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.
It seems that we might not be able to look forward to multiple Cyberpunk games after all. Only Cyberpunk 2077 is set to release. However, the multiplayer mode is apparently not denied.
However, CD Projekt Red now contradicts the idea of “multiple games in the Cyberpunk universe,” as the English-speaking site PC Gamer reports. They received a message from CD Projekt Red.
This is the reality: There will only be “Cyberpunk 2077” and no further expansions are (currently) planned.
What is CD Projekt RED working on then? Currently, they seem to have several projects in the works, some of which are managed and further developed by existing teams. So currently in development is:
The card game GWENT, which is being further improved
Cyberpunk 2077, which is set to release next year
A team of 40 people is working on “research and development” for Cyberpunk 2077 (here, Bankier.pl referred to the multiplayer mode)
Another team is working on a yet-to-be-announced mobile project
There are no further games in the Cyberpunk universe mentioned.
But maybe some Cyberpunk music will sweeten this news for you?
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How did the mistake occur? It’s hard to say. PC Gamer speaks of a “translation error” by Google Translate.
However, Polish native speakers say: The original article on Bankier.Pl actually states that 40 people are working on the multiplayer mode for Cyberpunk 2077. It says so in the text, although CD Projekt Red does not specifically mention the multiplayer mode in their statement.
There have been contradictory statements in the past regarding the multiplayer mode in Cyberpunk 2077.
If you want more information about Cyberpunk 2077, you should also take a look at the following articles:
The Elder Scrolls
Online offers in the new DLC Scalebreaker two new dungeons full of dragons. However, for many fans, that is not the highlight. Instead, they are looking forward to Update 23 and the upcoming comfort features.
But even more interesting for many fans is the free Update 23, which comes along with Scalebreaker . It includes the following features:
You can craft multiple items simultaneously
You can submit multiple bids for trading posts as a trade guild
You can now use the Undaunted keys to directly obtain monster outfits
When will Scalebreaker and Update 23 be released? The two updates for ESO will be released simultaneously in August 2019. However, ZeniMax has not yet been able to provide us with a specific date.
What is the cost? Update 23 is free; it is available to all ESO players. Scalebreaker, on the other hand, must be purchased separately with crowns in the shop.
It is expected to cost again 1,500 crowns (approximately 13 euros). However, those who have an ESO Plus subscription can play it for free during the subscription validity and keep all the achievements and treasures obtained there.
Details of the contents of Scalebreaker
The dragon story is nice and pleasant for many fans, but the free features from Update 23 are the true highlight for many.
How crafting will change
How bad crafting has been so far: Because crafting was not only a hassle for your hero in the game. It was also a tedious and sweaty toil for the player, until a whole inventory full of stuff was processed or a huge number of items for the daily crafting quests were manufactured. A lot of time was spent that could have been better spent on quests, PvP, or dungeons.
Thanks to the planned new feature for multiple crafting, everything should become much faster soon.
All about the new guild trading
How guild trading will change: Soon, you will be able to bid with your guild for up to ten different locations for the guild trader per week. The location with the highest bid has priority.
If you are unable to secure this bid, the system will go through your other bids. This way, you should ensure that you and your guild will get a desired trading location more easily.
Information about the Undaunted
How rewards for the Undaunted will improve: The Undaunted are a faction that regularly sends you into dungeons. For this, you receive keys with which you can open chests full of cool loot.
However, until now you had to return to the Undaunted’s camp every time, and the loot was heavily dependent on chance.
That will soon change, because with Update 23 you can now also receive the chest immediately from the quest giver of the Undaunted, which will appear much more frequently in the game world. Thus, the trip to the camp is finally eliminated.
Even better is that you can use your collected keys for specific chests from certain dungeon combinations. They will preferentially contain loot from the specified dungeons.
If you want a specific monster shoulder set, you can get it directly for a large amount of keys and kick the RNG completely. However, monster helmets are still only available as dungeon loot.
