The 100 mini-boss kills for the Solstice armor are currently driving many Guardians crazy in Destiny 2. However, player criticism has not gone unheard. Bungie is responding and is about to make the most annoying grind of the Solstice event more bearable.
Many Guardians are trying to upgrade their Solstice armor in this context. At some point, every player has to defeat 100 mini-bosses in the ELZ, a special event area on Earth. And it is exactly this step that has frustrated many players; many have expressed criticism on Reddit and other discussion platforms and demanded changes.
Now there is good news. Even though hardly anyone expected it – Bungie has actually announced changes that should make many players happy, especially those who still have this step ahead of them.
This is what Bungie wants to change: After the massive criticism, the developers have now reacted. As announced in the current “This Week at Bungie” blog, Bungie has acknowledged that they may have overdone it with the requirements at this step.
Therefore, these requirements will soon be lowered. Instead of 100, you will now only need to defeat 50 mini-bosses in the ELZ for your Majestic Event armor. Currently, it is still 100.
If you also defeat the final boss of an ELZ run, you will receive 5 additional points credited to your progress. If you have already earned points for this step, they will remain after the changes.
When will the changes go live? You won’t have to wait long. The hotfix 2.5.2.1 for Destiny 2 will be released next Tuesday, August 13th. This will also bring the nerf to the annoying grind into the game.
What exactly is the problem with this step? Many players criticize that the task is very time-consuming and involves enormous grinding – especially when you are playing without a fixed team. Only kills that you personally contribute to the mini-boss count towards progress.
In one run, a random group can manage about 7 mini-bosses, of which you can deal damage to 4 or 5. This amounts to nearly 20 matches, which can take hours. It is already annoying with one character. If you want to earn the event armor for all three Guardians, the frustration factor can increase even more.
This leads to many teammates leaving after the mini-boss phase to start a new run directly. Unfortunately, this is currently an efficient method to get the necessary kills – the final boss currently does not count towards progress. This has made the grind even harder.
As a result, it often happens that you join a running match or directly into the boss phase of a run without a team, as players are already missing there, which means you can only achieve a few or even no mini-boss kills.
This is how the Guardians are reacting: This announcement is very well received by many Guardians. In a popular Reddit thread, players are mass thanking Bungie for listening to feedback and alleviating this annoying step.
Players without fixed teams, with little time, or multiple characters are now hopeful that they can still grab the armor in time.
Some even couldn’t believe it. There are multiple questions on whether this announcement is actually real or confirmed.
However, there are also some fans who do not like the announcement at all. These are usually Guardians who have already completed the annoying grind, sometimes multiple times. They are now upset that their achievement is devalued or that they had to do more work than many other Guardians will have to do starting Tuesday.
What do you think about this step? Is it the right decision or a slap in the face for all those who have already completed it?By the way, until the change is active, the following method might help you with this step:
Starting August 13, the expeditions in The Division 2 will not be playable for the time being. They are expected to return at a later date. They were just introduced with Episode 1 of the shooter. We want to know what you think about this time limitation of the content.
What are the expeditions all about? Less than a month ago, the expeditions were introduced as the centerpiece of the “Episode 1” DLC in the game:
On July 23, Year 1 Pass holders received access to this new content. However, only the first wing opened on that day.
Since July 30, all owners of The Division 2 have been able to take part in this new activity. This is when the second wing went live.
The third wing has only been open since August 6.
These expeditions are a bit more extensive than the regular story missions in The Division 2.
The expeditions are a type of puzzle activity set in the grounds of Kenly College outside Washington D.C.. There, players must complete various tasks in three sections that went live at staggered times, in order to find friendly survivors and uncover the fate of a lost military convoy. Your exploration, puzzle, and combat skills will be put to the test.
This surprised many agents: What many agents did not know is that the expeditions are apparently subject to a cycle. This means that they will not be available to players continuously.
And as the developers at Massive recently communicated, the first cycle will end on Tuesday, August 13. They will not be available to you anymore for the time being.
When will the expeditions return exactly? This is not known, and there was no exact date provided. Massive only explained that the activity will return with the next cycle later this year. It doesn’t sound like players will be able to return to Kenly College in just two weeks.
You should note: If you still want the new weapon exotic Diamondback and haven’t obtained it yet, you should hurry. It is tied to the expeditions at Kenly College and will disappear for the time being on August 13.
If you haven’t gotten this exotic by August 13, you will have to wait until the return of the expeditions to earn it. If you already own the exotic rifle, it will move into the loot pool of bosses in heroic missions.
What does this mean for the players? If the expeditions are now gone, this essentially means that about half of the new content from Episode 1 disappears – and that after less than a month. Because fundamentally, the highlights of the first DLC for Year 1 are:
2 new story missions
the expeditions
2 new exotics: the BT data gloves and the Diamondback rifle
The expeditions and thus the weapon exotic constitute a significant part of the content. Those who already felt that the new content was rather sparse will soon have even less substance from the new DLC 1.
What if you were just lying on the beach?
What do the fans say? Many cannot understand this decision and feel annoyed or upset – especially players with little time.
Given the already sparse content, removing parts of the new content temporarily and making them available only for a limited time meets with little understanding or support. Agents are also going on holiday in August and do not play The Division 2 as often as in other months. They are annoyed that they missed the expeditions.
The communication on this matter has also left many agents bitter, as it was unclear to many until recently that the expeditions along with the corresponding content are only playable for a limited time.
While many do not see the point behind this decision, there are also a few players who believe that this would at least keep the expeditions special. They would need to tackle this activity more intensively during a certain time period if they want to obtain certain rewards. And finally, the expeditions to Kenly College will return, as the special loot is not gone for good.
What do you think of this design decision? In this context, we have prepared a survey and now want to know from you, our readers, what you think of this model.
Do you think it is better for the game in the long run if the expeditions are only limitedly available in cycles and at specific times? Does it make them more exciting? Or do you not understand this decision and think it is wrong? Let us know in the survey and in the comments.
Please note, you have only one answer option. Thank you for participating and your time.
If you do not see a survey at this point on mobile devices, follow this link:
Fortnite streamer Tyler “Ninja” Blevins expresses in a video how disappointed he is with Twitch.TV. They unintentionally promoted porn on his Twitch channel after Ninja’s switch to Mixer.
TwitchTV utilized this visitor traffic and revamped Ninja’s channel. They displayed ads for “other popular streams” in the Fortnite category. These are shown with thumbnail on Ninja’s Twitch channel. This is how cleverly Twitch implemented it.
This is what Ninja is now angry about: Ninja released a video on August 11, stating that he is disgusted and apologizes. Because an ad for a stream displaying porn was shown on his Twitch channel.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
“As you know, I am now streaming on Mixer. The team and I made sure that the transition went smoothly, super professionally. We said nothing bad or negative about Twitch.”
Then he continues and explains that he is the only streamer whose old channel is used to promote other streams.
“I have been streaming for 8 years to build my brand and grow my channel. They used my channel to promote others. Now there was a porn account at number 1 displayed on my channel.” Then he apologizes to all viewers, parents, and children who saw it.
