Blizzard’s longtime CEO, Mike Morhaime, reflects on some of the pivotal moments during his time. This is what he says about BlizzCon 2018, where fans expected “Diablo 4” and received “Diablo Immortal”.
Who is speaking? Mike Morhaime is one of the three co-founders of Blizzard and led the company for a long time.
He was with Blizzard for 27 years, has since stepped down, and is looking for new projects. In a conversation with Venturebeat, he looks back on his career.
Mike Morhaime.
What happened at BlizzCon 2018? Blizzard unintentionally ignited hype for Diablo 4 before BlizzCon, which they could not contain:
Fans were hopeful for a Diablo 4, which they felt was long overdue
Blizzard noticed this and tried to rein in the hype. In a forum post, they stated that they had various Diablo projects and wanted to discuss them, but that would take time
At BlizzCon itself, the disappointment was great when Diablo 4 for PC was not presented, but the mobile game “Diablo Immortal.”
BlizzCon 2018 was considered a flop due to the situation and much speculation arose about what went wrong. Supposedly, a presentation of Diablo 4 was planned, but it was then postponed because Blizzard was not entirely satisfied with what they wanted to show.
This is what Morhaime says about BlizzCon 2018: He says that there is a group that is very passionate about the “Diablo” franchise. They were very excited and full of anticipation for a product that had not yet been announced.
Morhaime says: “I think Blizzard tried to manage expectations. They would not announce Diablo 4 at BlizzCon. But I think this message did not really get through. They posted it in the forums – and in the past that would have been sufficient. But in this case, the audience apparently did not receive the message.”
How could Blizzard have prevented the anger? Blizzard rarely talks about games that are too far away.
Morhaime suggests that in this case they might have deviated a bit from the rule. He says: “Maybe in this case they should have talked more about the fact that the Diablo franchise is not giving up on PC.
If we had announced the products in a different order, everything would have probably been fine. But hopefully this lesson has been learned.”
More interesting insights from Morhaime about Diablo 3 can be found here:
Our author Irie has awakened from her shock and absolutely needs to tell you how good the story of the new expansion Shadowbringers for Final Fantasy XIV is. Seriously.
Since June 28, pre-order customers have been able to try the new expansion of FFXIV: Shadowbringers. There have already been many reactions and feedback, especially regarding the story of the expansion.
Me? The expansion sent me on an emotional rollercoaster. So hold on tight, kids. I really need to vent right now.
Me playing FFXIV: Shadowbringers
This article has been kept spoiler-free. All information about the story found here comes from producer letters or interviews with Yoshida.
On the right track from the start
The developer team got everything right with the story of the expansion. It all started long before the launch with the release of the trailers. They were designed so that we had no idea for a long time what the hell would happen in the expansion.
This caused tons of theories to circulate in the community. People wanted to know what would happen. I had long discussions with other players, in-game, on Discord, or on social media. We speculated for a long time about what would happen in Shadowbringers.
Fans speculated for a long time why the NPC Y’shtola addresses her teacher’s name Master Matoya in the trailer.
There was real tension. And that contrasted with Stormblood, where it was immediately clear how the story would unfold: You go to Ala Mhigo and Doma, liberate them, end, applause.
In Shadowbringers, you could only guess and speculate about what would happen. And I had to think for a long time about why the story of the expansion affected me so much that I spent half the weekend shoveling ice cream to calm myself down.
Now that I look back at the early access weekend with a more or less clear head, I can identify three aspects of the story that made the expansion so special for me:
The theme of the story
The characters
My own role in the events
It was known from live streams that the plot of Shadowbringers will take place in another world. This world is on the brink of disaster. And what surprised me immensely was that right from the start, you empathize with the people of this world.
The game makes it clear within the first few missions that shit is really hitting the fan here. The people suffer under the tyranny of light, face horror every day, yet continue to fight.
The city of Crystarium was something special for me from the start. It is based on the design of the city from the very first teaser trailer of FFXIV “Project Rapture”
And their determination is contagious. You arrive as an unknown wanderer in the first city, Crystarium, and feel at home right away. The NPCs are all friendly and awakened real protective instincts in me. I wanted to scream: “I’m here now, guys! Everything will be alright! I will protect you all, I promise!”
Shadowbringers sucked me into the story, whether I wanted to or not
In general, the NPCs were utilized very cleverly in this story. While in the old expansions there were always NPCs I’d rather send off to where the sun never shines, I was positively surprised by Shadowbringers.
No character irritated me. Even those I initially feared would. On the contrary: They drew me into the story. It was a good mix of new, interesting characters and old companions you know from before.
Feo Ul met all the requirements to collect the award for the most annoying NPC of the century.
Final Fantasy XIV has always had a strong focus on the player character. He is the chosen hero, the Warrior of Light. This is supposed to make players feel special. It’s a pragmatic gameplay feature.
To be honest, I’ve always found that a bit silly.
I’m not a role-player and don’t identify with my character, as is often the case with other MMORPG players. Therefore, I have always viewed the story of FFXIV with some distance. But the story of Shadowbringers changed that.
It addressed me directly as a player. As if I were truly a part of this story. When NPCs said to me, “You are not alone” or “Please take care of yourself,” it felt like they were speaking directly to me and not to my character.
It just wouldn’t let go, and I repeatedly noticed while playing that I was sitting there grinning like a fool because one of the NPCs had just said something really sweet to me.
I think one of the reasons for this (besides the great narrative) is the long, long road that has led us to this expansion. The devil knows, I can’t stand the countless fetch quests in “A Realm Reborn” and the leveling before level 60. But no matter how annoying they can be, they serve a purpose.
“Pray return to Waking Sands”. Many FFXIV players have learned to hate this phrase. Running around in ARR was really annoying.
They lay the foundation for everything that comes after Heavensward. Every interaction with the NPCs is justified in the lore; it makes sense. And I think without this foundation, the story of Shadowbringers would not have had the same effect on me.
This expansion is the result of six years of ongoing story, which had its ups and downs. And it is a result that easily stands alongside the best J-RPGs. The last game that emotionally moved me this much was Journey, and that’s an incredibly high bar.
The developers have learned from the previous expansions
But even from a sober perspective, the story missions are well-structured. They are crisp, get straight to the point, and focus on the most important story elements. It is clear that the developer team has improved in this regard compared to the old expansions.
At no point did I feel like the story was dragging me by the hair from one fetch quest to another (Mogrys from Heavensward say hello). Even when there were fetch quests, they were mixed with funny tasks or mini-games.
