For many players, Baldur’s Gate 3 is considered one of the best games of all time, at least in recent times. Larian CEO Swen Vincke is now discussing future game plans and lessons learned from the development of Baldur’s Gate 3 in a tweet. Fans see success in a completely different light.
The post is actually about how things should proceed from here. Because of Baldur’s Gate 3, one can now focus on “the next crazy thing.” Larian is already working on the next games, which should “be a lot of fun, really tons of it,” “in surprising ways.”
Vincke cannot say much about the upcoming projects yet. But in the replies on X, users see a different achievement that Baldur’s Gate 3 has been able to accomplish.
What are the fans celebrating instead? One of the comments with the most likes comes from @9Syht. It says: The greatest gift to the world was not Baldur’s Gate 3, but the lessons that could be drawn from it.
Larian has shown the “companies and suits” what is possible without cramming everything with microtransactions. Other users respond to this and state: One should not forget that the game also comes without DRMs.
Due to the quality like that of Larian, CD Projekt Red (Cyberpunk, The Witcher), or Warhorse (Kingdom Come: Deliverance), one can show Ubisoft, EA, and others how it should be done properly. Vincke himself has harshly criticized the practices of large studios in the past.
Whether the “lesson” will really reach AAA remains to be seen. The former story chief of Dragon Age at least believes: The industry will learn nothing from Baldur’s Gate 3. This view is shared by other users – however, there are also plenty of suggestions for the future.
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D&D in crisis: What will happen to Baldur’s Gate 4 now? The GameStar Talk in the video
“Can you make the sex better?”
Swen Vincke is not revealing many details about the upcoming games from Larian yet. It is only said: We have to be patient, it will take a little more time to get everything running. “It will be worth it,” Vincke promises.
In the comments, alongside praise for Baldur’s Gate 3, there is some criticism as well, albeit at the highest level. One of them actually relates to too much freedom, specifically: to love.
In Baldur’s Gate 3, all companions are “player sexual”, meaning: No matter what gender or race you play, every companion is attracted to you when you flirt with them. Romances are always possible.
Now a user writes on X that he wishes for restrictions regarding this aspect in the next game. That would make sex “more meaningful.” In Baldur’s Gate 3, you are always treated the same, no matter who you are. That does not seem very credible.
In the vast majority of comments, however, players praise Larian and their success with the role-playing game. One user even hopes that one of the upcoming games takes place in Warhammer 40,000 – although this is unlikely to happen.
The developers of Dune: Awakening have confirmed that elevators will come with an update, but one player obviously doesn’t want to wait that long – he is simply building a working elevator himself.
What is known about the elevators? Currently, there are no components for the building system of Dune: Awakening with which one can install full-fledged elevators in one’s base – which is very unfortunate, as it is indeed possible to build up high or in very elevated places in this survival MMO.
As early as a few months ago, players wished that Funcom would address this, for example in this discussion on Reddit. At least: In an “Ask my Anything” session on June 19, 2025, the developers explained that elevators and other building styles for player bases are planned.
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Dune: Awakening presents new action-packed trailer for the release of the game
A Survivor’s Initiative
How does a player solve the problem? A player from Dune: Awakening didn’t want to wait for the update. On Reddit, he showcased his “elevator” with a short video clip that covers 3 floors in his base.
He uses an Ornithopter and a shaft that is just wide enough for the aircraft to navigate up and down. On the levels where the “elevator” is supposed to stop, there are also sufficiently large parking bays for the Thopter on the side areas. But see for yourself:
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How does the community react to this? In just a few hours, there were already almost 1,000 upvotes and over 100 comments.
BoJackB26354 already has a name for this invention on Reddit: “The Elethopter.” Hawk_Cloud argues: “Ornivator.”
noheals4Blaire celebrates the idea on Reddit: “Haha, that’s genius. I was excited for a moment, I thought I would learn how to build a route for my floating hangar anchored to both cliffs in the gap. Made me laugh well.”
Lennyleonard_ believes on Reddit that this trick has no future: “I’m not an architect, but you will never get a building permit from the government, this is a minefield in terms of labor safety and security!”
Nop277 shares his own solution on Reddit: “This is pretty cool. I have an elevator that is just a Pentashield at the bottom of a shaft. A Suspensor + grappling hook takes you all the way up.”
Cinema-goers could watch the new anime film of Jujutsu Kaisen. However, the film Hidden Inventory / Premature Death was so disappointing for MeinMMO editor Jasmin that she is considering which films to go to in the future.
Although snack prices continue to soar into astronomical heights, I am still a passionate cinema-goer. I especially enjoy animated films, whether American or Japanese productions. I even watched the film of One Piece twice in theaters – although it was ruined for me just as often.
Jujutsu Kaisen received a new film for theaters with Hidden Inventory / Premature Death, which was made available to MeinMMO as a screener. Since I had already seen Jujutsu Kaisen 0, I was curious about the new film – but was disappointed already by the synopsis of the new flick.
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Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory / Premature Death – Trailer for the Anime Movie
Anime film connects episodes together
The film shows the backstory of Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto, when they were still friends. The two must protect the student Riko Amanai, who is to be sacrificed as a star plasma vessel. Nothing can happen to her until her sacrifice.
With time, the group gets to know Riko better and allows her to have a few last enjoyable hours. During this mission, so traumatic experiences occur that Geto later becomes the enemy we know from the Jujutsu Kaisen anime.
If the film’s content seems familiar to you, that’s no surprise: the film simply consists of the first 5 episodes of the anime. Only the opening and the ending have been removed.
For fans of the anime, there are two additional scenes: At the beginning, the protagonists of the film discuss whether eating Mochis helps them not to need the restroom during the film. This takes place in a cinema hall where the film is also currently playing. The essence: it is not proven.
Is it worth it? I watched the film again and have to say that it wasn’t worth it for me. Those who, like me, already know the scenes from the anime find nothing new in the film. According to Anna Nagase, who voices Riko in the film, the emotional highs are supposed to feel even more painful to the viewer due to the montage (seen on gamer.ne.jp).
Furthermore, the ending is also said to potentially tug at the heartstrings again. For hardcore fans of Gojo, the anime film could be worth it since it showcases his beginnings. However, those who simply want to follow the story of Jujutsu Kaisen, like me, will be disappointed.
I have experienced this before with other animes like Demon Slayer, which summarize part of the story. However, there are two advantages here that the producers improve upon:
The films were released each time before the start of the arcs in theaters. This allowed you to conveniently skip a few episodes from the new season to save time.
The episodes were not just lined up one after the other, but cut down to the necessary plot. This also saves time and allows you to experience the most exciting moments as a film.
However, if a film is just a collection of scenes that are exactly from the anime, I can’t find any enjoyment in it. Especially not when it is still not known when season 3 will be released.
The film would have been a good option to serve as a recap of what actually happened in season 2. Just before season 3, some moments from season 2 could have become important again. But by the time season 3 airs, I will probably have forgotten some scenes and will have those “Oh right, that’s how it was” moments.
As a cinema visit becomes increasingly expensive thanks to techniques like IMAX and the mentioned snack prices, it is worth considering which anime films I want to see in theaters in the future. In this case, we were fortunate that the film was provided to us; otherwise, I would have been upset.