This is how it looked on his account:
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
For two hours, porn was promoted on Ninja’s channel
Why was there porn being shown? The promoted Twitch account displayed porn related to Minecraft and Fortnite for more than two hours, explains Dexerto. Because the promoted streams on Ninja’s channel are sorted by popularity and many people watched the stream, it appeared at number 1.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
“This wouldn’t even have been a problem if Twitch hadn’t used my channel to promote other streams,” Ninja writes.
Twitch CEO apologizes to Ninja
How did Twitch react? Meanwhile, the mentioned porn channel has been permanently banned. Twitch CEO Emmett Shear used Twitter to apologize to Ninja. He also explained that promoting other streams on his channel is good for building connections in the community. However, this content should not have been displayed.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
With Remnant: From the Ashes an interesting coop shooter is coming soon, but somehow many seem to not have the game on their radar. It is surprisingly quiet around the title from Perfect World before its release on August 20 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
What is Remnant: From the Ashes? The dark “Seed” has invaded and devastated the Earth. Brave heroes are trying to find a way to stop the invaders. To do this, they travel to other dimensions to find a means to destroy the creatures.
What does the game remind us of? Looking at the trailers and screenshots and reading the description, it seems we can expect a game that could be somewhat in the direction of The Secret World. Additionally, parallels to Hellgate: London cannot be completely ruled out.
Why is the hype around the coop shooter so low? Actually, Remnant sounds pretty good. Fast shooter action in a post-apocalyptic scenario and teamwork seem to hit the mark. Moreover, the game is also coming for PS4 and Xbox One and at a time when everyone is waiting for new games.
And yet the game is hardly a topic in the multiplayer community. What could be the reasons for this?
Remnant is a new brand and does not belong to a well-known and established game series
So far, there has simply been too little shown from the game and too little talked about
Players seem a bit confused about whether it is a story-driven game or if grinding is at the forefront
The game will only be released digitally. Some interpret this as it being a “smaller” title and not a big AAA project
Some are simply skeptical about a new title and want to wait for reviews and opinions from other players
There are still too many questions left unanswered, such as regarding the controls and why there are only three players in a group
What do you think about Remnant: From the Ashes? Are you interested in the game? Did you even have it on your radar?
The developers of Dead by Daylight have announced that they will finally address one of the most annoying issues with the game. The grind is set to be reduced.
Since the rework of Freddy, there has been a lot going on in Dead by Daylight, but many of the community’s wishes have still not been heard. Players are still waiting for dedicated servers and, especially for newcomers, the game is a huge grind at the beginning just to get to the perks they want.
In a “Developer Update” post, the developers have now addressed that many of the issues will finally be tackled.
Those who want all perks need time and many, many blood points.
What is the problem with the grind? Anyone who wants a good selection of perks in Dead by Daylight has to farm extremely hard. Not only do they need to bring numerous characters close to the maximum level to unlock their teachable perks (so that other characters can learn them), but then a lot of farming still needs to be done.
Because each blood web (i.e., each level-up) contains a maximum of 2 perks to choose from, and only one of them can be selected. Those just starting with Dead by Daylight have to farm dozens of millions of blood points to have the desired perks on their favorite character. This corresponds to a playtime of several hundred hours, even for skilled players.
What is going to change? Although the developers haven’t mentioned any concrete measures yet, they have already stated their goal. More perks should be offered per blood web (currently a maximum of 2), so that players can unlock exactly the perks they want faster.
At the same time, the maximum number of blood webs needed to unlock all perks should also be drastically reduced. This will probably only be achievable if players can select more than one perk simultaneously per blood web.
When will these changes take place? However, the developers have not yet given a specific date. These changes are to happen “over the next few months.” But from the developers of Dead by Daylight, this is quite a vague statement, as between the announcement of a “soon” rework of Freddy and the actual implementation there were nearly 15 months. One can only hope that the improvements to the blood web won’t take that long to arrive.
How do you feel about the grind in Dead by Daylight? Is it too exhausting? Or is it just a part of the game and has it motivated you so far?
In late 2015, the first raids in Guild Wars 2 were released. However, currently, there is frustration among the hardcore fans. A ray of hope is the community-organized raid tournament, which may be held for the last time.
Why are players dissatisfied? The latest raids in Guild Wars 2 seem too rare to the fans. While the first raid wings were released every three to four months, there was only one new raid throughout 2018 and it was too easy for the players.
2019 doesn’t look any better either. The new raid was released in May, but within less than three hours, the first guilds had completed it. Already, many find it boring and burnt out.
The future of raids? Currently, it seems likely that no further raids will be released in 2019. The developers have repeatedly promised to release new raids faster, but they have yet to fulfill this promise.
What are players doing between new raids? In the months without a new raid, guilds usually try speedruns or low-man kills, where fewer than the possible 10 people are required.
Once a year, however, the Elitist Raiding Party takes place. This is a community event where the best raid guilds compete against each other.
What sort of event is this? On August 24 and 25, the third edition of the Elitist Raiding Party will take place. The organizer is streamer MightyTeapot, who will also shoutcast the tournament.
The six registered guilds must complete the raids under special conditions. Only nine instead of the ten possible players are allowed to be used.
All bosses will be played in challenge mode. Additionally, players forfeit the downstate. If a player is downed, they must immediately kill themselves and cannot be revived.
In the end, the guild that completes the raids the fastest under these conditions live on stream will win.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
What can players win? The community in Guild Wars 2 actively supports the event. So, participants can look forward to:
More than 3,100 dollars in prize money
More than 30,000 gems (approximately another 350 dollars)
More than 150,000 gold in-game currency
Currently, further donations are still being collected, so the prize money could increase.
How successful is the Elitist Raiding Party? Currently, the community event is the biggest attraction in the Guild Wars 2 area on Twitch.
The last edition reached an average of nearly 5,000 viewers. Since the major PvP tournaments in 2014 and 2015, aside from the announcement of Path of Fire and an event from the Yogscast, no one has reached such numbers on Twitch.
Could this be the last edition of the tournament? The third edition of the raid tournament could also be the last. The organizer is currently so frustrated with Guild Wars 2 that he wants to focus on WoW Classic in the near future.
Whether another streamer will continue the project is uncertain. For the raid community, which is already complaining about a lack of new talent, this would be another setback.
How is Guild Wars 2 doing financially? The new quarterly report reveals:
Bugha, the world champion in Fortnite: Battle Royale has not only fans. Someone who wished him harm performed swatting against him and sent an armed task force that interrupted him live on stream. Fortunately, the situation ended well.
However, the 16-year-old boy does not only have fans. Malicious individuals sent an armed police task force against him in a case of so-called swatting.
The police officers surprised Bugha during a live stream on Twitch. Bugha’s father came in the middle of the game and said that armed police officers were at the door. Shortly after, Bugha suddenly disappeared and his avatar in the game burst into flames in the storm. His teammates were accordingly confused: “Did he just leave in the middle of the game?”
