Valve’s “Auto Chess” Dota Underlords is entering the next phase of beta. Players on PC, iOS, and Android can now play for free in the open beta. MeinMMO reveals what’s included and how you can participate.
How do I start the open beta? If you want to play Dota Underlords in the open beta, you need a PC (Mac, Windows, or Linux) or a mobile device with iOS or Android. You can find the corresponding downloads:
Does it cost anything? No, the open beta is free. Unlike the closed beta of Dota Underlords, you do not need a Battle Pass from Dota 2 to play. Also, Dota 2 itself is no longer necessary; Dota Underlords is standalone.
What’s in the open beta?
These features are offered by Dota Underlords: The open beta of Dota Underlords offers several features, many of which are newly added:
Many different heroes to build your team
Ranked matches and leaderboards for the best players
private lobbies for tournaments
offline game mode
In addition, there are some features such as different Underlords to enhance your playstyle, seasonal rotations, and a battle pass that are still in development.
Is there crossplay? Yes, there will be crossplay between PC, iOS, and Android. PC players and mobile players can compete against each other.
What is Auto Chess?
This is how an autobattler works: A huge hype has erupted around “Auto Chess” since it appeared as a mod for Dota 2. Now Valve itself is working on a project with Dota Underlords, and competitors like Riot are also creating their own version with Teamfight Tactics.
Teamfight Tactics, the autobattler from LoL developer Riot.
In autobattlers, you assemble teams of heroes and position them on the battlefield. They then battle against an opponent’s setup (in PvP or PvE) and fight automatically.
Whoever wins the fight can deal damage to the opposing “commander.” Whether Dota Underlords will establish itself as strongly as the competition remains to be seen:
Today, on June 21, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite was released in the USA and UK. However, even in Germany, you can already test the game before the release. MeinMMO reveals how to do it.
Here is the status on Wizards Unite: After the game was tested in a beta version by Niantic, the maker of Pokémon GO, in New Zealand and Australia, the worldwide launch is now on the horizon.
Play Wizards Unite before the release in Germany – Here’s how
Here’s how to join: There is already an APK version of the game, which you can download here in Germany. This allows you to play Wizards Unite even before the official release in Germany. However, it must be noted that it is not officially from the Play Store. The developers certainly do not support such versions.
For Apple users, it is a bit more complicated. You need to have an English Apple ID to subsequently download the game from the Apple Store.
The first player experiences can be made with the APK file
What can the APK do? The APK version is really just for testing, as you can only play the tutorial initially and have the first magical encounter there.
After the introduction, you can look around on the game map and roam around just like in Pokémon GO. However, you won’t find anything here since no Points of Interest are activated in Germany yet.
These are only activated in the currently available regions. So if you are currently in the USA or Great Britain, you will also find them there. The locations are very similar to PokéStops and Gyms in Pokémon GO since the same data was used for them.
If you want to know what you can test there, check out the video from YouTuber “Hong & Friends”. He showcases all the possibilities with the APK:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEU5q2l0brU
When will it start in Germany? The developers are currently keeping this under wraps. However, it shouldn’t take much longer, if you compare it to Pokémon GO.
There, the game was also initially released in certain regions, and just a few days later, Germany was able to join in.
In 2018, the Pro-Am of Fortnite was the most-watched event on Twitch. In 2019, the event lost 72% of its concurrent viewers, and Fortnite dropped against League of Legends on Twitch. We ask: Is the hype around Fortnite over?
This was the Pro-Am tournament: The tournament took place the weekend after E3 right in Los Angeles. At E3 itself, Fortnite hardly played a role; they wanted to celebrate their own party afterward.
In the Pro-Am, there were:
50 popular Fortnite players known from Twitch or YouTube
and 50 “stars or starlets” from the world of music, sports, or TV and films
They formed 50 duos and played for a good cause for 3 million US dollars.
The months with the “highest viewer counts at peak” on Twitch. Source: Githyp
So were the Twitch numbers:
2018 was the Pro-Am the biggest event on Twitch with 1.5 million viewers at peak. That brought Fortnite far ahead at the time
2019 had the tournament at peak merely 472,000 viewers on Twitch
You can see from the numbers that the event in 2018 was a real outlier. Nothing came anywhere near it.
How important was the tournament for Epic: The Pro-Am tournament of Fortnite was heavily promoted by Epic. For weeks, the listing of the top players came through the Twitter channel.
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Fortnite is no longer fresh – in July 2018, Fortnite was pretty much at its peak after the “Drake/Ninja” phenomenon. Many rediscovered the game for themselves. That huge hype has been gone for a while. The shooter is no longer “the hot new thing.”
Air has gone out a bit – Fortnite is still an enormous game but is no longer the pop culture phenomenon it was a year ago. This is also due to the relatively weaker seasons recently. The air is a little out in 2019.
At Christmas 2018, Fortnite really turned up – since then it has rather quieted down.
Streamer fatigue – the Pro-Am tournament relies on streamers exciting their audience and getting them to watch. However, they have been doing this continuously for a year and a half. Eventually, it wears off.
Not important enough for streamers – The tournament does not hold the prestige for streamers as other more prestigious events. It is more of a “Fortnite” thing and not something beneficial to their own brand. This was evidently seen when Tfue and Ninja wanted to drop out beforehand to play the WM qualifier instead.
Event oversaturation – in 2018, there were hardly any “Fortnite events.” The Pro-Am at that time was the 1st real tournament. In 2019, the WM qualification runs every week. For many viewers, it is significantly more exciting to follow their streamer there than at a fun event in LA.
In this showdown, the “streamers and YouTubers” are fully in focus, as they energize their fans.
However, Fortnite Friday is not about “peak viewers on Twitch”; they rather focus on a long evening across all platforms.
The format, however, apparently still works very well, even better than in 2018, because there are now many more content creators with huge fanbases than before.
Last year, they teamed Marshmello with Ninja, who was probably the biggest star among the “non-players.”
