Vought Rising is an upcoming spin-off of the Amazon series The Boys and takes one of the most popular characters as its protagonist. We at MeinMMO will tell you everything we know about it so far.
What kind of series is Vought Rising? Although The Boys will come to an end with its fifth season in 2026, fans do not have to say goodbye to the superhero universe. Vought Rising is set to be a series that explores the past of Soldier Boy and Stormfront.
The two are also the main characters of the series, which shows the beginnings of Vought and the superheroes. Unlike in The Boys, the plot will revolve around a murder case.
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You can watch the trailer for Season 4 of The Boys here:
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The Boys – Trailer for Season 4 of the adult superhero series
Vought Rising: All about the trailer, release, and debut
Is there a trailer for Vought Rising?
So far, there is no trailer for Vought Rising. Filming for the series began in August 2025 in Toronto and is expected to continue until the end of February 2026. Therefore, it might still take a while before a proper trailer is available.
So far, no official release date is known. Since filming will only end in February 2026, it can be assumed that it will take several months, perhaps even 1 to 2 years, before the series is released.
Who will stream Vought Rising?
Like The Boys and the spin-off Gen V, Vought Rising is also produced by Amazon. Therefore, it can also be assumed that the series will be streamed there.
What is the age rating for Vought Rising?
Nothing is known about this yet. However, since the series is expected to be similar in brutality to The Boys, one can assume a general age rating of 18.
Since Vought Rising takes place in the past, the main characters from The Boys will likely not be there, but fans can look forward to 2 recurring heroes:
Jensen Ackles returns as Soldier Boy
Also, Aya Cash returns as Stormfront
Elizabeth Posey plays the character Private Angel
Mason Dye plays Bombsight
Will Hochman portrays Torpedo
In currently unconfirmed roles, the following actors are involved:
KiKi Layne
Ricky Staffieri
Brian J. Smith
Ricky Staffieri
Nicolo Pasetti
Jordon Myrie
Vought Rising: Plot – What is it about?
During a Comic Con, Eric Kripke and showrunner Paul Grellong explained that the focus is on a murder investigation related to the beginnings of Vought. Soldier Boy’s early steps as a supe are shown, and the other main role is played by Clara Vought, who is later known as Stormfront.
MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes was able to talk to 2 developers from gamescom about Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Not only were skins and the Omnimovement a topic,but also Black Ops 2.
As has been known for some time, Black Ops 7 is the next installment in the Call of Duty series. Unlike the major competitor Battlefield 6, the new title focuses on futuristic influences and quite fast gameplay.
At gamescom 2025, I was able to talk with developers behind Black Ops 7 and discussed not only sources of inspiration, skins, and the zombie mode, but also a surreal sequence that I can’t forget after 13 years.
I was able to speak with the following developers:
Miles Leslie, Associate Creative Director at Treyarch.
Natalie Pohorski, Lead Narrative Producer at Raven Software.
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Activision shows the new Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 in the trailer for the Xbox Showcase 2025
Black Ops 2 as a source of inspiration and a beloved title for the community
MeinMMO: When I think of the Call of Duty series, I always have special memories of Black Ops 2. And my friends feel the same way. Why do you think BO2 is such a special game for many CoD players?
Miles Leslie: Oh, I like this question. Yes, I have worked on every single Black Ops. I have been with Treyarch since World at War. And I can tell you that this game was something special even in the studio because between World at War and Black Ops 1, we as a team gained so much experience that we really got into the groove. And with Black Ops 2, we put so much energy and confidence into this dynamic that it really manifested in the game.
And also our knowledge of what to do and what not to do. And what it means to develop a Black Ops game. I believe we really worked that out in Black Ops 2. And we had so much fun developing it. And that’s what’s special about having fun internally and thinking: Oh yes, we have to release it too.
And then you go out and people react so positively to it. I believe it was just the perfect moment for it. And since then, we’ve carried that momentum and the insights from fans into every game and constantly try to develop and deliver something new.
MeinMMO: Yes, when I talk to my friends about Call of Duty, it’s always about Black Ops 2 to this day. In the first trailers, the cinematic sequences were only or at least mostly about AI and robotics, which is a big topic today. Are there any inspirations from real life or movies for the story?
Natalie Pohorski: Yes, I think we are heavily inspired by the zeitgeist of human experience. We knew that 2035 would be our setting, so there’s an evolution of technology that we see today. We were already in Black Ops [2] in 2025, so we had already established some things in that world.