What’s in the new dungeons
In addition to the popular changes from Update 23, the two new dungeons from the Scalebreaker DLC are also interesting:
Moongrave Temple City: Here, vampires have slain a dragon. However, instead of killing the beast and honestly claiming its loot, they want to siphon the creature and become super dragon blood killer vampires. Nobody really wants that, so you should quickly go to the temple city, beat the bloodsuckers, and “save” the dragon.
Hoard of Maarselok: Here, a lively dragon has established itself in the Tenmar jungle and is tainting the Elden root tree of the wood elves in the nearby Grahtwood from there. You must prevent this, so you need to go into the dragon’s hoard to stop him from poisoning the tree.
In the dungeons, there are again new item sets and collectibles, including even a new companion.
Mordhau currently has a big problem with a toxic community. The solution for this was already planned – but now it seems to be getting derailed. What is going on?
This is the problem: Mordhau has seen enormous success in a short time and attracted thousands of players. However, some players are apparently leaving Mordhau because they find the community too toxic. A report from PCGamer makes it quite clear what this problem looks like in concrete terms.
In the forums, the chat, reddit, and also Discord of Mordhau, toxic comments keep appearing that are not being deleted. The developers say they do not want to censor.
This post was a bone of contention. Image source: PCGamer.
However, the behavior of the community is causing some players to turn away from the game. A post on reddit is titled: “There is so much rampant racism in this game that makes me not want to play Mordhau”.
What do “white men” have to do with it?
These options are planned: Mordhau was supposed to receive adjustments for the character editor, which would also allow creating builds. Currently, every mercenary is a white male. But women and other ethnicities are also planned.
This caused controversy in the community – as it would not be historically accurate and does not fit the setting. A similar problem was already faced by Battlefield 5, where fighting women were also criticized. One player wrote:
When you’re done adding women and N******, can you bring in Orcs and Hobbits too? It shouldn’t be historically accurate anyway… Do you see how this damned slippery slope has ruined everything?
Quote via PCGamer
This should be the solution: One approach from the developers was that the decision should be “put in the hands of the players”, according to the interview with PCGamer, as the team would only make the wrong decision anyway:
No matter what position we officially take, some groups will always be offended. Ideally, we put the power in the hands of the players and let them decide for themselves whether to enable or disable certain things.
This has already happened with the ability to mute players in the game for oneself. According to PCGamer, this should also extend to the option of hiding other ethnicities and women. There should be an option to only see “white men”.
The developers’ response
This is what the developers are saying now: The idea of such an option is, according to the interview, still up for discussion, but it is not “set in stone.” It depends on the community and the future.
However, in a recent tweet, it now states that this option is neither planned nor will it ever come. There are no plans “to hide characters that are not white in Mordhau, now or in the future. All reports claiming otherwise are false”.
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However, the developers still seem to stand behind the plan to bring more customization options. These should be done properly and should not just be a “band-aid”. They would come with a comprehensive update.
Mordhau is currently dealing with similar problems as those that Chivalry faced. An irony, given the development of the game:
In Destiny 2, the Lumina quest is live. In this guide, we show you how to first obtain the Rose and then the new exotic hand cannon Lumina. You will also find important chest locations, such as at Shaft 13 in the EDZ or at Keres’s Ridge.
However, before you can finally call the new shooter’s your own, you need to obtain the quest, earn the legendary hand cannon Rose, and master many additional steps. We explain what you need to do for the Lumina.
Like with Thorn: How to find and start the Lumina quest in the EDZ
If you already have the Thorn, the location where the Lumina quest begins should be familiar to you. It starts in the same abandoned camp as the quest for the “Gift Injector” – just not at the campfire, but in a chest a few meters away.
Here’s how to get the quest: Head to the Trostland area in the EDZ on Earth.
After spawning, run north (up on the map) into the salt mines. Enter the saltworks, proceed until you reach the broken elevator next to which you will find a teleporter. Use it.
Once you have emerged outdoors, run up the hill until you reach an energy barrier. Then, keep left along the rock wall and jump through the small passage. You’ll already be at the abandoned camp.
Continue straight until you reach the rock wall, where you will find a distinctive chest. Open it to receive the Lumina quest (exotic) along with a system positioning device (legendary).