Fortnite does not need stars from pop culture
This is shown by the event: The appeal of the celebrities that Epic invited to the Pro-Am seems limited.
Fortnite does not need “other stars from music and pop culture” – the real stars of the gaming world are content creators like Ninja, Tfue, or Myth.
People would probably rather see Ninja and Tfue on a team than Ninja and a football player.
Even though the “Drake moment” was a huge deal for Fortnite, it is hard to replicate that with any random celebrities from the 2nd or 3rd tier.
This is Drake. His stream with Ninja brought Fortnite into the mainstream in 2018.
The comparatively weak Pro-Am tournament in 2018 is therefore not necessarily a Fortnite problem, but also a specific problem of this format.
The question is whether the Fortnite World Cup will actually bring in more viewers.
Because although the best players are playing against each other, they are not the most popular.
What could Fortnite do? If Fortnite wants to achieve maximum Twitch numbers, they probably need to hold more “showdowns” like Fortnite Friday to maximize the hype.
But Fortnite currently lacks impulses and new ideas. The level of changes in Fortnite was so high in 2018 due to things like the hidden story, that “normal” is now perceived as “weak.”
Is the Fortnite hype over? No, it is not over. But it is also no longer at the level it was in 2018.
It is becoming increasingly difficult for Epic to maintain the hype. What worked in 2018 may not be successful in 2019.
You could see that streamers, viewers, and players yearn for variety – after 15 months of continuous Fortnite hype, the air is out. A natural process.
What is important for Fortnite now is to showcase the entertainment potential of their best streamers – they currently seem to struggle with that.
In the current Iron Banner at Destiny 2 , you can acquire an absolute super weapon: the legendary grenade launcher Swarm of the Raven. The weapon belongs to the absolute DPS beasts and you only have until the next reset on Tuesday evening to get your hands on Swarm of the Raven.
Which weapon is it? In the first Iron Banner of Season 7, you can currently grab a true super weapon: Swarm of the Raven. The weapon was introduced in Season 4 and has now become a true damage monster thanks to numerous positive changes to grenade launchers.
However, players should also pay attention to a special perk: Precision grenades. Because with this perk, grenades from the weapon deal increased damage on direct hits.
The item of desire: the Swarm of the Raven
Other good perks for the Swarm of the Raven are as follows:
Hard Shots – Increases projectile speed
Ready for Anything –Larger ammo reserves and bonuses while crouched
Quick Draw – The weapon readies faster
Here’s how to get the Swarm of the Raven: You obtain this legendary grenade launcher in the Iron Banner as a random drop after matches or from reputation packages at Lord Saladin – so in exchange for tokens.
If you want to increase your chances of getting the Swarm of the Raven, you should wait to redeem the new armor quests at Lord Saladin. Because in Season 7 you have to complete a quest for each armor piece in the Iron Banner before you can receive the pieces after matches and reputation gains.
However, each additional armor piece also increases the loot pool. The chance of getting the Swarm of the Raven is therefore higher if you have not unlocked all armor pieces yet.
Here’s how to use the weapon: Swarm of the Raven deals Void damage and is therefore especially good in combination with the buff from the Tractor Cannon, which increases Void damage by an additional 50%. If you then couple that with the Well of Radiance from Warlocks or the Solar debuff from Titans, you will have bosses melting away with the Swarm of the Raven.
Have you already gotten the Swarm of the Raven? Or is there another weapon that is your DPS favorite?
Rainbow Six Quarantine will soon hold a beta. Accordingly, they have now opened the portals for you to register there. We will tell you how to get involved.
What is Rainbow Six Quarantine? This is the spin-off of the classic Rainbow Six Siege. First insights were given during the E3 this year. It is supposed to revolve around viruses and inhuman beings that attack humanity.
The first beta is expected to start soon, as registration for Rainbow Six Quarantine is now online. We show you how you can participate.
How to participate in the first beta
Where can you register? On the official website of the game you can now sign up for the beta. In a few steps, you can register:
Choose between PC, PS4, and Xbox One
Click on “Register now”
Log in via UPlay or create an account
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When does the beta start? This is currently not known. The release of Rainbow Six Quarantine is scheduled for spring 2020, so the beta will take place sometime in between.
What will the game offer? There is still not much information about the Siege spin-off. So far, two trailers have been released, which suggest a lot. It will likely revolve around viruses that attack the body and inhuman beings that cause fear and terror. At least that is what the first trailers suggest.
Otherwise, Rainbow Six Quarantine is supposed to be a PvE shooter that you can play cooperatively. Up to 3 players are supposed to be able to play together.
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The developers reveal that elements from Rainbow Six Siege will also be used. Additionally, the game is said to resemble the Outbreak event from Siege. This was a cooperative mode where you had to fight against zombies.
Besides all the gameplay elements, characters from Rainbow Six Siege are also expected to return. In the gameplay trailer, you can see Ela and Vigil from Siege. So, some familiar faces are likely to play a role.
What do you think of Rainbow Six Quarantine? Will you participate in the beta?
Monster Hunter World will receive the major expansion Iceborne in 2019 – the release for PS4 and Xbox One is September 6. The PC version will come later.We have compiled all known details about the release, beta, price, scope, monsters, and gameplay.
What is Iceborne? The paid DLC will expand the base game of Monster Hunter World. Iceborne provides the action RPG with a large amount of new content, such as a winter map and new monsters.
Are there prerequisites for Iceborne? Yes.
You must own the base game
You must have reached Hunter Rank 16 and completed the story campaign of the base game.
This article was written on January 7, 2019, and updated on June 20 with new information.
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Like Monster Hunter World itself, the expansion will also have a staggered release date between the consoles and the PC.
When is the release for PS4 and Xbox One? Iceborne is set to release on September 6, 2019 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
When will Iceborne come to PC? PC players will have to wait longer for Iceborne. Currently, a PC release is aimed for Winter 2019.
Is there a beta for Iceborne?
