Final Fantasy XIV: This little worm is the secret star of Shadowbringers

Irina Moritz Irina Moritz Reading time 4 minutes

A small quest series in the Shadowbringers expansion of Final Fantasy XIV has received an astounding amount of attention from fans. The star of it was a small companion.

It is no secret that popular quests and items of FFXIV players are often associated with a lot of nonsense, such as the Hildibrand quests or the mount Fat Cat. Another object of player attention is “The Great Serpent of Ronka.”

What are the quests about? Actually, the quests about the Great Serpent of Ronka, which is of highest sanctity, are just a small series of side quests in the Shadowbringers addon.

final fantasy xiv great serpent ronka
Honor the Great Serpent of Ronka! (Image by Meoni on Youtube)

Players encounter the NPC Valan and his minimally insane-looking friend Quinfort. He constantly talks about visions of a catastrophe and the Great Serpent of Ronka, which has been protecting the Rak’Tika forest for centuries.

She is supposed to descend from the heavens to ward off great calamity.

Unfortunately, the Great Serpent turned out to be a small, chubby worm whose only means of communication are the sound “Screee!” and biting.

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Yet Quinfort remains steadfast in his belief in the Great Serpent, holy protector of Rak’Tika. Thus begins a quest series that quickly became one of the favorites in Shadowbringers.

How players react: The somewhat absurd story of the quest series has been well-received by FFXIV players. Fans enjoyed the laid-back and humorous storytelling, which stood in stark contrast to the very serious narrative of Shadowbringers.

final fantasy xiv great serpent meme
One of the many memes created in honor of the Great Serpent of Ronka. By @ArtThouBored on Twitter.

A cult quickly formed around the Great Serpent of Ronka, whose sanctity eclipses the sun. Players did what people on the internet can often do best: they created countless memes and fan art.

Especially with fan art, players have been particularly creative. There are of the Great Serpent of Ronka, whose voice makes the earth tremble, namely:

  • Drawings
  • Buttons and pins
  • Handmade plush toys
  • T-shirts and clothing
  • Discord emotes
  • Mini statues

Here are some examples of the honors to the Great Serpent, the scourge of evil:

  • final fantasy xiv great serpent of ronka discord emotes
    By @xshylily on Twitter
  • final fantasy xiv serpent ronka plushie
    By theawkgiraffe on Tumblr
  • By helia on Teepublic
  • By @CrystAAHHl on Twitter
  • By @BemusedBehemoth on Twitter
  • By pervasivescariness on Tumblr

How the quest came to be: There was a risk that the FFXIV players might never experience this quest series. In an interview with the colleagues from Gamer Escape, scenario writer Natsuko Ishikawa explained:

It was a small side project of one person from the scenario team. […] One of our new employees had this idea and pitched it multiple times. They worked on various drafts after the proposal was repeatedly rejected. […]

But the employee remained steadfast and in the end, the quest series made it into Shadowbringers.

Your own Serpent of Ronka

final fantasy xiv ronka quest

How to get the companion: If you want the Great Serpent of Ronka to accompany you on your adventures, you must complete two short quest series.

The first begins with the Aether source quest “The Guardian of the Forest” from NPC Valan in Rak’Tika (X: 20.9 / Y: 27.8). Most of you will have already completed it because it is necessary for flying. The follow-up quest can be found here:

  • Name: The Descent of the Serpent
  • NPC: Quinfort
  • Location: Rak’Tika (X: 11 / Y: 26)
final fantasy xiv ronka tribute
Honor the Great Serpent of Ronka! By @Irish_Rager on Twipu

The second quest series starts with the quest “All Doubled” from Lanille in Rak’Tika (X: 31.3 / Y: 16.9). This quest is also necessary for flying. The follow-up quest is as follows:

  • Name: Different Intentions
  • NPC: Lanille
  • Location: Rak’Tika (X: 31.3 / Y: 16.9)

Once both quest series are completed, you will gain access to the final quest that grants you the companion.

  • Name: Under the Protection of Two Clans
  • NPC: Phyna
  • Location: Rak’Tika (X: 30.7 / Y: 20.2)

In this sense: May the Great Serpent of Ronka protect you!

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

PS Plus in September 2019: New free PS4 games are here – What is worth it?

Sven Galitzki Sven Galitzki Reading time 4 minutes

Which new monthly PS Plus games can you look forward to as a member of PlayStation Plus in September 2019? With Batman: Arkham Knight and Darksiders 3, two free games are now ready for your PS4, which you can download from the PS Store immediately.

Are you a PS Plus subscriber? Then these two new PS Plus games for PlayStation 4 are available for download this September:

  • Batman: Arkham Knight
  • Darksiders 3

When exactly are these PS Plus titles released in September? The games are available starting today, September 3, and can be downloaded from the PS Store or added to your library.

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What about the PS Plus games for PS3 and PS Vita? Since March 2019, the PS Plus subscription only includes free games for PS4.

Batman: Arkham Knight

What is Batman: Arkham Knight? This is an action-adventure. It is the fourth installment of the popular “Batman: Arkham” game series.

In this finale of the Arkham series, Batman faces a new threat – Scarecrow. This villain returns to gather the most powerful criminals of Gotham to finally destroy the Dark Knight.

Batman: Arkham Knight is played from a third-person perspective. The player controls the superhero through an open world in the form of Gotham City. There, you complete various missions, solve hidden puzzles, and make use of various weapons, gadgets, and cool combat moves. You can also use the Batmobile for the first time.

Who is Batman: Arkham Knight suitable for? Have you always wanted to step into the shoes of the Dark Knight or are you generally into superhero vibes? Do you want a cool open world, challenging battles, tricky puzzles, and an engaging story with numerous exciting side stories? Then Batman: Arkham Knight is definitely worth it for you.

Download for the game: Batman: Arkham Knight in the PS Store

Metacritic: 87 out of 100 points based on 53 reviews. The game was celebrated in tests in 2015 as “the best of the series” and even as a “masterpiece”. The entertaining storyline with emotional twists and the graphics of Batman: AK were praised. The combat system received special commendation.

Criticism points at the time were the omnipresent Batmobile and isolated remarks that the franchise showed signs of fatigue.

Rating in the PS Store: 4.5 out of 5 stars based on over 18,700 ratings.

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Darksiders 3

What is Darksiders 3? Darksiders 3 is a hack-and-slash action-adventure with Metroidvania elements. It is played from a third-person perspective.

As a player, you take on the role of the mage Fury – one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse. In a devastated world, the sister of War and Death must now restore the balance between good and evil and defeat the seven deadly sins and their minions.

In doing so, you explore an open, vibrant world, solve various puzzles, use magic, abilities, and various weapons, and slaughter your way through hordes of monsters, mystical creatures, and degenerates. You also need to demonstrate your movement skills from time to time.

Who is Darksiders 3 suitable for? Are you into exploring a varied world with different settings? Do you love challenging fights and spectacular boss battles? Do you enjoy solving clever puzzles? Or have the two predecessors already excited you? Then the chances are good that you will also have fun with Darksiders 3.

Download for the game: Darksiders 3 in the PS Store

Metacritic: 64 out of 100 points based on 53 reviews. Positive reviews praised the combat system of Darksiders 3 and the good design in November 2018. The title was described as “the best of the series” and in a good way “old-fashioned.”

However, there were some deductions in the rating due to technical problems and bugs. Performance was a major point of criticism in negative reviews.

Rating in the PS Store: 4 out of 5 stars based on over 600 ratings.

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How do I get these free PS Plus games?

This is included in PS Plus: You can get the two monthly PS4 games for free every month as part of a PS Plus subscription – as a digital download in the PlayStation Store.

