A lot of hotfixes went live in the last hours in World of Warcraft. Questing in Nazjatar and Mechagon is now significantly more pleasant.
Throughout yesterday and the night (07/04/2019), a lot of hotfixes went live in World of Warcraft. Most of them improve the gaming experience in Mechagon and Nazjatar, the two new zones from Patch 8.2 Rise of Azshara. We reveal the biggest changes and best improvements.
Fewer requests for quest mobs: Numerous daily quests in Nazjatar now have lower requirements. For example, it is now only necessary to kill 5 elite Naga instead of 15. Additionally, the collection of certain resources, such as flotsam, has been reduced. Instead of collecting 10 units, often only 5 or 3 units are now required.
If you need to kill rare opponents, you can also breathe a sigh of relief, a fix was already released yesterday. Instead of 3, only one is needed now. This should drastically reduce the required time for the respective quests.
More space in bags: At the same time, Blizzard has now made it possible for many “Mechagon resources” to be used directly from the resource bank. If you want to craft something from junk at Pascal, but have the junk stored in the resource bank, you can access it directly. It is no longer necessary to have the resources in your inventory. At the same time, many of the resources from Mechagon can now be placed in engineering bags.
Achievements have been fixed: There are also some improvements for achievement hunters. The achievement Sightseeing with the Dead works correctly now, so uncovered treasure chests finally count toward the achievement. Previously, only about every tenth chest counted, and the conditions were not visible. Now every uncovered chest counts.
Players also report that some achievements now correctly register the defeated rare spawns, which was not always the case in Mechagon previously.
Pascal can now also be used when the resources are in the bank.
PvP event starts more frequently: Lastly, Blizzard has made a few improvements to the PvP event in Nazjatar. The Battle of Nazjatar should now start more frequently again, and players should find themselves in balanced shards more often in war mode. In some shards, the event was no longer present and was basically discontinued. At the same time, controlling multiple control points simultaneously allows for significantly faster gain of victory points, as is the case in Arathi Basin.
What do you think of these changes? Are they good and sensible? Or is everything too easy again?
In Apex Legends the new legend Wattson was criticized by pro Shroud even before the release. Now he wanted to demonstrate live how bad the new heroine really is. This backfired significantly.
What is the problem with Shroud and Wattson? Shroud is one of the most prominent players of Apex Legends. The professional gamer has significantly contributed to the development of the game and his feedback is one of the reasons for the excellent gunplay.
However, with the second new legend, Wattson, he did not perform well. He found her too defensive and situational. Therefore, he also always said that one should not expect too much from her.
To show everyone that Shroud wasn’t just talking nonsense, he wanted to live-stream proof how bad Wattson is and why the lovable engineer is not useful.
“Oops, someone killed my fence”
This is how Shroud wanted to show how bad Wattson is: Shroud’s major issue with Wattson are probably the electric fences she can deploy. They are far too fragile. A few hits on the “posts” would take them down. He said that and shot at the posts, but nothing happened.
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One apparently cannot shoot down one’s own posts, Shroud dejectedly concluded. How bad the posts are, he couldn’t show us.
But it got worse. Because Shroud still claimed that the fences, which slow down and damage opponents when crossed, are useless. Just at that moment, Shroud suddenly received a credited kill.
This is how the fence saved Shroud’s backside: Apparently, a sneaky opponent, who had just fled from the death zone, intended to attack Shroud from behind. However, he had to go through the fence. And the fence killed him immediately!
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“My fence killed someone!” Shroud admitted surprised. This – and the fact that the death zone seems to inflict serious damage again and had wiped out his team, seemed to catch the pro off guard.
It appears that the developers have significantly improved both the damage of the zone and the utility of the fences. Wattson is therefore much more useful and versatile than even one of the best players suspected, especially when the zone is so strong and players have to go through the fences instead of avoiding or destroying them.
What has been your experience with Wattson so far? Do you find her skill useful or do you still think she is not worth it?
World of Warcraft Classic will soon be ending its beta. The testing phase has come to an end, and it is moving towards release.
In the meantime, the closed beta of World of Warcraft Classic has been accessible to testers for a few weeks, and Blizzard has concluded that enough testing has been done.
When does the beta close? The final day of the closed beta for WoW Classic is July 12, 2019. After that, the servers will be shut down and will no longer be accessible to testers.
What has been achieved during the beta? Overall, Blizzard has received more than 17,000 bug reports from players during the closed beta, allowing developers to reproduce, identify, and ultimately fix hundreds of bugs.
Small farewell event: On July 12, the developers plan to host a small in-game event to appropriately celebrate the end of the beta. Exact details have not yet been revealed. However, based on previous beta closures, there will likely be plenty of demons and bosses raining down on the cities.
A big stress test is still to come: However, even after the official end of the beta, there will be another stress test. On July 25 and 26, Blizzard wants to test the hardware that will be used in the individual regions. This means that the European server structures are likely to be tested there as well. German servers are not expected for the stress test – but they are confirmed for launch.
When does WoW Classic release? The official release of WoW Classic will take place in less than two months, on August 27. The game does not need to be purchased separately. Anyone who already has a subscription for the “normal” World of Warcraft can simply join in.
