prevent Lodoss from sinking into war and devastation for further centuries.
Deedlit is a role model for many, many elves from other anime that followed.
What makes Record of Lodoss War special? Record of Lodoss War is likely to appeal to fans of fantasy stories who cannot relate to the modern isekai trend and the typical overpowered protagonist. For Record of Lodoss War is more oriented towards pen and paper adventures – not surprisingly, the entire series is based on a D&D experience.
If you enjoy a beautiful, mature fantasy epic in classic anime style, you’ll have some great hours with Record of Lodoss War.
Additionally, the anime features the elf Deedlit – and she may well be the model for just about all the other blonde elves that appeared in subsequent anime series.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
FYNG-moderator Julius Busch and MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus had the opportunity at gamescom 2025 to speak with Creative Director Joel Bylos about Dune: Awakening. They discussed critical fans, endgame issues, and this mysterious empty slot in the character window.
It was clear that FYNG moderator Julius Busch and MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus used the talk about Dune: Awakening at gamescom 2025 to discuss exactly these issues with Creative Director Joel Bylos. If you missed the almost 30-minute interview, you can catch up below. We also summarize the key insights in this article.
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1,000 hours of love-hate: Why angry fans are the biggest hope for Dune: Awakening
You can find even more video talks directly at GameStar Talk on GameStar.de and on the YouTube channel of our colleagues, which you can also subscribe to. The GameStar podcast is also available on Spotify. It’s worth checking out!
When Heavy Gamers Write Angry Reviews
At the beginning of the talk with Joel Bylos, the focus is on the launch of Dune: Awakening and how the survival MMO has been received by players. The lead developer explains that there are numerous players who have played the game “very much” until they eventually had nothing left to do. Then they got angry, went to Steam, and rated the game negatively.
I saw a review on Steam with 1,000 hours of playtime: “The game is terrible.” And I calculated. This guy has played 12 hours a day since we launched.
Joel Bylos in the FYNG talk about Dune: Awakening
Bylos further explains that they are indeed keeping an eye on the criticism regarding the lack of endgame content. However, the upcoming Chapter 2 will not fully address this criticism as it will continue the story campaign and introduce new quests and dynamic events to the world.
There will be small improvements for the current endgame, such as increasing the storage capacities of vehicles and the ability to transport vehicles via ornithopter, to make farming in the deep desert more comfortable. A recovery system for lost or destroyed vehicles is also planned to arrive soon, so players can retrieve and repair them if needed.
The plan for the comprehensive adjustments to the endgame in Chapter 3 is already set. According to Joel Bylos, they want to first introduce a whole series of PvE challenges, and afterwards revert the deep desert back to the originally planned PvP area. In this way, they want to clearly separate the two very different target groups.
The deep desert is supposed to belong to the PvP fans again sometime.
Future DLC Purchases Should Be Worth It
The next paid DLC is not only supposed to deliver cosmetic content but also a quest line associated with the skins. This marks a departure from their DLC policy that they had followed with Conan Exiles. In the discussion, Joel Bylos explains the reason.
One of the things we want to do is provide players with the value of actually playing the game. Purely cosmetic DLCs are nice, and there will be purely cosmetic DLCs again in the future. However, our idea now is to make players feel like they actually earn the rewards.
These rewards are purely cosmetic. We want players to experience a quest line that explains why these cosmetics exist and what they have to do with Dune. And we believe it has value to play the game.
Joel Bylos in the FYNG talk about Dune: Awakening
The lead developer further reveals that new content will also come with a boost to tier levels. Bylos emphasizes that the highest tier level will always be the most labor-intensive to produce in terms of recipes and equipment. This will always be directed at guilds and heavy gamers.
With the introduction of a new tier level, the previous tiers will also be adjusted, particularly concerning the amount of resources needed for crafting – to ease access for all players.
Moreover, they want to adjust the Landsraad so that the associated quests offer more variety and become more interesting for solo players. There should be more rewards and benefits that guilds can earn for their community – such as the possibility to offer services from the capitals in their guild base.
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Dune: Awakening receives new story quests and another vehicle with Chapter 2
Some players claim, for example, that in an early testing phase, they found a backpack slot there to expand the inventory. However, Bylos dismisses this myth. It is simply an open space that he asked the designers to create so that later (perhaps with an expansion) a cool new piece of equipment could be placed there.