The story quests still had minimum level requirements, but the leveling phases were short. I think I only had to grind for several hours in one single instance.
And by that time, I had another emotional breakdown because of the story and wanted to know quickly how it would continue. At that point, I didn’t care how long I had to grind.
Almost every important NPC has its own little side story. Thancred is one of them.
It was also a good idea that there was no split between two locations in the story. I think that’s one of the issues that was problematic with Stormblood. There was no red thread, as you constantly jumped back and forth between Doma and Ala Mhigo. The focus of Shadowbringers was on the world of The First, with occasional scenes in other locations, and that was optimal.
Without the music, the story wouldn’t be so atmospheric
As has always been the case with FF titles, the music in Shadowbringers is excellent. The composer Masayoshi Soken has delivered first-class work in the past and is very popular in the community.
But I felt that this time the directive decision for the expansion regarding music was not “It should sound like a Final Fantasy.” But rather “It should sound like Final Fantasy XIV.”
In Heavensward and also at the beginning of Stormblood, I still had the impression that Soken was trying to orient himself more towards the classic FF music and even used tracks from the 1.0 version of FFXIV composed by the master Nobuo Uematsu.
In Shadowbringers, he lets loose. The expansion has a very strong identity when it comes to music. For the first time, normal music in areas features tracks with vocals, such as in the Rak’Tika Greatwood.
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.
Caution: Small spoiler danger. Just listen, do not watch 😉
Maybe the reason for this is simply that you travel to another world and it should also differ “musically” from The Source, our world. But I hope that Soken has simply received more freedom in the scoring, and that it remains that way in the future.
When hobby becomes work becomes hobby
When you have as much to do with a game as I do with Final Fantasy XIV, at some point, your perspective on it changes. This began for me long before my work at MeinMMO.
I enjoy analyzing games. Trying to look into the minds of the developers, understanding why they made certain decisions. That’s not a bad thing. I still have fun gaming.
From this perspective, I have viewed all expansions of FFXIV so far. The stories of the expansions were interesting, but this lens of analysis was always present.
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers completely threw that out the window. In the last few days, I suffered and laughed with the characters. I had no head for analyses. The story of the expansion elicited so many emotions from me that few other games have managed.
What’s next?
Of course, the hype around the story will cool down again. An expansion consists of more than just that. Especially with Final Fantasy XIV, the expansions don’t end after release. Players can expect ongoing updates over the next two to three years.
The 24-man raid from Nier Automata is the next big update that I am really looking forward to
And there are also things that parts of the community are dissatisfied with, such as some changes to existing jobs. But that’s a completely different story. I will deal with that later, being annoyed, happy, or relieved.
But for now, I’m just going back into the game and going through Shadowbringers with my second character. I still have half a pack of ice cream in the fridge.
Black Desert Online has been expected to come to PlayStation 4 for a long time, but until now it was unclear when exactly the release of the high-quality MMORPG would be. That has now changed. Black Desert Online is set to launch on PlayStation 4 in August.
When will Black Desert Online be released on PS4? After it was already announced that the graphically impressive sandbox MMORPG Black Desert Online is indeed coming to PlayStation 4, it is finally clear when it will begin.
The game will be released on August 22, 2019. Finally, a new, high-quality AAA MMORPG is coming to the Sony console, and you will be able to explore the vastness of the beautiful sandbox world of Black Desert and try out the dynamic action combat system on the PS4 controller.
The long wait for the PS4 version will finally come to an end, after the Xbox One community has already been playing Black Desert since early 2019.
Can you play before the release? Indeed, there is an early access. Early access starts 48 hours beforehand. To gain early access and start herding donkeys, participating in PvP sieges, and grinding monsters beforehand, you just need to pre-order the game now on the PlayStation Store.
Additionally, you will receive a handful of extra free in-game items to sweeten your early start.
What is Black Desert Online? If you like sandbox MMORPGs, you can’t overlook Black Desert Online. The game features a vast world full of different regions, including green hills, lush meadows, picturesque oceans teeming with wildlife, majestic mountains, and enchanting elf forests.
Also interesting: Black Desert Online offers dynamic gameplay and the action combat system has been specifically optimized for controller controls on the console.
Is Black Desert Online the right game for you? Here’s how to find out:
The MMORPG The Lord of the Rings Online is currently hosting the summer festival. However, a missing NPC angered the players. After criticism, the developers relented.
Why were the LotRO players upset? During the summer festival, it is possible to earn the in-game currency “Figments of Splendor”. At the NPC Curator, players can exchange these for rewards.
But suddenly, this NPC was gone. When asked, it was said that he was only supposed to appear in the game for a limited time. Apparently, this was communicated differently, which is why the players are now showing their frustration.
The Mysterious Disappearance of an NPC
What was announced? In the event description, it states that the new cosmetic items can be found with two new vendors, the Curator and Fig. However, it is noted with Fig that these are seasonal items that will disappear when the event is over and will only return in the next season.
Developers apologize: After heavy criticism, the developers took the misunderstanding on their shoulders, as the description of the two vendors was not clearly formulated.
What was the problem? Players can carry a maximum of 10,000 “Figments of Splendor”. However, the items they can purchase cost between 4,000 and 8,000 Figments. Therefore, there was hardly enough time to buy all the vendor’s items since he was removed from the game far too quickly.
The Return of the Vendor
What is the situation with the vendor now? Since there was a misleading wording on the part of the developers, the Curator has now been reintroduced into the game. He is now supposed to stay in LotRO until July 10th, so players can exchange their currencies there.
After July 10th, he will disappear but will only return in one of the upcoming seasons.
Are the players satisfied now? There is still criticism. Some players have spent their collected Figments elsewhere. Now they have to collect new ones, which takes quite a while. The community of The Lord of the Rings Online therefore demands that the limit of 10,000 Figments that a player can carry at once be removed.
In general, however, players are pleased with the developers’ decision to bring back the Curator and leave him in the game until the end of the summer festival.
A YouTuber spreads the news that all accounts of Fortnite will be deleted on July 6th. Some people seem to really believe it, but Epic’s PR chief just shakes his head.
What kind of video is it? The YouTuber Landon has 2.7 million followers on YouTube. On June 12th, a video titled “AntiSnow will delete all Fortnite accounts” (July 6th) was released.
The video has now over a million views.
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.
The video revolves around deciphering mysterious messages from a super hacker. The coding is based on biblical quotes and letter codes. As everyone knows, super hackers only communicate in code and with biblical quotes.