Are you using the last days of the beta to play Classic a lot? Or are you already counting the days until the official release?
Today, on June 27th, there are maintenance works on The Division 2 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. During this time, the Division servers will be offline for several hours. Find out here everything about the maintenance process and the patch notes.
Update: The servers are back online, so you can play again.
Is there another postponement? In recent weeks, the Thursday maintenance for The Division 2 has frequently been moved from the morning to the afternoon.
Some agents did not like this at all, as it is the best time for them to play. Some even feared that the lengthy maintenance works might now regularly be moved to the late afternoon.
That is obviously not the case. Today, the maintenance will take place at the usual time in the morning.
When is The Division 2 offline today and when can you play again? If everything goes as planned, you can expect the following maintenance process:
The maintenance is scheduled to begin at 9:30 AM our time. The servers are expected to go offline then.
The duration of the maintenance works is indicated as 3 hours. During this time, you won’t be able to play.
If there are no issues, the servers are expected to be back online by 12:30 PM our time, according to Massive.
What changes today during the maintenance? The State of The Game from July 3rd has already revealed a detail that will change today. A problem will be fixed that sometimes prevents players from picking up special ammunition for their specialization weapons. More is not currently known.
What do the patch notes say? The official patch notes are now available. However, they do not reveal more than was already known beforehand:
A problem was fixed that sometimes prevented players from picking up special ammunition for their specialization weapons.
You might also be interested in: To keep boredom at bay during downtime, you can pass the time with the following articles:
In Fortnite: Battle Royale finally got the already leaked Super Shotgun “Drum Shotgun” as a new weapon. The community is unsure if the weapon is OP or useless.
What can the new weapon do? The new Drum Shotgun fires absurdly fast and deals 46, 48, or 50 damage per hit, depending on its quality. Together with the 12-shot magazine, players can pump opponents full of shot in no time, leaving them seemingly no chance to fight back.
You simply run towards the opponent and hold down the fire button. Kills happen, it seems, on their own.
Among others, Pro streamer Ninja got his hands on such a shotgun, and you really feel sorry for his poor opponent.
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The muzzle flash is so intense that you get blinded when someone is shooting the new shotgun in front of you. The chance for successful retaliation seems to decrease even further.
Is the weapon completely over the top?
More of a noob gun than an OP killer weapon of death
This is what players are saying: The Fortnite community on Reddit is currently in an uproar discussing whether the weapon is overpowered. However, there are also dissenting voices, as the Drum Shotgun seems to only unleash its strength at very close range, for example, when you want to drive opponents out of cover:
“In a fight at very close range, it is really good, but for anything outside of effective range, the combat shotgun is better.”
“Only useful if you are in someone else’s box, otherwise you’d prefer an SMG.”
“It is so bad. No headshot multiplier, eats up ammo, and deals terrible damage. I didn’t think Epic could come up with a worse shotgun than the Tac, but they succeeded.”
Overall, it seems that there is a consensus that the new weapon is more something for noobs who can’t aim and can’t build. Because then you can simply blast through walls and hunt opponents in their constructions at close range, while good players seek and win the “build battle”.
For players who see Fortnite drifting more towards casual play, the new shotgun is further evidence of this development. And the fact that the tactical shotgun is still in the game suggests something entirely different:
In FIFA 19 the FUTTIES promo has started today. Here we show you all the content of the event and how you can obtain the new cards.
Hardly is the Team-of-the-Season promo over, the next big event in FUT 19 is already here. The FUTTIES are here and will continuously bring us new as well as popular old content for Ultimate Team over the next weeks.
This is the FUTTIES event: The FUTTIES event usually marks the end of FIFA events after the TOTS promo. FUTTIES brings back many special cards from past promotions and allows FUT players to vote on new FUTTIES cards.
How long does the event last? EA has announced the end of the FUTTIES event for August 14, 2019. Thus, the promo lasts a total of 6 weeks.
How to vote for the new cards
This is how the voting works: In the first five weeks of the event, three players will appear as loan versions in your club on certain days. In this player selection, you can choose a card. Once that’s done, you’ve already voted for that player and your vote has been cast.
Once the vote is finished, the winner will appear in a new SBC. If you complete this, you will receive the upgraded FUTTIES winner card.
EA brings a “Best Of Packs”
Here’s what it’s about: EA Sports is bringing several special cards back into packs during the FUTTIES promo. These will be released in 3 different batches during the duration of the event.
Here are the highlights: In the first 2 weeks, there are real stars in the packs, including:
OTW – Cristiano Ronaldo
MOTM – Messi
TOTGS – Neymar
FUT Birthday – Griezmann
FUT Birthday – Bale
TOTW – Reus
This content also comes with the event
There are gifts: EA Sports is once again distributing gifts in the form of packs. Which pack you receive depends on the number of your logins in Ultimate Team.
Old SBCs are coming back: Popular Squad Building Challenges are also returning with a “Best of SBCs” for the FUTTIES event. This should please many players who may have missed one or another SBC.