According to the lead developer, it has always been the plan to largely outsource inventory or storage options to vehicles. A backpack or similar tools would run counter to this design goal.
Joel Bylos is the Creative Director for Dune: Awakening.
Bylos explains that there are indeed alternative ways to manage your base. In Fallout 76, for example, when logging out, you take your base with you and have to re-place it the next time you log in.
What the developers do not want at all is a collection of ghost towns from unused bases that allow newcomers hardly any room for their own expansion. However, the team understands the problem and plans to make some adjustments:
They want to expand the bank so that players can store much more resources, blueprints, and equipment there before a longer break than is currently the case.
The developers are working on warning players with email notifications when their base is about to decay or their power capacities are running out.
They want to provide returning players with a kind of resource package when they come back online after a long break. This package will contain materials and equipment to ensure that they don’t have to start from scratch. The contents of the package should be tailored to the character’s level.
The goal of the developers is for players to be able to reach their old progress in a relatively short time even after a long break, provided they have saved their base and stored enough resources in the bank.
Faction Wars and Raids
In the interview with Joel Bylos, we finally learned that the developers want to let the two factions of the game clash in PvP. Not in the deep desert, where everyone fights everyone, but in alternative PvP variations.
Imagine a mode where the Atreides have to build a fortress, and it’s the Harkonnen’s job to storm that fortress. You have a certain time window to build the facility, and then the opponents come and attack.
Joel Bylos in the FYNG talk about Dune: Awakening
According to Bylos, this could also work as a PvE challenge, with AI fighters taking on one side. As for real raid battles against a large sandworm, there are currently no concrete plans.
The developer explains that it would be extremely difficult to design raid challenges in Dune: Awakening’s combat and skill systems in a way that they are enjoyable, sufficiently polished, and well-balanced. However, at some point, this will be something the developers want to tackle.
Activision has announced that Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 wants to focus again on more authentic skins, but the community is skeptical.
What does Call of Duty say about the skins? Activision announced on August 26, 2025, in a blog post that Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 will take a different approach regarding the skins that players can purchase for their operators and weapons. They want Black Ops 7 to feel “authentic” and fit within the setting of Call of Duty.
This announcement gives the community hope that the latest installment of the shooter series will feature fewer flashy and absurd skins that deviate significantly from the somewhat realistic setting of the game. In the past, there were colorful animal masks, skins based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Beavis, and Butthead.
In what way is Activision doing this perhaps in the worst possible way? Originally, it was planned that at the release of Black Ops 7, you would be able to transfer your already purchased skins and use them in the latest installment of the shooter. This plan has now changed.
In the blog post, the developers write that operator and weapon content from Black Ops 6 will not be carried over to Black Ops 7 in order to maintain the authentic style for Black Ops 7. This is incredibly bad news for players who spent money on skins in the predecessor.
Since the old CoD titles usually lose significant relevance and player numbers with the shift to the latest installment, these skins may soon be left unused, gathering dust in a game that is no longer played.
Who is not affected by the change? Call of Duty: Warzone is not affected by the change.
In the battle royale of the shooter series, you will still be able to use your already purchased skins – but you will also see plenty of silly and absurd skins from other players.
Will other content from BO6 be carried over? Yes, your Double XP tokens and GobbleGums will be carried over and available in BO7.
What does the community say about the issue? On social networks, many players are happy about the announcement of more authentic skins, but there are also many who are skeptical.
A part of the community believes that there will again be silly skins – but you won’t be able to use your already purchased ones anymore. One user commented on X: “I can assure you all that Black Ops 7 will have just as many silly skins as Black Ops 6. They’re just doing this so that players have to buy skins again.”
Another player is upset on Reddit that hard-earned prestige skins and camouflages will not be carried over, and the time invested is now wasted.
Young people suffer from high stress at work. This is reported by a British study. Many young employees often miss appropriate structures and understanding of individual needs, or feel lonely in their daily work life.
The “Burnout Report 2025” by Mental Health UK examined how greatly stress and other factors impact the daily lives of employees. The result of the study: Many employees are heavily affected by stress.
However, it particularly impacts young employees, who feel overwhelmed and long for improvements in their daily lives.