How did the swatting end? Bugha was gone for about 10 minutes to clarify the situation. Fortunately for him, the clarification was quite quick, as one of the officers present lives in Bugha’s neighborhood and recognized the boy.
It was therefore quickly clear that no violent crime was taking place in Bugha’s house and that it was a bad joke.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from Twitch that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
This is how Bugha reacted: After the incident, Bugha came back online and his two teammates Bizzle and Dubs, who had actually won the match without him, wanted to know what had happened: “I was swatted,” Bugha said, still visibly shaken. “They just come in with weapons. They actually showed up, holy shit!”
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from Twitch that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
Why swatting is a big problem: Fortunately, the situation with Bugha ended well. However, swatting is a serious problem. The responding forces do not know that it is a cruel fake. They assume that violent crimes or hostage situations are imminent. They show up armed and are consequently tense. They expect that their own lives are in danger when they arrive at the supposed crime scene.
There has already been a case where an innocent person was shot by the police because they believed he was an armed criminal. But even without such drastic consequences, swatting is a problem.
Because a task force responding to such a fake call may be missing when a real crime is taking place nearby, and the officers may not be available at a critical moment because they are pulling a harmless Twitch streamer off the screen.
Moreover, not everyone affected reacts as calmly as Bugha. For many who have been swatted, it was a traumatic experience where they had to worry about their safety and that of their loved ones.
More and more information about the multiplayer part of the shooter Call of Duty: Modern Warfare suggests a “light MMO” service game. However, Activision Blizzard has shown nothing about it so far. While they promise a massive multiplayer world, they have only shown a 2vs2 mode so far.
What has been shown of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare so far? When the shooter was announced, the focus was on the story mode, which is the single-player campaign. This is supposed to tell an intense and emotional story. The presentation has so far focused on two missions.
However, CoD: Modern Warfare will also feature multiplayer modes. Only the fast 2-vs-2 Gunfight mode and larger PvP modes have been shown. Additionally, multiplayer and single-player are supposed to be linked. Characters from the story will also appear in the multiplayer mode.
Nevertheless, the multiplayer part of the shooter remains the big mystery. It is supposed to be huge with gigantic maps for a large number of players. The promise from February was a “large and sprawling multiplayer world.”
At investor conferences, the heads of Activision Blizzard repeatedly give scattered hints that we can expect a kind of “light MMO”, meaning an online game mode that is somewhat reminiscent of an MMO.
There are huge ambitions and plans for the new Call of Duty.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
What are the latest hints about the multiplayer part? Activision’s Chief Operating Officer Coddy Johnson stated that more DLCs are already being planned for the game than for any previous installment in the shooter series. This means that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare will be supported with many additional contents after its release, which sounds very much like a service game.
Previously, Coddy Johnson said that after the release of the game, they want to do more than they did with Black Ops 4 and want to keep the player base engaged long-term with the title. He said that the “post-launch” content is supposed to represent a “game-changing experience”.
Also, in the new financial report, Coddy Johnson reiterated that players can look forward to the largest “post-launch content plan” in the entire Call of Duty franchise.
What does this mean? It seems more and more that a game is expected to be released that wants to stay relevant in the market, especially in terms of multiplayer, based on the “Games as a Service” principle.
What is still the big question? The hints about the gigantic multiplayer part of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare with the massive world are making players eager, and many want to finally learn more and especially see what this part of the game looks like. Activision is keeping extremely quiet about the big multiplayer mode, and so far we only hear PR statements, but we simply do not get to see anything.
There are several questions at hand:
Will Activision show gameplay of this mysterious “light MMO” mode before the multiplayer beta?
Will we see more of the multiplayer part in the coming weeks?
Until something concrete is revealed or gameplay is shown, many players remain skeptical. Because, just like with Black Ops 4, there were similar PR promises from the publisher that the finished game could not really fulfill.
That’s why it’s about time that Activision and the development studio Infinity Ward present scenes of the “light MMO” mode, so we can get an idea of the multiplayer part.
Destiny 2 has been offering multiplayer emotes for some time now. While previously, only 2 players could participate in an emote, it seems that with Shadowkeep, whole fireteams can celebrate together.
What are multiplayer gestures anyway? Destiny 2 offers a wide range of emotes that allow your Guardians to perform all sorts of funny actions in special animations. Multiplayer emotes are special gestures that two Guardians can join in – at least so far. They were introduced in the game with the Winterfest “The Dawning” at the end of 2018.
Both Guardians do not even need to own the gesture. The one who has equipped the emote can execute it, and within that framework, a second Guardian is prompted to interact with the executing player. If they respond, the multiplayer gesture will then be executed together by both characters.
These currently include, among others, fist-bumps, high fives, hugs, and more.
What’s up with the new gestures? In a recently released video, observant Guardians discovered a new multiplayer emote that has not existed in this form before.
For the first time, there is a gesture shown in which a team of three Guardians participates. Soon, entire fireteams may be able to celebrate their heroic deeds together.
Here you can see the fireteam gesture: A glimpse of this new emote type was shown in the reveal trailer for the Destiny 2 move to Steam. You can view the gesture starting at 0:22.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
Three Guardians can be seen, joining their hands together and then raising them up together.
When could the new emotes arrive? This is not exactly known, as Bungie has not mentioned this new gesture type yet. However, some speculate that this emote could come with the Shadowkeep expansion in the fall.
On one hand, because the Guardians in the trailer wear new Shadowkeep armor during the gesture. On the other hand, the in-game shop Eververse, which has previously offered such emotes, will be revamped with Shadowkeep and Bungie has announced many cool new contents in this context.
However, it is also pointed out that it could just as easily be 3 Guardians performing the same emote simultaneously – even if this is not considered very likely.
How are the MP emotes being received so far? Although some multiplayer gestures such as the Connection referencing Dragon Ball Z are well received by many fans, the MP emotes are also criticized.
According to many fans, the “hitbox” for interaction with most of these gestures is currently really bad – it is anything but easy to respond to the gesture and interact with the executing partner. It rarely works on the first try or without annoying fiddling.
If the shown material is indeed a new emote type, then the legitimate question arises as to how an emote for three (or possibly more) Guardians should work when there are already such problems with MP gestures for 2 players.
What would you think of an emote for entire fireteams or even raid teams? Cool idea or unnecessary gimmick?
The fans of Borderlands 3 have chosen a clear favorite among the vault hunters. FL4K is more than twice as popular as all other heroes.
Although Borderlands 3 has not been released yet, most players already know which vault hunter they will play in the third installment of the story about Pandora. A few days ago, we started a survey and the result is surprisingly clear.
Our community loves FL4K: We actually assumed that most characters would be roughly equal, but that is not the case. The vault hunter FL4K, along with his companions, has apparently captured your interest. The survey yielded the following results:
48% of players want to play FL4K.
Moze is played by a total of 22% of players.
Zane accounts for 19% of players.
Amara has only 11% fans among our readers.
For example, KingK says in the comments:
FL4K. Right from the start. Ever since I saw the trailer and the skill trees, even more so.