There are now so many anime films released each year that I have decided to only go to those that consist of completely new footage. Some examples are the films of Detective Conan or Demon Slayer.
However, if you are a big fan of Jujutsu Kaisen or see Gojo as your personal husbando, you might enjoy the film.
What do you think about it? Which films do you go to the cinema for? Write it in the comments, as I am curious about how you handle new films.
By the way: MeinMMO has a list of anime films that will be playing in German cinemas this year. So you won’t miss anything. The complete overview of all films can be found here: All anime movies coming to cinemas in Germany in 2025
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the first week of August, the annual big Stylecheck of World of Warcraft takes place. Theoretically, the outfit that best fits the theme should win in the end. However, reality often looks different.
What kind of event is this? The big Stylecheck of World of Warcraft debuted almost exactly 8 years ago as part of the new mini-holidays introduced during WoW: Legion. In this competition, multiple players compete against each other.
The task: Find the best transmog outfit for a given theme within 2 minutes and present it afterwards – refined with emotes, visual effects, and paid fans cheering in the audience. The ratings of the outfits come from the participants themselves. As a reward, there are brands that can be exchanged for further cosmetics.
He who has achieved everything has nothing left to achieve – as this WoW player had to realize:
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WoW: Spieler sammelt ALLE Erfolge im Spiel, fragt dann „Was mache ich jetzt?“
“I must have the worst luck in the world”
What does this look like in reality? The player ella posted a picture of a colorfully mixed outfit on Reddit, which is many things but certainly not award-winning. Her comment on it: “Why does this guy win the big Stylecheck every time, no matter what the theme is?”
The over 200 comments and more than 1,700 upvotes show that other WoW players are also familiar with this phenomenon. Additionally, the community discusses possible reasons:
farris59 writes on Reddit: “Ironically, there is a widespread strategy where everyone votes for the ‘worst’ mog (transmog/outfit) to increase their own chances, but this inadvertently catapults the outfit to first place.”
Shezarrine comments on Reddit: “It’s so annoying that the people who actually stick to the theme rarely win. I don’t know if people are just voting for ‘lol the funny mog’ or trying to trick the system by voting for the worst [outfit], but it makes the whole event pretty dull.”
Fullerbay gives an example on Reddit: “I once participated in the purple theme, where the first place wore a green outfit.”
Ainastrasza reports on Reddit: “The Style competition has been pretty bad for years. Naked Kul Tirans and gnomes in outfits that can only be described as ‘shitpost outfits’ that completely ignore the theme always get the most votes because people are just boring. Not to mention the revealing outfits. It really only happens about every third game I participate in that people actually take the theme seriously. I must have the worst luck in the world.”
What are your experiences with the big Stylecheck? Should Blizzard make changes to make the competition more exciting again? Share it in the comments! Participants certainly have the greatest chances if they own a colorful transmog collection. A WoW player even managed to impress the developers with his wardrobe recently.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The most popular vampire in Baldur’s Gate 3 raises some questions. After all, he carries an item that has no use for him. Or does he?
The companions in Baldur’s Gate 3 are considered very likable, multifaceted, and simply popular. The “slightly” narcissistic elf with a penchant for sadism, Astarion, is no exception. As the group’s vampire, he is quite a special character that the community loves to discuss. However, he possesses an object that fans can’t quite make sense of.
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Der animierte Kurzfilm zu Patch 8, dem letzten Update für Baldur’s Gate 3
What is in Astarion’s camp? If you look closely at Astarion’s camp, you’ll find several objects that painfully obviously reveal he is a vampire. A chalice filled with blood, a small shelf with blood vials – but also a large mirror. This very mirror presents a puzzle for the community, as the vampire-elf shouldn’t have any use for it.
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Why is a mirror so strange? While it wonderfully fits the slightly self-absorbed Astarion to have a large mirror among his possessions – it is rather absurd. After all, Astarion is a vampire, and they do not cast a reflection in the world of Baldur’s Gate. This is even explicitly confirmed in another scene when he uses a smaller hand mirror, emphasizing that he only uses it to see who is sneaking up behind him.
However, the fact that he has a large standing mirror in camp to admire himself seems a bit out of place – as he will never be able to see himself in it.
This is how the community discusses: In the Reddit subreddit for Baldur’s Gate 3, the mirror in Astarion’s camp is also actively discussed. Some have found a logical explanation for it – and it almost always relates to the vampire elf’s vanity.
“To be fair, he is a vampire who walks in the sun and is able to resist his master due to the larva that causes ongoing changes. It is not totally illogical that he looks at his reflection multiple times.” – saltpancake
“Vanity does not die, darling.” – ActuallySatanAMA
“So he can recognize when someone approaching him is also a vampire he does not know yet.” – Vanilla_Unlucky
This last theory seems to make sense, as Astarion lives in constant fear that his master sends henchmen after him to recapture him.
MeinMMO had the opportunity to interview the developers of ArcheAge Chronicles with questions. What we learned about one of the most important new MMORPGs of 2026 can be read in this interview special.
We wanted to know, among other things, how much ArcheAge and MMORPG elements are in Chronicles, how character progression will look, and what payment model we can expect in the West. You can jump to the interesting questions or answers via the table of contents.
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ArcheAge Chronicles: Trailer shows for the first time the successor to ArcheAge
Online Action RPG or true MMORPG?
MeinMMO reported in September 2024 that the developers of ArcheAge Chronicles often use the genre term “Online Action RPG” and avoid the term MMORPG. We wanted to know from XL Games how much MMORPG is actually in ArcheAge Chronicles. The detailed response from the responsible parties:
The short version is: Chronicles is not a traditional MMORPG, but it is an always-online game with meaningful multiplayer systems. We refer to it as an online action RPG because that better captures the design direction—we’re prioritizing personal progression, immersive world-building, and a story-driven adventure that can be played solo, while still offering ways to connect, collaborate, and trade with others.
So yes—players will absolutely run into each other in the open world and in towns. We’re still tuning final numbers, but depending on the zone and activity, you can expect to encounter dozens of other players at a time. That includes social hubs, key regions, and public spaces like housing zones or market areas.
There will be guilds, and they’ll serve both a social and functional role in the game. We’re not ready to confirm exact size limits just yet, but we can say they’re being designed to support a variety of playstyles—from small groups of close friends to larger, community-driven organizations. However, unlike AA1, large-scale PvP and political control aren’t the focus, so guilds will be more about camaraderie, shared goals, and access to certain features—not territory wars or power structures.
As for group content like dungeons—yes, we have them. But again, the scale is more intimate. These are built for small groups, typically 2–5 players, with some potential exceptions depending on the activity. We want these experiences to feel personal, tight-knit, and skill-driven—not like massive raid coordination events. That allows us to keep content accessible while still offering challenge and depth for those who want it.
So to summarize: ArcheAge Chronicles carries the soul of an MMO—persistent world, multiplayer systems, player interaction—but it’s delivered through a story-first, player-friendly structure that’s designed for flexibility and freedom, not obligation. It’s a world you can share with others, but one you’ll experience primarily through your own lens.