So when we looked at what technology might look like in 2035, there were some unknowns and some knowns, and we tried to find a good balance. The Guild is our technology company, and often they find themselves in a sort of gray area. You wonder: What exactly are they trying to achieve here? And Emma Kagan and David Mason and his team often argue about how to handle the situation.
MeinMMO: One more thing I found really cool were these fragments of the broken mind. How do you try to express that not just visually but also in gameplay?
Miles Leslie: Yes, that was an important part. In Black Ops 7 – and I believe you’re already a fan, you saw it in Black Ops 2 – we’re always trying to find ways to deliver the unexpected. At the center of this story is David Mason, and we wanted to return to Black Ops 2 to tell the aftermath of the events surrounding Raul Menendez and David Mason, and now was the right time for it.
And so you return 10 years later. The world was still somewhat broken after Raul Menendez’s first attack. Then he appears again, and the world goes into turmoil, and David Mason must confront his own decisions and regrets. And then it was about how that manifests in gameplay, not just in terms of the story, but also in the locations and the gameplay and how we can weave it all together.
And there are many mechanics with these hallucinations, the fears that also manifest, which you can use in all the various missions where they occur. There are even some gear and abilities that rely on that. There are a lot of these mixes.
Natalie Pohorski: And regarding the characters, we are introducing a co-op mode, right? This way you can experience the story either alone or with up to four players while taking on the role of these characters. You embark on a journey with each of them. While the story revolves around David Mason, each of them has made decisions in their past that now take center stage. And you as a player accompany them.
MeinMMO: Will you try to express it in multiplayer mode too?
Miles Leslie: Yes, that’s what excites us: the multiplayer maps and the co-op campaign because we visit the same locations and draw from moments in the campaign to create multiplayer maps. So it’s 2035, and there’s a bit of mind-bending [around changing consciousness]. And we also use this with some gear where we are also dealing with mind-bending. This gives you a glimpse of multiplayer mode and the co-op campaign.
Some mind-bending sequences can be seen in the first gameplay trailer:
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Call of Duty shows first gameplay for Black Ops 7
No mode should feel disconnected
MeinMMO: A question for me. I love playing CoD games with friends on the couch. Will there be a split-screen for the co-op campaign or for zombies?
Miles Leslie: Oh yes, no split-screen. Yes, everything is online, basically, and connected with all your friends.
MeinMMO: You talked in the past about the possibility of unlocking everything in each mode for every mode. How do you try to balance that? So that [people] don’t just play this one mission to fully unlock the Battle Pass?
Miles Leslie: Yes, no, good question. And we have designers who really focus on overall progress throughout the game. It has to feel fair, as you said, but also fair that you feel rewarded for the time you spend there.
And that was an important part of it. As Natalie said, we now have a game so interconnected that we wanted to guide players through the different areas, basically through discoverability. I think there have always been these barriers where you thought, “I don’t want to lose my progress when I try out the story or play zombies.” That is no longer the case. You can move freely in the game and continue your global progression and weapon progression. That was very important to us. It’s still balanced.
You can’t cheat it. You can’t bypass it. But you’ll be rewarded for your time, that’s really the key.
MeinMMO: An interesting topic was, in my opinion, the last campaign mission. [Miles Leslie interjects: Endgame] Endgame, yes. Will it be updated continuously to keep the experience varied for players who really enjoy this endgame mode?
Miles Leslie: Yes, we are not yet talking about our plans after release. But we are already planning how to support the game and do some fun things together with the fans.
MeinMMO: As for gameplay mechanics, I think one of the most important aspects of BO6 was the Omnimovement. Are there any aspects regarding that where you think you went too far or not far enough?
Miles Leslie: Yes, because we developed Black Ops 6 and Black Ops 7 in parallel, each game had its own identity, and we emphasized that. But we knew we wanted to introduce Omnimovement.
We implemented that with Black Ops 6. The feedback was really positive. And then of course you use these insights internally, but also for the players, and consider how to realign them. We also knew we wanted to add wall-running in Black Ops 7. And that brought about this realignment.
We have experience with advanced movement, right? Black Ops 3. And it was very important to us that the combat fits within the framework. You don’t want players to leave the game because they have to jump too high or too low. And so, there’s this constant iteration where it’s not frustrating for either side, right? You don’t want to feel frustrated when using it, and you also don’t want to feel frustrated when it’s used against you. So we wanted to realign that.