It will be possible to test the Iceborne DLC during two beta phases.
Who can participate in the beta?The beta is exclusive to PS4. There will be no beta phase for Xbox One. This was already the case at the release of Monster Hunter World.
Do I need the base game for the beta? No. You can simply download the beta from the PS Store, even without the base game.
When are the betas for Iceborne?
From June 21 to June 24 (accessible only with PS Plus)
And from June 28 to July 1 (accessible for all PS4 players)
Start and end of the test are at 12 noon our time.
What is the content of the beta? There are three hunting quests where you will encounter three monsters:
You can play any of the 14 weapon classes and use the new Clutch Claw. The claw is a type of grappling hook that allows you to hold onto monsters and pull yourself towards them.
Banbaro is a new monster for the franchise that you can hunt in the beta.
Costs of Iceborne
What is the price of the DLC? Iceborne costs €39.99 without bonuses, if you already own the base game.
The price applies to consoles. What the price of Iceborne will be on PC is still unknown. However, it is likely to be similar.
What versions of Iceborne are available: The expansion will be sold as a standalone DLC. There is also the Master Edition, a complete package that includes Monster Hunter World as the base game and the expansion:
Iceborne DLC without bonuses (€39.99)
Master Edition: Iceborne + Monster Hunter World (€59.99)
Digital Deluxe Edition: Iceborne + bonus content (€49.99)
Pre-order Iceborne: It is already possible to pre-order the Master Edition: Iceborne for PS4 and Xbox One. For PC, this is not yet possible.
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The Deluxe Edition
Scope of Iceborne – New Areas, Campaign, and Monsters
What is the scope of Iceborne? The size of Iceborne is said to be comparable to the base game itself. The developers equate the scope with an “Ultimate Version” of previous titles. See the comparison to Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate.
What we know about the new map: The winter map (Hoarfrost Reach) will be the largest area in Monster Hunter World to date.
The new area will not be fully available to you immediately. You will have to unlock the Hoarfrost Reach during the DLC campaign. This will occur around the halfway point of the story.
Since there is a deep winter in Hoarfrost Reach, hunters will lose their stamina faster here. You will need hot drinks to protect yourself from the cold. The region also has hot springs where you can warm up if necessary. This is similar to the hot areas and cold drinks against the heat.
There is also a new base called Seliana, where you can craft and manage your equipment.
The following post links to a trailer that introduces Hoarfrost Reach:
The Elder Dragon will be the flagship of Iceborne and will adorn the cover image. It will have icy attacks.
Velkhana is on the cover of Iceborne, making it the “flagship monster” of the DLC
Banbaro
This monster is like a bulldozer, charging forward with its massive horns. It is capable of pushing large stones and throwing them at hunters.
Banbaro is a battle wyvern that throws boulders at you.
Beotodus
This monster resembles the Jyuratodus and slithers through the snow. It remains hidden and attacks suddenly from the snow.
Beotodus swims through the snow and is one of the first large monsters you will encounter in Iceborne.
Nargacuga
This fan-favorite has appeared in older games and behaves like an agile panther. Nargacuga attacks swiftly and can glide quickly with its wings.
Nargacuga has appeared in older parts of the franchise and is a big fan favorite.
Tigrex
This monster offers a particularly challenging fight and many players are looking forward to Tigrex. The powerful jaws and the monster’s roars are especially dangerous.
What small monsters are there? Capcom has already revealed two small monsters that come with Iceborne. Small monsters do not pose a great threat to hunters.
Cortos
Cortos are small flying dragons making their first appearance with Iceborne.
Popo
Popo are gentle monsters that travel in herds. They resemble Aptonoth.
Leak Speculation: Will Oroshi Kirin and Alatreon Come? Among the monsters associated with the ice element are the Alatreon and Oroshi Kirin. These are the only monsters still missing from an old monster leak that was released before the launch of Monster Hunter World. You can find the complete leak on Imgur.
Since this leak has been right about every monster so far, the likelihood that Alatreon and Oroshi Kirin could come with Iceborne to Monster Hunter World is increasing.
Oroshi Kirin is an ice variant of the regular Kirin and would fit perfectly with Iceborne.
What We Know About Gameplay in Iceborne
Capcom has expanded and optimized the gameplay with Iceborne. For example, there are new tools or new moves for the weapons.
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With the Great Sword, you can now execute a charged power shot with the slinger.
Those using the dual blades can fire powerful shots while dodging.
The light bowgun receives a new evade-load maneuver.
New weapon design: It is not entirely clear if Capcom will bring a completely new weapon to Iceborne. However, Capcom allowed the community to vote on which fan weapon design should come to Iceborne via a poll.
A new Clutch Claw: The grappling hook allows hunters to directly grapple onto monsters. The claw can be combined with weapons, resulting in new moves.
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You can ride small monsters: With the new feature “Raider Riders,” you can jump on small monsters and ride them. However, you cannot control the monsters like mounts. Instead, you call them like a taxi that takes you to a specific point on the map.
This is the new Master Rank: In Iceborne, there is no G-Rank, instead, the new Master Rank is introduced. Essentially, it is just a different designation for G-Rank.
The Master Rank will then be the highest level of Hunter Rank for Monster Hunter World. The higher the rank, the more difficult quests hunters can undertake. The Master Rank is a further increase from battle-hardened monsters.
What new content can we expect? Just like with the base game of Monster Hunter World, Iceborne will also be supported with new updates for a long time. In Monster Hunter World, new monsters such as the Daemonjho or the Kulve Taroth were introduced later. There are also regular events that bring new armor and weapons.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
On June 25, the Closed Beta of the new MMORPG Astellia begins, and we will show you how you can participate.
What is Astellia? The MMORPG immerses you in a vast fantasy world. There, you complete quests, improve your hero, and fight alongside friends against numerous monsters. You will be assisted by the so-called Astells.
The Astells are a type of pets that you collect. As you can improve your Astells, they will become useful companions over time.