You can see the path again in the video:
https://youtu.be/PgtzkReVboU
Finding Thorn – All Possible Chest Locations
After you’ve obtained the quest, you now need to find the original Thorn. It can be obtained from a chest or a safe, but their locations change hourly.
You can see where to go when you take a closer look at the positioning device under the quests. There are a total of 8 possible locations.
All 8 can be found in the video guide to Lumina by Nexxoss Gaming. We have marked the corresponding locations for you with timestamps so you can quickly and conveniently find your desired location:
Once you’ve opened the corresponding chest, the next quest step will be available.
Generate Orbs in Any Activities – Here’s How to Get the Rose
Now you need to generate a total of 250 Orbs of Light. It sounds like a lot, but it’s actually quick to accomplish.
Use your Super and Masterwork weapons and simply run Strikes, the Blind Well, or the Escalation Protocol – preferably with friends. Because if allies are nearby who generate Orbs, it will count towards your total.
When you’re done, you will receive the legendary hand cannon Rose along with further quest steps.
“Rose, Revealed” – Restore the Perks of Rose
Now you have Rose and should restore its perks for further progression in the exotic quest. To do this, you need to master the following three tasks:
Defend the Light: Here you should defeat enemies in quick succession without reloading. You need to achieve 100 streaks.
If you kill two enemies in a row without reloading, you will earn a streak. The more enemies you kill, the more progress you make.
Face the Hordes: Complete a total of 35 encounters in the Blind Well, the forges of the Black Armory, or in the Escalation Protocol.
In the Escalation Protocol, you earn 1 point per wave, while you earn 3 points for the final boss.
In the forges, you receive 1 point per wave and 2 points for the boss at the end. (4 points per forge run).
In the Well, you earn 1 point per section on tier III and another 3 for the heroic boss.
If you play in a fireteam, it is probably fastest in the Well – especially when you encounter more players there. If you play alone, the forges are the best choice since they feature matchmaking.
Consolidation: Here you need to complete a Nightfall strike with at least 50,000 points. Set the appropriate modifiers and an acceptable power penalty via the challenge card “5 of Swords” (available from Xur) and run the strike with your friends. The score should be easily manageable.
Once you have completed these three tasks, the exotic quest continues, and you will receive the next step.
Fireteam Leader – Complete Activities with Rose
Now, you must complete activities across the solar system while having the Rose equipped that you previously obtained. If you play in a fireteam with other players who are also using Rose, you will gain more or faster progress. However, it is also feasible to accomplish this task solo with dedication and time.
Strikes will give 12% progress in a team with three Rose users.
The Menagerie contributes 25% or even 35% to your progress, depending on how many players have Rose equipped.
Once you have completed this step, the Lumina quest will continue.
Generate Orbs, Score Kills with Hand Cannons, Prevent Invasions in Gambit
The step “In Numbers There is Strength” may be the most exhausting and frustrating – especially if you don’t enjoy PvP or Gambit. This presents you with three new tasks:
You need to generate 50 Orbs for other Guardians. How and where you do this is absolutely irrelevant.
You need to defeat other Guardians in the Crucible with hand cannon kills – using a fireteam. You cannot avoid PvP. It does not matter which hand cannon you use; it does not have to be Rose. Additionally, hand cannon kills by your fireteam members will also count towards progress.
You need to prevent an invasion in Gambit or Gambit Prime by killing a single invader. But there are some conditions to consider. You apparently need the medal “Not on my Watch”, which means you must eliminate the invader within 10 seconds of their entry and they must not have killed any of your teammates yet. Warning: Only the player who gets the finishing blow on the invader receives progress, not the entire team! You are not required to kill the invader with a hand cannon.
Bloom – Destroy Crystals in the “Wille der Tausenden” Strike and Kill Xol
Now you must play the “Wille der Tausenden” strike while equipped with the Rose. You are to extract lost light from Hive crystals and take down the worm god Xol, the final boss. You must complete this step in a single run.
The locations of the crystals can be found here – you need only 11 of them:
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Once you’ve accomplished this, you will finally receive the new exotic hand cannon Lumina.
2 Tips to Conclude
The community has already been experimenting with Rose and Lumina and have discovered some cool things.