But beyond that, the most important insight for us was that players want more options to express themselves in the game. The Omnimovement allowed them to do that, but we wanted to take it a step further.
So let’s drop the Tac Sprint, but allow you to toggle it on if you want. This way you have more choices on how you want to play and more options to really engage in combat.
MeinMMO: Were there any weapons or gadgets in the past that you didn’t think would be particularly powerful, but became really good through the Omnimovement?
Miles Leslie: Yes, I think that’s the beauty of Omni. Let me give you a perfect example. For me, it revitalizes content that has always existed. Semtex. That has always been there, right? It’s a dinosaur, it’s been in every single one.
But the beauty of Omnimovement was that if I wanted to jump out of a window, I could perform a 360-degree omni-movement backward and then throw a Semtex behind me into a window, and that for the first time, because it sticks, otherwise it wouldn’t have been possible, right? And thus it takes something and refreshes it in interesting ways. Now you can combine that with wall-jumping, where some of these other things go, you will breathe new life into them when you discover how to use them in the maps, in the campaign, in zombies, and all these things.
MeinMMO: An aspect you are surely often asked about is SBMM [Skill Based Matchmaking]. Are there considerations to introduce a special mode with SBMM or the regular mode? [This means a separate mode with or without SBMM]
Miles Leslie: It’s a topic that comes up repeatedly, and we have nothing to do with SBMM, so I think they [the PR contact] can give you the contacts of the people who deal with that.
The zombie mode and the transit map from Black Ops 2
MeinMMO: Yes, one aspect I love about Black Ops, Black Ops 1, and Black Ops 2 is the zombie mode. And there were always these crazy maps like the moon or the Oval Office in Black Ops 1. Can you tell us something about the new maps?
Miles Leslie: Yes, so what excites me most about the zombie side is that it is the largest RPG map, a round-based zombie map, right? And we were really inspired, you talked about Black Ops 2, right? We were inspired by Transit. Do you remember Transit [a map in Black Ops 2], with the bus and the rides to all these places? We wanted to take that idea and then, as we always do, turn it on its head.
What happens if you could drive around? What happens if you could drive over zombies? What happens if you were shuffled through all these different locations? But they aren’t just normal places. Now you will be in the Dark Ether for the first time. We let players enter the Dark Ether and discover all the secrets, all the story elements that couldn’t be uncovered before, and that is really exciting.
The story is crazy, right? Zombie stories are already crazy, and the team thought, let’s make it even crazier. But that doesn’t mean it’s inaccessible and you can’t understand it. It’s still very accessible, but it has so many layers that are really exciting.
MeinMMO: Do you have favorite zombie maps?
Miles Leslie: How dare you? If I give you an answer, I’ll basically offend someone. No, you know what? I will answer it differently. It’s because I’ve been around since World at War.
My fondest memory is when the zombies were brought to life. I remember the team. We were just working on it on the side, and it was something we did to relax, which is why it is so special to me that something that was just fun became something that so many fans love.
It’s as if we have the responsibility to push that forward, and I look back on that moment and then look at Black Ops 7 and think: It’s so great that we continue to push that forward. That’s what’s special about it for me.
MeinMMO: Yes, I really liked the zombie mode in Dead Ops. How did you approach this modern version of Dead Ops? I believe you said I could unlock things for the other modes in Dead Ops too? How do you go about that since it’s a different genre?
Miles Leslie: I mean, for us, as Natalie already hinted, since the game is so interconnected, it was the right time to bring Dead Ops back because it’s such a shared experience.
We want to achieve that discoverability we talked about. Dead Ops has always been more of a niche product, right? Not all fans were aware of it, and so we thought, since it’s now so easy to try out all the different game modes, maybe now is the right time to make DO [Dead Ops] accessible to a wider audience and attract more fans to it, like you, because once they hold those two weapons in their hands, they will fall in love with the game, and we also know that there are barriers where an MP player might say, “I can’t because I have to grind.”
No worries, you can achieve your global progress in DO, and so you can gain new fans in all these different modes.
Absurd end-credit scene and the campaign
MeinMMO: When I think of the campaign in Black Ops 2, I always have this wow moment in mind, I believe it was at the end of the campaign, where there was this strange sequence where you played rock music, I believe. [Miles Leslie interjects: Oh, the credits! I have fond memories of that.] It was so weird, but it was so much fun. I would love to ask why or how this idea was implemented?