The subscription itself costs about €60 per year. While you can also subscribe on a monthly or quarterly basis, the annual membership is the most cost-effective option over time.

In addition to the games, as a subscriber, you also enjoy other benefits such as special discounts in the PS Store and access to online multiplayer.

If your membership expires or you take a break, all PS Plus titles you already have in your game library, along with your progress, will be retained. Without an active subscription, you can simply not use them. If the membership is extended or renewed, you can continue playing exactly where you left off.

PS-Plus_12monate

Here you can find the PS Plus games in October:

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Save in the PS Store: If you are interested in more offers for PS Plus, you can find an overview here: All PS Plus offers and subscriptions in the PS Store

If you are generally looking for bargains and offers in the PlayStation Store, then you should take a look at the following sales:

With PS Plus, you can also save additionally on some of these offers.

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The 10 most popular MMORPGs on Steam: They currently have the most players

Andreas Bertits Andreas Bertits Reading time 12 minutes

Today we present to you the 10 MMORPGs with the most active players on Steam. These are the most popular online role-playing games in late summer 2019.

How did the list come about? This list, unlike the 10 MMOs with the most players on Steam, consists of online role-playing games.

The list is based on player numbers from Steamcharts. We have ranked them based on the most players in the past 30 days (as of September 3, 2019).

We made sure to select games that are considered “MMORPGs” in the strictest sense.

What to keep in mind about the list: This only concerns the numbers on Steam. How many players the MMORPGs have on other clients or platforms does not matter for this list.

Rank 10: AION

Steam HubAION on Steam
Total User Reviews (recent)60% (47% in the last 30 days)
GenreThemepark MMORPG
Release on SteamFebruary 29, 2012
Payment ModelFree2Play
F2P MMO Aion

What is AION? The MMORPG AION transports you to the fantasy world of Atreia, where the races Balaur, Elyos, Asmodier, and Reian reign. Only the Elyos and Asmodier are playable. You create your hero from 6 classes and several specializations. Thus, you explore the world, where plenty of quests await you.

AION distinguishes itself from other online role-playing games through flying. Starting at level 10, your character receives wings and can thus glide through the air. This allows you to access areas otherwise unreachable.

In addition to quests and group play, PvP is important. You can fight each other in the Abyss, an area composed of floating islands. The ability to fly is crucial and defining for AION.

AION still receives regular updates in 2019, such as Version 7.0, which introduced a new class.

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How many players does AION have on Steam: AION averaged 396 concurrent players over the past 30 days. At peak times, there were 2,984 players.

This is what players think: AION is not only fun because of the flying. It offers a lot of content and good group play. However, more and more Pay2Win accusations are coming up. Some players believe that the developers pay more attention to the item shop than to the actual game.

  • PsychoDing explains on Steam: “In my opinion, AION is a very good and beautiful game. Even though it was released in 2008, a lot of effort and work is still put into this game. You can play it wonderfully alone and even better together with other players.”
  • Letthalii writes: “I played it when it originally came out through NCSoft and it was so much fun due to the unique aspects. Now it is evolving more and more into a Pay2Win chaos…”

This is what MeinMMO says about AION: AION is quite a few years old, but it has a loyal community and continues to receive updates. If you want to experience classic MMORPG fare with some cool twists (flying), you are in the right place.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Steamcharts
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

The biggest WoW nerd on Twitch is said to play Classic wrong

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

In WoW Classic there is a wave of discontent against Twitch streamer Asmongold. He is a fervent supporter of WoW Classic – but players criticize that he plays Classic incorrectly and is exploiting his privileges as a streamer too much.

Who is it about? The streamer Asmongold is a self-proclaimed WoW nerd who has been playing the MMORPG since 2006. He has advocated for years that Blizzard should release WoW Classic.

Asmongold has often criticized the retail version of WoW: it has too much RNG.

Asmongold-Twitch-Hype
Asmongold is the big winner of the Twitch hype around WoW Classic. Source: Socialblade

Since Classic started, Asmongold’s Twitch channel has grown significantly. In August alone, Asmongold gained 160,000 new followers, bringing him over the million mark.

He has become a prominent figure on Twitch in the past year, from a “niche streamer” known only in the WoW community.

WoW Classic Sally Whitemane Title Asmongold is excited

Asmongold too weak to play WoW Classic “correctly”

This is the accusation: On reddit currently the thread “Asmongold failed classic WoW” is a big deal. It has over 16,000 upvotes. Asmongold is accused of several things there:

  • He plays too “efficiently”: skipping quests that don’t provide loot, running Scarlet Monastery to level up
  • He is too much “ego” and exploits his chat: begging for items and money, grabbing every item that drops
  • and he is generally grumpy and demanding – like in this clip where he gets upset about PvP
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The Redditor says that Asmongold has been advocating for a “WoW like it used to be” for years, only to behave now just like in regular World of Warcraft.

He is not strong enough to enjoy WoW Classic without begging for money and items.

In this clip, you can see how Asmongold gets money handed to him:

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This is how Asmongold reacts: The Twitch streamer is known for taking this to heart. He reacts quite angrily.

He asks how it is possible that reddit allows such postings at all. They must be deleted – such explicit hate threads against a person are against the rules.

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What’s behind this: One can understand the accusations: Asmongold plays WoW Classic differently than a private person would – and perhaps also differently from how he envisioned it when he called for WoW Classic. But one can also understand Asmongold’s difficult position:

In another clip, he says he feels unfairly treated. He is trying to build a community here and is attacked by people who do nothing but see themselves as “guardians” of WoW Classic.

  • For Asmongold, it is certainly important to get to level 60 as quickly as possible, to show something special to fans
  • For some players, Asmongold is drifting too far away from the “classic WoW” experience, where you had to earn everything yourself

Maybe Asmongold is slowly also in the role of how many “big streamers”: Some preferred him before it was cool to like him.

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Fortnite: It’s a Trap! This new item comes today with the patch

Gastbeitrag Gastbeitrag Reading time 2 minutes

In Fortnite the well-known electric trap from the first season comes back into the game with today’s update 10.20. However, it is supposed to appear in an improved version.

What is the Zapper trap? The Zapper is an electric trap that can presumably be placed on walls, floors, and ceilings. It is intended to give opponents a shock.

Fortnite has already announced the trap with the words: Danger: HIGH VOLTAGE. Shock them with a trap!

fortnite-items-zapper

The trap is supposed to give the opponent a shock when they walk into it. However, they have not yet revealed how it works exactly.

Update 2:00 PM – The new patch is now active and introduces the Zapper trap

What do we already know about the new trap? The Zapper trap existed in Season 1, but it could only be placed on roofs and was very loud.

Fortnite Dachzapper

Now the trap is supposed to return improved. According to a leak from FortTory, the trap will be available in epic rarity, and the maximum stack size is 4. So, one could completely box in an opponent with traps, if desired. The amount of damage the trap actually causes is not known yet.

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When will the trap come? The update is supposed to be released today, on September 3rd, at 2:00 PM. Then the trap should also be active in Fortnite.

“Hopefully not as loud again”

What do the players think about it? Since many players still remember the roof Zapper trap from Season 1, many wonder how this new trap will function. They are discussing this on Reddit and Twitter:

Many hope that it won’t be as loud as the first one, as it could be heard from a distance.

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Others wonder if it will be a mix between the first shock trap and the poison arrow trap, meaning the shock will cause minor damage over several seconds.

Some players can hardly wait to try the trap, but are worried it could be too powerful.

What do you think? Will you be the shockers or will you be shocked?

This article is by Eilyn Rapp from the MeinMMO community

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FIFA 20 features ratings for all new icons – How strong will Zinédine Zidane be?