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When does the Closed Beta begin? The developer studio Barunson allows selected players to take a look at the theme park MMORPG between June 25 and July 1. However, the beta will take place on US servers.
Here’s how you can participate: There are two ways for you to participate in the Closed Beta of Astellia:
Sign up on the official website. With a bit of luck, you will be selected and can join the game.
Additionally, we will soon offer you a chance to get Closed Beta keys through a giveaway. Keep an eye on our website!
What does the Founder Pack contain? The Legendary Package includes the following items:
Norden’s Favor (30 Days) X1
Beeswax Token (Heroic) X5
Cobalt Blue Rota (Rare)
Scroll of Exploration x5
Character Slot Expansion
Special Production Mount – Limited Edition
Equipment Skin Box – Limited Edition
Ring of Exploration
Warehouse Expansion +100
A 7-day head start at release
Name reservation for your hero
First Insights into the New MMORPG
What is the purpose of the Closed Beta? With the closed testing phase for Astellia, the team aims to test some elements of the MMORPG before launch and gather player feedback.
Server performance will be tested.
The PvE progress needs to be checked to see if the balancing is correct.
Player data will be collected to help the team plan future content.
It needs to be evaluated how players actually play, which systems they use, which are not welcomed, and whether the dungeons need optimizing.
The Korean tutorial must be adapted for Western players. The Closed Beta should assist with this.
What can you play? You will have access to the game in its basic form. You will complete quests, fight, and experience group content such as dungeons.
You will be allowed to test the revamped combat system, where active dodging is now possible.
You will see the improved animations.
An in-game wiki can be used.
A special NPC levels you up to level 50, so you can also try high-level content during the five days of the beta. However, you need to reach level 10 first.
When does the download start? All those who received beta access, whether through the selection process or the purchase of the Legendary Package, should have received a download link for the client by now. You can already start the pre-load. However, you may only play from June 25.
Will there be a wipe after the beta? Yes, the developers have stated that all character progress will be deleted after the end of the Closed Beta.
Will there be reports from the beta? There is no mention of the Closed Beta of Astellia being subject to an NDA. This means we can probably expect many reports and impressions from the test phase.
Are you also participating in the Closed Beta of Astellia? What are your expectations for the new MMORPG?
Crossplay is a big topic among gamers. Many hope for the possibility of players on Playstation 4 and Xbox One to play with those on PC in the MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online. Zenimax has now commented on this.
What do ESO players wish for? So far, owners of the PC version of the MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online play among themselves, just like those on PS4 and Xbox One.
An MMORPG thrives on having a large number of players. Therefore, many ESO fans wish for crossplay between consoles and PC. It would be interesting to wander through the desert of the new Elsweyr addon together with all players.
Crossplay is a big topic
Would crossplay be an option? More and more games are offering the option to play together, regardless of platform. Destiny 2 wants to enable this, for example. Technically, it is quite possible – as long as Microsoft and Sony can agree.
It becomes problematic with the servers. The more players play together, the more the server is loaded. And ESO already has very many players, which sometimes brings the servers to their knees. Therefore, the capacity would have to be significantly increased.
PC players are using mouse and keyboard, console players are using the controller. This is problematic in fast action games like shooters, as aiming is more accurate with a mouse and keyboard than with a controller. However, in a slower MMORPG, this is less of an issue. Therefore, crossplay should work well.
No crossplay for ESO planned at the moment
What do the developers say about crossplay? Rich Lambert, Creative Director of The Elder Scrolls Online, mentioned during E3 that crossplay is currently not planned. ESO’s roadmap does not currently include this feature.
Why is there still hope? Rich Lambert also explained that the team is aware of how much players desire this feature. Additionally, the team knows that crossplay is becoming an increasingly important topic.
Therefore, it is conceivable that at some point it will be possible for all ESO players to experience adventures together, regardless of the platform they are playing on. However, this will likely take some time.
In an interview, Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson recently spoke about Anthem. The action RPG is currently not what EA and players had envisioned. However, the core of the game is so appealing that BioWare and EA will continue to support it.
Who is it about? In a detailed interview, Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson spoke about the rocky launch of Anthem, among other things.
In his opinion, the biggest challenge of the game was to bring together two different groups of players:
Players who love traditional BioWare stories
Players who lean more towards action-adventure
BioWare fans expected something more along the lines of Dragon Age or Mass Effect. While players who enjoy third-person shooters loved flying in Anthem, they found that after a while, they had nothing to do in the game with their friends.
Wilson says that the different player groups targeted with Anthem had different complaints:
“I am used to 100 hours of story from a BioWare game, and I am not getting that.”
“The promise was that we could play together, and that’s not working very well.”
“I expected to make significant progress in the action part of the game, just like I did in Destiny, and it doesn’t feel like that.”
However, EA did not give up on Star Wars Battlefront 2 before and would also give BioWare the time needed to address the issues with Anthem.
Anthem can become something great
What does EA say about Anthem? Wilson believes that, in the case of Anthem’s misalignment, one must remain committed to both the game and the audience. This includes fans who desire a traditional BioWare experience. At the same time, all EA brands need to grow because the market and players are becoming more mature.
„If we believed that the world [of Anthem] was not appealing to people at its core, if we believed that the characters were not appealing to people, or the Javelin suits were not appealing. Or if we believed that it wasn’t appealing to explore the world and be part of the world or if we hadn’t promised our players anything … we probably wouldn’t continue to invest.”
Andrew Wilson
But a franchise could run for seven to ten years, and when he thinks of Anthem in such a timeframe, it may have had a different start than EA, the developers, and players had hoped.
But Andrew Wilson feels that BioWare can transform Anthem into something great and special because they have already shown that they can.
In April, an insider report from journalist Jason Schreier shed a grim light on the development of Anthem. Instead of seven years of development time, the game reportedly only came together in the last 18 months before release.
Pokémon GO has confirmed another Pokémon for the Dortmund GO Fest! More Koknodon will be appearing on the grounds. But what else?