How to obtain the special cards
From packs: The sought-after special cards that the FUTTIES event brings back can be found in the following packs:
On the transfer market: However, the transfer market may be the better idea. Because many prices of popular special cards are likely to drop, as they are now available in packs again.
Attention: The new FUTTIES cards can only be unlocked via SBC and are therefore not available on the transfer market or in packs.
Together with the major patch of Season 2, the portraits of the legends in Apex Legends have changed. They all have a new look, which many players do not like.
What happened to the portraits? With the patch for Season 2, the portraits of all legends in Apex Legends have changed. They received a slight polish and are now supposed to better reflect the character of each legend.
The portraits are visible both in the legend selection just before a match and in the customization options. All ten legends, including the new legend Wattson, are listed there.
The change to the portraits was only a small part of the extensive innovations of Season 2. However, this small detail is currently eliciting mixed feelings from players.
What the community says about the portraits
This is how players are reacting: The opinion on the new portraits is divided in the community. Some players support them, while others are indifferent. Many players do not think highly of the change. They even mock it.
In a larger thread on reddit, fans are discussing the small change. Some compare the new icons to mobile games. The user MawBTS1989 has received considerable support for his comment:
Does anyone still prefer the old icons? Gibraltar looks like he’s trying to fart secretly, and Caustic looks like a panda.
Currently attracting a lot of mockery: Gibraltar.
What problems does Apex Legends still have?
This is how Season 2 has been received so far: Not only regarding the icons, but also in general, opinions on Season 2 have been quite mixed so far. Players who find the season successful praise mainly the new Ranked system and believe that Apex Legends now plays completely differently.
Players who are more disappointed see the same problems as before Season 1. They lack motivation to play, and the changes to the map were not as impressive as they had hoped.
However, the season only started on July 2nd. The general mood and assessment of Season 2 will probably stabilize in the coming days.
Perhaps a new legend will come to lift the spirits a bit:
In Fortnite: The big event for the Netflix series Stranger Things is likely starting soon. The creepy portals from the series have already appeared in the game. Additionally, leaks suggest skins from the series.
What does Fortnite have to do with Stranger Things? Those who visited the location Mega Mall since the last update in Fortnite may have noticed a few “strange things”. There are odd, seemingly living objects appearing in various places within the shopping center.
Anyone familiar with the series Stranger Things knows that similar things have emerged there, representing creepy portals into a bizarre, otherworldly realm full of monsters and horrors.
Horror Portals and Leaks about Stranger Things Skins
What do the portals do? In the series, the portals lead into the terrifying world of the Demogorgon monster. At least at the moment, this is not the case in Fortnite. When you enter a portal, it merely teleports you to another gate in the mall. The monster dimension is probably (not yet) in the game.
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What is the Stranger Things event all about? The appearance of the portals is another hint that an event related to Stranger Things in Fortnite is likely on the way. First, the ice cream chain Scoops Ahoy, which is also found in Stranger Things, opened in Mega Mall. Then there was a vague hint about a collaboration during E3 2019.
The portals now seem to be the final hint that an event is coming soon.
When does the event start? Since the 3rd season of Stranger Things starts tomorrow, on July 4, 2019, the event in Fortnite is likely to commence as well.
What is included in the event? It is not clear what exactly will happen during the event. However, there are various speculations:
Monsters come out of the portals, similar to the non-zombies that have appeared in Fortnite before.
There could be a mode like the one during the Avengers event. A part of the players are monsters like the Demogorgon and are ‘dogs’. The rest tries to kill them.
At least there seem to be hints about skins for the Demogorgon monster as well as the character Chief Hopper from the series.
How are the players reacting? Since some Fortnite fans likely also enjoy Stranger Things, the news about the portals was well received on Reddit. Players are excited about the event and have high expectations:
“I am incredibly excited!”
“Imagine the skins! I can’t wait to open my wallet for Hopper or the Demogorgon.”
“OMG, this is amazing!”
Meanwhile, players continue to speculate about what the other monster in Fortnite might be.
A certain NPC in the new area Mechagon from World of Warcraft doesn’t care much for players. He constantly bullies you and your mounts.
The latest patch of World of Warcraft is full of small secrets and gags. Especially in Mechagon, one of the two new areas from patch 8.2 Rise of Azshara, there are lots of funny references and interesting encounters. Most players have probably already come across the NPC Bondo Brummblock. Depending on which mount you’re using, he bullies you. But really!
Who is Bondo Brummblock? Bondo Brummblock is the <King of the Heap> and thus a minor boss among the Mechagnomes. He hangs around Bondo’s yard and repeatedly comments on the events with loud roaring. Especially regarding your mounts, he rarely has a good word to say.
What does Bondo say? Depending on which mount you ride into his yard, he occasionally has a different line ready. For example, if you stroll in on “Invincible,” the super-rare mount from the Lich King, you might hear:
Just look at you riding around on your dead pony. Couldn’t you find a living one?
If you even own a spectral saber or a swift spectral saber (expensive mounts that can only be obtained from the black market auction house or the old trading card game), you will also get dissed. Because then Bondo will say that you “apparently have more money than sense if you ride around on something like that.” No wonder, as such a saber usually goes for several million gold.