XL Games via Mail to MeinMMO
In the coming months, more details about all these systems are promised, according to the developers.
The PvE content in ArcheAge Chronicles is primarily aimed at solo players and small groups.
How much ArcheAge is in ArcheAge Chronicles?
The developers had already said that they want to build on the legacy of ArcheAge and send players to regions already known from the predecessor. We wanted to know more specifically which familiar elements fans of the first game can look forward to. Here again, the developers provided a rather detailed answer:
ArcheAge Chronicles is very much a new beginning, but it’s one that’s rooted deeply in the legacy of ArcheAge. We’re building a fresh experience—new systems, new structure, new storytelling—but we’re doing it in a world that long-time fans will recognize, with characters, locations, and lore that connect directly to the original.
Players can absolutely expect to revisit iconic regions from the original game—but not necessarily exactly as they remember them. Time has passed. The world has changed. Some places have evolved. Others have fallen into ruin. And some may hold surprises that challenge what you thought you knew about the world of ArcheAge.
You’ll also encounter familiar factions, lore threads, and even certain characters whose stories are continuing in new and unexpected ways. But importantly, Chronicles doesn’t assume you’ve played AA1. It’s built to be welcoming to new players, while rewarding those who already have a deep history with the franchise.
In terms of gameplay systems—yes, core pillars like trading, crafting, housing, and trade runs are returning, but they’ve been reimagined to better support Chronicles’ focus on solo progression, smoother onboarding, and player freedom. It’s not about recreating AA1—it’s about honoring what made it special and evolving it into something that fits today’s players and today’s tech.
In short: there’s a lot of ArcheAge in Chronicles, but this isn’t just a nostalgic remix. It’s a spiritual successor that stands on its own—built with love for the past, and a clear vision for the future.
XL Games via Mail to MeinMMO
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ArcheAge Chronicles: Behind the Scenes – This is the Vision of the New MMORPG
What can the housing in ArcheAge Chronicles do?
In the first ArcheAge, housing was very important, and in the first developer blogs, it was mentioned that this will also be the case in ArcheAge Chronicles, but in a slightly different form. For example, NPC neighbors are supposed to play a role.
We therefore wanted to know to what extent this resembles familiar “Cozy Games” and how deep the life simulation should go? What possibilities do we have, for example, to interact with the NPC neighbors? The developers’ response:
We’ll be sharing more on how these systems work—and how deep the interactions can go—as we get closer to launch. But yes, this is a side of Chronicles that we’re really excited about, and one we think will surprise people in the best way.
We’re not trying to build a full-blown life sim—but we do want your home to feel alive, grounded, and connected to the world. There’s a clear inspiration here from games that emphasize comfort, customization, and community—think Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing, or even Fantasy Life—but all within the structure of a larger action RPG with its own story and progression systems.
XL Games via Mail to MeinMMO
Looting and leveling – what does character progression look like?
Up to this point, there has been no information in the developers’ previous blog posts about this topic. Since looting and leveling are close to our hearts at MeinMMO, we naturally had to ask the developers what they can tell us about character progression in ArcheAge Chronicles. Here are their elaborations:
Rather than locking players into rigid classes, we’re building a flexible system that allows you to develop your abilities, gear, and playstyle in ways that reflect how you actually play. That means experimenting with weapon types, building synergy with skills, and chasing gear that enhances your preferred approach—whether that’s melee, magic, support, or something in between.
Loot is designed to feel exciting, not overwhelming. Our philosophy is to focus on quality and impact—we want every drop to feel like it could be meaningful, whether it’s a stat boost that pushes your build forward, a unique item with special effects, or a cosmetic piece that adds to your personal identity.
You’ll find gear through exploration, dungeons, crafting, and trading, and yes—crafters will play an important role in the overall item economy. But no matter how you obtain your equipment, our goal is to make sure your progression feels rewarding without becoming a grind. We’re not interested in overloading players with dozens of meaningless items. We want the loot you find—or make—to feel like it tells part of your story.
Character development in Chronicles is built around that same idea: steady, satisfying growth, with lots of room for experimentation. And because the game is designed to be approachable in shorter play sessions, you’ll always feel like you’re making progress—even if you just log in for a quick adventure or a crafting run.
We’ll be diving deeper into the specifics of gear, stats, and builds soon. But if you love the loop of leveling, looting, and refining your character—we think you’ll feel right at home.
XL Games via Mail to MeinMMO
The story is expected to play an even bigger role than in the first ArcheAge.
How do the action battles work – is there the holy trinity of tanks, healers, and damage dealers?
It has been clear for some time that ArcheAge Chronicles will use an action combat system. However, we wanted to know details from the developers, such as roles, classes, and weapons. The developers’ explanations:
Combat in ArcheAge Chronicles is built to feel responsive, fluid, and expressive—we’ve designed it as a full action combat system, not tab-targeted or auto-driven. That means movement, timing, and positioning matter—and so do your choices about weapons, skills, and tactics.
Players will still be able to fill classic RPG roles like tank, healer, or DPS through their loadout—what weapon they equip, what skills they develop, and how they customize their build. It’s a flexible role system, designed to let you experiment and adapt based on your group or solo needs, not something you’re locked into at character creation.
Mechanically, things like dodging, blocking, and parrying play a central role in how combat feels. You’ll need to actively evade attacks, time your blocks correctly, and learn the patterns of enemies—especially in boss fights or dungeon encounters. It’s not just about stats—it’s about skill.
Combos are also a key part of the design. Some skills can be chained together for bonus effects, and others might interact differently depending on timing, enemy state, or synergy with group members. Whether you’re freezing an enemy to set up a shatter combo or taunting a boss to protect a glass-cannon ally, the goal is to create combat that feels both tactical and rewarding.
We want every weapon and ability to feel distinct, and for combat to evolve as you grow—not just through raw power, but through mastery of mechanics. Whether you’re soloing through story content or teaming up for tougher challenges, the system is built to keep you engaged moment to moment.
There’s still more to reveal, especially around weapon types and ability customization—but if you enjoy dynamic, action-driven combat with RPG depth underneath, we think you’ll find something really satisfying here.
XL Games via Mail to MeinMMO
How will ArcheAge Chronicles be monetized?
Finally, the topic of monetization was on the table. We discussed Lost Ark and Throne and Liberty, which, for the western market, had received adjustments, but still relied on a combination of free-to-play and real-money currency auction houses – leading to many issues such as bots and pay-to-win. How does ArcheAge Chronicles solve this? The developers’ response:
At this time, we haven’t finalized a specific payment model for ArcheAge Chronicles, and that’s intentional. We’re actively listening to our community across regions and taking the time to ensure that whatever direction we choose, it aligns with one fundamental principle: fair play for everyone.
We’ve seen firsthand how monetization models can make or break a game’s long-term health—especially when pay-to-win mechanics creep in and damage player trust. That’s not what we’re about. Whether you’re on PC, PlayStation 5, or Xbox Series, you can expect a level playing field, where progression is driven by gameplay, skill, and your choices—not your wallet.