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time 4 minutes

In FIFA 20, the first Icon ratings for all new icons are known. The icons Zidane, Koeman, Wright, Guardiola and many more will be this strong in FUT 20, in Ultimate Team.

These ratings Zidane has in FIFA 20: EA Sports announced today, on September 3rd, the values of all new icons – led by Zinédine Zidane – who graces the cover of the Ultimate Edition. In addition, EA released a short video focusing on Zidane’s ratings:

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  • Weak Performance: 91 Overall Rating (CM)
  • Average Performance: 94 Overall Rating (CAM)
  • Top Performance: 96 Overall Rating (CAM)

You can see all stats of Zidane here:

zidane ratings

Especially the 96-rated card is fantastic and better in all individual stats than the other two. Shooting, passing and dribbling stand out, but the other stats are also solid. This makes Zidane a CAM who can improve many ultimate teams.

Why does Zidane have three cards? Icons have multiple variants in FUT. This applies not only to Zidane but also to all other icons. These cards are meant to reflect different phases in the careers of former professionals. In the upper image, you can see which phases the respective cards represent (Zidane’s top card represents the years 1996-98).

Who is Zidane anyway? The Frenchman was regarded as one of the most talented players of all time and was named FIFA World Player of the Year three times before he ended his active playing career in 2006 and is now achieving great success as a coach.

Ratings of all 14 new icons in FIFA 20 Ultimate Team

The values of the remaining new icons in FUT 20: EA Sports not only released the video of Zidane but also updated the official FIFA 20 website, where the ratings of all other new icons can be seen.

  • Ian Wright: The Englishman scored heaps of goals for Crystal Palace and Arsenal in the 80s and 90s. At Arsenal, he became the top scorer and helped the club win the FA Cup and other titles. After Henry, he is the second most successful Arsenal goalscorer. He is considered a club icon. His best card has a rating of 89. Pace and shooting are excellent:
wright ratings
  • Ronald Koeman: The Dutchman was a libero with an impressive number of goals. With PSV Eindhoven and later with FC Barcelona, he won several championships and other titles. As a center-back, Koeman has powerful shooting stats (88), and his defending and passing are outstanding. His best overall rating is 91:
koeman ratings
  • Carlos Alberto: The Brazilian was regarded as a technically gifted defender, known for his skills and defensive attributes. In 1970, he led Brazil to the World Cup title as captain. He played for 14 years in Brazil – at Fluminense and Santos. Later, he went to New York Cosmos, where he won several championships alongside Pele: His pace is excellent, and defensively and physically, he is top. His best overall rating stands at a strong 93.
carlos alberto stats

Update: Meanwhile, the ratings of all other new icons have been released.

  • Pep Guardiola – best rating stands at 90:
fifa 20 guardiola stats
  • Michael Essien – best rating stands at 90:
fifa 20 essien stats
  • Gianluca Zambrotta – best rating stands at 89:
fifa 20 zambrotta stats
  • Kenny Dalglish – best rating stands at 92:
fifa 20 dalgish stats
  • John Barnes – best rating stands at 89:
fifa 20 barnes stats
  • Ian Rush – best rating stands at 91:
fifa 20 rush stats
  • Hugo Sanchez – best rating stands at 92:
fifa 20 sanchez stats
  • Garrincha – best rating stands at 94:
fifa 20 garrincha stats
  • Drogba – best rating stands at 91:
drogba stats
  • Andrea Pirlo – best rating stands at 90:
fifa 20 pirlo stats

Update: You can find the ratings of ALL icons in FUT 20 in this list:

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All information about the most important innovations in FIFA 20 Ultimate Team can be found here:

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This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
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We now know what is changing in the PvP of Destiny 2: Especially Hunters are excited

Sven Galitzki Sven Galitzki Reading time 3 minutes

Destiny 2 has already announced that there will be some sandbox changes with Shadowkeep. The first of these have now been discovered at the PAX West fair – specifically in PvP. These nerfs and buffs are already known.

Where does the info come from? At the PAX West game fair, interested parties can play a new build of Destiny 2 and thus get their first impressions of some upcoming Shadowkeep features and content – such as new exotic weapons or the raid gear.

The PvP can also be played in this context. And there, the well-known Twitch streamer and PvP expert tripleWRECK noticed that some changes are already active in the Crucible. He shared his findings via Twitter with the community.

Destiny-2-Forsaken-breakthrough-PVP

Buffs and Nerfs for Supers – What’s New in PvP at PAX

What’s the deal with the changes? Some time ago, Bungie hinted that they might want to nerf the so-called roaming Supers – at least regarding the resilience of Guardians during an active Super. Additionally, they hinted at improvements for some subclasses such as the Nightstalker Hunter.

What exactly did trippleWRECK notice? It is here that tripleWRECK has been able to observe significant changes:

  • The Nightstalker’s Shadowshot can now down enemies with just one shot
  • The resilience/health of roaming Supers like the Striker Titan’s Fist of Havoc or the Warlock’s Dawnblade has been reduced
  • High-impact sniper rifles (90 RPM) could take out Striker Titans and Dawnblade Warlocks with just one headshot during an active Super
  • The Warlock’s Glide builds up speed continuously now, instead of instantly launching the Warlock into the air at full speed. However, the top speed is still maintained once reached
titan-destiny-2

What do the Guardians say about these changes? The changes have mostly been well received by fans on Reddit. After about 10 hours, the corresponding Reddit post has over 3,000 upvotes. Some of these changes have been requested by Guardians for quite some time.

Especially the Nightstalker Hunters are pleased that they can take out an enemy Guardian in the Crucible with just one shot from their Super for the first time since Destiny 1.

Also, the fact that roaming Supers, which are longer-lasting Supers, are being adjusted in their resilience is well received. Currently, Guardians in an active roaming Super can take a tremendous amount of damage and cannot be effectively countered. Good players can take out entire teams during the duration of their Super – some enemy players even multiple times before the Super ends or they can finally be taken out.

Guardians are also discussing whether it’s only the nerf of the roaming Supers that is responsible for snipers becoming more effective against them, or if there possibly has been a buff for sniper rifles at the same time. Most believe it is rather due to the nerf.

What do you think about these changes? And what adjustments would you like to see regarding the sandbox for Shadowkeep?

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This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
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  2. tripleWRECK auf Twitter

Twitch streamer banned during 24-hour marathon from LoL

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

The Twitch streamer IWillDominate wanted to play the MOBA League of Legends for 24 hours. However, he was banned by Riot Games after 17 hours. He reacted by simply giving up. Later he said it was an experiment. The ban sparks a discussion about account buying.

This was the plan: The player Christian “IWillDominate” Rivera wanted to stream League of Legends for 24 hours live on Twitch: a marathon stream.

“I give up, I just give up”

This was the ban from LoL: In the middle of the stream, after 17 hours, IWillDominate had just finished a match and was back in the selection screen when he saw the message that his LoL account had been banned by Riot Games. He could no longer play LoL.

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The Team Liquid streamer then reacted dejectedly. At the time, he was visibly tired, IWillDominate was hanging in the ropes. He only said: “I give up, I just give up.”

The clip has now over 300,000 views.

The streamer wanted to see if Riot Games actually cares

What was he banned for? IWillDominate played the 24-hour stream with a “bought account” that was already level 30. With it, he could play ranked right away.

This is against the rules of LoL, which prohibit account trading.

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However, IWillDominate says that most content creators would create an account and then pay others to level it to 30, as hardly anyone has the time to level an account.

According to him, the account purchase was an experiment to find out if Riot even cares when people violate the rules.

IWillDominate complained that Riot Games does nothing against trolls who sabotage him in his games by feeding or intentionally committing suicide.