There is even a legend about a battle between good and evil in the world of Fortnite hackers. The attacking hacker might be a former Fortnite admin who has dedicated himself to the dark side, the YouTuber speculates.
Ultimately, it comes down to this mysterious super hacker hacking into Epic’s systems and deleting all Fortnite accounts on July 6th.
Nick Chester is the PR chief of Epic. “That’s ridiculous and not true,” he says.
This is what Epic says: Someone actually contacted Epic’s PR chief directly on Twitter: They are so scared; they say all Fortnite accounts will be deleted on July 6th.
Chester says: That’s not true and simply ridiculous.
This is being discussed: While the video seems to resonate with the young audience on YouTube, as it already has 57,000 likes, it is not the same in other social media.
On reddit people are making fun of the video. People find it amusing that someone really believes such a thing. They think that especially “the kids on YouTube” fall for such things.
However, some are also asking there a bit more cautiously: They saw it on YouTube and want to know if there is any truth to it.
But above all, the fact that a “hacker genius” informs others of his evil plan beforehand seems to be a weakness in the story. Moreover, YouTuber Landon has a certain reputation.
Patch 8.2 Rise of Azshara has been live in World of Warcraft for a week now. But has that been enough to bring WoW back on the right track?
The latest patch of World of Warcraft, Rise of Azshara, has been live for exactly one week now and players have had plenty of opportunities to experience a variety of the content already. But how did the patch actually resonate with you? Did you like it or can it not save Battle for Azeroth either? We want to find this out in our survey.
What’s included in Patch 8.2? Patch 8.2 Rise of Azshara has brought a wealth of new content for players. Most can set their own smaller or larger goals to pursue. Whether you follow the story in Nazjatar and search for the numerous rare spawns or collect various mounts and blueprints in Mechagon to become the perceived king of the island, Patch 8.2 has something for everyone.
Improvements to the systems: Aside from the new content, the Heart of Azeroth has also been significantly overhauled. There are active abilities that can be unlocked through a variety of types of content. This encourages players to try out content that they otherwise might not enjoy so much.
Some content is still to come: However, there are also some contents that are still not accessible. For instance, you cannot yet enter the dungeon Mechagon and the raid Eternal Palace of Azshara is not yet unlocked. This will be released gradually over the course of the next week.
Has World of Warcraft significantly improved with Patch 8.2?
But is that enough? Has Patch 8.2 of World of Warcraft really brought the turnaround for the addon Battle for Azeroth? After all, there were complaints and criticism for months that the game simply wasn’t fun anymore. Could Patch 8.2 convince you once again?
If you want to provide a more detailed explanation for your answer, please leave us a comment and explain why Patch 8.2 is a hit or a flop!
Ihr wollt mehr zum Spiel? Tolle Specials, heiße News und interessante Infos zu World of Warcraft findet ihr auch auf unserer WoW-Seite auf Facebook.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Pokémon GO there will be a raid hour tonight on July 3rd. This is reported by players from New Zealand. So you will again encounter legendary raids more frequently.
Where does the info come from? Niantic itself has not announced anything about it, but players from New Zealand report a raid hour. On the other end, it is already after 6 PM and New Zealand trainers have increasingly encountered raids.
What happens during the event? At 5:40 PM local time, a legendary egg will appear on all gyms. Exceptions are the gyms where a raid is already taking place or where an EX raid has just been triggered.
This image was shared by a player from New Zealand. Source: Reddit
At exactly 6 PM, all these eggs will hatch with a duration of one hour. By 7 PM, the event will be over and the raid hour will end.
Which Pokémon is the focus this time? This time it revolves around Groudon. The ground Pokémon is the current legendary raid boss and will also appear more frequently during the raid hour.
You can counter Groudon with water, grass, and ice types. The top counters are Kyogre, Roserade, and Gyarados. You can find a detailed counter guide here:
A new video from Borderlands 3 makes you crave for more. The robot Claptrap tries to show you what awaits on Pandora – but there are problems.
In a few months it will finally happen, then players can get their hands on the loot shooter Borderlands 3, which has been eagerly awaited. After a lot of gameplay material and cool trailers were already shown around E3, there is now a new sign of life from Gearbox. They start releasing small videos that explain the world of Borderlands 3.
This is done by Claptrap, the slightly megalomaniac but otherwise annoyingly lovable robot. And of course, a lot goes wrong along the way.
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 be seen in the video? Claptrap attempts to introduce the flora and fauna of the planet Pandora in the video. He talks about Skags, bandits, and a lot of dangerous bugs. However, it doesn’t really work because his cameraman always makes short work of the creatures shown. His cameraman is none other than Steve, a recurring character who has become well-known mainly for his catchphrase “Heyoo!”
However, Steve is no longer a bandit, but has become a psycho. Perhaps that is simply a universal name given to these criminals when communication fails otherwise.
In summary, it can be said: On Pandora, pretty much everything wants to kill the player, if one does not act first with the creatures.
A small item brought a player to tears in Fallout 76. Emotional scenes can hit anyone, but this one is actually nothing special – except for that particular player.
What was that note? On his travels through the wasteland of Appalachia, the player and reddit user rock1m1 found a note. The note is titled “Letter to My Love.”
You can also find the letter in the Bailey family cabin in the north of the Savage Divide, a short distance east of the munitions factory. It is located on a nightstand beside the bed.
In the letter, a Henry writes to his deceased love, Nancy. You can see the screenshots below.
This is why it made the player cry: For rock1m1, the letter was more than just a piece of paper in the game world. He lost the love of his life about seven months ago.
He met his girlfriend and quickly got her into video games. They played together, including Fallout 76, for which she even wanted to buy a new gaming PC. Earlier, they often wrote each other little texts.
Shortly after the release of Fallout 76, however, his girlfriend succumbed to a severe muscle disease in December 2018, about seven months ago. Since then, he had little joy in playing. But when he found this note that almost perfectly described his situation, he broke down in tears.
Playing Fallout 76 alone was no longer enjoyable for him.
The community is supporting him
How other players are reacting: The post has attracted a lot of attention on reddit. Most players are expressing their condolences. Some other players had a similar reaction to that letter. Another player is looking for particularly encouraging words:
Finding this note shows that she is smiling down on you from above. My condolences and welcome back to the Wasteland, my friend.
In addition to the frequently expressed condolences, many players also offer to play with him so he doesn’t feel so lonely anymore. Here, too, the great community of Fallout 76 is showing their support for each other.