We’re fully committed to not introducing any pay-to-win systems. That includes things like buying power, gear advantages, or anything that would give paying players a competitive edge over others. We’re also being extremely cautious about how any in-game economies or marketplaces are integrated, precisely to avoid the pitfalls we’ve seen with other titles—especially the issues surrounding bots and real-money transactions that have frustrated players in both Eastern and Western markets.
As for whether the model will be the same worldwide—ideally, yes. We believe in creating a unified global experience where all players, regardless of region, have access to the same fair, rewarding, and engaging systems. That said, we also understand that different markets have different expectations and behaviors, so we’re weighing that carefully to strike the right balance.
In short: no pay-to-win, no shortcuts to power, and no compromising the integrity of the gameplay. We want ArcheAge Chronicles to earn its place in your library by being fun, fair, and worth your time.
What else do I need to know about ArcheAge Chronicles? ArcheAge Chronicles is set to focus more on the Western market than its predecessor and will therefore offer comprehensive PvE and story content that can be tackled alone or with small groups.
The books and films based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s work are full of menacing creatures. In our ranking, we clarify who is the most dangerous.
How was the ranking created? Middle-earth is inhabited by a multitude of beings. Besides well-known races like Men, Elves, Dwarves, or Orcs, there are also numerous creatures.
On one hand, there are those we know from our real world, such as rabbits, horses, or cows. But there are also those that clearly belong to the fantasy genre. For this list, we looked at beings that are animals or remind us of them.
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Epic Trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship
It’s important that they appear in “The Lord of the Rings” or in “The Hobbit”. Whether they stand on the side of Good or Evil doesn’t matter. The main thing is that they are extremely dangerous and make brave warriors tremble.
Place 7: Wargs
Wargs are basically just oversized wolves. On one hand, there are those from Saruman, one of the most powerful wizards from Middle-earth, who bred them. They were supposed to serve the Uruk-hai, which also originated from his “own production”, as mounts. On the other hand, there are also wild Wargs that have roamed Middle-earth since the First Age and once collaborated with the Orcs.
Wargs can grow up to three meters long and are a tough opponent purely due to their size. Mercilessly, they pounce on their enemies and tear them apart. Especially when these creatures move in packs, they pose a significant danger. Even with mounted units like the warriors of Rohan, they make short work of them.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
“Promo A” cards in Pokémon TCG Pocket are cards that you cannot get from boosters. We have summarized which ones exist and how you can obtain them.
Update on August 4th: The new promo cards have been added.
What are promo cards? As the name suggests, these cards are ones that you receive through specific functions or events in the game. You cannot draw them normally from boosters.
In the “Promo A” series, there are several cards that you can obtain. We have looked into how this works for you.
More cards from the series: No further cards from the “Promo A” series have been officially confirmed so far. As soon as the additional cards are confirmed, we will update the list accordingly.
In addition to the promo cards, there are certainly many other cards that you can collect in the game. Naturally, there are cards that are more commonly found in boosters and others that are much rarer. We have also put together an overview of the rarest cards in Pokémon TCG Pocket.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
As the US ambassador, Tilman Fertitta actually has a villa in Rome at his disposal, but the billionaire prefers to live on his yacht and flies to appointments with the associated helicopter.
The cover image is a symbolic image by Sean Dogjani via Pexels.
Who is it about? Tilman Fertitta is not only the owner of the NBA team Houston Rockets and a chain of casinos and restaurants – since May 2025, he is also the US ambassador to Italy. As such, the billionaire is officially entitled to Villa Taverna as his official residence, which was sold to the then US government in 1948.
In contrast to his predecessors, however, Fertitta does not live on the estate, but on the Boarwalk, his 77-meter yacht, which is moored about 100 kilometers outside of Rome in the port of Civitavechhia. In addition to a wine cellar, a gym, and a pool, the yacht also features its own helicopter of the type Airbus H130, with which the ambassador flies to meetings in Rome.
According to reports, the billionaire felt disturbed by restoration work in the villa. Furthermore, the traffic in the Italian capital is intolerable. Nevertheless, Fertitta cannot completely escape the traffic, as a flight permit over Rome is reserved for the Pope and the Italian head of state.
Whenever possible, the ambassador therefore attends appointments directly with his yacht, as recently during his visit to a memorial service at the monumental cemetery near Nettuno, where 7,860 US soldiers are buried.
Another successful businessman can probably only dream of the yacht because he drove his company live on air into the ground:
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Chef ruined his company in 59 seconds on Twitch – What happened to him?
An expensive fun – not just for the ambassador
The choice of residence of the billionaire seems to be received rather moderately by the Italians, as they now have to take care of the ambassador’s security not only on the officially intended estate but also on water and in the air.
Thus, the airspace above the yacht would be under constant observation by various forces, intelligence services, and the harbor authority. As a result, the superyacht joins about 4,000 sensitive objects in Rome, for whose protection the Italian state has to bear the costs.
The additional costs due to his unusual residence are probably no factor for Fertitta, as he explained in a conversation with ABC: “This is one of the things I’ve always wanted and will always have. It’s not cheap, I can tell you that… but every time I step on it, I think to myself, ‘God, I love this boat.'” (via Luxury Launches)
A player has brought his starter Pokémon to the maximum level in 81 hours. Fans are asking him if he is okay and why he put himself through that.
What exactly did the player do? Since many players find Pokémon games too easy, content creators, streamers, and players take on various challenges, such as the well-known Kaizo Challenge.
Reddit user Ov3rall_Middle made it his personal challenge to level up his starter Pokémon Snivy to the maximum level in the White Edition right in the starting area. He took about 81 hours to evolve Snivy into Serperior and bring it to level 100.
To level up Snivy, he could only battle against the small Pokémon Patrat, Lillipup, and Purrloin in the tall grass. Especially Lillipup was beneficial to him, as due to its ability “Pickup”, there was a 10% chance of receiving an item after each battle. Starting from level 21, he was able to get valuable Rare Candies through Lillipup, which he then used on Snivy to increase its level.
The undertaking proved to be such a test of patience that the community in the thread of his experience report inevitably questions whether everything is alright with him.
Start video
Pokémon Legends: Z-A presents a new story trailer for Switch
“Okay, but why?”
What does the community say about his achievement? In the comments on his thread on Reddit, a clear picture of admiration emerges. Many users find it impressive that he managed to endure and accomplish it for so long.
Others question his decision and wonder if the effort was really worth it:
ImmersedBlade asks: “Are you… Are you okay..? (In all seriousness, congratulations on your dedication)”
MrShad0wzz comments: “I’m impressed, but I don’t understand why you put yourself through this.”
No_Stand7554 asks: “I need to know if you’re mentally okay.”
frostyfiger celebrates: “A level of patience I could never muster. Good job, ahahah.”
Many users also ask him if he at least saw some Shinies, given the time he invested. Unfortunately, the player denies this but says that his next challenge is to assemble a team consisting only of Shinies in the Black Edition.
The second season of the successful anime Dandadan has premiered on Netflix and Crunchyroll. However, besides action-packed fights, it is particularly the food that is causing a stir.
What’s up with the food? In Dandadan, there are several scenes where the characters eat together. This is also true in episode 6 of the current second season. However, the pot around which the group gathers is not filled with coarsely drawn cel-shading snacks – instead, the animators simply took a photo of real food and integrated it into the 2D environment.