Sentcore adds:
FL4K because he has one permanent pet, as hoped for and so little expected! I love the pets and the skills because the skill builds offer a lot of variety!
This is confirmed again by Sentcore:
FL4K is the most versatile character.
MeinMMO’s survey aligns with other surveys: Interestingly, FL4K not only resonates well with our readers but also in other surveys. The community manager of Gearbox also conducted a survey that yielded very similar results. Here too, players overwhelmingly chose FL4K, while Amara lagged behind in fourth place.
Why is FL4K so popular? There is still no exact answer to that question. However, it seems likely that FL4K appears to be the most versatile due to his various wild pets. Also, his trailer was extremely well received by players and made him an interesting character.
If you belong to the players who chose FL4K, then let us know in the comments what makes this character appealing to you? Why was it FL4K and not one of the other vault hunters?
These are all the new icons in FIFA 20 FUT that have been confirmed or discovered by the community. Pep Guardiola and Essien are likely to be included as icon players in Ultimate Team.
Update: All new icons are now officially known. There are a total of 14:
Zinedine Zidane
Pep Guardiola
Ronald Koeman
Michael Essien
Gianluca Zambrotta
Kenny Dalglish
John Barnes
Ian Wright
Ian Rush
Hugo Sanchez
Garrincha
Didier Drogba
Carlos Alberto Torres
Andrea Pirlo
The ratings of all icons in FUT 20 can be found here:
Here’s why Guardiola will likely be an icon: EA Sports has released a graphic featuring all the icons in FIFA 20 FUT. It is evident that alongside the previous icons, 15 new cards will be added.
However, for 9 of the new icons, only the outlines of the players are shown, leading many fans to set the task of identifying the icons by their outlines. In the meantime, each shadow image has been assigned a legend – and among them is Pep Guardiola.
The well-known Twitter user IamFrench in the FIFA community found a player image of Pep Guardiola that fits perfectly into this outline. In this tweet, he overlays the images so that there is basically no doubt that Guardiola will be joining as an icon in FUT 20 (the lower image). A lot of internet detective work has gone into this:
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
Both the shape of the head and the shape of the ears match the outline, so there is no doubt on Reddit and in the Twitter comments that this is Guardiola.
Who is Guardiola anyway? Pep Guardiola is likely known to most as the former Bayern coach. Previously he was the manager at Barcelona, and now he works at Manchester City. Everywhere he has achieved impressive successes.
From 1990 to 2001, the Spaniard was also a successful player at FC Barcelona, where he won several Spanish championships and even the European Champions Cup.
Guardiola displayed high football intelligence in defensive midfield, which allowed him to compensate for physical deficiencies on the field.
New icon players that have been confirmed in FUT 20 – Icon list
These new icons are officially confirmed:
Zinedine Zidane: The Frenchman is regarded as one of the most talented players of all time and was named FIFA World Player of the Year three times before ending his active playing career in 2006 and now achieving great success as a coach. He is featured on the cover of the Ultimate Edition of FIFA 20.
Andrea Pirlo: The Italian was a gifted technician who won many major titles in midfield at AC Milan in the early 2000s. Pirlo received many nicknames throughout his career – such as Maestro, L’Archetetto, or Il Professore – as he had outstanding technique, vision, and football intelligence and directed the game from midfield like no one else.
Didier Drogba: The powerful striker from Ivory Coast displayed strong technique and basic speed despite his size. His breakthrough came in Marseille, and from 2004 onwards, he led Chelsea to 4 Premier League titles and other successes with his goals. Bayern fans will have bad memories of the Champions League final “at home” when Drogba scored the winner for the Blues.
Ian Wright: The Englishman scored loads 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 top scorer in Arsenal’s history. He is considered a club icon:
Ronald Koeman: The Dutchman was a sweeper with an impressive number of goals. He won several championships and other titles with PSV Eindhoven and later with FC Barcelona.
Carlos Alberto: The Brazilian was known as a technically gifted defender, recognized for his skills and defensive qualities. In 1970, he led Brazil to the World Championship as team captain. He played for 14 years in Brazil – at Fluminese and Santos. Later, he moved to New York Cosmos, where he won several championships alongside Pele:
Update: Ian Rush and John Barnes have also been confirmed:
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
We asked you some time ago for your opinion and wanted to know which games are currently your best co-op games. Now it is time for the reveal. From over 50 co-op games, you were able to select your favorites.
What is it about? Some time ago, we asked you to help us select the 25 currently best co-op games. For this, we put over 50 games up for voting, with the winners making it into a top list.
We particularly focused on the following games:
Games that revolve around teamwork in small groups (2 – 6 players)
Games where the PvE part, like defeating enemies together, should be the main part of the game
We did not want to consider games with a predominant PvP element, i.e., fighting against other players, in this survey.
How many readers participated? A total of 1,935 of our MeinMMO readers participated in our survey, making the following top list possible. Thank you for that!
Does the list include couch co-op games? Yes, some can also be played locally on the couch with a partner, like “A Way Out”. However, if you want a specialized list, be sure to check out our best couch co-op games.
Which co-op games are free to play here? Overall, you’ll find 3 free-to-play games: Dauntless, Path of Exile, and Warframe.
Your 25 currently best co-op games – The result
On the following pages, we will list your top co-op games in reverse order. So you’ll first see which games received fewer votes from you until we reach your currently best co-op game.
Franchises like Destiny and Division have been summarized, but we will show again how each game performed with you.
What is The Forest? In The Forest, you crash with an airplane on a deserted island. Vulnerable and helpless, you must survive in the foreign environment to search for your son Timmy.
It’s not just about the survival aspect of the genre, but terrifying enemies will also make your life a living hell. The Forest offers you not only survival but also a real horror adventure.
You can play the story either alone or together with friends.
For whom is the game suitable? The Forest is probably especially suitable for horror enthusiasts who want to rely entirely on their survival instincts. Besides the classic survival elements like base building and crafting, the beings and strange creatures from the forest constantly send shivers down your spine.
Players who enjoy a gripping story will also feel at home here. Details that you discover during each playthrough invite you to replay the game time and time again.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
How is the game received by you? The Forest was often mentioned by you in the comments when we asked about games for this co-op list. 108 readers, or 5.58% of votes, went to the horror survival game.
What is Warhammer: Vermintide 2? The Vermintide series takes place in the Warhammer Fantasy universe. Four heroes set out during the apocalyptic End Times to face hordes of ratmen, the Skaven, or the followers of the Chaos gods.
You play from a first-person perspective, and the various characters represent the different classes of the game.
For whom is the game suitable? Warhammer: Vermintide 2 is a game following the Left 4 Dead principle: four players set out to defeat hordes of enemies. Here, co-op is especially emphasized, as the difficulty level of the game is not to be underestimated.
Additionally, all loot lovers should pay attention, as players in Vermintide 2 are rewarded in various ways with crates that can contain all sorts of equipment.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
How is the game received by you? 116 of our readers, or 5.99% of participants, chose Warhammer: Vermintide 2. Thus, the game ranks in our list at number 24.