Ihr wollt mehr zum Spiel? Auf unserer Fallout-Seite auf Facebook findet Ihr alle News und spannende Specials. Wenn Ihr nicht alleine durch Appalachia streifen wollt, findet Ihr in unserer Fallout-Gruppe andere Vault-Bewohner
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
We show you the three classes in WoW: Classic that annoy other players from the moment they see you.
The Survival Hunter
Ah, hunters in classic World of Warcraft are a special case. They have not only had the reputation of being completely impatient for ages and tend to pull enemies before the rest of the group is ready, but also bring a lot of other vices with them.
The survival spec hunter is a particular oddball because he is theoretically a melee fighter. Almost all of his talent points improve his melee abilities, which still deal no damage.
Hunters had the reputation in Classic of wanting to hoard pretty much every weapon and piece of equipment for themselves. No matter if it’s cloth, leather, or mail, whether it’s a two-handed sword, staff, bow, or axe. Everything belongs to the hunter. And why? Because he can wear it.
To justify this, hunters also have the slightly crazy habit of collecting 27 different armor sets, which are, of course, designed to perfectly fit all available loot from a dungeon.
A strong two-handed axe with strength? Wonderful for survival spec
A cloth pair of pants with intellect? Perfect for the “pet heal equipment”
A leather pair of pants with dodge? Optimal for the rabbit-catching RP outfit
And then there is of course the loyal companion of the hunter, the pet. For the fact that a hunter always has a helpful buddy by his side while leveling, there have to be a few downsides – and they are numerous.
Pets from hunters are a bit like a surprise bag. They are known to rush in and pull a mob group that you actually wanted to avoid.
If they are not busy stealing aggro from the group’s tank with active “growling,” preventing him from generating rage, they are draining the mana of the conscientious healer who just wants to keep everyone alive.
Hunter with Ashkandi – warriors have always cried over that.
Additionally, they also tend to be offended if they do not get food – they then deal less damage and might even run away in doubt. This leaves the distraught hunter not only crying in Discord but also drastically reduces his damage.
In summary, hunters and their pets are a “very special” duo that can surely manage together – somewhere in a remote forest, far away from any dungeon entrance.
Like the mage, the rogue in World of Warcraft is quite a glass cannon, but this is especially true for the subtlety rogue. He is capable of dealing gigantic damage numbers – at least for about two seconds. Because then he is no longer in stealth and his energy is depleted.
The really “big guns” can only be used from stealth, before his damage drops to the level of a level 1 Magikarp.
This is certainly very nice in PvP because you can send regenerating mages and priests to the afterlife with just one blow, but it has little usefulness in other areas of the game. Who wants a damage dealer who can only hit hard once and then has to rely on getting back into stealth?
As if that wasn’t enough absurdity, the rogue even has a control effect that is unreliable. From stealth, he can give enemies a headbutt to incapacitate them for a while. The catch: headbutt breaks the rogue’s stealth – even if he should miss. You can skill headbutt to maintain stealth, but even then, there’s a risk of 10%. With more than 30-40 groups per dungeon, this can lead to complete chaos 3-4 times.
Additionally, there is the problem that rogues are generally equated with “thieves”. And who wants to trust such a scoundrel when it comes to good loot and safely clearing dungeons?
If you think: “Oh, nonsense. My friends trust me, I am a rogue with a good reputation” – you should put it to the test. Tell your “friends” to just send you lockboxes by mail, and you will send them back opened. We bet that most will find that too unsafe and will put each lockbox into the trade window in the “do not trade” area one by one?
P.S.: If someone does send you lockboxes, then open them without “auto-looting” and check if there are two items or even another lockbox inside. You can then safely swipe that.
The Shadow Priest
Whoever plays a shadow priest in current World of Warcraft is quite popular. The damage is pretty solid, the abilities interesting, and you are a welcome member in a group.
Anyone who thinks that this will be the case in Classic is sorely mistaken. In Classic, players had exactly one task, and that was to heal. Not infrequently, “healer” was even used as a synonym for priest. Groups were not looking for a healer but for a priest. No wonder, the most other classes could not match the constant healing output that a holy priest could provide.
Because holy priests shine in this role, priests are expected to fill exactly that role. Shadow priests do not.
Every time a player discovers that a shadow priest has snuck into their group, a scene from Star Wars: Episode 3 runs through their mind. “You were the chosen one!” is probably the most fitting line that can come to mind.
Powerful … but above all powerful unpopular.
One exception here is only PvP. There, shadow priests are feared as their mind flay was regarded as “face-melting” and caused traumas among players.
The end result is that not only your own teammates hate you, but also the enemies of the opposing faction. Well done.
What class and specialization will you play in World of Warcraft: Classic? Will you take on a useful role or choose a rather “undesired” specialization?
Ihr wollt mehr zum Spiel? Tolle Specials, heiße News und interessante Infos zu World of Warcraft findet ihr auch auf unserer WoW-Seite auf Facebook.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In The Division 2 , there are currently a number of bugs and issues. One bug causes wildlife to drop the coveted special ammunition when killed. Massive aims to stop this soon and requests: “Stop being monsters.” Additionally, there are login issues with OSCAR-03 and FOXTROT in The Division 2.
Therefore, Massive calls on players to behave: In the new State of the Game, it states: “Killing wildlife to get special ammunition is a bug and will be fixed. Stop being monsters!”
Players had already noticed for some time that they could obtain the coveted ammunition by killing animals like dogs, and some apparently took the bait to kill the poor animals.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from Reddit 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 players react: They take it with humor. Currently, there is a top post on reddit showing John Wick calling Ubisoft and introducing himself with “Hello, Ubisoft? This is Wick. Yes, John Wick.”
John Wick went on a revenge spree in the first part of his action trilogy after his dog was shot.
In The Division 2, cynics justify themselves: One cannot know if the virus in The Division 2 is also transmitted by dogs…
Login Issues OSCAR-03 and FOXTROT in The Division 2
What other problems exist in The Division 2? Massive lists additional issues that players may encounter:
There are issues with the ammunition for signature weapons at Washington Airport 150
Players can get stuck, for example, when trapped in foam and then die
Massive is also looking into reports that the difficulty is higher
Additionally, there is a pair of problems causing long loading times for players when logging in:
For OSCAR-03, players should download a patch with a different connection – Massive is working on fixing the error to spare players this workaround
Work is also ongoing on the FOXTROT issues – here, Massive does not have a workaround available
What is happening with the problems? All these issues are currently on the “We are working on it” list of the developers of The Division 2. A new patch will arrive on the PTR next week, which will also bring fresh content and many improvements.