Niantic announced: The developers announced via Twitter that Koknodon will spawn on the grounds. Currently, this Pokémon is particularly rare, so it’s good that it will be more common there.
At the GO Fest in Chicago, Koknodon did not appear in large numbers, so one could say this is a small advantage for Dortmund.
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What Pokémon can we expect at the GO Fest? What has already been confirmed and what else can we look forward to?
GO Fest in Dortmund – Which Pokémon will spawn?
What has already been confirmed? The confirmed Pokémon are those shown by Niantic on the GO Fest image. This was also the case in Chicago. The following monsters were shown:
Venuflibis (regional Pokémon from North America)
Icognito
Seeper
Nidoran male
Panflam
Schilterus
Additionally, the image also shows Meditalis and Milotic. These Pokémon are unlikely to spawn in the wild but could be part of the special research around Jirachi.
The Pokémon have already been shown
Which Icognito could spawn? In Chicago, the letters from the words “WAKE UP!” appeared. This could also be likely for Dortmund, as the letter W is visible in the image. Alternatively, it could say “WACH AUF!”.
What spawns can we expect? A few days ago, the dataminer Chrales leaked the possible quests for the GO Fest. These involve the following Pokémon that are likely to appear more frequently:
Magnetilo
Meditie
Myrapla
Barschwa
You are likely to encounter Shiny Magnetilo more frequently
The leaks also showed habitats at the GO Fest. These are places where certain types spawn. Looking at the names, you could already deduce types:
Rocky Terrain: Rock and Ground-type Pokémon
Boat Lake: Water-type Pokémon
Mysterious Woods: Plant, Bug, and Poison-type Pokémon
Steel Factory: Steel and Electric-type Pokémon
Based on the types, one could expect Pokémon such as Kleinstein, Onix, Larvitar, Jurob, Krabby, Sonnkern, Nidoran, Sleima, Bronzel, or Stollunior.
What do you think? Which Pokémon could we expect besides Koknodon?
This cowboy from Red Dead Redemption 2 rides a handcar over a broken bridge. The video of this ride is exploding on Reddit.
What happens on the ride? The Reddit user MyNameIsNotRRICK rode the handcar over the tracks in Red Dead Redemption 2. He aimed for a broken bridge that has a huge hole in the middle after an explosion.
For several meters, there are neither tracks nor a wooden structure to hold anything. The curious cowboy apparently wanted to find out what it looks like when he falls into the abyss together with the handcar.
But no one would have expected that his vehicle would simply ignore the hole in the bridge. You can see what this funny ride looks like in the embedded video.
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How is the video received? The video is extremely popular on Reddit. The creator shared it in both Red Dead Redemption Subreddits. The posts have about 4,000 and about 20,000 upvotes after 15 hours. Combined, about 700 people have already commented on the ride.
Even Arthur seems impressed by the ride
How do the players react? A large part of the players reports that they did not expect to see the handcar fly. They are stunned.
User Dan_K_79 writes “That’s… not what I expected.”
The creator MyNameIsNotRRICK is also active in the comments and answers questions. He states that it took about half an hour to reach the bridge. One player asks what would have happened if the player had stopped in the middle between the two bridge parts and then dismounted.
“I was way ahead of you, partner,” writes the creator. “I fell off the handcar and was dead.”
“And what happened to the handcar?” asks a user. “It stayed there,” says MyNameIsNotRRICK.
A graphic was created by user Testnamedontupvote, which has been celebrated by the community.
Many players are excited about how funny the ride looks in the video. That Arthur simply keeps going and is not stopped by anything.
Players also mock Dutch from the story of RDR 2, saying “See, Arthur, that’s what happens when you just have a little goddamn faith!”
Players who play Star Wars: The Old Republic only as “Free2Play” or have a “preferred” account can look forward to some improvements. BioWare is lifting some restrictions and moving away from the “Freemium” model towards a complete Free2Play model.
In the MMORPG Star Wars: The Old Republic, players are divided into different groups. Depending on how much money they spend on the game, they have different advantages or limitations. Players who are not subscribers often have to deal with numerous cuts.
Some of these features will be improved and upgraded in the future, allowing players to get more out of SWTOR, even if they spend little or no money.
These account types exist: In SWTOR, there are three different types of accounts:
The premium accounts, which pay a monthly subscription
The preferred accounts, which have had a subscription or purchased something in the shop
The Free2Play accounts, which play without spending real money
This model is called the “Freemium” model because it allows for “free-to-play” (Free2Play) but actually requires players to have a premium account to fully enjoy the MMORPG.
Depending on the account, players have access to different content. This ranges from the number of available interface quick slots to the accessible expansions of the game. Some of the very strict regulations are now being relaxed.
These improvements are coming for Free2Play and preferred players
Higher credit cap: Currently, Free2Play players can only hold 200,000 credits, and preferred players can hold 350,000 credits. This limit is being drastically increased. With the upcoming patch, both account types will have a limit of 1,000,000 credits, making many purchases in the auction house possible.
Additional quick bars: Players without a subscription have a very limited selection of quick bars on which they can place their spells, abilities, mounts, and other commands.
For free players, the number of quick bars increases from 2 to 3.
Preferred players will soon be able to access 5 quick bars.
Medical probes and fast travel: A major downside for free accounts were the long walks on planets and the inability to respawn at the location of death. This could only be circumvented with items from the shop. With the upcoming patch, preferred and Free2Play players will also be able to use medical probes and fast travel to save more time.
When will these changes come? The improvements are expected to arrive in July, along with game update 5.10.4.
What do you think of these improvements? Are they important and worthwhile? Or is it just a drop in the bucket?
For many fans of World of Warcraft Classic, this news is certainly a heavy blow: Classic will not offer German realms.
World of Warcraft Classic is coming closer, as the release will take place in August. All interested parties can once again play “Classic” and experience the gameplay from nearly 15 years ago. However, there is a catch that is disappointing for fans: There will be no German realms. Instead, most Classic realms will be mixed.