Miles Leslie: I’ve never been asked that before. Back then it was like that, and this goes back to what I said: The team was so confident and had so much fun that we wondered how we could have even more fun and express that in the game to show players how much fun we had developing the game. This is how the idea emerged to do something over the top during the credits, and we implemented that, and that’s the outcome you saw.
The following sequence is meant:
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MeinMMO: Regarding the mission structure of the campaign, the campaigns over the years have had a very linear structure. You can choose this path, you can choose this gadget. We talked about the “Fractured Mind” sequences, are there any other innovations regarding an approach to the structure?
Natalie Pohorski: I think the variety of these missions greatly depends on how you play them, how you play as a team, and how you decide to approach them. For example, you could say, “Oh, maybe I’ll approach it this way and you take care of this thing,” just like with that strategic level that plays a role in that. And then there are these diverse locations, each providing a unique gameplay incentive. I think this element, where you learn a bit about the world again but also connect your characters, contributes a lot to the variety that comes from the moment-to-moment gameplay and these unique places because it’s like a roller coaster, right? We go through these real locations, we go through Avalon, the future, and the past.
Miles Leslie: And then regarding the structure: It’s linear, and there’s no hub you go to. Each mission is a linear roller coaster in terms of structure. You work your way straight through the campaign.
MeinMMO: Will the weapons and gadgets be leveled in the missions that don’t belong to the endgame?
Miles Leslie: Yes, the entire campaign.
MeinMMO: I think Cold War is a good example of how it was worth replaying the missions because there was so much to discover. I have fond memories of the Berlin level.
Miles Leslie: Oh man, old school. We just talked about that. I love it. Yes, and that was a big advantage, right? We spent so much time developing these stories, and we want players to never feel like they’re not progressing and that they are not rewarded for their time. And this is where the co-op campaign comes in, where you are rewarded. Global progress, weapon progress, just everything.
MeinMMO: How do you handle the difficulty level of the campaign? I personally preferred to play Black Ops 2 on the highest difficulty options. Are there ideas on how to set the difficulty apart more from the other options, aside from just dealing more damage or taking less damage?
Miles Leslie: Yes, in this game there are no difficulty levels. We wanted to optimize the player experience so that you can dive in right away, but it’s integrated into the missions if you know what I mean. And in this roller coaster, we will challenge you on how you approach it, but it also allowed us, as Natalie said, that you have the option to play in co-op mode, and you can assemble a squad or play with friends, so there’s the opportunity to devise a strategy on how to approach these missions, and it gets harder with more players. So there’s the option if you want it to be harder, you can team up with other players and try to fight your way through.
The big topic: Skins
MeinMMO: Yes, and my last question, which I’m sure you get asked often, concerns skins for the multiplayer mode and the other game modes. How do you select specific skin themes or collaboration skins?
Miles Leslie: Yes, definitely. So, first of all, our approach in this whole matter is that we have so many fans, right? Millions of fans, and they all want something different, and for us, it’s important to serve the largest number of our fans and to give them what they want in the game. And when the team deals with collaborations and all these things, that’s really the goal and intent. We have heard the feedback and take it seriously. It’s therefore important for us to maintain the tone and theme in Black Ops 7 while also supporting our large fan base.
MeinMMO: Are there any favorite collaborations you would love to do with this futuristic theme?
Miles Leslie: I love this question, but I can’t answer it. Because if I said it, someone else would get it.
MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes had a lot of fun with a big sci-fi role-playing game at gamescom 2025, even though he didn’t play it like a role-playing game.
What game is it? The Outer Worlds 2 is perhaps the most interesting upcoming game for Fallout fans and will be released in just a few months. The role-playing game from Obsidian Entertainment features, like its predecessor, a satirical sci-fi world full of corrupt and powerful companies and quirky characters. Recently, the game’s companions were showcased during the Opening Night Live.
In the preview at gamescom, I was able to create a character and play the beginning of the game. Even though I didn’t play the predecessor, I had a lot of fun, although I feel like I played The Outer Worlds 2 completely wrong.
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The Outer Worlds 2 showcases the in-game companions in a new trailer.
Right from the beginning, the backstory becomes relevant
How did the beginning go? First, we were able to create a character in the preview. It was not only about appearance but also about various attributes and a backstory that affected dialogues and the possibilities in the game world.
Character created, and off I go to a space station, where my next mission is explained to me. Even the first dialogues were enjoyable. They weren’t fantastically written, but the silliness and strong personalities made me laugh.