However, we will probably not see the patch on the live servers of PC, PS4, and Xbox One until the end of July. Until then: Don’t be a monster, even if it pays off.
In Destiny 2 today, on July 2nd, is Weekly Reset. The exotic Lumina quest is now live. Additionally, with the reset, weekly activities and challenges rotate. There are now fresh Nightfall strikes and a new Flashpoint.
You can start hunting this new Exotic now: Owners of the Annual Pass for Destiny 2 can rejoice. Today, with the Weekly Reset, a fresh quest has started for them. There, Guardians can earn a new exotic hand cannon – the Lumina.
It looks like Lumina will be a real novelty in the world of Destiny. As seen in the new trailer, it appears to be the first weapon that can not only kill but also heal allied Guardians.
The Flashpoint is located in the Tangled Shore. For completing it, you’ll get powerful loot. Master the marked heroic adventure there and you will receive another powerful reward.
Werner/Benedict 99-40 has the usual 4 weekly bounties. From all 4 you will receive powerful loot. If you complete all 4, an additional powerful reward awaits you. Up to 3 more powerful rewards can be obtained with the Chalice of Opulence through the Menagerie.
At Ada-1, you will find all powerful weapon patterns.
Complete 20 bounties of any kind, and you’ll receive a powerful reward from Ikora Rey.
Once you’ve earned 5,000 Clan XP, you can pick up a powerful item from Hawthorne. If you master Hawthorne’s bounties “Endless Battle”, “All for One, One for All”, “Perfect Victory”, and “A Troubling Affair”, you will receive a powerful reward for each task.
At Petra Venj you’ll find her this week (Curse Week 1) at the pavilion in the area “The Shore”. If you master Petra’s quest, the Ascendant Challenge, and a total of 8 of her daily bounties, you will receive a powerful item for each of these tasks. This week the 2nd Ascendant Challenge is live.
Spider has the weekly bounty “Arcadia Accord” ready. Complete this task and you will receive a powerful reward.
The Seasonal Highlights in the Eververse:
the exotic ship “Oviraptor”
the Hunter leg armor from the new Eververse set
the Titan class item from the new Eververse set
an exotic armor ornament for the Warlock gloves Ophidian Aspect
Apex Legends has finally ushered in Season 2 with the new update from July 2, 2019. The new patch can be downloaded since 7:00 PM. Find out all the new features here shortly.
When does the download start? You should be able to download the new update for Apex Legends today, on July 2, since 7:00 PM. If the download does not start automatically, try patching the game directly through the launcher or try:
restarting Origin on PC
restarting your PS4 or Xbox One
How big is the update? The new patch for Season 2 is of different sizes depending on the platform:
On PC it is about 15-18GB
On PS4 and Xbox One about 20GB
Some players report that they only had to download 9 GB on PS4. On Xbox One, some MeinMMO readers, however, report that they have over 27GB to download. Still, prepare for a little while for the new patch to install.
What new features are there? As previously announced, the Season 2 Battle Pass has daily and weekly challenges. With these challenges, you can level up faster.
This time, rewards include cooler items like new skins for weapons and Legends, and less boring stat trackers. As soon as more is known about the rewards, we will explain them to you in detail.
The lack of challenges and the slow progress were major criticisms of Season 1, which made the Battle Pass unpopular with many.
How the Map Changes
What’s new on the map? As seen in the previously shown trailer of Season 2, the Repulsor Tower in the north of the map collapses. This leads to several things happening:
The area around the Repulsor is partially destroyed
In addition, several stations on the map are reopened. These serve as new and alternative loot zones around which new hot zones for battles can form. However, how they will develop remains to be seen.
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 Wattson do? Wattson joins the other legends of Apex Legends and complements the roster as the 10th legend. The electrifying lady brings defensive abilities that mainly serve the team for fortification and holding a position:
An electric fence that slows down enemies and deals damage to them
Instant recharge of the ultimate ability when using a booster
A pylon that destroys incoming explosive weapons and repairs shields
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 is the L-STAR? The L-STAR comes as a new legendary weapon to Apex Legends. You receive it just like the Kraber and the Mastiff from supply drops and it has a limited number of shots.
However, instead of using magazines, it operates via an overheating mechanism. It fires quickly and accurately with larger bullets but overheats quickly. Short bursts are the most effective.
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.
This is how the ranked system works: The new ranked system works similarly to the elite queue introduced with the Hunt Event. In each ranked series, you can rank up multiple tiers, starting from:
The ranked series run parallel to the seasons, but not always simultaneously. You earn ranked points (RP) in matches that you need to participate in higher league games. Bronze matches are free. All others cost progressively more.
You earn points through placements and kills. You need a certain number of points to rank up. As a reward, badges await.
Further Changes
What else does the patch bring: In addition to the new features, Respawn has made changes to many weapons. You can find the complete patch notes in English on reddit.
A new legend has also already been leaked, which may still come to Season 2:
The latest patch of Hearthstone revealed some unpleasant changes. Blizzard has altered many cards or even completely renamed them.
When a major patch for Hearthstone was released last Monday (07/01/2019), there was great excitement. There were new cards for all players, and some annoying cards were banned. However, what was not mentioned in the patch notes was a massive change to some cards, especially their art. It seems Blizzard is slowly trying to banish naked skin, succubi, and blood from the game.
What happened? Blizzard changed the artworks and partially the names of a total of 8 cards.
On the left is the new image, on the right is the old one.
There are hardly visible changes for “Disembowel” – here merely some blood splatters were removed.
However, the succubus was hit particularly hard – she was completely removed from the game. Instead, warlocks now have a demon lurker, which has the same stats and effect as the succubus. The iconic demon of the warlock has simply disappeared.
Even the Mistress of Pain was apparently too provocative. “Mistress” seems to be a bad word anyway because now she is the “Queen of Pain”. Her artwork has also been exchanged. It is no longer a succubus but… no idea. Probably some variant of Jaina’s “Nathrezim” skin from Heroes of the Storm. But definitely not a succubus and certainly no known demon from Warcraft.
Whatever it is supposed to be.
The harpy was also affected. She now requires a more or less decent bra because the previous image was too terrible.
The Secret Keeper is another victim of the changes. One can only speculate what was not suitable there. Probably a bare back was too offensive.