23. World War Z
Release
April 16, 2019
Platforms
PS4, Xbox One, PC
Shop
Oops, unfortunately this affiliate widget is no longer available.
– Affiliate link (We get a small commission)
Similar Games
DayZ, Left 4 Dead
What is World War Z? In World War Z, you take on the role of four survivors fighting their way together through hordes of zombies.
Different characters represent the classes in World War Z, as well as various modes that maintain the excitement of the game. Additionally, the zombie enemies are designed to act “more intelligently” than in other games of the genre: they respond to their environment or the game physics.
Moreover, players who enjoy coordinating with others may find satisfaction here. In the heat of the battle, it is crucial to keep a cool head and mow down the approaching hordes with anything at hand, whether weapons or explosives. Lastly, of course, zombie fans will have a lot to enjoy. Never have “ridiculous amounts of zombies” looked so good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON2Ucyvt3gY
How is the game received by you? World War Z landed in 23rd place in our voting. Out of around 1,935 participants, 119 readers voted, accounting for 6.15% of the zombie fans’ votes.
22. Dark Souls 3
Release
March 24, 2016
Platforms
PS4, Xbox One, PC
Shop
Oops, unfortunately this affiliate widget is no longer available.
– Affiliate link (We get a small commission)
Similar Games
Nioh, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
What is Dark Souls 3? Dark Souls 3 is part of the infamous SoulsBorne games, known for their incredible difficulty. Players battle through quirky worlds against horrifying monstrosities in a third-person perspective. The character can be extensively customized with various weapons and armor.
In multiplayer, other players can be either friends or foes: hostile players can invade your game session and make your life difficult as invaders. At the same time, you can also become an invader yourself.
If you prefer playing with other people, you can invite allies into your game to jointly slay monsters or assist other players in their adventures.
For whom is the game suitable? Dark Souls 3 is aimed primarily at fans of brutally difficult action RPGs. The game shows no mercy, and you will likely die quite often.
However, the joy and pride when you finally figure out how to overcome each enemy after countless attempts outweigh the frustration. A certain degree of patience and frustration resistance, as well as a supply of controllers or mice and keyboards, are advantageous in Dark Souls 3.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
How is the game received by you? You are quite tough, and apparently, even the toughest bosses don’t shock you: 120 of our readers, accounting for 6.20% of the participants, decided to vote for Dark Souls 3 in our survey.
What is Dauntless?Dauntless is, broadly speaking, the free version of Monster Hunter World on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. As a Slayer, you repeatedly embark on a hunt for dangerous Behemoths that aim to consume the very essence of life itself.
You face different and increasingly powerful monsters, gather their parts, and craft better armor and weapons from their remains. Dauntless relies on teamwork and communication, although good players can certainly also hunt alone.
For whom is the game suitable? Dauntless is best suited for players looking for an alternative to Monster Hunter World, who don’t want to pay, or who want to orient themselves first in this very unique genre.
The fights against the Behemoths are strenuous but follow patterns, and the attacks can be learned. If you enjoy getting into tactics, learning and mastering different types of weapons, or feel comfortable in a balanced team, you should give Dauntless a try.
Lastly, Dauntless is also a good change for players who have grown tired of Soulsborne games or want to fight bosses with other players instead of being beaten by them in PvP.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
Fortnite: Battle Royale has a ton of items, and while some are constantly found in players’ loadouts, others are rarely picked up. However, these three items are much better than their reputation in the community.
A player on Reddit presented three items in a highly visited thread (14,000 upvotes on August 10, 2019) that he believes are severely underrated. His selection was heavily debated, and it prompted us to create our own list of currently underrated items.
These 3 Items in Fortnite are the Most Underrated
Which items are underrated? The selection from the Reddit thread included the three items Bush, Boogie Bomb, and Slurp Juice. According to both our opinion and the community’s, the first two items are indeed underrated. However, most players agree on the Slurp Juice: “It’s just awesome! If you don’t understand that, you’re a noob!”
This was the original selection from Reddit.
Therefore, we have included the often underrated Minigun as the third item.
The Bush – The Unsuspecting Lifesaver
What can the Bush do?The Bush hides you from opponents and makes you at first glance a part of the landscape. You can now even see better out of it than before, when the leaves obstructed the view.
However, the coolest thing about the Bush is that in theory it absorbs hits. If someone shoots at you, the Bush might absorb the damage. However, this seems to be somewhat buggy and doesn’t always work. But it’s better than nothing. Therefore, you should always wear the Bush when you find it.
Warning: According to some players on Reddit, the Bush may disable your aim assist on the controller.
The Minigun – Demolition Crew at Close Range
What can the Minigun do? The Minigun is one of the oldest weapons in the game and after an early hype, it was often left behind. However, the weapon is extremely powerful in certain situations. It fires very quickly and can tear down buildings at close range in seconds.
Since it takes some time to reach its full firing speed, it’s optimal to start firing when your opponent has fortified. Because the Minigun is rarely used, your opponent will likely panic, trying to renew their cover and then gets taken down in the hail of bullets.
But be careful, after about 6 seconds the Minigun overheats. Ideally switch to a good close combat weapon and finish off the opponent.
And even if you don’t want the Minigun, pick it up briefly. It contains 90 shots of light ammunition that you should definitely take with you.
The Boogie Bomb – The Counter Against Mechs
What can the Boogie Bomb do? The “dance bomb” Boogie Bomb is a joke to many players. It makes your opponent dance uncontrollably for a short time. However, since it often catches you as well, both friend and foe dance and no one has an advantage.
However, the dance bomb can be crucial in battle if used skillfully, as hardly anyone expects to suddenly be caught in a hysterical dance. You can take down the helpless dancer.
But the real reason you should always have a dance bomb is a different one starting from Season 10: The dance bombs force the crew of a B.I.E.S.T. Mech to leave the battle mech to indulge in their dancing desires.
The dance bomb helps against mechs!
This way, you can either kill them or occupy the mech yourself and give them a taste of their own medicine.
Since the dance bomb is a somewhat reliable counter against the overpowered mech , this item is at least very valuable in Season 10.
What do you think of our selection of underrated items? Do you agree or have a different opinion?
In Final Fantasy XIV there are now countless items of equipment. Some are stylish, some are cute, and some are so crazy that they are cool again. We show you ridiculous, but cool outfits in the MMORPG.
You will know it: In a multiplayer game, you often want to look as cool or pretty as possible. Some people spend hours farming for the right gear to put together the perfect outfit.
But there are also moments when you spontaneously feel crazy and have a desire for nonsense. Like making a serious story cutscene look funny because you have already seen it over 9000 times. For such occasions, Final Fantasy XIV offers 3 perfect outfits.
1. Outfit: Not-quite-so-fat Chocobo
Well, if that’s not majestic, then I don’t know what is.
Chocobos have been an integral part of the Final Fantasy games for decades. It is therefore only logical that FFXIV gives players the opportunity to dress up as their beloved mounts and take to battle in matching looks with them.