Select a MMO video…
Young adults are the most affected and cannot switch off after work
The key findings of the study:
Nine out of ten employees report significant or extreme pressure and stress in the last year
Particularly affected are young adults (18-24 years): They are most often absent due to stress-related mental health issues and are becoming less open to management (decrease from 75% to 56%).
Young employees often suffer from unpaid overtime (48%), additional working hours due to the cost of living (46%), and isolation at work (44%).
Only 33% of 18-24 year-olds can switch off well from work, while this is true for 46% of those over 55.
In addition to work, sources of stress include sleep deprivation (61%), financial worries (49%), and isolation (39%).
Demand for better offerings against stress: Young employees report in interviews how the work environment is particularly challenging for them and poses risks for mental health. They often miss appropriate structures and understanding of individual needs, especially regarding neurodiversity.
The existing support offerings in the workplace are often outdated and do not meet the needs of young people. Young employees benefit the most from individual adjustments, “Mental Health” offerings, and a supportive supervisor.
Individuals aged 18 to 24 most often reported benefiting from appropriate adjustments in the workplace (54%), leave (51%), and professional support for mental health (44%) to reduce stress and protect against burnout.
MeinMMO had the opportunity to speak with the two lead developers Rich Lambert and Nick Giacomini at gamescom 2025 about The Elder Scrolls Online and the challenges of the MMORPG genre.
MeinMMO editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski had the chance to speak with Rich and Nick at gamescom 2025 about the current situation at Zenimax, The Elder Scrolls Online, and the current and upcoming challenges of the genre.
A complete summary of the interview will soon be available on MeinMMO. However, we want to highlight some responses from the two lead developers regarding the future success formula for MMORPGs.
Leya meets Rich Lambert and Nick Giacomini from Zenimax.
Limitless into the Future
What is this success formula? In the interview with MeinMMO, Rich explains that the ESO team has been able to observe changes in community behavior and gameplay patterns over the years.
Things like playtime – you can see from our numbers when a new game comes out because they [the player numbers] dip briefly. And then they rise again. And also how players access the game. There are so many different ways today, and there is a strong demand for things like crossplay or cross-save.
Rich Lambert in an interview with MeinMMO
According to Rich, access and availability on as many platforms as possible will be a decisive factor for current and future MMORPGs. But also whether a game can successfully engage the community.
Everyone has a mobile phone, a tablet today. That’s a big factor. People are always online. How do you deal with that? And the community is key. That’s why ESO, Guild Wars 2, and WoW are where they are today. They thrive because of the community. Players don’t just play the game; they immerse themselves in the world, live it, and play there with their friends. How can you support these things? Things like cross-save and cross-progression are big topics in the community today, which didn’t exist before. Today the platform boundaries blur. […] Give players access and they will play.
Rich Lambert in an interview with MeinMMO
Nick emphasizes how rapidly the changes have taken place since the launch of Elder Scrolls Online, and how important it is for developers to continuously adapt. He also mentions another essential factor for the success of MMORPGs.
The development has been rapid, especially in recent years. For an 11-year-old game like ESO, it’s both frightening and exciting. We want to stay true to our roots and continue to deliver what players love about Elder Scrolls Online. Technologies and expectations are constantly changing. Therefore, we are continually dealing with the question of how we can meet this while honoring this legacy […].
This applies to all MMORPGs today: The competition is becoming increasingly difficult, and the expectations are getting higher. Why should players gift you their most valuable resource? Their time. You have to earn that through trust, engagement, and a strong community focus. […] In my opinion, MMORPGs should generally listen more to players to find out what they want or need.
Nick Giacomini in an interview with MeinMMO
To summarize: MMORPGs that want to be successful in the future must, according to Rich and Nick, value players’ time, seek interaction with the community, allow for as limitless access as possible across various platforms, and build a community that is passionate about the game. Would you agree or do you see other or additional factors?
The trailer for the current running season of Elder Scrolls Online:
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The Elder Scrolls Online: Seasons of the Worm Cult – Part 1 – Release Trailer
What is happening right now in Elder Scrolls Online? This week, the dungeon pack “Feast of Shadows” and the free update 47 for PC and Mac were released. Those who want to play the two dungeons need the Content Pass for 2025, the Premium Edition or an ESO Plus subscription. Alternatively, you can purchase it in the Crown Store. The free additions of Update 47 include:
Your mounts can now swim.