When Blizzard made this change to Jaina and gave her a slightly more modest top, I still had some understanding for it. After all, Jaina is something like the “poster girl” of Hearthstone. That she is to be presented to as broad an audience as possible with the premise of “as little offensive as possible” is still understandable to me.
On the left is the new image, on the right is the old one.
For the sake of completeness: Bite, Skullcrusher, and Deadly Shot were also changed. If a deadly shot visibly appears to be deadly, then that apparently goes too far.
Why is Blizzard doing this? Why Blizzard takes such drastic steps to even rename entire cards and use other artworks can only be speculated upon. However, it is suspected that new, even stricter regulations in China are responsible, which are particularly critical of “suggestive” depictions, nudity, or blood and bones. This would at least explain these adjustments.
Cortyn thinks: As can be seen in many parts of the article, I am personally very disappointed and downright angry. Succubi are an integral part of the Warcraft universe and have already appeared in Warcraft III. In World of Warcraft, they are strongly represented, both as enemies and as pets of warlocks or even quest givers. Removing them from Hearthstone is terrible in my opinion.
Then just bring out a Chinese version of Hearthstone instead of taking away from the rest of the world what they have become accustomed to over years and decades. I have no problem with succubi, blood, and skulls, especially in the depictions that have the typical WoW comic style. I find these “censorship” changes incomprehensible.
Actually, I usually remain quite calm and composed about such changes, but here it just infuriates me. It annoys me that there is no communication about it, and it annoys me that Blizzard is seemingly crafting everything towards – what appears to be – perfect correctness for China.
In this sense: Farewell, my succubus. I will post your artwork one last time.
The artwork of the succubus in Hearthstone – no longer available from now on.
But how do you see it all? Do you think it is good that Hearthstone is saying goodbye to blood and naked skin, thus becoming “more child-friendly” and less offensive? Or does someone have a loose screw?
On June 27, Teamfight Tactics was released, and since then players have been wondering if they can play the LoL Auto Chess on their smartphones as well. We will tell you!
Can you play TFT on iOS or Android? To play Teamfight Tactics, you currently need the client from League of Legends. This is not available in a mobile version.
Accordingly, you cannot use Auto Chess on either iOS or Android. In a Reddit AMA, the developers shared that a mobile version of TFT is not ruled out.
For now, however, the focus will be on developing the PC version.
Which Auto Battlers are already available as mobile versions? The original developers of the Auto Chess mod for Dota 2 early on recognized the potential of the mobile market.
There is an Auto Chess Mobile, which is based on the original idea using the figures from Dota 2, but uses different names. This version has been extensively played by our editor Alex. Large tournaments with prize money are even planned for the mobile version.
For the original Auto Chess, the path is now being reversed. The mobile version is set to be released as a standalone game on the Epic Store:
Can you play Dota Underlords on the go? Valve’s Auto Chess, Dota Underlords, already has a mobile version available. It can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store and the Apple Store.
The game operates exactly like the PC version and also offers crossplay, so you can compete against opponents on your home computer while on the go.
If you want to dive deeper into Teamfight Tactics, we have gathered useful tips for you:
In Teamfight Tactics , developer Riot Games made an important change to the champion pool on July 1st. There are now higher chances for heroes of tier levels 2 and 3 in LoL Auto Chess. We explain to you how the champion pool works and provide tips on what you need to know to utilize it. We look at the patch notes.
These are the patch notes for the update on July 1st: There are some balance changes. All 8 listed heroes will be buffed, and the origin “Demon” will also receive an upgrade:
Elise’s mana costs decrease from 100 to 75
Kennen receives more attack damage 60 to 70 and speed 0.6 to 0.65
Poppy gains more hit points 750 to 800 and the mana costs decrease from 100 to 75
Varus’s mana costs decrease from 100 to 75
Veigar’s mana costs decrease from 100 to 85, and damage increases from 300-600 to 300-700
Volibear hits faster 0.5 to 0.55
Miss Fortune needs less mana 100 to 75
Karthus also needs less mana in Teamfight Tactics 100 to 85
Additionally, demons become stronger. The proc chance increases from 30/50/70 to 40/60/80
The most important change, however, concerns the champion pool.
TFT update on July 1st changes the champion pool
What is the champion pool? In each round of Teamfight Tactics, you are offered 5 champions that you can purchase. With a “refresh” for 2 gold, you reset the offer.
The selection of heroes seems random, but it is not entirely so. The selection depends on:
what level you are on
what rarity levels the heroes have – that is, what tier they are, what color they are (grey-green-blue-purple-orange)
and what the other players have purchased in terms of heroes.
Champion pool is important for upgrading to 3 stars
If everyone tries to build a Warwick, the chance of pulling Warwick out of the hero pool decreases. However, you need Warwick 9 times to upgrade him to 3 stars.
For a tier 4 hero, of which there are only 13 in the pool, it is almost impossible to get it to 3 stars when another is buying it.
Here you see the old and new champion pool in Teamfight Tactics (a click enlarges the image).
The new probabilities (right) have been active since July 1st.
This is how it was changed: With a patch on July 1st, Riot Games changed the probability with which players can pull “stronger units” in Teamfight Tactics.
Especially the probability for tier-2 and tier-3 units has been significantly increased in the mid-game, as you can see in the graph:
Overall, you will receive significantly more tier-2 heroes in the early and mid-game and fewer tier-1 heroes.
There are also more tier-3 heroes in the mid- and endgame. However, there are somewhat fewer tier-2 at level 9 and fewer tier-1 heroes.
For tier 4 and tier 5 heroes, there is almost no change. Only at level 5 are there fewer tier-4 heroes for the very lucky ones.
He can decide a game as a tier-4 hero. Now he only has a 3% chance to appear in round 5 (previously 5%).
“I always have bad luck”
What is the important information about the champion pool? For players, it is important to check which combos the other players are building:
If the other players are building the same combo as you, then you will get fewer heroes that you need for your build. Therefore, it may be sensible to change the combo. If, for example, 4 people build an “Assassin/Void” combo, the individual will receive fewer heroes for this combo and will be weaker.
Another option is to level up as quickly as possible and then buy champions with higher tier levels from the opponents.
It is also possible to specifically buy heroes to deprive others when you know that the opponent needs a certain hero for their build.
Morgana can be upgraded to a 3-star heroine, but it will be difficult.
An important lesson is also that you should only try to bring heroes of tiers 1 to 3 to 3 stars. From level 4 onwards, the champion pool simply becomes too small.