What has been said? In the official forum, community manager Toschayju spoke and explained what realm structure there will be. He reveals that they have decided not to divide the realms by language in WoW Classic. However, there will still be PvP, PvE, and RP realms. The only exception is Russian servers, which use the Cyrillic alphabet and therefore must use their own game client.
Furthermore, it is stated:
We believe this approach gives players the opportunity to move freely and find guilds and friends who share their interests.
A rain of criticism: The announcement was not well received by players. In the official forum, criticism is pouring in, and many fans even say that their interest in Classic has directly faded away.
For example, Feona says:
This goes against one of the main reasons for Classic (the community within a realm)! You can’t be serious, Blizz?
Or from user Karash:
With a babylonian language confusion, the tightly connected server communities that I consider the great strength of WoW Classic are weakened. I am not a fan of this decision.
Particularly roleplayers are upset: There is much criticism from players in the comments, but especially roleplayers stand out. While it is not 100% important for most content to understand fellow players exactly, roleplayers rely on clear communication and understanding.
A large part of the RP experience is that players share a language and can communicate with each other. If some players use German, others use French or English, RP is practically impossible.
What do you think of this decision? Is it understandable that Blizzard only offers “mixed” servers? Or would you prefer a German realm?
A major challenge is about to launch in the Menagerie, the new 6-man activity of Destiny 2 – the heroic mode. Bungie has now given a first glimpse of what Guardians can expect there.
What is the Menagerie? In the Season of Opulence, Destiny 2 received a new activity designed for 6 players, but it is not a raid – the Menagerie. Here, Guardians must prove their worth before Cabal Emperor Calus.
In previously uncharted areas of the massive Leviathan ship, it is a labyrinth of various rooms and tunnels against increasingly stronger waves of monsters, rotating bosses, and against the clock. Additionally, Guardians can gather all sorts of cool loot with the Cup of Opulence.
What to expect in the heroic mode of the Menagerie
Soon, Guardians will also face an even greater challenge within this new activity. The Menagerie is getting a heroic mode. In the current “This Week at Bungie” blog, the studio has now revealed initial details about it.
When is the heroic mode arriving? This new challenge will start on Tuesday, June 25, with the weekly reset at 19:00.
How is the Menagerie changing with the heroic mode? It will be significantly tougher and more demanding. Only the best teams are likely to succeed here. Casual players will probably struggle.
What will be different in the heroic mode
The recommended power level increases to 750: This way, you will encounter enemies with this level right at the beginning of the activity. The heroic mode is clearly tailored for Guardians who have reached the current power cap of 750. Because as you progress, the level of the enemies even rises to 770.
There is no matchmaking: The heroic mode is aimed at pre-made teams consisting of max power-level Guardians. Simply dropping in alone or with a half-full group and having additional players assigned from the player search will no longer be possible. The heroic mode clearly targets hardcore fans.
Weekly curated modifiers: There will be weekly modifiers that rotate with each boss and add extra challenge.
You can lose: In the normal version of the Menagerie, it is essentially not possible to fail.
Depending on how many enemies you kill and whether you master the interim bosses as well as the mechanics of the individual sections, you will eventually arrive at the weekly end boss. You can complete this boss completely under no pressure. This will be different in the heroic mode.
The “Extinction” modifier will be active. That means if your entire team dies, you will be sent back to orbit, and you must restart the activity.
Additionally, individual encounters never repeat themselves. If you fail to achieve 100% progress at least by the boss after completing each encounter once, your team will also be sent back to orbit.
More special features: In the heroic mode, there will be special rewards, triumphs, and challenges that you can only find or master there.
However, Bungie has not been specific about this yet and has only made vague hints. It remains to be seen whether the Guardians can master this new challenge, for example, with less than six Guardians or only with certain loadouts.
What do you think of the first details about the heroic mode? Are you looking forward to it and will you drop in with your team? Or is it not for you?
We conducted a long interview with Alexander Rogaume from the “Dead by Daylight” team. Find out here what was said on topics such as crossplay and Pay2Win.
Dead by Daylight just had a major announcement. After the 4vs1 horror game established itself from being a hidden gem to a long-lasting success, conquering not only PC but also PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, it will also be coming to the Switch. Soon, however, Dead by Daylight will take another step further and aims to be released on mobile devices.
We took the opportunity to conduct an extensive interview with Alexander Rogaume, the Senior Product Manager at Behaviour Interactive. We discussed many topics and could answer numerous questions that newcomers and existing fans might have.
Mein-MMO: For many players, the mobile version will not be the first, but the second platform on which they play the game when they are not at home. Will there be a way to connect existing console and PC accounts with the mobile version accounts? Will progress and unlocks transfer from one platform to another? Or will players have to start over on mobile?
Alexander Rogaume: We believe that Dead by Daylight Mobile will attract a lot of new players, solely due to the platform. Currently, there is no feature that allows transferring existing accounts from PC / console / mobile. Specifically for the mobile version, we want to keep progress separate, as the progression system is a bit different on mobile to accommodate the typical playtime on mobile.
We are considering features to reward existing players when they come from PC or console to mobile, but progress requires a fresh start.
Mobile games are often free to play, but the PC and console versions of Dead by Daylight must be purchased. Will the mobile version be free to play? If so, are there additional ways to spend money compared to the other versions of the game? For example, the option to buy blood points, addons, offerings, or items for real money or premium currency.
Dead by Daylight Mobile will be free to play. The monetization will be the same as on PC and console, with characters and cosmetic items available for purchase. While some aspects of progression are different, we wanted to maintain the fundamental “No Pay to Win” philosophy that our users love.
The biggest difference between the mobile and PC/console versions is the number of characters available at the start. In a way, the premium price on PC/console is defined by all the DLCs that are available there [for free].
Is there hope for cross-play? Any plans for players on consoles to compete with (or against) their friends on PC or mobile?