Okay, but… why? Some fans suspect that the food drawings by mangaka Tatsu in the original work were so detailed that studio Science Saru could only use real food to adequately adapt the original (via Vida Extra).
After all, the food in the manga already looks so good that some might find their mouths watering. You can check out the comparison here via Instagram:
Some users, however, point out that the manga panel could already be a photo, simply overlaid with a filter, or at least a photo that has been redrawn here.
The decision of the animators might indicate less about being overwhelmed by the adaptation but rather a kind of visual gag, often found in cartoon series like SpongeBob or Gumball. However, the result is certainly memorable.
Start video
Dandadan: Official Trailer for Season 2 of the Anime
MyMMO editor Karsten Scholz spent his school breaks many, many years ago with Magic: The Gathering. Now, despite all the criticism, he has started with MTGArena on Steam and is back in the trading card game fever.
Hearthstone, Gwent, The Elder Scrolls: Legends, Legends of Runeterra, Scrolls … over the years I have tried many digital trading card games and had a lot of fun with some of them. However, none of them compare to my first great TCG love – Magic: The Gathering (TCG stands for Trading Card Game, of course).
This is certainly due to many nostalgic memories from my school days, as we played Magic during breaks and after school. I also enjoy the complex rules behind the game, the characteristics of the 5 colors, as well as the incredibly wide range of deck strategies that have existed over the past 32 years and still exist today.
Start video
Magic: The Gathering has a crossover with Final Fantasy – Shows first cards in the trailer
The Long Wait
The fact that I still played the aforementioned games quite extensively is simply because there were no digital variants of Magic for a long time that could engage me long-term. Attempts like Magic: The Gathering – Duels of the Planeswalkers (the ones from 2011 to 2015 are resting in my Steam library) or Magic Duels were okay for a few hours, but nothing more than that.
I kept my distance from Magic: The Gathering Arena from 2019 for a long time. The ratings on Steam reach only “Mixed” – in the end, only 62 percent of the over 21,000 ratings are positive. The criticism almost always revolves around one point: monetization:
The business model is at least as greedy and predatory in the digital version as it is in paper form – but enriched by microtransactions, cosmetics, loot boxes, battle passes, time-limited offers, and so on…
If you don’t invest money, you can’t keep up and are constantly losing → Pay2Win
Some people even believe that a player’s investments affect their draw luck and starting hand.
With the new edition, a fresh battle pass also started a few days ago, which – as you know – offers both a free and a paid path.
Why did you start now? A good buddy of mine, with whom I played a lot of Magic back in the day, asked me to download the game on Steam as well as on the tablet. He had started a few weeks earlier and suggested that we could duel with the easily earned starter decks and chat about everything under the sun. Good idea, count me in!
But it didn’t stop there. I quickly got caught up in the trading card game fever again. Through beginner challenges, events, quests, and the free battle pass path, I quickly earned cards with which I could build my first own decks. With those, I tried my hand at one of the ranked modes, lost, won, climbed up, and learned about other builds of the current meta.
How has it been so far? On Thursday (July 31, 2025), the ranked season ended, and I was able to play my way up to Platinum rank quite easily – that’s not quite Diamond yet, but at least the fourth progression level. I haven’t paid a cent for Arena so far.
Maybe I was just lucky because there are one or two deck strategies in the current meta that can be implemented with relatively inexpensive cards – I was able to achieve most of my victories with a green Chocobo/bird deck and 2 white minion decks.
Karsten played ranked for a few days with several free-to-play decks – enough for Platinum.
One of the minion decks relies on units that grant life points or benefit from healing. The other is a modified version of the cat starter deck, which exploits the synergies of the feline critters to overwhelm the opponent.
Currently, I have a total of 31 different decks in my collection, plus another 5 incomplete ones for which I still lack some key cards.
The criticism that you can only win in Magic: The Gathering Arena with a lot of money and climb the leaderboard is something I cannot confirm at this point. Also, I haven’t noticed constant punishment through bad starting cards or bad luck draws as a non-payer. Sometimes draws can be frustratingly bad, but it was like that even back then, with the real cards.
What does “Git gud” mean? Let’s ask the internet: “Git gud” is a colloquial expression that is a deliberate misspelling of “get good” and is used in gaming contexts to urge someone to improve their skills. It means something like “Get better” or “Become good”.
Magic is simply a complex game where the effect descriptions of the cards are getting longer and longer, and one really has to pay attention not to miss anything on the game board that could decide the outcome of a match. Anyone trying it for the first time or after a long break will likely be overwhelmed by the current editions and game modes.
Here, the only solution is: Play, play, play. Get to know as many cards, effects, and current deck strategies as possible. And continuously refine one’s own decks.
Not a game for you if you are susceptible to gambling mechanisms
So there’s nothing to the criticism? Let’s not kid ourselves: The whole system with the paid boosters that contain random cards has been questionable for over 30 years. We are talking about the ancestors of loot boxes, which some organizations in the EU classify as dangerous.
In Arena, we now find not only these loot boxes back in booster form but also all the other monetization nonsense that service games have brought us in recent years. In this regard, I believe the criticism on Steam is absolutely justified. If you don’t have self-control, you can quickly spend a fortune on the game, and that is a problem.
The truth, however, also includes: Those who spend little or no money can still have fun with Arena, regularly win, and even climb the leaderboard – at least that’s my experience from the past weeks.
What I would wish for is a few cooperative modes, as there were in other Magic games, where you have to tackle certain deck strategies or challenges together. If you like PvE content in TCGs, you won’t find it in Arena. Have you tried the game yet? How is it for you?
The publisher THQ Nordic has showcased some new games, including Fatekeeper, a new role-playing game on Steam, developed by just 10 people.
What kind of game is Fatekeeper? Fatekeeper is a first-person RPG from the new development team at Paraglacial. According to THQ Nordic, the team consists of just 10 passionate developers taking on this ambitious project.
You play as a warrior exploring a world filled with ruins and catastrophic events, using medieval weapons and magic. You will be able to customize your playstyle with various relics, weapons, and spells, making decisions along a narrative that influences the outcome.
The announcement trailer impresses with a dark atmosphere and a mystical ancient narrative about curses, gods, and wars. Visually, it recalls a mix of popular Elder Scrolls games. Could this game fill the gap for fans eagerly awaiting Elder Scrolls 6?
The game is set to enter Early Access on Steam in winter 2025. It is currently unclear whether Fatekeeper will also be released for consoles.
Start video
New RPG for Steam shows atmosphere like in Elder Scrolls
Builds and Exploration in Focus
What will the game offer? Not much is currently known about the game aside from the trailer and some core features. According to the shop page on Steam, you can expect a handcrafted, exciting world full of secrets to explore.
You will follow a focused story where your decisions play a significant role. Exploring ancient battlefields, caves, ruins, and forests will be at the forefront. Various opponents with their unique strengths, weaknesses, and attack patterns will confront the player, requiring both good preparation and combat skills.
Builds will take a major focus in the gameplay, which you should be able to combine with various weapons, spells, relics, and a variety of different equipment. Together with different progression mechanics, you will be able to extensively customize the builds to suit your own playstyle.