Bondo has little love for mounts belonging to goblins either. If you stroll in on a sky golem, he will ask: “Is someone really riding a goblin trash can?”
On the other hand, if you stop by with Mimiron’s head (the rare mount from Yogg-Saron in Ulduar), you will even receive admiration. Then Bondo wants to take a closer look at the mount to understand it.
The lines are subject to an indefinite timer. So you can’t just try all mounts, as Bondo only delivers his lines every few minutes.
Have you already been bullied by Bondo? Or do his nasty lines leave you completely cold? Have you also heard some of his cheeky remarks?
In Pokémon GO, the Moss, Glacier, and Magnet modules have been available for purchase for a few weeks. These modules attract Pokémon of specific types. We show you which Pokémon you can find there.
Where does the info come from? The analysts from TheSilphRoad have taken a closer look at these new lures. They ignited a total of 3,000 modules and observed which Pokémon appeared.
They found that each module attracts 13 different Pokémon. Each module offers you a pool of 13 monsters that can spawn. Additionally, there are the normal spawns from a lure module.
The new modules attract the following
How the lure modules work: The new lure modules produce double the number of Pokémon compared to regular lure modules. The spawns are distributed as follows:
About half of the spawns are from the special types of the module
The other half consists of spawns that can also be produced by a regular lure module
Therefore, one can conclude that almost every Pokémon can appear at the modules. Half of the Pokémon come from a pool of 13 possible monsters.
These are the Pokémon of the lure modules: Each module attracts different types more frequently. Here is the list of Pokémon that are attracted by the respective modules:
What can be said about the modules? In each module, you will find useful and rare Pokémon, but also many monsters that are not very beneficial.
Which module is the most worthwhile? Those who want to hunt for Shinies should use the Glacier Module. There are 8 possible Shinies to be found there.
From a utility standpoint, the Magnet Module may be interesting. There are 3 Pokémon in it, with Magnemite, Electabuzz, and Beldum, whose evolutions are useful.
The Moss Module stands out because of Kecleon. This Pokémon is not found in the wild but only in eggs and in the Moss Module. So if you have no luck hatching it, you should focus on the Moss Module.
You will find Kecleon, the pre-evolution of Kinoso, in the modules
Should these modules be preferred? If you compare the new lure modules with the standard modules, you will find significantly more spawns here.
However, the new modules also cost 200 coins and are therefore more expensive than normal lure modules. You have a greater benefit, but also higher costs.
In the end, it is a question of coins. Are you willing to spend 200 coins on it? Then you should focus on the new lure modules.
Currently, the 7 km eggs are extremely worthwhile. Here’s why:
Here you can find all the important information about the new expansion “Shadowbringers” of Final Fantasy XIV: release date, pre-orders, editions, contents, and features.
When is the addon coming out? Shadowbringers is expected to be released on July 2, 2019.
What do pre-order customers get? Players who pre-order Shadowbringers will receive the following bonuses:
Access to the Early Access of Shadowbringers
The companion “Gremlin”
Crystal Earrings with the effect +30% EXP bonus until level 70
The status values of the earrings will adjust according to the current job and level of the respective character. The pre-order items will be sent to players in-game via Mog-Mail immediately.
Pre-order customers on PS4 will also receive a Shadowbringers theme and an exclusive “Dark Knight” avatar, which will be available with Early Access. You can check it out here.
Pre-order bonus: PSN Avatar
When is Early Access? Pre-order customers of Shadowbringers will be able to start on June 28, 2019.
What editions are available? There is a standard version for PS4, Mac, PC, and on Steam.
There is also a Collector’s Edition, which will include:
The game for PS4, Steam, or PC
Expansions Heavensward and Stormblood
Shadowbringers Artbook
A statue of the Warrior of Darkness
A large sticker with the Shadowbringers logo
A card set featuring all key arts from FFXIV starting from 2.0
In-game item mount Grani
In-game item companion Fran
Special Projection Gunblade for the new job Gunbreaker with the design from Final Fantasy XIV
Digital Collector’s Edition for PC and Mac: 49.99€
Digital Collector’s Edition for PS4: 59.99€
Do I need to buy the old expansions? The expansions Heavensward and Stormblood are included with Shadowbringers.
However, they will not be available until the launch of Shadowbringers in July. So if you want to play them beforehand, you need to purchase them separately.
Are there already patch notes? You can find the complete patch notes on the official Lodestone page of FFXIV:
Continuation of the story: The story of Final Fantasy XIV, which continues to expand, will receive many new quests with Shadowbringers. The exact plot of the addon is still very mysterious, and it is not even known where and especially when it will take place.
But the trailer promises a lot of excitement and dramatic moments. The community speculates that the end of the story of the current addon “Stormblood” will go extremely poorly for the protagonists.
Players will travel to a different world in Shadowbringers, referred to as “The First”. This is a shard of the world of Eorzea that was separated long ago.
The balance between light and darkness in this world has tipped too far in favor of light, and it now threatens to consume everything and everyone. For example, there is no night there because darkness is absent.
The people of this world believe in the legend of the “Warrior of Darkness”, who will come to them and save them from the light.
New cities: With Crystarium and Eulmore, two new cities are coming to FFXIV. They are located on the continent of Norvrand.