Cross-play is definitely something we are considering, but not at launch. The reason for this is that we want to provide all our players with a common ground. PC/console players will need to learn a new control pattern, and brand-new players will have to discover the mechanics of Dead by Daylight.
We will closely monitor how the balance of the game evolves and when the time is right, the cross-play topic will come back to the table for us to discuss.
Will there be special balance patches for the mobile version? For example, the Killer “Nurse” is significantly less effective on consoles than on PC, primarily due to the different input devices [controller or mouse and keyboard]. Are you planning special balance changes just for the mobile version?
We have spent a lot of time working on the controls for the mobile version. While some characters are obviously more challenging, we have already reached a point where we are satisfied with the results. With that in mind, balance is a never-ending process of testing and patching, and we expect a lot of useful feedback from our beta phase. We want the community to help us evolve the game over time.
A large part of the gameplay in Dead by Daylight consists of paying attention to small details, such as moving grass, a startled crow, or a subtle movement in the distance. How do you ensure that these details can be captured on a small screen?
Dead by Daylight runs fantastically on the devices we support, and despite the size of the screen, we have managed to include a large amount of gameplay details. We have also incorporated a brand-new set of visual cues that do not exist in the PC/console version. This will help our players receive the same fast feedback to make in-game decisions.
Will all characters from the PC version be playable on mobile? Or are there some that you cannot use due to licensing agreements? We are thinking of Bill, Myers, or the Pig.
Our goal is to have as many characters as possible from the PC/console versions available on mobile. Our entire original content will be included, and we are currently negotiating with licensing partners to bring all the great IPs of the horror world to Dead by Daylight Mobile. We are still in discussions and therefore cannot provide a final list of characters before the talks are completed.
During the 3-year anniversary, many new contents were introduced, such as the Archives. Will this content also appear on the mobile version?
We plan to have a synchronous update process. In other words, all new characters, maps, and customization options available on PC and console will also be available on mobile. The “Archives” will likely take a bit longer to find their way to mobile because we still need to adjust the interface to fit the mobile experience.
The performance of Dead by Daylight was a problem on consoles for a long time and only improved drastically with the recent patches. There are many concerns that Dead by Daylight on the Switch and mobile will now also suffer from such issues for a long time. How do you ensure that the game runs smoothly on most devices?
Smartphones are quite powerful machines. We have invested a lot of time in optimizing the game for mobile. While performance obviously depends on the device in question, we are extremely happy with the results so far. Basically, the game runs extremely well on devices that meet our requirements, and we believe people will be surprised at how well Dead by Daylight Mobile actually performs.
On mobile devices, many fans who play Dead by Daylight on PC/console have already tried similar games like Identity V, which has very similar mechanics. What is the main reason why people should try Dead by Daylight and leave a game they may have already invested hundreds of hours into?
We don’t want anyone to give up a game for Dead by Daylight. We want to provide the best possible experience and let players decide for themselves.
There are indeed games that are very similar to us, but in a way, there is only one Dead by Daylight. When it comes to horror and that great slasher film feel, we believe we have the best game in that area.
One of the biggest differences comes from the fact that Dead by Daylight Mobile was not initially developed as a mobile game. This is the true “Dead by Daylight” experience that we are offering. This experience is loved by millions of players worldwide and comes with the content from 3 years of development, which has been continuously refined.
The visuals and background story [of our game] are very sophisticated, and we don’t shy away from the horror theme. We embrace it, which is why we appeal to a different kind of player.
Lastly, we have all these great IPs and many more to come. We hope that everyone will be able to play their favorite character from horror films in Dead by Daylight and Dead by Daylight Mobile.
The developers of Dead by Daylight have officially presented their mobile version of the game. The first images look promising.
At the 3-year event for Dead by Daylight, it was hinted at briefly, and now the cat is out of the bag. Dead by Daylight is going “mobile”, so it will soon be available for iOS and Android devices. And the best part: It will be Free2Play!
In the screenshots, you can already see how the developers have solved the issue with the interface. There are one or two large buttons for the different actions, which is particularly helpful for the killer, as they still do not take away much overview.
In an initial trailer, it is also mentioned that Dead by Daylight has currently surpassed the mark of more than 12,000,000 players – a huge success for a game that started as a small niche game in 2016 and many predicted wouldn’t have a great future.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Y06hEBeY0I
What content is available in the mobile version? The content of the mobile version is supposed to be identical to the other versions. So, all game modes and characters will be available. Some licensed characters, like Michael Myers or Freddy Krueger, are still uncertain. New license agreements will need to be negotiated. There is not yet a complete list of characters.
Same atmosphere, same gameplay: Basically, Dead by Daylight Mobile seems to be a 1:1 transfer of the PC version of the game. The gameplay is identical. However, there are expected to be small changes to the progression system. How exactly that will look is not yet clear, but it is supposed to be adjusted “to the different play times on these devices,” Alexander Rogaume from Behaviour told us in an interview.
Whether the mobile version can generate the same thrill and excitement as on the larger devices remains to be seen. However, the first images provide a quite positive impression.
Dwight is in the locker. Always.
When is the release? There is still no exact date – the release is supposed to happen in 2019.
Are you excited about Dead by Daylight Mobile? Can it work? Or does such a game belong on PC/console?
Rumors said that the next generation of Xbox, Project Scarlett, could be a console family. Now Phil Spencer says: No, Microsoft is focused on developing a high-end console as a successor to the Xbox One.
Where did the idea come from that there could be multiple consoles? That also came from Phil Spencer. He used the term “Game Consoles” in the plural at E3 2018.
One might have interpreted “Gaming Consoles in production” – this statement from Spencer was related to the “next generation of Xbox.”
According to insider reports that came out gradually, it was thought that “Project Scarlett”, the generation after the Xbox One, could consist of two consoles:
Anaconda – the high-end console, which would compete with the PlayStation 5
Lockhart, a slightly trimmed-down, cheaper version
It was expected that Microsoft would expand its range with a console family, similar to the current stronger Xbox One X and the slightly trimmed-down Xbox One S.