This is what it is about: The mechanics with the limited item pool serve to keep the “meta” in check. If 7 people build the same “super combo”, such as Yasuo-AP, these 7 people will take the heroes from each other and be rather weak.
Who then swims against the tide and has their heroes for themselves, has the advantage.
Teamfight Tactics will constantly be in motion. Our tips will help you stay updated:
In Apex Legends today, on July 2, Season 2 begins on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. This also marks the start of a new Battle Pass, along with various changes and new features. What is included in Season 2, we will reveal to you here.
When does Season 2 start? Season 2 of Apex Legends kicked off on July 2, 2019, at exactly 7:00 PM.
When does Season 2 end? A precise duration for the season has not yet been announced. Season 1, however, lasted almost exactly 3 months. It started on March 19 and ended on June 18 alongside the Hunt event.
If Respawn maintains the duration, Season 2 will run until about October 1 or 2, 2019.
The Trailers for Season 2
What is shown in the trailers? On June 27, Apex Legends released a new trailer for Season 2, shortly after it had already been leaked. This trailer showcases new features and changes:
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 is included in the Battle Pass of Apex Legends?
How the Battle Pass works: In the Battle Pass, you will likely have to level up stages that offer you various rewards. However, Respawn has revamped these.
There will no longer be boring rewards like stat trackers for your banners, but instead, there will be more skins and rewards that are desirable.
These are the skins available: How many and which skins will be available is not yet fully revealed. However, some skins for legends and weapons have already been presented:
the legendary skin “Intimidator” for the Spitfire
the legendary skin “The Iron Rampage” for the R-301
the legendary skin “Prince of Darkness” for Caustic
the legendary skin “Jade Tiger” for Octane
On which tiers of the Battle Pass the skins will be located has not yet been revealed.
However, it has been hinted that the skin for level 100 will again be a developing skin, similar to the skin for the Havoc from Season 1.
What are the features of Season 2?
These new legends are coming: The new legend Wattson, the Electro Lady has already been confirmed. Wattson will be a more defensive legend with stationary abilities:
Area Safety (active) places posts between which a barrier is created. The barrier slows down enemies and inflicts damage
Interceptor Mast (Ultimate) intercepts air attacks, grenades, and artillery, charges shields of allies, and speeds up the building of fences
The passive ability “Energizing Idea” allows Wattson to instantly charge her Ultimate when using an Ultimate Accelerant
Additionally, it is still rumored that the legend Crypto could also appear with Season 2. So far, Crypto has only been seen vaguely. He is likely using the laptop shown in the trailer to destroy Repulsor via EMP.
An EMP and thus a strong group control ability is suspected for him. However, nothing has been confirmed yet. Whether he will even make it into Season 2 of Apex Legends is still uncertain. Season 1 only got a new legend with Octane.
Who is Crypto?
What is changing on the map: With Season 2, several changes are coming to King’s Canyon. Some of the innovations have already been seen in the trailers:
The burned forest will become green and blossom again
Several new stations will open up everywhere on the map, promising new loot zones
These additional features are coming: Apex Legends is planning numerous improvements to weapons for Season 2. Additionally, some new features were announced in a new trailer, such as:
The L-STAR is a powerful LMG. Instead of using a magazine, it operates on an overheating system, requiring lens replacement if you fire for too long. It is expected to deal high damage, have larger projectiles, and perform best with short bursts.
As a legendary weapon, however, it will only be obtainable through drops, similar to the Kraber and the Mastiff.
To Fortnite: Battle Royale has received a small content update with Patch 9.30. This brings a new weapon for Battle Royale, the Drum Shotgun. Additionally, there are new heroes and items for Save the World.
What’s in the new update for Patch 9.30: The content update arrived on the servers without much announcement and brings a quirky new weapon for Battle Royale, the Drum Shotgun. It was already leaked beforehand and is now finally in the game.
The Features of the Update for Patch 9.30 in PvP
New Weapon – Drum Shotgun: This new shotgun is the only addition in the PvP mode.
Availability: common, uncommon, and rare
Damage: 45 / 47 / 50
Ammunition: Shells
Magazine: 12 shots
The new weapon is available on the ground, in vending machines, and from loot drones.
What’s being removed? Nothing. Contrary to many assumptions, the unpopular tactical shotgun remains in the game, even though it is likely to become even more redundant with the new Drum Shotgun.
What’s changing in Creative Mode: In Creative Mode, you can now build numerous structures from the Paradise Palms biome, creating more summer and vacation vibes.
The Patch Highlights from the Update for Patch 9.30 in PvE
New War Game Simulation – Core Meltdown: Here your Storm Shield is unstable and radiating unhealthily.
New Challenges – 14-Day Summer: Starting July 16th, you can complete new quests and earn the new patriotic soldier hero “Star-Spangled Jonesy.”
New Heroes – Patriots: These three patriotic heroes can be purchased in the shop from July 4th to July 11th:
The big Dortmund GO Fest starts this weekend in Pokémon GO! We are perfectly preparing you for it and will show you how to make the most of the event.
When does the GO Fest run? The Dortmund GO Fest starts this Thursday, July 4th, and runs until Sunday, July 7th. However, each player can only access the venue and the spawns on-site for one day.
A lot will happen at the GO Fest. You can meet trainers from around the world, start a new special research, and catch various Shinies.
How to prepare yourself as best as possible
What should I bring? The most important thing is, of course, a fully charged phone battery, which means you should also bring a power bank. If the battery is empty, you can no longer play. Therefore, the mobile charging station is all the more important.
Otherwise, you should bring a bottle to drink. You can refill this bottle with water for free on-site. Food will be provided at the GO Fest, but if you want something special, you should also prepare for that.
How can I prepare within the game? If you are really into it, you can play at the GO Fest for up to 10 hours. Accordingly, your inventory should be tidy. So empty your Pokémon box and your bag again. Nothing is more annoying than sorting through clutter. We recommend having at least 300 slots in your bag and Pokémon box.
Make sure your Pokémon box has enough space
Additionally, you should stock up on Poké Balls. There will be various PokéStops at the GO Fest, but the spawns on-site are also increased. So you could quickly run out of balls.
If you want to trade with other players on-site, simply call your trading material “Trade” in advance. This way, everyone can find each other faster and show their counterpart better.
How entry at the GO Fest works
Do I need a ticket? Your account is your ticket. Depending on which day you purchased access, your account will be activated.
Your ticket for the GO Fest is your own account
On your game day, simply go to the entrance indicated on your ticket or in the confirmation email. There you will then enter the park. The Westfalenpark is fenced, so you can certainly expect bag checks. So be prepared for that and bring plenty of time.