Crystarium is considered the last bastion where the people defend themselves against the light and its creatures. They are determined to fight against the catastrophe. The city was built around the Crystal Tower.
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Eulmore, on the other hand, is a city of decadence. The people there have accepted that they will likely be wiped out by the light soon and want to live the rest of their lives to the fullest. Consequently, many wealthy individuals live in the city.
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New areas: So far, four new areas have been announced:
Rak’Tika is a vast forest. The large trees of the Rak’Tika forest form large canopies, and the flying mounts will be able to fly between them.
Il Mheg is a fairytale-like area and home to the new beast tribe of the Pixies. This area was designed to emphasize the fairy-like nature of the Pixies.
Amh Araeng, on the other hand, is a devastated landscape strewn with ruins. It is said that these ruins belong to one of the many ancient civilizations of FFXIV.
Lakeland is an area that extends around the city of Norvrandt. Since the world of “The First” is a reflection of the world of Eorzea, Lakeland geographically corresponds quite closely to Mor Dhona.
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The large survival MMO Atlas has opted for a drastic step after some tough situations and much feedback from the community: A single-player mode is on the way.
What kind of mode is this? In a development update on Steam, the developers of Atlas announced a single-player mode. This is currently planned. A beta is currently running and can be tested.
In this mode you play completely alone, but have access to all features of the game. You can explore all islands and make any progress – just without other players.
Can I play with friends? There will not be a “local server” running in the background. You are playing in a “real” single-player mode. Inviting friends will probably not work either. There is currently no work being done on an option for local servers.
The sudden shift from this massive number to single-player is a big step. However, Atlas has been plagued by many issues since its release, which have affected the game:
All of this led to a significant decrease in the player base in recent months according to Steamcharts . Last month, only 7,276 players played Atlas simultaneously (as of July 3 at 4:50 PM).
This is what the community thinks: The decision for the single-player mode is widely supported. There were already mods for a single-player experience, but the game was always very focused on multiplayer.
With the new option, many players feel more comfortable and especially appreciate that they can avoid many of the problems. Although there are still some bugs, this is manageable – after all, the mode is still in development.
Alone through the world? Seems fun to many.
What’s next for Atlas? The big update in May was supposed to save Atlas. But that didn’t really work. Now it is hoped that the single-player mode will do the trick. At least according to the first impressions from players, it seems promising for the time being.
Whether and how Atlas will hold on remains to be seen. In the meantime, if you’re looking for another survival game for yourself, we have compiled the 10 best games here for you:
In The Division 2 with Title Update 5, two new weapons come, in addition to the Exotics: the assault rifle Carbine 7 and the LMG “Stoner LMG.” The machine gun has 200 rounds – and that without modifications.
How does the Stoner LMG perform? It performs significantly better. Since LMGs usually need to be reloaded frequently, that is the biggest disadvantage of the weapon class. However, the Stoner can quickly reach 300 rounds with modifications.
And with all the extras and super buffs, it can even go up to 550.
Reaches 550 rounds in the absolute optimal case: Stoner LMG + Extra + 50rnd Pouch + Full House Aces & Eights buff (via Imgur)
The weapon should cause a stir if used correctly in initial builds.
Here you can see in the video how an agent on the PTS is using the Stoner LMG in the new mission “Camp White Oaks” in The Division 2.
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We are giving away a code for Magic: The Gathering Arena. With it, you can buy a whopping 50 booster packs for your deck. Join in!
What is going on in Magic: The Gathering Arena? Since yesterday, fans can play the new cards from Core Set 2020 in the online game MTG: Arena.
It is a mix of completely new cards and reprints of old classics. In total, the set contains a whopping 280 cards that will shake up the game’s meta.
What can be won? We are giving away a code for Magic: The Gathering Arena worth over €50. With this code, you will receive 10,000 Gems in the store, which are needed to buy booster packs.
With this amount of Gems, you can buy 50 booster packs in the store and significantly upgrade your decks with new cards.
How can I participate? To enter the giveaway, you must perform at least one action in the Gleam tool below. Then you will be in the pool of potential winners. Additional actions are not required but will increase your chances of winning.
There will be one winner who will be contacted by email after the giveaway ends and will receive their code. The giveaway ends on July 6. Legal recourse is excluded.
How do I redeem the code? To redeem the code, you first need an account for Magic: The Gathering Arena.
Start the launcher
Go to the “Store” tab at the top
Click on “Redeem Codes” at the top right
This way, you will receive your Gems and can then normally purchase the packs in the store.
In times when many games are only bought digitally, returns can be quite a challenge. Luckily, it is possible to get a Steam refund, which means receiving a refund on Steam when you want to return games on the platform. We summarize what you need to know.
Can you return games on Steam? Since 2015, it has been possible to return games that you purchased directly through Steam under certain conditions. However, you cannot simply play through new games and then request a refund. Specific conditions apply for Steam refunds.
If you comply with these, you can return the games without providing a reason and get the full purchase price refunded.
This also applies to the offers of the Summer Sale 2019, which is currently taking place:
What should you consider when returning on Steam? The main factors in a Steam return are the timing of the purchase and the existing playtime.