For Rose Lovers: If you draw the legendary hand cannon Rose from your collection after obtaining Lumina, it will come with a mod slot, a shader slot, and range as a masterwork stat.
For Support Role: Lumina’s Noble Rounds trigger the Warlock class perk Benevolent Dawn when using the Grace. This allows you to fully focus on the support role.
Hatching eggs in Pokémon GO is always a matter of luck, but currently, you have a good chance of getting a Shiny from the 7 km eggs. We will tell you why.
This is new with the eggs: Since the event start for the 3rd anniversary of Pokémon GO, all Alola Pokémon are available as Shiny. This includes the Alola Pokémon that can be obtained from the 7 km eggs.
So now you have additional Shinies in the eggs. Looking at the egg pool, the 7 km eggs are currently extremely worthwhile.
How good is the Pokémon pool of the 7 km eggs
What’s inside the eggs? Here is a list of all Pokémon that are in the 7 km eggs. We will also note whether they can be Shiny or not.
Pokémon
Can it be Shiny?
Alola Sandshrew
Yes
Alola Vulpix
Yes
Alola Diglett
Yes
Alola Meowth
Yes
Alola Geodude
Yes
Alola Grimer
Yes
Pichu
Yes
Cleffa
Yes
Swablu
Yes
Togepi
Yes
Ralts
No
Chingling
Yes
Elekid
Yes
Magby
Yes
Azurill
Yes
Snorunt
Yes
Budew
Yes
Drifloon
No
Roggenrola
No
Darumaka
No
Sandygast
No
Riolu
No
Stunfisk
No
What can we conclude from this? A total of 16 out of 23 Pokémon in the 7 km eggs can be Shiny. So, in most cases, you will hatch a Pokémon that can also be Shiny.
Moreover, the Pokémon that cannot be Shiny are significantly rarer in the eggs according to TheSilphRoad. Percentage-wise, you will mainly hatch Pichu, Alola Grimer, and Alola Sandshrew. All of which are possible Shinies.
That’s why the 7 km eggs are even more worthwhile: Another factor that speaks for the 7 km eggs is the Pokémon pool of the other eggs.
While there are some Shinies in the 2 km and 5 km eggs, they also contain many other Pokémon. Additionally, these eggs often have many common Shinies, such as the starter Pokémon or Swablu. In contrast, the 7 km eggs contain Pokémon that you can only find there and cannot catch in the wild.
The 10 km eggs are also disappointing for many players. Riolu and Wailmer are only very rarely found in these eggs, and often monsters like Porygon, Dratini, or Trapinch are hatched. Most players have already had enough candies of these.
How likely are Shinies from eggs? Baby Pokémon have about a probability of 1 in 50 from the eggs. Normal Pokémon should also have their normal probability in eggs, meaning 1 in 70 or 1 in 450.
There are still no exact data on the Alola Pokémon. However, it looks like the rate may be slightly increased.
How likely are the other Alola Pokémon to be Shiny? You can find out here:
The many complaints from WoW: Classic fans have apparently paid off. WoW: Classic will indeed have German realms!
When Blizzard announced a few weeks ago that there would only be European servers for World of Warcraft Classic, the uproar was huge. For many German and French fans, this was the end of Classic.
But now there is good news. WoW Classic will indeed have German realms!
What was said? The community manager Toschayju spoke up in the German forum and explained that Blizzard is grateful for the great interest in Classic and the “passionate feedback”. It further states:
After further review and consideration of your feedback, we will launch WoW Classic in Europe with German and French realms in addition to the English and Russian realms. This way, European WoW Classic players who wish to communicate with others in German or French can do so from day one in those languages.
Final stress test brings German realms: Blizzard is doing everything possible to make the German and French realms available from the first day of WoW Classic’s release. Already during the final stress test, which will take place a few days before the launch, the German and French servers are expected to be available.
How many realms will there be? The exact number of realms is not yet known. However, Blizzard plans to announce more details before the start of name reservations on August 13.
What do you think about Blizzard’s change of heart and the fulfillment of the fans’ wishes? A great decision or have they caved in without reason?
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.
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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.