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Stress with LoL founder

Here is the background: IWillDominate recently had a confrontation with one of the founders of Riot Games on Twitter. He provoked Marc “Tryndamere” Merrill with a comment that “bad people” work at his company. He was likely alluding to the sexism debate at Riot Games.

Merrill then replied that IWillDominate’s career is based on the free game they made. Merrill later deleted the tweet.

tryndamere

Why buy level 30 accounts in LoL? It’s about ranking. If you use your own account, you play in a certain, probably high league in ranked LoL – if you have a “new account fresh to 30”, you go against beginners in ranked.

However, to play ranked, you cannot just create a new account like in other games, but you first have to get it to level 30 – this takes some time in League of Legends.

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Debate about account buying

Why is this interesting for many? On reddit, people are actively discussing the incident. It has several layers:

  • on one hand, some suspect that LoL has a grudge against him after the confrontation with Marc Merrill
  • on the other hand, Riot Games’ behavior regarding “account purchases” seems arbitrary – some LoL accounts get banned quickly, others later or not at all
  • some also demand that Riot Games should sell level 30 boosts and thus put an end to the black market – it is common for players to buy “fresh level 30” accounts to start over in ranked

Besides IWillDominate, another well-known LoL player, TF Blade has also been caught. This Twitch streamer was also banned by Riot recently, though for a different reason:

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

Win back Red Dead Online with this giant update?

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 4 minutes

In just a few days, Rockstar will release a major update for the online mode of Red Dead Redemption 2, Red Dead Online. It includes the roles of Bounty Hunter, Trader, and Collector.

When is the update coming? The major update for Red Dead Online is scheduled for September 10, 2019, for the upcoming Tuesday. Weeks ago, the team announced this patch and promoted the new roles system for cowboys.

What content is included in the major update? The three new roles of Bounty Hunter, Trader, and Collector are intended to give players many more opportunities to engage in the frontier. You will experience activities and be rewarded with unique items, abilities, and more.

Additionally, according to Rockstar Games, there will be improvements to the control system. Players should be able to control their characters faster and more directly: in combat and also in movement.

Moreover, you can change your character’s appearance through the update without losing your progress.

Those who play defensively will receive more damage reduction. Additionally, there will be new ability cards, more daily challenges, role challenges, dynamic events in the frontier, new items, and more.

These are the 3 new roles

This is how the roles system works: Each role offers its own progression system up to level 20. Every 5 levels, you will gain a new rank:

  • Emerging
  • Aspiring
  • Established
  • Recognized

After completing role activities, you will earn what’s called role XP. This will help you level up. For reaching a rank in a role, you receive a badge, sometimes even new abilities. With each new level, you will gain access to equipment items specifically for the role. These items can be purchased with badges.

Red Dead Redemption 2 Horse Love Title

What can be unlocked? As a Trader, you can unlock a stew pot in Red Dead Online, which supplies the camp with food and replenishes the cores of you or your crew. The Bounty Hunter can unlock a prison wagon to transport prisoners.

We present the individual roles and their benefits in more detail here:

The Bounty Hunter

Where can you unlock the Bounty Hunter in Red Dead Online? Those who wish to be a Bounty Hunter can unlock the license in Rhodes for 15 gold bars. Players who link their account with Twitch Prime by September 8 will receive the license for free.

Bounty Hunter with wagon for prisoners

What are the unique abilities? As a Bounty Hunter, you will unlock certain abilities and items. These include:

  • Focus: Targets glow red in Eagle Eye
  • Duck: Crouch to protect yourself while riding
  • Bolas: A throwing weapon that wraps around the legs of wanted individuals
  • Bounty Hunter wagon: A wagon that allows for the safe transport of wanted individuals

The Trader

Where can you unlock the Trader in Red Dead Online? Your camp companion Cripps helps you become a Trader. Rather, you help him set up a camp. Your business consists of procuring items for Cripps, which he turns into saleable goods. You invest 15 gold bars in a butcher’s table and can get started. Players on PS4 receive the butcher’s table for free.

The Trader with his hunting wagon

What are the unique abilities? There is also much to discover with the Trader. His abilities and items include:

  • Stew pot: A camp upgrade that unlocks stew recipes
  • Awareness: Detects wagons from rival traders from a greater distance
  • Dog warning: Teaches your dog to warn you of camp raids
  • Hunting wagon: A sturdy wagon for transporting multiple carcasses, hides, and pelts
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The Collector

Where can you unlock the Collector? You unlock this role with the traveling merchant Madam Nazar. You can buy the collector’s bag from her for 15 gold bars to start with this role. This bag is free for all who find all 54 playing cards in GTA Online.

As a Collector, you search the online world for valuable treasures like tarot cards and hidden family heirlooms.

Clear view: The lantern on the horse’s breast

What are the unique abilities? The items include aids to find hidden treasures. Your abilities enhance your senses. Some bonuses include:

  • Pennington Field Spade: An essential tool for digging up collectibles 
  • Refined binoculars: A special set of binoculars that make dig sites glow even from afar
  • Horse support: Collect herbs while riding
  • Lantern for your horse: Illuminates the path ahead with a lantern attached to your horse’s breastplate

How important are the roles: With these major changes, Rockstar Games is bringing many new contents to Red Dead Online. The missing activities were often points of criticism in the offline world, which players repeatedly cited as reasons to avoid the online mode.

Can these contents bring you back into the game?

Until this update, you can handle it like this player and amuse yourself:

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von Patrick Freese
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Rockstar Games

In the MMORPG Guild Wars 2, players and developers are currently down

Alexander Leitsch Alexander Leitsch Reading time 5 minutes

Guild Wars 2 initially wanted to inform players about the future of the MMORPG through a live event. However, since August 30th, the mood in the forums and on reddit has been poor. This also affects the developers.

Why is the mood poor? The announcement of the Living World Season 5 titled Icebrood Saga was supposed to be a nice event. More than 30,000 players watched the event live on Twitch.

However, the mood leading up to it was somewhat tense. There were concerns about:

  • lack of support from ArenaNet for raids in general and the community tournament in particular
  • as well as a prolonged content drought

Nonetheless, many fans of Guild Wars 2 entered the announcement with positive feelings.

After the end of the livestream, however, some of them were left disappointed. While the announced content was not necessarily bad, something significant was missing that would have justified this event.

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Why did players expect more? In the lead-up to the event, the developers of Guild Wars 2 promoted the announcement with several blog posts, giveaways, and a 48-hour countdown on Twitch.

There were also statements from Game Director Mike Zadorojny announcing addon-like features for Living World Season 5.

However, a major innovation or announcement was missing from the event. Nearly everything mentioned at the event either already existed in previous seasons of the Living World or had already been announced in a roadmap in spring.

guild wars 2 Raven Lens Barrier

Community longs for openness

How are players reacting now? Fans of Guild Wars 2 express their disappointment on reddit and in the forums. Many do so constructively, discussing improvements to the game or explaining why the event was overly elaborate.

The biggest criticism from players is the communication from ArenaNet. Reddit user Kyouji writes:

But they do not speak openly with us about what they are working on and what the future holds. By remaining silent, they only reinforce the negative sentiment the community currently has. [..]

The stream on Friday was the first glimpse into the future of the game since the last patch in May. This is unacceptable for an MMO studio. Not talking about the future for months is a great way to turn the community against you.

The desire for communication was also the top thread in the Guild Wars 2 Reddit for several hours. Players do not expect a fully fleshed-out roadmap, but simply regular behind-the-scenes insights.

Is disappointment turning into anger? Alongside constructive criticism, there are also fans who are crossing the line. Currently, there are reddit threads open where NCSoft’s VP of Marketing, Mike Silbowitz, is personally insulted.