In World of Warcraft, sometimes players are kicked for absurd reasons. Even when they are in need of help.
It’s accepted that sometimes you have players in World of Warcraft who don’t really know what they are doing or how a boss fight works. This happens in every game and is part of it. However, in WoW, there is often a peculiar impatience that leads some to want to kick someone from their group. Even when that person is not at fault and one should reflect on their own actions.
The player Ciric3 shares his story from the Timewalking dungeon, King’s Rest. There, he was stunned – and because no one knew the mechanics, he was subsequently kicked for inactivity.
When I was leveling in Timewalking dungeons, I entered King’s Rest. We defeated the first boss, and during the second boss (Mchimba), I was hit by “Entomb”. While I was underground, I used the “Assist” ping so my teammates could see me better and help me. Right after that, a loading screen came up, and I didn’t know what was going on.
Then I saw the Dungeon Deserter debuff and realized what had happened. I whispered the hunter in the group and asked why I was kicked. The group probably thought I was afk, even though they hadn’t played the mechanics that keep me stunned permanently.
This community gets stranger every day.
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What is special about this boss? Mchimba in the dungeon “King’s Rest” has the ability “Entomb”. This forces a character in the group into a sarcophagus, from which they cannot free themselves. The only thing the captured character can do is squirm so that the sarcophagus wobbles and the rest of the group knows which sarcophagus the character is in – to rescue them.
However, if one does not know this mechanic, a character can be trapped for several minutes, even after the fight has ended.
Why are these mechanics so unknown? King’s Rest is a special case. The dungeon belongs to “Battle for Azeroth”, but even back then it was not part of the leveling experience. King’s Rest was an end-game dungeon that one only played at maximum level. Most of the time, the dungeon was played on Mythic and “Mythic+”. Therefore, many who did not play such content back then have little to no memories of this instance.
These incidents are particularly frustrating because the kicked individuals then have a deserter debuff, preventing them from accessing further dungeons for half an hour. They feel doubly punished for the ignorance of their fellow players. Despite this negative experience, many players are sure – There is only one WoW.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
There are rulebooks for D&D that deal exclusively with risqu topics. Especially in the world of magic, there is much that is entertaining …
Let’s be honest for a moment. If magic were to exist in our world and one could learn it from other wizards or at the appropriate schools, then the order of priorities in questions would surely be this:
What do I need to learn to pass the training, the next exam, or the magical studies?
What spells help me in everyday life to ease my work or protect me from dangers?
How can one use magic to simply have more fun?
This last question is exactly what the D20 rulebook “Encylopaedia: Arcane Nymphology – Blue Magic” from 2002 is dedicated to, which basically works for all D20 systems, but particularly well for Dungeons&Dragons (or the old Warcraft pen&paper).
This rulebook is what I want to tell you about today.
Role-playing fans can look forward to many things:
Start video
Critical Role stellen ihr neues, eigenes Rollenspiel vor: Daggerheart
Arcane Nymphology – The Pen&Paper Questions Everyone Asks but No One Dares to Ask
The rulebook makes it clear right at the beginning that it is intended to be somewhat humorous and with a wink. Nevertheless, all descriptions of spells, characters, and items are well-developed and can be incorporated into a D&D session. Many clichés from D&D campaigns are parodied and taken a bit further.
I would like to present a few examples from it.
To start, let’s take the spell “Bardic Hiding”. It refers to the fact that bards can seduce just about anything and anyone. Whether it’s the pretty bard woman, the mayor of the town, the demonic prince, or the great dragon in the cave.
“Bardic Hiding” comes into play whenever there is a danger of being caught red-handed. I will quote from the description:
Since bards have absolutely nothing that resembles any useful combat ability, many wonder how they have survived so far. It is usually due to their quick feet or because they have already planned an escape route in advance – or simply because they possess a spell for that.
When cast, this spell allows the caster to effectively hide in private quarters by jumping into wardrobes, slipping under a bed, or completely ineffectively hiding behind a thin lamp. No matter where they stand or hide, as long as they make at least minimal effort to hide, they receive a bonus on their stealth roll based on their caster level, allowing them to evade all but the most jealous partners.
I know. You’re hooked. I have one more for you: Quick Disrobing. This one is even useful in combat!
With a word and a gesture, the clothing simply falls off the target, leaving them naked except for the shoes they are wearing. This includes all armor but no helmets, hats, or jewelry.
The original intent of this spell was for fun and jokes and to save time when a spontaneous encounter takes place behind a tavern. Since then, it has also been misused by adventurers to strip their targets of their armor, making them easier prey, but the original purpose remains popular.
And yes, be assured: I have primarily listed the spells here that our editor-in-chief won’t have to cut half of them out later with a “Bonk! You go to horny jail” meme. Some of the descriptions in the book are much more suggestive, questionable, and morally reprehensible.
The book contains not only spells but also classes that specialize specifically in this Blue Magic, such as the Pain Mage, the Seducer, or the Mystical Pimp, who can summon all sorts of creatures for pleasure …
Who Are These Rulebooks Actually For?
It is clear that these additional rules, spells, items, and places probably won’t find much use in most pen&paper sessions. Sex is usually an aspect that takes place mostly “off-screen” in P&P – and that’s probably for the best if you ever want to look your friends in the eye again later.
However, I found the spells simply interesting from the perspective of asking: If a world offers so much magic – why shouldn’t one use it for sex and everything that relates to it?
Are there wizards who specialize in this kind of magic?
What are the consequences of this magic and what are the dangers?
What kind of rumors about “interesting” spells might magic students discuss in hushed tones?
For me, it simply sheds light on an aspect of D20 (or D&D) that may never have gameplay significance but does contribute to making the worlds more thought-out and entertaining.
Together with a fellow player in WoW, I once used many of the spells from the book as inspiration to create very questionable “love potions” for a witch’s shop in role-playing, which were used for many years in the RP (and promptly used against my character by the witch).
Succubus and witch have caused a lot of nonsense with the potions.
And yes, this rulebook also contains some things and phrases that might be phrased differently in 2025. But I believe that the book must be viewed as a work of its time – and under this aspect, it is pretty funny and has served me and a friend well when it came to developing new ideas for absurd alchemical potions in role-playing.
I find rulebooks like these, which deal with topics that one would rather rarely or never actually play out in pen&paper, quite interesting. Even if most spells are unusable for one’s own character, they can still be interesting for NPCs – for example, a wizard who has become a bit too lost in the physical pleasures of this magic or for a brothel in a wizard city where people only gossip about all the strange things you can see and feel there.
By the way, the old “Arcane Nymphology” is just one of several books that deal with rather unusual topics in pen&paper. Those who search will stumble across many curious works that can make worlds more exciting and lively. There could also be these 5 magical items that are so crazy you want to use them.
Of course, it can also be a little more blunt. Because sex is naturally just a means to an end. And the goal can also be summoned simply. Welcome to “Power Word: Orgasm”:
With a single utterance that is so incredibly obscene, shocking, and pornographic that even the gods of love would blush upon hearing it, the wizard ensures that the target becomes a melting pool of pleasure.