The purchase should not be older than 14 days
The game should not have been played for more than two hours
Steam sales always invite spontaneous purchases. How great that you can also return games under certain conditions.
Special rules also apply for add-ons, pre-orders, or bundles:
DLCs can be returned up to 14 days after purchase, provided the main game has not been played for more than two hours. This does not apply to content that irreversibly upgrades a character.
In-game purchases can be returned within 48 hours, as long as they have not been modified, consumed, or transferred by then.
Pre-orders on Steam can be canceled anytime before release. After release, pre-orders are subject to the normal return rules for games.
Steam credits can be refunded within 14 days of purchase, as long as the credits have not yet been spent.
For games purchased in a bundle, each individual game is subject to the normal return rule: you can refund individual games up to 14 days after purchase, as long as you have not played it for more than two hours.
If a refund for a content is not possible, this will be indicated on the respective shop page.
Returning a game on Steam – How does it work?
How to request a refund: You can return games via the Steam website or directly through the launcher on your PC. In the PC program, you will find the respective function under “Help” in the upper left corner. Then click on “Steam Support”.
You will find Steam Support in the launcher under this menu.
If you prefer to go through the website, visit the page help.steampowered.com and log in there. You can also find support on the website at the top of the screen.
You will find support at the top of the screen on the website
When you access the support page, your recent games will be shown that you have either played or purchased. By clicking on the respective game, you can select the issue for which you want to return the game.
This page will show you your recent games that you have purchased or played.
Select either “Technical problems with the game”, “DLC or bonus content missing”, or “It is not what I expected” for the return. Under these points, you can further specify your report and then request a refund.
With the selection below, you can now request a return
By clicking the button “I want to request a refund”, the selected game and any purchased DLCs will be displayed. You can choose the way you want your money refunded and provide further optional information about your issue with the game.
Steam Refund – What you should still know
How long does the refund take? After you have submitted your request for a refund, it may take a while for the request to be processed and for you to receive your money back. This can range from a few hours to a few days.
Once your request has been processed, you will receive an email. If you selected that you want the refund as Steam credits, you will see the amount appear in your Steam profile after processing. The money will then be transferred to you within seven days.
Can you cancel a refund? If you have requested a refund, you can also cancel it anytime before it has been processed. You just need to access Steam’s help page and cancel the refund request as long as it has not been processed yet.
Then you keep the game in your account and do not receive any money back.
Bless was considered an MMORPG hope from Korea in 2018.
Can I also return games that I have played for more than two hours? Normally, only games that you have not played for more than two hours can be returned. However, there are occasionally exceptions.
Valve then made an exception and refunded players their money, including those who had played Bless for 20 hours or more.
Refund or delete the game? Be careful: Do not select the option “I want to permanently remove this game from my account” for a return. This choice will remove the game, but you will not receive a refund.
Steam refund for gifts: Gifts that have not been redeemed can be refunded like other games within the 14-day period or under a playtime of two hours. Redeemed gifts can be refunded under the same conditions, but the recipient of the gift must request the refund. The money for the purchase will then be credited back to the original buyer.
In Hearthstone , developer Blizzard has changed several cards that were too sexy or too brutal. Fans suspect that they want to cater to the Chinese market and mock on Reddit. However, Blizzard itself states that the changes to the cards have other reasons.
For 4 cards, women, female demons or mythical creatures, which were apparently too “sexy” before or hinted at BDSM practices, were made more modest: The Mistress of Pain no longer has a whip. The Succubus (with whip) was transformed into a demon dog instead (featured image)
On the left is the new image, on the right is the old one.
This is what Blizzard says: In an interview with PC Gamer, Blizzard states that they regularly review the entire set of Hearthstone and some cards no longer meet today’s standards.
Blizzard says: “We would not print these cards today.”
It is said that they really wanted to tone down the depiction of sex and violence here, but that this decision was not due to “external influences,” but rather because of the standards they currently hold themselves.
Although there are no plans to change more cards, they are observing the situation and reassessing it.
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How players react: On Reddit, the situation is seen entirely differently. They believe that the Chinese government is behind the change. They apparently suspect a “backroom deal” where Blizzard adjusts the cards to avoid trouble. After all, there are new stricter rules in China that aim to reduce sex and blood in games.
They mock the Chinese President Xi Jinping with a Hearthstone card of Winnie the Pooh. He must be censored.
Why Winnie the Pooh? After a public appearance of Xi Jinping with then US President Barack Obama, Xi Jinping is often compared to Winnie the Pooh.
Allegedly, he hates it.
This image is said to be the source of the comparison.
Fans suspect that Blizzard is adapting to new rules imposed by the Chinese government. Recently, the profanity filter of WoW was already suspected of trying to appease the Chinese government.
The 2019 reboot of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare places a strong emphasis on realism. With new details about its weapons and the weapon system, the developers further underscore their high ambitions.
Where do the infos come from? In their latest “intel drop,” the team from Infinity Ward shared fresh details about the weapons and the upcoming weapon system of Modern Warfare 2019. Mark Grigsby, the animation director of the development studio, provided insight.