Phil Spencer.
Xbox One will only have one console as next-gen successor
This is what Phil Spencer says now: In a recent interview with Business Insider, Phil Spencer says that Project Scarlett is the only next-gen console that Microsoft is working on.
“Last year we said consoles and then released one console and now we’ve detailed another console,” says Spencer.
“Technically speaking, that’s plural,” said Spencer, laughing in the interview.
At the moment, they are focused on Project Scarlett and bringing it to the stage.
The “Lockhart” console or a counterpart will therefore not come.
An image from the reveal trailer of Xbox Scarlett.
What was the other console? Apparently, Spencer is referring to the second console as the “Xbox One S All-Digital Edition”, a current generation console that no longer has a drive.
This was introduced between the previous “console” statement and the current statement that they are only making one console.
Whether another console will be released after Project Scarlett in 2021, akin to the Xbox One X, is currently not known.
It is expected that Project Scarlett will come out at the end of 2020 and will compete with the PlayStation 5.
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According to Twitter user “Klobrille”, there was a change in strategy at Microsoft.
Clever solution from Microsoft
What’s behind this: There actually were “concrete reports” that Microsoft was working on two consoles for the next generation. However, these plans were not officially presented and can therefore be easily denied.
It is quite possible that Microsoft changed plans one and a half years before the release and is now making it look like Spencer meant a very different console with the plural than everyone assumed.
From Spencer’s laughter and the remark “Technically speaking, that’s plural”, one can assume that Microsoft changed its plans for the end of 2020 and is now cleverly playing it off.
In line with Week 7 of Season 9 in Fortnite, there is again a secret star to collect. We will show you the exact location for the bonus star once you have completed the challenges.
This is how you get the star: This secret star only appears after you have completed all challenges from Week 7. Before that, you won’t be able to find the star.
Search here for the secret star from Week 7 (S9)
Here is a hint: Once you have completed all tasks from Week 7, you will receive a new loading screen. This screen hides a hint for the star.
In Week 7, the following loading screen appears after completing the challenges:
This is the new loading screen
Here is where the hint is hidden: If you look closely, you can spot the secret star in the left corner of the screen. This means that the star can be found exactly at this location.
At the southern end of Pressure Plant, you will find the star
Right at the bottom, where the lava flows out, you will find a small tower that brings you back to the location. If you walk up the stairs there, the sought-after star is on one of the floors.
This video will help you: We will show you a video where the sought-after location is presented. This way, you can’t miss the star:
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The rush for the new Teamfight Tactics is currently causing a huge boom – and overloaded servers. The game is so popular at the moment that everyone wants to play it. But there isn’t enough space, as the game is actually only supposed to be tested for now. This is causing long queues.
Why can no one play? Teamfight Tactics has only been playable on the test servers of League of Legends since June 18. However, so many players want to play that the servers are not sufficient.
The test environment was evidently not designed for such a large number of players. There are queues with several thousand players. Some report that they have to wait hours to log in.
What to consider: Actually, Teamfight Tactics should not be “played” in its current phase, but only “tested”.
But that is a pious wish from Riot that collides with reality.
Since the game is such a hit on Twitch, people want to not only watch it but also play it themselves.
This login screen is what most people waiting will see.
How do I even play? This is quite annoying for those affected, as it is difficult to even get to play. To do this, you need a PBE account, which comes with certain requirements:
Your main account in LoL must have reached Honor level 3, which requires a certain amount of gameplay
You must never have been banned or punished
But even with a suitable account, it is currently evidently not possible to play directly. If you still want to try it, we explain in our article how to download and play Teamfight Tactics.
Teamfight Tactics is this popular
The interest is huge: Despite its short time, it has conquered Twitch swiftly and captivated many players. Already in the first days after the beta release, the game reached number 1 on Twitch.
It has even spawned its own subreddit from the LoL subreddit. It currently carries the humorous title “PBEQueue Tactics” and already has over 16,000 members.
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This is what Riot is doing against the rush: According to a tweet, Riot has already stabilized the servers on June 19 and is trying to open the PBE for more players. Apparently, that is still not enough. The limit is supposed to be raised slowly.
To do this, Riot is now also looking for an Infrastructure Engineer to help process more data streams from more players simultaneously:
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Furthermore, Teamfight Tactics is expected to be implemented as a new mode in League of Legends on June 25, so from then on everyone can play. There are already some particularly strong tactics:
When Wizards Unite is released, you can also decide which house from Harry Potter you want to join. We will tell you how important this choice is.
What houses are there? Those familiar with the Harry Potter series will recognize the 4 houses, as in Wizards Unite you can choose which of the following houses you belong to:
Gryffindor
Hufflepuff
Ravenclaw
Slytherin
You can make the choice early in the game, but will it, similar to Pokémon GO, be decisive?
Which house should I choose in Wizards Unite?
This is what the developers say: The development team behind Wizards Unite explains that the house choice will have no impact on the game whatsoever.
There are 4 houses in the Harry Potter universe, but the choice in Wizards Unite does not matter
So it is more of a moral decision which team you are on. You will be able to perform all actions in the game with every player from other houses.
Why do the houses not matter? In Wizards Unite, there will be professions. These are significantly more important in the game. Each profession has different abilities and is useful in combat in different ways.
Here, your choice is much more significant. Niantic and Warner Bros. Games likely did not want to give you a second important choice.
This is how it differs from Harry Potter: The choice of houses in Harry Potter was very important. Every new student was placed under the sorting hat, which decided which house they would belong to.
The 3 main characters were all from Gryffindor
In Gryffindor, for example, the heroes were Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Slytherin, on the other hand, had rather the evil wizards among their ranks. There was Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter’s eternal rival.
What should I choose then? In the end, it doesn’t really matter. Choose the house that appealed to you the most in Harry Potter.
If you are not a Harry Potter fan, then go with your favorite color or the coolest heraldic animal.