There is a new option to replay quest dialogues.
Introduction of stackable loot reports, allowing you to have more space in your inventory.
The ability to re-roll visions in the Endless Archive.
In Helldivers 2, players have overwhelmed the servers. Two events, announced almost simultaneously, brought hundreds of thousands to log into the game. So many, that queues have returned.
What caused the influx of players? On August 26, 2025, players were allowed to start as new recruits in Helldivers 2 on Xbox for the first time. After being playable exclusively on Steam and PS5 for over a year, the developers have now invited the new cadets to play.
But while the Xbox divers were just diving into battle against the first enemies, the developers of Helldivers 2 made a big announcement that brought joy to veterans and recruits alike.
Here you can see the latest war bond:
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Helldivers 2 x Halo: ODST – Trailer for the next legendary war loan
War against the bugs causes queues
What an announcement it was! Around 2 PM on August 26, 2025, the developers of Helldivers 2 announced their next major expansion. This is set to plunge players into war against the bugs and lead to the home worlds of the Terminites.
There, players can expect a completely new terrain, including underground tunnel systems that must be conquered without air support from above ground. Not only without airstrikes, but also with limited ammunition. In the dark, the Helldivers are to eradicate the bug nests.
On the home worlds, the Helldivers will also face all sorts of new and upgraded types of enemies, who will defend their home world from attack.
What about the servers? After these two major events happened in one day, many players were immediately eager to log into Helldivers 2. The two channels on YouTube, where the announcement video was published, reached over 1.4 million views within 18 hours.
In-game, it looked no different thanks to the new Xbox recruits and the returnees who were drawn by the great war against the bugs. According to a screenshot on Reddit, over 390,000 players were online across all platforms at the same time.
Just a few minutes later, players reported being affected by a server crash, which also hit PC players. It is suspected that the high player count stressed the servers to their limits. This theory is supported because players had to wait in a queue after the crash before they could log in again.
With two major events in one day, the developers have probably exceeded even their expectations and attracted more players than they thought. The war against the bugs officially starts on September 2nd, but until then, you can already inform yourself about what to expect on the home worlds of the Terminites: Helldivers 2 announces major expansion, allowing you to destroy the home worlds of the bugs
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
On July 11, 2025, the new Anime Tougen Anki was launched. Those who have watched the anime will notice that it features many good-looking men. This is mainly due to the mangaka Yura Urushibara, who has a weakness for them.
What is the anime about? In Tougen Anki, an action-packed fantasy story, we follow the adventures of Shiki Ichinose. He is a rebellious teenager living with his adoptive father Tsuyoshi. One day, they are attacked by an assassin, and Shiki learns that he is an Oni.
Oni are evil demons that can shape weapons from their own blood
They have been in conflict with humans for generations
The organization Momotarou is dedicated to eradicating all Oni
The tragic part: Tsuyoshi, his adoptive father, used to be a Momotarou who hunted Oni. He left the group to raise Shiki. However, his father is killed during the attack, and Shiki must cope with being hunted by the Momotarou. At the same time, he thirsts for revenge.
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Tougen Anki: Der Trailer zum Anime mit bösen Dämonen
The Mangaka just wants to draw hot men
Why are there so many good-looking men in it? In an interview with Animate Times, the author revealed that he simply loves drawing handsome men. He did this back in high school.
After school, he worked as a hairdresser because he hoped to encounter many attractive men there. However, he realized that he didn’t like standing in front of people, which is why he eventually quit the job.
Instead, he started drawing mangas with many men. In the interview, he mentioned his love for Boys Love, or stories with intimate moments between men, as inspiration. He is a big fan of Asumiko Nakamura. She is especially known for her Boys Love manga Dokyusei.
Are there really that many men? When the anime adaptation was announced, about 70-80% of the introduced characters were male. It is clearly noticeable that the author focuses on male characters.
As of now, there is still no couple formed by two men. Whether the Boys Love component will eventually appear in the manga remains to be seen.
What applies to men also applies to women. There are many animes and mangas that deal with romances between two female characters. MeinMMO demon Cortyn has put together a list with their recommendations: The 5 best anime with women who love each other
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