Any creature with a stamina value of less than 10 is effectively stunned and must writhe on the ground for 3d6 rounds. Creatures with a stamina value between 10 and 20 are stunned for 2d6 rounds, and creatures with a stamina value over 20 for 1d6 rounds.
Being hit or injured in any way immediately dispels the spell; otherwise, the target is limited to writhing in pleasure on the ground and soiling their own clothing. Targets are considered “prone” for the duration.
Power Word: Orgasm is a powerful but dirty way to guarantee a retreat from combat, a sure way to satisfy a partner, and a good method to ensure that they are not just pretending.
I know. You’re hooked. I have one more for you: Quick Disrobing. This one is even useful in combat!
With a word and a gesture, the clothing simply falls off the target, leaving them naked except for the shoes they are wearing. This includes all armor but no helmets, hats, or jewelry.
The original intent of this spell was for fun and jokes and to save time when a spontaneous encounter takes place behind a tavern. Since then, it has also been misused by adventurers to strip their targets of their armor, making them easier prey, but the original purpose remains popular.
And yes, be assured: I have primarily listed the spells here that our editor-in-chief won’t have to cut half of them out later with a “Bonk! You go to horny jail” meme. Some of the descriptions in the book are much more suggestive, questionable, and morally reprehensible.
The book contains not only spells but also classes that specialize specifically in this Blue Magic, such as the Pain Mage, the Seducer, or the Mystical Pimp, who can summon all sorts of creatures for pleasure …
Who Are These Rulebooks Actually For?
It is clear that these additional rules, spells, items, and places probably won’t find much use in most pen&paper sessions. Sex is usually an aspect that takes place mostly “off-screen” in P&P – and that’s probably for the best if you ever want to look your friends in the eye again later.
However, I found the spells simply interesting from the perspective of asking: If a world offers so much magic – why shouldn’t one use it for sex and everything that relates to it?
Are there wizards who specialize in this kind of magic?
What are the consequences of this magic and what are the dangers?
What kind of rumors about “interesting” spells might magic students discuss in hushed tones?
For me, it simply sheds light on an aspect of D20 (or D&D) that may never have gameplay significance but does contribute to making the worlds more thought-out and entertaining.
Together with a fellow player in WoW, I once used many of the spells from the book as inspiration to create very questionable “love potions” for a witch’s shop in role-playing, which were used for many years in the RP (and promptly used against my character by the witch).
Succubus and witch have caused a lot of nonsense with the potions.
And yes, this rulebook also contains some things and phrases that might be phrased differently in 2025. But I believe that the book must be viewed as a work of its time – and under this aspect, it is pretty funny and has served me and a friend well when it came to developing new ideas for absurd alchemical potions in role-playing.
I find rulebooks like these, which deal with topics that one would rather rarely or never actually play out in pen&paper, quite interesting. Even if most spells are unusable for one’s own character, they can still be interesting for NPCs – for example, a wizard who has become a bit too lost in the physical pleasures of this magic or for a brothel in a wizard city where people only gossip about all the strange things you can see and feel there.
By the way, the old “Arcane Nymphology” is just one of several books that deal with rather unusual topics in pen&paper. Those who search will stumble across many curious works that can make worlds more exciting and lively. There could also be these 5 magical items that are so crazy you want to use them.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Battlefield 6 not only looks damn good but is also selling really well before release. But wait, have enthusiastic fans forgotten in all the hype that they actually never wanted to pre-order again?
This is how it is going for Battlefield: Really good. Although large parts of Battlefield 6 had already been leaked before the big reveal at the end of July, they looked so good that they got fans even more excited about the shooter. At the event, the developers delivered so well that even skeptical players on Reddit stated: They got me.
With so much hype, it’s not surprising that Battlefield 6 is already climbing the charts before release. Currently, the shooter is ranked 3rd in the best-selling games on Steam worldwide, behind the ever-popular Free2Play title Counter-Strike. For a time, Battlefield even held the number 1 spot, but with its surprising release on August 1, an ARPG overtook the shooter.
But not all players are happy about it.
Start video
Die große Stärke von Battlefield 6 sind die Maps!
Never Preorder… or should you?
Why don’t players want to pre-order? The credo “Never Preorder” has been spreading among gamers who are disappointed with the state of the AAA industry for some time now. Big games like Cyberpunk 2077 or Star Wars Jedi: Survivor were not in good shape at release, and the developers had to patch them.
Some players blame pre-orders for these lousy launches, like in this thread on Reddit. According to the logic, if gamers simply didn’t pre-order games sight unseen, developers and publishers would have more motivation to release a good and finished product.
If the production costs are already covered by pre-orders, the responsible developers could pull away from a game and start working on the next project. Furthermore, in the age of digital releases, there is simply no reason to pre-order, as games don’t run out.
Those who prefer to wait for a sale will have a better gaming experience for less money.
Battlefield is likely one of the communities where there is the most heated discussion about pre-orders. After 2042, many players vowed never to pre-order another installment of the shooter again.
Many are now asking on Reddit based on the strong numbers: What has actually happened to “Never Preorder”? It borders on the famous definition of madness from Far Cry, doing something over and over again and hoping for a different result.
But the community also has several answers ready:
“Never preorder” may be a popular slogan on Reddit, but many gamers don’t notice such discussions and simply buy when they like a franchise or their friends are playing something.
The generous return policies of platforms like Steam make pre-ordering risk-free – you can simply get your money back if the game is bad at release.
Battlefield 6 simply showed exactly what fans wanted during the reveal. Even the brave Reddit warriors seem to have succumbed and pre-ordered.
The real madness seems to be advising people against pre-orders time and time again and hoping each time that they listen this time.
Those who are not yet convinced can get a firsthand experience in the closed beta starting on August 7, 2025, or in one of the open betas starting on August 9, 2025. All information can be found here on MeinMMO.
A player has completed Dark Souls 3 in a way that really shouldn’t be possible. He completely avoided a central mechanic – collecting souls.
What did this player do? He completed Dark Souls 3 from 2016 without collecting a single soul. That should actually be impossible:
You defeat an enemy in battle? You’ll get souls for that
You defeat a boss? Tons of souls, directly credited to your account
An enemy dies while you’re nearby? You’ll be granted souls for that too
This isn’t just about not using souls. That’s already not easy, but relatively easier than not collecting them at all. Because souls are automatically credited to you as soon as you defeat an enemy. You can’t just leave them lying around.
Although this challenge seems impossible, one player dared to do it. He uploaded a video about it on YouTube.
By the way, in the new Elden Ring: Nightreign, you can encounter a boss from Dark Souls 3:
Start video
Gameplay trailer for Elden Ring Nightreign shows a boss from Dark Souls 3
From steep cliffs and a special sword
What is the biggest challenge? The biggest problem is the bosses. You can run past ordinary enemies, but many of the bosses you have to defeat. So how do you avoid collecting their souls?
It’s not enough to teleport out of the arena with the Darksign as soon as the boss is defeated. You will simply receive the souls when you awaken at the bonfire. Your character has to die to permanently lose those souls. It must happen quickly enough so you don’t receive them beforehand.