What can I bring? You are allowed to bring drinks up to 0.33 liters onto the premises. Large cameras, however, are prohibited. Additionally, you cannot bring dogs. A detailed list of items that you may not bring can be found on the website of GO Fest.
All about the map and habitats at the GO Fest
Is there a map? The exact map of the GO Fest is already known. You will likely find yourself at various points on-site, allowing you to navigate well. We will show it to you here (click to enlarge):
What will be there? The offerings on-site are huge. You will find plenty of food, but there are also other offerings from Niantic. Here are some highlights:
Signings with well-known YouTubers such as Spieletrend, TrainerTips, or Reversal
2 merchandise booths for original Pokémon merchandise
A Battle Ground to compete in PvP
3 team lounges
2 routes to hatch eggs
At the GO Fest, you can meet various YouTubers – including Spieletrend
What do we know about the habitats? At the GO Fest in Dortmund, there will be 4 different habitats. In these places, Pokémon of special types will spawn. So there will be:
Steel Factory
Mysterious Woods
Boat Lake
Rocky Terrain
Of course, Pokémon will also spawn in the rest of the Westfalenpark. At these habitats, the Pokémon will only be of special types.
However, here are some highlights of these spawns:
Venusaur (regional Pokémon)
Unown
Sandshrew
Nidoran male
Shuckle
Klink
Bronzor
Magnemite
Meditite
Bagon
Scyther
You can catch the regional Pokémon Venusaur in Dortmund
What are the chances of a Shiny? The Shiny rate in Dortmund will be significantly increased. In Chicago, many players suspected the rate to be between 1 in 25 to 1 in 50. So you will likely catch many Shinies if you make good use of the event hours.
What do we know about the quests? There will also be special quests to complete at the GO Fest. In Chicago, there were only field researches that granted you 3 special candies each. If we believe the leaks from Chrales, such quests might also await us in Dortmund.
All about the new special research and catching Jirachi
What do we know about the special research: A special research has been announced for the Dortmund GO Fest. It will revolve around Jirachi, as Niantic announced on Twitter.
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.
Tip 1 – Think about what you want to trade ahead of time: At the GO Fest in Chicago, there were signs for trainers to write the Pokémon they wanted to trade for.
You can make 5 special trades at the GO Fest
To improve communication, we recommend printing out images of the Pokémon you need and bringing them along. This way, everyone can see which Pokémon you require.
At the GO Fest, you can perform 5 special trades. So think carefully about which 5 Pokémon you absolutely want to have.
Tip 2 – Go to the merchandise stand early: Buying a T-shirt at the end of the GO Fest is certainly a good idea. However, almost every GO Fest visitor will likely have the same idea. So go to the stands early. They will be less crowded, and you’ll also have more merchandise choices.
Tip 3 – Use the catch trick: The spawns at the GO Fest will not run out. So use one of the catch tricks to catch lots of Pokémon. Those who are quick will have more chances for Shinies.
Use the catch trick to save a lot of time
Tip 4 – Utilize the habitats: If you are primarily looking for specific Shinies, you should use the habitats to your advantage. For example, if you are searching for a shiny Magnemite, you will likely find it in the Steel Factory and not at Boat Lake.
The new addon of Final Fantasy XIV, Shadowbringers has launched today. However, pre-order customers have been able to enjoy the new content since Friday. And almost without any problems.
This is how Early Access went: Early Access for the new addon Shadowbringers began on June 28 and lasted throughout the weekend. During this time, there were only sporadic server issues, which were quickly resolved.
Players in the login queues still number in the thousands. However, this was to be expected with a major addon like Shadowbringers.
Long queues are currently a normality in FFXIV
The developers anticipated a large influx and prepared accordingly. The community describes it as one of the cleanest and smoothest launches they have ever experienced.
These measures were taken by Square Enix: A week before Early Access, Square Enix added two completely new servers to the European data centers. This was intended to alleviate the existing servers and to distribute the player population more evenly.
Maximum number of players per world has been increased
Fixed queues for logging into servers and joining instances were introduced
Players were automatically logged out if they were absent for more than 30 minutes
The new World Visit System allowed players to travel to servers that were less stressed than their own and continue playing there
New areas were split into multiple instances to relieve them
Director Yoshida emphasized during a live stream that the development team is closely monitoring the status of the servers to prevent potential issues or respond quickly.
“I am proud of Square Enix”
This is how players reacted: On Reddit, players celebrated the smooth Early Access and launch of Shadowbringers. In a large thread, many thanked for the hassle-free gaming experience.
They have learned so much from Stormblood. I love this company so much.
Deathfromthatside on Reddit
Especially praised was the foresight of the team and their quick reactions to the small problems that still arose. For example, it took no more than 15 minutes to repair the instance servers on the Aether data center, according to one of the players in the thread.
Other players jokingly said that Director Yoshida and his team must be making many enemies in the gaming industry: First they managed to successfully reboot an MMORPG, and now they are releasing a massive expansion without major issues or serious bugs.
Oh, how they [the FFXIV team] must be hated by the rest of the industry right now.
rd77g on Reddit
User HavocTom wrote: “The fact that I was able to log in and start playing within 3 minutes after Early Access began is shocking. There was very little lag […] I am really proud of Square Enix.”
This is what players were expecting: At the launch of the last expansion, Stormblood, there were significant problems with the instance servers that entered the collective memory of fans as “Raubahn Ex”. These problems caused players to be unable to progress in the story for days.
Therefore, many feared that there could be a repeat of “Raubahn Ex” with Shadowbringers. However, they were very positively surprised. The queue system for instantiated content served its purpose and prevented a similar incident from occurring again.
These problems did occur nevertheless: The data centers Chaos and Primal experienced some crashes during Early Access. According to Square Enix, this was due to a DDoS attack on the servers.
Yoshida promised Shadowbringers would have the best story that FFXIV has had so far, and he kept that promise.
Players were kicked from the game and had to wait in long queues to continue playing. There were also sporadic issues on various servers that were quickly resolved.
This is what comes next: For July, Final Fantasy XIV has already prepared a roadmap with new content that players can look forward to:
On July 16, the next raid called “Eden” will come and continue the story of Shadowbringers.
On July 30, the epic mode of the raid will be released, where players can fight new powerful bosses and farm gear.
In autumn, the next major content patch 5.1 will be released, bringing the 24-man raid “YoRHa Apocalypse”, which is based on Nier Automata.