How the weapons contribute to realism in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
The new engine now opens up entirely new possibilities. In this context, the weapons are designed to feel very authentic and behave and look like one would expect in the real world in most situations. The devil is in the details. Thus, they aim to meet their high realism claim:
A significant emphasis is placed on the weapon animations in the upcoming Call of Duty installment. Many aspects will change compared to its predecessors.
Weapon movements and animations while standing: The new animations, for example, will take into account the weight and sway of the weapon in various situations—whether in action or simply standing still.
There will be new idle animations where natural small muscle movements affect the handling of the weapon as well as its movements.
In general, the weapons are also designed to respond much stronger and more realistically to their environment. So if you move up a staircase with a weapon, the animation will represent it differently than if you are just standing around waiting. The weapon will also move accordingly and will no longer appear as if it were nailed to the camera setting.
Even when you look around or change your viewpoint (not in aim mode, but while moving normally), the weapon animation is detached from your gaze. First, your head turns, so your view, then the weapon follows in a realistic movement.
New reload animations: Especially with the reload animations, a lot has changed. For example, the animation now depends on whether the magazine is full or half-full, or how many rounds remain in the magazine.
The type of the respective magazine also influences the animation. It is said: “We used to never show the transition from one magazine to the next. But now everything is considered physically. If you have an extended magazine or a drum magazine, all movements during each of these reloads are crisp, strong, and aggressive. There is a different feeling of power and it shows how Tier-1 operators handle these weapons.”
Additionally, there is now a kind of tactical reloading. Because you can now reload while in the aim view (in ADS)—a first in the Call of Duty series.
If you previously shot in a series installment and then wanted to reload, the weapon would exit the aim mode and start the reload animation. Only then could you aim at the enemy again. In Modern Warfare 2019, the weapon can remain on target while in the aim view (ADS), allowing you to stay actively engaged in the battle. The sights have also been adjusted in this context so that you can better keep an eye on your surroundings.
The mounting system: The so-called mounting system has already been revealed. This allows you to brace your weapon against objects like walls and door frames. As soon as players are near such a surface, they can use the function. This system and its animation has a significant impact on recoil, making the weapon more stable.
The weapon effects are expected to vary significantly depending on the weapon and caliber. It makes a huge difference whether a wall or an enemy is hit by a caliber-50 projectile or a smaller round.
If enemies are hit by large caliber rounds, they can be thrown backward through the air. Additionally, you can quickly process doors into splinters with larger calibers. Players are expected to feel the power difference distinctly.
Additional particle effects such as sparks, fire, or smoke will also change accordingly with the power of the respective weapon.
The sound
The sound is also expected to contribute to the realism. For instance, it should sound significantly different when firing a weapon outdoors compared to inside a small room. Additionally, weapon attachments like muzzle brakes will also affect the sound of a weapon.
The overall picture
The weapons are intended to be represented as accurately as possible. This includes the animations, effects, and sound. Together, these aspects should ultimately ensure that players feel the power of each individual weapon and notice the differences.
What do you think of these features? Are these important aspects that influence your potential purchase? Or are there other things that matter more to you?
Since Season 2, there is finally a ranked mode in Apex Legends. We explain how it works, how to start it, and how to level up.
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What is the Ranked mode? In ranked games, you advance through different divisions that are supposed to reflect your skill level. The mode is designed to ensure that players of the same skill level can compete against each other, providing more exciting matches.
However, it primarily serves to allow players to measure themselves against each other. Particularly competitive players find it important to see an objective value that indicates how good they are.
With the start of Season 2, the ranked mode that enables this finally arrived. You can read more about what else has changed in Season 2 in our article:
Ranked Games in Apex Legends: Here’s how you can participate
How do I start a Ranked game? You make your selection for Ranked directly on the game screen. Where you could switch between Standard and Training, you will now also find the Ranked – similar to what it was with the Elite Queue for the Hunt Event.
Simply choose before starting the search on the left under your character that you want to start a ranked game. The option should be located far left in the selection.
Who can participate? Anyone who wants to participate in ranked games must reach at least level 10. However, you can join at any time, whether alone, in pairs, or in a trio.
You do not need a Battle Pass or other prerequisites for the mode. However, for games in higher leagues, you will need to pay points.
This is how matchmaking works: Apex Legends tries to match you with teams of similar group strength – but this doesn’t always succeed.
The game level is also always adjusted to the strongest player in the group. So if you play with a significantly stronger player, you might have issues. This is to ensure that no one is completely “carried”.
This is how matches work in the various leagues
What leagues are there? The Ranked mode is divided into six different leagues:
Bronze
Silver
Gold
Platinum
Diamond
Apex Predator
Each of these leagues, except Apex Predator, has four divisions. Division IV is the lowest, and Division I is the highest division. Apex Predator is somewhat like the “Grandmaster” rank, which currently does not have its own leaderboard. That may come in the future.