I also found it pretty cool that my background was a constant theme. I chose the backstory as gambler, and whenever a character disliked what I said, they reduced me to that. It fit the world and made me feel a bit more alive as a character.
I focused my remaining attributes on shooting. Yes, that doesn’t really fit with a role-playing game with various systems and approaches, but that’s exactly what I enjoyed a lot.
In the preview, I just had to solve everything with guns
Shooting felt really good
How was the gameplay? In the preview, one faced several types of enemies in a space station. There were robots, drones, and also human foes. I played the game directly as I would play a Borderlands game: fully confrontational.
After a failed stealth attempt, I pulled out my starting gun and faced the enemies in ranged combat. I slid and jumped from cover to cover, creating a pleasant flow. The pace and movement of my character felt good, and I found aiming down sights enjoyable.
The weapons we got to test in the preview were also a lot of fun. They didn’t feel as fluid and fast as in a CoD game, but a bit heavier, which I quite like. This gives the weapons some character.
Furthermore, I also enjoyed the sound design quite a bit. The weapons and grenades sound crisp, and together with the hit feedback, this helped create a pleasant flow in the combat.
As shown to me by the gameplay trailer on YouTube, I can look forward to a lot of quirky weapons with elements and other gimmicks in the game. The inner Borderlands and shooter fan in me is quite convinced from the preview, although one thing does bother me a bit.
What is the problem with the story? I generally like the funny and satirical dialogues that tend to go over the top, but unfortunately, I couldn’t get much out of the presentation.
As you know from Bethesda titles, dialogues often proceed quite generically. You approach a character, it zooms in slightly, and with a static camera, you listen to the character. This is somewhat better in The Outer Worlds 2 compared to Fallout (the characters have more dynamic poses), but I still didn’t find it really good.
The static camera is a disadvantage for the dialogues, which makes them often seem a bit stiff. As a result, the world lost some flair in the preview, especially when trying to click through all dialogue options.
Fortunately, you don’t have to do that, which is why I mainly focused on combat.
I didn’t play The Outer Worlds 2 in the preview like a role-playing game, but it suited my playstyle quite well. In the first area, I could already discover some ways to interact with the world without directly blowing everything up.
These included conversations I messed up, alternative paths, and chests that I could have opened with different attributes. The conversations with the characters also had some options and possibilities that piqued my interest.
Thus, the preview already seemed full of elements where one can go wild as a roleplayer. But honestly: I will probably also play it as a shooter at release and am already very much looking forward to ignoring the many role-playing elements like a gunslinger. One thing that cannot be ignored is the extraordinary mechanic in Pragmata: A new sci-fi shooter for the PS5 could turn out really well, even if one mechanism will divide players
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The new month is approaching in Pokémon GO. And it brings you 2 events with interesting monsters.
September is just around the corner. With it, not only does the new season in Pokémon GO start, but also 2 events right away.
On one hand, you can look forward to the Kanto Celebration from Tuesday, September 2, 2025, at 10:00 AM to Sunday, September 7, 2025, at 8:00 PM. On the other hand, on Sunday, September 7, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM is the Raid Day with Mega-Tohaido.
We have summarized what to expect at both events for you.
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So sah das Pokémon GO Fest 2025 in Paris aus
All Content of the Kanto Celebration
Which Pokémon are there in the event? During the Kanto Celebration, Chaneira, Relaxo, and Abra await you in the wild, all of which can also appear as Shiny.
Additionally, there are several limited research tasks that bring regional monsters along with experience points, stardust, and mega energy:
Limited research “Porentabel”, September 2, 2025, at 10:00 AM to September 3, 2025, at 10:00 AM
Limited research “Kangama can”, September 3, 2025, at 10:00 AM to September 4, 2025, at 10:00 AM
Limited research “Pantimost wanted”, September 4, 2025, at 10:00 AM to September 5, 2025, at 10:00 AM
Limited research “Taurosige Aussichten”, September 5, 2025, at 10:00 AM to September 6, 2025, at 10:00 AM
The names of the research strongly suggest that the regional monsters will be Porenta, Kangama, Pantimos, and Tauros.