And if there is once again one of the popular Chocomoppel parades being held on your server, which FFXIV players love to do, then you have the perfect outfit for it.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
How do I get the Chocobo armor? The outfit consists of two parts, both available from NPC Jonathas in Alt-Gridania (X: 10.6 / Y: 6.3)
You can exchange the Chocomoppel mask for an achievement certificate. You get this automatically when you complete achievements.
For the Chocobo costume, you must first level up your Chocobo to level 10 and achieve the achievement “Best Friends III”. After that, you can pick up the outfit from Jonathas.
The frog costume came with the latest expansion Shadowbringers into the game and quickly became one of the most popular fun costumes among players. Hardly any main scenario random event occurs without at least one group member dressed as a frog.
Since the story sequences in these contents cannot be skipped, the extremely serious cutscenes often lead to laughter when a frog stands in the background while the boss enemy delivers long monologues about how he intends to conquer the world.
The legatus of the Garlean Empire defeated by a guy in a frog costume
How do I get the frog costume? To obtain this costume, you must own the Shadowbringers expansion. At NPC Fathad in Eulmore (X: 10.2 / Y: 11.7) you can exchange the two parts of the costume for Archaeotania horns:
Mask requires 5 horns
Suit requires 7 horns
You get the horns from the large FATE “Terror of the Deep Sea Archaeotania: The Beast” in Tempest. It’s best to join a hunting contact circle to be immediately informed when the FATE appears.
3. Outfit: Howling Spirit
Am I ready to scare a few Garleans? Rhetorical question?
Is Halloween your favorite holiday? Would you love to celebrate it all year round? Then the Howling Spirit is perfect for you. The one-piece outfit makes every serious cutscene and every tough raid look utterly ridiculous and offers the perfect opportunity to make bad puns in chat about how you’re going to teach your enemies to fear.
How do I get the spirit outfit? The two spirit outfits were rewards for the Halloween event “All Saints’ Wake 2013”. New players can therefore only purchase it from the Moogle kiosk for €3.50.
If you have done the event and have the associated achievement but cannot find the outfit, then check with the lost and found managers in the capitals:
Limsa Lominsa: Upper Decks (X: 11.3 / Y: 14.3)
Ul’dah: Thalkreground (X: 12.6 / Y: 13.1)
Gridania: Alt-Gridania (X: 10 / Y: 8.4)
Bonus: Namazuo Mask
What? You don’t have any Namazuo? (Image by dodou626)
Although the mask does not belong to a gear set, but is a standalone item, it looks no less ridiculous. The Namazuo are not exactly the brightest candles in the chandelier, but they are still very lovable and have now been included in the ranks of the mascots of FFXIV.
How do I get the Namazuo mask? You can exchange the mask with the Namazuo vendor Gyosho for 7 Koban. He is located in the Azim Steppe (X: 5.8 / Y: 23.5). However, this is only possible after:
you have reached the highest reputation level with all the beast tribes of Stormblood
and completed the quest line starting with the quest “A Mermaid in Kugane”.
Currently, FIFA 20 is flooding social media with beta leaks. Particularly interesting are images showing Messi and Ronaldo as managers in the career mode. Meanwhile, EA actually does not want these beta images to spread.
Where do the leaks come from? A few days ago, the closed beta of FIFA 20 started. Only a select few are allowed to participate in this testing phase, coming from the USA or the UK. The beta is not available in Germany.
Nevertheless, we have something from the beta here as well. Because although EA Sports explicitly prohibits the publication of beta footage, reddit and Twitter are currently overflowing with leaks.
Just a few hours later, the badge of Piemonte Calcio was leaked, and in the last few days, some more revelations have come to light. We present the most exciting leaks.
From Player to Manager – Possible in FIFA 20 Career Mode?
This is the leak: The current hot topic on reddit is a leak regarding career mode. Apparently, it is possible for players to pursue a managerial career at the end of their playing career.
Here you see Messi as the new manager of Newcastle:
Here you see Cristiano Ronaldo as the new boss of Sampdoria Genoa:
How does Messi become a manager? Unfortunately, the leaker on reddit provides no further information about the leak. He only states that players can become managers in the FIFA 20 career.
According to a Twitter user, this is possible when the corresponding player – in this case, Messi or Ronaldo – retires.
In player career, one can choose between a real player or a created player. Then, when this player retires, one can continue with him as a manager.
Is the leak credible? Consider that this is only a leak that has not been officially confirmed. Some on reddit speculate that it might be possible to import faces and use them for the manager.
Therefore, some users suspect that it could be a fake. The name “Messi” is quickly typed, and with face import, the Messi-manager could be created quickly.
However, for a face import, the graphics quality would be surprisingly good, which is why most users believe in the authenticity of the leak. Especially since there are further beta leaks regarding Ronaldo as a manager, like this one:
And this video on Twitter is supposed to show how Ronaldo becomes a manager:
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
Leaks about Career: More leaks about the career mode primarily show the manager customization – and that there are indeed quite significant freedoms in how one can design their manager:
Leak about Ultimate Team: Here you see the design of the new Inform cards:
What are walkouts? Walkouts are particularly strong players in FIFA 20 FUT that you can draw from a pack. For the best players, an elaborate animation is triggered during the “pack opening”, where the player runs out from behind the card, jumps in from the side, or does a cool move like Isco here. Since not only the player card is visible during the set opening but also the player runs into the picture, we speak of a “walkout”.
In the comments, many users consider these animations to be exaggerated. On one hand, they are too long, on the other, too flashy. One user writes that he does not want to see an entire movie when opening packs. The animations can be skipped, but they are still considered “exaggerated”.
At this point, a reminder that all information in this article consists of unconfirmed leaks. Some leaks have already been taken offline, so it is possible that not all tweets will be present in this article in the next hours or days.
If you’re wondering when you can finally play FIFA 20 yourself before release – here are the answers:
The big publisher Activision Blizzard recently announced its latest quarterly results. For Blizzard, particularly WoW, Hearthstone, and Overwatch played a major role. However, no one is currently talking about StarCraft. This concerns fans who hoped for more about Starcraft 2 or even a new game.
The reason for this is the number of players. This quarter, as well as the previous one, there were 32 million users. However, they reportedly invested more time on average per day than before.
How are the individual Blizzard games doing? The report particularly praised Hearthstone, which was able to increase its player numbers due to the expansion “Rise of Shadows” with the solo adventure “The Dalaran Heist“.
New information was also provided about other Blizzard games. WoW is currently benefiting from the hype surrounding the Classic servers, and Overwatch has remained relatively stable.
Starcraft missing from the 6 brands receiving larger teams
What is happening with StarCraft? In all the listings, some fans miss their beloved StarCraft. The franchise was not mentioned at all in the quarterly report.
Kotaku author Jason Schreier explicitly points out on Twitter that Starcraft is missing from the listing of the 6 “important brands” for which Activision is expanding teams and planning more content.
These brands include Call of Duty, Candy Crush, Warcraft, Hearthstone, Overwatch, and Diablo – but not Starcraft.