Fortunately, there is a suitable cliff to jump off at Iudex Gundyr, the first boss. Later, the player uses a special weapon.
In Dark Souls 3, there is a katana called “Bloodlust”. This has the special ability to inflict damage on you in exchange for improved damage.
Further challenges arise from the numerous situations in Dark Souls 3 where your enemies attack each other. This includes the dragon on the high wall of Lothric and the Darkwraiths that take down some Ghru on the way to the Abyss Watchers.
In their first own Direct on YouTube, Critical Role announced their upcoming next campaign alongside some other innovations. With Campaign 4, quite a few things will change.
Who will take Matthew Mercer’s place? The popular Game Master (Dungeon Master) Matthew Mercer will take a break from his role as DM after 10 years with Critical Role. Brennan Lee Mulligan, who has many years of experience as a DM, for example with the group Dimension 20 (on YouTube), will take his place, and he has also made a name for himself as a comedian outside the role-playing world.
He will step into the role of Game Master for the entire campaign duration and provide a completely new experience. However, you will not have to miss Matthew Mercer entirely, as he will join the cast of the campaign as a player. The new campaign will launch on October 02, 2025, and will also bring some other innovations.
Here Matthew Mercer introduces you to his own role-playing system Daggerheart:
Start video
Critical Role stellen ihr neues, eigenes Rollenspiel vor: Daggerheart
Campaign 4 will also be attractive for newcomers
What else has been announced about Campaign 4? Campaign 4 will, like all previous campaigns, deliver its own self-contained story, which can also be enjoyed as a single long story and does not require any prior knowledge of the other stories. Unlike before, however, the campaign under Brennan Lee Mulligan will not take place in the world of Exandria created by Critical Role.
Instead, a completely new world is supposed to be built with him as DM, making Campaign 4 particularly exciting for newcomers. As Mulligan himself reveals in an interview with Variety, more information about the exact cast, the world, and the game system will only be announced in the coming months.
Whether Campaign 4 will be played with the rules of Dungeons & Dragons or possibly with Critical Role’s own system, Daggerheart, remains to be seen. A completely different system has also not been ruled out so far. You will also have to wait and see whether, besides Matthew Mercer, your favorite players will also be there this time or if new faces will join in.
The announcement of Mulligan’s takeover as DM and Matthew Mercer’s transition to the role of player was well received by the audience of the Direct and generated a lot of excitement. Campaign 4 could also offer a good entry point for newcomers into the realms of Critical Role. A Reddit user had watched some games from Mulligan’s group on YouTube and found some decisions to be strange: User watches a game of Dungeons & Dragons for the first time and asks if they always go so strangely – Community enlightens him
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The best spell in Baldur’s Gate 3 may not seem so powerful at first glance. However, it is versatile and can massively enhance many other spells.
In Baldur’s Gate 3, there is a variety of spells. Whether it’s a gigantic fireball, a devastating chain lightning, or summoning a gigantic elemental servant – there is something for every type of player. However, some of the most powerful spells are not immediately recognizable or are almost instantly overlooked.
One of these overlooked spells is “Create Water”. The description is simple as it merely creates a surface of water. Yet, why this can be invaluable has been outlined by a member of the BG3 community.
Start video
Der animierte Kurzfilm zu Patch 8, dem letzten Update für Baldur’s Gate 3
What are the benefits of Create Water? The list of advantages of this spell is quite long. It can be applied in a variety of situations. Among these advantages are:
Costs only one level 1 spell slot.
Can be cast at higher levels for a large area.
The spell does not trigger combat.
The “Wet” condition doubles the lightning and cold damage taken.
The water removes the “Burning” debuff.
Frost can keep enemies stunned if they are frozen while wet.
The spell allows you to kiss Karlach during a romance (since she overheats).
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How is this received in the community? Although it is broadly a meme post, the post has received over 20,000 upvotes – even for the subreddit of Baldur’s Gate 3, that’s a lot. Many share their own experiences and even list additional benefits of the spell.
“The spell also removes invisibility.” – Nigward127
“It also removes the timer from the fight against Ethel in the cellar.” – thebaldguy76
“The wet dream of every storm sorceress.” – minhkhoid0975
The versatility of spells is one of the great strengths of Baldur’s Gate 3. The game allows significant freedom and lets you solve problems in various ways. There’s little more satisfying than gaining a massive advantage through the creative combination of spells and items – and “Create Water” is just perfect for that. Another spell that often flies under the radar is “Eyebite” – it is also celebrated by the community.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Few genres are as popular in Germany as strategy and building games. In July 2025, a true classic was brought back as a remaster on Steam, and it’s getting quite good reception.
Which game is it? On July 15, 2025, Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition by FireFly Studios was released. The original was released in 2002 by the same studio, and it’s a true strategy classic with many fans to this day.
The focus is on building your own castle along with real-time strategy battles. With a large army, you must wage wars and capture other castles. This includes production chains and the beloved “busy factor” for Germans, as you watch your units work and fight.
Many players particularly remember the excellent German voice acting. Simple sayings like: You farmer!, The people are leaving the castle or Fire, please? have long become memes.
The new Definitive Edition offers, in addition to the contents (and voice acting) of the original, improved graphics, new units, AI lords, and campaigns. This seems to hit the nerve of the fans, as there were already over 12,000 players at launch. Even 2 weeks later, things still look good for Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition.
You can see a trailer for the game here:
Start video
Der offizielle Trailer zur Definitive Edition von Stronghold Crusader, dem Remaster des legendären Strategiespiels auf Steam
After 2 weeks, the fans are absolutely thrilled
How is Stronghold Crusader doing right now? The game had a peak player count of nearly 16,000 shortly after release (via SteamDB), and 2 weeks later it stabilizes between about 10,000 and 13,000 concurrent players at peak times (as of: 02.08.2025).
Even if the average rating on Steam has slightly decreased compared to the release, it stands at 90% positive reviews with currently over 4,100 ratings at very positive. Fans are thrilled, not just for nostalgic reasons.
For Maarty (Steam), the original was one of his first games, and he is completely satisfied with the Definitive Edition: Overall, I’m thrilled and will invest many hours in this release. I’m looking forward to the upcoming DLCs and especially to the free expansions.
Gifith Vrumoth (Steam) recommends it to all fans of the genre: Every RTS fan needs this game, it is simply incredible. It offers a lot of content, and I just completed all solo content.
Nxrbcn (Steam) had a less positive experience so far and says: It’s a wonderful game, I’ve loved Stronghold for almost 20 years. But due to problems in multiplayer mode, I can’t recommend it right now. You get kicked out every minute and the connection gets interrupted.
Overall, the game is doing quite well with the Steam community, especially if you loved the original.
Even the well-known Twitch streamer HandOfBlood has struck a chord with the game. On his channel HandOfUncut (via YouTube), he still uploads gameplay of the strategy game and has garnered between 150,000 and 210,000 views in the last 4 attempts. So, it seems his community wants to see the game from him.
What do you think about the new remaster? Have you played it yet, and how did you like it? Please feel free to share it with us in the comments. If you want more tips in the genre, we have created a list of the best strategy games of the year: The 15 best strategy games for PC 2025
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