What bonuses are there in the event? The event also brings you the following bonuses:
guaranteed XL candy when evolving Pokémon
3 times longer for Mega Evolutions
double experience points when spinning PokéStops
Charged Attack Flora-Statue when evolving Bisaknosp to Bisaflor
Charged Attack Lohekanonade when evolving Glutexo to Glurak
Charged Attack Aquahaubitze when evolving Schillock to Turtok
Snapshot surprises
Event Field Research
Collector Challenges
Paid Special Research: For $4.99 (approximately 5 €), you can also purchase a paid special research task. For completion, you can receive Dynamax-Arktos, Dynamax-Zapdos, and Dynamax-Lavados. Whether you receive all 3 monsters or just one of them is not yet known.
If you purchase the special research in the Pokémon GO web store, you will also receive a Premium Battle Pass.
What bonuses are there in the event? During the Raid Day with Mega-Tohaido, the following bonuses are active:
Remote Raid limit increased to 20 (from September 7, 2025, at 2:00 AM to September 8, 2025, at 5:00 AM)
up to 5 free Raid Passes through spinning Gym discs
chance to encounter Tohaido as Shiny is increased
You can also purchase an event ticket for $4.99 (approximately 5 €) on Raid Day. This gives you the following additional bonuses:
up to 8 additional Raid Passes from Gyms
increased chance for XL Rare Candies in raids
50% more experience points for raid battles
double amount of stardust for raid battles
1 Premium Battle Pass (if you purchase the ticket in the web store)
September brings you the new season Stories of Transformation to Pokémon GO. In addition to the previously known content of the season, a large event has also been announced, which will take place during the new season: Pokémon GO Wild Area 2025: All information about the event.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
While some players in Baldur’s Gate 3 prefer equipping spells that deal the most damage with their builds, there are others who focus more on the simple suffering of their enemies. One of these spells is particularly nasty and can be more powerful than all others even without dealing damage.
Which spell are we talking about? It is the level 3 spell “Sleet Storm,” which Druids, Wizards, Sorcerers, Clerics of the Storm Domain, and Bards of the College of Lore can learn.
Sleet Storm creates a layer of ice in a 9-meter radius, really covering a large area, making it extremely difficult for all affected targets to move or even stay on their feet.
Although the spell itself does not deal damage, it is a favorite spell of many players and, due to its effect, one of the most powerful spells in the entire game, turning even dangerous fights with particularly many opponents into child’s play.
Here you can see the animated short film for Patch 8 of Baldur’s Gate 3:
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Der animierte Kurzfilm zu Patch 8, dem letzten Update für Baldur’s Gate 3
What is better than a powerful, area-of-effect spell? – Two powerful, area-of-effect spells
What makes Sleet Storm so strong? More precisely, it is not the storm itself that makes this spell so dangerous for your enemies, but the slippery ice surface. Affected creatures must make a Dexterity saving throw starting from their first step on iceor they will slip and fall to the ground.
They cannot take any further action or reaction until their next turn, cannot move any further, and find themselves lying in one of the most vulnerable states in the game. Attackers have advantage on attack rolls against prone enemies, and in the next round, they can only use half of their movement rate, which is already halved by the Sleet Storm. They are completely at the mercy of the spell.
An example of how this can look is shown by the player bejeweled_midnights in a video in the Baldurs Gate 3 subreddit:
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How can you make Sleet Storm an even worse nightmare? Warlocks love Sleet Storm, even though they cannot learn it themselves. Because the spell makes a truly terrible combination with the Warlock-exclusive spell “Hunger of Hadar” – at least for their victims.
The Hunger of Hadar has a radius of 6 meters, which is slightly smaller, but can be placed over the ice surface, ideally where the slipped enemies are already located. The Sleet Storm combined with the dark, tentacle-filled environment ensures that your enemies are not only lying on the ground but are also blind, taking cold damage at the start of each round, taking acid damage at the end of each round, can hardly escape from this environment, and are very vulnerable to attacks.
Anyone particularly sadistic can repeatedly throw enemies into this nightmare through actions like pushing or a repelling “Horrifying Ray.” This strategy is especially suitable for large enemy groups but can also significantly simplify boss fights.
Anyone who wants to use the combination of the two spells needs the obvious caster for Sleet Storm and at least one Warlock who knows Hunger of Hadar. If you want to take on the role of the Warlock yourself, we have a build for you here on MeinMMO, which has been considered the best build for a pure Warlock since Patch 8: Baldur’s Gate 3: Hexblade Build in Patch 8 – Here’s how to build your Hexblade Warlock
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
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!
Start video
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.
Start video
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.
Start video
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.
Start video
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.
Start video
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.