This is how you level up: During games in the ranked mode, you can earn Ranked Points (RP). You need these to level up. The cost of participation in games varies depending on the ranks:
Bronze (free, everyone starts here)
Silver – 120 RP, games cost 1 RP
Gold – 280 RP, games cost 2 RP
Platinum – 480 RP, games cost 3 RP
Diamond – 720 RP, games cost 4 RP
Apex Predator – 1000 RP, games cost 5 RP
The fee is deducted only after the match – you can negate it with earned points. You earn points by getting kills in games or finishing in higher placements:
1 RP per kill, up to 5 RP per round
Top 10 earns 2 RP
Top 5 earns 4 RP
Top 3 earns 7 RP
A victory earns 12 RP
The placements are not cumulative. Only the highest reward counts. So you can earn a maximum of 17 RP – minus the participation fee.
You earn RP for up to 5 kills.
Can I also drop down? Yes, it is possible to drop to lower divisions within the leagues. If you are playing in Division III and consistently lose, you will drop to Division IV. However, it is not possible to drop between leagues. If you lose in Gold IV, you do not drop back to Silver. This also applies to Apex Predator.
In Division IV, it is also not possible to fall below the required number of RP for participation. You can always participate in a game. However, if you earn fewer or only as many RP as the participation cost, you will not gain any plus and will remain at the same level.
How long does the Season last?
This is how series work: The ranked seasons are called “series” in Apex Legends. The series are independent of the ongoing seasons in Apex Legends. However, the first series coincides with Season 2 and runs until September.
However, this does not always have to coincide, as EA has announced. Exact details will be available at the end of Season 2.
What happens if someone leaves the match?
These penalties exist: Anyone who leaves a match early receives a game penalty. This ranges from five minutes to a week. It increases for each time you leave the game while you could still be saved.
On the other hand, there is also a “loss tolerance”. If a teammate lets you down or an error causes a loss, you will not lose RP due to the deduction of the participation fee. However, the gains and losses still balance each other out.
As an example:
You play a Platinum game and someone leaves the game
You score 2 kills – but are then wiped out
You earn 2 RP for the kills but pay 4 for participation
That would actually be a 2 RP deduction from your account. Instead, you will receive 0 RP
What rewards are there?
This is what you get for Ranked: For participating in ranked games, there are some rewards. Mainly, these are the rank badges that you can wear as badges for each league:
However, the graphic about the leagues also mentions further rewards, such as weapon cosmetics and “Dive Trails”, presumably various light trails when jumping. Other rewards may come in the future.
With a bit of luck, you might even get to try out a new legend in the Ranked Season:
In Fortnite the Fortbyte #52 has now appeared! It can be foundin a robot factory with the spray motif “Bot”. We show you the location.
What is the exact task? This time you must solve the following riddle: “Accessible with the spray motif “Bot” in a robot factory”
We will show you on the Season 9 map where you will find the Fortbyte:
This Fortbyte is located in Pressure Plant
Fortbyte #52: Use the spray motif “Bot” in the robot factory
Here the byte is hidden: As a prerequisite, you need the spray motif “Bot”, which you will receive at level 85 of the Battle Pass. You must equip this and then start the match.
The robot factory is in Pressure Plant. There, Epic is currently building a huge robot. Land in front of the big feet and then go to the right. The Fortbyte is located behind a stair tower. Activate the spray there and you can collect the byte.
Next to the stairs is Fortbyte #52
Watch your surroundings: Bytes are often used for camper spots. They expect easy kills there. So don’t get caught!
This video will help you: Here is a video that shows the location again. This way you will land correctly:
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What are Fortbytes? Since the start of Season 9, these Fortbytes have been in the game. They are electronic puzzle pieces and hidden all over the map. A new byte is added every day.
If you have found 90 of the 100 Fortbytes, the Utopia skin is waiting for you.
The USA is celebrating its National Day these days, and in Red Dead Online, the multiplayer mode of Red Dead Redemption 2, it is also festive. There are some discounts and additional bonuses, as well as free items to grab. Players are already sharing tips on how to use the celebrations to save money in the game in the future.
What is happening in Red Dead Online? This week, Red Dead Online is all about July 4th, Independence Day in the USA. There are some bonuses, discounts, and free items that players can grab from July 2nd to July 8th.
The well-intentioned gesture from the developers has quickly caught the attention of players. Because during the celebration period, there is free gun oil. Clever players are using this to save money in the game in the future.
How are players using this to their advantage? Gun oil is used in Red Dead Redemption 2 and the online mode Red Dead Online to clean one’s weapon. Because after use, the guns get dirty and perform worse over time.
Gun oil can prevent this. This important item can be found in the world of Red Dead Online or purchased from merchants for 1.50 RDO$. The price doesn’t seem too high at first glance, however, money in RDO is very scarce, which means that even 1.50 RDO$ can strain reserves, especially if one needs the oil regularly.
Players in the RDR subreddit are therefore giving a valuable tip to ensure that for the next while, they should be set with gun oil: Use the free gun oil as often as possible and make sure to have as many items on hand as you can carry by the end of the celebrations. This would be 99 pieces of gun oil.
In addition, you can order more items through the catalog and then store them in your mailbox. This would again be 99 gun oil.
What else is there about the celebrations? Besides the free gun oil, there’s also the emote “Respectful Bow” available for free this week. Additionally, there are free red, white, and blue flags for your camp.