How is StarCraft doing currently? From the perspective of fans, the real-time strategy game StarCraft 2 is in very good shape. The balance is said to be in the best condition it has been in the last 12 years, according to Reddit user NamerNotLiteral and other commentators.
Recent tournaments have also received more attention. The IEM Katowice in February had 76 participants competing for a prize pool of 400,000 dollars. Blizzard calls it the largest StarCraft tournament of all time.
However, there are problems with player count and public interest. RTS games do not receive the attention that MOBAs and Battle Royale have gained in recent years.
StarCraft used to be a really big brand for Blizzard. Currently, it is fading a bit into obscurity.
Does StarCraft have a future? Currently, StarCraft 2 continues to be supported with tournaments, maintenance, and balance patches. However, no major expansions are planned.
A StarCraft 3 is also unlikely at the moment. If a new real-time strategy game were to be worked on, which seems quite unlikely given the general interest, it would probably turn out to be a WarCraft 4. At least a remastered version of WC3 is in the works.
A new game in the StarCraft universe? To continue the fairly successful franchise outside of the RTS genre, Blizzard seemingly worked on a first-person shooter in the style of StarCraft.
However, Kotaku reported in June that this very game was canceled in favor of Diablo 4 and Overwatch.
This aligns with the fact that Diablo and Overwatch are among the brands that Activision wants to expand the teams on and delight players – but not Starcraft.
This leads to the conclusion:
Until recently, Starcraft still had a future; a new game was in development
Now, however, it seems Blizzard has put the brand on hold at least for now
The Twitch streamer Turner “Tfue” Tenney won a 1 vs. 3 match in Fortnite . The special thing: His opponents were three of the best Fortnite players in the world, including the reigning world champion, Bugha, Bizzle, and Dubs. However, Tfue’s behavior after the battle is hardly worthy of a champion. He celebrates himself live on Twitch and insults his opponents.
This was the situation: The fight took place in the Arena mode Trio. In Arena mode, the rules differ slightly from “normal Fortnite”, where aggressive play is rewarded even more.
Tfue’s two partners, Dennis “Cloak” Lepore and Thomas “72hrs” Mulligan, were not near Tfue – but the trio of opponents were among the world’s elite in Fortnite:
World Champion Kyle “Bugha” Giersdorf, who had defeated everyone else just two weeks prior and pocketed $3 million in prize money
The summer event of Hearthstone shows a sad trend for players. Year after year, there are fewer rewards for players: Blizzard is becoming stingier, as a YouTuber now demonstrates.
To excite players for Hearthstone and to bring a bit of relaxation into the game, the developers repeatedly release small events. The events feature special game modes or additional rewards that make matches more lucrative than regular matches without the event. For example, additional card packs, more gold, or arena access are up for grabs. However, this has gradually decreased in recent years.
Where does the information come from? The YouTube channel ‘Hearthstone Mathematics’ often deals with the numbers surrounding Hearthstone and analyzes the game over the years. Especially based on the “Midsummer Fire Festival” , it shows that the rewards have been decreasing over the years. This image illustrates it:
In 2017, there were still double gold from quests for 2 weeks, three arena passes, and several card packs. In 2018, there was only the double bonus, and in 2019 even a fixed amount for gold and packs.
In summary, the equivalent of rewards in those years was:
2017: 13 – 28 packs (or more)
2018: 8.5 packs minimum
2019: 7.5 packs maximum
Thus, the rewards from this event have diminished.
The community is outraged, only sees greed: The corresponding post has already received more than 6,900 upvotes in the Hearthstone subreddit. Players complain that Hearthstone (and thus Blizzard) has become increasingly greedy over the years.
This is evident not only in the summer event but also in the general costs that a deck incurs to even be able to play.
Does the fun of the game outweigh this? However, it must also be said that the developers made a particularly strong effort in 2019 in terms of gameplay. The summer event had a very special Brawl that was essentially a “mini-adventure” and linked the story between the two expansions “Rise of Shadows” and “Saviors of Uldum”.
So when weighing the pure fun of the game against the rewards, the picture may not be quite as negative.
How do you see the development in Hearthstone? Have the developers become “stingier” over the years? Or do we not need that many rewards?
Video games fascinate many people all over the world and are – in our case – even our work. We at MeinMMO asked ourselves: Why do we play at all? Two researchers from the University of Konstanz tried to answer this question for us.
Whom did we ask? The question “Why do we actually play games?” has been on our minds for quite some time. To answer it, we sought help from science: from Dr. Markus Spöhrer and MA Harald Waldrich, who work and research in the fields of media studies and games studies at the University of Konstanz.
Dr. Markus Spöhrer has been giving seminars on film and media theory since 2012 and has also been advocating for games studies in Konstanz for several years. One of his research focuses is theories and methods of digital gaming. He is a co-founder of the student group “Gaming Uni Konstanz” and a member of the research project “Media Participation.” He regularly offers seminars on gaming.
Harald Waldrich is a research associate at the University of Konstanz in the field of media studies with a focus on gaming. Since 2018, he has been pursuing a PhD in this area, giving lectures and seminars on gaming, and is also a co-founder of the gaming student group.
Dr. Markus Spöhrer (right) and Harald Waldrich (left) in their office in Konstanz.
The following text is by MA Harald Waldrich with Dr. Spöhrer as co-author. Editorial editing was done by Benedict Grothaus. Contextual inserts for better clarity were added, formulations were changed for better understanding, and images were included. Content-wise, nothing was changed.
What playing is about
What do Battlefield, chess, and Lego have in common? They are all games! Even though there are many differences between these games, they are very similar in their core as a game.
They are games that are played and thus bring us to play and make us players. It is this playful moment that is common to all games, however different they may be, and to all players.
Many games, one commonality: We play them.
At first, it doesn’t matter what purpose playing serves and what value and reputation it experiences socially. It is solely about the fact that we all play. Playing connects us, it connects young and old, it connects strangers, it connects friend and foe.
Why is that so? What is it about playing together that captivates us for hours and makes us forget the time? Why do games have such an effect on us that they can frustrate or elate us? We want to get to the bottom of these questions.
What is playing at all?
A definition of “playing”: Playing is much more than mere entertainment for passing the time. Playing is a process and a dynamics inherent in us humans. Playing is part of us. A need like social contacts, affection, eating, and drinking.
Playing is a need. Here: Racing games in an arcade in Japan.
Friedrich Schiller already reflected on playing and its functions for humans. He came to the conclusion: “Man plays only where he is fully human in the full meaning of the word, and he is only fully human where he plays.”
Schiller’s statement is mainly about freedom in playing, which we can all experience. Even if games are clearly defined and limited by rules and playing fields, our actions in the game are free from the consequences in everyday life.
This is how scientists define “playing”: This opinion was also held by the Dutch anthropologist Johann Huizinga, who made an important contribution to game theory with his book ‘Homo Ludens’ (“The Playing Man”).
He describes, among other things, the often-quoted magic circle (engl. magic circle), into which the players enter and in which the game takes place. In this magic circle, there are its own rules and goals. Our actions are determined by this playing field and serve no purpose outside the game; they gain their meaning within the game, allowing us as players to be freed from external constraints.