Players are also increasingly attacking developers and community staff on social media. Content Marketing Manager Rubi Bayer has also been a target.

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Personal attacks hurt the people behind GW2

How are the developers reacting? On Twitter, Rubi Bayer published a thread addressing individual reactions to the announcement.

She points out that people who insult others because the game is not developing in the desired direction have crossed a line. This is no longer about passion for the game.

Who else spoke out publicly? Former developer Matthew Medina, who is no longer part of ArenaNet since the layoff wave in February, also spoke out on Twitter.

He finds the community’s reactions incomprehensible. Despite almost a third of the studio having to leave, ArenaNet, in his view, put on a great event:

Honestly, the team can recover from this heavy blow and comes forward with such an announcement, so well prepared and presented, it’s a small miracle.

Yes, expectations were high and the hype train rolled, and maybe you were hoping for more. But man, the team deserves every applause and every support you can give them.

GW2 - HoT -Engineer - Guild Wars 2

Expectations vs. Communication

What issues does GW2 face? Since the release of the MMORPG in August 2012, it has struggled with the high expectations of players. Many refer to Guild Wars 2 as a rough diamond that was never properly polished.

However, the following aspects are frequently highlighted:

  • The combat system
  • The dynamic events and world bosses
  • The positive social component (No stealing loot, EXP, etc.)
  • No item spiral

Since release, there have been continual changes in the release structure. Initially, innovations were released that did not remain in the game permanently.

Later, they reached an agreement on a Living World in its current style. However, the Living World was interrupted by the release of purchasable expansions.

During these transitions, various areas of the game were neglected or only received small updates, as is currently the case with PvP and WvW.

However, instead of openly discussing mistakes and issues and involving the community, ArenaNet often stays silent.

What went wrong with communication? In many MMORPGs, players complain about a lack of communication from developers. However, Guild Wars 2 has experienced many extremes over the years.

There have been phases when everything was communicated and even hyped by the developers. The meme of the smiling Game Director Colin Johanson circulated around the announcement of Heart of Thorns.

Conversely, there have also been periods where players heard nothing from the developers for months.

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In the past, there have also been many promises that were never or only fulfilled years later. These included both content innovations and the regularity of updates that were not maintained.

Recently, several PR disasters have worsened the situation:

Guild-Wars-2-Path-of-Fire-07

What happens next? Game Director Mike Zadorojny, who took over in August 2017, will likely address the heated situation in the coming days.

He has previously tried to clarify and ease the situation with various contributions.

However, it is clear that both players and developers are unhappy with the current mood. Both parties simply want Guild Wars 2 to be enjoyable for everyone involved.

This is how the second quarter of 2019 went for Guild Wars 2:

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Pokémon GO: Event with Icognito and Shinys started – All about the Johto Journey

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 3 minutes

In Pokémon GO you now have increased chances for Icognito. They come from 10 km eggs. Additionally, there are new raid bosses in September and new shinies. All information about the event “Johto Journey”.

What kind of event is this? Trainers, the first week of the Ultra Bonus in Pokémon GO has started. In this week, there are special raid bosses, new shinies, and Icognito from eggs.

What is the name of the event? Johto Journey
How long will it last? From September 2 at 10:00 PM to September 9 at 10:00 PM
What bonuses are there? Icognito hatching from 10 km eggs, incubators are twice as effective, new shinies, new raid bosses

It’s worth playing a lot now, especially if you are missing some special Icognito forms.

Which Icognito are available at the event?

These Icognito are hatching: If you’re lucky, you’ll hatch the forms “U”, “L”, “T”, “R” or “A” from the 10 km eggs. In the following image, you can see the variants of this species:

How high the chances are that this Pokémon hatches from the eggs is still being researched by the trainers.

The new raid bosses in September 2019

What has changed? In line with the Johto Journey, there are new bosses in the gyms that you can defeat alone or with friends. We show you in this table which they are:

LevelBosses
1Wiesor*
Sonnkern*
Kramurx*
Snubbull*
Hunduster*
2Alolan Exeggutor*
Tangela*
Scyther*
Sneasel*
Flunkifer*
3Alolan Raichu*
Pottrott*
Keifel
Panzaeron
Donphan
4Alolan Marowak*
Ursaring
Despotar
Absol*
5Entei*
Raikou*
Suicune*
Deoxys (in EX Raids)

Bosses marked with a star (*) can appear in their shiny form.

Raikou Counters

The best counters against Raikou are:

  • Groudon with Mud Shot and Earthquake
  • Garchomp with Mud Shot and Earthquake
  • Rhyperior with Mud Slap and Earthquake
  • Walrein with Mud Slap and Steam Roll
  • Rhydon with Mud Slap and Earthquake

Entei Counters:

The best counters against Entei are:

  • Rhydon with Rock Smash and Rock Throw
  • Kyogre with Waterfall and Hydro Pump
  • Garchomp with Rock Smash and Rock Throw
  • Feraligatr with Waterfall and Hydro Cannon
  • Gyarados with Waterfall and Hydro Pump
  • Rhyperior with Rock Smash and Rock Throw

How to defeat Entei in Pokémon GO with two players, you can find out here.

Suicune Counters:

The best counters against Suicune are:

  • Raikou with Thundershock and Volt Switch
  • Electivire with Thundershock and Volt Switch
  • Magnezone with Spark and Volt Switch
  • Luxray with Spark and Volt Switch
  • Zapdos with Thundershock and Thunderbolt
  • Roserade with Razor Leaf and Grass Knot

How to defeat Suicune in Pokémon GO with three players, you can find out here.

We will show you all counters to the new raid bosses in Pokémon GO here:

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The new Shinies in the Johto Week

Which Shinies are new? For the first week of the Ultra Bonus, Niantic released the shiny forms of Wiesor and Skorgla in Pokémon GO. You can see what these shiny Pokémon and their evolutions look like in the following graphic:

Pokémon GO Shiny Wiesor Skorgla

What happens in week 2 of the Ultra Bonus? After this event ends on September 9, week 2 of the Ultra event will start. Then regional Pokémon will hatch from eggs, Deoxys will appear outside of EX Raids, and incubators will be effective again. All information about it:

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FIFA 20 vs. PES 2020 in Graphic Comparison – How Different are the Player Faces

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time 3 minutes

FIFA 20 vs. PES 2020 – which game has better graphics? With this graphics comparison, you can form your own impression and answer this question for yourself.

Where does the graphics comparison come from? While the demo of PES 2020 has been available to all players for several weeks, where you can thoroughly evaluate the graphics, Gameplay material for FIFA 20 has been widely available online since gamescom 2019 in mid-August. As for the FIFA 20 demo, you still have to wait a little.

Some content creators have compared images from PES 2020 and FIFA 20 to showcase graphic comparisons in videos. A highly regarded graphic comparison comes from TFVGaming | Rohan Trehan, which we embed here:

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Which player faces look better?

You can see this in the video: The video compares gameplay scenes and player faces.

The kickoff in comparison:

fifa 20 gameplay
PES 2020 (left) – FIFA 20 (right)

A free kick in comparison:

free kick
FIFA 20 (left) – PES 2020 (right)

Player faces in comparison: Every year, the comparison of player faces between the annual football simulations is particularly exciting. FIFA 20 is always on the left in the following images, PES 2020 is on the right.

  • Fred (Manchester United):
fred
  • Smalling (Manchester United):
smalling
  • Suarez (FC Barcelona):
suarez

In this video by AF Gameplays, there are many more face comparisons to see – from players of Juventus, Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Barcelona:

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And the YouTuber MGH compares the Arsenal players in FIFA 20 and PES 2020:

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This is what fans say about the comparisons: In the comments, most fans write that PES 2020 is the clear winner in the face comparisons. While Smalling does look like he has a massive hangover in PES, one user laughs, overall the PES faces look more realistic in comparison.

One user summarizes:

  • PES has prettier stadiums and the faces look better due to more detail like sweat, muscles, and veins.
  • But FIFA 20 has much better facial expressions, mouth movements, much better jerseys, and fans, and more realistic hair movement.
  • He argues that both games offer quite a bit graphically and receives nearly 200 upvotes for that.

Otherwise, as expected, there are many comments praising either FIFA or PES to the heavens or disparaging the other game. Moreover, one must consider that in the videos mainly players are compared whose clubs Konami has a partnership with and where they could conduct new, high-quality scans. EA Sports, on the other hand, has face scans of significantly more players from various leagues.

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And a fan writes: “Who cares about graphics, just give me high-quality gameplay.” Many agree with him.

What do you think about the graphics comparisons? Is there a clear winner for you?

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

„We are really sorry“ – Battlefield 5 apologizes to frustrated fans for Chapter 4

Sven Galitzki Sven Galitzki Reading time 3 minutes

The General Manager of DICE has addressed fans and apologized for the frustrating experience in Chapter 4 of Battlefield 5 .

Where does the info come from? The apology comes from the top – from DICE General Manager Oskar Gabrielson. He reached out on Twitter in a sort of open letter to the community and publicly asked for forgiveness.

What does DICE say? Specifically, it concerns the current Chapter 4. Gabrielson says: “Battlefield Community: I know you are frustrated and disappointed with the experience in Chapter 4. We are truly sorry.”

Battlefield 5 title weapon Tommi Gun

After this apology, he talks about some criticized decisions of recent times: “We are now taking a step back (in the release of outstanding content) to improve the quality of Battlefield 5 and as a consequence, we are making necessary changes to the planned roadmap. We are postponing some content originally planned for Chapter 4 and have decided to halt the development of the 5vs5 mode to focus our efforts on the overall experience in Battlefield 5.”

He then explains the approach: “It was not an easy decision, but we believe it is the right one and had to be made to improve the quality of the game.”

Battlefield 5 desert

He concludes his open letter to the Battlefield fans with the words: “I hope our work on Star Wars Battlefront II has shown that we feel connected to the gaming community in the long run. We will soon get Battlefield 5 back on track and make it the great shooter that you all deserve to play.”

What exactly is the reason for the apology? Many things went wrong with Battlefield 5 around Chapter 5 – including:

  • Content (such as weapons) and patches (Update 4.4) have been postponed
  • Content has been scrapped (5vs5 mode)
  • Incorrect information – also displayed in the game
  • There was chaos around the roadmap, where DICE did not come across as very happy. Fans waited for content that the developers knew nothing about.
  • Overall, in the eyes of the community, there was far too little new content in Chapter 4 for that reason.

Many fans were frustrated and disappointed with DICE’s post-launch content policy. At least the studio has now publicly apologized to all the fans for that.

What’s next for Battlefield 5? Numerous fans are looking towards the fall and hoping that things will improve with Battlefield 5 then. Because Chapter 5 with the iconic Pacific scenario including new maps and factions, as well as the Private Games (Private Servers) are planned for the fall, which many fans have high hopes for.

How do you currently see Battlefield 5 and what do you think of DICE’s apology? Do you believe they can still turn things around with Battlefield 5?

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Playing WoW Classic is like reading a good book for the second time

Benedict Grothaus Benedict Grothaus Reading time 4 minutes

Since WoW Classic has celebrated its release, our author Benedict spends most of his free hours diving back into the 15-year-old adventure. He finds that playing Classic is like reading a good book again, even though you already know it.

What does Classic have to do with books? Games and books have many things in common for me. Both take me into their world, both allow me to immerse myself in another character, and both tell me great stories.

Books allow my imagination to run a little freer, while games continuously reward me with new items, great events, or simply more story. This is one of the reasons why people play games at all.

It is precisely these stories that, at least in role-playing games like WoW, ensure that they feel like a book you already know when played a second time.

Many great moments come back – but I also notice new nuances that I didn’t see or appreciate the first time.

What is so great about playing Classic a “second time”

This is how the story captivates me a second time: As I relive the game I started playing about 14 years ago (yes, I started playing WoW after its release), I keep noticing moments that I had before.

It often happens that I come across a character who offers me a quest, and I think: “Oh yes! That was that quest line where I was so desperate back then. Will I do better this time?”

https://mein-mmo.de/en/in-wow-sylvanas-is-supposed-to-be-the-great-genius-but-nobody-understands-what-she-is-doing,345302/
Once again, Calvinius has made me help him.

Even though I already know what to do and how I can master it best, I look forward to experiencing it again. I am less interested in whether I can really do this quest better, but more whether I notice details that I missed before.

They are simply moments connected to emotions from back then that resurface. As if they had been stored somewhere, only to come back with the same strength once again. Cortyn has such moments in WoW Classic as well.

That’s why the “second time” is so important: What captivates me so much about the game on the second playthrough are the details and quests that I previously paid no attention to.

Many of these quests hint at events that occurred in later expansions of World of Warcraft.

WoW All Addons title

Only with the knowledge I now have after the long history of seven expansions of WoW do I even understand what it’s all about.

Stories from WoW from today – already back then

In many stories, I probably still run past them – simply because they are told by NPCs with whom you never have to talk. Other stories are hidden in quests and remain relevant even today.

First quest – Battle for Azeroth: One of these quests is “The Third Fleet” for the Alliance in the Wetlands, at the harbor of Menethil. A sailor reports that he was a member of the third fleet from Kul Tiras when something terrible happened.

The Third Fleet is part of Kul Tiras’ armed forces and of the “Lost Fleet” – which also includes the ships that Jaina Proudmoore saves from the fog in Battle for Azeroth:

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There is much more history tied to the fleet. One of the sunken ships, from which the drunken sailor talks, belonged to Derek Proudmoore, Jaina’s brother. He is later manipulated by Sylvanas for her plans as an undead, but rescued by Baine.

Second quest – Cataclysm: In another quest, which comes from a long dungeon quest line after receiving an undelivered letter from Edwin Van Cleef in the Deadmines, there are hints about Cataclysm hidden.

After the letter is delivered, the Master Spy of SI:7, Mathias Shaw, investigates a bit further. Eventually, he ends up with Elling Trias, a cheese merchant. At the end of the quest, he says:

The Brotherhood of the Defias, you say? Well, you really are the bearer of wonderful news, aren’t you? Next, you’ll tell me that Deathwing is still alive and attacking the city.

WoW Dragon Glory Deathwing
Deathwing – or back then still known as Deathwing – was already predicted in Classic.

By the way: Elling Trias himself is probably a relative of Lucian Trias, who owns a delicatessen in Dalaran. Here he serves as a liaison for the Rogue class hall in Legion. So there’s another hint.

Third quest – Wrath of the Lich King: The third quest that stood out to me during the second playthrough is the quest line “Nothing But the Truth” for the Horde in the Swamp of Sorrows.

A human spy, Marksen, apparently has important information regarding the Alliance and the Horde. However, before he can reveal anything, Apothecary Faustin and Deathstalker Zraedus ensure that he gets poisoned. As he dies, Marksen says:

I believe the Forsaken are misleading the allies of the Horde… Wait… I’m feeling so… dizzy…

This sentence can predict two historical events from WoW:

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Such connections, as they already exist in Classic, could not be understood by players 15 years ago. Many of the old quests have also vanished with Cataclysm and the reshaping of Azeroth or simply been forgotten later.

Now that Classic can be played again in its old form, I find it exciting to relive all of this and understand how much history WoW already contained in Vanilla. And even some skeptics are convinced:

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

New Fortnite update is coming today on 03.09. – what’s included

Robert Albrecht Robert Albrecht Reading time 2 minutes

Like every Tuesday, today, on 03.09., a new update (Content Patch 10.20) for Fortnite arrives on all platforms (PC/Mac, Xbox One, PS4, Switch, iOS, Android). What will the new update offer and what about maintenance work? MeinMMO has the answers.

What will happen today in Fortnite? With Season 10, Epic has seemingly chosen Tuesday as the new patch day. In the past, new updates were always released on Wednesday or Thursday.

In recent days, Fortnite has faced some issues. Thus, the robots had to be temporarily disabled.

It was even worse on Sunday, when the game seemed to be completely offline. Will Epic implement countermeasures with today’s patch to avoid such problems in the future?

fortnite-supply-llama

The good news for today: You will not have to endure any maintenance work. After downloading and installing the update, you can dive right back in. When the update will arrive and what content you can expect, you will find out now!

Update 2:00 PM – The patch is now active and brings the floating island and the zapper trap

Content Patch 10.20 – When will it arrive and how big will it be?

When will the update be available for download? At 2 PM German time, you will be able to download the patch. This time is approximate and may shift by 10 minutes forward or backward. Since there is no maintenance, you can get back in relatively quickly.

fortnite-bauarbeiten-titel

How big will the update be? If we look at past comparable patches, you will likely have to download several hundred megabytes of data.

What’s in update 10.20 for Fortnite?

This is new in Battle Royale: The zapper is back! Only the absolute veterans will remember the trap from the early days of Fortnite: Battle Royale. The electric trap dealt damage to players who got too close and will now return to the game enhanced.

Fortnite loading screen week 5 and 6
Source: Dexerto

Additionally, the map is likely to change again, Fatal Fields will likely be the victim. Presumably, the changes will result in the well-known cube Kevin making a comeback.

Furthermore, as already mentioned, there will likely be the usual bug fixes and stabilizations.

What’s new in the Save the World mode with update 10.20: As the current roadmap ended last week, we do not yet know exactly what features the PvE faction can expect. However, the update this week will likely be underwhelming.

What do you think about the return of the zapper? Are you excited for the trap?

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This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
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Next update in Fortnite will probably change the map again – Here’s what we know

Gastbeitrag Gastbeitrag Reading time 2 minutes

A new rift has appeared in Fortnite . In Season 10, a new rift means a change to the map. The next update is likely to affect Fatal Fields.

Where does the rift appear? A rift and a machine appeared in the middle of Fatal Fields, similar to what we saw at Neo Tilted and Retail Row.

It seems that we might be able to expect changes as early as tomorrow, September 3, or at the latest Thursday, in the new update.

Fortnite Rift Zone Fatal Fields

New Rift in Fortnite – Is the floating island returning?

What could the rift cause? So far, rifts have always brought back old areas. For example, Dusty Depot returned and Neo Tilted became Tilted Town, an old western town. Retail Row became a zombie town.

However, Fatal Fields has never been changed, so there is no way to bring back an old location. Is the floating island returning now?

A few dataminers leaked the limited-time challenges for next week, and one of the challenges is “Visit a floating island and a meteor” (via @Lucas7yoshi).

Additionally, the loading screen for next week was found, showing a floating island over Fatal Fields. You get the loading screen when you have completed 3 weekly limited-time challenges.

Fortnite Loading Screen Week 5 and 6
Source: Dexerto

What’s the story with the floating island? The floating island is known to most of you from Seasons 5 and 6. It started in Season 5 with the cube that the community calls Kevin.

A large cube that wandered through the map until it sunk into Loot Lake. After that, it rose into the air along with the island. Thus, the floating island was created, which moved throughout the map. It is set to return over Fatal Fields.

When will there be more info? In the past, whenever a new rift appeared, one could expect changes with the next update.

So, with the next update that is supposed to come between Tuesday and Thursday, one can expect to discover the new rift zone.

What do you think? Would you be happy to visit the floating island again?

This article is by Eilyn Rapp from the MeinMMO community

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Of all things, WoW Classic pulls Activision Blizzard’s stock out of the crisis

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

At Activision Blizzard, the stock had recently fallen after a sobering financial report. Now it is on the rise again: Responsible for this are the success of WoW Classic, first reactions to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and rumors of a Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2.

A month ago: Less than a month ago, on August 9, the outlook for Activision Blizzard was bleak. The financial report for Q2 2019 painted a sobering picture for the publisher:

  • Nothing significant happened in Q2 – player numbers were stable, but revenues were significantly lower than the previous year
  • Activision Blizzard also gave a sparse outlook for Q3, which fell short of Wall Street expectations
  • Additionally, President Donald Trump had just warned about violent games
  • Activision Blizzard was in a state of upheaval, had laid off employees and had hardly any new games on the horizon
  • and somehow there was a sense of danger in the air that trouble could arise due to loot boxes – something was brewing
WoW Azshara Smug Face
Did not look good at all – a month ago for Activision Blizzard.

The stock price of Activision Blizzard fell by 3% after the financial results – they had already come from difficult waters, having laid off their financial chief at the turn of 2019, lost the Destiny franchise, and lost considerable value on the stock market.

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WoW Classic makes Activision Blizzard look like geniuses

That’s why everything is different now: In recent days, the tide has turned. Now the positive attributes of Activision Blizzard are emphasized and praised. Analysts suddenly give buy recommendations:

  • WoW Classic is a hit, and that for a subscription-based game. Profits are now expected here – the queues, which are so annoying for games, delight analysts. The Twitch numbers are also seen as an important indicator for analysts
  • In addition, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare seems more and more like a hit as it releases in October. The first reactions to the PS4 beta were positive, as analysts note
  • Moreover, there are rumors of new announcements at BlizzCon for Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2 – these are also being favorably noted
  • Furthermore, Activision Blizzard has announced, to disclose loot box chances by the end of 2020 – addressing investor concerns
  • 2020 anyway marks the beginning of the new console generation, from which investors expect profits
WoW Night Elf Druid happy classic title 1140x445

This is how analysts now see Activision Blizzard: Although not much has changed compared to early August, there is now a different perception of Activision Blizzard.

It is said: All signs point to a surprising turnaround for the stock.

The stock has risen by 7% in the past week, and experts believe the stock still has massive potential. It is still missing 40% compared to last fall.

Activision-Blizzard stock
How strongly the tide can change in a month.

Here’s what analysts say:

  • Analyst Matthew Thornton estimates that Call of Duty will be a hit, also because it faces weaker competition. He believes Activision Blizzard’s earnings per share will rise by 15% – and sales numbers will climb by 10% each in 2020 and 2021.
  • According to analyst Michael Olson, World of Warcraft Classic is an important puzzle piece that can lead to accelerated revenue growth for Activision Blizzard in 2019 and 2020.

At the moment, it seems as if WoW Classic will mitigate or even completely end Activision Blizzard’s weak phase.

The irony is that “WoW Classic” is considered a game that Blizzard didn’t even want, but was forced upon them by the fans.

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Source(s):
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Adventure Sync announced for Wizards Unite – What it means for you

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 2 minutes

Finally, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite is getting the “Adventure Sync” feature. Fans have been wishing for this for a long time. We will show you why this feature is so good.

What was announced? A few weeks ago, Niantic announced the “Adventure Sync” feature. Now, emails are being sent to players stating that the feature is about to be released. So it won’t be long before Adventure Sync is enabled for all players.

Wizards Unite Adventure Sync Mail
Source: Reddit

A release date for when the feature will appear is still pending. Players are excited about the announcement on Reddit, saying “My battery is very grateful for this” or “Finally, I won’t have problems opening the portal chests anymore.”

What can the feature do? The predecessor of Wizards Unite, Pokémon GO, has had this function for several months. It uses data collected by Google Fit (Android) or the Health app (iOS) to credit to the game.

This is how it looks in Pokémon GO when you receive rewards through Adventure Sync.

Players no longer need to have Wizards Unite open for the distances traveled to be credited to the game. This works with Adventure Sync even when the app is closed. When logging back into Wizards Unite, the data will be synchronized with the fitness apps and added to the game.

Collecting kilometers to open the portal chests will therefore become much more convenient.

Why Adventure Sync is so important

How long the wish has existed: Since the release of Wizards Unite, players have been expecting that they could also use the function from Pokémon GO in their Harry Potter game.

In June, we already reported that fans want Adventure Sync for Wizards Unite so that steps and kilometers are counted even when the app is switched off. Players wondered at that time why collecting kilometers in the game was so difficult and demanded help.

Players became impatient: At the beginning of August, a new update for Wizards Unite was released. It received decent feedback, but players kept asking for the special feature:

Wizards Unite Twitter Adventure
Players are asking: Where is Adventure Sync?
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After weeks of silence, Conan Exiles surprises with a cool PvP feature

Benedict Grothaus Benedict Grothaus Reading time 3 minutes

Conan Exiles suddenly awakens from its summer slumber with several announcements – including a cool new feature for PvP fans. The developers announced this in a brief post.

What is this feature? In a blog post, Funcom introduced the new feature of “Battle Standards,” or battle banners. These are a new placeable object specifically for PvE servers.

Standards are large, placeable flags with two crossed swords that allow for a PvP zone on a PvE server.

This is how you can use the standards: A standard allows PvP within its area, but simultaneously makes all buildings in its vicinity and itself immune to damage from players. According to the developers, the usage works as follows:

  • You build a combat arena to your liking.
  • You place the standard in the middle of the arena.
  • The standard and buildings can no longer be destroyed by players. New building parts can no longer be placed.
  • PvP is activated within the arena, even on PvE servers.
conan exiles battle standards

Once you enter the arena, you will be warned. If you want to participate, you can confirm this. By default, you lose no loot if you die in an arena. The standards also follow specific building rules to prevent other players from being disturbed and to prevent too many arenas from being placed on top of each other.

The contents of “Blood and Sand”

These new contents are coming: In addition to the banners, Funcom announced a new DLC, which is included as the second content of the Season Pass for 2019 . Funcom showcased some of the contents of the new DLC “Blood and Sand” in a one-hour dev stream:

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New building parts are included that are specifically designed for the aforementioned arenas so you can build even nicer settings for combat. Arenas and gladiators form the main theme of the DLC.

The new armors, on the other hand, are all inspired by Age of Conan:

  • Conan Exiles Blood and Sand Barbarians Outfit
    The “heavy” Barbarian set
  • Conan Exiles Blood and Sand Bone Shaman Medium
    The “medium” Bone Shaman set
  • Conan Exiles Blood and Sand Assassin Armor light
    The “light” Assassin set

Additionally, with the upcoming Update 37, two new weapon types will be introduced: Great Axes and Short Swords. These and the older weapons can be enhanced with new weapon oils and mods.

Blood and Sand is set to be released on September 3 alongside Update 37 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One simultaneously.

What’s next: Shortly after the update, on September 6, the decay timers will also be reset to the standard time. In the course of a summer break for those who want to take a vacation, these were extended in July.

The upcoming updates are also planned to be released simultaneously across all platforms rather than, as previously, first for PC and then later for consoles.

If you want to pass the time until the next update, why not quickly get a cool new armor:

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Is Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Suitable for Beginners?

Larissa Then Larissa Then Reading time 4 minutes

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne is just around the corner. Our author Larissa wonders if the addon is even suitable for newcomers.

Starting from September 6, fans can battle new monsters in the new addon Iceborne. But should only seasoned hunters do this, or is Iceborne also suitable for newcomers? After all, you need nothing more than hunter rank 16.

From level 16, everyone, including newcomers to Monster Hunter World, can travel to the snow-covered Hoarfrost Reach. You reach this rank by completing the main story. It is a low requirement and no additional missions are necessary.

The 3 big questions:

  • Can newcomers jump straight into Iceborne, or are the challenges awaiting them too difficult?
  • How good does the equipment need to be to tackle Iceborne properly?
  • How high must the skill level be to face the challenges without getting frustrated?
A group of hunters against a Barioth.

Gifted equipment is strong, but hunters remain inexperienced

What about the equipment? Every player will receive the “Guardian” armor set for free on September 4. This will make it considerably easier to get through the low rank and probably also through the high rank in Monster Hunter World.

So equipment isn’t a problem for entering Monster Hunter World: Iceborne.

But is this armor a curse for players or a blessing?

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What about experience? In the base game of MHW, players had to earn their high-rank armor and learned many useful things about the game along the way. And this gifted set could actually spell doom for newcomers.

This armor is a carry armor. It carries newcomers through, and in Iceborne, they don’t understand how the game works.

Jan on Facebook

Due to the easier difficulty, many experiences are missed that would otherwise have been collected. Especially in the missions that come after the main story, players usually gain essential combat experience.

He must be seen through in Iceborne: The Nightshade Paolumu

These important experiences would be missed by the players:

  • Monster behavior: The move sets of many monsters are very similar. When players have already faced many battles, they can better assess new monsters and defeat them more easily.
  • Items and their effective use: Many items in Monster Hunter World make the hunt easier for you. For example, there are knives that cause status effects or special powders that can save your life in tight situations.
  • Learning from other players: By playing with other hunters, you also learn useful tricks. This includes, for example, the sleep trick in Monster Hunter World, where you can place bombs in front of the monsters’ noses.

How important is the equipment in this regard? My long-standing experience with the Monster Hunter series has often shown me that it’s not just the armor that leads you to success.

Monster Hunter World Iceborne new weapons and armor
Such powerful weapons and armor can look in Iceborne.

If you master your weapons in Monster Hunter World well and can anticipate the movements of the monsters, it is possible to have a tough battle even without armor. But that requires practice.

If you breeze through your story too easily, you miss many valuable player experiences that will help you in tough fights.

Iceborne promises tough challenges

In Monster Hunter World, I usually take down most monsters with my favorite weapon, the bow, in just a few minutes, but that will surely change with Iceborne. The newly introduced Master Rank plays an important role here. This new difficulty level is also supposed to make life hard for seasoned veterans.

Monster-Hunter-World-Iceborne-Kampf
A hunter against a Banbaro

What do the developers say? This was already evident during the play sessions at Gamescom. There, players could get a first impression of Iceborne. Our author Leya also took this opportunity and received further information directly from the developers in an interview. You can see more about this in the following video.

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Watch Monster Hunter World: Iceborne with the lead developers of MONSTERSANDEXPLOSIONS on www.twitch.tv

Should newcomers stay out?

This does not mean that absolutely no newcomer should play the Iceborne addon in Monster Hunter World. However, one should probably prepare for a high frustration curve. The motto is not to give up immediately, but to persevere.

Some good players might not have any problems at all, but one should not get overconfident due to the strong gifted armor. In Monster Hunter World, experience counts more than equipment:

  • Anyone planning to start with Iceborne as a newcomer is well advised to perhaps play a few rounds in the main game first.
  • Anyone familiar with “Monster Hunter” as a franchise will likely be able to succeed with the “gifted armor,” even if they haven’t perfected the main game yet.

In any case, I am looking forward to the new challenges and hope to meet many of you in Iceborne.

Here you can find out how to prepare well for Iceborne:

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What is your opinion on the topic? Do you think one should already get started with JR 16 in Iceborne?

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