However, Huizinga goes a step further with his book. Already with the title, he presents a very specific concept of humanity. The playing man (Homo ludens) stands in direct contrast to the working (Homo oeconomicus) and the creating human (Homo faber).
For Huizinga, playing is a fundamental characteristic of humans and all culture. This means that according to Huizinga, wherever there is culture, there is play. Culture, in turn, is wherever humans are. At this point, the circle closes back to Schiller. Where playing occurs, man is human, and where man is human, playing occurs.
What does this mean? This might all seem a bit confusing and complicated at this point. We want to try to explain this point again in other words. Playing is a distinct way of human existence.
2018-02-10 / Photo: Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment.
It is a unique dynamics and category that is inherent in us and which we can find in all areas of our lives. It primarily concerns the idea that the playful dynamics opens up the space for movement.
This movement is shaped by certain rules; however, the central moment of playing is the openness and the possibility that something unforeseen can happen.
Despite all the statistics and calculations, no one would have expected that Brazil would lose 7 to 1 against Germany in the semi-final of the World Cup in front of their home crowd.
Why do we play now?
This is what is interesting about the game: It is precisely this openness of playing that also carries a very productive potential from which new things can arise. Thus, new games can emerge in playing, just as the playing human continually develops and learns new things.
Perhaps it is also precisely this aspect that is why children are showered with toys at every opportunity and are observed playing under the proud eyes of their parents and grandparents. When children play, it is good, as it has a positive effect on their development.
For adults, this is usually overlooked and is broadly negatively connoted, because those who have time to play are not working. This raises only the question of the justification of this judgment.
The special thing about the game: Why should adults not develop and not play anymore? Playing is something unique. It is a phenomenon we can partake in, that lets us be human and gives us the opportunity to do unique things.
Playing is freedom and development. It encompasses all facets of our being. Playing surprises us, can move us to great deeds and motivates us to keep playing and to continue. Here, another important aspect of playing can be observed, which we want to explain briefly at the end.
Why do games motivate us to keep playing?
This is how games lure us: In games, one can ask the questions: Is a game that motivates us a good game? Why does the spiral of “looting and leveling” work so well and lead us to invest hundreds of hours in some games?
The Diablo series definitely belongs to the games that have perfected “looting and leveling”.
A possible answer to this is offered by the “flow theory” of retired psychology professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. The flow theory describes “flow” as a state we enter when our challenges align with our abilities and can be accomplished.
If the tasks presented to us are too high for our abilities, frustration results. On the other hand, if the corresponding challenges are too easy, our abilities are not challenged, resulting in boredom, which ultimately also leads to frustration.
This is why we keep playing: Thus, it is about reaching that flow. A player in flow is inclined to keep playing, as they receive a reward that is exactly as large as is appropriate for their abilities. They feel affirmed.
At this point, it must be mentioned that Csikszentmihalyi did not develop the flow theory as a game theory, but applies it to the lives of individuals. However, over the years, the theory has also gained many advocates within game studies and the gaming industry and describes quite well what excites us about playing.
As a conclusion from the text by Dr. Spöhrer and Mr. Waldrich, we find that …
we play because we are rewarded in a certain way.
we play because humans can be free and creative while playing.
we play because it has been encouraged and accepted since childhood.
“good games” offer just as much challenge as we can handle, which motivates us.
we play because we can satisfy our primal need to interact socially with others.
Did you enjoy the article?
Now the question to you: Did you find this scientific article interesting and would you like to read more of it? Or is this not at all your thing? Vote!
We are looking for reinforcement in our authors’ team. You can apply for a position at MeinMMO to write independently from home on news, guides, and specials about Fortnite.
What we are looking for: Applicants for this position should be very familiar with Fortnite, especially the Battle Royale aspect.
Here’s what you should bring:
You are always aware of which challenges are available and possibly even know in advance when they will be released.
You can assign leaks and assess how much truth is in them.
You enjoy engaging with the current meta and explaining it to other players.
You know what the community is currently discussing in Fortnite.
You are familiar with Reddit and Twitter to stay informed.
It is advantageous if you follow prominent streamers and YouTubers.
We would like to fill the position as quickly and effectively as possible. Maybe with you.
Attention: This position is a freelance author position for an independent contractor.
Irie and Sven are authors at MeinMMO and come directly from our community.
Who we are
MeinMMO was founded in September 2013. Since March 2016, we have been part of Webedia Gaming. We continue to maintain an independent editorial team, most of whom work from their home offices. We utilize resources from our headquarters in Munich, where the editorial team for GameStar is also located.
As an author for Fortnite, your focus will primarily be on Battle Royale.
We reach between 250,000 and 300,000 unique readers every day, who leave about 4,000 comments per week under our articles.
Our authors publish news, guides, and stories about online games.
Here you can see author Sven, Brand Manager Leya, and Head Dawid.
What we are looking for
For our Fortnite section, we are looking for an author (m/f/d) with extensive knowledge of the game.
You will help us manage event weeks by writing guides for challenges and reporting on exciting community stories. Season 10 is currently live, bringing many special challenges.
Ideally, you should be familiar with the history of Fortnite: Battle Royale and have been an active player in recent seasons. You should be able to report on the game firsthand and also be an active player now.
It would also be a plus if you are familiar with other shooters like Call of Duty, Apex Legends, or PUBG. A general interest in Battle Royale and shooters is advantageous. It is quite possible that you will also manage other Battle Royale games if desired, but the focus is on Fortnite.
We have no formal requirements for applicants. Journalistic experience and knowledge of WordPress are a plus but not a must.
Our Fortnite expert Jürgen (left in the image) will show you the work in the Fortnite theme area.
It is important to us that
you are well-versed in Fortnite: Battle Royale
you are interested in what readers really want and also engage with the data tools that reveal that
you are good at explaining things to others. Especially with guides, clear language is important
you are willing to invest a lot of time and energy into the job, constantly develop yourself to work more effectively and creatively
you can communicate with other authors in the team but ultimately work independently
you are ready to accept criticism of your work, to take it on board, and to develop further.
What we offer
We offer you:
the chance to be part of a successful project that has grown tremendously over the past 5 years.
the flexibility to work from home. If you live near Munich, it is possible to visit Webedia Gaming at our headquarters and work on projects like streams on our MAX (Monsters and Explosions) channel.
the opportunity to be part of a dynamic and highly engaged team consisting of passionate gamers, digital professionals, and authors.
an exciting, challenging, and interesting job where no day is like the other.
an intensive training and education in the field of online journalism and web publishing.
a chance to play a larger role at MeinMMO in the coming years if you convince us and we also convince you.
When is the job? Immediate.
How many hours is the job? 20 hours per week, with flexible working hours. In a calm news environment at Fortnite, working hours can also decrease, or the author can focus on other topics if desired.
What about payment? The position is paid – we are not looking for a volunteer author, as is the case with some gaming sites. The details of the payment will be clarified in a personal conversation.
We look forward to your meaningful, informal application to the email addresses:
